Patent Publication Number: US-6668433-B1

Title: Shield for quick release fastener

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 60/255,832 filed Dec. 15, 2000. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to fastening devices. 
     More particularly, the present invention relates to covers for preventing the unintentional release of fastening devices. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Quick release fasteners for belts, fanny packs, etc. are well known and are currently used in many products. A conventional fastener includes a female element receiving a male element. The male element is typically divided into outwardly biased prongs which are compressed to be received within the female element and which bias outwardly once inserted, to engage notches in the female element. To separate the elements, the prongs of the male element are compressed against the bias, allowing removal from the female element. Generally, engagement and removal is accomplished with tabs extending from the prongs of the male element. When the elements are engaged, the tabs of the male element are received in notches in the female element, preventing removal of the male element from the female element. By pressing inwardly on the tabs, the prongs are compressed against the bias and the tabs move out of the notches. This permits removal of the male element from the female element. 
     While these quick release fasteners are extremely effective for their intended purpose, namely being easily and quickly unfastened, there are times when release is undesirable. For example, the utility/gun belt used by police officers is often fastened using a quick release fastener. During the apprehension of a suspect or other situations, a struggle can ensue. A quick release fastener, in this instance, is detrimental as the individual can disarm the police officer simply by gripping the quick release fastener. 
     It would be highly advantageous, therefore, to remedy the foregoing and other deficiencies inherent in the prior art. 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a shield for quick release fasteners. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a shield which prevents unintentional disengagement of quick release fasteners. 
     And another object of the invention is to provide a shield which is inexpensive and simple to use. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a shield which can be employed on existing fasteners. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Briefly, to achieve the desired objects of the present invention in accordance with a preferred embodiment thereof, provided is a shield for a fastener. The shield and fastener form a fastening device protected from undesirable disengagement. The fastener includes a female element having opposing notches and a male element having outwardly biased prongs receivable within the female element. Each prong has a tab extending through one of the opposing notches of the female element in a biased orientation. The shield includes a pair of opposed side rails received about the sides of the fastener, overlying the notches in the female element. A coupling member holds the opposed side rails in a substantially parallel and spaced apart relationship, and engagement members coupled to the pair of opposed side rails, engage the female element of the fastener. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The foregoing and further and more specific objects and advantages of the instant invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a shield according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the shield of FIG. 1 as it appears coupled to a quick release fastener; 
     FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the shield and fastener of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is an end view of the shield of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is an opposing end view of the shield of FIG. 1; and 
     FIG. 6 is a top plan of another embodiment of a shield according to the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Turning now to the drawings in which like reference characters indicate corresponding elements throughout the several views, attention is first directed to FIGS. 1,  4  and  5 , which illustrate a shield generally designated  10 . Shield  10  includes a side rail  12  being generally rectangular and having opposing edges  13  and  14 , and a side rail  15  being generally rectangular and having opposing edges  17  and  18 . Side rail  12  and side rail  15  are positioned in a generally parallel spaced apart relationship, and held together by a coupling member  20 . In this embodiment, coupling member  20  is a generally planar sheet extending from edge  13  of side rail  12  to edge  17  of side rail  15 . Additionally it should be noted that side rails  12  and  15  can have a slight curvature as seen in the FIGS. or remain substantially planar. 
     Coupling member  20  is illustrated as being generally solid apart from an opening  19  centrally formed therein. One skilled in the art will understand that coupling member  20  can be solid, have an opening for aesthetic purposes or be simply a frame, coupling side rails  12  and  15 , and providing a degree of rigidity for purposes which will become apparent as the description progresses. Coupling member  20  provides stability and rigidity to side rails  12  and  15 . Engagement members, in this embodiment a lip  22  extending from edge  14  of first side rail  12  and a lip  23  extending from edge  18  of side rail  15 , engage a quick release fastener. 
     With additional reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, in use, shield  10  is positioned over a quick release fastener generally designated  30 . Quick release fastener  30  includes a female element  32  receiving a male element  33 . Male element  33  is typically divided into outwardly biased prongs (not shown) having tabs  34  extending outwardly therefrom. Female element  32  includes notches  35  formed in opposing sides. The prongs are compressed to be received within female element  32  and allowed to bias outwardly once inserted. When correctly positioned, tabs  34  are received in notches  35  preventing removal of male element  33  from female element  32 . To separate the elements, the prongs of male element  33  are compressed against their bias. By pressing inwardly on tabs  34 , the prongs are compressed and tabs  34  move out of notches  35 , permitting removal of male element  33  from female element  32 . 
     Shield  10  is positioned over quick release fastener  30  when female element  32  and male element  33  are engaged. Shield  10  is positioned with side rails  12  and  15  extending along the sides of fastener  30  overlying and covering notches  35  and tabs  34 . Lips,  22  and  23  engage the back of fastener  30  holding shield  10  in position. It should be understood that while lips are shown extending the entire length of side rails, shorter lengths may be employed. It is even contemplated that vestigial lips segments may be provided at opposing ends of the opposing side rails. Coupling member  20  joins and stabilizes side rails  12  and  15  and is fabricated of a slightly flexible material to permit lips  22  and  23  to be pulled apart. Shield  10  is preferably fabricated as an integral piece molded of a plastic material, although other materials can be employed. In this manner, shield  10  can be positioned on fastener  30  by flexing coupling member  20 , positioning lips  22  and  23  behind fastener  30  and allowing coupling member  20  to return to its normal position. This action, in effect, clamps shield  10  about fastener  30 . Removal is the reverse of this procedure. Removal is facilitated by the inclusion of a thumb tab  38  formed in an end of coupling member  20 . 
     To further facilitate attachment and removal of shield  10  to fastener  30 , one of lips  22  and  23  can be shorter than the other. Thus, the longer of lips  22  and  23  is first positioned behind fastener  30  and very little flexing of coupling member  20  is required to position the shorter of lips  22  and  30  behind fastener  30 . It is even contemplated that with the shorter lip, flexing of coupling member  20  is unnecessary. The shorter lip itself may distort sufficiently to allow shield  10  to be coupled about fastener  30 . 
     Turning now to FIG. 6, another embodiment of a shield generally designated  50  is illustrated. Shield  50  is generally similar to shield  10 , including side rails  52  and  53 , lips  54  and  55 , and coupling member  57 . In this embodiment, coupling member  57  has an X shape and is intended to illustrate that coupling member  57  is intended to provide stability to side rails, hold lips  54  and  55  about a fastener, and can be fabricated of substantially any shape to achieve these ends. 
     Various changes and modifications to the embodiments herein chosen for purposes of illustration will readily occur to those skilled in the art. To the extent that such modifications and variations do not depart from the spirit of the invention, they are intended to be included within the scope thereof which is assessed only by a fair interpretation of the following claims. 
     Having fully described the invention in such clear and concise terms as to enable those skilled in the art to understand and practice the same, the invention claimed is.