Annular fastening device
First Claim
1. An annular fastening device, comprising:
- a male attachment means (2) fabricated from a moulded plastic material;
a female attachment means (3) fabricated from a moulded plastic material and defining, between an entry end (19A) and an exit end (19B), a passage for accommodating said male attachment means (2);
said male and female attachment means (2,
3) being respectively provided with first and second engagement means (7,
15) which are adapted to cooperate in such a manner that said male attachment means (2) can be inserted into said female attachment means (3) by advancing through said passage in a direction extending from said entry end (19A) to said exit end (19B) whereby once said male attachment means (2) has been inserted a predetermined extent into said female attachment means (3), if said male attachment means (2) is attempted to be retracted out from said female attachment means (3), said male attachment means (2) is retained within said female attachment means (3) at the position to which it has been inserted; and
a flexible strap (4), fixed at a first end to said male attachment means (2), and at a second end to said female attachment means (3) such that said second end of said flexible strap (4) extends away from said exit end (19B) of said female attachment means (3) in a direction which is substantially parallel to said passage of said female attachment means (3) and said direction defined by said passage through which said male attachment means (2) advances when said male attachment means (2) is inserted into said passage of said female attachment means (3);
said female attachment means (3) comprising a base wall (12) for supporting said male attachment means (2) as said male attachment means (2) is inserted into said female attachment means (3);
an upper wall (14) spaced above said base wall (12) and disposed parallel thereto; and
a hollow recessed cavity (25) defined within said upper wall (14);
said second engagement means (15) of said female attachment means (3) being integrally connected to a recessed upper wall (24) of said hollow recessed cavity (25) at a first end, of said second engagement means (15), which is disposed opposite a second end, of said second engagement means (15), which is operatively engaged with said first engagement means (7) of said male attachment means (2); and
said hollow recessed cavity (25) comprising end wall means (18) for cooperating with a portion of said second engagement means (15) intermediate said first and second ends of said second engagement means (15) for preventing deformation of said second engagement means (15) beyond a predetermined extent when said male attachment means (2) is attempted to be withdrawn from said female attachment means (3) such that said second engagement means (15) of said female attachment means (3) remains engaged with said first engagement means (7) of said male attachment means (2) so as to prevent said withdrawal of said male attachment means (2) out from said female attachment means (3).
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The annular fastening device comprises a male attachment element (2) of moulded plastic material, a female attachment element (3) of moulded plastic material, and a flexible strap (4) which is attached at a first end to the male attachment element (2) and at a second end to the female attachment element (3).
A seat cover includes a hem which is peripheral to an opening for introducing the cover onto a seat, together with a fastening device, the strap (4) of which is inserted through the said hem.
In accordance with a method of securing the cover to the seat, a cover is used, which is slid over the seat and which is stretched over the seat cushion of the seat by means of the annular fastening device (1).
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An annular fastening device, comprising:
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a male attachment means (2) fabricated from a moulded plastic material; a female attachment means (3) fabricated from a moulded plastic material and defining, between an entry end (19A) and an exit end (19B), a passage for accommodating said male attachment means (2); said male and female attachment means (2,
3) being respectively provided with first and second engagement means (7,
15) which are adapted to cooperate in such a manner that said male attachment means (2) can be inserted into said female attachment means (3) by advancing through said passage in a direction extending from said entry end (19A) to said exit end (19B) whereby once said male attachment means (2) has been inserted a predetermined extent into said female attachment means (3), if said male attachment means (2) is attempted to be retracted out from said female attachment means (3), said male attachment means (2) is retained within said female attachment means (3) at the position to which it has been inserted; anda flexible strap (4), fixed at a first end to said male attachment means (2), and at a second end to said female attachment means (3) such that said second end of said flexible strap (4) extends away from said exit end (19B) of said female attachment means (3) in a direction which is substantially parallel to said passage of said female attachment means (3) and said direction defined by said passage through which said male attachment means (2) advances when said male attachment means (2) is inserted into said passage of said female attachment means (3); said female attachment means (3) comprising a base wall (12) for supporting said male attachment means (2) as said male attachment means (2) is inserted into said female attachment means (3);
an upper wall (14) spaced above said base wall (12) and disposed parallel thereto; and
a hollow recessed cavity (25) defined within said upper wall (14);
said second engagement means (15) of said female attachment means (3) being integrally connected to a recessed upper wall (24) of said hollow recessed cavity (25) at a first end, of said second engagement means (15), which is disposed opposite a second end, of said second engagement means (15), which is operatively engaged with said first engagement means (7) of said male attachment means (2); and
said hollow recessed cavity (25) comprising end wall means (18) for cooperating with a portion of said second engagement means (15) intermediate said first and second ends of said second engagement means (15) for preventing deformation of said second engagement means (15) beyond a predetermined extent when said male attachment means (2) is attempted to be withdrawn from said female attachment means (3) such that said second engagement means (15) of said female attachment means (3) remains engaged with said first engagement means (7) of said male attachment means (2) so as to prevent said withdrawal of said male attachment means (2) out from said female attachment means (3). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An annular fastening device, comprising:
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a male attachment means (2) fabricated from a molded plastic material; a female attachment means (3) fabricated from a molded plastic material and defining, between an entry end (19A) and an exit end (19B), a passage for accommodating said male attachment means (2); said male and female attachment means (2,
3) being respectively provided with first and second engagement means (7,
15) which are adapted to cooperate in such a manner that said male attachment means (2) can be inserted into said female attachment means (3) by advancing through said passage in a direction extending from said entry end (19A) to said exit end (19B) whereby once said male attachment means (2) has been inserted a predetermined extent into said female attachment means (3), if said male attachment means (2) is attempted to be withdrawn from said female attachment means (3), said male attachment means (2) is retained within said female attachment means (3) at the position to which it has been inserted; anda flexible strap (4), fixed at a first end to said male attachment means (2), and at a second end to said female attachment means (3); said female attachment means (3) comprising a base wall (12) for supporting said male attachment means (2) as said male attachment means (2) is inserted into said female attachment means (3);
an upper wall (14) spaced above said base wall (12) and disposed parallel thereto; and
a hollow recessed cavity (25) defined within said upper wall (14);
said second engagement means (15) of said female attachment means (3) being integrally connected to a recessed upper wall (24) of said hollow recessed cavity (25) at a first end, of said second engagement means (15), which is disposed opposite a second end, of said second engagement means (15), which is operatively engage with said first engagement means (7) of said male attachment means (2); and
said hollow recessed cavity (25) comprising end wall means (18) for cooperating with a portion of said second engagement means (15) intermediate said first and second ends of said second engagement means (15) for preventing deformation of said second engagement means (15) beyond a predetermined extent when said male attachment means (2) is attempted to be withdrawn from said female attachment means (3) such that said second engagement means (15) of said female attachment means (3) remains engaged with said first engagement means (7) of said male attachment means (2) so as to prevent said withdrawal of said male attachment means (2) out from said female attachment means (3). - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification