U.S. patent application number 11/415058 was filed with the patent office on 2008-10-30 for quick release buckle.
Invention is credited to Frank A. Howell.
Application Number | 20080263836 11/415058 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38293145 |
Filed Date | 2008-10-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080263836 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Howell; Frank A. |
October 30, 2008 |
Quick release buckle
Abstract
A quick release buckle has male and female components releasably
joined in snap engagement. A release lever on the female component
provides a means of disengaging the components. The release lever
may be actuated either by pulling on a lanyard cord to which it is
connected, or by accessing a lift tab projecting from its forward
end.
Inventors: |
Howell; Frank A.; (Oxford,
ME) |
Correspondence
Address: |
GAUTHIER & CONNORS, LLP
225 FRANKLIN STREET, SUITE 2300
BOSTON
MA
02110
US
|
Family ID: |
38293145 |
Appl. No.: |
11/415058 |
Filed: |
May 1, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
24/614 ; 24/615;
24/625 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A44B 11/2592 20130101;
Y10T 24/45529 20150115; Y10T 24/45524 20150115; Y10T 24/45581
20150115 |
Class at
Publication: |
24/614 ; 24/615;
24/625 |
International
Class: |
A44B 11/25 20060101
A44B011/25 |
Claims
1. A quick release buckle comprising: a female component having a
bottom and side walls coacting to define a receiving channel with
an access opening at a front end and a rear wall at a rear end; a
release lever overlying said receiving channel and supported in
cantilever fashion by said rear wall, said release lever having a
catch on its underside and a forward end projecting beyond said
front end to define a lift tab, wherein said lift tab includes an
aperture; a lanyard release cord threaded through said aperture;
and a male component with a tongue projecting forwardly from a
base, a shoulder on said tongue, said tongue being configured and
dimensioned for insertion into said receiving channel via said
access opening, and said release lever being resiliently
deflectable to accommodate snap engagement of said catch with said
shoulder to thereby retain said male component in an interlocked
relationship with said female component, with the lift tab of said
release lever overlying and spaced above the base of the thus
retained male component to thereby provide a means of upwardly
deflecting said release lever to disengage said catch from said
shoulder and free said tongue for withdrawal from said receiving
channel, wherein said male component further includes a notch at a
rear end of said male component, said notch being configured and
dimensioned to releasably retain said lanyard release cord.
2. (canceled)
3. The quick release buckle of claim 1 wherein said lift tab is
angled upwardly from said access opening.
4. (canceled)
5. The quick release buckle of claim 1 wherein said notch is
defined by a pair of curved fingers projecting rearwardly from said
base, said fingers having mutually spaced tips defining a slot
dimensioned to accommodate tucking of said lanyard release cord
into said notch.
6. The quick release buckle of claim 1 further comprising stops on
said side walls, said stops being positioned to overlap and limit
the extent to which said release lever may be upwardly
deflected.
7. (canceled)
8. A quick release buckle comprising: a female component having a
bottom and side walls coacting to define a receiving channel with
an access opening at a front end and a rear wall at a rear end; a
release lever overlying said receiving channel and supported in
cantilever fashion by said rear wall, said release lever having a
catch on its underside and a forward end projecting beyond said
front end to define a lift tab, wherein said side walls further
include stops on said side walls, said stops being positioned to
overlap and limit the extent to which said release lever may be
upwardly deflected; a male component with a tongue projecting
forwardly from a base, a shoulder on said tongue, said tongue being
configured and dimensioned for insertion into said receiving
channel via said access opening, and said release lever being
resiliently deflectable to accommodate snap engagement of said
catch with said shoulder to thereby retain said male component in
an interlocked relationship with said female component, with the
lift tab of said release lever overlying and spaced above the base
of the thus retained male component to thereby provide a means of
upwardly deflecting said release lever to disengage said catch from
said shoulder and free said tongue for withdrawal from said
receiving channel.
9. The quick release buckle of claim 8 further comprising an
aperture in said lift tab, and a lanyard release cord threaded
through said aperture.
10. The quick release buckle of claims 8 or 9 wherein said lift tab
is angled upwardly from said access opening.
11. The quick release buckle of claim 9 further comprising a notch
at a rear end of said male component, said notch being configured
and dimensioned to releasably retain said lanyard release cord.
12. The quick release buckle of claim 11 wherein said notch is
defined by a pair of curved fingers projecting rearwardly from said
base, said fingers having mutually spaced tips defining a slot
dimensioned to accommodate tucking of said lanyard release cord
into said notch.
Description
BACKGROUND DISCUSSION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates to lanyard style quick-release
buckles of the type used to detachably connect straps in backpacks
and the like.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] Lanyard style quick-release buckles are known, as disclosed
for example by U.S. Pat. No. 6,637,083 (Howell). While such buckles
are entirely serviceable, experience has indicated that they have a
number of shortcomings. For example, their design does not provide
a convenient way of parting the interlocked buckle components
without using the lanyard. The release levers of the female
components are prone to being overstressed and broken by excessive
pulling forces on the lanyards. Lanyards are limited to thin webs
that are generally sewn into place, and the lanyards are
susceptible to inadvertent snagging, resulting in unintended
parting of the buckle components.
[0005] The objective of the present invention is to obviate or at
least significantly minimize these shortcomings.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a
quick release buckle comprises interengageable female and male
components. The female component has bottom and side walls coacting
to define a receiving channel having an access opening at a front
end and a rear wall at a rear end. A resiliently deflectable
release lever overlies the receiving channel and is supported in
cantilever fashion by the rear wall. The release lever has a catch
on its underside and a forward end projecting beyond the front end
of the receiving channel to define a lift tab.
[0007] The male component includes a tongue projecting forwardly
from a base. The tongue is configured and dimensioned for insertion
into the receiving channel of the female component via its access
opening, and a shoulder on the tongue coacts in snap engagement
with the catch on the release lever to retain the two components in
an interlocked relationship. The lift tab overlies and is spaced
above the base of the male component to thereby provide a means of
prying or otherwise upwardly deflecting the release lever to
disengage its catch from the tongue shoulder and thereby
accommodate separation of the buckle components.
[0008] The lift tab is preferably provided with an aperture
configured to accept a cord serving as a release lanyard.
[0009] Preferably, the lift tab is angled upwardly to prevent the
lanyard cord from obstructing the access opening of the female
component's receiving channel.
[0010] Preferably, the base of the male component is configured
with a notch into which the lanyard cord may be releaseably tucked
and thus safeguarded from inadvertent snagging.
[0011] In accordance with still another aspect of the present
invention, the side walls of the female component have stops that
overlap and limit the extent to which the release lever can be
upwardly deflected, thus safeguarding the release lever from being
excessively stressed and broken.
[0012] These and other features and advantages of the present
invention will now be described in further detail with reference to
the accompanying drawings, wherein:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a quick release buckle in
accordance with the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the male and
female components of the buckle;
[0015] FIG. 3 is a sectional perspective view of the exploded
buckle components;
[0016] FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the assembled buckle
components; and
[0017] FIG. 5 is an end view of the female component taken on line
5-5 of FIG. 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0018] With reference initially to FIG. 1, a quick release buckle
in accordance with the present invention is shown at 10. The buckle
comprises a female component 12 connected to a web 14 by a stitched
strap 16, and a male component 18 connected to another web 20.
[0019] With reference additionally to the remaining Figures, it
will be seen that the female component 12 has a bottom 22 and side
walls 24 coacting to define a receiving channel 26 having an access
opening 28 at its front end and a rear wall 30 at its rear end. A
resiliently deflectable release lever 32 overlies the receiving
channel 26 and is supported in cantilever fashion by the rear wall
30. The release lever has a catch 34 on its underside, and a
forward end projecting beyond the access opening at the front end
of the receiving channel to define a life tab 36. The lift tab 36
is angled upwardly away from the access opening 28, and is provided
with an aperture 38 configured and dimensioned to accept dual
strands of a lanyard release cord 40.
[0020] The male component 18 has a tongue 42 projecting forwardly
from a base 44. A shoulder 46 on the tongue coacts in snap
engagement with the catch 34 on the underside of the release lever
32 to retain the tongue in the receiving channel 26 and thus
establish an interlocked relationship between the two buckle
components 12, 18. By upwardly deflecting the release lever 32, the
catch 34 can be freed from shoulder 46 to allow tongue 42 to be
retracted from the receiving channel 26, resulting in separation of
the buckle components 12, 18.
[0021] When the two buckle components are mechanically
interengaged, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the lift tab 36 of the
release lever 32 is spaced above the base 44 of the male component
18. The release lever 32 may be deflected upwardly either by prying
or otherwise forcing the lift tab 36 upwardly, or by pulling on the
lanyard release cord 40 when it is in the position shown by the
broken lines at 40' in FIG. 4. It can also be seen from FIG. 4 that
the upwardly inclined disposition of the lift tab 36 serves to
retain the lanyard release cord 40 above the access opening 28 at a
location that does not interfere with insertion of the tongue 42
into the receiving channel 26.
[0022] The base 44 of the male component 18 is advantageously
provided with rearwardly projecting curved fingers 48 defining a
notch 50. The tips of the curved fingers are spaced one from the
other to define a slot 52 communicating with the notch 50. The
lanyard cord 40 may be forced through the slot 52 and tucked into
the notch 50. When thus positioned, as shown by the solid lines in
FIGS. 1 and 4, the lanyard cord is safeguarded against inadvertent
snagging, which can result in the release lever 32 being pulled
upwardly unintentionally.
[0023] As can best be seen in FIG. 5, the side walls 24 of the
female component 12 are advantageously provide with integral stops
54 positioned to overlap laterally projecting ears 56 on the
release lever 32. The vertical spacing between the stops 54 and the
ears 56 establishes a limit to upward deflection of the release
lever 32. With this arrangement, excessive upward forces exerted on
the release lever will be resisted by the stops 54 on the rigid and
more robust side walls 24, thus safeguarding the release lever from
being overstressed and broken.
* * * * *