Patent Description:
A tent or a tarp is a screen for blocking snow or rain and for protecting from sunlight, and strings and poles are used in order to form a predetermined frame by fixing the tent or the tarp on the ground stably.

That is, a string connects an edge or a pole of a tent to a fixing pack of the ground, a stopper which is mounted in the middle of the string adjust and maintain tension.

The stopper used generally has a rectangular plate made of metal or synthetic resin and is a bar-shaped stopper having holes formed at both ends. A string passes through the holes of both ends of the bar-shaped stopper in turn. When a user pulls the string tightly, the string is pulled in the orthogonal direction from the holes of the stopper to maintain the fixed state. In the above state, when the user tilts the stopper to adjust directions of the string and the holes, the stopper can move. So, the user can adjust tension by moving the stopper properly.

However, such a conventional bar-shaped stopper has several disadvantages in that it slips easily and cannot maintain tension well since a contact area between the string and the stopper holes is small, and in that tension gets loose easily even by a simple contact with the outside.

The patent literature <NUM> has been devised in order to solve the disadvantages of the conventional bar-shaped stopper. The patent literature <NUM> discloses a rope stopper for a tent or a tarp, which can adjust and fix the length of a rope of the tent or the tarp. The rope stopper includes: a stopper body made of a hard material of a bar shape with a predetermined thickness; a rope seating groove curved inwardly over the whole length of both sides of the stopper body so that the rope gets in contact with the rope seating groove; and rope insertion holes formed at upper and lower portions of the stopper body so that the rope is inserted into the holes. The stopper disclosed in the patent literature <NUM> is also a bar-shaped stopper, but is curved at both sides so that the rope can be put on the curved sides.

Therefore, the patent literature <NUM> and the conventional bar-shaped stopper have several problems in that tension gets loose even by external slight contact since it is difficult to firmly hold the string due to the simple holes through which the string is inserted, and in that the string may be damaged easily at the rims of the holes which play a crucial role in maintaining tension.

Further, <CIT> discloses a knot fastener for tension adjustment capable of freely adjusting the tension of a stretching rope. <CIT> discloses a rope grip device. However, <CIT> and <CIT> do not disclose the characteristic features of the present invention as claimed in claim <NUM>. <CIT> discloses yet another string stopper according to the state of the art.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems occurring in the prior arts, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a string stopper according to claim <NUM> which can maintain tension stably by firmly supporting a string used for a tarp or a tent.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a string stopper which has a simple structure and is small in volume, thereby reducing a manufacturing cost.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a string stopper which does not loosen tension easily by external slight contact and is easily adjusted by a simple manipulation after being mounted on the string.

To accomplish the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a string stopper according to claim <NUM> including: a fixing hole formed at an end; and a guide hole formed to be spaced apart from the fixing hole, wherein the fixing hole is configured such that a string is able to be inserted into the fixing hole so that a fixed end of the string is fixed to the fixing hole, and a free end of the string is inserted into an entrance of the guide hole and is drawn out of an exit of the guide hole, and the guide hole has a first narrow groove and a second narrow groove which are respectively formed at the inside of the entrance and at the outside of the exit of the guide hole.

According to the present invention, the guide hole is deeper than the fixing hole,. and, the fixing hole and the guide hole are formed side by side in the same direction, and the string is inserted into the fixing hole and the guide hole in the same direction.

Moreover, the guide hole and the fixing hole are formed side by side to be adjacent to each other so as to reduce the entire volume.

Furthermore, a seating recess is formed at an entrance of the fixing hole into which the string is inserted, and is larger than a diameter of the fixing hole so that a knot formed at the fixed end of the string is seated on the seating recess.

Additionally, the first narrow groove and the second narrow groove are V-shaped grooves.

Further, according to the present invention, the fixing hole has a support groove formed at the outer face of the exit thereof so that the string is smoothly guided.

Moreover, according to the present invention the stopper has a first point formed at the outer face of the exit of the fixing hole, a second point formed at the part where the first narrow groove of the guide hole is formed, and a third point formed at the part where the second narrow groove of the guide hole is formed, and the first to third points are parts pressed by the curve of the string and form a triangle, so that the stopper can maintain proper balance when the string is pulled tightly.

Furthermore, a slope part is formed from the entrance of the guide hole to the entrance of the fixing hole, and the slope part has edge portions formed at both outer lateral sides to protrude along borders of the outer lateral sides so that a user can easily manipulate the string with the fingers.

The string stopper according to an embodiment of the present invention can reduce the entire volume and reduce a manufacturing cost since the fixing hole and the guide hole into which the string is inserted are formed adjacent to each other.

Additionally, the string stopper according to an embodiment of the present invention can firmly support the tightly pulled string by the narrow grooves and maintain tension stably since the narrow grooves are respectively formed at the entrance and the exit of the guide hole.

In addition, the string stopper according to an embodiment of the present invention does not loosen tension easily by slight contact and is easily adjusted by a simple manipulation so that the user can use it conveniently.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, thicknesses of lines and sizes of constituent elements may be exaggerated for clarity and convenience in explanation.

In addition, the embodiment disclosed hereinafter does not limit the scope of the present invention, but corresponds to merely exemplary terms of constituent elements presented in claims of the present invention, as defined by the appended claims.

<FIG> illustrate a stopper <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present invention from many angles, in section.

The stopper <NUM> includes a fixing hole <NUM> and a guide hole <NUM> into which a string is inserted.

Preferably, the guide hole <NUM> is longer than the fixing hole <NUM>, and the guide hole <NUM> and the fixing hole <NUM> are formed side by side to be adjacent to each other so as to reduce the entire volume.

Based on the direction that a string <NUM> is inserted, an entrance and an exit of the fixing hole <NUM> are respectively arranged in the same direction as those of the guide hole <NUM>. Because exits of the fixing hole <NUM> and the guide hole <NUM> are formed on the same side and the fixing hole <NUM> is shorter than the guide hole <NUM>, a slope part <NUM> is formed from the entrance of the guide hole <NUM> to the entrance of the fixing hole <NUM>.

The slope part <NUM> has an inner space, and the inner space has a seating recess <NUM> on which a fixed end of the string <NUM> is positioned. The seating recess <NUM> is larger than a diameter of the fixing hole <NUM> so that a knot formed at the fixed end of the string <NUM> is seated on the seating recess <NUM>.

The slope part <NUM> has edge portions <NUM> formed at both outer lateral sides to protrude along borders of the outer lateral sides, so that a user can easily manipulate the string with the fingers.

The fixing hole <NUM> has a support groove <NUM> formed at the outer face of the exit thereof to stably support the string <NUM>.

The diameter of the entrance of the guide hole <NUM> is larger than the inner diameter of the guide hole <NUM> so that the string <NUM> can be inserted into the guide hole <NUM> smoothly. The guide hole <NUM> has a first narrow groove <NUM> and a second narrow groove <NUM> which are respectively formed at the inside of the entrance and at the outside of the exit of the guide hole <NUM> and are formed in a V-shape.

The stopper according to the embodiment of the present invention has three points on which pressure of the string is focused when the string is inserted into the stopper and is pulled. That is, as illustrated in <FIG>, the stopper has a first point (a) at which the support groove <NUM> of the fixing hole <NUM> is located, a second point (b) formed at the inside of the entrance where the first narrow groove <NUM> of the guide hole <NUM> is located, and a third point (c) formed at the outside of the exit where the second narrow groove <NUM> of the guide hole <NUM> is located. The first to third points form a triangle to form a stable equilibrium.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the stopper <NUM> according to the embodiment of the present invention is used to fix and adjust the string <NUM> used for installing a tent <NUM>.

One end of the string <NUM> is connected to the tent <NUM> and the other end of the string <NUM> is caught to a fixing pack <NUM> which is fixed on the ground, so that tension of the string <NUM> can be adjusted using the stopper <NUM> mounted in the middle of the string <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates a state where the string <NUM> is inserted into the stopper <NUM>. Referring to <FIG>, a knot <NUM> is formed at one end, namely, the fixed end of the string <NUM>, and is inserted into the entrance of the fixing hole <NUM> of the stopper <NUM>. Then, the knot <NUM> is seated and fixed on the seating recess <NUM>. When a free end of the string <NUM> is inserted into the entrance of the guide hole <NUM> and is drawn out through the exit of the guide hole <NUM>, so, the string <NUM> is combined with the stopper <NUM>. The string <NUM> passing through the fixing hole <NUM> turns around the support groove <NUM> and enters the guide hole <NUM> so as to form a ring part <NUM> between the support groove <NUM> and the guide hole <NUM>.

Therefore, as illustrated in <FIG>, the free end of the string <NUM> is connected and fixed to a ring of the tent, the ring part <NUM> is caught to the fixing pack <NUM>, and then, the string <NUM> moves through the guide hole <NUM> of the stopper <NUM> to adjust the length of the string <NUM>.

As described above, when both ends of the string <NUM> are connected and pulled tightly, as illustrated in <FIG>, the stopper <NUM> is reclined.

That is, the string <NUM> is curved and pressed at the first point (a), the second point (b) and the third point (c) of the stopper <NUM> by power that pulls both end portions of the string <NUM>, so that the string <NUM> can maintain the balance of power.

The curved portions of the fixed end of the string <NUM> press the first point (a) by being guided to the support groove <NUM>, press the second point (b) located inside the first narrow groove <NUM> while passing through the first narrow groove <NUM> when entering the guide hole <NUM> after turning around the ring part <NUM>, and then, press the third point (c) located outside the second narrow groove <NUM> while getting out the exit of the guide hole <NUM> and passing through the second narrow groove <NUM>.

The curved portions of the string <NUM> press the three points forming a triangle in balance so that the string <NUM> can maintain the tightly pulled state as it is.

Moreover, the first narrow groove <NUM> and the second narrow groove <NUM> are formed in a V-shape. The string <NUM> is inserted into the first narrow groove <NUM> and the second narrow groove <NUM> of the guide hole <NUM> while being curved and pressed, so that tension of the string <NUM> does not get loose easily even by external contact since the narrow grooves <NUM> and <NUM> hold the string <NUM> firmly.

In the above state, in order to adjust tension or loosen the string, as illustrated in <FIG>, when the user bends the stopper <NUM> back to adjust the directions of the guide hole <NUM> and the string <NUM>, the pressed state of the string <NUM> and the stopper <NUM> is released so that the string <NUM> can freely move along the guide hole <NUM>. When the user bends the stopper <NUM> in the opposite direction, the string <NUM> is curved and pressed at the three points again to be fixed.

In the state where the stopper <NUM> and the string <NUM> are fixed, in order to release the string <NUM> by bending the stopper <NUM> back, when the user downwardly pushes the slope part <NUM> located at the lower portion of the stopper <NUM>, because the fixed end of the string <NUM> is fixed on the seating recess <NUM> by the knot <NUM>, the second point (b) and the third point (c) rotate around the knot <NUM>, so that the string <NUM> is released.

As described above, the fixed state of the string <NUM> can be released by the simple manipulation. Additionally, pushing the slope part <NUM> of the stopper <NUM>, the user can accurately push and manipulate the stopper <NUM> without slip of the fingers since the edge portions <NUM> of the slope part <NUM> have stepped jaws.

Claim 1:
A string stopper (<NUM>) comprising:
a fixing hole (<NUM>) formed at an end; and
a guide hole (<NUM>) formed to be spaced apart from the fixing hole (<NUM>),
wherein the fixing hole (<NUM>) is configured such that a string (<NUM>) is able to be inserted thereinto so that a fixed end of the string (<NUM>) is fixed to the fixing hole (<NUM>), and a free end of the string (<NUM>) is able to be inserted into an entrance of the guide hole (<NUM>) and is drawn out of an exit of the guide hole (<NUM>),
wherein the guide hole (<NUM>) has a first narrow groove (<NUM>) and a second narrow groove (<NUM>) which are respectively formed at the inside of the entrance and at the outside of the exit of the guide hole (<NUM>), wherein the guide hole (<NUM>) is deeper than the fixing hole (<NUM>),
wherein the fixing hole (<NUM>) and the guide hole (<NUM>) are formed side by side in the same direction, and the string (<NUM>) is inserted into the fixing hole (<NUM>) and the guide hole (<NUM>) in the same direction,
wherein the fixing hole (<NUM>) has a support groove (<NUM>) formed at the outer face of the exit thereof, and
characterized in that wherein the stopper (<NUM>) has a first point (a) formed at the outer face of the exit of the fixing hole (<NUM>), a second point (b) formed at the part where the first narrow groove (<NUM>) of the guide hole (<NUM>) is formed, and a third point (c) formed at the part where the second narrow groove (<NUM>) of the guide hole (<NUM>) is formed, and the first to third points (a, b, c) are parts pressed by the curve of the string (<NUM>) and form a triangle.