The present invention generally relates to fasteners for fastening at least two elements having two fastening mechanism.
Fasteners such as snap fasteners, buckles and snap fasteners are commonly used for fastening elements to one another. Snap fasteners are often used for preventing theft of items from shops and typically include a set of spherical elements removably snapping a metallic elongated protrusion of the fastener such that the snap holding can only be released by using a powerful magnet externally from the fastener to pull out the metallic protrusion attracted to the magnet. These fasteners are typically equipped with RFID (radio frequency ID) tags to have a detector detect them to prevent shoplifting for instance, when used for attaching to articles in a shop.
US patent application publication No. 2005186027 teaches a fastener having a key to fasten two separate articles for backpacks or bags carrying personal belongings or valuables or the like, and the fastener includes the fastener includes at least two locking pins installed in the receiving unit and resiliently supported by a biasing member, a key receiving groove formed on a front surface of the receiving unit in a desired depth and having an optional shape, a plurality of locking holes, formed in the inserting unit at a position corresponding to the locking pin, for receiving the locking pin, so that the inserting unit is snapped to the receiving unit, and a key adapted to complementarily match with the key receiving groove formed on the front surface of the receiving unit, and having a permanent magnet displaced at a position corresponding to the locking pin to pull the locking pin from the locking hole. When the inserting unit is inserted into the receiving unit, the locking pin installed in the receiving unit and biased therein by a biasing member is snapped to the locking hole of the inserting unit. A fastening state of the inserting unit is released by inserting the key into the key receiving groove formed on the front surface of the receiving unit.
US patent application publication No. 2003145441 teaches a fastening mechanism comprising a pin having a shank coupled to the head at a first end of said shank. A metallic pin-lock is provided having a base portion coupled to a resilient pin-engaging portion. The shank has a circumferentially-formed notch at a second end, said notch being adapted to receive the resilient pin-engaging portion. A resilient member is coupled to the base portion of the metallic pin-lock and to a mobile phone housing. A retainer is provided for housing said fastening mechanism inside the mobile phone housing. Upon insertion of the pin into the pin-lock, the pin is adapted to move the resilient pin-engaging portion a predetermined distance until the resilient pin-engaging portion engages the circumferentially-formed notch. The pin-lock is adapted to be removed from the pin via a magnet attracting at least a portion of the pin-lock away from the pin.
Other references such as WO2013086562, EP1947973, U.S. Pat. No. 7,535,356, US2007120686, WO02060293, DE202005001787 and US2004092874 also disclose various types of magnet or buckle type fasteners.
According to some aspects of the invention, there is provided a fastener for fastening a first element to a second element, wherein the fastener comprises: (a) a first part; (b) a second part fastenable to the first part via a first fastening mechanism; and (c) a third part fastenable to the second part via a second fastening mechanism, wherein the third part comprises at least one protruding member for inserting thereof to the second element for fastening the second element between the second and third parts, wherein the first part is attachable, embedded or placed in the first element thereby ultimately enabling fastening the first element to the second element, and wherein the first fastening mechanism is configured such that to open the fastening of the first part to the second part an external tool should be applied. For example, a powerful magnetic element or key has to be used for unfastening the first and second parts thereby releasing the fastening of the first and second elements.
In some embodiments, the first fastening mechanism is different in principle than the second fastening mechanism. In other embodiments, the same fastening mechanisms are used. For example both fastening mechanisms may be based on snap and/or magnetic mechanisms.
According to some embodiments, the first fastening mechanism is based on snap and/magnetic fastening and the second fastening mechanism is based on snap fastening.
According to some embodiments, the first part comprises: a casing configured to form at least one inner groove, a recess and at least one projection for snap fastening the at least one projection located inwardly over the recess, the recess is configured to hold therein at least one portion of the second part for fastening thereto; at least one metallic piece located inside the at least one inner groove; and at least one spring engaging the at least one metallic piece such that once applying an external magnetic force, using an external magnet, the at least one metallic piece moves in the groove such that it compresses the at least one spring engaging thereof thereby slightly dilating the recess to allow removal of the second part therefrom.
Optionally, the second part comprises a knob shaped head portion connected to an elongated portion having a recess therein; and the third part comprises a flattened part connected to a protruding part, wherein the protruding part is configured to be inserted into the recess of the elongated part of the second part for fastening thereto and the knob shaped head portion of the second part is configured for fitting into the recess of the first part for fastening thereto.
Optionally, the protruding part of the third part is externally serrated and the recess of the second part is inwardly serrated to allow irremovable fastening of the third part to the second part.
Alternatively, the protruding part of the third part is externally screw threaded and the recess of the second part is inwardly screw threaded to allow removable fastening of the third part to the second part.
According to some embodiments, the third part comprises an elongated pin like part connected to a flattened part, and the second part comprises: a head configured to fit into the recess of the first part; an elongated portion having a recess therein configured for receiving the pin like part of the third part; and at least one spherical element configured for snap fastening the pin like part of the third part in the recess of the second part.
According to other embodiments, the first part comprises: a casing having an opening recess for fitting therethrough a portion of the second part and at least one key hole; and a clip member located inside the casing and configured for clip fastening the portion of the second member once inserted through the opening recess, wherein the clip member has two pincers connected to a grip. In these embodiments, once a designated key configured to fit into the at least one key hole is inserted through the at least one key hole and rotated therein, it dilates the gap between the pincers thereby allowing removal of the second part portion from the opening recess for unfastening thereof.
Optionally, the at least one key hole comprises a single key hole.
The designated key optionally includes protrusions and the single key hole is located such that the protrusions of the key will be located between the princes of the clip member for dilating thereof upon rotation of this key.
Alternatively, the at least one key hole comprises two key holes located in front of the pincers and the designated key includes two edges configured for being inserted through those key holes for dilating the gap between said pincers.
According to some embodiments, the first element to or in which the first part of the fastener, in any embodiment thereof, is attached, embedded or placed comprises a tracking unit, configured to enable tracking that second element to which the fastener fastens or for tracking the person which carries it. The tracking unit may comprise a transmission unit configured for transmitting signals for locating the second element to which the first element ultimately fastens through the fastener, such as, for example, RFID device, GPS device or any other transmission device that allows wireless long and/or short distance locating and thereby tracking.
In the following detailed description of various embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part thereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. It is understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.
The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, provides a fastener for fastening a first element such as a pouch, a belt and the like to another second element such as a garment, a box and the like in a secured manner such that will require a separate tool such as a powerful magnet or a lock key to reopen the fastening of the fastener. The fasteners of the present invention are especially yet not exclusively designed for securing a device with a sensor such as a tracking device embedded or placed in a garment or casing, to a garment worn by a person for keeping track of that person. This may be useful for children or persons with disablements such autistic people or people with Alzheimer that can get lost. The fastener cannot be easily reopen by the tracked person and therefore the tracking device is likely to be kept worn by that person. In other implementations the fastener can be used for theft prevention being attached to a tracking device such as RFID (radio frequency ID) device or a casing comprising thereof fastened to a product in a shop for instance.
According to some embodiments of the invention, the fastener combines two fastening mechanisms which may be based on the same fastening principle or on two different fastening principles. According to some embodiments, the fastener has three distinguished fastenable parts: a first part, a second part and a third part fastenable to one another and thereby establishing the two fastening mechanisms by connecting to one another in the following manner the second part is fastenable to the third part such as to fasten to a first element such as a garment or any other element by fastening to one another via a first fastening mechanism; and the first part attachable to a second element such as a device, a casing or a pouch, wherein the first part is configured to fasten to the second middle part via a second fastening mechanism for ultimately attaching the first element to the second element.
According to some embodiments, the first fastening mechanism requires the use of an external tool such as a powerful magnetic element or a key in order to open the fastening between the first and second parts. This requires a special mechanism or design of the first part, second part or both.
This means that the third and second parts fasten to one another and thereby hold a first element and the first part fastens to the second part and is attached to the second element (not necessarily through the fastening to the second part). The middle second part is configured to fasten to the first part at one end or one side thereof and to the third part at another side or end thereof.
For example, the third part may include a protrusion such as a pin connectable to the second part. The second part may have an elongated hole niche configured for tightly receiving the protrusion of the third part therein and may include a snap mechanism for holding the pin inside the hole in a secure manner. The pin may be inserted through a portion of the first element, for instance to attach a garment type element between the third and second parts. The second part having the hole niche that receives the pin therein is also configured as an elongated protrusion configured to fasten into another niche at the first part of the fastener through a magnetic or non-magnetic snap fastening mechanism to attach the second part (attached to the first part) to the third part, wherein that first part connects to or is embedded in a second element such as a pouch or a casing holding therein a sensor unit and/or an RFID (radio frequency ID) device for tracking the first element.
Reference is now made to
According to some embodiments, as shown in
The third and second members 130 and 120 are designed to allow fastening to the second element such as a wearable garment by inserting the protruding part 135 of the third member 130 through a perforation in the garment such that its flattened part 136 faces the inner part of the garment engaging or being closest to the skin of the person wearing the garment and securing the second member 120 thereto. When the second member 120 is secured to the third member 130, the second member 120 can be used for fastening the first element such as a garment to the second element (e.g. the pouch) by inserting the head 121 of the second member 120 into the recess 112 of the first member 110.
As illustrated in
However, to allow removing the second member 120 from the first member 110, as illustrated in
Once the magnetic force is applied, as illustrated in
The moving of the metallic pieces 113a and 113b towards the distal edge of the grooves 117a and 117b by using the external magnet, allows weakening the grip of the projections 115a and 115b to the head 121 of the second member 120 since these projections 115a and 115b are not connected to the metallic pieces 113a and 113b and are not made of a material that attracts to the magnet. This means that once the head 121 of the second member 120 is fit into the recess 112 of the first member 110, the projections 115a and 115b apply pressure over the head 121 for holding it while the metallic pieces 113a and 113b apply an additional pressure by firming the structure supporting the projections 115a and 115b. Once the external magnet is applied pulling the metallic pieces 113a and 113b away from the projections 115a and 115b, the grip of the projections 115a and 115b is dramatically loosened as the framing walls thereof are hollow and made from much more flexible material than that of the metallic pieces 113a and 113b allowing slightly pushing these walls sideways to pull out the second member 120 from the recess 112, since without the support of the metallic pieces 113a and 113b the frame in this area is much more flexible.
The metallic pieces may be of any shape such as cylindrical, cuboid, conical, spherical, semi-spherical, or any other elongated or non-elongated shape.
The third member 530 has a protruding pin-like part 535 and a flattened part 536 connected to one another. The second member 520 has a knob like head 521 having a curvature that fits into the recess 512 of the first member 510; and an elongated portion 522 having an elongated recess therein, connected to the head 521 having a recess hole therein that fits in dimensions and length to the dimension and length of the protruding part 535 of the third member 530. The second member 520 includes a multiplicity of metal spherical elements 30 located inside the elongated portion 522. The spherical elements 30 act as snap holders and hold the pin like protrusion 535 of the third member 530 inside the hole of the elongated portion 522. The protruding pin 535 can be pulled out by using an external magnet attracting the metal spherical elements 30 away from the pin like protrusion 535 for overcoming the grip of the spherical elements 30 thereto.
The mechanism for using spherical snap elements is known in the art and will be referred to hereinafter as “the spherical elements snap mechanism”
Reference is now made to
Reference is now made to
As shown in the transparent view of
Any type of fastening can be used for the second and first members using any design, fastening mechanism and shape, wherein the fastening between the first member 210/310 and second member 220/320 is carried out by adapting the shape and size of the opening recess 214/314 thereof to the shape and size of at least part of the second member 220/320.
According to some embodiments, the first element to or in which the first part of the fastener, in any embodiment thereof, is attached, embedded or placed comprises a tracking unit, configured to enable tracking that second element to which the fastener fastens or the person which carries it. The tracking unit may comprise a transmission unit configured for transmitting signals for locating the second element to which the first element ultimately fastens through the fastener, such as, for example, RFID device, GPS device or any other transmission device that allows wireless long and/or short distance locating.
Many alterations and modifications may be made by those having ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, it must be understood that the illustrated embodiment has been set forth only for the purposes of example and that it should not be taken as limiting the invention as defined by the following invention and its various embodiments and/or by the following claims. For example, notwithstanding the fact that the elements of a claim are set forth below in a certain combination, it must be expressly understood that the invention includes other combinations of fewer, more or different elements, which are disclosed in above even when not initially claimed in such combinations. A teaching that two elements are combined in a claimed combination is further to be understood as also allowing for a claimed combination in which the two elements are not combined with each other, but may be used alone or combined in other combinations. The excision of any disclosed element of the invention is explicitly contemplated as within the scope of the invention.
The words used in this specification to describe the invention and its various embodiments are to be understood not only in the sense of their commonly defined meanings, but to include by special definition in this specification structure, material or acts beyond the scope of the commonly defined meanings. Thus if an element can be understood in the context of this specification as including more than one meaning, then its use in a claim must be understood as being generic to all possible meanings supported by the specification and by the word itself.
The definitions of the words or elements of the following claims are, therefore, defined in this specification to include not only the combination of elements which are literally set forth, but all equivalent structure, material or acts for performing substantially the same function in substantially the same way to obtain substantially the same result. In this sense it is therefore contemplated that an equivalent substitution of two or more elements may be made for any one of the elements in the claims below or that a single element may be substituted for two or more elements in a claim. Although elements may be described above as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, it is to be expressly understood that one or more elements from a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from the combination and that the claimed combination may be directed to a sub-combination or variation of a sub-combination.
Insubstantial changes from the claimed subject matter as viewed by a person with ordinary skill in the art, now known or later devised, are expressly contemplated as being equivalently within the scope of the claims. Therefore, obvious substitutions now or later known to one with ordinary skill in the art are defined to be within the scope of the defined elements.
The claims are thus to be understood to include what is specifically illustrated and described above, what is conceptually equivalent, what can be obviously substituted and also what essentially incorporates the essential idea of the invention.
Although the invention has been described in detail, nevertheless changes and modifications, which do not depart from the teachings of the present invention, will be evident to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are deemed to come within the purview of the present invention and the appended claims.
This application claims priority from U.S. provisional patent application No. 61/931,797 filed on Jan. 27, 2014, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/IL2015/050093 | 1/27/2015 | WO | 00 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
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WO2015/111064 | 7/30/2015 | WO | A |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
7535356 | Lerch et al. | May 2009 | B2 |
8521448 | Ung | Aug 2013 | B1 |
20030145441 | Andersson et al. | Aug 2003 | A1 |
20040092874 | Mazidji et al. | May 2004 | A1 |
20050186027 | Kang | Aug 2005 | A1 |
20060243006 | Christensen | Nov 2006 | A1 |
20070120686 | Spagna | May 2007 | A1 |
20130298360 | Richardson | Nov 2013 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
202005001787 | May 2005 | DE |
1947973 | Apr 2014 | EP |
02060293 | Aug 2002 | WO |
2011118412 | Sep 2011 | WO |
2013086562 | Jun 2013 | WO |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20170006974 A1 | Jan 2017 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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61931797 | Jan 2014 | US |