초록 ▼

An interlocking attaching system comprises a substrate adapter, an accessory adapter and a discrete locking member. The substrate adapter includes a base for affixing to a substrate object and a plurality of spaced apart raised regions disposed along a first longitudinal axis. The raised regions ha

An interlocking attaching system comprises a substrate adapter, an accessory adapter and a discrete locking member. The substrate adapter includes a base for affixing to a substrate object and a plurality of spaced apart raised regions disposed along a first longitudinal axis. The raised regions have slots defining a first plurality of passages oriented parallel to the first longitudinal axis and aligned with one another. The accessory adapter includes a base for affixing to an accessory object and a plurality of spaced apart raised regions disposed along a second longitudinal axis. The raised regions have slots defining a second plurality of passages oriented parallel to the second longitudinal axis and aligned with one another. The spacing between the locations of the raised regions of the adapters are dimensioned to position at least one raised region of one of the adapters between at least two raised regions of the other adapter when the adapters are in operational alignment, i.e., with their respective top sides together and with their respective passage aligned. The locking member is removably insertable through the passages on both adapters when the adapters are in operational alignment. Insertion of the locking member through the passages of both adapters when the adapters are in operational alignment interlocks the accessory object to the substrate object, and withdrawal of the locking member from the passages releases the accessory object from the substrate object.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. An adapter for removably securing one of an accessory object or substrate object to another of an accessory object or substrate object, one of the substrate object or accessory object having a plurality of loops disposed at spaced apart locations along a column axis on a top

What is claimed is: 1. An adapter for removably securing one of an accessory object or substrate object to another of an accessory object or substrate object, one of the substrate object or accessory object having a plurality of loops disposed at spaced apart locations along a column axis on a top side thereof, the loops forming at least one loop column, the adapter comprising: an elongate locking member having a main body, a leading end, a trailing end and a first latching feature; an adapter body formed from a solid plastic material including a base affixable to one of the accessory object or substrate object; a first end guide extending from the base proximate a first end of the adapter body, the first guide defining a slot therethrough for receiving the locking member; a second end guide extending from the base proximate a second end of the adapter body, the second guide defining a slot therethough, at least one of the first and second end guides including a second latching feature for engaging the first latching feature of the locking member; at least one intermediate guide extending from the base, the intermediate guide spaced apart from and disposed between the first and second end guides, the slots of the end and intermediate guides defining a common passageway through the guides for receiving the locking member; and wherein the leading end of the locking member is received through a first one of the end guides, a first one of the loops of the loop column, at least one intermediate guide, at least one second one of the loops of the loop column and the second one of the end guides to secure the adapter to one of the accessory object and substrate object with the first latching feature engaging one second latching feature to secure the locking member in the passageway. 2. The adapter of claim 1 wherein the substrate object comprises a wearable garment and wherein the adapter body is affixed to one of the wearable garment and accessory object by sewing the base to the one of the wearable garment and accessory object. 3. The adapter of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first end guide and the second end guide has a top wall and a bottom wall that includes a groove formed on an inside surface thereof that, when the first latching feature is engaged with the second latching feature, facilitates insertion of a pointed object between the locking member and the inside surface of the respective end guide to disengage the first and second latching features. 4. The adapter of claim 1 wherein the locking member further comprises an enlarged trailing end such that the trailing end cannot enter the slot defined by the first end guide. 5. The adapter of claim 1 wherein the locking member further comprises an enlarged trailing end such that the trailing end cannot enter the slot defined by the second end guide. 6. The adapter of claim 1 wherein each intermediate guide comprises opposed sidewalls, a top wall extending between the side walls and a lip extending from the top wall in a direction parallel to the common passageway. 7. The adapter of claim 1 wherein at least one of the end guides comprises opposed side walls, a top wall extending between the side walls and a lip extending from the top wall in a direction parallel to the common passageway. 8. The adapter of claim 1 wherein the first latching feature comprises a wedge-shaped projection. 9. The adapter of claim 1 wherein the second latching feature comprises an aperture or hole for receiving the first latching member. 10. An adapter for removably securing one of an accessory object or substrate object to another of an accessory object or substrate object using an elongate locking member having a main body, a leading end, a trailing end, a first latching feature and a configuration with a width greater than height, one of the substrate object or accessory object having a plurality of loops disposed at spaced apart locations along a column axis on a top side thereof, the loops forming at least one loop column, the adapter comprising: an adapter body formed from a solid material including a base affixable to one of the accessory object or substrate object; a first, substantially rigid end guide extending from the base proximate a first end of the adapter body, the first guide defining a slot having a width greater than height and including a second latching feature for engaging the first latching feature of the locking member; a second, substantially rigid end guide extending from the base proximate a second end of the adapter body, the second guide defining a slot having a width greater than height and including a second latching feature for engaging the first latching feature of the locking member; at least one, substantially rigid intermediate guide extending from the base and spaced apart from and disposed between the first and second end guides, each intermediate guide defining a slot having a width greater than height, the slots of the end and intermediate guides defining a common axis therethrough and defining a passageway through the guides for receiving the locking member; and wherein the main body of the locking member is received through at least one of the loops of the loop column and at least two of the slots to secure the adapter to one of the substrate object or accessory object with the first latching feature engaging one second latching feature to secure the locking member in the passageway such that the adapter is non-rotatatable around the locking member when the locking member is received in the slots. 11. The adapter of claim 10 wherein the substrate object comprises a wearable garment and wherein the adapter body is affixed to one of the wearable garment and accessory object by sewing the base to the one of the wearable garment and accessory object. 12. The adapter of claim 10 wherein the adapter is formed from a solid plastic material and wherein the second end guide has a top wall and a bottom wall and wherein at least one of the top and bottom walls includes a groove formed on an inside surface thereof that, when the first latching feature is engaged with the second latching feature, facilitates insertion of a pointed object between the locking member and the inside surface of the second end guide to disengage the first and second latching features. 13. The adapter of claim 10 wherein the slots defined by the first and second end guides are sized such that the trailing end of the locking member cannot enter the slots. 14. The adapter of claim 10 wherein each intermediate guide comprises opposed sidewalls, a top wall extending between the side walls and a lip extending from the top wall in a direction parallel to the common axis and wherein at least one of the end guides comprises opposed side walls, a top wall extending between the side walls and a lip extending from the top wall in a direction parallel to the common axis. 15. The adapter of claim 10 wherein the base is open under the intermediate guides. 16. The adapter of claim 10 wherein the second latching feature comprises an aperture for receiving the first latching feature. 17. An adapter for removably securing an accessory object to a wearable garment, the wearable garment having a plurality of loops disposed at spaced apart locations along a column axis on a top side thereof, the loops forming at least one loop column for receiving the main body of an elongate locking member having a first latching feature therethrough, the adapter comprising: an adapter body formed from a solid plastic material including a base affixable to the accessory object; a first substantially rigid end guide extending from the base proximate a first end of the adapter body, the first guide including a top wall and opposed side walls defining a slot parallel to a longitudinal axis of the adapter body; a second, substantially rigid end guide extending from the base proximate a second end of the adapter body, the second end guide including a top wall and opposed sidewalls defining a slot parallel to a longitudinal axis of the adapter body, wherein at least one of the first and second end guides includes a second latching feature for engaging the first latching feature of the elongate locking member; at least one intermediate guide extending from the base, the intermediate guide including a top wall and opposed sidewalls defining a slot parallel to a longitudinal axis of the adapter body, wherein the intermediate guide is spaced apart from and disposed between the first and second end guides for receiving the loops of the loop column between the intermediate and end guides, the slots having a common axis therethrough and defining a passageway through the guides for receiving the locking member; and wherein the locking member is inserted through at least one of the loops of the loop column and at least two of the slots to secure the accessory object to the wearable garment with the first latching feature engaging one second latching feature to secure the locking member in the passageway. 18. The adapter of claim 17 wherein the adapter is affixed to the accessory object by sewing. 19. The adapter of claim 17 further comprising an elongate locking member formed from a solid plastic material, the locking member having a leading end, a main body an enlarged trailing end having at least one dimension larger than the slots of the end guides such that the trailing end cannot enter the slots of the end guides. 20. The adapter of claim 17 wherein at least one of the first and second end guides has a top wall and a bottom wall which includes a groove formed on an inside surface thereof that, when the first latching feature is engaged with the second latching feature, facilitates insertion of a pointed object between the locking member and the inside surface of the respective end guide to disengage the first and second latching features.