Buckle guide assembly

Abstract

An improved guide for securing a lace, rope or other material, which enables the material to be tightened and secured with ease is disclosed. The guide allows the material to slide through a buckle allowing a user to tighten the material and lock the buckle without the loss of tension in the material. The guide is implemented on footwear, watch bands, luggage and backpack straps, ropes for tents, boats and other structures, and any other buckling or line securing apparatus.

1 . A buckle guide system comprising:
 a base;   a flap pivotally attached to the base defining a first opening when the flap is in an open position, the flap having a proximal end and a distal end;   a guide disposed on the flap, the guide defining a second opening near the distal end of the flap;   a foot disposed on the flap near the proximal end; and   a lace extending through the first and second opening, the guide in frictional engagement with the lace, the foot and the guide securely engaging the lace when the flap is in a closed position.   
   
   
       2 . The buckle guide system of  claim 1  further comprising a shoe having a plurality of eyelets, the lace extending through the eyelets. 
   
   
       3 . The buckle guide system of  claim 2  further comprising a plurality of buckles and a bar, the bar affixed to the flap of each of the plurality of buckles, actuation of the bar toggling the flaps between open and closed positions. 
   
   
       4 . The buckle guide system of  claim 1  wherein the second opening and the lace are a substantially similar shape. 
   
   
       5 . The buckle guide system of  claim 4  wherein the second opening and the lace are substantially rectangular. 
   
   
       6 . The buckle guide system of  claim 4  wherein the second opening and the lace are substantially round. 
   
   
       7 . The buckle guide system of  claim 1  wherein the lace further comprises one of a watch band, a belt, a rope, a strap, a cord and a string. 
   
   
       8 . A restraint buckle for minimizing and preventing movement of a material passing therethrough, the restraint buckle comprising:
 a base portion and a top portion, the top portion pivotally attached to the base, the top portion defining a slot near a proximal end of the buckle when the buckle is in an open position;   a foot disposed near the proximal end of the top portion of the buckle,   a guide disposed near a distal end of the top portion of the buckle, the guide defining a second slot, the material passing through the first slot and the second slot,   wherein, in the open position the foot and the guide provide a frictional engagement with the material preventing free travel of the material and the foot and the guide lock the material in a fixed position in the closed position.   
   
   
       9 . The restraint buckle of  claim 8  further comprising a shoe having a plurality of eyelets, the material extending through the eyelets. 
   
   
       10 . The restraint buckle of  claim 9  further comprising a plurality of buckles and a bar, the bar affixed to the top portion of each of the plurality of buckles, actuation of the bar toggling the flaps between open and closed positions. 
   
   
       11 . The restraint buckle of  claim 8  wherein the second slot and the material are a substantially similar shape. 
   
   
       12 . The buckle guide system of  claim 11  wherein the second slot and the material are substantially rectangular. 
   
   
       13 . The restraint buckle of  claim 11  wherein the second slot and the material are substantially round. 
   
   
       14 . The buckle guide system of  claim 8  wherein the material further comprises one of a watch band, a belt, a rope, a strap, a cord and a string. 
   
   
       15 . A method of restraining the movement of a material through a buckle having open and closed positions, the method comprising:
 passing the material through a first slot of the buckle in an open position, the first slot defined between a base and a top portion pivotally attached to a base, the material passing over a foot disposed on a proximal end of the top portion of the buckle;   passing the material through a guide disposed on the distal end of the top portion of the buckle, the guide providing a friction engagement with the material preventing free movement of the material when the buckle is in an open position; and   clamping the top portion of the buckle against the base, the material locked in place between the top portion and the base by the foot and the guide.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising:
 passing the material through a plurality of buckles, the top portions of each of the buckles affixed to a bar; and   actuating the bar to toggle the plurality of buckles between open and closed positions.   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the material further comprises one of a watch band, a belt, a rope, a strap, a cord and a string.