Abstract:
Apparatuses and system are provided for securing loads. In one embodiment, a buckle system is provided that includes two buckle portions that are adapted to interlock with each other. Each of the buckle portions includes a spine, two longitudinal/long member connected to the spine, a neck connected to the spine and a V-shaped member, and two horizontal members connected to the V-shaped member. Each of the two buckle portions has a plurality of bends on its top surface. The plurality of bends one buckle portion corresponds with the plurality of bends on the other buckle portion. In various embodiments, each spine has at least one portion that has greater dimensions than at least one other portion on the spine, respectively.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/830,781, filed Jun. 4, 2013, which application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to apparatuses for securing loads. In particular, the present invention relates to buckle securing methods, apparatuses, and systems. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Large and heavy pieces of cargo are often made up of smaller components that must be fixed together before transport. For example, lumber, long planks, sheets of plywood, and large beams or columns are typically strapped together before being placed on a land transporter (e.g., trucks), a water transporter (e.g., ships), and/or an aerial transporter (e.g., planes or helicopters) for shipping. 
     The straps used are typically made of relatively expensive webbing (e.g., a polyethylene webbing) that comes in lengths of about 10 meters. 
     Typical couple/buckle devices/systems are tied/secured to one end of the webbing. After the webbing is wrapped around the objects (for strapping them together), the other end of the webbing is attached to the buckle. Any excess webbing (i.e., the tag end) is cut off and discarded (i.e., wasted). 
     In addition, an installer needs to position the typical buckle in such a location that the installer has enough leverage to pull and tighten the webbing around the objects. If the webbing is not cinched tight enough the objects will not remain secured by the prior art buckle and webbing. Objects that are not properly secured can become separated during transport, separated when deployed from the transport, lost, and/or damaged. When not cinched tight enough the installer will need to loosen and reposition the buckle so that the new position allows the installer enough leverage to appropriately tighten the buckle/webbing system. 
     Further, it is difficult to cinch less expensive webbing (e.g., polypropylene webbing) enough (using prior art buckles) to secure objects. 
     After the prior art buckle systems are deployed, troops typically cut and discard the webbing and buckle. 
     Thus there is a need in the art for a buckle system that is easy to install, is less likely to need repositioning for leverage, allows less waste of webbing material, is easily reusable, and can be used with less expensive webbing. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention generally relates to apparatuses and systems for securing loads. For example, in one embodiment, a buckle system is provided that includes two buckle portions that are adapted to interlock with each other. Each of the buckle portions includes a spine, two longitudinal/long member connected to the spine, a neck connected to the spine and a V-shaped member, and two horizontal members connected to the V-shaped member. Each of the two buckle portions has a plurality of bends on its top surface. The plurality of bends one buckle portion corresponds with the plurality of bends on the other buckle portion. In various embodiments, each spine has at least one portion that has greater dimensions than at least one other portion on the respective spine. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       So that the manner in which the above recited features of the present invention can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the invention, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments. 
         FIG. 1  depicts a top side perspective view of an embodiment of a buckle portion; 
         FIG. 2  depicts a side perspective view of the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  depicts a side perspective view of an embodiment of an interlocked buckle; 
         FIG. 4  depicts a top-side perspective view of the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  depicts another side perspective view of the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 6  depicts a top-side perspective view of another embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 7  depicts a top-side perspective view of yet another embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 8  depicts a top-side perspective view of still another embodiment of the invention; and 
         FIG. 8 a    depicts a cross-sectional view along the  8   a  line of the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 8 . 
     
    
    
     To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have been used, wherever possible, to designate identical elements that are common to the figures. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a more thorough understanding of the invention. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, however, various changes using different configurations may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. In other instances, well-known features have not been described in order to avoid obscuring the invention. Thus, the invention is not considered limited to the particular illustrative embodiments shown in the specification and all such alternate embodiments are intended to be included in the scope of the appended claims. 
       FIG. 1  depicts a top-side perspective view of an embodiment of a buckle portion. Specifically,  FIG. 1  depicts a buckle portion  100 . The buckle portion  100  mates with another buckle portion (not shown in  FIG. 1 ). The buckle portion  100  includes longitudinal members  102   1  and  102   2  (collectively “longitudinal members  102 ”). 
     A spine  104  connects a proximal end of the longitudinal member  102   1  to a proximal end of longitudinal member  102   2 . Spine  104  is the “backbone” of the buckle portion  100  and provides most of the tensile strength for the buckle portion  100 . The spine  104  is substantially perpendicular to longitudinal members  102 . 
     Substantially near the midway length of the spine  104 , a neck  112  extends from and is attached to the spine  104 . The neck  112  is also attached to a proximal end of a substantially “V-shaped” member  108 . A distal end of the V-shaped member  108  has members  106   1  and  106   2  (collectively “members  106 ”) extending therefrom and connected to longitudinal members  102   1  and  102   2 , respectively. 
     The members  106  are substantially perpendicular to longitudinal members  102  and are substantially parallel to spine  104 . Member  102   1 , spine  104 , neck  112 , and V-shaped member  108  form a boundary for opening  110   1 ; and member  102   2 , spine  104 , neck  112 , and V-shaped member  108  form a boundary for opening  110   2 . Opening  110   1  and opening  110   2  are collectively referred to herein as “openings  110 .” 
     The buckle portion  100  includes multiple bends to mate with another buckle portion (not shown in  FIG. 1 ). The bends are described in greater detail below. 
       FIG. 2  depicts a side perspective view of the buckle portion  100  depicted in  FIG. 1 . Specifically,  FIG. 2  depicts the buckle portion  100  viewed from position “ 2 ” in  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 2  depicts members  106   1  and  106   2 , a portion of spine  104 , and the V-shaped member  108 . 
     In  FIG. 2 , the buckle portion  100  has two bends. One of the bends is in the V-shaped member  108  and the other bend is one of the members  106  (e.g., member  106   2 ). These bends are not sharp. When viewed from the perspective depicted in  FIG. 2 , the bends give the buckle portion  100  has an elongated S-shape. 
     There are various ways to bend the buckle portion  100 . For example, the buckle portion  100  (or multiple buckle portions) can be placed in a dye and hydrolic pressure applied to the buckle portion(s) to crimp the buckle portion(s) at the desired angle(s) (e.g., 45 degree angles). Bend angles can be replicated by applying the same pressure to buckle portions having the same construction or adjusting the pressure for buckle portions having a different construction until the desired angle is achieved. 
     Various materials can be used to construct the buckle portion  100 . For example, chrome moly steel (e.g., 4140), heat treatable steels, stainless steels, alloys, bronze alloys, matrix materials, thermoplastics, metals (e.g., titanium), or composite materials can be used. Illustratively, a ¼ inch plate (or a 5/16 inch plate) of “4140” steel can be used. When designing the buckle portion  100  the openings  110  need to be large enough (e.g., about 2½ inches) to accommodate webbing material (e.g., about 2⅛ inches). Webbing can be made of various materials (e.g., polypropylene or polyethylene). 
       FIG. 3  depicts a side perspective view of an embodiment of an interlocked buckle  300 . Specifically,  FIG. 3  depicts a side perspective view of two interlocked buckle portions (buckle portion  100  interlocked with buckle portion  302 ). Viewable in the perspective view depicted in  FIG. 3  are the members  106  and V-shaped member  108  of buckle portion  100  and the spine  304  of buckle portion  302 . The buckle portion  100  and the buckle portion  302  each have an elongated S-shape. The S-shape of buckle portions  100  and  302  correspond with each other to allow the buckle portions  100  and  302  to interlock and combine tensile strength. 
       FIG. 4  depicts a top side perspective view of the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 3 . The buckle portion  302  includes longitudinal members  306   1  and  306   2  (collectively “longitudinal members  306 ”), the spine  304 , end members  308   1  and  308   2  (collectively “end members  308 ”), a neck  310 , and a V-shaped member  312 . 
     When interlocked, part of the buckle portion  100  (i.e., one of the end members  106  (depicted in  FIG. 4  as end member  106   2 ), one of the longitudinal members  102  (depicted in  FIG. 4  as longitudinal member  102   2 ), a portion of the spine  104 , a portion of the V-shaped member  108 , and one of the openings  110  (depicted in  FIG. 4  as opening  110   2 )) is above part of the buckle portion  302  (i.e., one of the end members  308  (depicted in  FIG. 4  as end member  308   2 ), one of the longitudinal members  306  (depicted in  FIG. 4  as longitudinal member  306   2 ), a portion of the spine  304 , a portion of the V-shaped member  312 , and one of the openings  314  (depicted in  FIG. 4  as opening  314   2 )). In addition, when interlocked, part of the buckle portion  302  (i.e., one of the end members  308  (depicted in  FIG. 4  as end member  308   1 ), one of the longitudinal members  306  (depicted in  FIG. 4  as longitudinal member  306   1 ), a portion of the spine  304 , a portion of the V-shaped member  312 , and one of the openings  314  (depicted in  FIG. 4  as opening  314   1 )) is above part of the buckle portion  100  (i.e., one of the end members  106  (depicted in  FIG. 4  as end member  106   1 ), one of the longitudinal members  102  (depicted in  FIG. 4  as longitudinal member  102   1 ), a portion of the spine  104 , a portion of the V-shaped member  108 , and one of the openings  110  (depicted in  FIG. 4  as opening  110   1 )). 
     When buckle portion  100  is interlocked with buckle portion  302 , to form buckle  300 , buckle  300  has about twice the tensile strength of either buckle portion  100  or buckle portion  302 . 
       FIG. 5  depicts another side perspective view of the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 3 . Specifically,  FIG. 5  depicts buckle  300  having a webbing  500  interwoven through buckle portion  100  and buckle portion  302 . To interweave the webbing  500  into the buckle  300 , buckle portion  100  is interlocked with buckle portion  302  (as described above). Thereafter, a tag end  502  of webbing  500  is insert through an opening in one of the buckle portions (e.g., through opening  110   1  of buckle portion  100 ) and then through one of the openings of the other buckle portion (e.g., through opening  314   1  of buckle portion  302 ). The tag end  502  is moved over longitudinal member  306   1  and back down through the opening  110   1  of buckle portion  100 . A tag end  504  of webbing  500  is inserted through the opening  314   2  of buckle portion  302  and the opening  110   2  of buckle portion  100 . Thereafter, the tag end  504  is moved over longitudinal member  110   2  and back down through the opening  314   2  of buckle portion  100 . The tag ends  502  and  504  are pulled in opposing directions to tighten the buckle  300  by cinching buckle portion  100  and buckle portion  302  against one another. 
     Tensional resistance strength in the buckle  300  is provided in large part by the spine  104  and the spine  304 . When the buckle portion  100  and buckle portion  300  are interlocked the resultant resistance to tension is the tensional strength of the buckle portion  100  plus the tensional strength of the buckle portion  300 . 
     In addition, the buckle  300  does not need to be readjusted because either one of the tag ends (tag end  502  or tag end  504 ) can be tightened at a time and do not need to be pulled simultaneously with the other tag end. 
     As indicated above, the strength of the buckle  300  can be designed to carry various loads. For example, the strength can be increased by using a material having a greater the thickness, processing of the material (e.g., heat treating), increasing the size of the spine. 
     Other embodiments include configurations where at least one portion of the spine has larger dimensions than the dimensions of at least one other portion of the spine.  FIGS. 6-8   a  depict various embodiments that utilize different spine configurations. The depictions shown in  FIGS. 6-8   a  are for illustrative purposes only and not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way. It is appreciated that other configurations of the buckle are within the scope of the invention. 
     In addition, in  FIGS. 6-8   a , the buckle portions depicted contain substantially similar components as the buckle portion  100  and buckle portion  300  described above. For brevity, a description of those substantially similar components is not repeated when describing  FIGS. 6-8   a . Each of the embodiments provided in  FIGS. 6-8   a  provide more material on the spine of the buckle portion and increased tensile strength for the buckle portion (and buckle). 
       FIG. 6  depicts a top-side perspective view of another embodiment of the invention. Specifically,  FIG. 6  depicts a buckle portion  600 . The buckle portion  600  includes a spine  602 . At least a portion of edge periphery of the spine  602  includes a semi-circular/arcuate shape. The arcuate portion of the spine  602  provides more material on the spine  602  and provides greater tensile strength for the buckle portion  600 . 
     For illustrative purposes only,  FIG. 6  depicts a portion of the edge periphery of the spine  602  having the semi-circular/arcuate shape. However, it is appreciated that in other embodiments of the invention, a greater portion (e.g., the entire edge) of the spine  602  has the semi-circular/arcuate shape. 
       FIG. 7  depicts a top-side perspective view of an embodiment of a buckle portion  700 . The buckle portion  700  includes a spine  702 . The edge periphery of the spine  702  includes two surfaces that extend away from the buckle portion  700  and come together. The angle that one surface extends from the buckle portion  700  does not have extend from the buckle portion  700  at the same angle as the other surface. 
     In addition, the buckle portion  700  can be designed to have a specified tensile strength by adjusting the angle(s) that the two sides on the edge periphery extend from the buckle portion  700 . 
       FIG. 8  depicts a top-side perspective view of an embodiment of a buckle portion  800 . The buckle portion  800  includes a spine  802 . The spine  802  has a rib on the outer edge and forms a “T-shape.” For clarity, only a portion of the T-shape is shown (i.e., only an extension on the bottom of the buckle portion  800  is shown).  FIG. 8 a    is depicts a cross-sectional view along the “ 8   a ” line in  FIG. 8  and provides a view of the T-shape. The rib provides extra material along the spine  802  and increases the tensile strength of the buckle portion  800 . 
     Replicating the bends angles of a first buckle portion can be accomplished by applying a substantially similar crimping pressure to another buckle portion having similar dimensions (as the first buckle portion) and constructed of the same material (as the first buckle portion) or material having similar properties (as the first buckle portion). For example, the pressure that it takes to crimp a buckle portion made of a ¼ inch of 4140 steel so that that buckle portion has bend angles at 45 degrees can be replicated in other buckle portions by applying the same crimping pressure or applying a different pressure until the 45 degree bend angles are achieved. If subsequent buckle portions (made of a material (and dimensions) other than a ¼ inch of 4140 steel) are to be crimped for interlocking with the first buckle portion then the appropriate pressure is applied until the 45 degree bend angles are achieved. 
     In addition, buckle portions having similar dimensions but different spine configurations (e.g., a spine having a straight edge, a concave edge, a T-shaped edge, etc.) can be interlocked to form a buckle. For example, the buckle portion  100  can be interlocked with buckle portion  600 , buckle portion  700 , or buckle portion  800 . 
     While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, and the scope thereof is determined by the claims that follow.