Buckle

• US 6,453,519 B1
• Filed: 08/07/2000
• Issued: 09/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ptg LLC
• Original Assignee: Sagoma Plastics Corporation
• Inventors: Gelardi, John A.
• Primary Examiner(s): SAKRAN, VICTOR N
• Application Number:
  US09/634,464
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 241/63.R, 24/16.R, 24/16.PB, 244/99, 232/1, 233/3
• US Class Current: 24/163.00R
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 11/06 with clamping devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/1498 Plastic band
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/40 Buckles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/406 One-piece
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/44752 Integral locking-means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/4736 Buckle connected

Abstract

The new buckle is made of two pieces which work with laminated strap webbing or open weave strap webbing. Web engagements within the buckle prevent the web from sliding through in any direction, or allow the belting to move in only one direction. Bases of side extensions of the inner plate have locking lugs. Moveable rounded side portions of the outer plate have locking tabs which engage the lugs to prevent movement out or into the locking position. Locking and unlocking the buckle requires squeezing rounded sides together while pushing or pulling on the outer plate. Teeth extend inward from the outer locking plate. Angled through-holes in the lower plate receive the teeth and hold the locking teeth in engaged position when the buckle is locked. Locking teeth angularly mounted in recesses in the upper plate are deflected when the webbing strap is pulled in a tightening direction. The teeth in cooperation with the holes in the bottom plate prevent reverse movement of the webbing strap when the buckle parts are locked together.

Claims

1. Web securing apparatus comprising a buckle having an inner member and an outer member, the inner and outer members being movable with respect to each other into web-locking and web-releasing conditions, prongs extending inward from the outer member, openings in the inner member slidably receiving the prongs, guides in the buckle for passing a web through the buckle for engaging the prongs in the web in the web-locking condition and for spacing the prongs from the web in the web-releasing condition.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a web having a fixed end attached to the inner member and where the guides are attached to the inner member for passing the web through the inner member adjacent the openings on a side of the inner member opposite the outer member.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the opening have internal slopes for guiding the prongs along the slopes and extending the prongs through the openings at angles.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the prongs extend through the openings and extend from the openings at uniform angles.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein tips of the prongs engage the web and wherein inward motion of the web lifts the prong tips and wherein attempted reverse motion of the web embeds the prong tips in the web.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the slopes are oriented in cross directions for configuring the prongs in cross directions as the buckle members are moved from the web-releasing condition into the web-locking condition for extending the prongs from the openings in the inner member in crossed directions through the web.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising locking tabs on one of the members and cooperating recesses in one other member for receiving the locking tabs, first detent in the recesses and complementary second detent on the locking tabs for cooperating and holding the detent and the locking tabs in one of the web-locking and web-releasing conditions.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the outer member has outward extending flexible sides which extend outward beyond the inner member, guide lugs on the inner member and recesses in outer walls of the outer member for receiving the guide lugs for guiding respective movement of the outer member and the inner member between the web-locking and web-releasing conditions.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising first detents connected to the outer walls of the outer member and second complementary detent connected to the inner member for engaging the detents in the outer member and holding the outer member and inner member in respective web-locking and web-releasing conditions.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inner member has end walls which extend outward and wherein the outer member has end walls which are positioned within the end portions of the inner member for guiding the outer member with respect to the inner member during movements of the outer member and inner member between web-locking and web-releasing conditions.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the outer member has flexible side walls which extend laterally beyond respective side walls of the inner member and further comprising springs connected to lateral portions of the inner member for pushing the outer member away from the inner member.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the springs comprise cantilevered leaves having bases connected to laterally outward extensions of the inner member and having free ends extended upward toward the outer member.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising ramps connected to laterally outward extensions of the inner member and followers connected to the flexible outer walls of the outer member for contacting the ramps and lifting the outer member away from the inner member upon inward pressure on the flexible outer walls of the outer member.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the inner member has curved, rigid lateral walls and wherein the outer member has curved flexible lateral walls spaced from and overlying the curved rigid lateral walls of the inner member.

15. A method of securing a webbing strap comprising moving an outer member toward an inner member, extending prong teeth from the outer member through openings in the inner member and engaging the prong teeth in the web and holding the outer member in web-locking condition on the inner member, further comprising angling the prong teeth on sloped walls within the openings in the inner member and extending the teeth from the openings in angled position and engaging the web.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the prong teeth are angled in parallel directions.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the teeth are angled in opposite, crossing directions for locking the web in the buckle.

18. A method of securing a webbing strap comprising moving an outer member toward an inner member, extending prong teeth from the outer member through openings in the inner member and engaging the prong teeth in the web and holding the outer member in web-locking condition on the inner member, further comprising squeezing curved lateral walls of the outer member inward and moving the outer member away from the inner member with springs and ramps on lateral sides of the inner member.

19. A method of securing a webbing strap comprising moving an outer member toward an inner member, extending prong teeth from the outer member through openings in the inner member and engaging the prong teeth in the web and holding the outer member in web-locking condition on the inner member, further comprising guiding the outer member over the inner member by contacting longitudinal end walls of the outer member with outward extensions on longitudinal ends of the inner member.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising interconnecting deep detents in the receivers with detents in the lugs and holding the outer member respectively in web-locking condition and in web-releasing condition with the inter-engaged detents.

21. A method of securing a webbing strap comprising moving an outer member toward an inner member, extending prong teeth from the outer member through openings in the inner member and engaging the prong teeth in the web and holding the outer member in web-locking condition on the inner member, further comprising extending lugs laterally from overlapping walls in one of the members toward the other and receiving the lugs in recesses formed in complimentary lateral walls of the other member.

22. A method of securing a webbing strap comprising moving an outer member toward an inner member, extending prong teeth from the outer member through openings in the inner member and engaging the prong teeth in the web and holding the outer member in web-locking condition on the inner member, further comprising providing flexible outer walls on the outer member for overlying outer walls of the inner member and urging the outer member upward with springs attached to the outer walls of the inner member.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising providing ramps on outer walls of the inner member and followers on inner surfaces of the lateral walls of the outer member and contacting the ramps with the followers upon squeezing the flexible outer walls of the outer member inward and urging the outer member away from the inner member with the ramps.