Abstract:
A helmet buckle having magnetic alignment reduces pinching caused by typical bicycle helmet buckles. The helmet buckle having magnetic alignment includes magnets in a base and a clip that align the parts to each other and help secure the buckle.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is based on and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/815,625 filed on Apr. 24, 2013, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to the field of helmet buckles. More particularly, the present invention relates to a helmet buckle that includes magnets for securely aligning the buckle. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Bicycle helmets are important pieces of safety equipment that are widely used by cyclists and “action sports” participants. Typical bicycle helmets are held onto a rider&#39;s head by a system of straps, including a chin strap that passes under a rider&#39;s chin to secure the helmet to the rider&#39;s head. A wide variety of buckles are used to secure the chin strap to the rest of the straps. Many bicycle helmets include “side release” buckles, similar to those found on backpacks and duffel bags. Side release buckles include a male buckle member and a female buckle member. The male buckle member typically includes a center guide portion and two spring arms spaced from the center rod. The two spring arms each have a retaining flange. The female buckle member has an open front side and two side holes that retain the retaining flanges of the spring arms when the male buckle member is inserted into the female buckle member. To release the typical side release buckle, a user presses on the two spring arms, thereby releasing the retaining flanges from the open side holes and allowing the male buckle member to be removed from the female buckle member. 
         [0004]    Existing side release buckles suffer from a number of shortfalls when used as a helmet buckle. Most notably, there are a number of pinch points present on standard side release buckles that have a tendency to pinch the user&#39;s chin or cheek when the buckle is engaged. Additionally, typical bicycle helmets place the buckle under the chin, which may prove difficult to locate if the user is helping a child put on a helmet. Finally, side release buckles are difficult, if not impossible, to use with only one hand. 
         [0005]    As such, there is a need for a buckle for a bicycle helmet that reduces the risk of pinching and is easy to locate for the user, especially when helping another, such as a child, secure their helmet. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The present invention is a buckle for attachment to a helmet that has straps. In one embodiment, the buckle is made of two parts: a base and a clip. The base includes a base magnet and is secured to one of the side straps. The clip includes a clip magnet and a retention flange. The clip is secured to the chin strap. The buckle is closed when the retention flange is removably engaged with the base. The clip is aligned to the base by magnetic force generated between the base magnet and the clip magnet. In some embodiments of the present invention, a pull tab is provided on the clip to facilitate removal of the clip from the base. In addition, the base may include a center body having at least one wing adjacent to the center body. The at least one wing may further include a tactile pattern to help a user find the center body by touch. 
         [0007]    It will be understood by those skilled in the art that one or more aspects of this invention can meet certain objectives, while one or more other aspects can lead to certain other objectives. Other objects, features, benefits and advantages of the present invention will be apparent in this summary and descriptions of the disclosed embodiment, and will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Such objects, features, benefits and advantages will be apparent from the above as taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures and all reasonable inferences to be drawn therefrom. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a bicycle helmet including one embodiment of a helmet buckle with magnetic alignment in accordance with the invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the embodiment of a helmet buckle with magnetic alignment of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is another perspective view of the helmet buckle with magnetic alignment of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a front view of the helmet buckle with magnetic alignment of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a side view of the helmet buckle with magnetic alignment of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the clip of the helmet buckle with magnetic alignment of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the base of the helmet buckle with magnetic alignment of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  is another perspective view of the helmet buckle with magnetic alignment of  FIG. 1  showing the buckle in a closed position; 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  is another perspective view of the helmet buckle with magnetic alignment of  FIG. 1  showing the clip being removed from the base; 
           [0017]      FIG. 10  is another perspective view of the helmet buckle with magnetic alignment of  FIG. 1  showing the clip removed from the base; 
           [0018]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of another embodiment of a helmet buckle with magnetic alignment in accordance with the invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 12  is another perspective view of the helmet buckle with magnetic alignment of  FIG. 11  showing the buckle in a closed position; 
           [0020]      FIG. 13  is another perspective view of the helmet buckle with magnetic alignment of  FIG. 11  showing the clip being removed from the base; and 
           [0021]      FIG. 14  is another perspective view of the helmet buckle with magnetic alignment of  FIG. 11  showing the clip removed from the base. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0022]      FIGS. 1-5  show one embodiment of a helmet buckle with magnetic alignment  200  in accordance with the invention. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the helmet buckle with magnetic alignment  200  is typically attached to a bicycle helmet  100 . In the embodiment shown, the helmet buckle with magnetic alignment  200  has a base  202  and a clip  204 . The base  202  is attached to side strap  206 , and the clip  204  is attached to chin strap  208 . Unlike typical bicycle helmets that have two-part chin straps with a buckle located under the rider&#39;s chin, the bicycle helmet  100  has a one part chin strap  208  and the buckle with magnetic alignment  200  is located at the base of the side strap  206 . 
         [0023]    Turning now to  FIGS. 2-5 , the helmet buckle the base  202  has two wings  210 , each wing including a wing slot  212  through which the side straps  206  pass, thereby attaching the base to the side straps. In the embodiment shown, each wing  210  also includes a texture pattern  214  to help users locate the base  202  by feel. As shown, the texture pattern  214  is a series of raised bumps, but any other texture may be used without departing from the invention. In addition, the base  202  may be attached to the side straps  206  by any suitable means without departing from the invention. Between the wings  210  is a center body  216  that includes a base magnet  218 . 
         [0024]    The clip  204  includes a clip magnet  220  that is attracted to the base magnet  218  and aligns the clip to the base  202  when the helmet buckle with magnetic alignment  200  is closed. The clip  204  also includes a retention flange  220  that engages the center body  216  when the helmet buckle with magnetic alignment  200  is closed. The clip  204  has a strap slot  222  that the chin strap  208  passes through, thereby attaching the clip to the chin strap. The clip  204  may be attached to the chin strap by any other suitable means without departing from the invention. The clip  204  also optionally includes a pull tab slot  224  through which a pull tab  226  (see  FIG. 1 ) made of any suitable material may be attached. Alternatively, a rigid pull tab may be formed as an integral part of the clip  204 . In the embodiment shown, a non-rigid pull tab reduces the chance of inadvertently disengaging the buckle  200  by bumping the pull tab  226 . 
         [0025]    To attach the clip  204  to the base  202 , a user hooks the retention flange  220  over the center body  216 . Placing the retention flange  220  over the center body  216  causes the base magnet  218  and the clip magnet  220  to align to each other and draw the clip  204  onto the base  202 . 
         [0026]    Turning now to  FIGS. 8-10 , the removal of the clip  204  from the base  202  is shown. To remove the clip  204  from the base  202 , the user simply pulls on the pull tab  226  to disengage the retention flange  220  from the center body  216 . Alternatively, the clip  204  may be removed from the base  202  by simply pulling on the clip itself, rather than using the pull tab  226 . All that is required is for the retention flange  220  to be disengaged from the center body  216 , which is achieved upon disruption of the alignment of the base magnet  218  and the clip magnet  220 . 
         [0027]    Referring to  FIGS. 11-14 , another embodiment of a buckle with magnetic alignment  400  is shown. In this embodiment, the buckle with magnetic alignment  400  has a base  402  and a clip  404 . The base  402  has two wings  406 , each wing including a wing slot  407  through which the side straps pass, thereby attaching the base to the side straps  206 . As in the previous embodiment, the base  402  may be attached to the side straps  206  by any other suitable means without departing from the invention. Between the wings  406  is a center body  408  that includes a base magnet  410 . At the bottom of the base  402  is a retention flange  412  that engages the clip  404  when the buckle with magnetic alignment  400  is closed. 
         [0028]    The clip  404  includes a clip magnet  414  that is attracted to the base magnet and aligns the clip to the base  402  when the buckle with magnetic alignment  400  is closed. The clip  404  has a strap slot  416  that the chin strap  208  passes through, thereby attaching the clip to the chin strap. As in the previous embodiment, the clip  404  may be attached to the chin strap  208  by any suitable means without departing from the invention. In the embodiment shown, the clip  404  includes a pull tab slot  418  through which a pull tab  420  made of any suitable material is attached. Alternatively, a rigid pull tab may be formed as an integral part of the clip  404 . In the embodiment shown, a non-rigid pull tab  420  reduces the chance of inadvertently disengaging the buckle with magnetic aliment  400  by bumping the pull tab. 
         [0029]    To attach the clip  404  to the base  402 , a user hooks the clip over the retention flange  412 . Placing the clip  404  over the retention flange  412  causes the base magnet  410  and the clip magnet  414  to align to each other and draw the clip  404  onto the base  402 . 
         [0030]    Turning now to  FIGS. 12-14 , the removal of the clip  404  from the base  402  is shown. To remove the clip  404  from the base  402 , the user simply pulls on the pull tab  420  to disengage the retention flange  412  from the clip  404 . 
         [0031]    Although the invention has been herein described in what is perceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific embodiments set forth above. Rather, it is recognized that modifications may be made by one of skill in the art of the invention without departing from the spirit or intent of the invention and, therefore, the invention is to be taken as including all reasonable equivalents to the subject matter of the appended claims and the description of the invention herein.