Quick release buckle assembly

Abstract

A quick release buckle assembly has a male portion and a female portion. The male portion is inserted into the female portion to lock the buckle assembly together. The male buckle portion is connected to a cable. Pulling the cable with sufficient force causes the male portion to release from the female portion. Several buckle assemblies can be simultaneously released if the cables are connected to a single handle. Pulling on the handle then releases all of the male portions at once.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/456,069, filed on Jun. 11, 2009.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a quick release buckle system. In particular, the invention relates to a quick-release buckle system that can be used on articles of clothing such as cut away vest that need to be quickly and easily removed by the wearer.

2. The Prior Art

Cut away vests are often worn by members of the military and law enforcement agencies to aid the wearer in carrying gear, as well as to protect against bullets and other impacts. These vests, especially when loaded with armor plating, can be very heavy and cumbersome to wear. Therefore it is a requirement that the vests be easily removable by the wearer, in case the wearer must be mobile in an emergency, and especially in case of submersion in water.

In the past, these vests have been constructed of several separate pieces that are held together by a cable system. An example of this system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 7,243,376 to Johnson. A strap is threaded through each piece, with a hole in each strap. The holes are then lined up, and a cable is threaded through each hole. A loop on one of the pieces is threaded through the overlapping holes, and a cable is then fed through the loop, keeping all of the pieces joined together. In an emergency, the cable is pulled out, thus releasing all of the pieces simultaneously. This system works well to free the wearer from the vest, but it is extremely difficult to re-assemble the vest after use, so the vests are generally discarded after a single use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a quick-release buckle system that can be used on articles of clothing that need to be quickly removed, such as a cut away vest, so that the vest can be re-used for further operations. A version of this cut-away vest is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/456,069, the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference.

This and other objects are achieved by a quick release buckle assembly having a male portion that is inserted into a female portion. Each male buckle portion is connected to a cable. A sharp pull on the cable causes the male portion to release from the female portion to separate the buckle assembly.

In one embodiment of the buckle assembly according to the invention, each female portion comprises a hollow body with a front wall, a back wall, an open top, a cavity between the front and back walls and at least one locking slot extending through the hollow body and communicating with the cavity. Each male portion comprises a base with at least one locking leg and a central leg, such that inserting the male part into the open top of the female part causes the locking leg to engage the locking slot to lock the male portion to the female portion, as is the case with traditional side-release buckles. In a preferred embodiment, each male portion has two locking arms and each female portion has two locking slots. The male portion also can be released in the traditional manner: by pinching the locking legs together until they clear the locking slots in the female portion. However, the buckle used in the present invention has an additional feature. In this buckle, there are means for moving the locking leg toward the central leg to release the male portion—from the female portion when the cable is pulled.

The means for moving the locking leg toward the central leg can comprise a pulling assembly slidably mounted within the central leg and connected to the cable in the male portion, and arms or a strap connected one to each of the locking legs and to the pulling assembly, such that pulling on the cable causes the pulling assembly to slide away from ends of the locking legs and central leg and pull the locking legs toward the central leg. When the locking legs are pulled toward the central leg, they clear the locking slots of the female buckle portion, and the male and female portions are thus released from each other.

In one embodiment, the two locking legs can be connected by an integrally molded strap. The cable mechanism can be guided through the center leg channel and connected towards the middle of the strap. When the cable is pulled, the strap pulls down and swings the legs inwards. The strap may have different interface configurations to attach to the cable.

In another embodiment, there is a molded hollow receptacle in the middle of the strap, whereby an end piece of the cable will interface. In yet another embodiment, the cable mechanism can guide up through the center leg and split to two separate cables, each one directly connected to each leg.

The buckle assembly according to the invention has the advantage that several buckle assemblies can be connected via their cables, so that a single pull can release all of the connected buckle assemblies at the same time. For example, the cables of each of the male portions can be attached to a single handle, so that pulling the handle releases all of the buckle assemblies simultaneously. This allows a device that is being held together by several buckles to be immediately disassembled with a single motion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood however, that the drawings are designed as an illustration only and not as a definition of the limits of the invention.

In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of the buckle assembly according to the invention in an assembled position;

FIG. 2 shows the buckle assembly of FIG. 1 after release of the male portion;

FIG. 3 shows one example of a male portion of the buckle assembly according to the invention;

FIG. 4 shows the male buckle portion of FIG. 3 when the cable is pulled;

FIG. 5 shows another example of the male buckle portion according to the invention;

FIG. 6 shows the male buckle portion of FIG. 5 when the cable is pulled;

FIG. 7 shows another example of the male buckle portion according to the invention;

FIG. 8 shows the male buckle portion of FIG. 7 when the cable is pulled;

FIG. 9 shows yet another example of the male buckle portion according to the invention;

FIG. 10 shows the male buckle portion of FIG. 9 when the cable is pulled;

FIG. 11 shows a cut away vest containing several buckle assemblies according to the invention; and

FIG. 12 shows the cut away vest according to FIG. 11 in a disassembled position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now in detail to the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2 show a buckle assembly 20, which consists of a male buckle portion 30 connected to a female buckle portion 40. Female buckle portion 40 has a hollow main body 41 having a cavity with an open top 42 and two side slots 43, which accommodate locking legs 34 of male portion 30 when male portion 30 is inserted into open top 42 of female portion 40. The inserted section of male portion 30 has an overall width that is greater than the width of female portion 40 in the area of the locking slots, so that once male portion 30 is inserted through female portion 40, locking legs 34 snap into slots 43 to lock male portion 30 into female portion 40. Locking legs 34 have a stop 39, which prevents locking legs 34 from exiting slots 43 and inadvertently releasing male portion 30 from female portion 40 under minor tension. Male buckle portion 30 is connected at its base 33 to a cable 31. Cable 31 can then be attached to a handle (see FIG. 11).

Male buckle portion 30 is configured so that a hard pull on cable 31 causes male buckle portion 30 to disengage from the corresponding female portion 40.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show one embodiment of a male buckle portion 30 according to the invention. Male buckle portion 30 comprises a base 33, two flexible locking legs 34 and a central leg 35 with a guide channel. Within the guide channel of central leg 35 is a slidable pulling mechanism 36. Connected to mechanism 36 and to locking legs 34 are two pulling arms 37. Also connected to mechanism 36 is cable 31 disposed inside a cable sleeve 32. Cable sleeve 23 surrounds cable 31 and is attached to male buckle portion 30. Cable 31 is slidably movable within cable sleeve 32, so that cable sleeve 32 can be fixed in position on an article of clothing or luggage, and cable 31 is still movable within cable sleeve 32.

In use, pulling on cable 31 causes pulling mechanism 36 to slide back away from locking legs 34. This pulls arms 37 downward, and pulls locking legs 34 inward, as shown in FIG. 4. This inward motion of locking legs 34 causes locking legs 34 to clear locking slots 43 on female buckle portion 40 to release male buckle portion 30 from female buckle portion 40 when the two buckle portions are assembled together.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show an alternative embodiment of male buckle portion 30. In this embodiment, cable 31 is connected to a Y-shaped pulling mechanism 336. This can be a hollow structure through which cable 31 is threaded and splits into arms 337, which are connected to locking legs 34 through aperture 339 and knob 338. Alternatively, cable 31 can be attached to an end of mechanism 336, with arms 337 attached to the two Y-arms of mechanism 336. As with the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4, pulling on cable 31 causes pulling mechanism 336 to slide back away from locking legs 34. This causes arms 337 to pull locking legs 34 inward, as shown in FIG. 6. The inward motion of locking legs 34 causes locking legs 34 to be released from locking slots 41 in female buckle portion 40, to release male buckle portion 30 from female buckle portion 40.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show another embodiment of male buckle portion 30. In this embodiment, a connecting strap 437 extends between locking legs 34. A pulling mechanism 436 is slidably disposed in central leg 35 and is attached to a center of connecting strap 437. As shown in FIG. 8, when cable 31 is pulled, pulling mechanism 436 pulls strap 437 downward and causes locking legs 34 to be pressed inward, to release locking legs 34 from female portion 40.

FIGS. 9 and 10 show yet another embodiment of male buckle portion 30. In this embodiment, a hollow receptacle 538 is integrally molded into straps 537, which connect locking legs 34 to each other. Within hollow receptacle 538 is a pulling mechanism 536, which is connected to cable 31. Pulling on cable 31 pulls straps 537 downward and causes locking legs 34 to be pressed inward, as shown in FIG. 10. This allows male buckle portion 30 to be released from female buckle portion 40.

The buckle assemblies 20 are configured so that a significant amount of force, i.e., a hard tug on the cable, is needed to separate the male portion from the female portion, to prevent inadvertent disengagement of the buckle assembly during use.

Other buckle assemblies could also be envisioned within the scope of the invention. All that is required is that the male portion be releasable from the female portion by pulling on the cable.

FIGS. 11 and 12 show a cut away vest containing several of the buckle assemblies according to the invention. One of the advantages of the buckle assembly according to the invention is that several buckle assemblies can be released simultaneously with a single movement, if all of the cables lead to a single destination. In FIG. 11, vest 10 has a front vest piece 11 and a rear vest piece 21, which are connected to each other via four buckle assemblies. Each of male portions 30 are connected to front vest piece 11, and each of female portions 40 are attached to rear vest piece 21. Cables 31 for each male portion 30 are run through a cable sheath 32, which is attached to front vest piece 11. Cables 31 are slidable within cable sheath 32. The ends of cables 31 run underneath patch 16 and are all connected to a single handle 17. Pulling on handle 17 thus pulls all four cables 31 and releases all four male portions 30, as shown in FIG. 12, and as described with respect to FIGS. 3-10. This causes shoulder sections 12, 13 of front vest piece 11 to separate from shoulder sections 22, 23 of rear vest piece 21, and waist sections 14, 15 of front vest piece 11 to separate from waist sections 24, 25 of rear vest piece 21, to completely disassemble vest 10 in one motion.

The buckle assembly according to the invention can be used as a single buckle, or for any application where several buckles need to be released simultaneously.

Accordingly, while only a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it is obvious that many changes and modifications may be made thereunto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A quick-release buckle assembly, comprising:

a female portion comprising a hollow body with a front wall, a back wall, a cavity between the front and back walls, an open top communicating with the cavity, and at least one locking slot extending through the hollow body and communicating with the cavity;

a male portion comprising a base, and at least one locking leg, such that inserting the male portion into the cavity through the open top of the female portion causes the at least one locking leg to engage the at least one locking slot to lock the male portion to the female portion;

a cable connected to the male portion; and

means for moving the at least one locking leg out of the at least one locking slot, said means being actuated by pulling the cable, to release the male portion from the female portion.

2. The buckle assembly according to claim 1, wherein each male portion has two locking legs and each female portion has two locking slots.

3. The buckle assembly according to claim 2, wherein the male buckle portion has a central leg, and wherein the means for moving the locking legs out of the locking slots comprises a pulling assembly slidably mounted within the central leg and connected to the cable, and two arms connected one to each of the locking legs and to the pulling assembly, such that pulling on the cable causes the pulling assembly to slide away from ends of the locking legs and central leg and pull the locking legs toward the central leg to release the male portion from the female portion.

4. The buckle assembly according to claim 3, wherein the pulling assembly is mounted within a channel in the central leg.

5. The buckle assembly according to claim 4, wherein the pulling assembly is a Y-shaped body, and wherein the arms are integrally formed with the cable and connected to the locking legs through an aperture in each of the locking legs.

6. The buckle assembly according to claim 1, wherein there are two locking legs, said locking legs being connected to each other by an integrally formed strap, and wherein the means for moving the locking legs is a pulling assembly that is connected to the strap and to the cable, such that pulling on the cable moves the pulling assembly and strap downward, and forces the locking legs to move toward each other.

7. The buckle assembly according to claim 6, wherein the strap has a hollow receptacle, and wherein the pulling assembly is disposed within the hollow receptacle and connected to the cable.

8. The buckle assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a cable sleeve surrounding the cable, said cable sleeve being attached to the male buckle portion, wherein the cable is slidable within the cable sleeve.

9. A buckle system comprising:

at least two buckle assemblies, each buckle assembly comprising: (a) a female portion comprising a hollow body with a front wall, a back wall, a cavity between the front and back walls, an open top communicating with the cavity, and at least one locking slot extending through the hollow body and communicating with the cavity; (b) a male portion comprising a base, and at least one locking leg, such that inserting the male portion into the cavity through the open top of the female portion causes the at least one locking leg to engage the at least one locking slot to lock the male portion to the female portion; (c) a cable connected to the male portion; and (d) means for moving the at least one locking leg out of the at least one locking slot, said means being actuated by pulling the cable; and

a single handle connected to ends of all of the cables,

wherein pulling the handle actuates the means for moving the at least one locking leg of all of the buckle assemblies to simultaneously to release the male portions from the female portions.

10. The buckle system according to claim 9, wherein each cable is slidably disposed inside a cable sheath.

11. The buckle system according to claim 9, wherein there are four buckle assemblies.

12. The buckle system according to claim 9, wherein each male portion has a central leg, and wherein the means for moving the at least one locking leg is disposed within the central leg, and moves the at least one locking leg toward the central leg when the cable is pulled.