Plastic buckle

• US 4,800,629 A
• Filed: 12/22/1987
• Issued: 01/31/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 12/25/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nifco Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Nifco Incorporated
• Inventors: Ikeda, Yasuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Sakran, Victor N.
• Application Number:
  US07/136,765
• Time in Patent Office: 406 Days
• Field of Search: 24/170, 24/200, 24/68 CD, 24/575, 24/625, 297/483, 297/479
• US Class Current: 24/170
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 11/005 Buckles combined with other articles, e.g. with receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 11/12 turnable clamp
• 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 24/4016 Pivoted part or lever
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/4093 Looped strap

Abstract

A very safe buckle, formed of plastic, is provided which enables a strap to be inserted and clamped easily and quickly, and which prevents the strap from being inadvertently loosened or pulled free of the buckle no matter how the strap or the buckle is pulled about. The buckle is comprised of two adjacent bars spanning the space between the sides of the buckle. The strap is passed between the two bars. One of the bars is rotatable and has a polygonal cross-section, the arrangement being such that the rotation of the rotatable bar reduces the size of the gap between the rotatable bar and the other bar, which is fixed, thereby clamping the strap securely between the bars.

Claims

1. A plastic buckle comprising:

(a) a stationary bar and a rotatable bar provided adjacent to each other across a space between two opposed side members for fixing a strap inserted between said stationary bar and said rotatable bar;

(b) said stationary bar being fixed to said two opposed side members and having an abutment portion formed on an inner surface thereof facing said rotatable bar;

(c) said rotatable bar;

(i) having a peripheral surface which, in use, is surrounded once by said strap;

(ii) having a non-circular cross-section,

(iii) being rotatably supported on said two opposed side members, and

(iv) having two acute angle portions formed on edges of opposite sides thereof; and

(d) one of said two acute angle portions being brought into abutment against said abutment portion of said stationary bar when a tension force is exerted on said strap to rotate said rotatable bar, thereby clamping said strap between said one acute angle portion and said abutment portion.

2. A plastic buckle according to claim 1 wherein said two acute angle portions are symmetrical relative to the axis of said rotatable bar.

3. A plastic buckle according to claim 2 wherein said rotatable bar has a rhombus-shaped cross-section.