BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a strap.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Design Pat. No. 421669 discloses a strap including a strap body formed by weaving one string, a first engaging member coupled with one longitudinal end of this strap body, and a second engaging member capable of engaging with this first engaging member and coupled with the other longitudinal end of the strap body.
However, the length of the strap body cannot be adjusted in the strap described in U.S. Design Pat. No. 421669.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a strap in which the length of a strap body can be adjusted.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In order to achieve the above object, a strap according to the present invention includes a strap body including a base section constituted by a longitudinal central section of one string and formed by folding back the longitudinal central portion of the string at a center thereof and a weaved section constituted by a plurality of reef knots tied in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the base section, the plurality of reef knots being made by weaving one longitudinal end portion and the other longitudinal end portion of the string continuous to the base portion in order from a side of a base-end section of the base section to a side of a folded back section of the base portion, both sides of the base portion being sandwiched by a pair of ring portions constituting each of the plurality of reef knots, a first engaging member coupled with the base-end portion of the base portion and a beginning portion of the weaved portion, and a second engaging member configured to engage with the first engaging member and coupled with an end section of the weaved portion, the second engaging member being movable in a longitudinal direction of the base portion with respect to the folded back portion of the base portion.
In this strap, the second engaging member is coupled with the end portion of the weaved portion, and is adapted to move in the longitudinal direction of the base portion with respect to the folded back portion of the base portion. Therefore, not only the length of the weaved portion but also the length of the strap body (distance between the first engaging member and the second engaging member) can be adjusted by moving the second engaging member in the longitudinal direction of the base portion relative to the base section.
In this strap, the strap body is structured such that both sides of the base portion are sandwiched between the pair of ring portions constituting a reef knot. Therefore, when the length of the strap body is adjusted as described above, and thereafter the first engaging member and the second engaging member are engaged with each other to form a ring shape, a frictional force increases between the base section and the pair of ring portions constituting the reef knot, compared with a case where the strap is straight. Thereby, the adjusted length of the strap body can be maintained.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side view showing a strap according to an embodiment of the present invention when the strap is made in a ring shape;
FIG. 2A is a front view showing the strap of FIG. 1 when the strap is made in a straight shape;
FIG. 2B is a front view showing the strap of FIG. 1 when the strap is made longer than that shown in FIG. 2A;
FIG. 3A is a back view showing the strap of FIG. 2A;
FIG. 3B is a back view showing the strap of FIG. 2B;
FIG. 4A is a view for illustrating a method for manufacturing the strap shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4B is a view for illustrating the method for manufacturing the strap shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4C is a view for illustrating the method for manufacturing the strap shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4D is a view for illustrating the method for manufacturing the strap shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4E is a view for illustrating the method for manufacturing the strap shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4F is a view for illustrating the method for manufacturing the strap shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4G is a view for illustrating the method for manufacturing the strap shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4H is a view for illustrating the method for manufacturing the strap shown in FIG. 1; and
FIG. 4I is a view for illustrating the method for manufacturing the strap shown in FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
An embodiment according to the present invention will be described.
A strap 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 can be preferably used as, for example, a waist belt, a dog collar, and an accessory. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3B, this strap 10 includes a strap body 12, a first engaging member 14, and a second engaging member 16.
The strap body 12 is constituted by a single string 22, which includes a base section 18 and a weaved portion 20. The specific structures of the base portion 18 and the weaved portion 20 will be explained later together with a method for making the strap 10.
The first engaging member 14 is coupled with a base-end portion 18A of the base portion 18 and a beginning portion 20A of the weaved portion 20.
The second engaging member 16 is adapted to engage with the first engaging member 14. The second engaging member 16 is coupled with an end section 20B of the weaved section 20, and is adapted to move in a longitudinal direction of the base portion 18 with respect to a folded back portion 18B of the base portion 18.
Subsequently, the method for manufacturing the strap 10 having the structure as described above will be explained.
First, as shown in FIG. 4A, the single string 22 is prepared. For example, a rope for mountain climbing is preferable as the string 22. In the following explanation, a longitudinal central portion of the string 22 means a portion indicated by a numeral 22A. One longitudinal end portion and the other longitudinal end portion of the string 22 mean portions indicated by numerals 22B and 22C, respectively.
Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 4B, the longitudinal central section 22A of the string 22 is folded at a central portion thereof, whereby the base portion 18 is formed by the longitudinal central portion 22A of the string 22. The longitudinal central portion of the string 22 corresponds to the folded back portion 18B of the base portion 18.
Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 4C, the folded back portion 18B of the base portion 18 is inserted into a hole portion 26 formed at a fixed portion 24 of the first engaging member 14.
Then, as shown in FIG. 4D, the one longitudinal end portion 22B and the other longitudinal end portion 22C of the string 22, which are continuous to the base portion 18, are inserted into the hole portion 26.
At this time, as shown in FIG. 4E, whole of the one longitudinal end portion 22B and the other longitudinal end portion 22C of the string 22, which are continuous to the base portion 18, are inserted into the hole portion 26 of the first engaging member 14. Then, the one longitudinal end portion 22B and the other longitudinal end portion 22C of the string 22 pulled out of the hole portion 26 are passed through an annular fixing device 28, and the one longitudinal end portion 22B and the other longitudinal end portion 22C of the string 22 are tied into a knot.
Then, as shown in FIG. 4F, a first reef knot 30 tied in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the base portion 18 is formed by the one longitudinal end portion 22B and the other longitudinal end portion 22C of the string 22. At this time, a pair of ring portions 30A and 30B constituting this first reef knot 30 is formed on either side of the base section 18 in such a manner that the base portion 18 is sandwiched between the pair of ring portions 30A and 30B.
Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 4G, a second reef knot 32 tied in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the base portion 18 is formed by the one longitudinal end portion 22B and the other longitudinal end portion 22C of the string 22 that have formed this first reef knot 30. This second reef knot 32 is in the opposite direction to the first reef knot 30. At this time, a pair of ring portions 32A and 32B constituting this second reef knot 32 is formed on either side of the base portion 18 in such a manner that the base portion 18 is sandwiched between the pair of ring portions 32A and 32B.
Then, as shown in FIG. 4H, a plurality of first reef knots 30 and second reef knots 32 are alternately formed in order from the side of the base-end portion 18A of the base portion 18 (see FIG. 4G) to the side of the folded back portion 18B by the one longitudinal end portion 22B and the other longitudinal end section 22C of the string 22, whereby the weaved portion 20 is formed by the one longitudinal end portion 22B and the other longitudinal end portion 22C of the string 22. It should be noted that the end portion 20B of this weaved portion 20 is left so as to be fixed to the second engaging member 16 (see FIG. 4I), which will be explained later.
Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 4I, the end portion 20B of the weaved portion 20 is inserted into a hole portion 36 formed in a fixing section 34 of the second engaging member 16, and is wound around the fixing portion 34. Then, each end portion 20B of the weaved portion 20 is joined with each other by lightly burning the end portion 20B with a lighter for example. Thereby, the second engaging member 16 is coupled with the end portion 20B of the weaved portion 20, and the second engaging member 16 can move in the longitudinal direction of the base portion 18 with respect to the folded back portion 18B of the base portion 18.
The strap 10 is manufactured as described above.
Subsequently, the actions and the effects will be explained along with the usage of the above strap 10.
As shown in FIGS. 2A and 3A, this strap 10 is structured such that the second engaging member 16 is coupled with the end portion 20B of the weaved portion 20 so as to move in the longitudinal direction of the base portion 18 with respect to the folded back portion 18B of the base portion 18. Therefore, not only the length of the weaved portion 20 but also the length of the strap body 12 (distance between the first engaging member 14 and the second engaging member 16) can be adjusted by moving the second engaging member 16 in the longitudinal direction of the base portion 18 relative to the base portion 18.
In other words, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 3A, when the second engaging member 16 is moved to the side of the base-end portion 18A of the base section 18, not only the length of the weaved portion 20 but also the length of the strap body 12 can be made shorter. On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 2B and 3B, when the second engaging member 16 is moved to the side of the folded back portion 18B of the base portion 18, not only the length of the weaved portion 20 but also the length of the strap body 12 can be made longer.
Further, the strap 10 is structured such that the strap body 12 has the base portion 18 both sides of which are sandwiched between the pair of ring portions 30A and 30B constituting the first reef knot 30 as shown in FIG. 4G. In a similar manner, both sides of the base portion 18 are sandwiched between the pair of ring portions 32A and 32B constituting the second reef knot 32.
Therefore, when the length of the strap body 12 is adjusted as described above, and thereafter the first engaging member 14 and the second engaging member 16 are engaged with each other to form the strap 10 in a ring shape as shown in FIG. 1, a frictional force increases between the base portion 18 and the pair of ring portions 30A and 30B constituting the first reef knot 30 shown in FIG. 4G, and a frictional force also increases between the base portion 18 and the pair of ring portions 32A and 32B constituting the second reef knot 32 shown in FIG. 4G, compared with a case where the strap 10 is straight. Thereby, the adjusted length of the strap body 12 shown in FIG. 1 can be maintained.
The fixing device 28 attached to the strap body 12 enables the base portion 18 and the strap body 12 to be held together when the base portion 18 is passed through the inner side of the fixing device 28.
Patent Application
20110094069
