Technical Field

The present invention generally relates to buckles for connecting together webs and straps that are deployed in many disparate applications including the securing the two ends of a belt together, the closure of backpacks and other bags and sacks, and the fastening of vests, jackets, and other garments. One well known buckle, often called a side release buckle, comprises two parts securable to respective web straps, one of the parts (the tang part) consists of a pair of prongs, each having an outwardly extending prong end and the other part (the housing part) having a channel into which the prongs can be pushed. The width of the channel is smaller than the distance between the outsides of the prongs and so, as the tang part is pushed into the channel, the prongs are flexed inwardly by the outer walls of the channel. The walls include a pair of openings into which the prong ends can snap when the tang part has been inserted into the channel. The engagement of the prong ends in the channel wall openings retains the two parts together.

To release such a side release buckle, the prong ends are pinched to move towards each other thereby releasing the prong ends from the openings and allowing the tang part to be withdrawn from the housing part.

Because the openings are exposed, it is possible for the fingers of a user to be caught between the prong end and the opening and this leads to inconvenience and engenders anxiety about opening the buckle.

U.S. Patent Number 6,226,844 to Lerra et al describes various configurations of side release buckles.

While the reliability and convenience of quick release buckles have been demonstrated, there still remains a need for a quick release buckle that provides even greater convenience to a user and that can be released from its closed disposition with only a single finger motion instead of a coordinated motion of two fingers as is required to release a side release buckle.

Summary Of The Invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide a quick release buckle that provides convenience to a user and that can be released from its closed disposition with only a single finger motion.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a quick release buckle that has two portions which can be releasably secured to one another. The quick release buckle comprises an entry portion and a housing portion. Each of the housing and entry portions may optionally be connected to a respective structure such as, e.g. a strap, belt, cord, chain, tether, or other item, and the quick release buckle can then be beneficially deployed to releasably couple the respective structures connected to the entry and housing portions to one another.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a quick release buckle including a tang element, the tang element being connectable to a strap or other structure, a housing element, the housing element being connectable to a strap or other structure, the tang element having a portion that is selectively disposable in the housing element via a movement of the portion of the tang element and the housing element relatively toward one another in an insertion direction, whereupon the tang element and the housing element engage one another following a predetermined movement thereof in the insertion direction to thereby place the buckle in a locked disposition, a mechanism for effecting a positive lock of the tang element in the housing element, the mechanism being operable to release the tang element from a positive lock condition via a movement of the mechanism, and an element configured to be contacted by the user to release the buckle from its locked disposition, this element being operable to apply a release force to the mechanism for effecting a positive lock of the tang element in the housing element to effect the release of the tang platform from the housing element in a manner such that the user does not directly engage the tang platform to effect this release.

The element configured to be contacted by the user to release the buckle from its locked disposition may include a sliding element. Also, the quick release buckle may include a pair of yokes that retain the sliding element for sliding movement of the sliding element while retained by the yokes. Additionally, the quick release buckle may include a bar hingedly attached to the housing element and movable about a hinge axis and the tang element may include a pair of tang arms and each tang ami includes a raised catch element. The tang anus can optionally each have an eyelet formed at its free end and extending in a direction opposite to the raised direction of the raised catch elements, a back wall of the housing may have two tunnel bores, and each of these tunnel bores can guide a wire that is connected at one end to an eyelet of a respective one of the tang arms and connected at an opposite end to a toggle. The tang element may be formed of a plastic material or a metal material.

This invention allows a secure single or multiple tang buckle to be opened easily and securely with the press of a single digit. Even when wearing gloves or operating in cold and dark conditions where dexterity will be reduced, a user can open the buckle easily using a light touch with one finger or thumb. The inventive buckle can be advantageously deployed for a range closure applications including closure applications for apparel worn by very young, elderly or disabled persons who may have weak or reduced hand grip strength and ranging to applications where ease and speed of release provide real benefits in work and recreational activities.

The inventive buckle is able to be opened with just one finger due to the unique design and orientation of the tangs and release mechanism within the buckle.

In contrast to side release clips which rely on opposing motions of their tangs to effect release, the inventive buckle allows the tangs to move in the same direction and, when the tangs clear the grip surface, the buckle is opened.

One configuration of the inventive buckle is openable with a single respective finger while the user nonetheless does not directly touch the tangs with the respective one finger - instead, the tangs are depressed with a release bar or button mechanism that ensure a smooth, uniform and effective release of the tangs when the buckle is opened.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the following detailed description, claims, and drawings. Brief Description Of The Drawings

The quick release buckle of the present invention is illustrated in the following Figures of the Drawings 1 - 6, 7A, 7B, and 8 - 13.

Detailed Description Of The Preferred Embodiment

The present invention provides, in one aspect thereof, a quick release buckle can be optionally configured such that an insertion operation of the entry and housing portions to place the quick release buckle in its locked position results in a sound that is audible at a selected minimum and/or maximum spacing from the quick release buckle and this sound can be relied upon to confirm that the quick release buckle is locked.

One exemplary configuration of the quick release buckle shown in Figures 1 - 5. The entry portion is in the form of an entry element 110 and the entry element 110 includes a tang platform 112 and a strap connecting component 114. The tang platform 112 is comprised of a pair of tang arms each having one end fixedly mounted to a vertical back plate and a horizontal base plate on which the vertical back plate is mounted. Each of the tang arms includes a free end portion having a raised catch element RCE. The housing portion is in the form of a housing element 116 and includes a back wall

118, a left hand side wall 120, a front slot wall 122, a floor 124, a ceiling wall 126, and a right hand side wall 128. The front slot wall 122 includes a rectangular slot 130. The various walls of the housing element 116 delimit an interior volume dimensioned with respect to the tang platform 112 of the entry element 110, in a manner to be described in more detail, such that the tang platform 112 is received within the interior volume delimited within the housing element 116 in a lock position of the quick release buckle. The description of the entry element 110 and the housing element 116 will be provided with reference to a three axis reference system comprised of a height axis HA, a longitudinal axis LA at ninety (90) degrees to the height axis HA, and a lateral axis ATA at ninety (90) degrees to both the height axis HA and the longitudinal axis LA.

The housing element 116 also includes a pair of cut-outs 132 formed in the ceiling wall 126 and positioned in correspondence with the tang platform 112 such that each of the cut-outs 132 in the ceiling wall 126 is operable to receive a respective one of the raised catch elements at the free end of a respective one of the tang arms of the tang platform 112 when the tang platform 112 is disposed in its fully inserted disposition within the housing element 116. As seen in Figure 2, which is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the quick release buckle shown in Figure 1 taken along line ll-ll, each cut-out 132 in the ceiling wall 126 of the housing element 116 is configured in correspondence with the raised catch element RCE at the free end portion of a respective tang arm of the tang platform 112. As seen in Figure 3, when the tang platform 112 has been disposed in its fully inserted disposition in the housing element 116, each of the raised catch elements on the free end portions of the tang arms of the tang platform 112 are in registry with, and received in, the pair of cut-outs in the ceiling wall 126 of the housing element 116, whereupon this interconnection resists withdrawal of the tang platform 112 from the housing element 116. As seen in Figure 4, when a user desires to separate the housing element 116 and the tang platform 112 from one another, the user depresses the pair

of raised catch elements RCE on the free end portions of the tang arms of the tang platform 112 to an extent such that a withdrawal motion of the tang platform 112 in the direction opposite to the insertion direction can be effected.

As seen in Figure 1 , which is a perspective view of the quick release buckle of the present invention in partial section, the housing element 116 is provided with a pair of guiderails 134 each disposed at a slight spacing above the floor 124 and extending from a respective one of the left hand side wall 120 and the right hand side wall 128. The pair of guide rails 134 are disposed at a height such that the base plate of the tang platform 112 can be slid between the bottom surfaces of these guiderails 134 and the floor 124 during insertion of the tang platform 112 into the housing element 116, whereupon the insertion movement is facilitated in a stable guided manner. Additionally, the guiderails 134 provides stability to the inserted tang platform 112 in its fully inserted disposition in the housing element 116.

The entry element 110 may be formed, for example, of a suitable plastic material, a metal material, a combination of a metal and plastic material, or any other suitable material. The entry element 110 is configured to be inserted through the slot 130 of the housing element 116 along a lock insertion axis LO- IX, whereupon the insertion of the entry element 110 through the slot 130 is performed in a series of steps comprising a step of orienting the tang platform 112 of the entry element 110 such that the longitudinal dimension of the tang platform 112 is parallel to the longitudinal dimension of the slot 130 and a step of advancing the entry element 110 in the quick release buckle insertion direction LO-IX such that the tang platform 112 moves inwardly into the housing element 116 laterally beyond the front slot wall 122, with the insertion of the tang platform 112 ceasing once the raised catch elements RCE of the tang arms of the tang platform 112 have been engaged by the pair of cutouts 132 in the ceiling 126 of the housing element 116.

Figure 5 shows the tang platform 112 at an intermediate position as it is being inserted into the housing element 116, whereupon the ceiling 126 of the housing element 116 depresses the tang arms against their natural bias and the base plate of the tang platform 112 is received between the guiderails 134 and the floor 124 of the housing element 116.

The quick release buckle advantageously permits a user to conveniently and reliably release the tang platform 112 from the housing element 116, even if the user is wearing gloves or otherwise has a covering on the user's fingers or hand that reduce tactile sensation. Moreover, the quick release buckle is particularly advantageous for a "blind" release of the interlocked housing element 116 and the tang platform 112, in that the user need only locate the raised catch elements of the tang arms in their received dispositions in the pair of cut-outs 132 on the ceiling 126 of the housing element 116 in order to initiate the disengagement process and this can be done without the user receiving visual confirmation that the user's fingers have located the raised catch elements RCE. Additionally, the quick release buckle can provide fast, silent, or one touch release of the quick release buckle. It is additionally contemplated that the raised catch elements on the free end portions of the tang arms of the tang platform 112 can be configured with "V" shapes, can be formed of a different color than the color of the housing element 116, and/or may be formed of a reflective material to facilitate safety or identification of the quick release buckle.

One beneficial feature of the quick release buckle is that the buckle can be configured such that all of the tang arms of the tang platform - which have been shown and described solely for the purpose of illustration as comprising two tang arms - are secured in the locked position of the buckle in an easily accessible area of the housing element. For example, as exemplarily shown and described in Figures 1 - 5, the tang arms of the tang platform 112 are received in the ceiling 126 of the housing element 116 and this portion of the housing element is easily accessible by a user in connection with releasing the buckle from its locked disposition. Specifically, a user can conveniently and readily open the buckle with merely a single finger in that the user can apply pressure with a single finger on the raised catch elements RCE of the pair of tang arms of the tang platform 112 to push the raised catch elements RCE inwardly toward the interior of the housing element 116 until both raised catch elements RCE have been moved out of registry with the cut-outs 132 in the ceiling 126 of the housing element 116. It can readily be understood that this convenient configuration may be especially beneficial in some applications such as, for example, body armor shoulder straps or buckles for back pack components such as sternum straps, whereupon the buckle permits an immediate buckle release using a single finger depress action or by using very gross motor skills, including a release action even while the user is wearing gloves.

The quick release buckle also advantageously offers a relatively long useful life. With some conventional quick release buckles, the tang arms are exposed on the top and bottom surface of the clip - if one of these tang arms becomes damaged or broken, the clip will not lock and its utility is lost. With the quick release buckle - provided the base plate remains intact - the buckle will close and lock even if one of the tang arms is damaged or missing. The housing element 1 16 of the quick release buckle can alternatively be configured as a vented box shape with appropriately located vents operable to permit ready flushing or discharge any dirt or debris build up that might prevent reliable closure of the quick release buckle. The quick release buckle can also be configured as a toggle pull quick release buckle or clip and this version of the quick release buckle is illustrated in Figure 6. The quick release buckle shown in Figure 6 comprises the same or equivalent components as the version of the quick release buckle shown and described with respect to Figures 1- 5, with the differences that, in this alternate version of the quick release buckle, the tang arms each have an eyelet formed at its free end and extending in a direction opposite to the raised direction of the raised catch elements RCE, the vertical back wall of the tang platform 112 has two tunnel bores, each of these tunnel bores guides a wire that is connected at one end to an eyelet of a respective one of the tang arms and connected at an opposite end to a toggle.

When a user pulls on the toggle in a direction opposite to the insertion direction LO-IX, the wires are drawn toward the vertical back wall of the tang platform 112 and thereby effect downward flexing of the raised catch elements RCE, with the result that the raised catch elements RCE move inwardly toward the interior of the housing element 116 until both raised catch elements RCE have been moved out of registry with the cut-outs 132 in the ceiling 126 of the housing element 116. Thus, this alternate version of the quick release buckle permits a user to conveniently and readily effect an immediate release of the buckle using a single pull motion, which can be accomplished using very gross motor skills, including a release action even while the user is wearing gloves. The alternative version of the quick release buckle shown in

Figure 6 is also shown as having a feature to facilitate the full and complete seating of the tang platform 112 in the housing element 116 in that the end portions of each of the guide rails 134 of the housing element 116 extend arcuately inwardly and the tang platform 1 12 is formed with a pair of correspondingly configured arcuate bumpers configured to contact the arcuate end portions of the guide rails 134.

In hard to reach places or to have a secondary opening option, this toggle release feature can be configured to offer a highly convenient "release and forget" release system that will reset automatically and be ready for the next use.

Another exemplary configuration of the quick release buckle shown in Figures 7A, 7B, and 8 - 13 and is generally designated as the quick release bar assist buckle 208. The quick release bar assist buckle 208 includes an entry portion and a housing portion. The entry portion is in the form of an entry element 210 and the entry element 210 includes a tang platform 212 and a strap connecting component 214. The tang platform 212 is comprised of a pair of tang arms each having one end fixedly mounted to a vertical back plate and the vertical back plate is mounted to the strap connecting component 214. Each of the tang arms includes a free end portion having a raised catch element RCE.

As seen in particular in Figure 8, which is a top perspective view of the quick release bar assist buckle 208, the housing portion is in the form of a housing element 216 and includes a back wall 218, a left hand side wall 220, a front slot wall 222, a floor 224, a ceiling wall 226, and a right hand side wall 228. The front slot wall 222 includes a rectangular slot 230. The various walls of the housing element 216 delimit an interior volume dimensioned with respect to the tang platform 212 of the entry element 210, in a manner to be described in more detail, such that the tang platform 212 is received within the interior volume delimited within the housing element 216 in a lock position of the quick release bar assist buckle 208. The description of the entry element 210 and the housing element 216 will be provided with reference to a three axis reference system comprised of a height axis HA, a longitudinal axis LA at ninety (90) degrees to the height axis HA, and a lateral axis ATA at ninety (90) degrees to both the height axis HA and the longitudinal axis LA. As seen in Figures 8 - 10, the housing element 216 also includes a cut-out 232 formed in the ceiling wall 226 and positioned in correspondence with the tang platform 212 such that the cut-out 232 in the ceiling wall 226 is operable to receive the raised catch elements RCE at the free ends of the tang arms of the tang platform 212 when the tang platform 212 is disposed in its fully inserted disposition within the housing element 216. As seen in Figure 9, a ledge portion 234 in the ceiling wall 226 of the housing element 216, as viewed along the longitudinal axis LA in the direction from the cut-out 232 toward the front slot wall 222, delimits a front side of the cut-out

232, has a rearward swept ledge configuration, and is configured in correspondence with the raised catch elements RCE at the free end portions of the tang arms of the tang platform 212 to reversibly resist a withdrawal motion of the tang arms of the tang platform 212 as viewed along the longitudinal axis LA in the direction from the cut-out 232 toward the front slot wall 222. The raised catch elements RCE at the free end portions of the tang arms of the tang platform 212 have corresponding forwardly swept ledge configurations to engage the ledge portion 234 in the ceiling wall 226 of the housing element 216. Thus, as seen in Figure 9, when the tang platform 212 has been disposed in its fully inserted disposition in the housing element 216, each of the raised catch elements RCE on the free end portions of the tang arms of the tang platform 212 are in registry with, and engaged with, the ledge portion 234 in the ceiling wall 226 of the housing element 216, whereupon this interconnection resists withdrawal of the tang platform 212 from the housing element 216 but can be overcome upon the application of a sufficient withdrawal force to move the tang arms of the tang platform 212 along the longitudinal axis LA in the direction from the cut-out 232 toward the front slot wall 222. As seen in Figure 8, the quick release bar assist buckle 208 includes a slide to release assembly 236 that is particularly configured to permit a user to readily locate and conveniently implement the movements necessary to release the free end portions of the tang arms of the tang platform 212 from their reversible engagements with the front edge 234 of the cut-out 232 in the ceiling wall 226 of the housing element 216 so that a withdrawal force can then move the tang arms of the tang platform 212 along the longitudinal axis LA in the direction from the cut-out 232 toward the front slot wall 222 and bring about the complete disengagement of the entry element 210 from the housing element 216. The slide to release assembly 236 is in the form of a bar assist configuration consisting of a pair of yoke arms 238 and a trigger bar 240. Each of the yoke arms 238 has a three strut structure fixedly secured to the ceiling wall 226 of the housing element 216 and delimiting a throughbore 242 through which a respective end portion of the trigger bar 240 extends. The trigger bar 240 is a solid cylindrical tube whose longitudinal axis extends parallel to the lateral axis ATA and the trigger bar is collared or otherwise configured to be retained by the pair of yoke arms 238 in a manner such that: (a) the trigger bar 240 cannot be laterally displaced to a degree so as to move out of engagement by both yoke arms 238, (b) the trigger bar 240 is free to rotate about its longitudinal axis, and (c) the trigger bar 240 can be moved along the longitudinal axis LA of the quick release bar assist buckle 208 to a limited degree. It can thus be understood that a user can engage the trigger bar 240 with the fingertip of a single finger, or the fingertips of a pair of adjacent fingers, and move the trigger bar 240 along the longitudinal axis LA of the quick release bar assist buckle 208 while the roll arm 240 continues to retained by the yoke arms 238.

The slide to release assembly 236 is configured to cooperate with the raised catch elements RCE on the free end portions of the tang arms of the tang platform 212 to bring about the disengagement of these the raised catch elements RCE on the free end portions of the tang arms of the tang platform 212 from the front edge 234 of the cut-out 232 in the ceiling wall 226 of the housing element 216. This cooperative interaction between the slide to release assembly 236 and the raised catch elements RCE on the free end portions of the tang arms of the tang platform 212 is ensured by virtue of the fact that the raised catch elements RCE on the free end portions of the tang amis of the tang platform 212 are configured to extend above the ceiling wall 226 of the housing element 216, as viewed in the height direction HA, when the raised catch elements RCE on the free end portions of the tang arms of the tang platform 212 are received in the cut-out 232. The free end portions of the tang arms of the tang platform 212 are configured as resiliently biased members that are biased to resist a downward force thereon. Accordingly, the free end portions of the tang arms of the tang platform 212 automatically project the raised catch elements RCE into the cut-out 232 in the ceiling wall 226 of the housing element 216 to a degree such that the raised catch elements RCE extend above the ceiling wall 226 of the housing element 216. When a user engages the trigger bar 240 with the fingertip of a single finger, or the fingertips of a pair of adjacent fingers, and moves the trigger bar 240 along the longitudinal axis LA of the quick release bar assist buckle 208, the trigger bar 240 is pressed downwardly as seen in Figure 11 and the trigger bar 240 in turn presses the raised catch elements RCE on the free end portions of the tang arms of the tang platform 212 downwardly until these raised catch elements RCE are disengaged from the front edge 234 of the cut-out 232 in the ceiling wall 226 of the housing element 216. Thereafter, movement of the trigger bar 240 along the downwardly sloping front strut member of the yoke arms 238, as seen in Figure 12, acts to move the tang arms of the tang platform 212 along the longitudinal axis LA in the direction from the cut-out 232 toward the front slot wall 222 and the complete disengagement of the entry element 210 from the housing element 216 then occurs as the tang arms of the tang platform 212 further move along the longitudinal axis LA in the direction from the cut-out 232 toward the front slot wall 222, as seen in Figure 13.

Reference is now had to Figure 14, which is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the quick release bar assist buckle 208 and showing in detail the trigger bar 240 and the cut-out 232 in the ceiling 226 of the housing element 216 and showing a portion of the ceiling 226 removed to better illustrate the locking interaction of a tang arm of the tang platform 212 and the housing element 216. Each respective axial end portion of the trigger bar 240 is attached via a respective one of a pair of hinge components 242 to a respective one of the yoke arms 238 and each hinge component 242 is preferably formed of a flexible material such as, for example, a nylon or thermoplastic material, such that the hinge components 242 permit the trigger bar 240 to be pressed so as move along the height axis HA within the cut-out 232 while operating to return the trigger bar 240 to its non-pressed home position once the pressing force on the trigger bar has ceased. It can be seen that, when the tang platform 212 has been fully inserted along the longitudinal axis LA into the housing element 216, the free end portion of the tang arms of the tang platform 212, one of which is shown in Figure 14, are disposed intermediate the trigger bar 240 and the floor 224 of the housing element 216, as viewed along the height axis HA as the trigger bar 240 is supported by the hinge components 242 in its non-pressed home position. As can also be seen in Figure 14, the raised catch elements

RCE of the tang arms of the tang platform 212 are configured to be engaged by the ledge portion 234 in the ceiling 226 in a manner such that a withdrawal force applied on the tang platform 212 along the longitudinal axis LA in the direction from the rear wall 218 of the housing element 216 toward the front wall 222 is resisted by the engagement of the raised catch elements RCE by the ledge portion 234 of the ceiling 226. When it is desired to disengage the tang platform 212 from the housing element 216, a user presses the trigger bar 240 to move along the height axis HA in a direction that displaces the raised catch elements RCE of the tang arms of the tang platform 212 out of engagement with the ledge portion 234 of the ceiling 226, as seen in Figure 11. The raised catch elements RCE of the tang amis of the tang platform 212 then move longitudinally past the ledge portion 234 of the ceiling

226 as a withdrawal force is applied on the tang platform 212 along the longitudinal axis LA in the direction from the rear wall this context, the withdrawal force applied on the tang platform 212 along the longitudinal axis LA in the direction from the back wall 218 of the housing element 216 toward the front slot wall 222 can be provided wholly or in part by the action of the trigger bar 242 against an angled face 250 on the free end portion of each of the tang arms of the tang platform 212, as seen in Figure 12.

Figure 7A is a top elevational view of a version of the quick release bar assist buckle 208 in which the buckle has a camouflage pattern on its exterior and the assist bar is in the shape of a rectangle having right angled corners and Figure 7B is a top elevational view of a version of the quick release bar assist buckle 208 in which the buckle has a camouflage pattern on its exterior and the assist bar is a cylindrical tube.

Thus, it can be understood that the quick release bar assist buckle 208 provides the feature that an element is configured to be contacted by the user to release the buckle from its locked disposition, this element advantageously applies a release force to the tang platform to effect the release of the tang platform from the housing, and the user does not directly engage the tang platform to effect this release movement. An example of an element configured to be contacted by the user to release the buckle from its locked disposition that applies a release force to the tang platform to effect the release of the tang platform from the housing has been exemparily shown and described as the slide to release assembly 236. The teachings of this application are not to be construed as being limited to any entertainment diversion. While various embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated herein, it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited thereto, but may be otherwise variously embodied and practiced within the scope of the following claims.