Slide socket and method for making same
AssigneeAthletic Specialties, Inc.
InventorStephen P. Grant
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An aspect of the invention is directed to a method for making an improved slide socket of the type having a snap ring and used to secure a strap, e.g. a football helmet strap, to a conventional flanged stud attached to the helmet. The method includes, in either order, the steps of forming a socket body having a cavity and a retention lip and forming a snap ring retainer member. Both the body and the retainer member are preferably formed of molded plastic material. The method further includes the steps of placing the snap ring into the cavity and inserting the retainer member into the cavity to retain the snap ring. In another aspect of the disclosure, an improved slide socket is also disclosed.
Claims12
An improved helmet buckle type slide socket including:
- a circular snap ring;
- a socket body having a cavity and a retention lip, the cavity having a proximate side adjacent to the retention lip, the proximate side having a generally uniform diameter slightly greater than the diameter of the snap ring;
- a snap ring retainer member received and retained in the cavity, the retainer member having a lower outer, smooth-sided barrel portion of a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the cavity proximate side, the lower barrel portion terminating in a barrel edge;
- and,
- the snap ring being interposed between the member and the lip and confined by (a) the retention lip below the ring, (b) the proximate side around the ring and (c) the edge above the ring.
A method for making an improved helmet buckle type slide socket having a circular snap ring, the method includes, in either order, the steps of:
- forming a socket body having a cavity and a retention lip, the cavity being formed to have a proximate side adjacent to the retention lip, the proximate side having a generally uniform diameter slightly greater than the diameter of the snap ring;
- forming a snap ring retainer member having a outer, smooth-sided lower barrel portion with an exterior diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the cavity proximate side, the lower barrel portion being formed to terminate in a barrel edge;
- and further includes the steps of:
- placing the snap ring into the cavity;
- and,
- slidably inserting the retainer member into the cavity to a position where the retainer member is retained in the cavity and the snap ring is confined and retained by (a) the retention lip below the ring, (b) the proximate side around the ring and (c) the edge above the ring.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.