Magnetic Snap Lock

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a magnetic snap lock for various types of bags such as handbags, briefcases and backpacks, and for various types of boxes, belts and other types of fasteners used for keeping door-type structures either opened or closed.

2. Discussion of the Related Art

Fastening devices which utilize a combination of interconnecting male and female members and the attractive force of a magnet are advantageous in that they are easy to use. Related fastening devices have drawbacks in that they are difficult to assemble in an efficient and economical manner. Additionally, the related fastening devices have drawbacks in that they are not easily adaptable to fabrics such as cloth or leather of various thicknesses.

An object of the invention is to provide for a magnetic snap lock device which has a strong closure between the male and female members, while at the same time is easy to assemble.

A further object of the present invention is to provide for a magnetic snap lock which enables a rapid and accurate assembly of the component parts of the device.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic snap lock in which at least one of the male and female members of the lock is constructed so as to be adaptable to fabrics such as cloth or leather of various thicknesses.

The magnetic snap lock of the present invention comprises a female member that includes an attachment base unit having a first opening; an attachment part having a tubular projection which defines a second opening, the tubular projection extending into the first opening of the attachment base unit; and an actuator assembly mounted on the attachment base unit, the attachment base unit comprising first projecting fixing members for fixing the actuator assembly on the attachment base unit. The magnetic snap lock further comprises a male member that has a protruding member that is insertable in the second opening of the attachment part.

The present invention also relates to a snap lock which comprises a female member. The female member includes an attachment base unit having a central opening and a plurality of projections; an attachment grommet having a tubular extension which extends into the central opening, the tubular extension having an upper portion which is bent onto an inner circumference of the central opening for attaching the attachment grommet to the attachment base unit, wherein a length of the tubular extension and an amount of bending of the upper portion of the tubular extension permits placement of materials of various thicknesses between the attachment grommet and the attachment base unit; and a locking assembly held on the attachment base unit by the plurality of projections. The snap lock further comprises a male member which comprises fastening means for releasably fastening the male member to the female member.

The present invention also relates to a spring attachment base unit for a snap lock. The attachment base unit of the present invention comprises a base plate having an opening with a recessed circumference; at least one upwardly biased spring plate positioned on the base plate; and a plurality of projections extending from the base plate. The plurality of projections comprise a projecting base clip having folded portions, a notch plate, a plurality of substantially L-shaped members, and a plurality of straight members.

A more complete appreciation of the invention and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the elements of the magnet snap lock of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of certain element FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view rotated 180.degree. of element 10 illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of elements of the pusher plate assembly of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a further exploded view of elements of the pusher plate assembly;

FIGS. 6A-6C are sequential views of the assembly of the pusher plate assembly;

FIGS. 7a-7c are sequential views showing the assembly of elements of the male member;

FIG. 8 is an exploded view of the attachment base unit or the attachment grommet of the present invention;

FIGS. 9A-9E are sequential views of the assembly of the actuator assembly and attachment base unit of the present invention;

FIGS. 10A-10C are sequential views of a further assembly operation of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is an exploded view of a decorative cover member and insert of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is an exploded view of the snap lock assembly including the decorative cover member and decorative insert;

FIG. 13 is a view of the assembled female member of the present invention;

FIG. 14A is an isolated view of a projecting clip portion of the attachment base unit of the present invention;

FIG. 14B is a perspective view of the attachment base unit;

FIG. 14C is a further view of the attachment base unit of the present invention;

FIGS. 15A-15C are respectively a top view, bottom view and sectional view of the attachment grommet of the present invention;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the attachment grommet;

FIG. 17 is a further view of the attachment grommet of FIG. 18;

FIGS. 18A-18B are respectively a side view and perspective view of the protruding member of the male member;

FIGS. 19A-19B are further views of the protruding member of FIGS. 18A-18B;

FIGS. 20A-20D illustrate detailed views of the protruding portion of the male member;

FIG. 21 is a side and bottom view of the magnet;

FIG. 22 is a perspective view of the magnet;

FIGS. 23A-23F are detailed views of the prong plate; and

FIGS. 24A-24F are detailed views of the decorative insert.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and more particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, FIG. 1 illustrates an exploded perspective view of the magnetic snap lock of the present invention.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the female member of the magnetic snap lock includes the components 1-9. The male member includes the components 10-12.

Referring now to the female member, the female member includes a spring attachment base unit 8 which includes first projecting portions 8b which can be straight. The attachment base unit 8 further includes a projecting clip portion 8c that comprises folded over portions 8c'. The attachment base unit 8 also includes further projecting portions 8d which can be L-shaped and 8e which can be straight. The projections 8a, 8b, 8d and 8e and the clip portion 8c can be integral with the attachment base unit 8. The attachment base unit 8 also includes upwardly biased spring type levers or plates 800, an upwardly extending notch 801 and downwardly extending teeth 80.

The female member further includes an attachment part or grommet 9 which has a tubular extension 9a and a base 90. The tubular extension 9a is sized so as to be insertable through an opening 85 in the attachment base unit 8.

The female member further includes an actuator assembly which includes the components 3, 4, 5 and 6. Component 6 is a housing base into which is slidably fitted a locking slide bar 5. Component 4 is a cover plate onto which is fitted an actuator.

The housing base 6 includes upwardly extending walls that include upward projections 6a. The locking slide bar 5 which is fittable within the base 6b of the housing base 6 can be C-shaped and includes upwardly extending projections 5a and a locking surface 5b. It is noted that the specific shape of the locking slide bar depends on design considerations.

The cover plate 4 includes bent over projections 4a and slots 4b. The positioning of the slots 4b of the cover plate 4 corresponds to the projections 5a of the locking slide bar 5.

The actuator 3 includes receiving slot portions 3a which are more clearly illustrated in the perspective view of FIG. 2. The receiving slot portions 3a correspond to the slots 4b of the cover plate 4 and the projections 5a of the locking slide bar 5.

The female member further includes a decorative housing ring 7 which can fit around the spring attachment base unit 8, as well as a snap on decorative cover 2 and a snap in decorative insert 1. The snap on decorative cover 2 and snap in decorative insert 1 are fittable onto the decorative housing ring 7.

The attachment part or grommet 9 can be made of a metallic material, while the locking slide bar 5 can be made of a ferromagnetic material. The remaining elements of the male and female members are preferably made of resin or plastic material, however, this is based on design considerations.

The male member as illustrated in FIG. 1 includes a male part mounting prong plate 12 (see FIGS. 23A-23F) which includes prongs 12a, 12b and 12c, as well as a protruding portion 10 which is attachable onto the prong plate 12. It is noted that the prong 12b which is shorter than the prongs 12a and 12c is an alignment prong which folds over. The prong plate 12 further includes a notch 11b which can cooperate with a corresponding member on the bottom of the protruding portion 10. On the surface of the prong plate 12 is positioned a raised portion or base 11a. A magnet 11 is positioned on the raised portion or base 11a and thereafter positioned within an opening 10b in the protruding portion 10 as illustrated in FIGS. 20A and 20C. The protruding portion 10 further includes a slot 10a as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 20A-20D for exposing a portion of the magnet 11, the specifics of which are shown in FIGS. 21-22. As further illustrated in FIGS. 21-22, the magnet 11 includes an alignment slot 11c.

Also, as illustrated in FIGS. 20A-20D, the protruding member 10 can include mounting portions 10c as well as an alignment slot 10d. The protruding portion 10 further includes a slot 10a for exposing a portion of the magnet 11. The slot 10a is illustrated in FIG. 3 which is a view of the magnet 11 rotated 180.degree..

Detailed views of the mounting prong plate 12 are illustrated in FIGS. 23A-23F. As noted in these figures, the mounting prong plate 12 includes the prongs 12a, 12b and 12c, with the prong 12b being shorter than the prongs 12aand 12c. Each of the prongs are bent from the top surface of the prong 12. As further illustrated in FIGS. 23A-23F, the prong plate 12 includes the raised portion 11a for mounting the magnet 11 and the notch 11b which cooperates with a corresponding element in the protruding portion 10.

The process of assembling the actuator assembly which includes the elements 3, 4, 5 and 6 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4-5 and 6A-6C and the arrows shown in these figures.

As illustrated in FIGS. 4-5, the locking slide bar 5 is inserted within the base 6b of the housing base 6. As illustrated in FIG. 6A, the actuator 3 is attached to the cover plate 4 by way of the projections 4a. The cover plate 4 with the actuator 3 mounted thereon are then assembled onto the housing base unit 6 which includes the locking slide bar 5 positioned therein. The projections 5a on the locking slide bar 5 extend through the corresponding slots 4b of the cover plate 4 and are received in the receiving slot portions 3a of the pusher plate 3. As noted in FIG. 6C, the projections 6a of the base unit 6 are then bent over so as to fix the cover plate 4 onto the base unit 6 and provide for the actuator assembly 40.

Regarding the male member, as illustrated in FIGS. 7A-7C, a magnet 11 mounted on the base ila is inserted into an opening 10b within the protruding portion 10 and the protruding portion 10 is mounted and fixed onto the mounting prong plate 12.

FIGS. 18A-18B and 19A-19B show detailed views of the protruding portion 10 of the male member including the slot 10a which exposes a magnet 11 positioned in the protruding portion 10.

FIGS. 8, 9A-9E, 10A-10C and 11-12 show the assembly of the component parts of the female member as illustrated in FIG. 1.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9A-9B, the tubular extension 9a of the attachment part or grommet 9 is inserted through the opening 85 of the attachment base unit 8 (FIG. 9A). The top portion of the tubular extension 9a of the attachment grommet 9 is then bent over onto a recessed inner circumference 86 of the hole 85 of the attachment base unit 8 as illustrated in FIGS. 9A and 9B which shows the bent over top portion of the tubular extension 9a. This bent over top portion is identified by reference numeral 87 in FIG. 9B. This arrangement minimizes the vertical size of the assembly.

This procedure permits the attachment of the attachment grommet 9 onto the attachment base unit 8. This specific arrangement also provides a flexibility with respect to the fastening of the female member onto a material. That is, when the female member is to be attached to a material such as leather or cloth, this material is fitted between the attachment grommet 9 and the attachment base unit 8. Due to the tubular extension 9a, materials of various thicknesses can be fitted within the space 100 (FIG. 9B) between the base 90 of the attachment grommet 9 and the lower part of the attachment base unit 8. Also, the teeth 80 will extend into the material to help hold the material in place. This arrangement provides added flexibility in that the female member can be fitted onto materials of various thicknesses by simply adjusting the length or the amount of bending of the tubular extension 9a.

FIGS. 15A-15C and 16-17 provide detailed views of the attachment part or grommet 9 including the tubular extension 9a as well as the process of bending over the top edge of the tubular extension 9a so as to attach the attachment grommet 9 to the attachment base unit 8.

The mounting of the actuator assembly 400 onto the base unit 8 is illustrated in FIGS. 9C-9E and the suggested sequence of assembly is shown by the arrows in the figures. As illustrated in these figures, the actuator assembly 400 illustrated in FIG. 9D is mounted onto the attachment base unit 8 as shown in the manner illustrated in FIG. 9E. Once mounted on the attachment base unit 8, selected ones of the projecting members such as 8a and 8b and the upwardly extending notch 801 can serve to hold the assembled actuator assembly 400 on the attachment base unit 8. Also, the upwardly biased spring type levers or plates 800 permit the actuator assembly 400 to be firmly held in the attachment base unit 8. The projecting clip portion 8c having the folded over portions 8c' maximizes the holding of the actuator assembly 400 on the attachment base unit 8 while minimizing the amount of space required for this element to move and maximizing its function.

As illustrated in FIG. 10A and 14A, the projecting clip portion 8c which includes the folded over portions 8c' is attached to the attachment base unit 8 (FIGS. 14A-14C) and includes a first facing surface 104, a second facing surface 105 and a third facing surface 107 which slants at an angle from the second facing surface 105. This arrangement permits an easy insertion of the actuator assembly 400 firmly onto the attachment base unit 8 with a minimum amount of deflection of the elements including the projecting clip portion 8c, and at the same time serves to hold the actuator assembly 400 in the attachment base unit 8.

Referring now to FIG. 10A-10C, the actuator assembly 400 mounted on the attachment base unit 8 which has the attachment grommet 9 attached thereto is then fitted with the decorative housing ring 7 as shown by the arrows in the figures. The housing ring 7 is fitted around the outer circumference of the attachment base unit 8 and held thereon by use of the projecting members 8b and 8e.

As illustrated in FIGS. 11-13 and shown by the arrows, onto the female member as illustrated in FIG. 10C, a decorative cover 2 having a decorative insert 1 snapped thereon can thereafter be positioned onto the decorative housing ring 7 so as to provide for the completed female assembly 500 (FIG. 13). For example, the projections 8a on the attachment base unit 8 can cooperate with slots on the decorative cover 2. Further, as illustrated in FIGS. 24A-24F, the decorative cover 2 can include attachment projections 2a which can cooperate with corresponding slots of the housing ring 7. At least one of the attachment projections 2a can also be inserted in a hole 802 on the projecting clip portion 8c. These are just examples, it is recognized that the cover 2 can have an integral decorative insert, the decorative cover could be glued on the cover 2, or the decorative insert can be a sticker which is placed on the cover 2. It is further recognized that the cover 2 and the housing ring 7 could be a single unit.

With this arrangement, it is possible to attach the snap lock on a handbag and at a later time place a decorative cover on the snap lock.

During use, the male assembly which includes the elements 10, 11, 12 (FIG. 7C) is inserted within an opening defined by the tubular extension 9a of the attachment grommet 9 of the assembled female member 500. When the protruding portion 10 having the magnet 11 positioned therein is inserted through the opening of the attachment grommet 9 and extends through the opening 85 of the attachment base unit 8, as well as the aligned openings of the actuator assembly 400, the magnet 11 which is exposed through the opening 10a of the protruding portion 10 is attracted to the locking surface 5b of the locking slide bar 5. This permits the male member to be locked to the female member.

When it is desired to unlock the male member from the female member, the user actuates, for example, pushes in the actuator 3 of the actuator assembly 400 which causes the actuator assembly 400 including the locking surface 5b to be spaced from the opening 10a of the protruding portion 10, and thereby away from the magnet 11 positioned within the protruding portion 10. This sliding movement is permitted since the locking slide bar 5 includes the projections 5a that extend through the slots 4b of the cover plate 4 and are received in the receiving slots 3a of the pusher plate 3.

The present invention therefore provides for a compact arrangement that utilizes an attachment base unit 8 onto which the elements of the locking assembly can be easily and securely mounted. This eases the process of assembling the locking unit. Additionally, by use of the tubular extension 9a on the attachment grommet 9, the female member is adaptable to materials of various thicknesses.

Therefore, during use, the female member can be mounted onto one flap of, for example, a handbag with the material of the handbag extending between the grommet 9 and the attachment base unit 8. The male member is attached to the body of the handbag by way of the prongs 12a. By following the procedure described above, the male member can be releasably locked to the female member.

Obviously, numerous modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein.