Patent Publication Number: US-2022211146-A1

Title: Knife sharpening buckle assembly

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The presently disclosed technology relates to a buckle assembly for use on a belt or other like strap. More particularly, the present invention is a buckle with one or more insertable and/or attachable pieces configured for use in tool sharpening, in particular for sharpening cutlery blades such as a knife blade. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Straps and belts have long been used to hold things together or hold things up. When thinking of a belt, one almost automatically goes to the thought of a belt used for tightening and holding up one&#39;s pants. Belts have long been known to have the option for the user to attach a belt buckle. Many wearers of things such as belt buckles have been known to also carry a knife or other sharpened tool (collectively referred to as a knife from hereinafter) on their person and often is a strapped or attached on a belt. 
     Knives are useful tools for many different activities. The sharpened edge of these knives can be made from a variety of materials but, commonly, are forged from iron, steel, ceramics, or titanium. After use, the sharpened edges of the knife can become dull. This can be caused through normal wear and tear of the sharpened edge or through the pressing of the sharpened edge against a hard object, resulting in the dulling or damage to the sharpened edge. The dulling or damage of a sharpened edge results in decreased efficiency and precision of the knife or tool. To combat this problem, many users may employ the use of a tool sharpener to maintain the cutlery edge of the knife in sharpened condition. This can increase the life of the knife and lessen the economic impact a user would face when replacing a dulled or broken knife. 
     In the traditional sense, a sharpened edge may be re-sharpened through the use of a grinding wheel or wetstone. These stones can vary in degree of grit material and range from course to very fine. However, these stones can be bulky and not readily transportable, making them undesirable to the user on the go who needs to sharpen his edge while away from the stone. 
     There are other options available to a user, aside from the stones. These could include a small handheld sharpening device that may be stowed in one&#39;s pocket or in a pack. These devices can be made from a variety of materials such as tungsten carbide, ceramic, and diamond grit coatings. However, these devices can pose a problem common to any handheld device. That is, they can be easily lost, forgotten, or misplaced, leading to the knife user not having a sharpener when needed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The purpose of the Summary is to enable the public, and especially the scientists, engineers, and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection, the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The Summary is neither intended to define the inventive concept of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the inventive concept in any way. 
     What is disclosed herein is a buckle assembly that will solve the problem by making an accessible and desirable sharpening kit that is easily attached to the user&#39;s person any time they choose to wear the buckle assembly or may be readily attached to a strap. 
     Preferred embodiment of the invention relates to a buckle assembly that may be adapted for use on things such as belts, backpack straps, or any other similar types of strap. The buckle assembly having one or more attached or inserted pieces configured for the sharpening the cutlery edge of a tool or knife. 
     The preferred embodiment of the buckle assembly of the present invention has a buckle body made from an aluminum metal. The buckle body will include a front face, a back face, a top edge, a bottom edge, a first edge and a second edge. The back face refers to the face of the buckle that faces the user&#39;s body in use, while the front face is displayed outward from the user. The top edge of the buckle body has a recessed cutout of an elongated rectangular shape. In a preferred embodiment, an elongated rectangular sharpening bar is positioned in the opening of the top edge. Preferably, the bar is rectangular in shape, but other shapes may also be used. In a preferred embodiment, the elongated rectangular sharpening bar is made out of a tungsten carbide material. The elongated rectangular sharpening bar is preferably attached to the top edge of the buckle body of the buckle assembly by an adhesive. For example, an epoxy may be used as the adhesive to attach the sharpening bar to the top edge in the elongated rectangular cutout recess. 
     Preferably, either the front face or the back face of the buckle body of the belt buckle includes a fine sharpening face. This fine sharpening face can be a diamond grit plate that is removably attached to the front face or the back face. In this embodiment, the diamond grit plate can be attached to either the front face or back face through the use of an adhesive, such as an epoxy. Alternatively, the fine sharpening face of either face can be a coating that is applied directly to the either face of the buckle body. The coating preferably is composed of a diamond grit material. 
     The first edge and the second edge will include a strap coupling feature for connection to a strap, such as a belt. The strap coupling features of the first edge and second edge may also be adopted for use on other straps besides a belt. The strap coupling feature of the first edge and the second edge will be fixed openings that are formed as part of the buckle body of the buckle assembly. These fixed openings will run parallel to one another. 
     Incorporating a tool sharpener into a buckle assembly that may be used on things such as a belt or other straps, makes the use of the tool sharpener more convenient for the users. Having the tool sharpener incorporated into an article of clothing, where the buckle assembly is adopted for use as a belt buckle, makes it less likely that the user will forget his or her tool sharpener. This is especially advantageous for the user who is an outdoorsman, where packing for a trip in the outdoors can result in items, such as a tool sharpener, being overlooked and forgotten or may be buried in the user&#39;s pack and not readily accessible when needed. The user who knows his/her tool sharpener is always with them when wearing a belt may better prepared and more successful in their use of sharpened tools. 
     Still other features and advantages of the presently disclosed and claimed inventive concept will become readily apparent to those skilled in this art from the following detailed description describing preferred embodiments of the inventive concept, simply by way of illustration of the best mode contemplated by carrying out the inventive concept. As will be realized, the inventive concept is capable of modification in various obvious respects all without departing from the inventive concept. Accordingly, the drawings and description of the preferred embodiments are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive in nature. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective of the buckle assembly. 
         FIG. 2  is an angled rear perspective of the buckle assembly. 
         FIG. 3  is a top view of the buckle assembly. 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the buckle assembly from the back. 
         FIG. 5  shows a back perspective of a preferred embodiment of the buckle assembly. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     While the presently disclosed inventive concept is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, certain illustrated embodiments thereof have been shown in the drawings and will be described below in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the inventive concept to the specific form disclosed, but, on the contrary, the presently disclosed and claimed inventive concept is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the inventive concept as defined in the claims. 
       FIG. 1  shows a buckle assembly  1  having a buckle body  100 . The buckle body  100  is composed of a unitary piece of durable substance. The buckle body  100  can be made of an aluminum substance. The buckle body  100  has a front face  101 . The front face  101  is an optional fine sharpening face  102 . The fine sharpening face  102  can be a coating applied directly to the front face or, alternatively, it can be a plate that is removably attached to the front face  101 . The plat can be configured in a recession or depression in the body of the buckle such that the overall front face of the buckle is flat, or without contour between the differing components. Alternatively the fine sharpening face can be on the back side of the belt buckle. The fine sharpening face  102  can include a diamond grit material. The diamond grit material may be applied directly to the fine sharpening face as a coating or, alternatively, the diamond grit material can be a diamond grit plate  402  that is removably or fixedly attached  403  to the body. 
       FIG. 1  also shows the scrap coupling features  103  of the first edge and second edge  106   a ,  106   b . The strap coupling features  103  are shown as fixed openings  104  in the buckle body  100  that are parallel to one another (shown by the arrows in  FIG. 1 ).  FIG. 1  also shows a strap  105  being fed through a strap coupling feature  103 . 
       FIG. 2  shows an angled back perspective of the buckle assembly  1 .  FIG. 2  illustrates the buckle assembly  1  having a buckle body  100 . The buckle body  100  of the buckle assembly  1  having a back face  204 .  FIG. 2  depicts the elongated rectangular sharpening bar  201  secured to the top edge  202  of the buckle body  100 . The elongated rectangular sharpening bar  201  may be removably attached  401  to the top edge  202  or fixedly attached to the top edge  202 . The top edge  202  is illustrated having a recessed cutout  203 , alternatively called a recession or depression. The recessed cutout  203  has an elongated rectangular shape  203   a  to securely fit the elongated rectangular sharpening bar  201  to the top edge  202 . Straps  105  attached to the strap coupling features of  103  of the buckle body  100 . 
       FIG. 3  depicts a top view of the buckle assembly.  FIG. 3  illustrates the straps  105  being fed through the strap coupling features  103 . Also depicted, the elongated rectangular sharpening bar  201  as it is attached to the top edge  202 . The perspective of this figure shows the elongated rectangular sharpening bar  201  and the recessed cutout  203  as would be seen from the view of the user when looking down at the buckle assembly, if the buckle assembly were worn around the waist as a belt buckle. The recessed cutout  203  being an elongated rectangular shape  203   a  to fit securely the elongated sharpening bar  201 . 
       FIG. 4  is an exploded view from the rear with the one or more insertable and/or attachable pieces as removed.  FIG. 4  illustrates the straps  105  being fed through the strap coupling features  103 . Also illustrated, an elongate rectangular sharpening bar  201  attaching to the top edge  202  at the recessed cutout  203 . The shape of the recessed cutout  203  is depicted as an elongated rectangular shape  203   a  configured to receive the elongated rectangular sharpening bar  201 . 
     The recessed cutout  203  and the rectangular sharpening bar  201  are preferably configured such that the contour of the cutout matches the contour of the sharpening bar. Various modes of attachment utilized to attach the sharpening insert to the buckle body include the use of an adhesive to securely attach the elongated rectangular sharpening bar to the recess cut out  203  of the top edge  202 . The adhesive can be an epoxy. Other modes of attachment can include a nail grip, a securing clip or the placement of magnets in the recess cut out  203  and on the bottom of the elongated rectangular sharpening bar  201  so as to securely attach the sharpening bar in to the recess cut out. 
     Further depicted in  FIG. 4  is the fine sharpening face  102  as an attached plate  402 . The fine sharpening face  102  can be an attached plate  402  of a coating or surface of a diamond grit plate. The attached plate  402  can be attached to the front face  101  through the use of an adhesive. The adhesive may be an epoxy. Various other modes of attachment that can be utilized are a nail grip, a securing clip or magnets placed on the front face  101  and on the inside of the attached plate  402  so as to secure the attached plate  402  against the front face  101 . 
       FIG. 5  depicts a back view of the buckle assembly  1 . The strap coupling features  103  with straps  105  attached to the first edge and second edge  106   a ,  106   b  openings.  FIG. 5  illustrates the strap coupling features  103  as parallel fixed openings  104  of the buckle body  100 . Further illustrated, the elongated rectangular sharpening bar  201  as secured to the top edge  202 . The elongated rectangular sharpening bar  201  is secured into the recess cut out  203  having an elongated rectangular shape  203   a.    
     While certain preferred embodiments are shown in the figures and described in this disclosure, it is to be distinctly understood that the presently disclosed inventive concept is not limited thereto but may be variously embodied to practice within the scope of the following claims. From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the following claims.