Sealed camouflaged pipe embedment buckle

Abstract

A fashionable belt buckle assembly appears as a single solid piece and includes a smoking pipe camouflaged from plain view. The pipe can be ejected from the buckle assembly, and when ejected, the mount continues to keep the belt tension secured around waist during smoking. A magnetic closure mechanism functions to automatically attract the pipe into the mount, snuff smoldering content, prevent the emission of any noticeable odor, prevents spillage and prevent rattling. A magnetically driven latching system dynamically synchronizes a teeter position and tension with the magnetic closure system so that through a singular sliding motion the pipe slides inward with reduced resistance, seals, and secures the pipe automatically.

It is claimed: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a base including having a linear channel in a first surface thereof, wherein first and second channel side walls are concave;   a smoking pipe having generally parallel, convex first and second pipe side walls slideably received into the channel proximate to the first and second channel side walls;   a first magnet embedded in a base wall of the channel;   a second magnet embedded in a surface of the smoking pipe such that a pole thereof is generally aligned with an complementary pole of the first magnet; and   a belt anchor fixed to the base portion.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the smoking pipe includes at least one intake port on a distal wall generally perpendicular to the first and second pipe side walls, and enclosed within a seat portion of the base portion disposed between the first and second channel side walls. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein an exterior surface of the base is generally parallel with an exterior surface of the smoking pipe. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a latch pivotally secured to a fulcrum affixed to a second base surface, the latch having a release pad at a first end thereof and a latch hook on an second end thereof opposite the first end, and wherein the latch hook is disposed in the channel and extending into a latching pocket on a surface of the pipe. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the release pad is magnetically attracted to the second magnet. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 3  further comprising a decorative faceplate affixed to the exterior surface of the smoking pipe. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 3  further comprising a decorative faceplate removeably affixed an exterior surface of the base. 
     
     
         8 . A method comprising:
 aligning a generally planar smoking pipe for insertion into a complementary channel on an exterior surface of a belt buckle base;   sliding the smoking pipe into the channel such that first and second convex side walls of the smoking pipe engage complementary concave first and second base side walls of the channel; and   sliding an intake port on a leading distal end of the smoking pipe into a corresponding seat portion in the base.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the step of sliding includes the step of urging a magnet affixed to a surface of the smoking pipe toward a complementary magnet affixed to a surface of the channel so as to place them in proximity such that magnetic interaction between the magnets completes the sliding. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the step of sliding includes the step engaging a latch the smoking pipe to the base. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the step of sliding includes the step of placing a first end of the latch so as to initiate a mechanical action of the latch. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising: 
       depressing a second end of the latch to release the pipe from the base; and
 sliding the smoking pipe out of the channel such that the first and second convex side walls of the smoking pipe disengage the first and second side walls of the channel. 
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising affixing a decorative member to a surface of the belt buckle. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising the step of affixing a decorative member to a surface of the smoking pipe. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising affixing the base member to a belt. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the step of sliding includes sealing the smoking against the base so as to impede airflow to an interior of the pipe. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the step of sliding the smoking pipe out of the channel includes retracting a latch into the base. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the step of sliding the smoking pipe out of the channel includes retracting the latch into the base in accordance with magnetic interaction with the magnet affixed to the channel. 
     
     
         19 . An apparatus comprising:
 a base including having a linear channel in a first surface thereof, wherein first and second channel side walls are concave;   a smoking pipe having generally parallel, convex first and second pipe side walls slideably received into the channel proximate to the first and second channel side walls;   a first magnet embedded in a base wall of the channel;   wherein the smoking pipe includes at least one intake port on a distal wall generally perpendicular to the first and second pipe side walls, and enclosed within a seat portion of the base portion disposed between the first and second channel side walls such that an exterior surface of the base is generally parallel with an exterior surface of the smoking pipe;   a second magnet embedded in a surface of the smoking pipe such that a pole thereof is generally aligned with an complementary pole of the first magnet; and a belt anchor fixed to the base portion;   a latch pivotally secured to a fulcrum affixed to a base surface, the latch having a release pad at a first end thereof and a latch hook on a second end thereof opposite the first end, and wherein the latch hook is disposed in the channel and extending into a latching pocket on a surface of the pipe.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 20  further comprising a decorative faceplate removeably affixed to an exterior surface of the smoking pipe.