BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a stud for use in connection with the invention;
FIG. 2 is a plan view of a clasp for use in connection with the stud shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a front elevation of the clasp shown in FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the stud and clasp shown in FIGS. 1 through 3 attached to a reinforced portion of a luggage carrying strap;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the carrying strap and connector combination;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the carrying strap and connector combination in a coupled status; and
FIG. 7 is a bottom elevation of the clasp shown in FIG. 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
For a more detailed understanding of the advantages and features of the invention, attention is invited to FIG. 1 which shows a stud 10 of a durometer 82, zinc alloy or of other suitable metal, hard plastic or the like. The stud 10 has a flat base 11 and a shank 12 that is generally perpendicular to the base 11. At the end of the shank 12 a head 13, substantially wider than the shank 12 and having an arcuate undersurface 14 is spaced from opposing surface 15 on the flat base 11. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the curvature of the arcuate undersurface 14 is oriented toward the opposing surface 15 of the flat base 11.
An exposed surface 16 of the head 13 is sufficiently large to accommodate the end of an index finger or a thumb (not shown in the drawing), the exposed surface 16 as shown in FIG. 4 being roughened or otherwise treated 17 to enable the index finger or a thumb to apply force to the stud 10 selectively in the directions of the arrows 20, 21 without sliding or slipping off the exposed surface 16, of the head 13.
Turning now to FIG. 2 a generally rectangular clasp 22 is also formed of a durometer 82, zinc alloy or other suitable metal, hard plastic or the like. As shown, the clasp 22 has an edge 23 that defines a generally rectangular aperture 24. A pair of opposing resilient members 25, 26 are mounted at the inner edge 23 of the clasp 22 in order to form a bight 27 having a rounded end 28 that is somewhat greater than that the circumference of the shank 12. In accordance with another feature of the invention, the bight 27 has slight protrusions 30, 31 that form a gap 32, the width of the gap 32 being slightly less than the corresponding dimension of the shank 12 (FIG. 1). The width established by the parallel portions of the resilient members 25, 26 forming sides of the bight 27, however are at least as wide as the thickness of the corresponding portion of the shank 12.
The elasticity of the protrusions 30, 31 that form the gap 32 is adequate to hold the shank 12 in the bight 27 through the normal forces encountered by luggage in transit. The resiliency of the protrusions 30, 31, however, is sufficiently flexible to permit the shank 12 to be pressed with only digital force in the direction of arrow 33 past the gap 32 and into the portion of the bight 27 that is not occupied by the respective protrusions 30, 31 on the resilient members 25, 26. Similarly, the protrusions 30, 31 also enable the shank 12 to be digitally pressed in the direction of arrow 34 from a position in the rounded end 28 of the bight 27 into the aperture 24, as described subsequently.
With respect to FIG. 3, it should be noted that the clasp 22 is divided into an exposed portion 35 and a generally parallel inner portion 36 that is spaced from the opposing surface of the exposed portion by a distance approximately equal to thickness 37 (FIG. 4) of a reinforced carrying strap 40. Preferably, the strap 40 is of 95 durometer thermoplastic polyurethane, although other appropriate materials (e.g. leather) also can be used in connection with the invention. In this respect, the exposed portion 35 (FIG. 3) and the inner portion 36 are joined to the strap 40 by means of screws, rivets, fasteners 41 or the like that are shown schematically in FIG. 3.
Further in connection with this feature of the invention and as shown in FIG. 7, the inner portion 36 of the clasp 22 also forms the bight 27 in a portion of the aperture 24. Note in this respect that the width of the parallel sides of the bight 27 as provided by the inner portion 36 is uniform throughout the length of the bight 27 and are spaced from each other through a distance that is greater than the gap 32. The gap 32 that characterizes the resilient members 25, 26 (FIG. 2) is formed only the by the protrusions 30, 31 in the resilient members 25, 26. Thus, the inner portion 36 (FIG. 7) of the clasp 22 has two opposing, rigid sections 42, 43 that reinforce the resilient members 25, 26 (FIG. 2) and support the luggage load (not shown in the drawing) during strap carriage.
Turning once more to FIG. 4, it can be seen that the carrying strap 40 is reinforced through a double thickness 44 of fabric, the double thickness 44 being joined together through stitching 45 and an interleaved layer of suitable glue (not shown in the drawing). The strap 40 also has a hole formed in it (not shown) that accommodates the clasp 22 and enables the clasp 22 to be secured to the strap 40 by means of the fasteners 41 (FIG. 7). To secure the stud 10 (FIG. 4) in the strap 40, the flat base 11 is sandwiched between the two thicknesses 37 that form the double thickness 44 of the carrying strap 40. In this manner, the head 13 and its associated shank 12 protrude above the surface of the carrying strap 40. Also as shown in FIG. 4, a loop 46 is formed in an end of the carrying strap 40 to accommodate a shackle or the like (not shown) that joins the carrying strap 40 to the balance of the carrying strap structure (also not shown).
In operation, the carrying strap 40 is looped at its general midpoint 47 between the stud 10 and the clasp 22 through a shackle on an item of luggage (not shown). As best illustrated in FIG. 5, the head 13 of the stud 10 is pressed through the aperture 24 in the clasp 22. To lock the strap 40 closed, the head 13 is pressed digitally in the direction of the arrow 33 to force the shank 12 (not shown in FIG. 5) past the gap 32 formed by the resilient protrusions 30, 31 and to seat the shank 12 of the stud 10 securely in the rounded end 28 of the bight 27. When complete, the strap 40, the stud 10 and clasp 22 should appear as illustrated in FIG. 6.
In accordance with a specific feature of the invention, it should be noted that the luggage load is borne in the direction of the arrow 20 (FIG. 6). The structural load consequently is supported on the base 11 (FIG. 4), the shank 12 and the head 13 of the stud 10 as these elements bear, respectively, against the strap 40, the rounded end 28 of the bight 27 and the rigid sections 42, 43 (FIG. 7) of the inner portion 36 of the clasp 22.
During transit, and as specifically illustrated in FIG. 5, the ordinarily anticipated motions and forces applied to the luggage and the associated strap 40 in the direction of the arrow 20 that release or just reduce the load applied to the strap 40 do not disengage the stud 10 from its position seated within the bight 27 because the resilient protrusions 30, 31 are sufficiently stiff to prevent the shank (not shown in FIG. 5) from slipping through the gap 32 and into the aperture 24.
To release the strap 40, and as shown in FIG. 6, a thumb or index finger is pressed against the head 13 of the stud 10 to push the stud 10 in the direction of the arrow 20. When the stud 10 (FIG. 5) is reseated in the aperture 24, the clasp 22 is lifted out of the plane of the drawing as shown in FIG. 4 and toward the observer, thus restoring the strap 40 to the disengaged condition as illustrated.
Consequently, the invention provides a sturdy, reliable, relatively inexpensive and safe connector for luggage carrying straps, and the like.
Patent Application
20080047114
