Strap Securing Structure and Buckle
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Europäisches Patentamt *EP001354531A2* (19) European Patent Office Office européen des brevets (11) EP 1 354 531 A2 (12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION (43) Date of publication: (51) Int Cl.7: A44B 11/26, A44B 11/00 22.10.2003 Bulletin 2003/43 (21) Application number: 03252491.0 (22) Date of filing: 17.04.2003 (84) Designated Contracting States: (72) Inventor: Badrenas Buscard, Jordi AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR Granollers, Barcelona 08400 (ES) HU IE IT LI LU MC NL PT RO SE SI SK TR Designated Extension States: (74) Representative: Rackham, Stephen Neil AL LT LV MK GILL JENNINGS & EVERY, Broadgate House, (30) Priority: 17.04.2002 US 373353 P 7 Eldon Street 14.02.2003 US 366744 London EC2M 7LH (GB) (71) Applicant: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC. Glenview, Illinois 60025 (US) (54) Strap securing structure and buckle (57) A two-part buckle (10) is provided with spring- springing structure (44,62) allowing deflection within the ing structure (44,62) associated with strap securing buckle part (12,14) to at least partly absorb tensile forc- structures (40,50) of the buckle parts (12,14). The es applied to the buckle (10) by the strap. EP 1 354 531 A2 Printed by Jouve, 75001 PARIS (FR) 1 EP 1 354 531 A2 2 Description tions may exert such shock load forces as a result of their intended use. Such loads are applied directly [0001] The present invention relates generally to two against the locking features of the male and female part buckles having interconnecting male and female buckle components. The buckle components must be components used on clothing, sporting gear, luggage, 5 sufficiently robust to withstand such forces without safety equipment and the like. breaklng or become disengaged unintentionally. How- [0002] Buckles are known for use in many different ever, simply making the arm or arms of the male buckle constructions, including, for example, clothing, sporting component stiffer or thicker to resist breaking can make gear, luggage, safety and other equipment and the like. it unacceptably resistant to intentional deflection for in- Two-part buckle assemblies are known in a variety of 10 tended disengagement of the buckle. To make the buck- different constructions. In a two-part buckle, cooperat- le easier to operate, the arms can be made longer. How- ing first and second buckle parts are provided with struc- ever, the resulting increased buckle size is undesirable ture having interlocking components, allowing releasa- in some applications and uses. ble locking engagement of the components. [0006] What is needed in the art is a two-part buckle [0003] For a two-part buckle, it is known to provide a 15 structure that can absorb shock loads and resist sus- female buckle component attached to one part of an ar- tained or more gently increasing loads without breaking. ticle, and a male buckle component attached to another [0007] The present invention provides springing part of the article. For example, the female component structure integral with the structure of the buckle parts may be anchored to a bag or luggage, and the male so that loads exerted thereon can be absorbed. component attached directly to a lid, cover or flap of the 20 [0008] In one form thereof, the present invention pro- bag or luggage. Alternatively, one or both of the compo- vides a two-part buckle with a female buckle part defin- nents may be attached to a strap or the like. It is known ing a pocket and including a first strap securing struc- also to provide the male and female components on op- ture. A male buckle part includes a forward portion in- posite ends of a strap or belt, or on separate straps of sertable into the pocket, and a second strap securing articles to be connected together. The female buckle 25 structure. The female buckle part and the male buckle component defines a chamber or pocket having one or part define cooperative, releasable locking structure, more windows. The male buckle component includes and springing structure for absorbing load exerted on one or more arms slidable into the pocket, with projec- the locking structure. tions of the arms extending into each window defined in [0009] In another form thereof, the present invention the female buckle component. Engagement of the pro- 30 provides a male buckle part for a two-part buckle having jections from the arms in the windows of the pocket a female buckle part defining a pocket having lateral serves to lock the two parts together. Disengagement is windows and a slot. The male buckle part has a body achieved by pressing the projections out of the windows, and first and second spaced arms extending from the while pulling the male and female components apart. body and adapted and arranged for sliding into and out Pressing the projections deflects the arms, and the 35 of the pocket in the female buckle part. The arms have thickness and resilience of the arms directly affect the lateral projections received in the windows. A brace be- resistance to disengagement of the male and female tween the arms is connected to each arm near the body, buckle parts. and has a central portion angling away from the body. [0004] Two-part buckles also are used on adjustable [0010] In still another form thereof, the present inven- straps such as sport helmet straps, shoulder and waist 40 tion provides a strap securing structure for a device to straps of backpacks, bags and the like. Toprovide straps be held on a strap, including a deflectable portion about of adjustable length, one or both of the buckle parts can which a strap can be wrapped, adapted for yielding to be secured to the strap it anchors by a serpentine wrap- load applied against the strap securing structure by a ping of the strap through two or more bars of the buckle strap secured thereto, and a less deflectable portion as- part. The remaining buckle part can be attached to the 45 sociated with the deflectable portion to be jointly strap it anchors by simple wrapping and sewing, if length wrapped therewith by a strap. adjustability is required for only one buckle part. [0011] An advantage of the present invention is pro- [0005] A problem can be experienced with two-part viding buckle parts that can better absorb forces such buckles when tensile load is applied to the buckle, nor- as tensile load applied thereto through attached straps, mally through the straps. Buckles on shoulder straps of 50 without breaking or disconnecting. bags, for example, can experience a slow increase in [0012] Another advantage of the present invention is tensile load, as the bag is lifted by one or more straps. providing a male buckle part for a two-part buckle with The buckle also will experience sustained, relatively stronger arms less likely to break, yet which can be de- constant tensile load if the bag is carried or held with the flected readily for operation and use of the buckle. strap or straps supporting the weight of the bag. The 55 [0013] Still another advantage of the present inven- buckle also can experience shock load if the bag, for tion is providing a buckle design that uses material effi- example, is jerked or tugged from a support. Sporting ciently, is compact and provides increased load bearing equipment, safety equipment and other such applica- capabilities for the size of the buckle. 2 3 EP 1 354 531 A2 4 [0014] Particular embodiments in accordance with [0018] In accordance with the present invention, each this invention will now be described with reference to the male buckle part 12 and female buckle part 14 is pro- accompanying drawings, in which:- vided with integral springing structures for absorbing tensile load exerted against locking structure 20 or Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a two-part buckle in 5 against the individual buckle parts 12 and 14. accordance with the present invention, showing the [0019] Female buckle part 14 includes a first strap se- top of the buckle with the two parts thereof illustrat- curing structure 40, by which strap 18 is secured to fe- ed in connected arrangement; male buckle part 14. Structure 40 has a base bar 42 and Fig. 2 is a perspective view, substantially from the a deflectable bar 44 spaced from each other. Deflecta- bottom, showing the two-part buckle of Fig. 1, with 10 ble bar 44 is relatively thin compared to base bar 42, the two parts thereof illustrated in a disconnected and base bar 42 is less deflectable than deflectable bar arrangement; 44. Strap 18 is wrapped jointly around base bar 42 and Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the buckle as shown in deflectable bar 44 in a simple loop, doubled back Fig. 2; against itself. The overlapping end portion of strap 18 is Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the buckle as 15 secured to itself by sewing, riveting, adhering or other shown in Fig. 2; and such fastening system (not shown). Fastened in this Fig. 5 is a plan view similar to Fig. 3, but showing manner, the effective length of strap 18 is not readily the bottom of the buckle. adjustable. Depending on the width of strap 18, the strength and resiliency of the material from which buckle [0015] Referring now more specifically to the draw- 20 10 is made and the anticipated forces to be experienced, ings, and to Figure 1 in particular, a two-part buckle 10 a series of truss support members 46 are provided be- in accordance with the present invention is shown.