SIDE RELEASE BUCKLE

Abstract

A side release buckle includes a female buckle member that has two female coupling arms each with a forwardly extending coupling hole and a side opening, and a male buckle member that has two spring arms and two male coupling arms respectively supported on the spring arms and insertable with the spring arms into the coupling holes of the female coupling arms for engagement with the side openings of the female coupling arms. The female coupling arms are elastically outwardly deformable to lower the insertion force of the male buckle member. Disengaging the male coupling arms from the female coupling arms does not cause the female coupling arms to deform elastically outwards, and therefore a high deplugging force is required. An adapter may be provided to secure the female buckle member to an external object.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to buckles and more particularly, to a side release buckle, which has the characteristics of low insertion (plugging) force and high extraction (deplugging) force.

2. Description of the Related Art

Various different buckles are known for different purposes. Conventional buckles are commonly formed of a male buckle member and a female buckle member, and intensively used in shoes, clothes, backpacks, travel bags, shoulder bags, helmets, bicycle attachments, safety belts of baby trolleys, etc., to join belt members or to adjust the tension of a strap member. Different buckles have different engagement structures and provide different functions for different purposes.

Further, following the application of the system of two days off per week, sports recreation and leisure activities have become a hot trend. People may participate in bicycle riding, mounting climbing or fishing activities during the weekend. Further, a bicycle may be provided with a rack for carrying a container (water bottle, tool box or storage box). FIGS. 9 and 10 show two different container rack mounting structures. According to the design shown in FIG. 9, the container rack is a bottle rack made out of a metal wire rod and affixed to a bicycle frame with screws. According to the design shown in FIG. 10, the container rack is a bottle rack made out of a metal wire rod and fastened to a bicycle frame with a clamping assembly.

The aforesaid two bottle rack mounting designs have drawbacks as follows:

1. The installation of the aforesaid two bottle rack mounting designs requires a hand tool. According to the design shown in FIG. 9, a metal mounting plate is welded to the bottle rack for the mounting of screws to affix the bottle rack to a bicycle frame. The processing process and mounting procedure of the aforesaid two bottle rack mounting designs are complicated, resulting in a high mounting cost.

2. After installation, the two bottle rack mounting structures are not detachable from the respective bicycle frames when not in use, and the storage items may be stolen by an evil person. Further, the empty bottle rack mounting structure destructs the sense of beauty of the bicycle.

3. The holding size of each of the aforesaid two container rack mounting structures is not adjustable. The container (bottle) may fall from the rack if the size does not match.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is the main object of the present invention to provide a side release buckle, which has the characteristics of low insertion (plugging) force and high extraction (deplugging) force.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the side release buckle comprises a male buckle member and a female buckle member. The female buckle member comprises two female coupling arms respectively extended from two distal ends of a female buckle base thereof in a parallel manner and spaced by a space. Each female coupling arm has a forwardly extending coupling hole and a side opening. The male buckle member comprises two forwardly extending spring arms, and two male coupling arms respectively forwardly extending from the spring arms and insertable with the spring arms into the coupling holes of the female coupling arms for engagement with the side openings of the female coupling arms. The two female coupling arms are elastically outwardly deformation upon insertion of the male coupling arms and the spring arms of the male buckle member, thereby lowering the insertion (plugging) force. When disconnecting the male buckle member from the female buckle member, the female coupling arms do not deform outwards, and therefore a high extraction (deplugging) force is required.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the side release buckle further comprises an adapter member. The adapter member may be formed integral with or detachably connectable to an object. The adapter member comprises an adapter base that is inserted into the space between the female coupling arms of the female buckle member before insertion of the male buckle member into the female buckle member, and two sleeves provided at two sides of the adapter base and respectively sleeved onto the female coupling arms of the female buckle member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a female buckle member of a side release buckle in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the side release buckle in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention, showing the male buckle member and the female buckle member disconnected.

FIG. 3 is a sectional top view of the side release buckle in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention, showing the male buckle member and the female buckle member disconnected.

FIG. 4 is a sectional top view of the side release buckle in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention, showing the male buckle member partially inserted into the female buckle member.

FIG. 5 is a sectional top view of the side release buckle in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention, showing the male buckle member and the female buckle member connected.

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of a side release buckle in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an elevational view of the side release buckle in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention, showing the side release buckle assembled.

FIG. 8 is an exploded view of a side release buckle in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an exploded view, showing a container rack mounting structure according to the prior art.

FIG. 10 is a schematic drawing showing another design of container rack mounting structure according to the prior art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a side release buckle in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention is shown comprising a female buckle member 1 and a male buckle member 2.

The female buckle member 1 has a female buckle base 11, and two female coupling arms 12 respectively extended from the two distal ends of the female buckle base 11 in one direction in a substantially parallel manner and defining therebetween a space 10. The female buckle base 11 has an insertion slot 111 cut therethrough for the mounting of a belt member (not shown). The female coupling arms 12 each have a retaining portion 101 protruded from the periphery and facing the space 10, a free end 123, a coupling hole 120 axially extending through the free end 123, a side opening 121 cut through the periphery at an outer side opposite to the space 10, a stop edge 1211 at the front side of the side opening 121 that is remote from the female buckle base 11 and relatively closer to the free end 123 of the respective female coupling arm 12, and a sliding groove 122 cut through the periphery and axially extending through the free end 123 at the inner side in communication between the space 10 and the coupling hole 120.

The male buckle member 2 has a male buckle base 21, and a coupling structure 22 for securing the male buckle base 21 to the female buckle member 1. The male buckle base 21 has an insertion slot 211 cut therethrough for the mounting of a belt member (not shown). The coupling structure 22 comprises two male coupling arms 222, and two spring arms 221 respectively connected between the male coupling arms 222 and the two distal ends of the male buckle base 21. The spring arms 221 each have a sliding rail 2211 longitudinally disposed at an inner side and defining a beveled guide face 2212, a positioning portion 2213 at the rear side of the beveled guide face 2212, a Ω-shaped buffer arm portion 2215 connected between the associating male coupling arm 222 and the male buckle base 21 at an outer side, and a buffer space 2214 defined between the sliding rail 2211 and the Ω-shaped buffer arm portion 2215. The male coupling arms 222 each have an outer sloping face 2221 extending outwardly backwards toward the Ω-shaped buffer arm portion 2215 of the associating spring arm 221, and a stop edge 2222 connected between the outer sloping face 2221 and the Ω-shaped buffer arm portion 2215 of the associating spring arm 221.

Referring to FIGS. 2˜5, during installation, the male coupling arms 222 of the coupling structure 22 of the male buckle member 2 are respectively inserted into the coupling holes 120 of the female coupling arms 12 of the female buckle member 1. When inserting the male coupling arms 222 into the coupling holes 120, the outer sloping faces 2221 of the male coupling arms 222 are moved over the respective inside walls of the female coupling arms 12, causing the male coupling arms 222 to be forced inwards toward each other. During forward movement of the two spring arms 221 of the male buckle member 2 relative to the female buckle member 1, the beveled guide face 2212 and the positioning portion 2213 of the spring arms 221 are also forced inwards toward the center of the male buckle member 2, and the buffer arm portions 2215 and the buffer spaces 2214 allow deformation of the spring arms 221 without damage, lowering the insertion force. When continuously forcing the male buckle member 2 forwards toward the inside of the female buckle member 1, the sliding rails 2211 are respectively moved into the sliding grooves 122 of the female coupling arms 12 in the position where the stop edges 2222 of the male coupling arms 222 are respectively forced into the side openings 121 of the female coupling arms 12 and stopped at the stop edges 1211 of the female coupling arms 12 to prohibit backward displacement of the male buckle member 2 relative to the female buckle member 1.

When inserting the male buckle member 2 into the female buckle member 1, the two female coupling arms 12 of the female buckle member 1 are elastically deformed and curved outwards to lower the insertion force of the male buckle member 2, facilitating installation. When wishing to separate the male buckle member 2 from the female buckle member 1, squeeze the male coupling arms 222 of the coupling structure 22 to disengage the stop edges 2222 of the male coupling arms 222 from the stop edges 1211 of the female coupling arms 12, allowing the male coupling arms 222 to be moved out of the coupling holes 120 of the female coupling arms 12. Because the female coupling arms 12 are not curved outwards, much pressure must be applied to the male coupling arms 222 of the coupling structure 22 to disengage the stop edges 2222 of the male coupling arms 222 from the stop edges 1211 of the female coupling arms 12. Therefore, the invention has the advantage of low insertion (plugging) force and high extraction (deplugging) force.

Referring to FIG. 2 again, the female buckle base 11 and the female coupling arms 12 of the female buckle member 1 may be respectively provided with a mounting leg 124 at the bottom side for fastening to a respective mounting through hole on a rod member, medical box, tool box or any container (not shown).

Further, sloping reinforcing ribs 1212 may be provided inside the coupling holes 120 of the female coupling arms 12 adjacent to the female buckle base 11 to reinforce the structural strength of the female coupling arms 12 without interfering with insertion of the male coupling arms 222 of the male buckle member 2, thereby shortening the elastic deformation range of the female coupling arms 12 and preventing permanent deformation of the female coupling arms 12 after plugging and deplugging several times or upon an overpressure.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate a side release buckle in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. This second embodiment is substantially similar to the aforesaid first embodiment with the exception that this second embodiment further comprises an adapter member 3 for securing the female buckle member 1 and the male buckle member 2 to an external object (not shown). The adapter member 3 may be fixedly provided at an object for securing the object to the female buckle member 1 and the male buckle member 2.

The adapter member 3 comprises an adapter base 31 and retaining means, for example, two sleeves 311 at two sides of the adapter base 31. The sleeves 311 each have a longitudinal through hole 3111 extending through the two distal ends for receiving the female coupling arms 12 of the female buckle member 1 respectively, and a side opening 3112 corresponding to the side openings 121 of the female coupling arms 12 respectively.

FIG. 8 is an exploded view of a side release buckle in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention. This third embodiment is substantially similar to the aforesaid second embodiment with the exception that the adapter member 3 of this third embodiment has a coupling device 32 formed integral with the adapter base 31 for securing a rod member. The coupling device 32 is a substantially U-shaped clamping plate, having a coupling groove 321 extending through its length and two beveled guide faces 322 bilaterally disposed above the coupling groove 321 for guiding a rod member into engagement with the coupling groove 321.

By means of the coupling device 32 of the adapter member 3, the male buckle member 1 and the female buckle member 2 are easily detachably connectable to a rod member, hook, belt or loop-like member of an article.

As stated above, the invention provides a side release buckle formed of a male buckle member 2 and a female buckle member 1. The female buckle member 1 comprises a female buckle base 11 and two female coupling arms 12 extending from the female buckle base 11 in a substantially parallel manner. The two female coupling arms 12 are spaced by a space 10, each having an axially extending coupling hole 120. When inserting the male buckle member 2 into the coupling holes 120 of the female coupling arms 12, the space 10 between the female coupling arms 12 allow elastic deformation of the female coupling arms 12 to lower the insertion force of the male buckle member 2. Further, in an alternate form of the present invention, an adapter member 3 is provided for securing the connected male buckle member 2 and the female buckle member 1 to an object.

Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A side release buckle comprising:

a female buckle member, said female buckle member comprising a female buckle base, an insertion slot cut through said female buckle base for the mounting of a belt member, and two female coupling arms respectively extending from two distal ends of said female buckle base in a parallel manner and spaced from each other by a space, said female coupling arms each having a coupling hole forwardly extending to a front end thereof and a side opening at an outer side; and

a male buckle member, said male buckle member comprising a male buckle base, an insertion slot cut through said male buckle base, two male coupling arms for insertion into said coupling holes of said female coupling arms to engage said side openings of said female coupling arms respectively, and two spring arms respectively connected between said male coupling arms and two distal ends of said male buckle base.

2. The side release buckle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said female coupling arms of said female buckle member each have a stop edge at a front side of said respective side opening; said male buckle member comprises two stop edges respectively connected between said male coupling arms and said spring arms for engagement with said stop edges of said female coupling arms of said female buckle member after insertion of said male coupling arms into said coupling holes of said female coupling arms.

3. The side release buckle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said female coupling arms of said female buckle member each comprise a sliding groove axially extending to said respective front end at an inner side for guiding said male coupling arms and said spring arms of said male buckle member into said coupling holes of said female coupling arms of said female buckle member.

4. The side release buckle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said female coupling arms each comprise a sloping reinforcing rib disposed inside said respective coupling hole adjacent to said female buckle base.

5. The side release buckle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said female buckle member comprise a plurality of mounting legs respectively provided at said female coupling arms and said female buckle base at a bottom side for fastening to a respective mounting through hole on an external object.

6. The side release buckle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said spring arms of said male buckle member each comprise a sliding rail longitudinally disposed at an inner side and defining a beveled guide face, and a positioning portion disposed at a rear side of said beveled guide face of said sliding rail.

7. The side release buckle as claimed in claim 6, wherein said spring arms of said male buckle member each further comprise a Ω-shaped buffer arm portion connected between said associating male coupling arm and said male buckle base at an outer side, and a buffer space defined between said sliding rail thereof and said Ω-shaped buffer arm portion.

8. The side release buckle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the male coupling arms of said male buckle member each have an outer sloping face.

9. The side release buckle as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an adapter member for securing said female buckle member to an external object, said adapter member comprising an adapter base set in said space between said two female coupling arms of said female buckle member, and retaining means provided at two sides of said adapter base for holding said female coupling arms.

10. The side release buckle as claimed in claim 9, wherein said retaining means comprises two sleeves fixedly provided at two sides of said adapter base and respectively sleeved onto said female coupling arms.