Package and article carriers – Carried by animate bearer – Article held by receiver
Reexamination Certificate
1998-04-28
2001-05-29
Garbe, Stephen P. (Department: 3727)
Package and article carriers
Carried by animate bearer
Article held by receiver
C024S615000, C024S625000, C224S911000, C224S912000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06237826
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention pertains to belt buckles and and, more particularly, to saftey buckles for use in strapping firearm holsters and other articles to wearers.
The advent of nylon and other synthetic webbing has prompted the development of lightweight, strong belts. Nylon belts, for example, are now commonly used by police, correctional officers, or other law enforcement and safety officers to holster or strap on side arms and other articles. The further development of injection molded, side-release belt buckles has provided a fast and ready mechanism for engagement and disengagement of the ends of such belts. These buckles are now almost universally accepted for use in conjunction with lightweight webbing belts in law enforcement, recreational, and other applications.
The use of side-release belt buckles by law enforcement officials and safety officers, among others, remains a source of concern, however. Though the buckles can be used to quickly attach a gun holster, walkie-talkie or other implement to the wearer, there is fear that the buckle will be inadvertently released, e.g., if the wearer unknowingly presses on one of the buckle release tabs. In emergency and rescue situations, there is also a risk that the victim will mistakenly grab and press the tabs, causing the buckle to release. Of equal concern, in law enforcement applications, is the possibility that an assailant or struggling prisoner could release the buckle and gain an embarrassing, if not dangerous, advantage.
Many buckle manufacturers have added additional saftety-release mechanisms to existing side-release belt buckles designs to make inadvertent or unwanted release of the buckle more difficult. Unfortunately, the workings of these mechanisms may be known or readily apparent to an assailant, rendering the buckles less secure. Moreover, the mechanisms typically make it more difficult and troublesome for the wearer to remove the buckle intentionally. Still further, the prior art designs may require more expensive and complicated molds, making the buckles more expensive to produce.
In view of the foregoing, an object of the invention is to provide an improved safety buckle and, more particularly, to provide an improved side release-style safety belt buckle.
A further object of the invention is to provide a side release-style safety belt buckle that can be readily engaged and disengaged by the wearer when desired, but that cannot be unintentionally or unwantedly disengaged, e.g., by someone other than the wearer.
Yet a still further object of the invention is to provide a side release-style safety belt buckle that is strong, long-lasting, reliable and that can be manufactured at low expense.
Still yet a further object of the invention is to provide a side release-style safety belt buckle that can be used in law enforcement, safety, recreational and other application where inadvertent or unwanted buckle release is not desireable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
These and other objects of the invention are met by the invention which provides a side-release belt buckle in which apertures, or “cut-aways,” on the sides of the female portion are concealed and covered from the front, thereby preventing the tabs of the male portion of the assembled buckle from being pressed by anyone other than the wearer.
The invention provides, in one aspect, an improved side-release belt buckle of the type having a male part with a resilient member and a female part with a cavity for releasably securing the resilient member. The female part has a buckle-release aperture on a side (e.g., the top) whose geometric normal is substantially aligned with that surface of the wearer's body against which the buckle rests. The improvement is characterized by the aperture being substantially free of extension into a side of the buckle (i.e., the front face) that has a normal directed away from the wearer's body.
A related aspect of the invention provides an improved side-release buckle of the type described above wherein the aperture extends at least partially into a side (i.e., the back) that faces toward, or rests against, the wearer's body.
In other related aspects, the invention provides a side-release belt buckle of the type described above in which apertures are provided on two sides whose normals are substantially aligned with a surface of the wearer's body (i.e., the top and bottom of the buckle). As above, though either aperature can extend into the side that faces toward the wearer's body (e.g., the back of the buckle), both apertures are substantially free from extension into the side that has a normal directed away from the wearer's body (i.e., the front face of the buckle).
Still further aspects of the invention provide securement systems comprising an article, such as a gun holster, walkie talkie or other article disposed on a belt, the ends of which are secured via a side-release buckle of the type described above.
Side-release belt buckles and securement systems according to the invention provide a number of advantages over the prior art. At the outset, they reduce or eliminate the possibility of inadvertent release by the wearer, e.g., as he or she leans up against a fence or bellies up to the bar. They also prevent an assailant, or any other person approaching the wearer from the front, from conveniently squeezing and releasing the buckle. Moreover, since the apertures are covered from the front, the release tabs are shielded from the view of the casual observer or assailant. At the same time, however, the release tabs can be conveniently pressed by the wearer who places the palm of his or her hand in a natural position against the face of the buckle.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1737246 (1929-11-01), Jones
patent: 3430306 (1969-03-01), Tareau
patent: 4408375 (1983-10-01), Skobel
patent: 4534090 (1985-08-01), Skobel
patent: 4624033 (1986-11-01), Orton
patent: 4912950 (1990-04-01), Crowle
patent: 5322037 (1994-06-01), Tozawa
patent: 5331726 (1994-07-01), Suh
patent: 5383257 (1995-01-01), Krauss
patent: 5443039 (1995-08-01), Suchowski
patent: 5551131 (1996-09-01), Anscher
Garbe Stephen P.
Gould & Goodrich Leather, Inc.
Nutter & McClennen & Fish LLP
Powsner David J.
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