Webbing Fastener

Abstract

A webbing fastener ( 10 ) has a hook element ( 12 ) formed from a woven webbing strap (14) having a proximal end ( 16 ) and a distal end ( 18 ) that has a hook-like pad ( 20 ) formed thereon, and, an aperture element ( 22 ) that may be formed by a ‘square ring’ ( 24 ) attached by a loop ( 26 ) to a second strip of webbing ( 28 ). The pad ( 20 ) can be formed by coiling the distal end ( 18 ) of webbing strap ( 14 ) into a flat tight coil and sewing it transversely to form a pair of transverse seams ( 30 ) that divide the pad ( 20 ) into a proximal end portion (a) and a distal end portion (b). The proximal end portion (a) forms a barb-like hook that can be move away from the distal portion of the webbing strap ( 14 ) to engage the proximal periphery of the ring ( 24 ) and to retain the hook element ( 12 ) within the aperture element ( 22 ).

1 . A hook element for a webbing fastener, the hook element being adapted to engage with an aperture element that has a slot-like opening, characterized in that:
 the hook element is formed on a first side of a distal end of an elongate webbing strap by multiple folded or coiled layers of webbing at said distal end that form a substantially rectangular first pad on said first side, said pad having distal and proximal end portions and the webbing strap having a second side opposite said first side,   a first transverse seam of stitches secures the layers of the pad together and secures the pad to the distal end of the webbing strap, said first seam being located intermediate between the distal and proximal end portions of the pad so that the proximal end portion of the pad is separable from the distal portion of the webbing strap to thereby form a hook-like barb capable of engaging the periphery of the slot-like opening once having been entered into said opening.   
   
   
       2 . A hook element for a webbing fastener according to  claim 1  wherein:
 at least one additional transverse seam of stitches is formed across the pad distally of said first seam so as to compress the distal end portion of the pad to facilitate its entry into the slot-like opening of the aperture element and so as to stiffen the distal end portion of the pad to inhibit said distal end portion being bent and pulled back through the opening after the proximal end portion of the pad has been inserted and engaged thereby and after tension is applied between the hook element and the aperture element.   
   
   
       3 . A hook element according to  claim 1  wherein:
 the distal end of the webbing strap extends distally beyond the pad to form a flap that can be folded over the pad after the pad has been inserted into the opening of the aperture element so that removal of the pad from the opening is facilitated by pulling on the flap.   
   
   
       4 . A hook element according to  claim 1  wherein:
 a second pad is formed on the second side of the webbing strap in like manner to said first pad so that both first and second pads can be passed through the opening of the aperture element and each pad can engage a respective portion of the aperture element to retain the hook element within the aperture element.   
   
   
       5 . A webbing fastener assembly comprising a hook element and an aperture element that has a slot-like opening which is adapted to receive and releasably retain the hook element in a secure manner, the assembly being characterized in that:
 the hook element is formed on a first side of a distal end of an elongate webbing strap by multiple folded or coiled layers of webbing at said distal end that form a substantially rectangular first pad on said first side, the pad having distal and proximal end portions and the webbing having a second side opposite said first side,   a first transverse seam of stitches secures the layers of the pad together and secures the pad to the distal end of the webbing strap, said first seam being located intermediate between the distal and proximal end portions of the pad so that the proximal end portion of the pad is separable from the distal portion of the webbing strap to thereby form a hook-like barb capable of engaging and being retained by the slot-like opening once having been entered therein.   
   
   
       6 . A webbing fastener assembly according to  claim 5  wherein:
 at least one additional transverse seam of stitches is formed across the pad distally of said first seam so as to compress the distal end portion of the pad to facilitate its entry into the slot-like opening of the aperture element and so as to stiffen the distal end portion of the pad to inhibit said distal end portion being bent and pulled back through the opening after the proximal end portion of the pad has been inserted and engaged thereby and after tension is applied between the hook element and the aperture element.   
   
   
       7 . A webbing fastener assembly according to  claim 5  wherein:
 the opening of the aperture element has an elongate proximal periphery and an opposing distal periphery, said peripheries at least in part defining said opening,   said proximal periphery of the aperture element is adapted for location between said hook-like barb and the distal end of the webbing strap after the first pad has been passed through the opening, and   said distal periphery of the aperture element is adapted to form a stop or abutment to inhibit rotation of the pad with respect to the aperture element when tension is applied to between the hook element and the aperture element.   
   
   
       8 . A webbing fastener assembly according to  claim 5  wherein
 the aperture element comprises an elongate anchor ring having an elongate proximal periphery and an opposing distal periphery, said peripheries at least in part defining said opening,   said proximal periphery of the aperture element is adapted for location between said hook-like barb and the distal end of the webbing strap after the first pad has been passed through the opening, and   said distal periphery of the aperture element is adapted to form a stop or abutment to inhibit rotation of the pad with respect to the aperture element when tension is applied to between the hook element and the aperture element.   
   
   
       9 . A webbing fastener assembly according to  claim 5  wherein:
 the distal end of the webbing strap extends distally beyond the first pad to form a flap, such that said flap can be entered into the opening of the aperture element in a proximal direction and engaged by the aperture element to fold between the proximal portion of the first pad and the webbing strap when the first pad is entered into the opening and pulled proximally and such, when it is desired to uncouple the hook element and the aperture element, the flap can be pulled back distally over aperture element to effect the disengagement and withdrawal of the hook element from the aperture element.   
   
   
       10 . A webbing fastener assembly according to  claim 5  wherein:
 a second pad is formed on the second side of the webbing strap of the hook element in like manner to said first pad so that both first and second pads can be passed through the opening of the aperture element and each pad can engage a respective portion of the aperture element to retain the hook element within the aperture element.   
   
   
       11 . A webbing fastener assembly according to  claim 10  wherein the aperture element includes first and second openings so that said first and second pads can be separately entered into the respective first and second openings to thereby retain the hook element within the aperture element. 
   
   
       12 . A webbing fastener assembly according to  claim 5  wherein:
 the slot-like opening of the aperture element has opposing first and second sides,   a second pad is formed on the second side of the webbing element substantially opposite said first pad, and   the first and second pads can be entered together or separately through the slot-aperture and said first and second pads can respectively engage said opposing first and second sides of the opening to thereby retain the hook element within the aperture element.   
   
   
       13 . (canceled) 
   
   
       14 . A hook element according to  claim 2  wherein:
 the distal end of the webbing strap extends distally beyond the pad to form a flap that can be folded over the pad after the pad has been inserted into the opening of the aperture element so that removal of the pad from the opening is facilitated by pulling on the flap.   
   
   
       15 . A hook element according to  claim 14  wherein:
 a second pad is formed on the second side of the webbing strap in like manner to said first pad so that both first and second pads can be passed through the opening of the aperture element and each pad can engage a respective portion of the aperture element to retain the hook element within the aperture element.   
   
   
       16 . A webbing fastener assembly according to  claim 6  wherein:
 the opening of the aperture element has an elongate proximal periphery and an opposing distal periphery, said peripheries at least in part defining said opening,   said proximal periphery of the aperture element is adapted for location between said hook-like barb and the distal end of the webbing strap after the first pad has been passed through the opening, and   said distal periphery of the aperture element is adapted to form a stop or abutment to inhibit rotation of the pad with respect to the aperture element when tension is applied to between the hook element and the aperture element.   
   
   
       157 . A webbing fastener assembly according to  claim 16  wherein
 the aperture element comprises an elongate anchor ring having an elongate proximal periphery and an opposing distal periphery, said peripheries at least in part defining said opening,   said proximal periphery of the aperture element is adapted for location between said hook-like barb and the distal end of the webbing strap after the first pad has been passed through the opening, and   said distal periphery of the aperture element is adapted to form a stop or abutment to inhibit rotation of the pad with respect to the aperture element when tension is applied to between the hook element and the aperture element.   
   
   
       18 . A webbing fastener assembly according to claim  17  wherein:
 the distal end of the webbing strap extends distally beyond the first pad to form a flap, such that said flap can be entered into the opening of the aperture element in a proximal direction and engaged by the aperture element to fold between the proximal portion of the first pad and the webbing strap when the first pad is entered into the opening and pulled proximally and such, when it is desired to uncouple the hook element and the aperture element, the flap can be pulled back distally over aperture element to effect the disengagement and withdrawal of the hook element from the aperture element.   
   
   
       19 . A webbing fastener assembly according to  claim 18  wherein:
 a second pad is formed on the second side of the webbing strap of the hook element in like manner to said first pad so that both first and second pads can be passed through the opening of the aperture element and each pad can engage a respective portion of the aperture element to retain the hook element within the aperture element.   
   
   
       20 . A webbing fastener assembly according to  claim 19  wherein the aperture element includes first and second openings so that said first and second pads can be separately entered into the respective first and second openings to thereby retain the hook element within the aperture element.