Abstract:
A side release buckle includes a male buckle member, a female buckle member for engagement with the male buckle member, a first decorative member fastened to the male buckle member by a hook joint, and a second decorative member fastened to the female buckle member and adapted to show with the first decorative member a particular character design after connection of the male buckle member to the female buckle member.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to buckles and, more particularly, to a side release buckle, which has decorative members respectively fastened to the male and female buckle members to show a particular character design after connection of the male buckle member to the female buckle member. 
     Various belt buckles have been developed for use in collars, harnesses, baby shoulder bags, backpacks, helmets, shoes, safety jackets, fastening straps for cargo and passenger, etc. FIG. 1 shows a design of belt buckle. This design of belt buckle is also called as “side release buckle” because it is to be released from the sides. This structure of side release buckle  90 , as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, is comprised of a male buckle member  91  and a female buckle member  92  adapted to receive the male buckle member  91 . Regular side release buckles are commonly injection-molded from plastics for the advantage of fast fabrication and low manufacturing cost. In order to facilitate removal from the mold, the male buckle member and the female buckle member should have a simple structure. Therefore, conventional side release buckles have a similar monotonous outer appearance except different color design. The monotonous outer appearance of side release buckles cannot attract people&#39;s eyes. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. 
     It is the main object of the present invention to provide a side release buckle, which has decorative members respectively fastened to the male and female buckle members to show a particular character design after connection of the male buckle member to the female buckle member. 
     According to the present invention, the side release buckle comprises a male buckle member, the male buckle member having two forwardly extended spring hooks and two hooked top retaining rods, a female buckle member adapted to receive the male buckle member, the female buckle member having a receiving chamber adapted to receive the spring hooks of the male buckle member, two side openings for engagement with the spring hooks of the male buckle member after insertion of the spring hooks into the receiving chamber, and two top retaining holes, a first decorative member covering the male buckle member beyond the spring hooks, the first decorative member having two retaining holes respectively forced into engagement with the hooked top retaining rods of the male buckle member, and a second decorative member covering the female buckle member and adapted to show with the first decorative member a particular character design after connection of the male buckle member to the female buckle member, the second decorative member having two downwardly extended hooked retaining rods respectively hooked in the top retaining holes of the female buckle member. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a side release buckle according to the prior art. 
     FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the male buckle member and the female buckle member of the prior art side release buckle fastened together. 
     FIG. 3 is an elevational view of a side release buckle according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the side release buckle according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing the male buckle member and the female buckle member of the side release buckle fastened together according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line A—A of FIG. 5 showing the male buckle member and the first decorative member fastened together. 
     FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line B—B of FIG. 5 showing the female buckle member and the second decorative member fastened together. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIGS. From  3  through  5 , a side release buckle  10  is shown comprised of a male buckle member  1  and a female buckle member  3 . The male buckle member  1  comprises a hollow base  11 , a transverse bumper  12  disposed in the hollow base  11  and defining with the hollow base  11  two parallel insertion slots  18 ; 19  for the insertion of one end of the belt (not shown), two spring hooks  13 ; 14  bilaterally forwardly extended from the front side of the hollow base  11 , an elongated stop block  15  forwardly extended from the middle of the front side of the hollow base  11  between the spring hooks  13 ; 14 , and two hooked retaining rods  16 ; 17  bilaterally upwardly extended from the top side of the hollow base  11 . The elongated stop block  15  reinforces the structural strength of the male buckle member  1 , and protects the spring hooks  13 ; 14  against breaking due to excessive deformation. 
     Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5 again, the female buckle member  3  comprises a transverse belt slot  31  disposed near the rear side thereof for the insertion of the other end of the belt, a receiving chamber  32 , a front opening  33  disposed in the front side thereof in communication with the receiving chamber  32  through which the spring hooks  13 ; 14  of the male buckle member  1  are inserted into the receiving chamber  32 , longitudinal ribs  34 ; 35  symmetrically disposed inside the receiving chamber  32  and defining an upper longitudinal sliding groove  36  and a bottom longitudinal sliding groove  37  inside the receiving chamber  32  for receiving the elongated stop block  15  of the male buckle member  1 , two side openings  40 ; 41  respectively formed in the two opposite lateral sidewalls  38 ; 39  thereof in communication with the receiving chamber  32 , two shoulders  42 ; 43  respectively formed in the lateral sidewalls  38 ; 39  in front of the respective side openings  40 ; 41  for engagement with the spring hooks  13 ; 14  after insertion of the spring hooks  13 ; 14  through the front opening  33  into the receiving chamber  32 , and two top retaining holes  44 ; 45 . The effect of the top retaining holes  44 ; 45  will be described further. 
     Referring to FIG.  6  and FIGS. 3 and 4 again, the side release buckle  10  further comprises a first decorative member  5  and a second decorative member  7 . The first decorative member  5  comprises a horizontal top sidewall  51 , two vertical lateral sidewalls  52 ; 53  perpendicularly downwardly extended from the top sidewall  51  at two sides and defining with the horizontal top sidewall  51  a receiving space  54  adapted to receive the hollow base  11  of the male buckle member  1 , and two retaining holes  55 ; 56  disposed inside the receiving space  54 , which receive the hooked retaining rods  16 ; 17  of the male buckle member  1  (see FIG.  6 ). 
     Referring to FIG.  7  and FIGS. 3 and 4 again, the second decorative member  7  comprises a horizontal top sidewall  70 , two vertical lateral sidewalls  74 ; 75  perpendicularly downwardly extended from the top sidewall  70  at two sides and defining with the horizontal top sidewall  70  a receiving space  71  adapted to receive the female buckle member  3 , two hooked retaining rods  72 ; 73  suspending in the receiving space  71  for engaging into the retaining holes  44 ; 45  of the female buckle member  3  to secure the female buckle member  3  to the second decorative member  7  (see FIG.  7 ), two side openings  76 ; 77  respectively disposed in the vertical lateral sidewalls  74 ; 75 , and two springy finger knobs  78 ; 79  respectively formed integral with the vertical sidewalls  74 ; 75  and respectively suspending in the side openings  76 ; 77  for pressing with the fingers to disengage the spring hooks  13 ; 14  of the male buckle member  1  from the shoulders  42 ; 43  of the female buckle member  3 . 
     The first decorative member  5  and the second decorative member  7  match in shape. For example, the first decorative member  5  has the shape of the upper part of a cartoon character, and the second decorative member  7  has the shape of the lower part of the cartoon character. The first decorative member  5  and the second decorative member  7  are unitary members respectively injection-molded from plastics. When the male buckle member  1  and the female buckle member  3  fastened together, the first decorative member  5  and the second decorative member  7  fit each other, showing the figure of a carton character (see FIG.  3 ). 
     The springy finger knobs  78 ; 79  and the second decorative member  7  are preferably made of plastics in a unitary piece. The side openings  76 ; 77  of the second decorative member  7  may be respectively extended from the vertical lateral sidewalls  74 ; 75  to a part of the horizontal top sidewall  70  if the side release buckle  10  is large enough, so that the forefinger and the thumb can be respectively inserted into the side openings  76 ; 77  to directly force the spring hooks  13 ; 14  of the male buckle member  1  away from the shoulders  42 ; 43  of the female buckle member  3 . In this case, the springy finger knobs  78 ; 79  are not necessary. 
     A prototype of side release buckle has been constructed with the features of FIGS.  3 ˜ 7 . The side release buckle functions smoothly to provide all of the features discussed earlier. 
     Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.