Patent ID: 7331088
Filing Date: 2008-02-19
Classification: A44B,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A buckle assembly comprising: a first housing comprising first lateral walls, each lateral wall having a base end and a forward end, said first housing further comprising locking arms integrally connected with said first lateral walls such that movement of said first lateral walls causes a corresponding movement in said locking arms, said locking arms being inwardly disposed with respect to said first lateral walls, each locking arm including a base portion and an extending portion, said base portions being integrally connected to one another, while said extending portions are separated from one another by a space therebetween; a second housing comprising second lateral walls, said second housing further comprising an interior mating cavity defined by said second lateral walls, said interior mating cavity including a guide rib, said second housing securely retaining said first housing in a mated position, said locking arms being securely retained within said interior mating cavity in the mated position, said guide rib located within said space of said first housing in the mated position, said space of said first housing being further defined as having open spaces between opposite sides of said guide rib and said associated extending portions of said locking arms in the mated position, said first housing disengaging from said second housing through manipulation of said first lateral walls at any location along said first lateral walls, wherein the manipulation of said first lateral walls causes said first housing to disengage from said second housing, such that during manipulation of said first lateral walls for disengaging said first housing from said second housing, said open spaces of said first housing change at least all along said guide rib; and wherein said locking arms comprise mating tips having lateral surfaces and grooves, and wherein said second lateral walls comprise locking ledges within said mating cavity, said locking ledges being retained by said grooves in the mated position, said mating tips being located forward of said forward ends of said first lateral walls.