Selectively Releasable Buckle

Abstract

A buckle is provided for use in footwear. The buckle includes a lever arm that feeds a strap into the buckle in a ratcheting fashion and a lock that secures the strap relative to the buckle when the lever arm is released. To release the strap from the buckle, a user may impart rotational motion onto the lock to remove it from engagement from teeth associated with the strap. Alternatively, pressure may be applied to the lever arm, which releases a locking pawl from the strap and allows the strap to incrementally move a predetermined amount.

1 . A buckle adapted for tightening and selectively securing a strap having a plurality of teeth, comprising:
 a base having a channel for receiving the strap, said base also including a first hub and a second hub positioned on opposite sides of said channel;   a frame that includes a lock pin that is operably associated with said first hub and said second hub, said frame also having a lever pin that is spaced from said lock pin;   a lock positioned between said first hub and said second hub and rotatably interconnected to said lock pin and, said lock having a locking pawl, which is adapted for selective engagement with a tooth of the strap, on a first end and a release button on a second end; and   a lever arm rotatably interconnected to said lever pin on a first end and wherein a second end of said lever arm includes a release pawl directed towards said base that is adapted for selective engagement with the teeth of the strap when the second end of said lever arm is defected towards said base, said first end of said lever arm also including a feed pawl adapted for selective engagement with the teeth of the strap when said second end of said lever arm is directed away from said base.   
     
     
         2 . The buckle of  claim 1 , wherein said lock is capable of rotatably moving from a first position where the locking pawl is abutted against a strap tooth such that the strap cannot move relative to said buckle in one direction and a second position of use wherein said locking pawl is positioned away from the strap teeth, thereby allowing the strap to move relative to said buckle, said second position being achieved by either actuating said release button or by deflecting said second end of said lever arm toward said base. 
     
     
         3 . The buckle of  claim 2 , wherein said lock includes a laterally extending projection located adjacent to said release button and said lever arm includes a laterally extending finger located adjacent to said first end of said lever arm wherein when said lever arm is deflected towards said base, said finger will contact said projection and move said lock to its second position of use. 
     
     
         4 . The buckle of  claim 2 , wherein when said second end of said lever arm is deflected towards said base, said release pawl is adapted to be positioned adjacent to a tooth of the strap such that complete release of the strap from said buckle is prevented. 
     
     
         5 . The buckle of  claim 1 , wherein said locking pawl and said second end of said lever arm are biased toward said base. 
     
     
         6 . The buckle of  claim 1 , wherein said lever arm includes a second release pawl that is spaced from said release pawl. 
     
     
         7 . The buckle of  claim 1 , wherein deflecting said lever arm towards said base allows said strap to move the distance between two adjacent teeth. 
     
     
         8 . The buckle of  claim 1 , wherein said second end of said lever arm possesses a curved profile. 
     
     
         9 . A buckle adapted for tightening and selectively securing a strap having a plurality of teeth, comprising:
 a base;   a frame associated with said base and having a laterally extending lock pin and a laterally extending lever pin spaced from said lock pin;   a lock rotatably interconnected to said lock pin and, said lock having a locking pawl, which is adapted for selective engagement with a tooth of the strap, on a first end and a release button on a second end; and   a lever arm rotatably interconnected to said lever pin on a first end and wherein a second end of said lever arm includes a release pawl directed towards said base that is adapted for selective engagement with the teeth of the strap when the second end of said lever arm is defected towards said base.   
     
     
         10 . The buckle of  claim 9 , wherein said lock is capable of moving from a first position where the locking pawl is abutted against a strap tooth and a second position of use wherein said locking pawl is positioned away from the strap teeth, said second position being achieved by either actuating said release button or by deflecting said second end of said lever arm toward said base. 
     
     
         11 . The buckle of  claim 10 , wherein when said second end of said lever arm is deflected towards said base, said release pawl is adapted to be positioned adjacent to a tooth of the strap such that complete release of the strap from said buckle is prevented. 
     
     
         12 . The buckle of  claim 9 , wherein said locking pawl and said second end of said lever arm are biased toward said base. 
     
     
         13 . A buckle adapted for tightening and selectively securing a strap having a plurality of teeth, said buckle comprising a base defined by lateral edges, a frame associated with said base and having a laterally extending lock pin and a laterally extending lever pin spaced from said lock pin, a lock rotatably interconnected to said lock pin, and a lever arm having a first end rotatably interconnected to said lever pin, the improvement comprising:
 a release pawl positioned on downward-facing surface of a second end of said lever arm that is adapted for selective engagement with the teeth of the strap when the second end of said lever arm is defected towards said base.   
     
     
         14 . The buckle of  claim 13 , wherein said lock is capable of rotatably moving from a first position where the locking pawl is abutted against a strap tooth and a second position of use wherein said locking pawl is positioned away from the strap teeth. 
     
     
         15 . The buckle of  claim 14 , wherein a locking pawl is associated with a first end of said lock and a release button is associated with a second end of said lock, said lock further including a laterally extending projection located adjacent to said release button, and said lever arm includes a laterally extending finger located adjacent to said first end of said lever arm wherein when said lever arm is deflected towards said base, said finger will contact said projection and move said lock to its second position of use. 
     
     
         16 . The buckle of  claim 13 , wherein when said second end of said lever arm is deflected towards said base, said release pawl is adapted to be positioned adjacent to a tooth of the strap such that complete release of the strap from said buckle is prevented. 
     
     
         17 . A method of selectively releasing a buckle that is interconnected to a strap, comprising:
 providing a buckle comprised of a base, a lever arm rotatably associated with said base and having a laterally extending finger, and a lock rotatably associated with said base and having a laterally extending projection, said strap having a plurality of teeth and positioned between said lock and said base;   rotating said lever arm towards said base such that said finger contacts said projection to rotate said lock away from said strap thereby allowing said strap to move and incremental amount.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising contacting a release pawl associated with a distal end of said lever arm with a face of a tooth that is spaced from said locking pawl to incrementally move said strap relative to said buckle. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein when said lever arm is rotated adjacent to said base, an inner release pawl contacts a sloped surface of said strap tooth to incrementally urge the strap relative to said lock.