Belt buckle with storage compartment

• US 9,215,911 B1
• Filed: 08/23/2013
• Issued: 12/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Christopher W. Carnley
• Original Assignee: Christopher W. Carnley
• Inventors: Carnley, Christopher W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nash, Brian D
• Application Number:
  US13/974,873
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A41F 9/002 Free belts
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 11/005 Buckles combined with other articles, e.g. with receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 11/12 turnable clamp

Abstract

A belt buckle with a storage compartment uses a typical box frame buckle architecture with a storage compartment hingedly attached to a back side of the box frame on a side opposite a grab bar of the box frame. The storage compartment articulates between a closed position against the box frame and an open position. In the closed position, a pin is removably received within a receiver in order to secure the compartment in the closed position. When the storage compartment is in the closed position, pivot posts that hold the grab bar are within the storage compartment and the grab bar partially overlays an open side of the storage compartment.

Claims

1. A belt buckle comprising:

a box frame having a front, a back, a first side, a second side, a top and a bottom, and a lateral internal passage;

a grab bar having serrated teeth, pivotally attached to the back of the box frame, proximate the first side;

a slide post slidably disposed within a first arcuate channel disposed within the top of the box frame and a second coextensive arcuate channel disposed within the bottom of the box frame; and

a storage compartment hingedly attached to the back of the box frame proximate the second side, the storage compartment capable of articulating between a closed position positioned against the back of the box frame and an open position.

2. The belt buckle as in claim 1 further comprising closure means attached to box frame and to the storage compartment for securing the storage compartment in the closed position.

3. The belt buckle as in claim 2 wherein the closure means comprises:

a pin located on the box frame; and

a receiver located on the storage compartment wherein the pin is removably receivable within the receiver.

4. The belt buckle as in claim 3 wherein the pin is threadably received within the receiver.

5. The belt buckle as in claim 4 wherein the storage compartment has at least one open side.

6. The storage compartment as in claim 5 wherein the grab bar is attached box frame via a pair of spaced apart pivot posts, one pivot post located proximate the top of the box frame, the other pivot post located proximate the bottom of the box frame, such that the pivot posts are located within the storage compartment whenever the storage compartment is in the closed position such that the grab bar partially covers the open side of the storage compartment.

7. The belt buckle as in claim 1 wherein the storage compartment has at least one open side.

8. The storage compartment as in claim 7 wherein the grab bar is attached box frame via a pair of spaced apart pivot posts, one pivot post located proximate the top of the box frame, the other pivot post located proximate the bottom of the box frame, such that the pivot posts are located within the storage compartment whenever the storage compartment is in the closed position such that the grab bar partially covers the open side of the storage compartment.