Patent ID: 6360404
Filing Date: 2002-03-26
Classification: A01K,A42B,A44B,Y10T

Abstract:
A safety release break-away buckle for detachably connecting first and second halves of the break-away buckle relative to each other, the buckle connecting first and second ends of a strap, the buckle consisting essentially of:(a) a lug having a first end and a second end, the lug mounted at the first end on the first half, the lug having an outer contour and size; (b) a non round keeper having a length and a width mounted on a second end of the lug; (c) a resilient clamp mounted on the second half, the clamp having a pair of spaced apart first and second jaws, the jaws cooperatively defining a resilient tip portion; i) a gap at the resilient tip portion of the jaws; ii) a non round opening positioned in the resilient clamp, the non round opening being in communication with the resilient tip portion, the non round opening being dimensioned with a width and length to receive the non round keeper of the lug even after twisting said safety release will still be released, when the opening and the keeper are in alignment, the width of the opening being less than the length of the keeper in at least one area of non alignment; iii) the tip portion being contoured to be smaller than the outer contour and size of the lug, but sufficiently resilient to allow the lug to pass through when a predetermined tension is applied to the safety release break-away buckle in order to free the wearer from said strap.