Buckle device

Abstract

A buckle device is disclosed for fastening a first belt relative to a second belt. The device includes a first member having a first and a second portion, the first portion being anchored to the first belt. A second member releasably interlocks with the first member, the second member having a first and a second part, the first part being anchored to the second belt. The second portion of the first member includes a latch which extends flexibly from the first portion, the latch having a proximal and a distal end. A receptacle defines a first and a second opening and a cam is disposed between the latch and the receptacle. The second part of the second member includes a further latch which extends flexibly from the first part, for the releasable reception thereof within the receptacle. The further latch has a first and a second end and a further receptacle defines a first and a second aperture. The further receptacle receives therein the latch. A further cam is disposed between the further latch and the further receptacle. The further cam cooperates with the cam for urging the latch into latching engagement with the first aperture and for urging the further latch into latching engagement with the first opening. The distal end of the latch defines a lateral rib which interacts with the first aperture when the members are disposed in a locked first disposition thereof so that the rib inhibits dislodgement of the latch through the first aperture when certain forces are exerted on the buckle device. Also, the second end of the further latch defines a further lateral rib which interacts with the first opening when the members are disposed in the locked first disposition thereof. The arrangement is such that the further rib inhibits dislodgement of the further latch through the first opening when certain forces are exerted on the buckle device.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A buckle device comprising: 
 a male member including a first portion and a second portion, the second portion including a latch arm extending flexibly from the first portion in a first direction, the latch arm having a catch member which extends in a direction that is generally lateral to the first direction; and    a female member adapted to receive the latch arm of the male member to releasably interlock the male member to the female member, such that when the male and female members are disposed in a locked first disposition thereof and the combination of a force tending to pull the buckle device apart and a twisting or bending or lateral force are applied to the buckle device to cause the latch arm to want to unintentionally dislodge from the female member, the catch member engages a surface of the female member to prevent the undesirable dislodgement of the male member from the female member.    
     
     
         2 . A buckle device as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the latch arm includes a proximal end adjacent the first portion, and a distal end spaced a distance from the first portion, the distal end including the catch member and further defining a head having a bulbous shaped configuration, and wherein the catch member includes an undercut which is at least partially defined by the head and which is adapted to engage the surface of the female member to prevent the undesirable dislodgement of the male member from the female member.  
     
     
         3 . A buckle device as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the latch arm includes a proximal end adjacent the first portion, and a distal end spaced from the first portion, the distal end defining a head having a forward end and a rearward end, the latch arm further including a neck extending between the proximal end and the rearward end of the head, and wherein each of the forward end and the rearward end of the head includes an undercut, the undercuts being a part of the catch member and also being adapted to engage the surface of the female member to prevent the undesirable dislodgement of the male member from the female member.  
     
     
         4 . A buckle device as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the latch arm includes a proximal end adjacent the first portion, and a distal end spaced from the first portion, the distal end defining a head having a forward end and a rearward end, the latch arm further including a neck extending between the proximal end and the rearward end of the head, and wherein the forward end of the head includes a first undercut having a first extremity and the rearward end of the head includes a second undercut having a second extremity, the undercuts being a part of the catch member, and such that at least one of the first and the second extremities is adapted to engage the surface of the female member to prevent the undesirable dislodgement of the male member from the female member.  
     
     
         5 . A buckle device as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein both of the extremities are adapted to engage the surface of the female member to prevent the undesirable dislodgement of the male member from the female member.  
     
     
         6 . A buckle device for fastening a first belt relative to a second belt, the buckle device comprising: 
 a first member including a first portion and a second portion which operably engages the first belt, the second portion including a latch member flexibly extending from the first portion, the latch member having a proximal end and a distal end which includes a laterally extending catch member, the second portion further including a receptacle; and    a second member including a first part and a second part which operably engages the second belt, the second part including a further latch member flexibly extending from the first part, the further latch member having a first end and a second end which includes a laterally extending further catch member, the second part further including a further receptacle;    wherein the first and second members releasably interlock with respect to one another, such that in a locked position, the latch member is received by the further receptacle and the further latch member is received by the receptacle, and such that when a combined force, including a tension force tending to pull the buckle device apart and a lateral force tending to bend the buckle device, is applied to the buckle device to cause the latch member and the further latch member to want to unintentionally dislodge from the associated receptacle and further receptacle, the catch member engages a surface of the second member and the further catch member engages a surface of the first member to prevent the undesirable dislodgement of the first member from the second member.    
     
     
         7 . A buckle device as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein the distal end of the latch member defines a head having a bulbous shaped configuration, the catch member includes an undercut which is at least partially defined by the head, the second end of the further latch member defines a further head having a bulbous shaped configuration, and the further catch member includes a further undercut which is at least partially defined by the further head, such that the undercut is adapted to engage the surface of the second member and the further undercut is adapted to engage the surface of the first member to prevent the undesirable dislodgement of the first member from the second member.  
     
     
         8 . A buckle device as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein the distal end of the latch member defines a head having a forward end and a rearward end, the latch member further includes a neck extending between the proximal end and the rearward end of the head, each of the forward end and the rearward end of the head including an undercut, the undercuts being a part of the catch member, the second end of the further latch member defines a further head having a forward end and a rearward end, the further latch member further including a neck extending between the first end and the rearward end of the further head, each of the forward end and the rearward end of the further head including a further undercut, the further undercuts being a part of the further catch member, such that the undercuts are adapted to engage the surface of the second member and the further undercuts are adapted to engage the surface of the first member to prevent the undesirable dislodgement of the male member from the female member.  
     
     
         9 . A buckle device as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the distal end defines a head having a forward end and a rearward end, the latch member further includes a neck extending between the proximal end and the rearward end of the head, the forward end of the head including a first undercut having a first extremity and the rearward end of the head including a second undercut having a second extremity, the first and second undercuts being a part of the catch member, the second end defines a further head having a forward end and a rearward end, the further latch member further includes a neck extending between the first end and the rearward end of the further head, the forward end of the further head including a third undercut having a third extremity and the rearward end of the further head including a fourth undercut having a fourth extremity, the third and fourth undercuts being a part of the further catch member, such that at least one of the first and the second extremities is adapted to engage the surface of the second member and at least one of the third and the fourth extremities is adapted to engage the surface of the first member to prevent the undesirable dislodgement of the first member from the second member.  
     
     
         10 . A buckle device as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein both of the first and second extremities are adapted to engage the surface of the second member and both of the third and fourth extremities are adapted to engage the surface of the first member to prevent the undesirable dislodgement of the first member from the second member.  
     
     
         11 . A buckle device for fastening a first belt relative to a second belt, the buckle device comprising: 
 a first member including a first and a second portion, the first portion being anchored to the first belt;    a second member releasably interlocking with the first member, the second member including a first and a second part, the first part being anchored to the second belt;    the second portion of the first member including a latch extending flexibly from the first portion, the latch having a proximal and a distal end, a receptacle defining a first and a second opening, and a cam disposed between the latch and the receptacle;    the second part of the second member including a further latch extending flexibly from the first part, for the releasable reception thereof within the receptacle, the further latch having a first and a second end, a further receptacle defining a first and a second aperture, the further receptacle receiving therein the latch, and a further cam disposed between the further latch and the further receptacle, the further cam cooperating with the cam for urging the latch into latching engagement with the first aperture and for urging the further latch into latching engagement with the first opening;    the distal end of the latch defining a lateral rib which interacts with the first aperture when the members are disposed in a locked first disposition thereof so that the rib inhibits dislodgement of the latch through the first aperture when a force is applied to the buckle device that tends to cause the latch to bend toward the cam; and    the second end of the further latch defining a further lateral rib which interacts with the first opening when the members are disposed in the locked first disposition thereof so that the further rib inhibits dislodgement of the further latch through the first opening when a force is applied to the buckle device that tends to cause the further latch to bend toward the further cam.    
     
     
         12 . A buckle device as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the members are fabricated from a plastics material.  
     
     
         13 . A buckle device as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the first portion defines a hole, and an anchor bar extending longitudinally across the hole so that when the first belt is threaded through the hole and around the bar, the first belt is fastened to itself for anchoring the first belt to the first member, and wherein the first part defines a further hole, and a further anchor bar extending longitudinally across the further hole so that when the second belt is threaded through the further hole and around the further bar, the second belt is fastened to itself for anchoring the second belt to the second member.  
     
     
         14 . A buckle device as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the distal end of the latch defines a head of bulbous shaped configuration for the slidable reception thereof within the second aperture, the head having a forward and a rearward end, the head defining an inner and an outer surface, the rearward end of the head defining an undercut which extends through the first aperture when the members are disposed in the locked first disposition so that the undercut interacts with the first aperture for locking the head within the further receptacle, and wherein the second end of the further latch defines a further head of bulbous shaped configuration for the slidable reception thereof within the second opening, the further head having a further forward and a further rearward end, the further head defining a further inner and a further outer surface, the further rearward end of the further head defining a further undercut which extends through the first opening when the members are disposed in the locked first disposition so that the further undercut interacts with the first opening for locking the further head within the receptacle.  
     
     
         15 . A buckle device as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein the second portion of the first member further includes a neck disposed between the proximal end and the head for further defining the undercut, and wherein the second part of the second member further includes a further neck disposed between the first end of the latch and the further head for further defining the further undercut.  
     
     
         16 . A buckle device as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the receptacle defines an L-shaped edge having a first and a second face, the first face defining the second opening, the second face defining an orifice for the slidable reception therein of the further cam, and wherein the further receptacle defines a further L-shaped edge having a first and a second side, the first side defining the second aperture, the second side defining a further orifice for the slidable reception therein of the cam, the L-shaped edge and the further L-shaped edge cooperating with each other when the members are disposed in the locked first disposition thereof.  
     
     
         17 . A buckle device as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the cam defines an inclined surface, and wherein the further cam defines a further inclined surface, the inclined surfaces slidably interacting with each other when the members are moved towards each other to the locked first disposition thereof.  
     
     
         18 . A buckle device as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the first opening defines an arc-shaped configuration for the reception therein of a user's thumb so that when the further latch is depressed, the further latch is released from engagement with the first opening, and wherein the first aperture defines a further arc-shaped configuration for the reception therein of a user's first finger so that when the latch is depressed, the latch is released from engagement with the first aperture.  
     
     
         19 . A buckle device as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein the lateral rib has a first and a second extremity, the first and second extremities of the lateral rib being engagable with the further arc-shaped configuration so that application of the force that tends to cause the latch to want to bend toward the cam actually urges at least one of the first and second extremities into retaining engagement with the further arc-shaped configuration so that disengagement of the members is inhibited, and wherein the further lateral rib has a further first and a further second extremity, the further first and further second extremities of the further lateral rib being engagable with the arc-shaped configuration so that application of the force that tends to cause the further latch to want to bend toward the further cam actually urges at least one of the further first and second extremities into retaining engagement with the arc-shaped configuration so that disengagement of the members is inhibited.  
     
     
         20 . A buckle device as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the latch extends from the first portion in a first direction and the rib extends from the latch in a direction which is generally normal to the first direction, and wherein the further latch extends from the first part in a second direction which is generally parallel to the first direction and the further rib extends from the further latch in a direction which is generally normal to the second direction.