Free-Ends Belt Buckle and Method of Tying Belt Strap with Free-Ends Belt Buckle

Abstract

A free-ends belt buckle, adapted to tighten a flexible belt strap having a strap body and two end portions, includes a buckle panel and a pair of interlocking arrangements symmetrically provided at two ends of the buckle panel. Each of the interlocking arrangements includes a side portion, a pair of outer and inner locker slots transversely formed in the side portion in a parallel manner, and a locker bar defined between the outer locker slot and the inner locker slot. Thereby, the two end portions of the belt strap are capable of penetrating through the two outer locker slots from rearside to frontside respectively, bending about the two locker bars respectively, penetrating through the two inner locker slots from frontside to rearside respectively, and bending towards the two outer locker slots respectively and extending along an underside of the belt strap body of the belt strap.

Claims

1. A free-ends belt buckle, adapted to tighten a flexible belt strap having a strap body and two end portions, comprising: a buckle panel having predetermined height, width and thickness, and a pair of interlocking arrangements symmetrically provided at two ends of said buckle panel, each of said pair of interlocking arrangements including: a side portion integrally extended from one end of said buckle panel to form an integral rigid panel, a pair of outer and inner locker slots transversely formed in said side portion in a parallel manner, and a locker bar defined between said outer locker slot and said inner locker slot; thereby the two end portions of the belt strap are capable of penetrating through said two outer locker slots from rearside to frontside respectively, bending about said two locker bars respectively, penetrating through said two inner locker slots from frontside to rearside respectively, and bending towards said two outer locker slots respectively and extending along an underside of the belt strap body of the belt strap, so as to interlock the belt strap by overlapping the two end portions of the belt strap with the underside of the belt strap body until said two locker bars biased against the two end portions respectively and interlocking positions of the two end portions by means of an interlocking configuration constituted by said outer locker slot, said inner locker slot and said locker bar of each of said interlocking arrangement.

2. The free-ends blet buckle, as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one locking edge is formed along each of said locker bars.

3. The free-ends belt buckle, as recited in claim 1, wherein said belt buckle body is a curved body having a predetermined curvature.

4. The free-ends belt buckle, as recited in claim 2, wherein said belt buckle body is a curved body having a predetermined curvature.

5. The free-ends belt buckle, as recited in claim 1, wherein said two side portions are integrally extended from said belt buckle body to form an integral body.

6. The free-ends belt buckle, as recited in claim 5, wherein said two side portions and said belt buckle body form a curved integral body having a predetermined curvature.

7. The free-ends belt buckle, as recited in claim 3, wherein said two side portions are integrally extended from said belt buckle body to form an integral body.

8. The free-ends belt buckle, as recited in claim 7, wherein said two side portions and said belt buckle body form a curved integral body having a predetermined curvature.

9. A method of tying an elongated belt strap with a free-ends belt buckle comprising a buckle panel having predetermined height, width and thickness, and a pair of interlocking arrangements symmetrically provided at two ends of said buckle panel, each of said pair of interlocking arrangements including a side portion integrally extended from one end of said buckle panel to form an integral rigid panel, a pair of outer and inner locker slots transversely formed in said side portion in a parallel manner, and a locker bar defined between said outer locker slot and said inner locker slot, wherein the method includes steps of: (a) penetrating each of the two end portions of the belt strap through the corresponding outer locker slot from rearside to outside; (b) bending each of the end portions of the belt strap about the respective locker bar between the corresponding pair of outer and inner locker slots; (c) penetrating each of the end portions through the corresponding inner locker slot from frontside to insider; (d) bending each of the end portions 180 degrees towards the corresponding outer locker slot and extending along an underside of the belt strap, and (e) interlocking the belt strap by overlapping the two end portions of the belt strap with the underside of the belt strap body until the two locker bars biased against the two end portions respectively and interlocking positions of the two end portions by means of an interlocking configuration constituted by the outer locker slot, the inner locker slot and the locker bar of each of the interlocking arrangements.

10. The method, as recited in claim 9, wherein at least one locking edge is formed along each of the locker bars.

11. The method, as recited in claim 9, wherein the belt buckle body is a curved body having a predetermined curvature.

12. The method, as recited in claim 10, wherein said belt buckle body is a curved body having a predetermined curvature.

13. The method, as recited in claim 9, wherein said two side portions are integrally extended from said belt buckle body to form an integral body.

14. The method, as recited in claim 13, wherein said two side portions and said belt buckle body form a curved integral body having a predetermined curvature.

15. The method, as recited in claim 11, wherein said two side portions are integrally extended from said belt buckle body to form an integral body.

16. The method, as recited in claim 15, wherein said two side portions and said belt buckle body form a curved integral body having a predetermined curvature.

17. A method of tying an elongated belt strap with a free-ends belt buckle comprising a buckle panel having predetermined height, width and thickness, and a pair of interlocking arrangements symmetrically provided at two ends of said buckle panel, each of said pair of interlocking arrangements including a side portion integrally extended from one end of said buckle panel to form an integral rigid panel, a pair of outer and inner locker slots transversely formed in said side portion in a parallel manner, and a locker bar defined between said outer locker slot and said inner locker slot, wherein the method includes steps of: (a) penetrating each of the two end portions of the belt strap through the corresponding inner locker slot from rearside to outside; (b) bending each of the end portions of the belt strap about the respective locker bar between the corresponding pair of outer and inner locker slots; (c) penetrating each of the end portions through the corresponding outer locker slot from frontside to inside; (d) bending each of the end portions for 180 degrees to extend along an frontside of the belt strap body of the belt strap, and (e) interlocking the belt strap by overlapping the two end portions of the belt strap with the frontside of the belt strap body until the two locker bars biased against the two end portions respectively and interlocking positions of the two end portions by means of an interlocking configuration constituted by the outer locker slot, the inner locker slot and the locker bar of each of the interlocking arrangements.

18. The method, as recited in claim 17, wherein at least one locking edge is formed along each of the locker bars.

19. The method, as recited in claim 17, wherein said two side portions are integrally extended from said belt buckle body to form an integral body.

20. The method, as recited in claim 19, wherein said two side portions and said belt buckle body form a curved integral body having a predetermined curvature.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a frame-style buckle belt.

[0040] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a plate-style belt buckle.

[0041] FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view of a clamp-style buckle belt.

[0042] FIG. 4 is a partial schematic view of a ring-style buckle belt.

[0043] FIG. 5A is a perspective view of a snap release belt buckle.

[0044] FIG. 5B is an exploded perspective view of the snap release belt buckle.

[0045] FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a conventional independent belt buckle.

[0046] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a free-ends belt buckle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] FIG. 8 is a partial enlarged schematic view illustrating an example of the locking edge of the locker bar of the interlocking arrangement of the free-ends belt buckle according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0048] FIG. 9 is a partial enlarged schematic view illustrating another example of the locking edge of the locker bar of the interlocking arrangement of the free-ends belt buckle according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] FIG. 10A to FIG. 10G are schematic views illustrating procedures of tying up a belt strap with the free-end belt buckle according to the above referred embodiment of the present invention.

[0050] FIG. 11 is a perspective view illustrating the free-ends belt buckle fastening with a belt strap according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0051] FIG. 12 is a sectional view of the free-ends belt buckle tying and tightening with two end portions of a belt strap according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0052] FIG. 13 is a sectional view illustrating an alternative method of tying and tightening the two portions of the belt strap with the free-ends belt buckle according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0053] FIG. 14 is a front view of an alternative mode of the free-ends belt buckle according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0054] FIG. 15 is a front view of another alternative mode of the free-ends belt buckle according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0055] The following description is disclosed to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the present invention. Preferred embodiments are provided in the following description only as examples and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The general principles defined in the following description would be applied to other embodiments, alternatives, modifications, equivalents, and applications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0056] Referring to FIG. 7 to FIG. 12, a free-ends belt buckle 2, adapted to tighten a flexible belt strap 3 having a strap body 30 and two end portions 31, 32 provided at two ends of the strap body 30 respectively, is illustrated, wherein the free-ends belt buckle 2 comprises a buckle panel 20 and a pair of interlocking arrangements 21, 22.

[0057] The buckle panel 20 has a predetermined height, width, thickness, and curvature. The pair of interlocking arrangements 21, 22 are symmetrically provided at two ends of the buckle panel 20. Each of the interlocking arrangements 21, 22 includes a side portion 210, 220 integrally extended from one end of the buckle panel 20 to form an integral rigid panel, a pair of outer and inner locker slots 211, 212, 221, 222 transversely formed in the side portion 210, 220 in a parallel manner, and a locker bar 213, 223 defined between the outer locker slot 211, 221 and the inner locker slot 212, 222.

[0058] Referring to FIG. 12, at least one locking edge 2131, 2231 is formed along the locker bar 212, 223, such that the two end portions 31, 32 of the belt strap 3 are capable of penetrating through the two outer locker slots 211, 221 from rearside 201 to frontside 202 respectively, bending about the two locker bars 213, 223 respectively, penetrating through the two inner locker slots 212, 222 from frontside 202 to rearside 201 respectively, and bending 180 degrees towards the two outer locker slots 211, 221 respectively and extending along an underside of the belt strap body 30 of the belt strap 3, so as to interlock the belt strap 3 by overlapping the two end portions 31, 32 of the belt strap 3 with the underside of the belt strap body 30 until the two locker bars 213, 223 biased against the two end portions 31, 32 respectively and interlocking positions of the two end portions 31, 32 by means of an interlocking configuration constituted by the outer locker slot 211, 221, the inner locker slot 212, 222 and the locker bar 213, 223 of the interlocking arrangement 21, 22.

[0059] In other words, the belt buckle 2 according to the present invention does not require to construct nor build in any fastening mechanism but simply provides an interlocking configuration that can tie and interlock the two end portions 31, 32 of the belt strap 3 in a secure and tighten manner so as to adjust a length of the belt strap 3, wherein the belt strap 3 can not only be made of general belt material such as leather, cloth, fabric, or synthetic material, but also be made of other flexible materials such as rubber, plastic and the like to function as a waist belt, watch belt, luggage belt, or the like for fastening, securing or carrying something or to hold onto something.

[0060] The pair outer locker slot 211, 221 and inner locker slot 212, 222 divided by the locker bar 213, 223 of each interlocking arrangement 21, 22 are the core configuration to tie the two end portions 31, 32 of the belt strap 3 securely and tightly as easy as just like to tie a knot of a rope or a string. In order to better illustrate the tying arrangement of how the free-ends belt buckle 2 with the flexible belt strap 3, a tying method thereof, for example, to tie the belt strap 3 as a waist belt with the belt buckle 2, is described as follows accompanying with the FIG. 10A to FIG. 10G: [0061] (i) As shown in FIG. 10A, one of the end portions 31 is penetrated through the one of the outer locker slots 211, from rearside 201 to frontside 202, wherein the belt strap 30 can be pre threaded through the belt loops on the waist belt of the user's pant. [0062] (ii) As shown in FIG. 10B, bend the end portion 31 to penetrate through the adjacent inner locker slot 212, from frontside 202 to rearside 201. [0063] (iii) As shown in FIG. 10C, the end portion 31 is pulled from the belt buckle 2 until the end portion 31 is bent about the locker bar 212 between the pair of outer and inner locker slots 211, 212. Then the end portion 31 is bent 180 degrees towards the outer locker slot 211 and extended along an underside 301 of the belt strap 3, wherein the belt strap 3 is interlocked by overlapping the end portion 31 of the belt strap 3 with the underside 301 of the belt strap body 30 until the locker bar 213 biased against the end portion 31, thereby a position of the end portion 31 is interlocked by means of an interlocking configuration constituted by the outer locker slot 211, the inner locker slot 212 and the locker bar 213 of the interlocking arrangement 21. [0064] (iv) As shown in FIG. 10D, another end portion 32 is penetrated through the other outer locker slot 221, from rearside 201 to frontside 202. [0065] (v) As shown in FIG. 10E, the other end portion 32 is pulled to adjust a length of the belt strap body 30 to fit around the waist belt of the user's pant. [0066] (vi) As shown in FIG. 10F, the end portion 32 is bent to penetrate through the adjacent inner locker slot 222, from frontside 202 to rearside 201. [0067] (vii) As shown in FIG. 10G, the end portion 32 is pulled from the belt buckle 2 until the end portion 32 is bent about the locker bar 222 between the pair of outer and inner locker slots 221, 222. Then the end portion 32 is bent 180 degrees towards the outer locker slot 221 and extended along an underside 301 of the belt strap 3.

[0068] Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 11 and FIG. 12, the belt strap 3 is tied by the belt buckle 2 while the end portion 32 is interlocked by overlapping the end portion 32 of the belt strap 3 with the underside 301 of the belt strap body 30 until the locker bar 223 biased against the end portion 32 to tighten the belt strap 3 around a waist U1 of the user (illustrated by dotted line in FIG. 12), thereby a position of the end portion 32 is interlocked by means of an interlocking configuration constituted by the outer locker slot 221, the inner locker slot 222 and the locker bar 223 of the interlocking arrangement 22.

[0069] It is appreciated that the belt strap 3 may be adjusted slightly tight against the waist U1 of the user, so that when the two end portions 31, 32 are tied and interlocked with the two interlocking arrangements 21, 22 of the belt buckle 2, the user would apply a stress pressure outwardly against the belt strap 3 and the belt buckle 2 that substantially further secure and interlock the belt strap 3 by means of the belt buckle 2. In addition, the two end portions 31, 32 of the belt strap 3 is hided under the belt strap body 30, as shown in FIG. 11 and FIG. 12, to prevent being exposed outside that provides a tighter and securer fastening effect and a more neat and nice ornamental appearance.

[0070] Referring to FIG. 12, each of the end portions 31, 32 makes three interlocking turns U1, U2, U3 to tie the end portion 31, 32 at the respective interlocking arrangement 21, 22: [0071] (1) a first 180 degrees round-turn B1 at the inner locker slot 212, 222 around the locking edge 2131, 2231 of the locker bar 213, 223, wherein the locking edge 2131, 2232 is preferred to be a sharpened edge or have a rough surface or indented grooves to provide a friction surface to lock the round-turn B1 in position; [0072] (2) a second curved-turn B2 at the outer locker slot 211, 221 around at top edge the locker bar 213, 223; and [0073] (3) a third curved-turn B3 at a lower edge of the outer locker slot 211, 221.

[0074] The first round-turn B1, the second curved-turn B2 and the third curved-turn B3 of the end portions 31, 32 of the belt strap 3 limit a 180 degrees return-bending that substantially prevent the end portion 31, 32 being tied up and interlocked by the interlocking arrangements 21, 22 from any movement while the object (the user's waist) being tied up applying a reaction pressure force F outwards against the belt strap 3.

[0075] It is worth to mention that all four edges of the locker bar 213, 223 can be configured as locking edges while the locking edge 2131, 2231 formed at a front inner edge of the locker bar 213, 223 can generally provide enough friction when the belt strap is made of fabric, braided, wedding, or canvas material.

[0076] One skilled in the art will understand that the embodiment of the present invention as shown in the drawings and described above is exemplary only and not intended to be limiting.

[0077] Example of such modifications is illustrated in FIG. 13, wherein the end portion can be interlocked with interlocking arrangement 21, 22 in an alternative method, as shown in FIG. 13, comprising: [0078] penetrating each of the two end portions 31, 32 of the belt strap 3 through the corresponding inner locker slot 212, 222 from rearside 201 to frontside 202; [0079] bending each of the end portions 31, 32 of the belt strap 3 about the respective locker bar 213, 223 between the corresponding pair of outer and inner locker slots 211, 212, 221, 222; [0080] penetrating each of the end portions 31, 32 through the corresponding outer locker slot 212, 222 from frontside 202 to rearside 201; [0081] bending each of the end portions 31, 32 for 180 degrees to extend along an frontside of the belt strap 3, and [0082] interlocking the belt strap 3 by overlapping the two end portions 31, 32 of the belt strap body 30 of the belt strap 3 with the frontside of the belt strap body 30 until the two locker bars 213, 223 biased against the two end portions 31, 32 respectively and interlocking positions of the two end portions 31, 32 by means of the interlocking configuration constituted by the outer locker slot 211, 221, the inner locker slot 212, 222 and the locker bar 213, 223 of each of the interlocking arrangements 21, 22.

[0083] Also, an alternative mode of the free-ends belt buckle 2 is illustrated in FIG. 14, wherein the two side portions 210, 220 are connected with the buckle panel 20 by means of two connectors 23, 24 respectively to form an integral body. In other words, the two interlocking arrangements 21, 22 are integrally connected to both ends of the buckle panel 20, such that the two interlocking arrangements 21, 22 and the buckle panel 20 can be made of different materials. In addition, the two connectors 23, 24 can be two pivot joints rotatably connecting the two side portions 210, 220 to both ends of the buckle panel 20 respectively, such that if the buckle panel 20 is a flat panel, then the frontside and the rearside the buckle panel 20 can be rotated to reverse so as to show different surface patterns thereon outside.

[0084] Another alternative mode of the free-end belt buckle 2 is illustrated in FIG. 15, wherein each of the outer locker slots 211, 221 and the inner locker slots 212, 222 has an opening notches 2111, 2121, 2211, 2221 facilitating the penetrating of the end portions 31, 32 through the outer and inner locker slots 211, 221, 212, 222 through the opening notches 2111, 2121, 2211, 2221 respectively.

[0085] It will thus be seen that the objects of the present invention have been fully and effectively accomplished. The embodiments have been shown and described for the purposes of illustrating the functional and structural principles of the present invention and is subject to change without departure from such principles. Therefore, this invention includes all modifications encompassed within the spirit and scope of the following claims.