Buckle

Abstract

A buckle includes a female member and a male member, both having attaching portions to be attached to end portions of string members. The female member and the male member also include an engaging portion and a portion to be engaged. The engaging portion engages the portion to be engaged when they approach to each other, and is disengaged from the portion to be engaged when the engaging portion is pulled away from the portion to be engaged with a force greater than a specific level. One of the female member and the male member is formed of a resin material having hardness lower than that of the other.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A buckle comprising: 
 a female member having a first attaching portion to be attached to one member, and a first engaging portion, and    a male member having a second attaching portion to be attached to another member, and a second engaging portion for engaging the first engaging portion so that the male member is connected to the female member, said second engaging portion being released from the first engaging portion when one of the male member and the female member is pulled away from the other of the male member and the female member with a force greater than a predetermined level, one of a portion with the first engaging portion and a portion with the second engaging portion being formed of resin with hardness lower than that of the other of the portions.    
     
     
         2 . A buckle according to  claim 1 , wherein said female member and said male member including the first and second engaging portions are entirely formed of the same materials, respectively.  
     
     
         3 . A buckle according to  claim 1 , wherein said female member includes an inner space for receiving the male member, an upper wall having a slit with a substantially U-shape, and an engagement-releasing operation portion defined by the slit, said first engaging portion being formed at an intermediate portion of the slit; and said male member includes an insertion portion to be inserted into the inner space, said insertion portion having a slit and the second engaging portion defined by the slit.  
     
     
         4 . A buckle according to  claim 3 , wherein said insertion portion further includes a long groove extending from a forward end toward a rear side thereof, and said female member further includes a guiding projection formed on a lower wall thereof to be placed in the long groove upon inserting the insertion portion into the inner space so that the male member is centered in the female member.  
     
     
         5 . A buckle according to  claim 3 , wherein said slit of the insertion portion has a U-shape with a middle portion so that the second engaging portion is formed inside the slit to face the middle portion, and has a tapered portion with a height gradually decreasing from the middle portion.  
     
     
         6 . A buckle according to  claim 5 , wherein said second engaging portion is disposed in the intermediate portion of the slit of the female member when the first and second engaging portions are engaged.  
     
     
         7 . A buckle as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said resin is a thermoplastic elastomer.