Patent ID: 7093331

Claim:
A buckle for a restraint system resistant to a harsh environment, the buckle comprising: a frame having a base wall, the base wall includes a debris exit opening; a cover which encloses the frame and forms at least one vent opening and at least one passage which couples the debris exit opening to the vent opening, whereby debris, dust and other foreign objects which find there way into the buckle are not necessarily trapped but rather are presented with a means of exiting the buckle via the vent opening and a tubular shaped bellow having an opening at opposite ends, a buckle connector extends within the bellow with a connector tongue extending out one end of the bellow and arranged to be compressed as the tongue is inserted into the buckle, the compressive force of the bellows forcing air into the buckle and out of the vent opening, thus blowing dirt and other debris out of the buckle and simultaneously seals off the buckle, and whereby compression of the bellow produces a spring force which assists in the ejection of the connector.