Abstract:
A retaining assembly includes a first portion capable of being attached a strap, a second portion capable of being secured to the first portion, the second portion including a retaining portion capable of cooperating with a harnessing member; and a member capable of sliding over the retaining portion and cooperating with the second portion in a plurality of positions. When the member is in a first position, the combination of the retaining portion and the member is capable of retaining the harnessing member, and the retaining assembly is prevented from pivoting around the harnessing member.

Description:
PRIORITY AND RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/026,440 filed Dec. 30, 2004 for “Retaining Assembly,” the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD  
       [0002]     This application relates generally to retaining assemblies and particularly to retaining assemblies for attaching a strap to an item of luggage.  
       BACKGROUND INFORMATION  
       [0003]     Retaining assemblies serve a variety of functions. They can be used for attaching a set of keys to a belt buckle, for example, or may be used to hold a device such as a whistle, or may be used to attach a strap to an item of luggage. Many retaining assemblies include a generally J-shaped portion, and an additional portion to complete the “circle.” The additional portion typically communicates with a spring that keeps the additional portion pressed against the end of the J-shaped portion, unless a force is applied on a protrusion attached to the additional portion to overcome the spring force. In order to keep the additional portion in contact with the end of the J-shaped portion, a relatively stiff spring is chosen. Thus, depending on the application, the amount of force to be applied to the protrusion necessary to overcome the spring is high.  
         [0004]     In some other arrangements, the entire J-shaped portion slides linearly in order to engage and disengage. In this manner, an item can be placed on the retaining assembly when the J-shaped portion is in an open position. When the user presses on the J-shaped portion, the user slides it manually into a closed position, retaining whatever item has been placed on the retaining assembly. A user typically presses a release button, and the J-shaped portion is released by a mechanism that includes a spring pushing it linearly outward. Such devices are typically fabricated from plastic, and thus are susceptible to fracture under heavy loading. In addition, since the J-shaped member is the harnessing feature as well as the sliding feature, under loading, the J-shaped member tends to separate from the rest of the assembly and the retaining assembly may disengage from whatever item it was attached to.  
       SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION  
       [0005]     One of the objects of the present invention is to overcome the aforementioned problems and deficiencies.  
         [0006]     For example, in one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a retaining assembly includes a first portion adapted to be attached to a strap; a second portion capable of being secured to the first portion, the second portion including a retaining portion capable of cooperating with a harnessing member; and a member capable of sliding over the retaining portion and cooperating with the second portion in a plurality of positions; wherein, when the member is in a first position, the combination of the retaining portion and the member is capable of retaining the harnessing member, and when the member is in the first position, the retaining assembly is prevented from pivoting around the harnessing member.  
         [0007]     In this embodiment, the load is predominately carried by the retaining portion of the second portion, which may be fabricated from a stronger material than the member. In a preferred arrangement, the second portion is fabricated from a metallic material and the member is fabricated from a thermoplastic material. The load being carried primarily by the retaining portion helps prevent accidental disengagement of the member merely by the presence of the load. This allows the member to be fabricated from plastic saving cost and weight. Thus, the present invention may achieve the proper balance between strength, cost, appearance, and durability. 
     
    
     DRAWINGS  
       [0008]      FIG. 1  shows a front view of a first exemplary embodiment of a retaining assembly according to the present invention.  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  is a front view of a first component of the first exemplary embodiment.  
         [0010]      FIG. 3  is a front view of a second component of the first exemplary embodiment.  
         [0011]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the second component of the first exemplary embodiment.  
         [0012]      FIG. 5  is a front view of a third component of the first exemplary embodiment.  
         [0013]      FIG. 6  is a front view of a fourth component of the first exemplary embodiment.  
         [0014]      FIG. 7  is a side view of the fourth component of the first exemplary embodiment.  
         [0015]      FIG. 8  is a bottom view of the fourth component of the first exemplary embodiment.  
         [0016]      FIG. 9  is a front view of a fifth component of the first exemplary embodiment.  
         [0017]      FIG. 10  shows a front view of the first exemplary embodiment of a retaining assembly according to the present invention in a secured position.  
         [0018]      FIG. 11  shows a harnessing member suitable for use with the retaining assembly of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0019]      FIG. 12  depicts a side view of the harnessing member of  FIG. 11 . 
     
    
       [0020]     Throughout the figures, the same reference numerals and characters, unless otherwise stated, are used to denote like features, elements, components or portions of the illustrated embodiments. Moreover, while the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the figures, it is done so in connection with the illustrative embodiments.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0021]      FIG. 1  depicts a first exemplary embodiment according to the present invention. The retaining assembly includes a first portion  100  and a second portion  200 . The retaining assembly further includes a latching member  300 .  FIG. 1  depicts the latching member in an “open” position.  
         [0022]      FIG. 2  depicts an isolated view of the first portion  100 . The first portion  100  may be fabricated from a thermoplastic material or from a metal such as aluminum. The first portion  100  may include engaging features  102 ,  104 . The first portion  100  may include boss retainers  106 ,  108 . The first portion  100  may include a spring locator  110 , for positioning a spring to cooperate with the latching member  300 . The first portion  100  may also include a retaining slot  112  for attachment to a strap.  
         [0023]      FIG. 3  depicts a front view of the second portion  200 . The second portion  200  may be fabricated from a metal such as aluminum. The second portion  200  includes a retaining portion  202 . The retaining portion may be generally C-shaped. The second portion  200  may include bosses  204 ,  206  to fit into the boss retainers  106 ,  108  of the first portion  100 . The bosses  204 ,  206  may also serve to retain screws (not shown) to retain a covering member  500  (see  FIG. 10 ) to the second portion  200 . The second portion  200  may also include a torsion spring locator  210 , for interacting with a torsion spring. The second portion  200  may also include engaging features  216 ,  218  to cooperate with the engaging features  102 ,  104  of the first portion  100 . Thus, the first portion  100  and the second portion  200  may be held together via a press fit of these engaging features.  
         [0024]      FIG. 4  depicts a side view of the second portion  200 , and shows a protrusion  212 , which may cooperate with a groove in the latching member  300 , and may assist in resisting any torsional load placed on the latching member while in the “closed position” on the second portion  200 . The presence of the protrusion also aids a user when placing the latching member  300  in the closed position.  
         [0025]      FIG. 5  depicts a front view of a release lever  400 . The release lever may include a locating hole  402  for placement on the boss  204  of the second portion  200 . When a user presses on a side extension  404  of the release lever  400  when the latching member  300  is in the closed position, a retaining latch  406  may disengage the latching member  300  and may allow the latching member  300  to move vertically upward.  
         [0026]      FIG. 6  depicts a front view of the latching member  300 . The latching member  300  may be generally J-shaped. The latching member may be fabricated from an inexpensive material, such as a thermoplastic. When the latching member is in the closed position, the retaining area  302  may completely close the “C” shaped area created by the retaining portion  202  of the second portion  200 . The latching member  300  may include a protrusion  304  to assist in locating and retaining the latching member  300  from the second portion  200  when the latching member  300  is in the closed position. The latching member  300  may include a spring locator  306 , for positioning a spring to cooperate with the first portion  100 .  
         [0027]      FIG. 7  depicts a side view of the latching member  300 . The latching member  300  may include a retaining section  310  for engaging the retaining latch  406  of the release lever  400  when the latching member  300  is in the closed position.  
         [0028]      FIG. 8  depicts a bottom view of the latching member  300 . The latching member  300  may include a groove  320  which may cooperate with the protrusion  212  of the second portion  200 .  
         [0029]      FIG. 9  depicts a front view of the covering member  500 . The covering member may be fabricated from a material such as a thermoplastic. The covering member  500  may be assembled to the second portion  200  and may be fastened together by the use of screws (not shown).  
         [0030]     With reference again to  FIG. 1 , the individual components of the retaining assembly  100  are shown (but the covering member  500  is not shown). A user may slide the retaining assembly  100  over a harnessing member  700  while the latching member  300  is in the open position as shown. The user may then press on the latching member  300  in the direction of the arrow  600 . The latching member will act against the locating spring  602  and should be pressed down until the retaining section  310  engages the retaining latch  406  of the release lever  400 . The retaining assembly  100  may include a torsion spring  604  to keep the retaining latch  406  positioned such that it will engage the retaining section  310 .  
         [0031]      FIG. 10  depicts the retaining assembly in the closed position (the covering member  500  is shown in this view).  
         [0032]      FIG. 11  depicts a harnessing member  700  suitable for use with the retaining assembly of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0033]      FIG. 12  depicts a side view of the harnessing member of  FIG. 11 .  
         [0034]     When the retaining assembly is in the closed position and assembled to the harnessing member  700 , the retaining assembly may be prevented from pivoting about the harnessing member  700 . This may be due to the shape of each. The harnessing member  700  may be rectangular in cross-section in a region  702  that secures the retaining member. The retaining portion  202  may be semi-rectangular and configured to cooperate with the harnessing member region  702  in order to prevent rotation. Attachment of the retaining assembly to the harnessing member  700  (and thus to the item of luggage itself) with a non-pivotal connection may be more user-friendly than attachment via a harnessing post interacting with a semi-circular retaining portion. When rotation is prevented, it may be easier for the user to carry the item of luggage with the strap on his or her shoulder.  
         [0035]     The foregoing merely illustrates the principles of the invention. Various modifications and alterations to the described embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the teachings herein. It will thus be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to devise numerous systems and methods which, although not explicitly shown or described herein, embody the principles of the invention and are thus within the spirit and scope of the invention.