Structure of a magnetic belt buckle

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6698070
  • Patent Number
    6,698,070
  • Date Filed
    Monday, December 3, 2001
    22 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, March 2, 2004
    20 years ago
  • Inventors
  • Examiners
    • Knight; Anthony
    • Rodriguez; Ruth C.
    Agents
    • Lei; Leong C.
Abstract
A structure of a magnetic belt buckle is disclosed. The magnetic belt buckle comprises a top cover, magnets, a pulling ring, an iron block and a bottom housing and at least one moving-type magnet, characterized in that the top cover, the bottom housing and one end of the belt are mounted with magnets of same poles to facilitate and rapid adjustment of belt by means of repelling force between the magnets so as to attain the optimum fastening, and by means of the moving-type magnets to mutually repel with each other, and to attract with the iron block, the tightening of belt is maintained.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




(a) Technical Field of the Invention




The present invention relates to buckle of a belt, and in particular, to a magnetic belt buckle which facilitates adjustment of tightness of belt after buckling to the waist of the wearer.




(b) Description of the Prior Art




Conventional belt is provided with a belt head (buckle) at one end of the belt, which is fastened to the other end of the belt. The end portion of the belt is provided with a plurality of holes, which is fastened to the buckle so as to provide a fastening to the waist of the wearer. To adjust the tightness of the belt, different holes have to be used for fastening to the buckle. However, adjustment of tightness from one hole to another hole does not provide a slight adjustment. Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a structure of a magnetic belt buckle, which mitigates the above-drawback by allowing a slight adjustment of the belt buckle.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a structure of a magnetic belt buckle comprising a top cover, magnets, a pulling ring, an iron block and a bottom housing and at least one moving-type magnet, characterized in that the top cover, the bottom housing and one end of the belt are mounted with magnets of same poles to facilitate and rapid adjustment of belt by means of repelling force between the magnets so as to attain the optimum fastening, and by means of the moving-type magnets to mutually repel with each other, and to attract with the iron block, the tightening of belt is maintained.




Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a structure of a magnetic belt buckle wherein the belt is of an appropriate length and is mounted with at least one moving-type magnet, thereby repelling force is increased between magnets of same poles.




A further object of the present invention is to provide a structure of a magnetic belt buckle, wherein the loosening and tightening of the belt can be slightly adjusted to provide the most appropriate tightness of belting to the waist of the user.




The foregoing object and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.




Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example. dr




BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is an exploded perspective view of an externally-mounted type magnetic belt buckle of the present invention.





FIG. 2

schematically shows the top cover of a magnetic belt buckle of the present invention.





FIG. 3

schematically shows the bottom housing of a magnetic belt buckle of the present invention.





FIGS. 4 and 5

schematically show the operation of the magnetic belt buckle of the present invention.





FIG. 6

is another preferred embodiment of the magnetic belt buckle of the present invention.





FIG. 7

is a preferred embodiment of an internal mounting buckle in accordance with the present invention.





FIGS. 8 and 9

schematically show the operation of an internal-mounting buckle in accordance with the present invention.





FIG. 10

is another schematic view of the internal-mounting buckle in accordance with the present invention.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT




The following descriptions are of exemplary embodiments only, and are intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. Referring to

FIGS. 1

to


3


, there is shown a structure of an externally-mounted magnetic belt buckle. As shown in the figure, the belt buckle comprises a top cover


10


, a bottom housing


20


, and a pulling ring


30


, and magnets


40


,


50


. The top cover


10


is substantially an “arch” shaped body. Two sides of the cover l are provided respectively with a recess for the mounting of magnet


50


which is mounted to the cover


10


by a recessed fastening seat


26


. The surface of the magnet


50


and the bottom section of the fastening seat


26


are provided with two top blocks


51


and the center of the top cover is provided with a through hole. By means of a rear rod protrusion


33


of the pulling ring


30


, the magnet


50


is located at the slot of the fastening seat


26


so that the magnet


50


slides within the top cover


10


and the bottom housing


20


. The rear of the top cover


10


is mounted to a fastening ring


12


, and a circular hole


13


is located at the sides, at the rear end of the top cover


10


. The front side of the top cover


10


is provided with two screwed protrusions


11


for mounting together with the screw nuts


62


at the bottom housing


20


. The screwed protrusions


11


are used to urge against another magnet


40


, and one or more than one moving type magnet


41


is provided within the front side of the magnet


40


and the magnet fastened to the pulling ring


30


. The additional magnet


40


provides appropriate repelling force so that the front end of the belt can be adjusted slightly. As a result of the arrangement of the iron block


70


, the original tightness of the belt can be restored.




The bottom housing


20


is mounted to the top cover


10


at the upper edge thereof. The two sides of the bottom housing


20


are provided with two blocking plates


21


adaptable to the recess of the top cover


10


so that the magnet


50


can slide therein. There are through holes


22


at the rear side of the bottom housing


20


and the center thereof is provided with a stopping block


25


for urging at and positioning the end of the belt. A stop


23


is positioned at the recess of the stopping block


25


for mounting with the iron block


70


. The screwed protrusions


11


for mounting with the top cover


10


are provided to the stop


23


so that the magnet


40


can be mounted at the cover


10


leaving only one contact face to provide a stable and strong magnetic surface.




Referring to

FIGS. 4 and 5

, the magnets


40


and


50


are of similar poles and will repel with each other. The top cover


10


and the bottom housing


20


are fastened to each other, and a top needle


32


is mounted to the through hole of the belt


60


. If a slight adjustment of tightness of the belt


60


is required, the two magnets


40


,


50


(being having the same poles) will repel with each other and the iron block


70


at the front edge of the stopping block


25


will restore the belt


60


to the appropriate tightness.




As shown in

FIG. 6

, the top cover


10


is provided with a guiding slot


14


and the interior of the cover


10


of the rear magnet


50


has a protrusion


53


, and the top and bottom side of the top cover


10


are provided with a top block


51


mounted with steel beads or rail slot


54


so that the magnet


40


slides within the cover


10


.




There are steps at the front and rear end of the bottom housing


20


for the adaptation of magnet, and the rear end has an arch-shaped iron block


43


to provide a repel force so that the belt


60


can restores to its tightness, As a result of the moving-type magnet


41


, the repelling force increases so that the pulling out of the belt


60


is easy and is stable. One or more than one moving-type magnets


41


can be incorporated to the belt buckle.




Referring to

FIGS. 7

to


9


, there is shown an internally-fastened type belt buckle in accordance with the present invention. On the top cover


10


, two screwed protrusions


11


are provided to the front end of the cover


10


, and the rear end of the top cover


10


is a fastening ring


12


. There are circular holes


13


at the two sides of the top cover


10


for the passage of the rod protrusion


61


of the bottom housing


20


so as to connect with the bottom housing


20


. The bottom housing


20


is also provided with two through holes


22


, and a stop


23


is located in between the two holes


22


.




The rear end of the bottom housing


20


is also provided with a stop


23


for the mounting of an arch-shaped iron block


43


to increase repelling force of the magnet. The top cover


10


and the bottom housing


20


enclose an iron block


70


. The sides of the bottom housing


20


are provided with steel beads or rail slot


54


, allowing point contact with other magnets and facilitating slide operation between the top cover


10


and the bottom housing


20


.





FIG. 10

is another preferred embodiment of the present invention. The top cover


10


is made into a recessed structure with two lateral sliding rails


17


being formed from at the inner wall of the recessed structure for longer mounting of belt. One or more than one moving-type magnets


41


is located at the guiding slot or the sliding rails


17


. The magnet


41


is mounted to a shaft rod


42


, and the front and the rear end of the top housing


10


are provided with a stop


23


so that an iron block


70


can be mounted at the front end, and a magnet


50


is mounted at the rear end of the top cover


10


. Another magnet


40


is provided at the front end of the fastening ring seat


15


.




By means of the fastening plate


16


, the end of the belt


60


can be mounted by pressing the plate


16


inward. Due to the sliding of the fastening ring seat


15


within the guiding slot


17


and the repelling force of the magnets


41


,


50


having similar poles, the belt


60


can be adjusted slightly.




It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods differing from the type described above.




While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.



Claims
  • 1. A structure of a magnetic belt buckle having a top cover, magnets, a pulling ring, an iron block, a bottom housing and at least one moving-type magnet, wherein the top cover, the bottom housing and one end of a belt are mounted with magnets of same poles to facilitate rapid adjustment of the belt by means of repelling force between the magnets so as to attain optimum fastening, and by means of the moving-type magnet mutually repelling with the other magnets, and tightening of the belt is maintained by having the moving magnet attracted to the iron block.
  • 2. The structure of a magnetic belt buckle of claim 1, wherein a blocking element is used to resist attraction between the magnet and the iron block so as to prevent the magnet to attract to the iron block.
  • 3. The structure of a magnetic belt buckle of claim 1, wherein a belt head mounted to a belt body is fastened externally or internally so as to hide the belt head at an inner side of the buckle.
US Referenced Citations (11)
Number Name Date Kind
2867023 Putman Jan 1959 A
3799610 Hollins Mar 1974 A
4384390 Hayakawa May 1983 A
4527311 Aoki Jul 1985 A
4529111 Hayakawa Jul 1985 A
4566158 Lau Jan 1986 A
5323516 Hartmann Jun 1994 A
5377392 Morita Jan 1995 A
5701640 Locher Dec 1997 A
6067692 Chang May 2000 A
6142348 Park Nov 2000 A