US20120317703A1 - Duty Belt Buckle - Google Patents

Duty Belt Buckle Download PDF

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Publication number
US20120317703A1
US20120317703A1 US13/527,591 US201213527591A US2012317703A1 US 20120317703 A1 US20120317703 A1 US 20120317703A1 US 201213527591 A US201213527591 A US 201213527591A US 2012317703 A1 US2012317703 A1 US 2012317703A1
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
belt
cover
buckle
mating element
attachment member
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
US13/527,591
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English (en)
Inventor
Ryan Mongan
David Law
Juan Sadder
Scott Comins
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to PCT/US2012/043198 priority Critical patent/WO2012177671A1/fr
Priority to US13/527,591 priority patent/US20120317703A1/en
Publication of US20120317703A1 publication Critical patent/US20120317703A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A41—WEARING APPAREL
    • A41F—GARMENT FASTENINGS; SUSPENDERS
    • A41F9/00—Belts, girdles, or waistbands for trousers or skirts
    • A41F9/002—Free belts
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A44—HABERDASHERY; JEWELLERY
    • A44B—BUTTONS, PINS, BUCKLES, SLIDE FASTENERS, OR THE LIKE
    • A44B11/00—Buckles; Similar fasteners for interconnecting straps or the like, e.g. for safety belts
    • A44B11/02—Buckles; Similar fasteners for interconnecting straps or the like, e.g. for safety belts frictionally engaging surface of straps
    • A44B11/06—Buckles; Similar fasteners for interconnecting straps or the like, e.g. for safety belts frictionally engaging surface of straps with clamping devices
    • A44B11/12—Buckles; Similar fasteners for interconnecting straps or the like, e.g. for safety belts frictionally engaging surface of straps with clamping devices turnable clamp

Definitions

  • Belts are commonly used by uniformed professional field personnel (e.g. law enforcement, tire, park department, search and rescue, private security, utilities personnel, military, etc.) to carry equipment. They are known as duty belts in the industry. In the most common configuration, the duty belt and inner belt are used together. The user threads the inner belt (also known as a trouser belt) through the belt loops of the user's pants. Commonly these have one half of a Velcro assembly on the outward facing surface. The duty belt itself is a wider belt positioned over the inner belt, outboard of the pant belt loops ( FIG. 1 ). The duty belt is typically 2 or 2.25 inches wide. The duty belt attaches to the inner belt by means of the other half of the Velcro assembly.
  • the duty belt attaches to the inner belt by means of the other half of the Velcro assembly.
  • supplemental mechanical straps known as “keepers” are used that wrap around both inner and duty belts to ensure that they are firmly attached to one another. Still on other belts, there is no Velcro used at all between the inner and the duty belt. The keepers are the sole retention mechanism between the two belts in that configuration.
  • Equipment is carried on the duty belt by accessory holders that are threaded on the duty belt. Users commonly carry a large number of accessories and fill up almost all of the available space around the circumference of the duty belt. Because users typically spend a large amount of time traveling in vehicles in a seated position, accessories located between the user and the seat cause discomfort and can lead to long term back issues. It is important that the number of accessories located on the small of the back are minimized.
  • Existing duty belt buckles take up a large portion of space on the front of the belt and have a large area in which the user cannot place accessories, forcing the user to locate accessories near the small of the back.
  • FIG. 2 a A typical duty belt Fastex type buckle is shown in FIG. 2 a .
  • the center button To open the buckle, the center button must be pressed prior to squeezing the opposing buttons on either edge of the buckle ( FIG. 2 b ).
  • the belt material threads through the Fastex buckle, is folded back onto itself and attaches back to itself by means of a Velcro assembly. This creates a thick area in the belt assembly where belt accessories cannot be placed near the buckle because of interference.
  • the buckle must be separated from the belt in order to thread on belt accessories, which results in loose parts that can be dropped and lost ( FIG. 2 c ).
  • a free slider that is used to retain the folded over portion of the end of the belt must first be removed. This results in more loose parts and is prone to errors for users who do not frequently reconfigure their belts.
  • FIG. 3 a Another popular style of buckle for a duty belt, known as a traditional buckle, is shown in FIG. 3 a .
  • the buckle is slid onto the belt ( FIG. 3 b ) and the buckle prongs are engaged with the belt ( FIG. 3 c ).
  • the end of the belt is threaded through the other half of the buckle ( FIG. 3 d ) and the central bar on the buckle engages with the prongs on the distal end of the belt ( FIGS. 3 e to 3 f ).
  • a stud which is integrated on the hook end of the belt is then pressed through a hole on the buckle end of the belt ( FIG. 3 g ).
  • a keeper is then slid over the free end of the belt ( FIG. 3 h ).
  • Disadvantages with the design are similar to the Fastex buckle in that the buckle must be removed in order to put on accessories, resulting in a loose part that can be lost. Additionally, accessories cannot placed near the buckle due to the thickness of the buckle assembly
  • One embodiment features a duty belt, a buckle body and a cover.
  • the buckle body is fixed to one end of the duty belt and has a mating element on the backside of the buckle body which engages with an attachment member on the distal end of the belt.
  • the cover features interlocking securing protrusions that prevent the mating element from disengaging with the attachment member on the distal end of the belt when in a closed position.
  • the narrow width of the buckle, and engagement with the distal end or the duty belt allows for accessories to be placed near the front of the belt, reducing the number of accessories located near the back of the user and making the belt more comfortable for the user.
  • a plurality of attachment members exist on the distal end of the belt which allow the circumference of the belt to be adjusted without diassembling the buckle from the duty belt.
  • FIG. 1 shows a typical duty belt.
  • FIG. 2 a shows a typical duty belt with a Fastex buckle.
  • FIGS. 2 b and 2 c show the operation of a typical duty belt with a Fastex buckle.
  • FIG. 3 a shows a typical duty belt with a traditional buckle.
  • FIGS. 3 b to 3 h show the operation of a typical duty belt with a traditional buckle.
  • FIG. 4 shows an isometric view of the duty belt buckle in accordance with one embodiment.
  • FIGS. 5 a and 5 b show the duty belt buckle with cover in open position in accordance with one embodiment.
  • FIG. 6 a shows a side view of the duty belt buckle with cover in open position in accordance with one embodiment.
  • FIG. 6 b shows a side view of the duty belt buckle with cover in closed position in accordance with one embodiment.
  • FIG. 7 shows another view of the duty belt buckle in accordance with one embodiment.
  • FIG. 8 shows another view of the duty belt buckle with cover in open position in accordance with one embodiment.
  • FIG. 9 shows the mating element of the duty belt buckle in accordance with one embodiment.
  • FIG. 10 shows the operation of the duty belt buckle in accordance with one embodiment.
  • FIG. 11 shows the engaged duty belt buckle in accordance with one embodiment.
  • FIG. 12 a shows a first alternative embodiment of the duty belt buckle with cover open position.
  • FIG. 12 b shows a first alternative embodiment of the duty belt buckle with cover in closed position.
  • FIG. 13 a shows a second alternative embodiment of the duty belt buckle with cover in open position.
  • FIG. 13 b shows a second alternative embodiment of the duty belt buckle with cover in closed position.
  • FIGS. 4 to 6 One embodiment of a duty belt and buckle is illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 6 .
  • the duty belt and buckle comprises two primary components: a duty belt 10 and a cover 12 .
  • a buckle body 14 comprises an attachment point 22 and a mating element 18 .
  • Attachment point 22 fixes buckle body 14 to a first end of duty belt 10 .
  • Mating element 18 provides a means for engaging with attachment member 16 on the distal, second end of duty belt 10 .
  • Mating element 18 extends from buckle body 14 such that, when engaged with attachment member 16 , buckle body 14 is prevented from moving in one direction axially along the belt and in both directions that are perpendicular but in plane with the belt.
  • Attachment member 16 is inserted through the open end of mating element 18 ( FIG. 5 a ).
  • the second end of duty belt 10 features multiple attachment members 16 spaced along the long axis of the duty belt ( FIG. 4 ), enabling the circumference of duty belt 10 to be adjusted. Attachment members 16 do not add any thickness to the second end of duty belt 10 so that accessory holders can be easily added and removed from the belt.
  • Cover 12 is attached to a hinge 24 on buckle body 14 and pivots with respect to buckle body 14 .
  • Cover 12 features securing protrusion 20 ( FIG. 6 a ) which interlocks with mating element 18 when cover 12 is closed. When cover 12 is in the closed position, securing protrusion 20 engages with attachment member 16 to prevent buckle body 14 from moving in the other, previously unconstrained direction along the axis of the belt.
  • Cover 12 snaps into a closed position with buckle body 14 such that it cannot open without a predetermined force applied by the user along the arc of rotation.
  • Cover 12 has a lever end that allows the user to apply a force along the arc of rotation with their fingers and rotate cover 12 with respect to buckle body 14 .
  • the narrow width of the duty belt buckle allows more accessories to be placed near the front of the belt.
  • the belt, buckle body, cover and other components can be made of material such as polymers, metals, cellulosic materials, ceramics, glass, biomaterials, nanomaterials, and composites.
  • the user To use the duty belt buckle, the user first places the duty belt around their waist. The user opens cover 12 ( FIG. 8 ) and engages mating element 18 of buckle body 14 ( FIG. 9 ) wt attachment member 16 ( FIG. 10 ). The user chooses the attachment member 16 which creates a duty belt circumference that provides a comfortable fit around their waist. The user then closes cover 12 , which snaps into a closed position with buckle body 14 ( FIG. 11 ).
  • the user To remove the duty belt, the user first applies a force to the lever end of cover 12 along the arc of rotation, disengaging cover 12 from the snap engagement with buckle body 14 . The user rotates cover 12 to disengage securing protrusion 20 from attachment member 16 . The user then must move the duty belt buckle in the opposite direction of removal to disengage mating element 18 of buckle body 14 from attachment member 16 .
  • the duty belt removal operation is followed as detailed above.
  • the user then makes the circumference of the duty belt smaller or larger by choosing the attachment member 16 which provides a comfortable fit around their waist and follows the duty belt buckle engagement operation as detailed above. No disassembly of the duty belt buckle is required and no loose parts are separated from the duty belt that can be lost.
  • the buckle body can employ a plurality of mating elements 18 for engaging with a plurality of attachment members 16 on the distal end of the duty belt.
  • the first end of belt 10 can comprise a mating element 18 which provides a means for engaging to attachment member 16 ( FIG. 12 a ).
  • mating element 18 prevents the first end of belt 10 from moving with respect to the second end of belt 10 in one direction axially along the belt and in both directions that are perpendicular but in plane with the belt.
  • Cover 12 is pivotally attached to the first end of belt 10 and comprises a protrusion such that, when closed, it prevents the first end of belt 10 from moving with respect to the second end of belt 10 in the second direction axially along the belt ( FIG. 12 b ).
  • mating element 18 can prevent the first end of belt 10 from moving with respect to the second end of belt 10 in one direction axially along the belt and in one direction perpendicular but in plane with the belt ( FIG. 13 a ).
  • Cover 12 is pivotally attached to the first end of belt 10 and comprises a protrusion such that, when closed, it prevents the first end of belt 10 from moving with respect to the second end of belt 10 in the second direction axially along the belt and in the second direction perpendicular but in plane with the belt ( FIG. 13 b ).
  • cover 12 is pivotally attached to the first end of belt 10 and comprises a protrusion such that, when closed, it prevents the first end of belt 10 from moving with respect to the second end of belt 10 in both directions axially along the belt and in one direction perpendicular but in plane with the belt.
  • the first end of belt 10 is positioned over the second end of belt 10 so as to prevent the first end of belt 10 from moving with respect to the second end of belt 10 in the second direction perpendicular but in plane with the belt.
  • the duty belt buckle provides a lower profile and narrower width, allowing the user to position more accessories on the front of the duty belt, providing better access and more comfort.
  • the duty belt buckle has the additional advantage in that it cannot be inadvertently disengaged from the duty belt.
  • the duty belt buckle employs no loose parts that can be lost.
  • the duty belt buckle can easily adjust the circumference of the duty belt without requiring the removal of parts or disassembly.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Textile Engineering (AREA)
  • Automotive Seat Belt Assembly (AREA)
  • Buckles (AREA)
US13/527,591 2011-06-20 2012-06-20 Duty Belt Buckle Abandoned US20120317703A1 (en)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/US2012/043198 WO2012177671A1 (fr) 2011-06-20 2012-06-20 Boucle de ceinturon
US13/527,591 US20120317703A1 (en) 2011-06-20 2012-06-20 Duty Belt Buckle

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US201161571029P 2011-06-20 2011-06-20
US13/527,591 US20120317703A1 (en) 2011-06-20 2012-06-20 Duty Belt Buckle

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20120317703A1 true US20120317703A1 (en) 2012-12-20

Family

ID=47352492

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US13/527,591 Abandoned US20120317703A1 (en) 2011-06-20 2012-06-20 Duty Belt Buckle

Country Status (2)

Country Link
US (1) US20120317703A1 (fr)
WO (1) WO2012177671A1 (fr)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
USD695975S1 (en) * 2011-09-23 2013-12-17 Jennifer Beinke Adjustable collar
US20150135409A1 (en) * 2011-06-06 2015-05-21 Ryan Mongan Holder for Rapid Deployment of Duty Gear
DE102016005193A1 (de) 2016-04-29 2017-11-02 Elias Müller Einfach justierbarer und selbstverschliessender magnetischer Gürtel mit leicht abnehmbarer und wechselbarer magnetischer Aufsatzgürtelschnalle

Family Cites Families (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US621109A (en) * 1899-03-14 Haviland lester
US3466668A (en) * 1966-10-13 1969-09-16 Yoriyasu Ochiai Belt and buckle
US3432895A (en) * 1967-05-15 1969-03-18 Justin Belt Co Adapter for connecting a belt buckle with a belt
US3927422A (en) * 1973-12-12 1975-12-23 Philip Nicholas Sawyer Prosthesis and method for making same
US4198732A (en) * 1978-05-22 1980-04-22 Textron, Inc. Adjustable clasp construction for bracelets and the like
US4384390A (en) * 1979-10-20 1983-05-24 Hayakawa Industry Co., Ltd. Buckle for belt
JPH0531925Y2 (fr) * 1986-07-18 1993-08-17
FR2654310B1 (fr) * 1989-11-10 1992-03-06 Hermes Fermeture de lien souple tel qu'un bracelet ou une ceinture.
US5318505A (en) * 1992-06-08 1994-06-07 Toshio Sou Medical belt
US5357638A (en) * 1992-12-17 1994-10-25 Mayzel John A Belt buckle with condom container
US6711788B1 (en) * 2002-08-05 2004-03-30 Sin-Hsing Chen Modified structure of a telescopic belt buckle

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20150135409A1 (en) * 2011-06-06 2015-05-21 Ryan Mongan Holder for Rapid Deployment of Duty Gear
USD695975S1 (en) * 2011-09-23 2013-12-17 Jennifer Beinke Adjustable collar
DE102016005193A1 (de) 2016-04-29 2017-11-02 Elias Müller Einfach justierbarer und selbstverschliessender magnetischer Gürtel mit leicht abnehmbarer und wechselbarer magnetischer Aufsatzgürtelschnalle

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2012177671A1 (fr) 2012-12-27

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Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION