Quick release buckle for divers

• US 20020092140A1
• Filed: 01/17/2001
• Published: 07/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HO Underwater Acquisition LLC
• Original Assignee: Charles E Van Tassel
• Inventors: Van Tassel, Charles E.
• Granted Patent: US 6,487,761 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 24/614
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 2400/44 Donning facilities
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 11/266 with at least one push-button acting parallel to the main plane of the buckle and perpendicularly to the direction of the fastening action
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45482 and operator therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45524 including resiliently biased projection component or surface segment
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45534 having connected leading edge and separated trailing arms
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45581 having inserted end formed by oppositely biased surface segments
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45696 Requiring manual force thereon to interlock or disengage
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45785 Requiring manual force applied against bias to interlock or disengage

Abstract

A buckle apparatus for rapid disengagement of male and female members has deformable portions of a male pull member extending into the female member and retained in openings of the female member. An elongate pull element extends from the deformable portion or portions for pulling thereon to deform the deformable portions to disengage the male and female members.

Claims

1. A buckle apparatus for rapid disengagement of buckle components, comprising:

a female buckle member having an opening therein,

a male buckle member having a deformable portion adapted to extend through and to be retained in said female buckle opening to retain the male and female members together,

one of said members having a deformable portion, and

an elongated pull element extending from said deformable portion for manual pulling thereon to deform said portion to disengage the male member from the female member.

2. A buckle apparatus according to claim 1, whereon said pull element is a deformable end portion of (a) the male member, (b) the female member.

3. A buckle apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said pull element is attached to a deformable end portion of the female member.

4. A buckle apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said deformable end portion of the female member is a bent end portion deflected by pulling on said elongated pull element to disengage the male member deformable portion relative to said female buckle opening.

5. A buckle apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the elongated pull element is secured in a slot in an end portion of the female member for deflection of the end portion by pulling on the elongated element to deform the end portion to disengage it from the male member deformable portion.

6. A buckle apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said deformable end portion of the female member is a bent end portion deflected by pulling on said elongated pull element to disengage the male member deformable portion relative to said female buckle opening.

7. A buckle apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

said male member has a tab portion which is extended into the female member opening, and extending laterally outwardly through the female member opening to engage in the female member opening to retain the male and female members together.

8. A buckle apparatus according to claim 3, wherein:

said male member has a tab portion which is extended into the female member opening, and extending laterally outwardly through the female member opening to engage in the female member opening to retain the male and female members together.

9. A buckle apparatus for rapid disengagement of members thereof, comprising:

a female member having an entry opening and at least one lateral opening,

a male member having at least one deformable protuberance portion adapted to extend into said end opening of the female member and to extend outwardly through said at least one lateral opening of the female member to retain the members together,

the male member being disengageable from the female member by depression of said at least one male deformable portion to exit the female member via the female member end opening, and

an elongated pull element connected with the at least one male member protuberance for manual pulling thereon to deform and urge inwardly the male member protuberance to disengage the male and female members from each other.

10. A buckle apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said female member has a generally flattened tubular configuration.

11. A buckle apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said at least one deformable protuberance is a spring arm adapted to engage in the lateral opening of the female member to retain male and female members together.

12. A buckle apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the at least one male protuberance extends only partially outwardly of said female member opening.

13. A buckle apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the elongated pull element is (a) a cord, (2) a web, (3) a rod.

15. A buckle apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said female member has a generally flattened tubular configuration.

16. A buckle apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said deformable protuberances are spring arms adapted to engage in the lateral openings of the female member to retain male and female members together.

17. A buckle apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the female member lateral openings are disposed in opposite respective sides thereof.

18. A buckle apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the male protuberances extend only partially outwardly of said female member opening.

19. A buckle apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the elongated pull element is (1) a cord, (2) a web, (3) a rod.

20. A buckle apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the elongate element has bifurcated end portions, one end portion being connected with a respective one of the male deformable protuberances to deform the spring arms inwardly of the female member lateral openings.

21. A buckle apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said male member comprises integral interconnecting features engaging the elongate element and connected with the deformable protuberances to deform the protuberances inwardly of the female member lateral opening upon the pulling of the elongate pull element.

14. A buckle apparatus for rapid disengagement of members thereof, comprising:

a female member having an end opening and having lateral openings at opposite sides thereof,

a male member having two oppositely disposed deformable protuberances engageable in opposite lateral openings of the female member to releasably retain together the male and female members,

said male deformable protuberances being manually deformable inwardly of the female member via said lateral openings to disengage the male and female members, and

an elongated pull element connected with the male deformable protuberances for manual pulling to deform inwardly the male member protuberances relative to the female member lateral openings to disengage the male and female members from each other.