Buckle assembly with interchangeable face member

Abstract

A buckle assembly having a plurality of removable and interchangeable ornamental face plates. The buckle assembly includes a primary buckle component, a secondary buckle component and the face member components. The primary and secondary buckle components are selectively securable, i.e. male/female, to form a belt into a loop. The face plate members have a plurality of fasteners insertable into a plurality of receptacles on an outer surface of the primary buckle component. An outer surface of the face plate member carries an ornamental design, such as, indicia, a logo, a picture, words, or color. A single buckle assembly may include a plurality of face plate members to provide varying ornamental designs.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A buckle assembly, comprising:
 a primary buckle component having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the primary buckle component is attachable to an end of a belt strap;   a secondary buckle component having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the secondary buckle component is attachable to an opposite end of the belt strap;   wherein the second end of the secondary buckle component is removably attachable to the second end of the primary buckle component; and   a face member component attachable to an outer surface of the primary buckle component, wherein the face member component has an ornamental design on an outward facing surface when attached to the outer surface of the primary buckle component.   
     
     
         2 . The buckle assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the face member component has a plurality of fasteners disposed on an inward facing surface, and the plurality of fasteners are insertable into a plurality of receptacles on the outer surface of the primary buckle component. 
     
     
         3 . The buckle assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the ornamental design comprises indicia, a logo, a design, or words. 
     
     
         4 . The buckle assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the ornamental design is printed, screened, stamped, molded, adhered, or painted on the outward facing surface of the face member component. 
     
     
         5 . The buckle assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the face member component is removable and a second face member component is attachable to the outer surface of the primary buckle component. 
     
     
         6 . The buckle assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the second end of the primary buckle component has an opening to a receptacle within the primary buckle component, and the second end of the secondary buckle component has a plurality of prongs that are removably insertable through the opening into the receptacle. 
     
     
         7 . The buckle assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the receptacle and the plurality of prongs are configured to matingly engage one another. 
     
     
         8 . The buckle assembly of  claim 6 , wherein at least one of the plurality of prongs is resiliently flexible and received in a side aperture of the receptacle so as to removably retain the second end of the secondary buckle component attached to the second end of the primary buckle component. 
     
     
         9 . A buckle assembly, comprising:
 a primary buckle component having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the primary buckle component is attachable to an end of a belt strap;   a secondary buckle component having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the secondary buckle component is attachable to an opposite end of the belt strap;   wherein the second end of the primary buckle component has an opening to a receptacle within the primary buckle component, and the second end of the secondary buckle component has a plurality of prongs that are removably insertable through the opening into the receptacle; and   a face member component having a plurality of fasteners disposed on an inward facing surface, wherein the plurality of fasteners are insertable into a plurality of receptacles on an outer surface of the primary buckle component, wherein the face member component has an ornamental design on an outward facing surface when attached to the outer surface of the primary buckle component.   
     
     
         10 . The buckle assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the ornamental design comprises indicia, a logo, a design, or words. 
     
     
         11 . The buckle assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the ornamental design is printed, screened, stamped, molded, adhered, or painted on the outward facing surface of the face member component. 
     
     
         12 . The buckle assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the face member component is removably or permanently attachable to the outer surface of the primary buckle component. 
     
     
         13 . The buckle assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the face member component is removable and a second face member component is attachable to the outer surface of the primary buckle component. 
     
     
         14 . The buckle assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the receptacle and the plurality of prongs are configured to matingly engage one another. 
     
     
         15 . The buckle assembly of  claim 9 , wherein at least one of the plurality of prongs is resiliently flexible and received in a side aperture of the receptacle so as to removably retain the second end of the secondary buckle component attached to the second end of the primary buckle component. 
     
     
         16 . A buckle assembly, comprising:
 a primary buckle component having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the primary buckle component is attachable to an end of a belt strap;   a secondary buckle component having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the secondary buckle component is attachable to an opposite end of the belt strap;   wherein the second end of the primary buckle component has an opening to a receptacle within the primary buckle component, and the second end of the secondary buckle component has a plurality of prongs that are removably insertable through the opening into the receptacle; and   a face member component attachable to an outer surface of the primary buckle component, wherein the face member component has an ornamental design on an outward facing surface when attached to the outer surface of the primary buckle component, wherein the ornamental design comprises indicia, a logo, a design, or words and is printed, screened, stamped, molded, adhered, or painted on the outward facing surface of the face member component.   
     
     
         17 . The buckle assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the face member component has a plurality of fasteners disposed on an inward facing surface, and the plurality of fasteners are insertable into a plurality of receptacles on the outer surface of the primary buckle component, and wherein the face member component is removable and a second face member component is attachable to the outer surface of the primary buckle component. 
     
     
         18 . The buckle assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the receptacle and the plurality of prongs are configured to matingly engage one another. 
     
     
         19 . The buckle assembly of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the plurality of prongs is resiliently flexible and received in a side aperture of the receptacle so as to removably retain the second end of the secondary buckle component attached to the second end of the primary buckle component.