Abstract:
Installed in a container for locking opposing first part and second part of the container, a magnetic snap fastener is disclosed to include a male snap member having a stud with an engagement portion and a magnetic attractive member fixedly mounted in one side of the engagement portion, and a female snap member having a socket with a socket hole for receiving the engagement portion of the stud of the male snap member and a magnetic attractive member fixedly mounted in one side of the socket for attracting the magnetic attractive member of the male snap member when the engagement6 portion of the male snap member is attached to the socket hole in the female snap member.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to snap fastening means and more particularly, to a magnetic snap fastener, which facilitates operation and prevents accidental disconnection. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Conventional magnetic snap fasteners are intensively used in personal items, such as cell phone bags, handbags, purses, and etc. When designing a magnetic snap fastener, the size of the magnetic members and the power of magnetic attraction are important factors. If the power of magnetic attraction is insufficient, the magnetic snap fastener may be unlocked accidentally by an external force, and the storage items may fall to the ground. Further, when too much storage items are received in the bag, the locking force of the magnetic snap fastener may be insufficient to hold the bag in the closed position. When a magnetic snap fastener having a high power of magnetic attraction is used in a bag for mobile electronic device, such as cell phone or digital camera, the magnetic lines of force generated by the magnetic snap fastener may interfere with the functioning of the magnetic sensor component of the mobile electronic device. Further, the magnetic lines of force generated by the magnetic snap fastener may demagnetize the magnetic strip of a telephone card, credit card or digital memory card. These problems give a barrier to the use of products that use a magnetic snap fastener. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is the main object of the present invention to provide a magnetic snap fastener, which facilitates operation and prevents accidental disconnection. 
         [0006]    To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, a magnetic snap fastener comprises a male snap member and a female snap member respectively installed in a first part and a second part of a container and adapted for locking the first part and second part of the container, wherein: The male snap member comprises a stud and a magnetic attractive member. The stud comprises an engagement portion. The magnetic attractive member of the male snap member is fixedly mounted in one side of the engagement portion. The female snap member comprises a socket and a magnetic attractive member. The socket defines a socket hole and adapted for receiving the engagement portion of the male snap member. The magnetic attractive member of the female snap member is fixedly mounted in one side of the socket and adapted for attracting the magnetic attractive member of the male snap member when the engagement portion of the male snap member is attached to the socket hole of the female snap member. 
         [0007]    When the male snap member and the female snap member are attached together, the two magnetic attractive members attract each other to enhance the connection tightness between the socket hole of the socket and the engagement portion of the male snap member, preventing disconnection between the male snap member and the female snap member. Thus, the magnetic snap fastener has the characteristics of simple structure, high locking power and high practical value. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is an elevational view of a handbag with a magnetic snap fastener constructed according to the present invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a sectional side view of the handbag shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is an elevational view of a magnetic snap fastener in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the magnetic snap fastener in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a sectional side view of the magnetic snap fastener in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  corresponds to  FIG. 5 , illustrating the engagement portion of the stud of the male snap member set in the socket hole of the female snap member. 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a schematic drawing illustrating a fastened status of a magnetic snap fastener in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  corresponds to  FIG. 7 , illustrating the male snap member disengaged from the male snap member. 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  is a schematic drawing illustrating a fastened status of a magnetic snap fastener in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 10  corresponds to  FIG. 9 , illustrating the socket hole and fence portion of the female snap member adjusted to a downward position. 
           [0018]      FIG. 11  is a sectional exploded view of a magnetic snap fastener in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 12  is an elevational exploded view of the magnetic snap fastener in accordance with the fourth embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0020]    Referring to  FIGS. 1˜6 , a magnetic snap fastener  1  in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention is shown installed in a container (for example, handbag) P. The magnetic snap fastener  1  comprises a male snap member  20  and a female snap member  30  respectively installed in a first part (cover member) P 1  and a second part (body member) P 2  of the container (handbag) P. 
         [0021]    The male snap member  20  consists of a stud  21 , an annular plate  22  and a magnetic attractive member  23 . The stud  21  comprises an engagement portion  215 , a recessed hole  213  located on one side of the engagement portion  215 , a shank portion  211  located on the opposite side of the engagement portion  215 , and three hooked portions  212  equiangularly arranged on the distal end of the shank portion  211  remote from the engagement portion  215 . The magnetic attractive member  23  is fixedly mounted in the recessed hole  21  and kept in flush with the outside wall of the engagement portion  215  of the stud  21 . The diameter of the center opening of the annular plate  22  is equal to the outer diameter of the shank portion  211 . The three hooked portions  212  are inserted through the center opening of the annular plate  22  and hooked on one side of the annular plate  22  so that a retaining space is defined between the annular plate  22  and the engagement portion  215  of the stud  21  around the shank portion  211 . 
         [0022]    The female snap member  30  consists of a socket  31 , an annular plate  32  and a magnetic attractive member  33 . The socket  31  comprises a socket base portion  311 , a fence portion  317  extended from one side of the socket base portion  311  and a socket hole  315  defined in between the socket base portion  311  and the fence portion  317 . The male snap member  20  bridges the fence portion  317 , i.e., a part of the shank portion  211  of the male snap member  20  is accommodated in the fence portion  317 . The socket  31  further comprises a recessed hole  313  located on one side of the socket base portion  311  and facing the socket hole  315 , and three hooked portions  312  equiangularly arranged on the opposite side of the socket base portion  311 . The magnetic attractive member  33  is fixedly mounted in the recessed hole  313  and kept in flush with the outside wall of the socket base portion  311  for attracting the magnetic attractive member  23  of the male snap member  20 . The annular plate  32  is fastened to the three hooked portions  312  to affix the female snap member  30  to the second part P 2  of the container P. 
         [0023]    Further, the engagement portion  215  of the male snap member  20  and the socket base portion  311  of the socket  31  of the female snap member  30  are planar for direct contact. 
         [0024]    When compared to the prior art design, the present invention is characterized in that the female snap member  30  comprises a socket hole  315 ; the male snap member  20  comprises an engagement portion  215  matching the socket hole  315  of the female snap member  30  to secure the male snap member  20  and the female snap member  30  firmly together, avoiding disconnection of the magnetic snap fastener  1  due to an overload or improper external force. 
         [0025]      FIGS. 7 and 8  illustrate a magnetic snap fastener in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. According to this second embodiment, the magnetic snap fastener comprises a male snap member  20 A and a female snap member  30 A. The male snap member  20 A and the female snap member  30 A are substantially similar to the like members of the aforesaid first embodiment with the exception that the socket hole  315  of the female snap member  30  of the aforesaid first embodiment extends vertically upwards; the socket hole  315 A of the female snap member  30 A of this second embodiment extends in a horizontal direction relative to the container. Thus, the open side of the socket hole  315 A and fence portion  317 A of the female snap member  30 A of this second embodiment face toward the right side. When the male snap member  20 A and the female snap member  30 A are fastened together, they will not be opened accidentally upon an improper upward pressure. 
         [0026]      FIGS. 9 and 10  illustrate a magnetic snap fastener in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention. The male snap member  20 B and female snap member  30 B of the magnetic snap fastener of this third embodiment are substantially similar to the like members of the aforesaid first embodiment with the exception that the mounting positions of the male snap member  20 B and the female snap member  30 B on the container are reversed to that of the aforesaid first embodiment. After the male snap member  20 B and the female snap member  30 B are locked, the user can rotate the female snap member  30 B through an angle to adjust the socket hole  315 B and fence portion  317 B of the female snap member  30 B to a downward position to stop the male snap member  20 B from being moved upwardly away from the female snap member  30 B. By means of the functioning of a pivot device (not shown), the female snap member  30 B can be rotated to adjust the socket hole  315 B and fence portion  317 B of the female snap member  30 B between opposite downward position and upward position. 
         [0027]      FIGS. 11 and 12  illustrate a magnetic snap fastener in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention. According to this fourth embodiment, the magnetic snap fastener comprises a male snap member  20 C and a female snap member  30 C. The male snap member  20 C comprises a stud consisting of a stud head member  21 C and a base member  22 C, and a magnetic attractive member  23 . The stud head member  21 C comprises an engagement portion  215 C, a shank portion  211 C extended from one side of the engagement portion  215 C, a mounting portion  212 C at one end of the shank portion  211 C opposite to the engagement portion  215 C, and a plurality of binding through holes  217 C located on the mounting portion  212 C. The base member  22 C is fixedly covered on a part of the stud head member  21 C. For example, the base member  22 C is made of plastics and directly molded on the mounting portion  212 C by an insert molding technique. During the molding process, the molten plastic material fills up the through holes  217 C, enhancing connection tightness between the base member  22 C and the mounting portion  212 C. Further, the magnetic attractive member  23  is fixedly mounted in the opposite side of the engagement portion  215 C in a flush manner. 
         [0028]    The female snap member  30 C comprises a socket consisting of a socket body  31 C and a base member  32 C, and a magnetic attractive member  33 . The socket body  31 C comprises a socket base portion  312 C, two fence portions  317 C extended from one side of the socket base portion  312 C and a socket hole  315 C surrounded by the socket base portion  312 C and the fence portions  317 C. The base member  32  comprises two insertion holes  325 C for the passing of the fence portions  317 C respectively, and a recessed portion  327  for receiving the socket base portion  312 C. Further, the magnetic attractive member  33  is mounted in one side of the base member  32 C opposite to the male snap member  20 C. 
         [0029]    This fourth embodiment achieves the same effects as the aforesaid first, second and third embodiments. 
         [0030]    Further, other modifications may be made thereunto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, both the magnetic attractive member of the male snap member and the magnetic attractive member of the female snap member can be magnets (permanent magnets); alternatively, one of the magnetic attractive members of the male and snap members can be a magnet (permanent magnet) and the other can be a magnetically conductive member. 
         [0031]    Further, a floating control member (not shown) may be used with the magnetic snap fastener. When the male snap member and the female snap member are fastened together, the floating control member is exposed to the outside of the female snap member for operation by the user to disengage the male snap member from the socket of the female snap member. The use of the floating control member enhances the application of the magnetic snap fastener. 
         [0032]    Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.