Device for releasably fastening mask strap to breathing tube of snorkel
A flexible fastening device in one embodiment includes a male fastening unit including a hook member securely looped around a mask strap, and a slotted stud having two side trigger members; and a female fastening unit including a clip put on a breathing tube of snorkel, and a hollow clasp projected from the clip and including an internal space and an opening in communication with the external and the space. Pressing the trigger members will decrease the size of the stud, inserting the stud into the space by passing the opening, and stopping the pressing will expand the stud to lock the stud in the space. Pressing the trigger members again will decrease the size of the stud, and pulling the stud will remove same out of the space by passing the opening.
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1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to snorkels and more particularly to a device for releasably fastening a head strap of a mask for swimming (including a face mask) to a breathing tube of snorkel for a diver engaging in deep diving, surface diving or the like with improved characteristics (e.g., safety and quick fastening and releasing).
2. Related Art
Snorkels are ubiquitous tools for divers engaging in deep diving, surface diving or the like. A snorkel typically comprises a breathing tube secured to a head strap of a mask for swimming (including a face mask) such that a diver may freely inhale and exhale. Also, the breathing tube together with a mask strap retaining clip are detached from the mask strap for ease of storage.
A conventional snorkel is shown in
Preferably, the head strap is held in position by the clip A. Also, the retaining member B is secured to the breathing tube in a predetermined position. Further, a simple engaging or disengaging operation of the breathing tube and the head strap is able to achieve its purpose quickly. Furthermore, the fastening of the breathing tube and the head strap is reliable (i.e., an unintentional disengagement of the breathing tube with the head strap is not possible). It is clear that the prior arrangement shown in
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a snapping based device for quickly fastening or unfastening a head strap of a mask for swimming and a breathing tube of a snorkel.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a flexible device for reliably fastening or unfastening a head strap of a mask for swimming to a breathing tube of a snorkel such that the head strap is prevented from unintentionally disengaging with the breathing tube or sliding relative to the breathing tube.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device comprising a flexible male fastening unit including a hook member securely loop around a head strap of a mask for swimming, and a flexible stud, and a flexible female fastening unit including a clip tightly put on a breathing tube of a snorkel, and a hollow claps including a space open to the external through an opening. A diver may use the hand to either press the stud to insert same into the space for locking or press the stud to remove same from the space.
In one aspect of the present invention the male fastening unit includes a stud including a gap for separating the stud into two identical halves each having an extended trigger member such that a diver may press the trigger members to easily fasten the male and the female fastening units together or unfasten same.
In another aspect of the present invention position of the stud of the male fastening unit is exchanged with that of the clasp of the female fastening unit wherein the female fastening unit includes a hook member securely loop around a head strap of a mask for swimming, and a hollow claps including a space open to the external through an opening, and the male fastening unit includes a clip tightly put on a breathing tube of a snorkel, and a flexible stud. A diver may use the hand to either press the stud to insert same into the space for locking or press the stud to remove same from the space. As an end, the purpose of quickly fastening or unfastening the head strap and the breathing tube is achieved.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Referring to
The C-shaped male fastening unit 10 comprises a hook member 11 and a stud 12. The hook member 11 is constructed similar to one well known in the art but has a narrow opening such that the head strap 30 is prevented from unintentionally disengaging with the male fastening unit 10 by passing the opening. The stud 12 is shaped as a mushroom and comprises two identical halves and a gap 13 separated the halves. The halves are served as detents in which one half comprises a first enlargement 12a, a first post 12f including a first latched member 12e in its open end, the latched member 12e having an inclined surface for ease of insertion, and a first connection 12c interconnected the first enlargement 12a and the first post 12f, and the other half comprises a second enlargement 12b, a second post 12f including a second latched member 12e in its open end, the latched member 12e having an inclined surface for ease of insertion, and a second connection 12d interconnected the second enlargement 12b and the second post 12f. Pressing the first and second enlargements 12a and 12b will flexibly compress the first and second posts 12f toward each other so as to decrease the gap 13 between the first and the second latched members 12e as detailed later.
The female fastening unit 20 comprises a C-shaped clip 21 put on the breathing tube 40, and a substantially rectangular, hollow clasp 22 projected from the clip 21 and including an internal space 22b and an opening 22a in communication with the external and the space 22b.
Referring to FIGS. 4 to 6, a fastening operation of the device will be described in detailed below.
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
Referring to
In brief, the characteristics of the invention are that the male fastening unit 10 comprises the flexible stud 12, the female fastening unit 20 comprises a hollow clasp 22, the stud 12 is adapted to decrease in size by flexibly deforming so as to insert into the clasp 22 for locking. As a result, the head strap 30 attached to the male fastening unit 10 and the breathing tube 40 attached to the female fastening unit 20 are quickly secured together. Likewise, the head strap 30 attached to the male fastening unit 10 and the breathing tube 40 attached to the female fastening unit 20 are capable of quickly detaching.
Referring to
In view of the above, the second preferred embodiment also effects a quick fastening or unfastening of the head strap 30 and the breathing tube 40.
While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims.
Claims
1. A device comprising a flexible male fastening unit attached to a head strap of a mask for swimming, and a flexible female fastening unit attached to a breathing tube of a snorkel, wherein:
- the male fastening unit includes a hook member securely looped around the head strap, and a stud including a gap for separating the stud into two identical halves each served as a detent including a post, a latched member on an open end of the post, and a trigger member extended from the post; and
- the female fastening unit includes a clip put on the breathing tube, and a hollow clasp projected from the clip and including an internal space and an opening in communication with the external and the space; whereby:
- pressing the trigger members to flexibly compress the posts toward each other will decrease the gap until an outer diameter of the latched members is smaller than a diameter of the opening, inserting the latched members into the space by passing the opening, and stopping the pressing will expand the posts and the latched members to cause the outer diameter of the latched members to be larger than the diameter of the opening and lock the latched members in the space so as to secure the male fastening unit to the female fastening unit; and
- pressing the trigger members to flexibly compress the posts toward each other will decrease the gap until the outer diameter of the latched members is smaller than the diameter of the opening, and pulling the stud will cause the latched members to clear the space by passing the opening so as to disengage the male fastening unit with the female fastening unit.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein the trigger member is extended from a side of the post.
3. The device of claim 1, wherein the trigger member comprises an enlargement and a connection interconnected the enlargement and the post.
4. A device comprising:
- a flexible female fastening unit includes a hook member securely looped around a head strap of a mask for swimming, and a hollow clasp projected from the hook member and including an internal space and an opening in communication with the external and the space; and
- a flexible male fastening unit includes a clip put on a breathing tube of a snorkel, and a stud including a gap for separating the stud into two identical halves; whereby
- pressing two opposite portions of the clip will decrease the gap to about zero to substantially join the halves of the stud together, inserting the stud into the space through the opening, and stopping the pressing will expand the gap to divide the stud into two halves again to lock the stud in the space so as to secure the male fastening unit to the female fastening unit; and
- pressing two opposite portions of the clip will decrease the gap to about zero to substantially join the halves of the stud together, and pulling the stud out of the space through the opening will disengage the male fastening unit with the female fastening unit.
Type: Application
Filed: May 10, 2006
Publication Date: Nov 29, 2007
Applicant:
Inventor: Chih-Cheng Shiue (Escondido, CA)
Application Number: 11/430,842
International Classification: B63C 11/16 (20060101);