Buckle lanyard connector and system

Abstract

A lanyard system conveniently suspends entry badges, keys or other objects about the neck. The system comprises a connector having a male buckle portion and a female buckle portion. The male buckle portion has an attachment coupling thereon such that the male buckle portion can be selectively mounted within a female buckle portion and can selectively receive an attachment thereon. Knobs on the sides of the connector provide a convenient gripping surface.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:  
     
         1 . A lanyard connector, comprising: 
 a lanyard connector body that is configured to be coupled to the ends of a lanyard substrate, and    a coupling portion extending from the lanyard connector body to thereby allow selective attachment of an attachment to the lanyard connector, wherein the lanyard connector body comprises: 
 (i) a first portion that is configured to be coupled to the ends of the lanyard substrate; and  
 (ii) a second portion that is selectively coupled to the first portion, such that a user can: (A) selectively attach an attachment to the coupling portion; and ( 13 ) selectively attach the first portion of the connector body to the second portion of the connector body.  
   
     
     
         2 . A lanyard connector as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the first and second portions of the lanyard connector body are each plastic members.  
     
     
         3 . A lanyard connector as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the lanyard connector body comprises a female portion and the second portion comprises a male portion that is selectively mounted within the female portion.  
     
     
         4 . A lanyard connector as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the coupling portion of the lanyard connector is coupled to the male portion of the lanyard connector body.  
     
     
         5 . A lanyard connector as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the lanyard connector body comprises a female buckle portion and the second portion comprises a male buckle portion that is selectively mounted within the female portion.  
     
     
         6 . A lanyard connector as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the coupling portion is configured to receive an attachment rotatably coupled to the coupling portion.  
     
     
         7 . A lanyard connector as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the first and second portions are configured to be nonrotatably coupled to each other, such that the attachment rotates about the coupling portion while the connector body is firmly, nonrotatably secured to the lanyard substrate.  
     
     
         8 . A lanyard connector as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the lanyard connector body receives the ends of the lanyard substrate therein.  
     
     
         9 . A lanyard connector as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the coupling portion comprises a neck upon which an attachment is selectively mounted.  
     
     
         10 . A lanyard connector, comprising: 
 a lanyard connector body that is configured to receive the ends of a lanyard substrate therein, and    a neck extending from the lanyard connector body to thereby allow selective, rotatable attachment of an attachment to the lanyard connector, wherein an attachment is selectively, rotatably mounted onto the neck, and wherein the lanyard connector body comprises: 
 (ii) a first portion that is configured to receive the ends of the lanyard substrate therein; and  
 (ii) a second portion that is selectively coupled to the first portion, such that a user can: (A) selectively, rotatably mount an attachment onto the neck; and (B) selectively attach the second portion to the first portion.  
   
     
     
         11 . A lanyard connector as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the first portion of the lanyard connector body comprises a female portion and the second portion comprises a male portion that is selectively mounted within the female portion.  
     
     
         12 . A lanyard connector as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the male portion includes the neck thereon.  
     
     
         13 . A lanyard connector as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the male portion comprises first and second prongs that selectively mount within the female portion.  
     
     
         14 . A lanyard connector as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the lanyard connector body comprises: (i) a male clamping portion; and (ii) a female clamping portion, the male clamping portion selectively mounting within the female clamping portion to clamp the first and second ends of the lanyard substrate therebetween.  
     
     
         15 . A lanyard connector as recited in  claim 10 , wherein wherein the lanyard connector body comprises 
 a female buckle portion; and    a male buckle portion, the male buckle portion including the neck thereon, the male buckle portion being selectively mounted within the female buckle portion, such that a user can: (A) selectively, rotatably attach an attachment to the neck; and (B) selectively attach the male buckle portion to the female buckle portion    
     
     
         16 . A lanyard connector as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the female buckle portion has (i) a male clamping portion; and (ii) a female clamping portion.  
     
     
         17 . A lanyard connector as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the female buckle portion has (i) a male clamping portion; and (ii) a female clamping portion, the male clamping portion selectively mounting within the female clamping portion to clamp the first and second ends of the lanyard substrate therebetween.  
     
     
         18 . A lanyard, comprising: 
 a lanyard substrate having first and second ends;    a lanyard connector body, comprising: 
 a female buckle portion; and  
 a male buckle portion, and  
   a neck extending from the lanyard connector body to thereby allow selective, rotatable attachment of a variety of different attachments to the lanyard connector, wherein the male buckle portion is selectively mounted within the female buckle portion, such that a user can: (A) selectively, rotatably attach an attachment to the neck; and (B) selectively attach the male buckle portion to the female buckle portion, and wherein the female buckle portion comprises: 
 a male clamping portion; and  
 a female clamping portion, the male clamping portion selectively mounting within the female clamping portion with the first and second ends of the lanyard substrate therebetween.  
   
     
     
         19 . A lanyard as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the male and female body portion of the lanyard connector are each made from a plastic material.  
     
     
         20 . A lanyard as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the male portion comprises first and second prongs that selectively mount within the female portion.