Duty Belt Buckle

Abstract

A duty belt buckle for securing a duty belt around the waist of a user. A duty belt buckle is fixed to one end of a duty belt and employs a mating element that engages with an attachment member on the distal end of the duty belt. A cover which rotates with respect to the buckle body and has securing extrusions which prevent the mating element from disengaging with the attachment member when the cover is in a closed position.

1 . A belt apparatus, comprising:
 a belt having a first end and a second end;   a cover;   
       said cover attached to said first end of belt so as to have at least one degree of freedom with relation to said first end of belt;
 said second end of belt comprising a plurality of attachment members; 
 said first end of belt comprising a mating element which provides a means for engaging to one or more said attachment members; 
 said cover able to exist in a plurality of positions whereby in at least one of said positions, said mating element and said attachment member are prevented from disengaging, and in at least one of said positions, said mating element and said attachment member are able to be disengaged. 
 
     
     
         2 . A belt apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said mating element is a protrusion extending from said first end of belt so as to prevent movement in one direction axially along the length of the belt and in both directions perpendicular but in plane with the belt and said cover further comprises a protrusion extending from the cover so as to prevent movement in the second direction axially along the length of the belt when in at least one of said positions. 
     
     
         3 . A belt apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said mating element is a protrusion extending from said first end of belt so as to prevent movement in one direction axially along the length of the belt and in one direction perpendicular but in plane with the belt and said cover further comprises a protrusion extending from the cover so as to prevent movement in the second direction axially along the length of the belt and in the second direction perpendicular but in plane with the belt when in at least one of said positions. 
     
     
         4 . A belt apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said cover is pivotally attached to said first end of belt. 
     
     
         5 . A belt apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said attachment member is the material between two voids in said second end of belt. 
     
     
         6 . A belt apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said attachment member is a bar perpendicular to and in plane with the long axis of said belt and fixed at both ends to said second end of belt. 
     
     
         7 . A belt apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said plurality of attachment members are spaced along the long axis of belt whereby the circumference of said belt apparatus can exist in a plurality of sizes. 
     
     
         8 . A belt apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said attachment member does not add thickness to said second end of belt. 
     
     
         9 . A belt apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said cover is detented in at least one position so as to require a predetermined force to translate it to another position. 
     
     
         10 . A belt apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said belt is made of metal. 
     
     
         11 . A belt apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said belt is made of composite. 
     
     
         12 . A belt apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said belt is made of elastomer and metal. 
     
     
         13 . A belt apparatus, comprising:
 a belt having a first end and a second end;   a cover:   
       said cover attached to said first end of belt so as to have at least one degree of freedom with relation to said first end of belt; 
       said second end of belt comprising a plurality of attachment members; 
       said cover comprising a mating element which provides a means for engaging to one or more said attachment members; 
       said cover able to exist in a plurality of positions whereby in at least one of said positions, the mating element and the attachment member are prevented from disengaging. 
     
     
         14 . A belt apparatus according to  claim 13  wherein said means for engaging said mating element to one or more of said attachment members is a protrusion extending from said cover so as to prevent movement in both directions axially along the length of the belt and in one direction perpendicular but in plane with the belt and said first end of belt is positioned over said attachment member so as to prevent movement in the second direction perpendicular but in plane with the belt. 
     
     
         15 . A belt apparatus according to  claim 13  wherein said attachment member does not add thickness to said second end of belt. 
     
     
         16 . A belt apparatus according to  claim 13  wherein said cover is detented in at least one position so as to require a predetermined force to translate it to another position. 
     
     
         17 . A belt apparatus, comprising:
 a belt having a first end and a second end;   a cover;   a buckle body;   
       said buckle body attached to said first end of belt; 
       said cover attached to said buckle body so as to have at least one degree of freedom with relation to said buckle body; 
       said second end of belt comprising a plurality of attachment members; 
       said buckle body comprising a mating element which provides a means for engaging to one or more said attachment members; 
       said cover able to exist in a plurality of positions whereby in at least one of said positions, said mating element and said attachment member are prevented from disengaging. 
     
     
         18 . A belt apparatus according to  claim 17  wherein said mating element is a protrusion extending from said first end of belt so as to prevent movement in one direction axially along the length of the belt and in both directions perpendicular but in plane with the belt and said cover further comprises a protrusion extending from the cover so as to prevent movement in the second direction axially along the length of the belt when in at least one of said positions. 
     
     
         19 . A belt apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said attachment member does not add thickness to said second end of belt. 
     
     
         20 . A belt apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said cover is detented in at last one position so as to require a predetermined force to translate it to another position.