Abstract: A female snap assembly includes a cage and an engagement member. The cage defines a receiving region, and the engagement member is within the receiving region. The engagement member includes a base, an inner engagement wall extending from base, and an outer engagement wall extending from the base. In some examples, the engagement member defines a channel between the inner engagement wall and the outer engagement wall. In various examples, the inner engagement wall defines at least one notch extending through the inner engagement wall.

Abstract: A reconfigurable tool for use in barbequing and related grilling activities. Multiple components, such as forks, knives, spatulas and tongs, may be housed in separable handle halves that can be secured to one another to define a unitary structural whole. In one form, a first handle includes numerous recesses into which one or more of the components may be foldably disposed, while a second handle terminates with a pair of tongs. The first handle may further be made up of two separable portions each pivotally cooperative with one or more of the components. In a particular form, the handles define an interlockingly cooperative relationship with one another such that together they define a substantial entirety of the tool's gripping surface. The foldable nature of the components is such that they may be retracted into the recesses formed in the first handle to give the tool a compact outer profile.

Abstract: A fastening element (1) is provided having a gripping portion (5), a plurality of gripping elements (20, 20?) extending from the gripping portion (5), a supporting portion (10) being defined by at least one supporting-portion wall extending from the gripping portion (5) in a direction opposite that of the gripping elements (20, 20?), the supporting portion (10) having a supporting-portion width smaller than a gripping-portion width of the gripping portion (5), such that a top flange is formed by the gripping portion (5) relative to the supporting portion (10) on at least one side of the fastening element (1), and an anchoring portion (15) extending from a distal end of at least one supporting-portion wall and parallel to the gripping portion (5) so as to form a bottom flange relative to the supporting portion (10) on the at least one side corresponding to the top flange.

Abstract: A fastening element is provided. The fastening element includes a gripping portion having a first face and a second face the first face of the gripping portion comprising a plurality of gripping elements, and an anchoring portion offset from the second face and extending parallel thereto so as to form a flange portion, wherein the flange portion comprises at least one chamfer located at a terminal section of the flange portion.

Abstract: The multi-purpose storage pouch is further defined with an inner surface and an outer surface. The storage pouch has an overall shape of a plus sign. The storage pouch folds at each of four armatures to enclose the inner surface. The inner surface includes of the storage pouch includes a plurality of pockets or retaining members that secure a plurality of items to the interior of the storage pouch. The armatures each include a nylon hook or loop strip that enables the armatures to secure one another, and therefore enclose the inner surface. The top armature includes a pocket with a translucent member that enables objects to be seen there through. The storage pouch includes a pair of grommets that enable a cord member to extend from the interior of the storage pocket. The outer surface may include one or more exterior pockets.

Abstract: There is provided a buckle including a plug and a socket. The plug includes a plug-side base part, a pair of leg parts, and a pair of engagement protrusions. The socket includes a socket-side base part, an upper plate, a lower plate, upper side wall parts, lower side wall parts, engagement stepped portions, slits, and guide surfaces. A dimension of the pair of engagement protrusions in the upward and downward direction is set to be greater than a dimension of each of the slits in the width direction.

Abstract: A buckle with an enhanced efficiency in removing a foreign substance is provided. The buckle includes: a plug; and a socket provided with an insertion opening into which the plug is to be inserted. The socket includes: a pair of front pieces disposed side by side in a width direction intersecting with an insertion direction of the plug; a back piece disposed to face each of the front pieces; and a bottom piece that connects each of the front pieces and the back piece. A slit defined between the pair of front pieces extends in the insertion direction from the insertion opening across the bottom piece and the front pieces of the socket. Due to the presence of the slit, a cross section of the socket intersecting with the insertion direction is in a C-shape.

Abstract: A fastener for interconnecting two garment straps has a male part having an elongated base anchored to one of the straps, a web projecting transversely from the base, and a bar fixed to the web at a spacing from the base and having a pair of ends. A female part has a back panel secured to the other of the straps and a front panel. The back panel forms a recess dimensioned to receive the bar and having at a back edge back corners. The front panel forms ears spaced at the corners from the back panel and dimensioned such the male part can fit with the female part with the connecting bar engaging the back edge of the recess with its ends under the corners and its web projecting out of the recess between the ears.

Abstract: An enveloping roughness insulative layer of material is provided which need have no connection to a connection member, such as a female eyelet support before the female eyelet support and enveloping roughness insulative layer of material is attached to the main garment structure. The enveloping roughness insulative layer of material can be formed while attached to a connection member or it can be formed independent of the connection member. The enveloping roughness insulative layer of material is preferably formed into an envelope shape and may be made from a planar layer of material or result in closure of an annular tubular expanse of material.

Abstract: A connector device for retaining a pair of pivotally connected tent poles. The connector device comprises male and female components coupled to one another to permit positioning of the poles such that the poles are axially aligned in an aligned configuration and such that the poles are pivoted 180 degrees substantially parallel and adjacent to each other in a folded configuration. The male component includes an axially extending first guiding member and a first locking member formed on the inner projection, and the female component includes a second guiding member and a second locking member. The first and second locking members are engaged so as to secure the poles in the aligned configuration, and the first and second guiding members are engaged when the poles are in the aligned and folded configurations so as to further secure the poles in the respective configurations and to prevent misalignment of the poles.

Abstract: A sand-removing seat belt buckle has a housing and a latching assembly. The housing has a chamber, a first opening and a second opening formed through two ends of the housing, at least one sand cavity formed through a bottom of the housing and being adjacent to the second opening, and at least one support bump formed on an inner bottom of the housing. The latching assembly serves to latch and unlatch an insertion member, and is securely mounted in the housing and on top of the at least one support bump, so that a space is formed between the insertion member and the inner bottom of the housing and communicates with the first opening, the second opening and the sand cavity. Sand, mud and crushed pebbles entering from the first opening can be removed from the sand cavity and the second opening through the space without being deposited inside the seat belt buckle.

Abstract: A buckle suitable for use with a child restrain harness comprises a first strap fastener having at least one resilient latching arm, a second strap fastener having a base provided with an opening, and a socket movably assembled through the opening, the socket being operable to rotate relative to the base, and the latching arm being operable to engage with the socket to securely hold the first strap fastener with the socket.

Abstract: An array of U-shaped flanged brackets and flange tipped posts attached to a supporting surface providing a mechanical connection with an object that is provided with corresponding posts and brackets. The brackets and posts can include electrical contacts or fiber optic contacts for transferring power or signals between connected objects. Various objects can be mounted on the array of brackets and posts to provide positioning flexibility.

Abstract: A safety belt buckle (B?) for a seat is disclosed. The seat (S?) has a crotch pad (P?) in the seating area, which coincides with an attachment region between the safety belt buckle and the seat (S?) so that the crotch pad (P?) is positioned between the safety belt buckle (B?) and a person positioned in the seat (S?) and held in place in the seat (S?) by means of the belt buckle (B?), with both the crotch pad (P?) and the buckle (B?) between the legs (L) of said person. The safety belt buckle (B?) has a body (11) with a surface (12) which in use faces the crotch pad (P?). The body (11) has an attachment means (13) for attachment of the buckle (B?) to the crotch pad (P?) of the seat (S?). A safety belt assembly having such buckle (B?) is also disclosed, as well as a vehicle seat (B?), preferably a child seat, having such safety belt assembly.

Abstract: An embedment member of a foamed resin article such as a seat pad formed in a mold. The mold is provided with engaging projections and a pocket portion formed in or on an inner surface of a core thereof. A surface of the embedment member is positioned to face the core and the surface is superposed onto the surface of the core such that the projections enter into large opening portions. Then, the embedment member is slid in such a manner as to introduce the projections into narrow portions and wide portions, thereby retaining the embedment member to the core. In this state, an end portion of the embedment member is fitted into the pocket portion. To release the foamed resin article from the mold, the foamed resin article is slid in a direction opposite to the direction of the aforementioned sliding.

Abstract: A snap button is provided, which can function as both of .a male snap and a female snap without accurate alignment or positioning two snap buttons to be engaged with each other. The snap button comprises a button body, wherein the button body includes a plurality of projections and a plurality of recesses, which are circumferentially alternately arranged. Each of the projections includes at least one salient and each of the recesses includes at least one protrusion. Each of the projections may be shaped as a horizontal cross-section thereof gradually decreases from the proximal end to the distal end. Further, the circumferential range of each recess is larger than that of each projection. The protrusion may have one or more cutouts, and the salient may be hemispherically shaped.

Abstract: A clothing connector having tensile components is formed in any of the conventional ways, and a soft roughness insulating covering layer is attached to one side and then moved to the other side in an inside-out process which provides a soft finish not only to the side to which it was moved, but also the peripheral edges and a narrow portion of the side of the clothing connector to which it was originally attached. This structure and process enables quick application of a softening, object insulating covering to any clothing connector expected to face the body.

Abstract: The invention refers to a female part of a snap fastener including a first reception area (15) for locking a first male part (40). According to the invention, the female part further includes a second reception area (16) for locking a second male part (46, 47) is provided.

Abstract: An adjustable fastener includes a male part and a female part, both of which are preferably made of soft pliable, sewable plastic. The female fastener part preferably has two or more spaced apart openings. Each having a broad portion and a narrow portion. The male fastener part has a base with an upstanding riser with a flange at the end of the riser. The female fastener part is made of a single thin wall which is sewn to the fabric of the garment. The base of the male part is also made of a single thin wall which is sewn to the fabric of the garment. The single wall construction of the female fastener part makes it more flexible, less easily seen, and not felt so much by the wearer. The female fastener part is provided with a bend between the openings so that it lies flat against the back when the male and female parts are coupled to the tightest position. The center of the riser of the male part is offset from the center of the flange.

Abstract: An automatic binding device for coupling at least two containers includes a latch being twisted during insertion/disengagement into/from a coupling hole of corner castings; a pair of housings for covering a circumferential surface of a rotating shaft of the latch; and a torsion spring for re-rotating the latch substantially to its original condition before rotating, the torsion spring being installed at the circumferential surface of the rotating shaft. Furthermore, the automatic binding device for a container is provided with the indicator capable of allowing a user to see the present state of the binding device with the naked eye.

Abstract: Wings attached to form the back panels of a brassiere are provided with the male and female fastener elements in the form of patches by ultrasonic welding of the patches to the diecut fabric wings. The male and female fastener elements are preferably of the snap type hook and eye plastic fastener elements which can be injection molded or ultrasonically bonded to the patches.

Abstract: A clothing connector having tensile components is formed in any of the conventional ways, and a soft roughness insulating covering layer is attached to one side and then moved to the other side in an inside-out process which provides a soft finish not only to the side to which it was moved, but also the peripheral edges and a narrow portion of the side of the clothing connector to which it was originally attached. This structure and process enables quick application of a softening, object insulating covering to any clothing connector expected to face the body.

Abstract: The present invention is drawn to a hook and eye closure for garments such as brassieres. The eye tape and/or the hook tape is formed of laminated elastically elongatable layers, and can incorporate a cushioning layer to provide a comfortable and self-adjusting fit to garments. The lamination of the elastically elongatable layers allows manufacturing on existing equipment and helps provide smooth, soft edges, particularly when ultrasonically cut.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a chafe useable on an orthopedic walker and including members which define a slot through which a strap, such as the strap of a walker, may pass. The chafe also includes a stud on the member, and a connection element connecting the stud and members defining the slot.

Abstract: An inventive retaining device which can be adjusted in three spatial directions, in particular for fastening a first component to a second component, includes a first plate, which can be fixedly connected to the second component, as well as a second plate, which can be adjusted in a first spatial direction relative to the first plate, and a third plate, which can be adjusted in a second spatial direction relative to the second plate and a centering pin, which can be fixedly connected to the first component and can be adjusted in a third spatial direction relative to the third plate. The inventive retaining device allows a particularly flexible regulation of tolerances and facilitates an assembly and/or disassembly of the components.

Abstract: A buckle including a pair of members (4, 5) coupled to or separated from each other. The buckle includes a socket (10) and a plug (30) capable of being inserted into the socket and hooked in the socket in the state where the plug is inserted into a prespecified position. The socket is attached to a one member (5) in the pair. The plug has a pull section (33) in the direction intersectional to the plug inserting direction, and a mounting section (37) with the other member mounted thereon is provided on the pull section (33).

Abstract: A hook and eye fastener is provided in which either, or both of, the hook fastener fabric tape or the eye fastener fabric tape is made of a stretchable material. Preferably, the fabric tape can stretch primarily in a horizontal direction. The fabric tape may be single or multi-ply. In an alternative embodiment, the eye fastener fabric tape is a one piece, open knit construction. This open knit construction provides a number of eyes for a variety of adjustment possibilities with the corresponding hooks.

Abstract: A connector for glow sticks having first and second engaging members for engaging first and second ends of a glow stick. Positioned above the engaging members is a display area for the display of advertising or other information. The engaging members are typically shaped to fit the generally cylindrical glow stick. The ends of the glow stick are inserted into the engaging members, allowing the glow stick to function as a necklace or bracelet while displaying advertising, for example the logo of the sponsor of an event the user is attending.

Abstract: A tape with snap fastener in which fixing strength of a fastener to a tape main body is secured and which is excellent in durability by eliminating a possibility that the fastener may contact directly the tape upon engagement and disengagement and has good external design performance. A base portion is fixed to front and rear surfaces of the tape main body of the male or female synthetic resin snap fastener, and a substantially cylindrical engaging protruding portion projects vertically from the base portion. A ring-like continuous concave groove portion, which has the same center as the base portion and an inner diameter exceeding the inner diameter of the engaging protruding portion, is provided on any one of front and rear surfaces of the base portion. The engaging protruding portion and the continuous concave groove portion have depth reaching the tape main body.

Abstract: A utility vest enabling attachment of an at least one tool pouch having a generic tool belt type attachment means and method for employing same is disclosed. The utility vest comprises a vest portion having a back and two front side portions defining two armholes, a neck opening and a reinforced bottom edge along which are spaced a plurality of apertures and, one or more adapter portions comprising a rectangular staking plate on which are mounted two or more attachment means for securing the adapter portions to the reinforced bottom edge of the vest portion by inserting the attachment means into the apertures at a location selected by a user. The staking plate is sized in width to enable a tool pouch having a generic tool belt type attachment means to be fitted thereon prior to attachment of the adapter portion to the vest portion. Tool belt type tool pouches may be thereby attached to the vest at locations to distribute their weight properly so as to minimize strain to the user.

Abstract: A fastener which consists of two tapes (1,2) each having a plurality of female fastener members (3,3A) attached thereto and a plurality of male fastener members (4,4A) attached thereto. Each of the female fastener members (3,3A) is provided on its attaching face with right and left bar-shaped members (31a,32a). Each of the male fastener members (4,4A) has on its attaching face a bar-shaped member which fits the female fastener member between the right and left bar-shaped members thereof (31,32).

Abstract: A male/female engaging device utilized with a pair of tapes constructed so that a gap between the pair of tapes is as small as possible and capable of providing a fashionable and beautiful appearance. Female engaging devices made of synthetic resin are attached to one side edge of one of the pair of tapes and male engaging devices are attached to one side edge of the other of the pair of tapes. Engagement or disengagement between a female engaging device and its corresponding male engaging device is carried out inside of the side edge of one of the tapes on which the female engaging device or the male engaging device is attached. In one embodiment, each female engaging device includes a vertical pair of engaging pieces protruded from a base portion for covering the side edge of one tape and each male engaging device includes a hooking portion for covering the side edge of the other tape so that the engaging pieces are capable of engaging the hooking portion.

Abstract: A device for joining two concrete members together, such as concrete tunnel or shaft lining segments (1, 2) includes at least one elastic female member (6) anchored in one of the segments and at least one elastic male member (7) anchored in the other of the segment to be joined. The female members (6) are provided with recesses (6A) to receive heads (7A) of the male members (7), each female member (6) being slotted at 6B to receive a respective web (7B) of the male members (7) and is undercut at 6C to receive the head (7A). At least one of the male and female members has a sloping engagement face (8, 9) to provide wedging action by acting to draw the head of the male member further into the female member as the web of the male member is moved along the slot.

Abstract: A retaining member is secured to a cable at a distance from one end of the cable. The retaining member includes a plurality of fitting receivers spaced from the cable end by different distances. A fitting is provided at the cable end. By selectively engaging the fitting with the fitting retainers, the effective length of the cable can be changed over an adjustment range.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing fastener elements for fastening devices that are intended to be affixed to side-parts of an absorbent article of the kind which includes a central part and front and rear side-parts that project out from respective sides of the central part, so as to enable the front and rear side-parts on one and the same side of the central part of the article to be joined together. According to the invention, a central, longitudinally extending, wave-shaped slit is made in a material web which includes at least one continuous row of fastening devices or a continuous string of fastener devices or fastener-device blanks which extends in the longitudinal direction of the material web. Transverse slits are made on both sides of the material web up to the region of the wave-shaped slit, these transverse slits being mutually spaced in the longitudinal direction of the web at a continuously repeated spacing sequence.

Abstract: This invention provides a female-male engaging device with tapes having a flat shape and a good appearance, wherein a female engaging device and a male engaging device can be easily engaged and disengaged with each other.