Strap buckle

• US 5,572,771 A
• Filed: 11/22/1994
• Issued: 11/12/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kelleghan, Brian J.
• Original Assignee: Kelleghan, Brian J.
• Inventors: Kelleghan, Brian J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brittain, James R.
• Application Number:
  US08/343,234
• Time in Patent Office: 721 Days
• Field of Search: 24/170, 24/191, 24/134 R, 24/168
• US Class Current: 24/170
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 11/12 turnable clamp
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/4016 Pivoted part or lever
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/4072 Pivoted lever

Abstract

In a buckle, the loose end of a belt is clamped by operation of a pivoted lever that is pressed down onto a base member, a lever belt gripping surface engages one surface of the belt and forces the opposite surface onto a resilient surface in the base member. Flexing of this resilient surface provides a force that secures the belt between the resilient surface and the belt gripping surface. The lever is mounted to the base member by a pair of internal, tapered pins. A pair of flexible mating tapered tabs on the lever mount the lever on the pins. Mating tapers lead or guide the pins to the location of lever holes, thus allowing the lever to be mounted on the base member. In another embodiment, one rigid tab and one flexible tapered tab are located on the lever for mounting the lever on the two pins. This one flexible tab leads or guides a mating pin to a lever hole, thus allowing the lever to be mounted on the base member. Mating snap means are provided to snap latch the lever to the base member. The exterior shape of the base member and lever provide a smooth, continuous, outline when the lever is in its closed position, thus minimizing accidental opening of the buckle.

Claims

1. A buckle for releasably fastening the end of a flat and relatively wide web, said web having a width, a thickness, a first wide surface, and an second oppositely disposed wide surface that is generally parallel to said first wide surface, said buckle comprising;

a base member having a flexible surface adapted to receive the first surface of the web, said flexible surface defining an end insertion axis,

a pair of inward facing and spaced pivot posts formed as a portion of said base member,

said pivot posts being located on a common pivot axis that extends generally normal to said insertion axis and overhangs said flexible surface by a distance somewhat greater than the thickness of the web, each of said pivot posts having a terminal end,

an upward facing tapered surface formed on said terminal end of each of said pivot posts,

a buckle closing lever pivotally attached to said pivot posts by way of a pair of flexible tabs each having a pivot hole receiving one of said pivot posts,

said flexible tabs each having a downward facing tapered surface that mates with said upward facing tapered surfaces of said pivot posts during attachment of said lever to said base member,

said lever being positioned generally above said flexible surface, said lever being movable between a buckle-closed position and a buckle-open position, and

a relatively wide web engaging surface carried by said lever, said web engaging surface being spaced from said flexible surface when said lever is in said buckle open-position, and said web engaging surface being located closely adjacent to said flexible surface when said lever is in said buckle-closed position,

movement of said lever from said buckle-open position to said buckle closed position operating to trap the web between said flexible surface and said web engaging surface.

2. The buckle of claim 1 including;

snap latching means associated with said base member and said lever and operable to releasably latch said lever in said buckle-closed position.

3. The buckle of claim 2 wherein said base member and lever are formed of an acetal resin and/or a polyamide polymer.

4. A belt and buckle combination, comprising,

a belt having a width, a thickness, a free end, and an opposite end,

a buckle base member having a flexible surface at one end of said buckle base member, said flexible surface defining a belt insertion axis for receiving said free end of said belt,

means attaching said opposite end of said belt to an end of said buckle base member that is spaced from said flexible surface along said insertion axis,

a pair of inward facing and spaced pivot posts formed as a portion of said buckle base member,

said pair of pivot posts being located on a common pivot axis that extends generally normal to said insertion axis and overhangs said flexible surface by a distance somewhat greater than said thickness of said belt, each of said pivot posts having a terminal end,

a buckle closing lever pivotally attached to said pair of pivot posts by way of a pair of tabs, each of said tabs having a pivot hole receiving one of said pivot posts,

said buckle lever being positioned generally above said flexible surface, said buckle lever being movable between a buckle-closed position and a buckle-open position,

a relatively wide belt engaging surface carried by said buckle lever, said belt engaging surface being spaced from said flexible surface when said buckle lever is in said buckle open-position, and said belt engaging surface being located closely adjacent to said flexible surface when said buckle lever is in said buckle-closed position,

movement of said buckle lever from said buckle-open position to said buckle-closed position operating to trap said belt between said flexible surface and said web engaging surface, and

snap latching means associated with said buckle base member and said buckle lever and operable to releasably latch said buckle lever in said buckle-closed position.

5. The belt and buckle combination of claim 4 wherein;

at least one of said tabs on said buckle lever includes a downward facing tapered surface that engages said terminal end of at least one of said pivot posts during attachment of said buckle lever to said buckle base member.