Abstract:
A connector for accessories, etc, which is mounted on both ends of a long linear member, the connector comprising a male part and a female part, which can fit into and separate from each other, and wherein when the male part is inserted into the female part from a fitting opening, magnetic attraction causes a change in the positional relationship between the male part and the female part with the result that the male part cannot pass through the fitting opening of the female part.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The invention relates to a connector for accessories, etc, which is mounted on both ends of a long linear member such as chain-shaped, braid-shaped, or the like to be applied with a view of making the linear member annular. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   A conventional connector used in, for example, a necklace or the like generally comprises a ring, which is called a pull ring and a part of which can be opened and closed by a spring, and a perforated plate hooked over the ring. Utility models related to a similar construction include a clasp described in Japanese Utility Model No. 3021562. However, this type of clasp involves in many cases a disadvantage that accuracy is hard to obtain for constructional reasons and strength is hard to be increased, whereby the clasp is in many cases so out of order that it works badly and makes the spring inoperative. In addition, since there is a need for conducting, behind the neck, operations of opening the ring by hooking the small projection with nails, the handling is not easy. 
   In contrast, JP-A-5-269010 discloses an invention relating to an electronic clasp, in which a male part of a connector with a magnet built therein is inserted into a female part of the connector. With the above invention, magnetic forces and a stopper of the connector are used to connect the male part of the connector with the female part of the connector. However, magnetic forces serve only to magnetically attract the male part of the connector and the female part of the connector to each other and these parts are separated upon pulling, so that effective connection cannot be achieved unless a projection called a stopper is caused to engage with a groove. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention has been made in view of the above points. Its objective is to enable an easy and sure connection even without conventionally conducting, behind the neck, operations of moving a small projection with nails, or engaging a projection of a stopper with a groove. In addition, it is another object of the invention to provide a connector for accessories, in which a male part is automatically fitted into a female part by magnetic forces to achieve a state of effective connection. 
   In order to perform the above objects, the invention provides a connector for accessories, etc, which is mounted on both ends of a long linear member such as chain-shaped, braid-shaped, or the like to be applied with a view of making the linear member annular, the connector comprising a male part and a female part, which can be fitted into and separated from each other, and wherein when the male part is inserted into the female part from a fitting opening of the female part, magnetic attraction causes a change in the positional relationship between the male part and the female part with the result that the male part cannot pass through the fitting opening of the female part. 
   The invention relates to a connector for accessories, etc, and the linear member corresponds to a braid-shaped one extending through accessories such as necklace or ornaments that constitute accessories. Accordingly, when mounted on both ends of the linear member, the connector according to the invention is used to let the linear member form an endless chain. 
   The connector comprises a male part and a female part, which can be fitted into and separated from each other. When the male part is inserted into the female part from a fitting opening thereof, the male part and the female part are put in a state of attracting each other due to magnetic attraction and the male part moves, relative to the female part, from a position, in which fitting of the male part from the fitting opening is enabled, to a position that is determined by the magnetic attraction. That is, the male part is moved (traveled or turned) from a position, in which it is fitted into the fitting opening of the female part, to a position, in which the male part cannot pass through the fitting opening of the female part. Movements (traveling or turning) of the male part are automatically caused by the magnetic attracting action, and accordingly what is demanded from a user is only to fit the male part into the fitting opening of the female part. In addition, in case of separation of the connectors put in the fitting state, it suffices to move the male part and look for a position, in which the male part can get out of the fitting opening of the female part, so that operations are quite easy even by means of grouping. 
   Several methods can be applied in order to cause magnetic attraction between the male part and the female part. The methods are classified into a method of incorporating magnets into the male part and the female part, and a method of magnetizing target portions of the male part and the female part to a desired magnetism, the both methods being applicable. 
   According to an additional embodiment, the male part preferably comprises a head that passes through the fitting opening of the female part, and a neck being positioned in the fitting opening of the female part during fitting to enable relative turning of the male part. The head is configured to be able to pass through the fitting opening and to assume that positional relationship, in which it cannot get out of the fitting opening because the positional relationship is changed due to the magnetic attracting action after passage through the fitting opening of the female part by the male part. 
   In addition, the female part is required to comprise a cavity therein in communication with the fitting opening, which permits the male part to pass therethrough, and allows the rotation of the head of the male part. Since the cavity suffices to allow turning of the male part, there are no restrictions on its configuration. In the light of the structure, in which the male part is fitted into the female part, it is preferable to arrange magnets in such a manner that the magnetic attracting action is generated after the fitting, and it does not matter whether the male part and the female part contact directly with each other after the fitting. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1A  is a cross sectional view showing a male part that constitutes an example 1 of a connector for accessories, etc., according to the invention; 
       FIG. 1B  is a bottom view showing the male part; 
       FIG. 1C  is a plan view showing a female part that constitutes the example; 
       FIG. 1D  is a cross sectional view showing the female part; 
       FIG. 1E  is a view illustrating a state of connection between the male part and the female part; 
       FIG. 2A  is a partial, cross sectional view showing a male part that constitutes an example 2; 
       FIG. 2B  is a bottom view showing the male part; 
       FIG. 2C  is a plan view showing a female part that constitutes the example; 
       FIG. 2D  is a partial, cross sectional view showing the female part; 
       FIG. 3A  is a partial, cross sectional view showing a male part that constitutes an example 3; 
       FIG. 3B  is a bottom view showing the male part; 
       FIG. 3C  is a plan view showing a female part that constitutes the example; 
       FIG. 3D  is a partial, cross sectional view showing the female part; 
       FIG. 4A  is a partial, cross sectional view showing a male part that constitutes an example 4; 
       FIG. 4B  is a bottom view showing the male part; 
       FIG. 4C  is a plan view showing a female part that constitutes the example; 
       FIG. 4D  is a partial, cross sectional view showing the female part; and 
       FIG. 5  is a general, perspective view showing a necklace being accessories, to which the connector of the invention is applied. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The invention will be described below in further detail on the basis of embodiments shown in the drawings.  FIGS. 1A to 1E  show a male part  11  and a female part  21  combined therewith in a connector  10  for accessories, etc., according to the invention. 
   The male part  11  as shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B  comprises a base  14  provided at one end thereof with a connection  13  for a linear member  12  shown in  FIG. 5 , a neck  15  provided on a surface opposed to the connection  13 , and a head  16  provided outside the neck. The base  14  as illustrated is circular, the neck  15  is circular and smaller than the base  14 , and the head  16  is elliptical to have a major axis, which is smaller than a diameter of the base and larger than a diameter of the neck, and a minor axis set to be the same as the diameter of the neck. 
   The head  16  is provided on an outer end surface thereof with a recess  17 , into which magnets  18  are incorporated. Two magnets  18  are aligned in a longitudinal direction of the elliptical head  16  so that both N and S poles appear. A direction of the N and S poles is coincident with a direction of the major axis of an ellipse of the head  16 . 
   The female part  21  as shown in  FIGS. 1C and 1D  comprises comprise a base  23  provided at one end thereof with a connection  22  for the linear member  12 , and a fitting opening  24 , which is disposed on a side opposed to the connection  22  and into which the head  16  of the male part  11  is fitted. A space communicated to outside only through the fitting opening  24  is provided inside the fitting opening  24  to serve as a cavity  25 , in which the head  16  is received. Mating magnets  26  are provided at the bottom of the cavity  25  to be incorporated in a recess  27  in a manner to face the magnets  18  of the male part  11 . A direction of the N and S poles of the mating magnets  26  forms 90 degrees relative to the direction of the major axis of the ellipse, which defines the fitting opening  24 . 
   Accordingly, when the male part  11  is turned to a longitudinal state from a horizontal state shown in  FIG. 1B  to be fitted into the longitudinal fitting opening  24  of the female part  21  put in a state shown in  FIG. 1C , and the male part  11  is kept apart in a state, in which the head  16  is in a position corresponding to the fitting opening  24 , the head  16  of the male part  11  is automatically turned 90 degrees within the cavity  25  of the female part  21  by a magnetic attracting action between the both N and S poles of the male part  11  and the female part  21  ( FIG. 1E ). As a result, the head  16  of the male part  11  deviates 90 degrees from a position corresponding to the fitting opening  24  to come below a wall  28  of the fitting opening, so that the head  16  can no longer pass through the fitting opening  24 . By further turning the head  16  90 degrees to enable the head to pass through the fitting opening  24  and pulling the head, disengagement can be simply effected. In addition, chamfers  19 ,  29  are provided on edges of the head  16  and the fitting opening  24  to facilitate engagement and disengagement. 
   In  FIG. 2 , a single magnet  35  having both N and S poles at both ends thereof is incorporated into a recess  37  provided on an outer end surface of a head  33  of a male part  31 , and a single similar mating magnet  36  on a side of a female part  32  is incorporated into a recess  38 . Positional relationships between the head  33  and the magnet  35  and between a fitting opening  34  and the mating magnet  36 , and a head  39  being received in the fitting opening  34  are the same as those in a preceding example 1. With this example 2, the male part  31  and the female part  32  comprise connecting rings as connections  13 ′,  22 ′. 
   A way of handling in the example 2 is the same as that in the example 1, and by setting the head  33  of the male part  31  to the fitting opening  34  of the female part  32  to fit the same thereinto and separating fingers, the head  33  is turned within a cavity  30  due to the magnetic attracting action and coupling is automatically achieved. In addition, at the time of disengagement, it suffices to move the head  33  looking for a position providing passage through the fitting opening  34  and to pull the head. 
     FIG. 3  shows a head shaped to be quadrilateral other than elliptical, and a male part  41  and a female part  42  are the same in basic constitution as those in the two preceding examples. Since the quadrilateral shape corresponds to a square shape, 90 degrees cannot be made use of as an angle for engagement of a head  43  with a wall of a fitting opening, and 45 degrees is appropriate. Hereupon, four magnets  45  are used for the male part  41  and fitted every 90 degrees into the head, and mating magnets  46  are arranged on a side of the female part  42  to be offset 45 degrees relative to positions of the magnets in the male part  41  (see  FIGS. 3B and 3C ). 
   While a detailed explanation is omitted for an example 3 because an angle of relative turning effected between the male part  41  and the female part  42  is 45 degrees, both engagement and disengagement are carried out very smoothly. With the example 3, the magnets  45  are provided on the head  43  of the male part  41  and the mating magnets  46  are provided at the bottom of a cavity  40  of the female part  42  in the same manner as in the example 2 and the example 1. 
   In contrast, as shown in  FIG. 4 , magnets  55  are provided on a base  53  of a male part  51 , and mating magnets  56  are provided on a front of a fitting wall  54  of a female part  52 . The fitting and positioning relationship between a head  57  of the male part  51  and a fitting opening  58  of the female part  52  is the same as that in the examples 1 and 2. Therefore, by fitting the head  57  into a cavity  50  with an orientation of the head  57  made coincident with an orientation of the fitting opening  58 , the head  57  is automatically turned due to the magnetic attracting action about a neck  59  positioned in the fitting opening  58  to be put in a state, in which the head  57  cannot get out of the fitting opening  58 , and by looking for an orientation of the head  57  to set the same to an orientation of the fitting opening  58  and pulling the head, disengagement can be readily achieved. 
   Since the invention is constructed and functions as described above in such way that by fitting the head into the fitting opening, the male part and the female part are automatically put in a state, in which they cannot be separated from each other, due to the magnetic attracting action. Easy and sure connection is made possible even without conventionally conducting, behind the neck, operations of moving a small projection with nails, or engaging a projection of a stopper with a groove, so that the present invention provides an improved design that is easy to manufacture and operate because the construction is simple.