Abstract:
Belt buckle for releasable connection of a belt to another belt or object. The belt buckle has a male buckle part with a plug-in extension and a female buckle part with a receptacle, and a locking device. The plug-in extension of the male buckle part is insertable into the receptacle of the female buckle part and the buckle parts are lockable to each other in a locking state by the locking device. In the locking state, the buckle parts are arrangeable relative to each other in a neutral position, in which the locking device can be brought into an unlocking position to separate the buckle parts. The buckle parts are additionally arrangeable relative to each other in a blocking position, pivoted in relation to the neutral position, in which the locking device is blocked in a locking position to prevent the buckle parts from being separated from each other.

Description:
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE 
       [0001]    The following documents are incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth: Austrian Patent Application No. A86/2013, Filed Feb. 5, 2013. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a belt buckle for the releasable connection of a belt to another belt or to another object, wherein the belt buckle has at least one male buckle part with at least one plug-in extension and at least one female buckle part with at least one plug-in-extension receptacle, and at least one locking device, wherein, in order to lock the buckle parts, the plug-in extension of the male buckle part is insertable into the plug-in-extension receptacle of the female buckle part and the buckle parts are lockable to each other in a locking state by means of the locking device. 
         [0003]    Belt buckles of the type in question serve to releasably connect belts to each other or to releasably fasten a belt to another object. These belt buckles are used, for example, both in the sphere of mountaineering and flying, but also for working safety and the like, and have in the meantime become widely used. Belt buckles of the type in question are found, for example, in International Registered Design DM/045484 and also in EP 2 165 619 A2. 
         [0004]    Due to the areas of use thereof, the belt buckles have to be designed to be highly dependable, and, as far as possible, inadvertent operating errors must not be able to occur, since frequently the user&#39;s life, or at least the user&#39;s health, is dependent on the error-free functioning of the belt buckles. 
         [0005]    One possible source of danger is that of, in the locking state, the locking device being inadvertently brought from the locking position thereof into the unlocking position and thus unintentional separating of the buckle parts being able to occur. 
         [0006]    In order to prevent this, it is known, for example from AT 510 489 B1, to provide an additional counter-latch which secures the locking device in the locking position thereof against unintentional opening. 
         [0007]    A disadvantage of said counter-latches is that the overall construction and possibly also the operation of the belt buckle become more complicated because of them. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0008]    It is the object of the invention to realize an alternative way of securing the belt buckle against undesired unlocking of the locking device with as small a number of parts as possible. 
         [0009]    In order to achieve this object, the invention proposes that, in the locking state, the buckle parts are arrangeable relative to each other in at least one neutral position, in which the locking device can be brought into an unlocking position in order to separate the buckle parts from each other, and, in the locking state, the buckle parts are additionally arrangeable relative to each other in at least one blocking position pivoted in relation to the neutral position, wherein, in the blocking position, the locking device is blocked in a locking position in order to prevent the buckle parts from being separated from each other. 
         [0010]    A basic concept of the invention is therefore that, in the locking state, the buckle parts can be pivoted in relation to each other and, by the buckle parts being pivoted out of the neutral position, a blocking position is automatically arrived at, in which the locking device is blocked and therefore the unintentional separation of the buckle parts from each other can no longer occur. By this means, the counter-latches known in the prior art for blocking the locking device can be completely dispensed with, and therefore a simple, but nevertheless very readily operable construction of the belt buckle having few parts is possible. It should be taken into consideration in particular here that the belt or the belts attached to the buckle parts generally ensure during actual use that the buckle parts are pivoted from the neutral position into the blocking position or one of the blocking positions. This means that, in the case of belt buckles according to the invention, an opening of the locking device and therefore a separating of the buckle parts is possible only if the buckle parts are brought beforehand purposefully into the neutral position. In this connection, particularly preferred embodiments of the invention make provision for the belt buckle to have at least two blocking positions in the locking state and for the neutral position to be arranged between the blocking positions. 
         [0011]    In preferred embodiments of the invention, it can be provided that, in the locking state, one of the buckle parts is pivotable in the direction toward the locking device relative to the other buckle part on its path from the neutral position into the blocking position. In this context, it is also favorable if, in the locking state, the buckle parts are pivotable exclusively in one plane between the neutral position and the blocking position. Preferred embodiments of the invention provide two locking devices which, in the locking state, are located on mutually opposite sides of the plug-in extension. It is favorable if, in the locking state, one of the buckle parts is pivotable relative to the other buckle part in each case in the direction toward one of the locking devices on its path from the neutral position into the blocking position. The female buckle parts and the male buckle parts are preferably formed symmetrically with respect to an axis of symmetry. In preferred embodiments, in the locking state, the axes of symmetry of the female and male buckle parts rest on each other or lie at least parallel to each other in the neutral position. However, in the locking state and in the blocking position, the axes of symmetry are advantageously tilted in relation to each other, i.e. are arranged at an angle deviating from the parallel. 
         [0012]    It is once again explicitly stressed at this juncture that the locking state is the state in which the male buckle part is pushed with a plug-in extension thereof into the plug-in-extension receptacle of the female buckle part to such an extent that the locking device locks the buckle parts mentioned to each other. In this locking state, the buckle parts can be pivoted to and fro relative to each other between at least one neutral position and at least one blocking position. The unlocking position of the locking device is mentioned when the locking device is in the state in which it does not lock the buckle parts to each other, which is the case in the locking position of the locking device. For the sake of completeness, it is also stressed that the belt buckle can not only have a male buckle part and a female buckle part, but also a plurality of male and/or a plurality of female buckle parts, which are correspondingly locked to one another. As already emphasized, the belt buckle can also have more than one locking device. 
         [0013]    In preferred embodiments of the invention, in the locking state, the locking device engages in an undercut of the belt buckle, wherein the locking device can be guided out of the undercut in the neutral position and is retained in an interlocking manner in the undercut in the blocking position. The undercut can be formed in the plug-in extension of the male buckle part. In this case, the locking device is advantageously then part of the female buckle part. Of course, there are also embodiments of the invention where this is precisely the other way around. In these embodiments, the undercut is then formed in the female buckle part, i.e. in particular in the plug-in-extension receptacle thereof, and the locking device or locking devices is or are then part of the male buckle part. 
         [0014]    Provision is preferably made for the locking device to be designed as a lever which is pivotable about a pivot axis. The locking device or the pivotable lever is advantageously spring-loaded in the direction toward the locking position. The lever preferably has a handle region on one side of the pivot axis thereof and a locking region on the side of the pivot axis opposite thereto. 
         [0015]    The plug-in extension of the male buckle part can have a T-shaped head. The undercut or the undercuts can then be arranged in the intersection region of the T shape. An undercut is a recess which is open on at least one side, irrespective of how said recess was produced. Undercuts can be formed by machining, in a casting process, or in another known manner during the production of a component or during the subsequent treatment thereof. In preferred embodiments of the invention, the undercut, on the side on which the lever can be pivoted out of the undercut in the neutral position, is bounded by a retaining lug for the interlocking retention in the blocking position. In the case of the retaining lug, provision is advantageously made for the latter, at least in the blocking position, to be located closer to the pivot axis of the lever or of the locking device than the lowest bulge of the undercut. It is particularly preferably also provided that the male buckle part and the female buckle part each have a stop region and, in the blocking position, the stop regions bear against each other and prevent the plug-in extension of the male buckle part from penetrating deeper in the plug-in-extension receptacle of the female buckle part. These stop regions can each be formed at different locations on the male and female buckle parts. For example, they may be shaped parts of the male buckle part, in particular on the plug-in extension thereof, said shaped parts correspondingly interacting with corresponding shaped-part receptacles of the female buckle part. The locking device itself can also have corresponding stop regions. Of course, however, the stop regions can also be formed in the plug-in-extension receptacles of the female buckle part. In principle, there is a multiplicity of possible embodiments which can be realized likewise corresponding in each case to one another on the male buckle part and the female buckle part. In order to be able to carry out the pivoting according to the invention between neutral position and blocking position, it is always advantageous if, at least in the neutral position in the locking state, a corresponding clearance is available between the stop regions of the male buckle part and those of the female buckle part. In preferred embodiments, the male buckle part has a shaped part in the form of a head with a narrowed neck. In these embodiments, the female buckle part has a shaped-part receptacle which interacts therewith and has a corresponding, but somewhat larger shape such that the clearances mentioned are provided for the pivoting out of the neutral position. 
         [0016]    A method for operating a belt buckle according to the invention can make provision for the buckle parts, in the locking state, to be pivoted into a blocking position relative to each other in order to block the locking device in said blocking position so as to prevent the buckle parts from being separated from each other in a locking position. Furthermore, provision can be made for the buckle parts to be pivoted into the neutral position relative to each other in order to be able to bring the locking device into an unlocking position in order to separate the buckle parts from each other. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]    Further features and details of preferred embodiments of the invention are explained with reference to the alternatives according to the invention which are shown in the figures, in which: 
           [0018]      FIGS. 1 to 4  show views of a belt buckle according to the invention in the neutral position in the locking state; 
           [0019]      FIGS. 5 to 10  show different views of the exemplary embodiment of  FIGS. 1 to 4  in a blocking position in the locking state; 
           [0020]      FIG. 11  shows a somewhat modified exemplary embodiment of a male buckle part formed according to the invention, and 
           [0021]      FIG. 12  shows a side view thereof. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0022]      FIGS. 1 and 2  show two top views of the belt buckle  1  in the plugged together and locked state, i.e. in the locking state, in which the plug-in extension  5  of the male buckle part  4  has been pushed completely into the plug-in-extension receptacle  7  of the female buckle part  6 . The locking devices  8  here are in the locking position thereof.  FIGS. 1 to 4  show the neutral position in which the locking devices  8  can be brought or pivoted into the unlocking position thereof by pressure being exerted on the actuating regions  19 , and therefore the male buckle part  4  can be pulled with its plug-in extension  5  out of the plug-in-extension receptacle  7  of the female buckle part  6  in order to separate the buckle parts  4  and  6  from each other. The belts  2  and  3  which are connected releasably to each other by means of the belt buckle  1  are illustrated with dashed lines. In order to be able to fasten the belts  2  and  3  to the respective buckle parts  4  and  6 , the buckle parts  4  and  6  have corresponding belt receptacles  15  and  16 . The latter can be in any form known from the prior art. In the first exemplary embodiment, the male buckle part  4  has an adjustable belt receptacle  15  with a displaceably mounted clamping web  17 . The female buckle part  6  of said first exemplary embodiment is equipped with a fixing web  18  and is therefore not provided for adjusting the belt. Of course, exemplary embodiments according to the invention in which the adjustability of the belt receptacles  15  and  16  is swapped, the two belt receptacles  15  and  16  are adjustable or the two belt receptacles  15  and  16  are formed with corresponding fixing webs  18  are possible. 
         [0023]    As can be seen particularly readily in the two top views according to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the plug-in extension  5  of the male buckle part  4  has, on both sides, shaped parts  20  and  21  which, in the locking state illustrated, project in the corresponding shaped-part receptacles  22  and  23  of the female buckle part  6 . In the neutral position illustrated in the first four figures, corresponding clearances  27  and  28  are located between the shaped parts  20  and  21 , on the one hand, and the shaped-part receptacles  22  and  23 , on the other hand, as a result of which the two buckle parts  5  and  6  can be pivoted relative to each other into the blocking position, which is also explained in detail further below. All this takes place in the locking state in which the locking device  8 , in the locking position thereof, locks the two buckle parts  4  and  6  to each other. 
         [0024]      FIG. 3  shows a side view of the buckle  1  in the neutral position and also the section line AA.  FIG. 4  shows the section through the buckle  1  along the section line AA from  FIG. 3 . The belts  2  and  3  are not illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . 
         [0025]    It can be seen particularly readily in the horizontal section according to  FIG. 4  that the locking devices  8  of this exemplary embodiment are designed as levers which are each formed so as to be pivotable about the pivot axis  10 . The actuating region  19  on which pressure can be exerted with the finger in order to bring the respective locking device  8  from the locking position illustrated in  FIG. 4  into the unlocking position is located in each case on one side with respect to the pivot axis  10 . Opposite the respective actuating region  19  with respect to the pivot axis  10 , the locking devices  8  each have a retention region  26  with which, in the locking position illustrated, said locking devices engage in undercuts  9  of the male plug-in extension  5  in order thereby to lock the male buckle part  5  in the female buckle part  6 . The pre-tensioning springs  24  which pretension the locking device  8  in each case in the direction toward the locking position thereof can also be readily seen in this exemplary embodiment. In the exemplary embodiments shown, the plug-in extension  5  of the male buckle part  4  has a T-shaped head  25 . The undercuts  9  mentioned are located in the intersecting region of said T-shaped head  25 . 
         [0026]    In the neutral position shown in  FIGS. 1 to 4 , the locking devices  8  can be pivoted about the respective pivot axis  10  into the unlocking position thereof (not illustrated here) by pressure being exerted on the respective actuating region  19 , in order thereby to be guided or pivoted out of the undercuts  9 . If this is the case, the unlocking position is reached and the plug-in extension  5  can be pulled out of the plug-in-extension receptacle  7  in order to separate the male buckle part  4  from the female buckle part  6 . For this purpose, in the neutral position, the male buckle part  4  can be pushed with the plug-in extension  5  thereof deeper by a certain distance into the plug-in-extension receptacle  7  so that the retention regions  26  of the locking devices  8  can be guided past the retaining lugs  11  which outwardly bound the undercuts  9 . 
         [0027]      FIGS. 5 to 10  now show a blocking position in which the locking devices  8  are likewise located in the respective locking position but can no longer be brought into the unlocking position by pressure being exerted on the actuating regions  19 . As seen from the neutral position according to the  FIGS. 1 to 4 , the male buckle part  4  and the female buckle part  6  are pivoted relative to each other about a certain pivot angle X (see  FIG. 8 ). In the exemplary embodiment shown, said pivoting takes place exclusively in a plane which, with respect to  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6 ,  8 ,  9  and  10 , lies parallel to the respective drawing page plane. In practice, the pivoting of the buckle parts  4  and  6  relative to each other out of the neutral position into the blocking position takes place virtually automatically by means of the belts  2  and  3  attached to the buckle parts  4  and  6 , and therefore a blocking position is virtually always taken up if the belt buckle  1  is not first of all brought into the neutral position for the intended unlocking and separating of the buckle parts  4  and  6  from each other. By this means, an unintentional opening or unlocking of the locking devices  8  is permanently avoided in practice without additional components. 
         [0028]    In the blocking position, the male buckle part  4  and the female buckle part  6  of the exemplary embodiment shown bear against each other by the respective stop regions  13  and  14  thereof in such a manner that deeper penetration of the plug-in extension  5  of the male buckle part  4  into the plug-in-extension receptacle  7  of the female buckle part  6  is prevented. As stated, the stop regions  13  and  14  can be formed at different locations of the male buckle part  4  and of the female buckle part  6 . These stop regions have to correspond in each case only in a manner corresponding to each other, in order, in the blocking position, to prevent further or deeper penetrating of the plug-in extension  5  into the plug-in-extension receptacle  7 . In the alternative shown, the stop regions  13  and  14  are formed on the shaped parts  20  and  21  and shaped-part receptacles  22  and  23  of the male and female buckle parts  4  and  6 . Furthermore, as can be seen in  FIG. 8 , corresponding stop regions  13  and  14  can also be provided on the locking devices  8  themselves. 
         [0029]      FIG. 8  shows the section BB according to  FIG. 7 . As stated, the buckle parts  4  and  6  are also in the blocking position in  FIG. 8 . It can be seen particularly readily here how the retaining lugs  11  secure the retention regions  26  of the locking devices  8  in the respective undercuts  9  in an interlocking manner. By this means, the locking devices  8 , even if pressure is inadvertently exerted on the actuating regions  19 , cannot be unlocked, i.e. cannot be pivoted from the locking position shown into the unlocking position (not illustrated). The retention regions  26  do not go past the retaining lugs  11 , since the plug-in extension  5 , as stated, cannot be pushed even deeper into the plug-in-extension receptacle  7  because of the stop regions  13  and  14  striking against each other. Unlocking of the locking device  8  is therefore possible only if the male buckle part  4  and the female buckle part  6  are pivoted back relative to each other into the neutral position shown in  FIGS. 1 to 4 . 
         [0030]    In the exemplary embodiment shown here of the belt buckle  1 , the male and female buckle parts  4  and  6  are formed in a correspondingly symmetrical manner with respect to an axis of symmetry  31  and  32 , drawn in in each case in  FIGS. 2 and 6 . The axes of symmetry  31  and  32  rest on each other in the neutral position. In the blocking positions, said axes of symmetry are arranged at an angle, i.e. are not parallel to each other. 
         [0031]    The same situation as in  FIG. 6  is illustrated in  FIG. 9 , but the female buckle part  6  is shown in the region C partially in a sectional illustration corresponding to  FIG. 8 .  FIG. 10  shows the region D from  FIG. 9  on an enlarged scale. It can be seen here how the retention region  26 , and therefore the locking device  8 , is held in an interlocking manner in the undercut  9  by means of the retaining lug  11  such that opening, i.e. pivoting of the locking device  8  into the unlocking position, is not possible even when the actuating region  19  is acted upon. For this purpose, in the blocking position shown, the retaining lug  11  is closer to the pivot axis  10  than the radius  30  of the lowest bulge  12  of the undercut  9 . The radius  30  is the distance between the pivot axis  10  and the mentioned lowest bulge  12 . The tangent  29  to the radius  30  is also drawn in. 
         [0032]      FIG. 11  shows a slightly modified exemplary embodiment of the male buckle part  4 . This exemplary embodiment differs from the previously shown exemplary embodiments only in that a fixing web  18  rather than a movable clamping web  17  is formed in the belt-receiving region  15  of said male buckle part  4 . Otherwise, the form of the male buckle part  4 , in particular in the region and in the shaping of the plug-in extension  5 , corresponds to the first exemplary embodiment. 
         [0033]      FIG. 12  once again shows a side view of the male buckle component  4 . The two shaped parts  20  and  21  can be seen particularly readily here. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
             
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 Key to the Reference numbers: 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 1 
                 Belt buckle 
               
               
                 2 
                 Belt 
               
               
                 3 
                 Belt 
               
               
                 4 
                 Male buckle part 
               
               
                 5 
                 Plug-in extension 
               
               
                 6 
                 Female buckle part 
               
               
                 7 
                 Plug-in-extension receptacle 
               
               
                 8 
                 Locking device 
               
               
                 9 
                 Undercut 
               
               
                 10 
                 Pivot axis 
               
               
                 11 
                 Retaining lug 
               
               
                 12 
                 Lowest bulge 
               
               
                 13 
                 Stop region 
               
               
                 14 
                 Stop region 
               
               
                 15 
                 Belt receptacle 
               
               
                 16 
                 Belt receptacle 
               
               
                 17 
                 Clamping web 
               
               
                 18 
                 Fixing web 
               
               
                 19 
                 Actuating region 
               
               
                 20 
                 Shaped part 
               
               
                 21 
                 Shaped part 
               
               
                 22 
                 Shaped-part receptacle 
               
               
                 23 
                 Shaped-part receptacle 
               
               
                 24 
                 Pretensioning spring 
               
               
                 25 
                 T-shaped head 
               
               
                 26 
                 Retention region 
               
               
                 27 
                 Clearance 
               
               
                 28 
                 Clearance 
               
               
                 29 
                 Tangent 
               
               
                 30 
                 Radius 
               
               
                 31 
                 Axis of symmetry 
               
               
                 32 
                 Axis of symmetry