Combination strap and buckle

• US 3,900,923 A
• Filed: 05/08/1974
• Issued: 08/26/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Reet W. Thomas
• Original Assignee: Reet W. Thomas
• Inventors: Thomas, Reet W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Griffin, Donald A.
• Application Number:
  US05/468,069
• Time in Patent Office: 475 Days
• Field of Search: 24/73PB,3.5P,17AP,23F,23B,23CF,26A,16R,16PB 248/68R,71,73,74R,74PB
• US Class Current: 24/16.0PB
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2563/107 having a release mechanism, e.g. reusable bundling straps
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 63/1072 the barb having a plurality of serrations
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/1498 Plastic band

Abstract

A two ended plastic strap includes an integral buckle formed on a first end of the strap. The buckle has a longitudinal channel extending through it which is sized to receive the second end of the strap. The second strap end includes an upper surface having a plurality of serrations formed in it which may be held releasably by a serration engaging receptacle formed in the buckle. The receptacle is integrally constructed along a flexible finger and the finger is positioned so that the receptacle normally is in serration engaging position. The receptacle is designed to permit serration passage in one axial direction of the channel. Passage of the serrations in the second direction is accomplished by flexing the finger so that the receptacle disengages the serrations.

Claims

1. A securing means, comprising:

a first strap portion, said first strap portion having a buckle structure terminating one end of it, said buckle structure including means for defining a channel through said structure, said channel defining means being characterized by a first pair of oppositely opposed, longitudinally extending side walls, a second pair of oppositely opposed, axially extending side walls, and an upper wall, said side walls and said upper wall defining a chamber therebetween, said axially extending walls having respective openings in them, the openings in said axially extending walls and said chamber being arranged so as to define a channel through said buckle structure, latch means integrally formed with said buckle structure along said upper wall, said latch means including a longitudinally extending part having a first end and a second end, said longitudinally extending part being attached to said upper wall at said first end, the second end of said latch means including a part extending outwardly from the longitudinal axis of said buckle structure, and a part extending along the longitudinal axis of said buckle structure, a rib member extending between said first and said second ends of said latch means, and a receptacle part integrally formed with said latch means, said receptacle part including a pair of spaced, protruding parts, each of said protruding parts having a canted wall and a generally vertical wall extending outwardly from said latch means, said latch means being resiliently mounted to said buckle so as to permit movement of said receptacle part between a first position where said receptacle part extends within said channel, and a second position where said receptacle part is removed from said channel; and

a second strap portion, said second strap portion including a terminating end having a first surface area, a second surface area, a material thickness therebetween, and a plurality of spaced serrations integrally formed near said terminating end of said second strap portion along one of said first surface area, said second surface area, and said material thickness, said serrations including an arcuate wall and a generally vertical wall extending outwardly from said second strap portion, the canted wall of said receptacle part and the arcuate wall of individual ones of said serrations being designed to meet and permit passage of said second strap portion through said channel along a first direction of movement.

2. A securing means, comprising:

a strap having at least a first end and a second end, said second end having a relatively wide surface area and a predetermined depth dimension, said second end further having a plurality of spaced projections, said projections including an arcuate wall and a generally vertical wall extending outwardly from said wide surface area; and

a buckle structure integrally formed with said strap along said first end, said buckle structure comprising a first pair of oppositely opposed, longitudinally extending side walls, a second pair of oppositely opposed, axially extending side walls, and an upper wall between said pairs of said side walls, said side wall pairs and said upper wall defining a cavity therebetween, said axially extending walls having respective opEnings in them so as to define a channel with said cavity, said cavity being sized to pass said second strap end, said upper wall having latch means integrally formed therein, said latch means being resiliently mounted to said buckle and being biased so as to project within said channel, said latch means including a receptacle part comprising a pair of spaced protrusions, each of said protrusions having a canted wall and a generally vertical wall extending within said channel, the canted wall of said protrusions and the arcuate wall of individual ones of said serrations being designed to meet and permit passage of said second strap in a first direction of movement of said second strap and through said channel.

3. A securing means, comprising:

a strap having at least a first end and a second end, said strap having a wide, generally plane surface area and a depth, said second end further having a plurality of spaced projections along it, said projections having at least one arcuate surface and one approximately perpendicular surface extending outwardly from said plane surface of said strap;

a buckle structure integrally formed with said strap along the first end thereof, said buckle structure comprising a first pair of oppositely opposed and longitudinally extending side walls, a second pair of oppositely opposed side walls, said second pair of side walls having at least one opening in respective ones of said second side wall pair, and an upper wall between said pairs of said side walls, said walls defining a cavity having a channel therethrough communicating with the respective openings in said second pair of side walls, said channel being sized to pass said second end of said strap; and

latch means integrally formed with said buckle structure, said latch means including a projection engaging receptacle structure, said projection engaging receptacle structure permitting passage of said projections in a first direction through said channel and preventing passage of said projections in a second direction through said channel, said latch means being pivotally mounted to said buckle structure between at least a first position and a second position, said projection engaging receptacle structure including a pair of spaced protrusions, each of said protrusions having a canted wall and a generally vertical wall extending within said channel in at least one of said first and second positions of said latch means, the canted wall of said protrusions and the arcuate wall of said projections being arranged to meet and permit passage of said projections as said strap is moved through said channel in said first direction.

4. The securing means of claim 3 wherein said strap comprises a first strap portion including said second strap end, and a separate second strap portion including said first strap end.

5. The securing means of claim 3 wherein said longitudinally extending side wall pair each have a boss extending outwardly from them on the cavity defining side of said last mentioned side wall pair.

6. The securing means of claim 1 wherein said first strap portion and said second strap portion are integrally formed with one another.