U.S. patent application number 11/170600 was filed with the patent office on 2007-01-04 for shock absorbing buckle.
Invention is credited to Joseph Anscher.
Application Number | 20070000103 11/170600 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37587845 |
Filed Date | 2007-01-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070000103 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Anscher; Joseph |
January 4, 2007 |
Shock absorbing buckle
Abstract
A buckle has a strap attaching structure which has at least one
shock absorbing flexible portion attached to the strap attaching
structure. The shock absorbing flexible portion can be a flexible
fin, which extends longitudinally along the strap attaching
structure. The free end of the fin extends away from the strap
attaching structure. The strap is wrapped around the strap
attaching structure and the flexible portion. When a force is
exerted against the strap attaching structure by pulling on the
strap, the strap presses against the flexible portion and causes it
to bend, thus decelerating the load caused by the strap and
absorbing the initial force on the buckle.
Inventors: |
Anscher; Joseph;
(Muttontown, NY) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WILLIAM COLLARD;COLLARD & ROE, P.C.
1077 NORTHERN BOULEVARD
ROSLYN
NY
11576
US
|
Family ID: |
37587845 |
Appl. No.: |
11/170600 |
Filed: |
June 29, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
24/614 ;
24/265BC |
Current CPC
Class: |
A44B 11/266 20130101;
Y10T 24/45524 20150115; Y10T 24/4736 20150115 |
Class at
Publication: |
024/614 ;
024/265.0BC |
International
Class: |
A44B 11/25 20060101
A44B011/25 |
Claims
1. A buckle comprising: at least one body portion; at least one
strap attaching structure connected to the body portion; and at
least one flexible shock absorbing portion connected to the at
least one strap attaching structure.
2. The buckle according to claim 1, wherein the strap attaching
structure comprises at least one transverse bar and wherein said at
least one flexible shock absorbing portion comprises at least one
flexible fin attached to the transverse bar and extending
longitudinally along the transverse bar.
3. The buckle according to claim 2, wherein the fin is integrally
molded with the transverse bar.
4. The buckle according to claim 1, wherein the buckle has two body
portions releasably connected to each other, and wherein each body
portion has a strap attaching structure with a flexible shock
absorbing portion attached thereto.
5. The buckle according to claim 2, wherein the fin is disposed at
an angle from the transverse bar, such that tension on a strap
wrapped around the transverse bar causes the fin to flex in a
direction toward the tension.
6. The buckle according to claim 1, wherein the strap attaching
structure comprises a flexible ring-shaped section connected to the
body, and wherein said flexible portion is connected to said ring
shaped section at an area distal from said body, such that force
from a strap wrapped around said ring-shaped section causes the
ring-shaped section and the flexible portion to flex and absorb
forces from the strap.
7. The buckle according to claim 2, wherein the fin is connected to
the buckle along a single longitudinal edge, and wherein the fin
has free side edges.
8. The buckle according to claim 4, wherein the buckle is a
side-release buckle.
9. The buckle according to claim 4, wherein the strap attaching
structures comprise transverse bars connected to each of the two
body portions, and wherein the flexible portions comprise flexible
fins extending longitudinally along each bar.
10. A buckle comprising: a male portion having a connecting section
and at least one strap attaching bar disposed at an end opposite
the connecting section; a female portion having an open body for
receiving the connecting section of the male portion, said female
portion having a flexible strap-retaining ring connected to an end
opposite the open body; a flexible fin disposed along the strap
retaining bar and along said strap retaining ring, for absorbing
forces created by tension on straps connected to said ring and said
bars.
11. The buckle of claim 10, further comprising an additional strap
retaining bar on said male portion, wherein a strap is threaded
around said additional strap retaining bar and rests against said
strap retaining bar having the fin, such that pulling on the strap
causes the fin to flex and absorb forces of the strap.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The invention relates to a buckle that absorbs forces
applied to it by straps, when the straps are pulled. In particular,
the invention relates to a buckle having flexible fins located on
its strap retaining bars. The fins flex to absorb forces applied to
the shock absorbing bars by straps that are attached to the
bars.
[0003] 2. The Prior Art
[0004] In many two-piece buckles having strap-attaching bars, the
straps can exert excessive pressure on the bars, especially when
they are pulled suddenly or with great force. This can cause the
strap attaching bars to break, or can otherwise damage the buckle.
In addition, sudden forces on the buckle can be uncomfortable for
the user, if the buckle is mounted on the user's body or on a bag
that the user is carrying.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a
buckle that can absorb sudden forces exerted by the straps, to
protect the buckle and to increase the comfort of the user.
[0006] These and other objects are accomplished by a buckle having
a strap attaching structure which has at least one shock absorbing
flexible portion attached to the strap attaching structure. The
shock absorbing flexible portion preferably comprises a flexible
fin, which extends longitudinally along the strap attaching
structure. The free end of the fin extends away from the strap
attaching structure. The strap is wrapped around the strap
attaching structure and the flexible portion. When a force is
exerted against the strap attaching structure by pulling on the
strap, the strap presses against the flexible portion and causes it
to bend, thus decelerating the load caused by the strap and
absorbing the initial force on the buckle.
[0007] The flexible portion could consist of a single fin extending
along the length of the strap attaching structure, which is usually
a bar, or there can be several fins placed alongside each other.
The fins could have any suitable shape, such a straight or bow
shaped. Other shapes could also be envisioned. Other types of
flexible structures could be used as well.
[0008] The buckle can be a two-piece buckle, comprising a male
portion and a female portion with the male portion having locking
arms that insert into locking slots in the female portion, i.e., a
side-release type buckle. Both the male and female portions can
have strap attaching structures with flexible shock absorbing
portions. In arrangements where the strap attaching structure
comprises two adjacent bars, the flexible portion is usually
attached to the bar that pinches the two parts of the strap
together, rather than the bar around which the strap is
wrapped.
[0009] The strap attaching structure could also be made flexible in
order to absorb further shock. For example, the strap attaching
structure could be a ring-like structure at the free end of the
buckle. The end of the ring forms a bow-shaped strap-attaching bar,
to which the flexible portion may be attached. The ring like
structure is also flexible, so that the ring itself can deform to
absorb some of the shock caused by the strap pulling on the
buckle.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] Other objects and features of the present invention will
become apparent from the following detailed description considered
in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be
understood, however, that the drawings are designed as an
illustration only and not as a definition of the limits of the
invention.
[0011] In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters denote
similar elements throughout the several views:
[0012] FIG. 1 shows a top view of a two-piece buckle with straps
threaded therethrough;
[0013] FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the buckle of
FIG. 1, with the straps in a relaxed position;
[0014] FIG. 3 shows the view of FIG. 2 with the straps in a
stressed position;
[0015] FIG. 4 shows an exploded view of the male and female
portions of the buckle of FIGS. 1-3;
[0016] FIG. 5 shows an enlarged view of section V of FIG. 4,
showing the shock absorbing portion of the male portion of the
buckle; and
[0017] FIG. 6 shows an enlarged view of section VI of FIG. 4,
showing the shock absorbing portion of the female portion of the
buckle.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0018] Referring now in detail to the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 4 show
one embodiment of the buckle 10 according to the invention. Buckle
10 has a male portion 20 and female portion 30. Male portion 20 has
two locking legs 21, 22, that snap into locking slots 31, 32, of
female portion 30 when male portion 20 is inserted into opening 37
of female portion 30. Male portion 20 also has a center leg 28,
shown in FIG. 2, that rests inside female portion 30 when the
buckle is locked. Male portion 20 has strap attaching bars 23 and
24, which allow a strap 40 to be adjustably threaded therethrough.
Female portion 30 has a strap attaching ring 33, which allows a
strap 50 to be permanently attached to female portion 30. As an
alternative, female portion 30 could have two strap attaching bars,
for adjustable strap attachment. Other arrangements could also be
envisioned.
[0019] Strap attaching bar 24 has a flexible shock absorbing fin 25
connected longitudinally along its inside face. Fin 25 flexes when
force is applied to strap 40 in a direction away from buckle 10.
This flexing absorbs some of the initial force of strap 40, and
makes it more comfortable to the user, and helps prevent breakage
of buckle 10. Ring 33 of female portion 30 has a strap attaching
surface 34, which has a flexible fin 35, which also flexes under
force from strap 50. In addition, ring 33 is also flexible and can
deform to absorb some of the shock created by tension on strap
50.
[0020] The flexing of flexible fins 25 and 35 due to the forces of
straps 40 and 50 is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. In FIG. 2, straps 40
and 50 are in a relaxed position, and the fins 25 and 35 are in
their original resting position. In FIG. 3, force is applied to
straps 40 and 50, which presses against fins 25 and 35, and causes
fins 25 and 35 to flex upward. This flexing motion absorbs some of
the initial shock of the force.
[0021] FIGS. 5 and 6 show enlarged sections of fins 25 and 35. As
shown in FIG. 5, fin 35 extends from strap attaching bar 34, and is
not attached at its sides to ring 33. This allows fin 35 to flex
under force from the strap. As shown in FIG. 6, fin 25 extends from
bar 24 and is not attached at its sides to male portion 20. There
is a cutout 26 on each end of bar 24, which further aids in the
flexing of fin 25.
[0022] Accordingly, while only a few embodiments of the present
invention have been shown and described, it is obvious that many
changes and modifications may be made thereunto without departing
from the spirit and scope of the invention.
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