Side Release Buckle

Abstract

A side release buckle includes: a plug; and a socket, the plug including: a base; a pair of legs; and engaging portions, the socket including: a body; an insertion opening; a housing space; engaged portions; and a pair of guide surfaces. The guide surfaces, which are formed on an inner surface of the housing space and extend in an insertion direction of the legs while being opposed to each other, each include: a squeezing portion formed continuously with corresponding one of the engaged portions; and a guiding portion formed between the squeezing portion and the insertion opening. An interval between the guiding portions near the engaged portions is wider than an interval between the squeezing portions near the engaged portions. An inclination angle of each guiding portion to an insertion direction of the plug is smaller than an inclination angle of each of the squeezing portion to the insertion direction.

1 . A side release buckle comprising: a plug; and a socket into which the plug is inserted for engagement, wherein the plug comprises: a base; a pair of legs that project from the base; and engaging portions that are formed at tip ends of the legs and project in a top-bottom direction, the socket comprises: a body; an insertion opening that is formed in the body and through which the legs are inserted; a housing space in which the legs inserted through the insertion opening are housed; engaged portions that are engageable with the engaging portions formed at the tip ends of the legs housed in the housing space; and a pair of guide surfaces configured to guide the engaging portions inserted through the insertion opening to the engaged portions, the pair of guide surfaces are formed on an inner surface of the housing space and extend in an insertion direction of the legs while being opposed to each other, the pair of guide surfaces each comprising: a squeezing portion being formed continuously with corresponding one of the engaged portions; and a guiding portion being formed between the squeezing portion and the insertion opening, an interval between the guiding portions near the engaged portions is wider than an interval between the squeezing portions near the engaged portions, and an inclination angle of each of the guiding portions relative to an insertion direction of the plug is smaller than an inclination angle of each of the squeezing portions relative to the insertion direction of the plug. 
     
     
         2 . The side release buckle according to  claim 1 , wherein the guide surfaces are parallel with each other along a direction of the guiding portions. 
     
     
         3 . The side release buckle according to  claim 1 , wherein the guide surfaces each further comprise an introducing portion in addition to the squeezing portion and the guiding portion, the introducing portion is continuous with the insertion opening and the guiding portion, and an interval between the introducing portions near the insertion opening is wider than the interval between the guiding portions. 
     
     
         4 . The side release buckle according to  claim 3 , wherein the guiding portions and the introducing portions are formed in conformity with an outer profile of the socket. 
     
     
         5 . The side release buckle according to  claim 1 , wherein the interval between the guiding portions near the engaged portions is wider than an interval between respective outermost sides of the engaging portions with no load thereon. 
     
     
         6 . A side release buckle comprising:
 (a) a plug, comprising: (i) a plug belt attachment and (ii) a pair of legs, each leg including at least one socket engaging portion;   (b) a socket, comprising: (i) a socket belt attachment, (ii) a housing space configured to receive at least portions of the pair of legs, (iii) at least two plug engaging portions configured to engage the at least one socket engaging portion of each leg when the plug is inserted into the socket along an insertion direction, and (iv) at least a pair of guide surfaces extending along an inner surface of the housing space and configured to interact with the socket engaging portions of the plug in a sliding fashion, wherein the guide surfaces each include at least a guiding portion and a squeezing portion, the squeezing portion located between the guiding portion and one of the plug engaging portions, wherein an approximate inclination angle of the squeezing portion relative to the insertion direction is greater than an approximate inclination angle of the guiding portion relative to the insertion direction.   
     
     
         7 . The side release buckle of  claim 6 , wherein a length of the guiding portion along the insertion direction is longer than a length of the squeezing portion along the insertion direction. 
     
     
         8 . The side release buckle of  claim 6 , wherein the guide surfaces each also include an introducing portion located between the guiding portion and an insertion opening of the socket. 
     
     
         9 . The side release buckle of  claim 8 , wherein an approximate inclination angle of the introducing portion relative to the insertion direction is greater than the approximate inclination angle of the guiding portion relative to the insertion direction. 
     
     
         10 . The side release buckle of  claim 8 , wherein the introducing portion extends to the insertion opening. 
     
     
         11 . The side release buckle of  claim 8 , wherein an approximate inclination angle of the introducing portion relative to the insertion direction is different from the approximate inclination angle of the guiding portion relative to the insertion direction. 
     
     
         12 . The side release buckle of  claim 6 , wherein the guide surfaces each comprise a step formed in the inner surface of the housing space. 
     
     
         13 . The side release buckle of  claim 6 , wherein at least one of the squeezing portion and the guiding portion define a straight surface. 
     
     
         14 . The side release buckle of  claim 6 , wherein at least one of the squeezing portion and the guiding portion define a curved surface. 
     
     
         15 . The side release buckle of  claim 6 , wherein the socket engaging portion of each leg defines a raised tip proximate an end of the leg, the raised tip projecting in a top-bottom direction. 
     
     
         16 . The side release buckle of  claim 6 , wherein the socket further comprises a first cutout area between a top surface of the socket and the socket belt attachment and a second cutout area between a bottom surface of the socket and the socket belt attachment, wherein the second cutout area is larger than the first cutout area. 
     
     
         17 . The side release buckle of  claim 16 , wherein the socket engaging portions of the plug are proximate a tip of each leg; and wherein the at least two plug engaging portions of the socket comprise four plug engaging portions configured to engage the socket engaging portions of the plug when the socket and plug are engaged. 
     
     
         18 . The side release buckle of  claim 17 , wherein two of the plug engaging portions of the socket are inset relative an edge of the first cutout area and the other two of the plug engaging portions of the socket are proximate an edge of the second cutout area. 
     
     
         19 . A side release buckle comprising:
 (a) a plug, comprising: (i) a plug belt attachment and (ii) a pair of legs, each leg including at least one socket engaging portion;   (b) a socket, comprising: (i) a socket belt attachment, (ii) a housing space configured to receive at least portions of the pair of legs, (iii) at least two plug engaging portions defining surfaces that are approximately perpendicular to an insertion direction of the plug into the socket, the engaging portions configured to engage the at least one socket engaging portion of each leg when the plug is inserted into the socket along the insertion direction, and (iv) at least a pair of guide surfaces extending along an inner surface of the housing space and configured to interact with the socket engaging portions of the plug in a sliding fashion, wherein the guide surfaces each include at least a guiding portion and a squeezing portion, the squeezing portion located between the guiding portion and one of the plug engaging portions, wherein an approximate inclination angle of the squeezing portion relative to the insertion direction is greater than an approximate inclination angle of the guiding portion relative to the insertion direction, and wherein a length of the guiding portion along the insertion direction is longer than a length of the squeezing portion along the insertion direction.   
     
     
         20 . The side release buckle of  claim 19 , wherein the guiding portions of the pair of guide surfaces are non-parallel. 
     
     
         21 . The side release buckle of  claim 19 , wherein the guiding portion is continuous with the squeezing portion of each guide surface. 
     
     
         22 . The side release buckle of  claim 19 , wherein the socket further comprises a central outer surface positioned such that it is located between the pair of legs when the plug is inserted into the socket, wherein the central outer surface is recessed relative to at least two outer peripheral surfaces of the socket proximate the central outer surface. 
     
     
         23 . The side release buckle of  claim 19 , wherein the socket further comprises a first cutout area between a top surface of the socket and the socket belt attachment and a second cutout area between a bottom surface of the socket and the socket belt attachment, wherein the second cutout area is larger than the first cutout area. 
     
     
         24 . The side release buckle of  claim 23 , wherein the socket engaging portions of the plug are proximate a tip of each leg; and wherein the at least two plug engaging portions of the socket comprise four plug engaging portions configured to engage the socket engaging portions of the plug when the socket and plug are engaged. 
     
     
         25 . The side release buckle of  claim 24 , wherein two of the plug engaging portions of the socket are inset relative an edge of the first cutout area and the other two of the plug engaging portions of the socket are proximate an edge of the second cutout area.