QUICK RELEASE BUCKLE

Abstract

A quick release buckle includes male and female members which are fastened together via a hinge connection. The male member includes a laterally extending pin which fits within a recess in the top front portion of the female member. The recess includes and undercut portion for receiving and retaining the male member pin. Both members include laterally extending top bars on the upper surfaces thereof. Pinching the top bars together releases the male member pin from the female member recess to unfasten the buckle.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Accuracy in archery can be enhanced through the use of a bow release. Typically, the bow release includes a trigger mechanism which opens opposed jaws to release a bowstring. For convenience, a bow release is connected with a wrist strap which is worn by the archer. Such straps may be cumbersome to attach or adjust. The present invention relates to an improved buckle system quickly mounting and releasing a wrist strap to an archer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Conventional wrist straps have a buckle, such as a belt type buckle at one end for receiving and retaining the free end of the strap. The strap is wrapped around the wrist and the free end is inserted into the buckle. The free end contains a plurality of longitudinally spaced openings for receiving a clasp or arm of the buckle. When the strap is pulled tight, the clasp is inserted into the appropriate opening in the free end of the strap and the free end is secured.

While such devices operate satisfactorily, they are cumbersome to operate and adjust. In addition, the area of the strap which passes through and engages the buckle becomes worn over time, thereby limiting the life of the strap.

The present invention was developed in order to overcome these and other drawbacks of the prior straps and buckles by providing a quick release buckle which is easy to use for attaching and detaching a wrist strap, particularly for an archery release.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the invention to provide a buckle having male and female members which are configured to be quickly connected and disconnected. The female member has front and rear portions and top and bottom surfaces. The front portion contains a laterally extending recess in the top surface. The female member further includes a top bar extending upwardly from the top surface rearward of the recess. The male member also has front and rear portions and top and bottom surfaces. The male member includes a pin extending from the rear portion and a top bar extending upwardly from the top surface. When the pin of the male member is arranged in the recess of the female member, the buckle is fastened. When the top bars of the male and female members are pressed toward each other, the pin is ejected from the recess to unfasten the buckle.

The pin and recess of the male and female members are configured to provide a hinge connection therebetween. More particularly, the recess extends toward to the front portion of the female member at least partially beneath the top surface to define an undercut portion for receiving the pin. The pin has a generally cylindrical configuration and extends laterally relative to the male member. The diameter of the pin is slightly less than the width of the recess for a snug fit connection.

According to a preferred embodiment, the buckle is used to connect the ends of a strap such as a wrist strap. Thus, the top bars of the male and female members contain lateral openings for receiving opposite ends of the strap, respectively. In addition, the male member front portion also contains a lateral opening for the strap. Between the openings, the male member includes an upwardly extending central peg which is inserted into a selected opening in the strap to position the male member in a desired location on the strap. The rear portion of the female member contains a slot which is open at one side to define a laterally extending arm of the female member. The arm is inserted into a loop at the other end of the strap to connect the female member therewith. When the male and female members are fastened, the strap may be mounted on the wrist, with the strap being adjustable in accordance with the arrangement of the male member relative to the spaced openings in the strap.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification when viewed in the light of the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a buckle according to the invention in an unfastened condition;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are top and side plan views, respectively, of the unfastened buckle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a bottom perspective view of the female member of the buckle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the buckle female member;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the buckle female member taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a detailed view of the rear portion of the buckle female member taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a bottom perspective view of the male member of the buckle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the male member taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 2

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the buckle according to the invention in a fastened condition;

FIGS. 11 and 12 are top and side plan views, respectively, of the fastened buckle of FIG. 10;

FIG. 13. is a perspective view of a buckle mounted on a strap in an unfastened condition; and

FIG. 14 is a front view of a buckle mounted on a strap in a fastened condition.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the quick release buckle 2 according to the invention includes a female member 4 and a male member 6 which are designed to be fastened via a hinge connection as will be developed in greater detail below.

The female member is shown in greater detail in FIGS. 4-7. It has a front portion 4a and a rear portion 4b, a top surface 4c and a bottom surface 4d. The front portion is partially cut away to define an opening 8. In addition, the front portion contains a recess 10 in the top surface. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the recess extends laterally relative to the female member and intercepts the cut away opening 8. The ends of the recess extend through the sides of the female member via openings 12. The recess includes an undercut portion 10a which extends forwardly at least partially beneath the top surface on opposite sides of the opening 8 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. The front wall of the female member defining the undercut recess preferably has a concave configuration. Similarly, rear wall of the female member defining the rear portion of the recess is also concave as will be explained below.

The female member 4 also includes a top bar 14 extending upwardly from the top surface. The top bar extends laterally across the female member and is arranged rearward of the recess. The top bar contains an opening 16 for receiving a strap or other mechanism which is to be fastened by the buckle.

The rear portion 4b of the female member contains a lateral slot 18 which is open toward one side of the female member as shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 4, and 5. The slot defines a laterally extending arm 20. The female member may be connected with a loop in a strap by inserting the arm within the loop. The end portion 20a of the arm is offset to assist with retaining the arm within the strap loop so that the female member is retained thereon.

The male member 6 is shown more particularly in FIGS. 8 and 9. It includes a front portion 6a and a rear portion 6b, a top surface 6c and a bottom surface 6d. The male member further includes a pin 22 which extends from the rear portion 6b and a top bar 24 which extends upwardly from the top surface 6a and laterally relative to the male member. The top bar contains an opening 26 for receiving a strap as will be developed below.

The pin 22 extends laterally relative to the male member and has a generally cylindrical configuration. The diameter of the pin is slightly less than the width of the recess 10 in the female member. Accordingly, the recess is configured to receive the pin to connect the male and female members of the buckle as shown in FIGS. 10-12. When the pin is arranged in the recess, the buckle is in a fastened condition. When the top bars 14 and 24 of the female and male members are pressed toward each other, the pin is ejected from the recess to unfasten the buckle.

The female member recess and male member pin are configured to provide a hinge connection therebetween. As noted above, the wall portions of the female member which define the recess 10 are concave. The curvature of the wall portions matches the outer surface of the pin of the male member. The male member pin 22 is positioned within the undercut portion 10a of the female member recess and the end portions of the pin are retained in the undercut portion 10a by the overhanging top surface of the front portion 4a of the female member 4 as shown in FIG. 11.

The hinge connection between the male and female members prevents the buckle from becoming unintentionally unfastened, such as when the buckle is bumped. Only when the top bars of the male and female members are pinched together will the pin of the male member be disengaged from the recess of the female member. A slight upward movement while pinching the top bars together will assist the pin from exiting the recess. Because of the configuration of the walls adjacent the recess and the curvature of the pin surface, pinching of the top bars causes the pin to be ejected from the recess to unfasten the buckle.

The male member 6 further includes an opening 28 in the front portion thereof for receiving a strap and a peg 30 which extends upwardly from the male member top surface 6c rearwardly of the opening 28. The peg is designed to insertion in a selected opening in a strap to fix the male member is a selected location on the strap.

The use of the buckle according to the invention with a strap is shown in FIGS. 13 and 14. The strap 32 is preferably a wrist strap suitable for use by archers. The strap includes a cord for connecting a string release device (not shown) therewith. One end of the strap contains a plurality of spaced openings 34 and the other end of the strap contains a loop 36. The male member 6 of the buckle is connected with the end of the strap containing the spaced openings. The strap free end is first passed upwardly from the bottom side 6d of the male member, through the opening 28 in the front portion 6a of the male member, across the top surface 6c, and then through the opening 26 in the top bar 24. The male member is thus slid along the length of the strap to a desired location. At this location, the peg 30 is inserted into the closest opening 34 in the strap to secure the male member in position. The female member is connected with the loop 36 of the strap by inserting the arm 20 of the female member through the loop, with the loop being retained within the slot 18 in the rear portion of the female member.

The strap is arranged around the wrist of the user and the pin 22 of the male member is inserted into the recess 10 of the female member to fasten the buckle. The strap free end 32 is passed through the opening 16 in the female member 4 for added safety and to prevent the pin of the male member from unhinging from the recess of the female member. The tension of the strap serves to safely retain the pin within the undercut portion of the recess and prevent unintentional disengagement of the buckle members.

The male and female members are preferably formed of a rigid lightweight material such as metal. Because the attachment is between metal parts, the life of the strap is extended significantly. There is less deterioration of the strap at the area where its ends are connected and wear and tear of the strap is avoided. In addition, the strength of the strap is maintained. Moreover, the strap is adjustable to fit different sized users by simply re-positioning the male member along the length of the strap. Once so positioned, the strap is consistently retained in the desired size for a particular user.

The buckle according to the invention can also be applied to existing straps by simply removing the original buckle and connecting the male and female members of the buckle with the ends of the strap as set forth above.

While the preferred forms and embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without deviating from the inventive concepts set forth above.

Claims

1. A buckle, comprising

(a) a female member having front and rear portions and top and bottom surfaces, said front portion containing a recess; and

(b) a male member having front and rear portions and top and bottom surfaces, said male member including a pin extending from said rear portion thereof, whereby when said pin of said male member is arranged in said recess of said female member, the buckle is in a fastened condition and when said male and female members are pressed toward each other, said pin is ejected from said recess to unfasten the buckle.

2. A buckle as defined in claim 1, wherein said recess extends laterally relative to said female member.

3. A buckle as defined in claim 2, wherein said pin extends laterally relative to said male member.

4. A buckle as defined in claim 1, wherein said recess is contained in said female member top surface.

5. A buckle as defined in claim 1, wherein said recess extends toward said front portion of said female member to define an undercut portion of said recess beneath said top surface for receiving said elongated pin, thereby providing a hinge connection between said male and female members.

6. A buckle as defined in claim 5, wherein said pin extends laterally relative to said male member and has a cylindrical configuration with a diameter slightly less than the width of said recess.

7. A buckle as defined in claim 1, wherein said female member includes a top bar extending upwardly from said top surface rearward of said recess and said male member includes a top bar extending upwardly from said top surface, whereby when said top bars are pressed toward each other, said pin is ejected from said recess to unfasten the buckle.

8. A buckle as defined in claim 7, wherein said top bars of said male and female members each contain openings for receiving a strap.

9. A buckle as defined in claim 8, wherein said male member front portion contains a lateral opening for receiving a strap.

10. A buckle as defined in claim 9, wherein said male member top surface contains a central peg extending upwardly therefrom, said peg being arranged between said lateral opening and said top bar opening, said peg being inserted into a selected opening in the strap to prevent movement of the male member relative to the strap.

11. A buckle as defined in claim 10, wherein said rear portion of said female member contains a slot open at one side of said female member to define a laterally extending arm of said female member, said arm being arranged in a loop of a strap to connect said female member with the strap.

12. Apparatus for connecting an archery string release device with the wrist of an archer, comprising

(a) an elongated strap having a first end containing a plurality of spaced openings and a second end containing a loop with a release device connected with the strap intermediate the ends thereof;

(b) a quick release buckle assembly for connecting the ends of said strap, said buckle assembly including (1) a female member connected with said second end of said strap and having front and rear portions and top and bottom surfaces, said front portion containing a recess in said top surface; and (2) a male member connected with said first end of said strap and having front and rear portions and top and bottom surfaces, said male member including a pin extending from said rear portion thereof, whereby when said pin of said male member is arranged in said recess of said female member, the buckle is in a fastened condition and when said male and female members are pressed toward each other, said pin is ejected from said recess to unfasten the buckle.

13. Apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein said recess extends laterally relative to said female member.

14. Apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein said pin extends laterally relative to said male member.

15. A buckle as defined in claim 1, wherein said recess is contained in said female member top surface.

16. Apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein said recess extends toward said front portion of said female member to define an undercut portion of said recess beneath said top surface for receiving said elongated pin, thereby providing a hinge connection between said male and female members.

17. Apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein said pin extends laterally relative to said male member and has a cylindrical configuration with a diameter slightly less than the width of said recess.

18. Apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein said female member includes a top bar extending upwardly from said top surface rearward of said recess and said male member includes a top bar extending upwardly from said top surface, whereby when said top bars are pressed toward each other, said pin is ejected from said recess to unfasten the buckle.

19. Apparatus as defined in claim 18, wherein said top bars of said male and female members each contain openings for receiving said strap.

20. Apparatus as defined in claim 19, wherein said male member front portion contains a lateral opening for receiving said strap and said male member top surface contains a central peg extending upwardly therefrom, said peg being arranged between said lateral opening and said top bar opening, said peg being inserted into a selected opening in the strap to adjust the position of the male member thereon.

21. Apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein said rear portion of said female member contains a slot open at one side of said female member to define a laterally extending arm of said female member, said arm being arranged in said loop of said strap.