Patent ID: 7874049
Filing Date: 2011-01-25
Classification: A44B,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A buckle comprising a male member, a latching member, and a first body, the latching member being pivotally coupled to the first body to define a female assembly for receiving the male member, wherein the male member comprises in one molded structure: a second body, a guide plate, and an engaging leg, the second body having a height extending from an undersurface to an uppersurface at opposing side walls, the guide plate extending from the second body and having a leading end furthest from said second body, the guide plate having an undersurface elevated relative to the second body undersurface and having an uppersurface recessed relative to said second body uppersurface, the engaging leg having an engaging face extending from the guide plate upper surface to a leg height and having an incline surface inclining from said leg height back to said guide plate upper surface toward the guide plate leading edge; wherein the latching member comprises in one molded structure: an upper plate, a first and a second sidewall, a latching wall, a first pivot, and a second pivot, the upper plate having an uppersurface defining an upper outer surface of the female assembly, the upper plate having a length from a first end to an opposite second end, the latching wall located at an upper plate undersurface toward the first end, the first and second sidewalls located at opposite side edges of the upper plate and having a height exceeding a thickness of the upper plate, the first pivot located along the first sidewall, the second pivot located along the second sidewall, the latching wall being configured to engage with the engaging leg; wherein the first body comprises in one molded structure: a bottom plate, third and fourth sidewalls, an elastic member, a third pivot and a fourth pivot, the bottom plate configured to guide and receive the guide plate of the male member at an upper surface of the bottom plate, the third and fourth sidewalls located at opposite side edges of the bottom plate and having a height exceeding a thickness of the bottom plate, the third pivot located along the third sidewall, the fourth pivot located along the fourth sidewall, the first and third pivots mating and the second and fourth pivots mating to define a pivot axis about which the latching member is pivotally coupled to the first body, the pivot axis occurring at an intermediate portion of the first, second, third and fourth sidewalls which, relative to the length of the upper plate, is offset from both the first end and second end of the upper plate, the elastic member having a proximal end at an upper surface of the bottom plate and extending to a distal end contacting the upper plate along the length of the upper plate at a location between the pivot axis and the second end; and wherein when the male member is buckled to the female assembly, the elastic member supports the upper plate toward the second end to maintain the latching member pivoted with the latching wall engaged to the engaging leg, and wherein when force is applied downward at the upper plate second end the latching member pivots about the pivot axis pushing the elastic member distal end downward toward the bottom plate upper surface and elevating the latching wall relative to the engaging leg.