Abstract:
A strap fastening assembly comprises a strap and at least one fastener for fastening the strap to tie an article. The fastener comprises a fastening portion and an adjustable portion. The fastening portion is configured to secure a section of the strap thereon in case the strap is loosened by pulling the strap in one direction. The adjustable portion is configured to connect, adjust and tighten another section of the strap to tie the article.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention is broadly concerned with a strap fastening assembly and in particular to the strap fastening assembly including a strap and at least one fastener for tying an article. 
         [0003]    2. Related Prior Art 
         [0004]    TW Design Patent No. 19201 discloses a book fastener. According to the design patent, at least one book can be tied via the book fastener with a strap in a crisscross manner. 
         [0005]    However, the book fastener is elaborate but to a limited extent, only for tying books in the crisscross manner. The complex configuration and the tying method of the book fastener can easily confuse a user. After tying, the user may further wonder if the books have been tightly secured. 
         [0006]    Compared with books, there are many other types of articles, such as a yoga mat, which has a longer and huge volume and may need a different way to be packed. The yoga mat is usually backpacked and carried by a user. It is not easy to pack the huge yoga mat into a space-limit backpack. 
         [0007]    What is desired, therefore, is a simple, convenient and variegated fastening assembly, which can clasp various types of articles. 
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
       [0008]    The primary object of this invention is therefore to provide a fastening assembly capable of easy tying an article securely. 
         [0009]    According to the present invention, a strap fastening assembly comprises a strap and at least one fastener for fastening the strap to tie an article. The at least one fastener comprises a fastening portion and an adjustable portion. The fastening portion is configured to secure a section of the strap thereon in case the strap is loosened by pulling the strap in one direction. The adjustable portion is configured to connect, adjust and tighten another section of the strap to tie the article. 
         [0010]    Preferably, the fastener is formed in one-piece from plastic. 
         [0011]    Preferably, the fastening portion of the fastener defines three apertures therein and the adjustable portion defines a slot and a breach. 
         [0012]    More preferably, one strap and two fasteners are assembled to define two loops for clasping the article tight in a perfect appearance. 
         [0013]    Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become clear as the description proceeds. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0014]    The invention will now be elucidated with reference to the following description and accompanying drawings where: 
           [0015]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a fastener according to the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  shows a first embodiment of a strap fastening assembly including one fastener of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is another perspective view of the upright fastener of  FIG. 1 , showing a bottom plane with depressions therein for housing a strap. 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  shows a second embodiment of a strap fastening assembly including two fasteners of  FIG. 1  for tying a yoga mat (phantom line); 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  illustrates another example of the present invention, including one fastener and two straps. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0020]    A strap fastening assembly in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3  to include a strap  1  and a fastener  2  for tying an article (not shown). 
         [0021]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , the fastener  2  is flat and made of any solid material, such as metal or plastic. In the present embodiment, the fastener  2  is formed in one piece by plastic injection molding and exhibits advantages of easy production and a low cost. The fastener  2  comprises a fastening portion  21  and an adjustable portion  22 . 
         [0022]    As can be seen in  FIG. 2 , the fastening portion  21  is configured to be joined with a section  11  of the strap  1 . The fastening portion  21  defines three elongated apertures  211 ,  212  and  213  served as an inlet  211  (side), an outlet  213  (side) and a shift  212  (hypotenuse), which are arranged in right triangle for the strap  1  passing through. In such a fashion, the strap  1  can be easy to be joined to the fastening portion  21 . In use, first, let an end of the strap  1  pass through the inlet  211 , and then make a turn passing into the shift  212 , and finally passing through the outlet  213 . Since the three apertures  211 ,  212 ,  213  are arranged in different positions to form a multiple binding that the section  11  of the strap  1  can not be loosened from the fastening portion  21  by pulling the strap  1  in one direction. Thus, the fastening portion  21  of the fastener  2  can secure the strap  1  tightly without needs to suture, rivet or the like. Moreover, the fastening portion  21  of the fastener  2  can be positioned in any desired section of the strap  1  for flexible use. 
         [0023]    The adjustable portion  22  of the fastener  2  defines a slot  221  and a breach  222  in parallel with the slot  221  so as to secure another section  12  of the strap  1  which comes out from the outlet  213  of the fastening portion  21 . In use, the section  12  of the strap  1  is fed into the slot  221  and then is adjusted to a suitable position so as to define a loop  13  in a suitable size. When the loop  13  of the strap  1  clasps the article tight, the section  12  of the strap  1  is then turned round and into the breach  222  to be secured. Furthermore, the adjustable portion  22  is formed with a plurality of teeth  223  on inner walls of the breach  222 . Preferably, the teeth  223  on one inner wall and the teeth  223  on the opposite inner wall are staggered. In such a manner, once entering and being confined in the breach  222 , the strap  1  is not easily loosened from the teeth  223 . 
         [0024]    To tight the article harmlessly, the strap fastener  2  defines depressions in a bottom surface, which is supposed to contact with the article, to house the sections of the strap  1 . More specifically, referring to  FIG. 3 , the strap fastener  2  has a first surface  210  on the fastening portion  21 , and a second surface  220  which is coplanar with the first surface  210  and on the adjustable portion  22 . The first and second surfaces  210 ,  220  have areas where the strap  1  may passes and lies. Hence, the fastening portion  21  defines two depressions  214 ,  215  in the areas of the first surface  210 , and the adjustable portion  22  defines a depression  224  in the area of the second surface  220  for receiving the strap  1 . Since the strap  1  secured on the fastener  1  has exposed portions received in the depressions  214 ,  215 ,  224 , the strap  1  and the fastener  2  define a co-plane to safely contact with surfaces of the article without impressions left in the surfaces of the article. 
         [0025]    As noted above, the fastener  2  secures the two sections  11 ,  12  of the strap  1  by the fastening portion  21  and the adjustable portion  22  respectively so as to define the loop  13  which encircles and ties an article. Besides, the strap  1  further has a free section  14  which doesn&#39;t pass through the inlet  211 . The free section  14  can be extended perpendicular to a plane defined by the loop  13 . Thus, for some other applications, the strap fastening assembly may be used as a dog chain. The loop  13 , as a collar, receives a dog&#39;s neck. The free section  14  of the strap  1 , as a chain, is provided for pulling by a dog&#39;s master. Since the force exerting on the free section  14  won&#39;t change the size of the loop  13  that it is safer from strangling even if the master yanks on the dog&#39;s neck suddenly. 
         [0026]      FIG. 4  shows another strap fastening assembly according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Compared with the first embodiment, the second embodiment comprises one more fastener  2 , that is, two in total. With two fasteners  2  and one strap  1 , the strap fastening assembly of the second embodiment defines two loops  13  for tying a longer article, such as a roll of a yoga mat, or two separate articles. 
         [0027]    In particular, the two loops  13  of  FIG. 4  are joined together by the free end  14  of the strap  1  in a perfect manner because the three apertures  211 ,  212 ,  213  of each of the fasteners are arranged in a right triangle. In this manner, the strap fastening assembly acts as a shoulder bag and is easy to carry. 
         [0028]    Furthermore, the length of the free end  14  is adjustable according to one&#39;s desire. Once the length of the free end  14  is determined and the strap  1  has been secured on the fastening portions  21  of the two fasteners  2 , each adjustable portion  22  is then adjusted flexibly to define the loop  13  for clasping the article. 
         [0029]    Alternatively, more than two fasters  2  can be linked together for tying many articles in a series for further purposes. 
         [0030]    From the foregoing embodiments, the fastener  2  of the present invention is provided to fasten the strap  1  to define the loop  13  so as to tie an article. In another embodiment, as depicted in  FIG. 5 , the single fastener  2  can also be used to joined “two” straps, namely a first strap I a and a second strap  1   b . In this case, the fastening portion  21  of the fastener  2  is used to securing an end of the first strap  1   a . The adjustable portion  22  connects an end of the second strap  1   b  and allows the same to be adjusted and secured. Therefore, the fastener  2  served as a linkage between two straps  1   a ,  1   b.    
         [0031]    Numerous characteristics and advantages of the invention have been set forth in the foregoing description. The disclosure, however, is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail within the principle of the invention, to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.