Abstract:
The goal of this buckle and belt assembly is to honor those individuals who have served, or are serving, in the military of their respective country. Accordingly, this disclosure describes a belt buckle structured and used in such a way as to safely display a dog tag of the honored military individual in a clear and safe manner.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. Utility Ser. No. 12/844,489 filed on Jul. 27, 2010 now U.S. Pat. No. 8,510,919 claiming priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Ser. No. 61/231,908, filed Aug. 6, 2009 and incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     a) Field of the Disclosure 
     The goal of the disclosed buckle and belt assembly is to honor those individuals who have served, or are serving, in the military of their respective country. When these individuals are entering into military service, each individual, regardless of the branch of the military (e.g. Navy, Army, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, etc.) they enlist into, has one thing in common and is issued a “dog tag”. This is one thing that clearly “identifies” each individual who currently is, or has in the past been, in the military. In a sense, this dog tag can represent a “life story” of the individual who has served in the military. This is accomplished in the embodiments of the present invention by incorporating and displaying the individual&#39;s dog tag in a belt buckle that can be worn by the individual who is seeking to honor that military individual. 
     Accordingly, in the following text there will be described the manner in which the buckle is structured and used in such a way as to safely display a dog tag representative of the military individual in a clear and safe manner. 
     b) Background Art 
     A “dog tag” in the context of this disclosure is the informal name for the (military) identification tags worn by military personnel because of their resemblance to actual dog tags. The tag is primarily used for the identification of dead and wounded along with providing essential basic medical information for the treatment of the latter, such as blood type and history of inoculations. Dog tags are usually fabricated from a corrosion-resistant metal or alloy such as aluminum, monel or stainless-steel, although during war-time they have been made from whatever metals were available. In the event the member has a medical condition that requires special attention, an additional red tag with the pertinent information is issued and worn with the dog tag. 
     Wearing of the tag is required at all times by soldiers in the field. It may contain two copies of the information and be designed to break easily into two pieces. This allows half the tag to be collected for notification while the other half remains with the body when battle conditions do not allow the casualty to be immediately recovered. Alternatively, two identical tags are issued. One is worn on a long chain around the neck; the second on a much smaller chain attached to the first chain. In the event the wearer is killed, the second tag is collected and the first remains with the body. Alternatively, some units allow or require each member to wear one laced into their boot in lieu of the second around the neck. 
     Other countries, such as Australia, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Malaysia, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, use military “dog tags” of differing shapes and configurations for the same reasons as those mentioned above. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front elevational view of one embodiment of the buckle and belt assembly showing these in the position in which they would be when worn by an individual. 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of one embodiment of the buckle displaying a “dog tag” of the military individual being honored. 
         FIG. 3  is a top elevational view of one embodiment of the buckle and the buckle components, with these being shown in the buckled position. 
         FIG. 4  is a back view of one embodiment of the buckle. 
         FIG. 5  is a side elevational view of one embodiment of the buckle as shown in  FIG. 4  taken from a location to the right of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional view taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 2  showing one embodiment of the buckle and the dog tag being positioned in the display region of the buckle. 
         FIG. 7  shows one embodiment of the dog tag in the first part of the process of placing the dog tag into the display region. 
         FIG. 8  shows one embodiment of the dog tag being moved into its fully displayed position in the display region. 
         FIG. 9  is a view looking toward the back of one embodiment of the buckle with some of the belt connecting and disconnecting components of the belt itself being removed for purposes of illustration and showing a dog tag in its displayed position. 
         FIG. 10  is an isometric view of a small shim plate which can be used in the placement of the dog tag. 
         FIG. 11  is a sectional view similar to  FIG. 6  with one embodiment of the shim plate being added to the embodiment shown at  FIG. 11 . 
         FIG. 12A  is a plan view of one embodiment of a nearly closed perimeter member used to place an upper surface member on a perimeter part of the display region of the buckle. 
         FIG. 12B  is similar to  FIG. 12A  wherein the one embodiment of the perimeter member is continuous. 
         FIG. 13  is a side elevational view of  FIG. 12A  illustrating the width dimension of the member shown in  FIG. 13 . 
         FIG. 14  is a view showing one embodiment of the back of the buckle and showing a perimeter member of  FIG. 12A  being moved toward its engagement with the perimeter portion of the display region of the buckle. 
         FIG. 15  is a view similar to  FIG. 14 , but shows one embodiment of the perimeter member of  FIG. 12A  in place in the display region of the buckle. 
         FIG. 16  is similar to  FIG. 11 , except in  FIG. 16  there is added one embodiment of one of the perimeter members of  FIG. 12A  or  12 B. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     A. Preliminary Discussion 
       FIG. 1  shows one embodiment of the total buckle and belt assembly  10 , comprising an honor-bestowing buckle  12  mounted to the belt  14 . This buckle and belt assembly  10 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , is able to accomplish two basic functions, namely;
         i. a support function for an individual&#39;s trousers or another function relating to the individual&#39;s attire; and   ii. projecting or sending a message of honor being bestowed on the military individual identified in the military “dog tag” displayed in the honor bestowing buckle  14 .       

     To discuss further the term “dog tag” as used in this disclosure, the term refers to a military identification tag normally worn in duplicate on a chain around the neck of every US military personnel to identify the individual wearing the dog tag and present other relevant information, such as one or more of the individual&#39;s name, serial number, position in the military, blood type, and/or religious preference. When the tour of duty of the military individual is completed, the military individual is generally not required to wear the dog tag any longer, and the dog tag may be in the hands of the military individual, a relative, or the like. A typical dog tag  16  is shown in the Figs. mounted in a display location in the buckle  12 . 
     In addition to original issued dog tags, there are replicas of dog tags. These replicas may be imprinted on a flat or nearly flat tag having the same shape and basic characteristics of the original dog tag (the tag itself having a generally planar rectangular shape with rounded corner portions and the individual&#39;s name and other information imprinted thereon). 
     Normally dog tags are metallic, although other materials could be utilized, especially in replica dog tags. 
     In one example, the honor-bestowing buckle  14  has in large print a first text  66 , for example the word “HONOR”, and a second text  68  for example the branch of the military, for example Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, etc. The combination of the buckle structure  18  with the dog tag  16  securely connected and displayed in the buckle structure forms an honor-bestowing buckle  12 . 
     B. Discussion of Details of the Operation of the Buckle and Belt Assembly 
     Before discussing in more detail how the buckle  12  functions to display the dog tag  16  to bestow the honor, let us first turn our attention to  FIG. 3  and review the mechanical and operating details of the belt  14  and the buckle structure  18  functioning as a buckle and belt assembly  10 . 
     The belt  14  by itself can be considered as comprising an elongate main belt portion  20  which, as is evident from viewing  FIG. 1 , would extend around the individual&#39;s back and side portions. The figure shows the assembly as if it were being worn by an individual. The buckle  12  is used to connect and disconnect the two ends of the belt  14  and may also be used in selecting and/or changing one of the connecting locations to either lengthen or shorten the loop structure of the belt  14 , as is well known in the art. 
     In the left part of  FIG. 3  there is shown at  22  a connect/disconnect and length adjustment finger  22 , which is shown in the left part of  FIG. 3  as extending upwardly through one opening of the array of belt connecting openings  24  that are located at spaced intervals along this connect/disconnect end portion of the belt (see  FIG. 1 ), although other belt types could alternatively be utilized. 
     One example of a second oppositely positioned buckle connecting end portion  26 , is shown on the opposite end portion of the buckle  12  and has a more lasting connection throughout the life of the belt at  14 . There is shown a pair of stationary anchor members  28  that are fixedly connected to the buckle  12  and spaced laterally from one another, and there is a laterally extending belt connecting rod  30  (see  FIG. 4 ) that is rotatably connected to the anchor members  28  by two oppositely spaced, rotatable, right angle shaped connectors  32 . Then there is an overlap belt connection  34  (see  FIG. 3 ) which overlaps at  36  to form a connection from the anchor members  28  to its end of the belt  14 . 
     Let us now review briefly how the belt buckle  12  could be disconnected and reconnected. To describe this very briefly, it is disconnected by retracting the finger  22  from the belt  14 . Then another connection can be made by inserting the finger  22  into one of the other belt openings  24 . 
     To relate this to drawings, reference is first made to  FIG. 3 . The connect/disconnect/adjustment section of the belt  14  extends from approximately the left part of the belt  36  shown in  FIG. 3  to the right approximately to the end indicated at  38 . As indicated above, this section of the belt in one form includes a series of spaced openings  24 , with three of these openings  24  appearing in  FIG. 1 . 
     With continuing reference to  FIG. 3 , for a quick disconnect a user would pull the left hand part (as seen in  FIG. 3 ) of the buckle  12  outwardly in the direction of the arrow  42  to pull the retaining finger  22  out of the belt, and/or reposition the left part of the belt  14  to be free of the buckle  12 . Then by reversing these steps the connecting finger  22  can be re-inserted to some other opening  24  in the belt. 
     In one form, end portion  26  of the buckle  12  remains attached to the opposite end of the belt  14 , and this connection would normally not be disconnected from the belt connection  34 . 
     C. The Buckle Containing and Displaying the Dog Tag 
     United States military personnel are nearly all issued a “dog tag”. For those military personnel who are remembered by loved ones and/or friends, this dog tag is an endurable link that the individual(s) (or the individuals&#39; loved ones) have/had with their service to their country. Each dog tag is reminiscent of the story that the person has in their service to their country. When two individuals, who each are wearing their “HONOR BUCKLE”, meet they can easily an obviously recognize the connection between them. 
     When a “dog tag” is placed inside the belt buckle disclosed herein, as long as the individual is wearing that belt buckle, that dog tag remains visible and with the individual. The item (dog tag) commemorates that individual&#39;s service and is contained, displayed, and protected in the buckle itself. It would be only natural that at some time or another, that the individual who now has custody of the dog tag would want to examine it more closely. By having the dog tag readily visible, there will more likely be an occasion to reminiscence, or some other occurrence that would make this dog tag have an immediate relevance to the wearer and viewers. It could be, for example, a remembrance that this particular individual in the military was present at some event that had some historical significance. It would indeed give a person a feeling of reality if the individual handling the dog tag would know that they were handling an actual personal physical object that was carried into that military event. 
     To describe the manner of inserting and retaining the dog tag  16  within the buckle  12  in one example, reference is first made to  FIG. 9 , which is a rear plan view, and  FIG. 11 , which is a sectional view of the buckle. As can be seen in  FIG. 9 , the buckle in one form has a rectangular configuration and its lengthwise dimension at “a” is in one form 3″, and its width dimension at “b” is in one form 2″. The four corners of the rectangular buckle may be rounded. An inner portion of the buckle  12  is formed as an open area  44  having a length dimension at “c” in one form of approximately 2″ and a width dimension at “d” of approximately 1″. The open area  44  has a rather narrow inwardly extending lip or “narrow flange  46 ” which extends around the entire inner perimeter of that open area  44 . When the dog tag is placed into that open display area  44 , it rests upon this narrow flange  46 . Also, it should be understood that the lengthwise linear portion of that narrow flange  46  engages the straight side edges of the side edge portions of the dog tag, and the end portions of the open area  44  are made in a curved pattern to match the curved pattern of the ends of the dog tag. 
     Further, the buckle  12  in one example has a laterally extending crossbar  70 , which is possibly about 0.5″ in its width dimension and having a thickness dimension of only about 1/16″. 
     The manner in which the dog tag  16  is inserted into the open display area  44  is illustrated in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . In  FIGS. 6 and 7  there is shown in a side view the anchor member  28 , which is nearest, and as shown in  FIG. 9 , there is the belt-engaging finger  22 , which is at the opposite end of the buckle  12 . 
     To turn our attention back to  FIGS. 6-8 , the dog tag  16  in one form has a width dimension that is less than the spacing between the stationary anchor members  28 . Therefore, as shown in  FIG. 7 , it is possible to position the dog tag  16  so that it is moved from right to left between the anchor members  28  in a downward slant so that the lead end of the dog tag  16  passes underneath the crossbar  70 . In one form, the crossbar  70  has rounded edges  71  to facilitate insertion of the dog tag  16  and other elements to be described. This insertion of the dog tag  16  is continued to the position of  FIG. 8 , where the front edge of the dog tag  16  is almost completed in its movement into the open display area  44 , and then it moves just a short distance further to complete its travel to its completed displayed position of  FIG. 6 . A retaining bar  50  may then be inserted between the crossbar  70  and the dog tag  16  to further hold the dog tag  16  in place within the open area  44 . 
     The open area  44  of one embodiment is bordered by a vertical interior edge portion  45  of the buckle structure that functions to retain the dog tag  16  in the open area  44 , with the crossbar  70  and optional retaining bar  50  limiting any upward movement of the dog tag  16  away from the front surface of the buckle  12 . To remove the dog tag  16  from the open display area  44 , one end of the dog tag closest to the anchor members  28  will be moved all the way to the adjacent containing sidewall  48 . Then the end edge of the dog tag  16  nearest to the anchor  28  is engaged with the individual&#39;s fingernail or a small tool to move that end of the dog tag  16  high enough where it can move in a reverse direction of that shown in the sequence of  FIGS. 7 and 8 . 
     Let us now examine the manner in which the dog tag  16  is to be positioned in the open area  44 , which is the viewing region for the dog tag  16 . In  FIG. 6  there is shown the front flange  46  that totally surrounds the display area  44  and extends around the front more forward edge of the buckle  12 . There are a number of factors which combine with one another to secure the display position of the dog tag  16  in this more front location, where the perimeter portions are retained in the viewing region by this perimeter flange  46 . One factor is that the dog tag  16  is made as a substantially flat (or totally flat) configuration, but has sufficient resiliency so that it can be deformed a small amount from its totally flat position and spring back to its flat position. Also, the outer perimeter edge of the dog tag  16  is very close to the inwardly facing vertical surface  48 . Then there is also the crossbar  70  which is in contact with (or at least very close to) the middle portion of the dog tag  16 . 
     Therefore, to begin lifting one edge of the dog tag  16  up and over the surface  48 , the adjacent edge of the dog tag  16  must be lifted to a level shown to the right of  FIG. 8 , and, as illustrated in  FIG. 8 , this would require deforming of the dog tag  16 . The dog tag  16  generally has sufficient resiliency to make this bend and immediately spring back into its original planar configuration. If the dog tag  16  is in the position shown in  FIG. 8 , then it is possible to remove the dog tag  16  from the display region by engaging the opposite edge of the dog tag  16  in the position of  FIG. 8  pushing the dog tag to the right so that the dog tag  16  would continue being moved outwardly to a location between the two anchor members  28 . 
     The overall effect of the buckle  12  is that the dog tag  16  remains fully visible at the very front of the buckle  12 , and is, for all practical purposes, securely retained in its position in the display region  44 . Then if we look to  FIGS. 9 and 10 , if further resisting force is needed, the retaining bar  50  would exert a downward force in conjunction with the crossbar  50 . 
       FIGS. 12A and 12B  show two additional members  60  and  62  which could alternatively be used as a cushioning member and have some resiliency or cushioning effect. In  FIG. 12A  there is a cushioning member  60  which has substantially the same contour as the perimeter of the flange  46 . As can be seen in  FIG. 14 , this cushioning member  60  could be moved into its operating position in  FIG. 15  from the position of  FIG. 14 . 
     The cushioning member  60  in one form has a notch at  64  at one end of the member  60  shown in  FIG. 15 . This cushioning member  60  could have something of a spring force urging the two opposite side portions of the cushioning member  60  away from one another and against the sidewall  48 . A plurality of tabs  72  and  74  may be provided which can be pressed towards each other in the process of inserting or removing the cushioning (spring) member  60 . In one form shown in  FIG. 13 , the cushioning member may comprise a dimple  76 , which is non-planar to the rest of the cushioning member  60 . Thus, as the cushioning member  60  is inserted, the first side  78  of the dimple presses against the crossbar  70  while the opposite side  80 , adjacent the dimple  76 , presses against the dog tag  16 . As the cushioning member  60  is made of a resilient material, such as spring steel, the pressure provided by the dimple  76  will hold the dog tag in place securely, and in most instances, without any significant movement relative to the buckle structure  18 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 13 , there is shown a side elevational view of one or the other of these cushioning members  60  and  62 , and this is done to show that the buckle can function with a very thin thickness. 
     While the present disclosure is illustrated by description of several embodiments and while the illustrative embodiments are described in detail, it is not the intention of the applicants to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications within the scope of the appended claims will readily appear to those sufficed in the art. The invention in its broader aspects is therefore not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and methods, and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of applicants&#39; general concept.