Abstract:
A retightenable and resettable strap lock for luggage includes a female buckle member with number wheels, a male buckle member for releasably engaging with the female buckle member, and a strap connected to the female buckle member and the male buckle member. A slide member is mounted in the female buckle member for restraining movement of the strap. An end of the strap is pullable to further tighten the luggage even if the male and female buckle members are engaged with each other, yet loosening of the strap by pulling the end of the strap in the opposite direction is prevented. A pull tab holder is mounted in the male buckle member for receiving two pull tabs of a zipper of the luggage. The pull tab holder is retained in place by the female buckle member when the male and female buckle members are engaged with each other.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a retightenable and resettable strap lock for luggage or the like, and more particularly to a retightenable and resettable strap lock that can be used to lock a strap for tightening luggage and two pull tabs of the luggage while allowing the strap to be further tightened for reliably tightening the luggage. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     It is common to carry a big trunk for accommodating clothing. FIG. 13 of the drawings illustrates a conventional buckle device for a trunk having a zipper with two pull tabs A 1 . A key-operable lock B is mounted to lock the pull tabs A 1  together. Nevertheless, it is found that the zipper tends to be expanded outward and thus damaged if the trunk is filled up with too many clothes. A strap buckle is provided to tighten the trunk for solving this problem. As illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 15, the strap buckle includes a male buckle member C, a female buckle member D, a length-adjusting member E, and a strap F. The strap F has an end tied up to a central column E 1  of the length-adjusting member E and is extended through an opening C 1  of the male buckle member C and two openings E 2  of the length-adjusting member E with the other end of the strap F secured to the female buckle member D. The length-adjusting member E may be moved for adjusting the overall length of the strap F before engagement between the male and female buckle members C and D. In order to avoid becoming loosened of the strap F, the length-adjusting member E is designed to have a relatively large friction and thus difficult to move after the male and female buckle members C and D have been engaged with each other. Thus, adjustment in the length of the strap F by means of moving the length-adjusting member E must be accomplished before engagement between the male and female buckle members C and D. Yet, such adjustment to the best tightening effect for the trunk is very difficult to achieve, as the user must estimate the required length of the strap F by sight, which is not so precise such that the strap is either too tight or too loose after each adjustment. The strap might become loosened and the male and female buckle members might be disengaged from each other upon external impingement to the trunk during transportation even if the best length of the strap is found. A further drawback of this conventional method for tightening trunks is that the user must use a lock and a strap buckle that are separate from each other. 
     The present invention is intended to provide a retightenable and resettable strap lock that mitigates and/or obviate the above problems. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a retightenable and resettable strap lock that allows retightening of the strap after the male and female buckle members have been engaged with each other. An end of the strap can be pulled in a direction to further tighten the luggage and thus will not become loosened even if the luggage is impinged during transportation or the strap is pulled in the opposite direction. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a retightenable and resettable strap lock, wherein the male buckle member includes a pull tab holder in a bottom thereof. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a retightenable and resettable strap lock, wherein the code number for unlocking a number lock of the strap lock is resettable. 
     Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a retightenable and resettable strap lock in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a male buckle member and a female buckle member of the retightenable and resettable strap lock in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a base and a lock assembly of the retightenable and resettable strap lock in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is an end view of a retaining sleeve of the lock assembly of the retightenable and resettable strap lock in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional view of the retightenable and resettable strap lock in accordance with the present invention, wherein the lock assembly is in an unlocked status. 
     FIG. 6 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 5, wherein the lock assembly is in an unlocked status and wherein the female buckle member and the male buckle member are to be disengaged from each other. 
     FIG. 7 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 5, wherein the lock assembly is in a locked status. 
     FIG. 8 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 5, wherein the lock assembly is in a status allowing resetting in the code number for unlocking. 
     FIG. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of the retightenable and resettable strap lock in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of a portion in FIG.  9 . 
     FIG. 11 is a top view illustrating engagement of two pull tabs and a pull tab holder of the retightenable and resettable strap lock in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 12 is a schematic view illustrating application of the retightenable and resettable strap lock in accordance with the present invention to a trunk. 
     FIG. 13 is a schematic view illustrating application of a conventional buckle to a trunk. 
     FIG. 14 is a partial perspective view of the conventional buckle in FIG.  13 . 
     FIG. 15 is a sectional view of a main portion of the conventional buckle in FIG.  13 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 through 12 and initially to FIG. 1, a retightenable and resettable strap lock in accordance with the present invention generally includes a female buckle member  1 , a male buckle member  2 , a pull tab holder  3 , a slide member  4 , a base  5 , a plurality of (e.g., three) number wheels  6 , a plurality of (e.g., three) retaining sleeves  7 , a spring  8 , a stem  9 , and an insert plate  10 . 
     Still referring, to FIG.  1  and further to FIGS. 2,  3 , and  5 , the base  5  is securely mounted in the female buckle member  1  and includes three compartments  51  for rotatably receiving the number wheels  6 , respectively. Each number wheel  6  includes a longitudinal hole (not labeled) through which an associated retaining sleeve  7  is extended. Teeth  61  formed on an inner periphery of each number wheel  6  is engaged with teeth  71  on an outer periphery of the associated retaining sleeve  7  such that the number wheel  6  and the associated retaining sleeve  7  may rotate together. The base  5  further has a compartment  52  behind the compartments  51  for receiving the insert plate  10 . The insert plate  10  includes three resilient pieces  101 , each resilient piece  101  being releasably retained in a plurality of grooves (not labeled) in an outer periphery of an associated number wheel  6  and thus generating a sound when the number wheel  6  is rotated through a pre-determined angle. In this embodiment, the number wheel  6  includes ten grooves (not labeled) in an outer periphery thereof, and the resilient piece  101  produces a sound when it is passed from one groove to next groove in the number wheel  6 . The spring  8  is mounted around a portion of the stem  9 . The stem  9  is extended through the retaining sleeves  7  and includes a plurality of spaced protrusions  91  each for engaging with a retaining groove  72  (FIG. 4) of each retaining sleeve  7 . As illustrated in FIG. 5, the rightmost retaining sleeve  7  is longer and includes an end wall defining a blind hole (not shown) for receiving an end of the stem  9 . The rightmost retaining sleeve  7  includes a depression  701  in an end face thereof such that the user may insert a sharp tool into the depression  701  and thus push the retaining sleeves  7  leftward for changing (resetting) the code number of the lock assembly consisting of the number wheels  6 , the retaining wheels  7 , the base  5 , the spring  8 , the stem  9 , and the insert plate  10 . 
     As illustrated in FIG. 2, the male buckle member  2  includes two substantially U-shape resilient arms  20  each having a push member  21  with a barb  211  and a slant face  212 . The female buckle member  1  further includes two side retaining holes  11  and  12  for releasably engaging with the barbs  211  of the push members  21 . Each retaining hole  11 ,  12  has a retaining element  111 ,  121  formed therein for engaging with the barb  211  of the associated push member  2  such that the male and female buckle members  2  and  1  are maintained in engagement with each other unless the push members  21  are pressed toward each other. 
     The female buckle member  2  further includes a compartment  13  (FIG. 9) for receiving the slide member  4 . A retaining member (e.g., a series of teeth  14 , FIG. 10) is arranged on a side wall  17  defining a portion of the compartment  13 . The compartment  13  further includes two accesses  16  into which two protrusions  43  of the slide member  4  are extended, respectively. The slide member  4  further includes two studs  41  formed on two ends, respectively. The studs  41  of the slide member  4  are mounted in two axial holes  15  respectively defined in two sides of the female buckle member  1  such that the slide member  4  is allowed to move laterally while preventing rotation of the slide member  4 . The slide member  4  further includes a groove  42  in a lateral side thereof facing away the projections  43 . Also defined in the slide member  4  is a slot  44  through which the strap  100  is extended. As illustrated in FIG. 9, an end of the strap  100  is extended through the slot  44  of the slide member  4  and then through a gap between the teeth  14  of the female buckle member  1  and the groove  42  of the slide member  4 . Thus, the end of the strap  100  is outside the buckle members  1  and  2  for manual adjustment. 
     When the male and female buckle members  2  and  1  are engaged with each other, the push members  21  of the male buckle member  2  respectively push the projections  43  of the slide member  4  and thus move the slide member  4  until it bears against the strap  100  (the studs  41  of the slide member  4  are slid toward the right side of the axial holes  15  of the female buckle member  1 , see FIG.  9 ). Thus, the strap  100  is retained in place, as a portion of the strap  100  is retained between the teeth  14  of the female buckle member  1  and the groove  42  of the slide member  4 . In this case, the user may pull the end of the strap  100  (the upper section in FIG. 10) outward to further tightening (or retightening) the trunk (FIG.  12 ), as the other end of the strap  100  is secured to the male buckle member  2 . More specifically, when the user pulls the end of the strap  100  outward, the strap  100  may move along an inclined surface of the teeth  14 . As a result, the trunk is further tightened (or retightened) when desired. It is noted that intention of loosening the strap  100  by means of pulling the strap section (the lower one in FIG. 10) outward is avoided due to provision of the teeth  14 . When the male and female buckle members  2  and  1  are disengaged from each other, the projections  43  of the slide member  43  are no longer retained by the push members  21  such that the teeth of the slide member  43  may be disengaged from the strap  100  by means of sliding the slide member  43  away from the strap  100 . As a result, the strap  100  may be adjusted to a required length for tightening. 
     The pull tab holder  3  includes two pintles  31  respectively formed on two ends thereof. Each pintle  31  is pivotally received in a hole  23  in an associated side of the male buckle member  2 . Formed on a lateral side of the pull tab holder  3  is a series of teeth  32  for releasably retaining the other end of the strap  100  in place. The other end of the strap  100  in FIG. 9 is in a status firmly pressed by the teeth  32 . Formed on the other lateral side of the pull tab holder  3  is a recess  33  with a hook  34  formed therein. As illustrated in FIG. 11, when two pull tabs A 1  of a zipper A of the trunk (FIG. 12) are in contact with or close to each other, the pull tabs A 1  may be put into the recess  33  and engaged with the hook  34  of the pull tab holder  3 . When the male and female buckle members  2  and  1  are engaged with each other, the female buckle member  2  encloses the recess  3  and thus retains the pull tabs A 1  in place. Removal of the pull tabs A 1  can be accomplished by reversing the above steps. 
     Referring to FIG. 5, when the number wheels  6  are turned to the correct code number position, the grooves  72  of the retaining sleeves  7  are aligned with the protrusions  91  on the stem  9 . In this case, the user may press the push members  21  of the male buckle member  2  inward to simultaneously push the stem  9  and the rightmost sleeve  7  inward for disengaging the male buckle member  2  from the female buckle member  1 , best shown in FIG.  6 . It is noted that the teeth  71  of each retaining sleeve  7  is maintained in engagement with the teeth  61  of the associated number wheel  6  such that the number wheels  6  are not rotatable. 
     Referring to FIG. 7, when the number wheels  6  are not in the correct code number position, the grooves  72  of the retaining sleeves  7  are not aligned with the protrusions  91  on the stem  9  such that the retaining sleeves  7  and the stem  9  cannot be moved toward each other. As a result, the push members  21  of the male buckle member  2  cannot be pushed inward. Consequently, the barbs  211  are maintained in engagement with the retaining elements  111  and  121 . 
     Referring to FIG. 8, when the number wheels  6  are turned to the correct code number position such that the grooves  72  of the retaining sleeves  7  are aligned with the protrusions  91  on the stem  9 , the user may insert a tool (e.g., a pen) into the depression  701  of the rightmost retaining wheel  7  and apply an inward force to the tool, all of the retaining sleeves  7  are moved leftward and compress the spring  8  such that the teeth  71  of the retaining sleeves  7  are disengaged from the teeth  61  of the number wheels  6 . As a result, the retaining sleeves  7  may rotate freely relative to the number wheels  6 . Thus, the user may turn the number wheels  6  to a new code number whatever he/she likes. Release of the tool finishes resetting in the code number for unlocking. 
     Although the lock assembly is illustrated in the form of a number lock, it is noted that other types of locks can be used to achieve the same function. 
     According to the above description, it is appreciated that the strap lock in accordance with the present invention may be applied to a trunk or the like in which adjustment of the length of strap for tightening the trunk can be proceeded after the male and female buckle members has been engaged with each other and such adjustment is relatively easy to achieve. In addition, adjustment of the length of strap for tightening/retightening the trunk can be accomplished when the trunk is still in a locked status. The pull tabs of the zipper of the trunk are also locked by the strap lock in accordance with the present invention. Thus, inconvenient use of lock/strap buckle required for conventional tightening of trunks is avoided. Further, resetting of the code number of the lock assembly of the strap lock in accordance with the present invention can be easily accomplished. 
     Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.