Ratchet belt system having interchangeable faceplates and method therefor

A belt has a strap. A detachable buckle is attached to a first end of the strap. The detachable buckle has a base. A cutout is formed on a front surface of the base. A removable is faceplate inserted and held within the cutout. A ratchet mechanism secures a second end of the strap within the detachable buckle.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application is related to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/893,708 filed Aug. 29, 2019, entitled “RATCHET BELT ATTACHMENT INTERCHANGEABLE FACE SYSTEM” in the names of Christopher May, and which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The present patent application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C § 119(e).

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present application relates generally to clothing, and more specifically, to a rachet belt system having interchangeable faceplates that allows one to make incremental adjustments to a size of the belt system and to change the faceplate for a new desired look or function.

BACKGROUND

Belts have been used for years as a way to hold up and secure clothing around a waist of a user. Many clothing items, such as pants, shorts, and the like may come with belt loops formed around the waist of the clothing item. The belt may be placed through the belt loops and secured to hold the clothing item around the waits of the user. To secure the belt, once the belt has been placed through the belt loops, a distal end of the belt may be placed through a belt buckle. A prong of the belt buckle may then be placed through a punch hole formed through the belt. In general, the punch holes may be spaced an inch apart from each other.

The belt when properly tightened, works well for many individuals. Unfortunately, due to the spacing of the punch holes, many people find it difficult to properly tighten the belt around their waist. As such, in the case of many individuals, the lower garment slips down while going through the normal day's activities. Alternatively, in order to prevent the clothing from sagging, the individual may over tighten the belt. This may cause the belt to exert undue pressure around the waist of the individual, especially if the individual is sitting.

Belts may often be used as a fashion accessory. Many individuals purchase various belts in different colors, styles, and finishes to coordinate with the individual's outerwear and activities. Unfortunately, this can be expensive, and lead to storage and organizational issues.

Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a belt that overcomes the above. The belt would allow one to make incremental adjustments to a size of the belt and to change the faceplate for a new desired look or function.

SUMMARY

In accordance with one embodiment, a belt is disclosed. The belt has a strap. A detachable buckle is attached to a first end of the strap. The detachable buckle has a base. A cutout is formed on a front surface of the base. A removable faceplate is inserted and held within the cutout. A ratchet mechanism secures a second end of the strap within the detachable buckle.

In accordance with one embodiment, a belt is disclosed. The belt has a strap. A detachable buckle is attached to a first end of the strap. The detachable buckle has a base. A cutout is formed on a front surface of the base. A removable faceplate is inserted and held within the cutout. Connectors are formed in the cutout removably securing the removable faceplate in the cutout. A ratchet mechanism secures a second end of the strap within the detachable buckle. An opening is formed through the cutout. A clamp is formed on a rear surface of the base on an edge opposite of the ratchet mechanism securing the strap to the detachable buckle.

In accordance with one embodiment, a belt is disclosed. The belt has a strap. A detachable buckle is attached to a first end of the strap. The detachable buckle has a base. A cutout is formed on a front surface of the base. A removable faceplate is inserted and held within the cutout. Connectors are formed in the cutout removably securing the removable faceplate in the cutout. A ratchet mechanism secures a second end of the strap within the detachable buckle. An opening is formed through the cutout. A clamp is formed on a rear surface of the base on an edge opposite of the ratchet mechanism securing the strap to the detachable buckle, wherein the clamp has a handle for locking and unlocking the clamp. A plurality of locking teeth is formed on a rear surface of a second end of the strap. The ratchet mechanism has a housing. A gear is rotatable within the housing. A pawl is coupled to the gear.

DESCRIPTION OF THE APPLICATION

Embodiments of the exemplary belt discloses a ratchet belt buckle to allow a user to make incremental adjustments to a size of the belt. The belt may be designed to incorporate cosmetic and utility interchangeable face plates. These faceplates may be cosmetic for individual daily outerwear or function as a device for work and play. The individual can simply change the faceplate for a new desired look or function. This may allow the individual to use one buckle for every day clothing attire and activities.

Referring toFIGS. 1-7, a belt10may be disclosed. The belt10may be used to secure clothing around a waist of a user. In general, the belt10may be placed through a plurality of belt loops formed along a perimeter of a waist area of the clothing. The belt10may be used on clothing such as, but not limited to: pants, shorts, trousers, dresses, skirts, and the like. The belt10may allow a user to make incremental adjustments to a size of the belt10. The belt10may be designed to incorporate cosmetic and utility interchangeable face plates to fit a desired look or function of the individual.

The belt10may have a detachable buckle12and a strap13. The detachable buckle12may be formed of a base14. The base14may have a cut-out16formed in a front surface thereof. The cut-out16may be sized to hold a removable faceplate18. By having the removable faceplates18, an individual may change out the removable faceplate18to fit a desired look or function of the individual. For example, inFIG. 1, the removable faceplate18may be golf themed. Thus, the individual may use the removable faceplate18shown inFIG. 1to go golfing. As may be shown inFIGS. 1-3, the removable faceplate18may be formed of multiple parts. As may be seen inFIG. 3, the removable faceplate18may have a removable portion20. The removable portion20may allow one to further customize the removable faceplate18. In the embodiment shown inFIGS. 1-3, since the removable faceplate18may be golf themed, the removable portion20may be an additional golf themed item. For example, the removable portion20may be a golf ball marker20A. The above is given as an example and should not be seen in a limiting manner. The removable portion20may be any type of accessory to match a desired look or function of the individual. A hole21may be formed through the removable faceplate18. The hole21may be used to push and remove the removable portion20from the removable faceplate18.

To secure the removable faceplate18and the removable portion20within the cut-out16, connectors22may be used. In accordance with one embodiment, one or more connectors22may be applied on a bottom surface of the cut-out16formed in the base14. These connectors22may attract and hold the removable faceplate18and the removable portion20within the cut-out16. In accordance with one embodiment, the connector22may be magnets with the removable faceplate18and the removable portion20being formed of a ferromagnetic material and/or having an insert formed of a ferromagnetic material. Alternatively, the removable faceplate18and the removable portion20may be formed of a non-magnetic material and have magnets24attached thereto that attach to the magnets22. The above is given as examples and should not be seen in a limiting manner. Other types of attachment devices may be used for the connectors22without departing from the spirt and scope of the present invention.

An opening26may be formed through the cut-out formed in the base14. The opening26may be sized to allow the individual to use a finger or other object to apply pressure to push the removable faceplate18and/or the removable portion20out from the cut-out16so the individual may change out the removable faceplate18and/or the removable portion20. For example, the removable faceplate18shown inFIGS. 1-3may be replaced with another removable faceplate18shown inFIG. 7. Thus, the individual may remove the golf themed removable faceplate18shown inFIGS. 1-3and insert a US Flag removable faceplate18shown inFIG. 7. The removable faceplate18may come in other designs than those shown in the Figures to match a desired look or function of the individual.

While the removable faceplate18may be shown as being rectangular in shape, the design of the removable faceplate18may be formed in a variety of shapes and sizes. The removable faceplate18may also be designed for different utility and function. For example, the removable faceplate18may be designed to have functions such as, but not limited to: boxes, pill boxes, medical alert devices, flash lights, knives, figurines, lighters, pens, keys, bottle openers, time pieces, phone accessories, camping uses, golf ball markers and divot tools and the like.

As may be shown inFIG. 4-5, the detachable buckle12may have a clamp28. The clamp28may be formed on a rear surface of the base14. The clamp28may be used to removable attach the detachable buckle12to a first end13A of the strap13. In accordance with one embodiment, the clamp28may be a spring-loaded clamp having a lever30. By raising the lever30, tension on the spring-loaded clamp may be released thereby allowing the individual to remove the detachable buckle12from the first end13A of the strap13. By pressing the lever30downward, tension may be applied to the spring-loaded clamp thereby securing the detachable buckle12to the first end13A of the strap13.

In accordance with one embodiment, the clamp28may have fasteners29. The fasteners may be used to further secure the detachable buckle12to a first end13A of the strap13. The fasteners29may be a removable screw or other similar type of removable fastener.

The detachable buckle12may use a rachet mechanism32. The ratchet mechanism32may be used to secure a second end13B of the strap13within the detachable buckle12. In the present embodiment, the ratchet mechanism32may be attached on the rear surface of the base14on a side opposite of the clamp28. The ratchet mechanism32may be formed of a gear34. The gear34may be housed within a support structure36. The support structure36may allow the gear34to rotate therewithin. A pawl38may be coupled to the gear34. The pawl38may engage with teeth of the gear34thereby preventing movement of the gear34.

On a rear surface of the second end13B of the strap13may be a plurality of locking teeth40. Each of the plurality of locking teeth40may be arranged directly adjacent to an adjoining locking tooth40thereby allowing for minute changes in length of the belt10.

In operation, the individual using the belt10may pull back on the pawl38to release the gear34. The individual may then insert the second end13B of the strap13into a slot42formed in a front bottom area of the support structure36. The individual may then release the pawl38so that the teeth of the gear34engages with the locking teeth40on the strap13when the belt is at the correct length. The rachet mechanism32may be designed so that the individual may pull the strap13to further tighten the strap13around a waist of the individual, however, the ratchet mechanism32may not rotate in the opposing direction unless the pawl38is pulled back to release the gear34.

The belt10may allow for micro-adjustments to a length of the belt10for optimal belt sizing without the need for holes in belt10through the use of the rachet mechanism32. The belt10has a detachable buckle12that has removable faceplates18that may be interchanged. These removable faceplates18may be cosmetic for consumer daily outerwear or function as a device for work and play. The individual can simply change the removable faceplate18for a new desired look or function. This may allow the individual use one detachable buckle12for every day clothing attire and activities.

The foregoing description is illustrative of particular embodiments of the application, but is not meant to be a limitation upon the practice thereof. The following claims, including all equivalents thereof, are intended to define the scope of the application.