Buckle assembly and methods of use

Abstract

A buckle assembly comprising a buckle body having an engaging element, a base body having an interior surface defining a cavity comprising a first directional retainer portion and a receiving portion, the first directional retainer portion configured to engage a portion of the engaging element of the buckle body and retain the buckle body when the buckle body is forced in a first direction, the receiving portion configured to receive the engaging element of the buckle body and the receiving portion located in a second direction from the first directional retainer portion. In some embodiments, the interior surface further comprises a channel configured to constrain movement of the buckle body in two dimensions and allow the buckle body to move in a third dimension.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A buckle assembly comprising:
 a buckle body having an engaging element;   a base body having an interior surface defining a cavity comprising a first directional retainer portion and a receiving portion;   the first directional retainer portion configured to engage a portion of the engaging element of the buckle body and retain the buckle body when the buckle body is forced in a first direction;   the receiving portion configured to receive the engaging element of the buckle body; and   the receiving portion located in a second direction from the first directional retainer portion.   
     
     
         2 . The buckle assembly of  claim 1  wherein the engaging element is a resilient finger. 
     
     
         3 . The buckle assembly of  claim 1  wherein the engaging element is a curved resilient finger. 
     
     
         4 . The buckle assembly of  claim 1  wherein and in some embodiments, the engaging element is a pair of opposing curved resilient fingers. 
     
     
         5 . The buckle assembly of  claim 1  wherein the cavity further comprises a second directional retainer portion having a second directional retainer portion profile configured to retain the buckle body in the cavity when the buckle body is forced in the second direction. 
     
     
         6 . The buckle assembly of  claim 5  wherein:
 the buckle body further comprises a pusher portion configured to translate a removing force to the buckle body in the second direction whereby the buckle body may be urged to pass through the second directional retainer portion. 
 
     
     
         7 . The buckle assembly of  claim 1  wherein:
 the buckle body further comprises a stop button; 
 the engaging element comprises a retaining finger; 
 a flex gap being defined between the stop button and the engaging element; 
 the flex gap configured to allow the retaining finger to flex into a buckle body profile no less than a first retainer portion profile. 
 
     
     
         8 . The buckle assembly of  claim 5  wherein:
 the buckle body further comprises a stop button; 
 the engaging element comprises a retaining finger; 
 a flex gap being defined between the stop button and the engaging element; 
 the flex gap configured to allow the retaining finger to have a plurality of buckle body profiles whereby a first buckle body profile is no less than a first directional retainer portion profile and a second buckle body profile is less than the second directional retainer portion profile. 
 
     
     
         9 . The buckle assembly of  claim 8  wherein the plurality of buckle body width profiles further comprises a buckle body set profile less than the second directional retainer portion profile and greater than the first directional retainer portion profile. 
     
     
         10 . The buckle assembly of  claim 1  wherein the interior surface further comprises a channel configured to constrain movement of the buckle body in two dimensions and allow the buckle body to move in a third dimension. 
     
     
         11 . The buckle assembly of  claim 10  wherein the interior surface comprises at least one cavity side wall, a cavity top wall and a cavity bottom wall. 
     
     
         12 . The buckle assembly of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a strap coupler comprising a strap coupler opening configured to receive a strap; and 
 the strap coupler further comprising a strap engaging element configured to frictionally engage the strap whereby the strap is retained in the strap coupler. 
 
     
     
         13 . The buckle assembly of  claim 12  wherein the strap further comprises at least one strap protrusion and the strap engaging element is an opening whereby the strap engaging element frictionally engages the at least one strap protrusion to retain the strap in the strap coupler. 
     
     
         14 . A buckle assembly comprising:
 a buckle body comprising at least one engaging element;   a base body comprising an interior surface defining a cavity and at least one channel;   the base body further comprising a receiving portion and a first directional retainer portion;   the receiving portion defining a receiving portion profile configured to receive the buckle body into the at least one channel;   the first directional retainer portion defining a first directional retainer portion profile configured to engage the buckle body whereby the buckle body is retained in the cavity when the buckle body is forced in a first direction of a first dimension;   the at least one channel defining a channel profile configured to engage the buckle body in a second and a third dimension whereby the buckle body is retained in the cavity in the second and the third dimension; and   the receiving portion located in a second direction from the first directional retainer portion.   
     
     
         15 . The buckle assembly of  claim 14  wherein:
 the buckle body further comprises a stop button; 
 the at least one engaging element comprises a pair of opposing resilient fingers; 
 a flex gap being defined between the stop button and the resilient fingers; and 
 the flex gap allowing the pair of opposing resilient fingers to flex and define a plurality of buckle body profiles; and 
 the plurality of buckle body profiles comprising a buckle body retaining profile no less than the first directional retainer portion profile and a buckle body receiving profile less than the receiving portion profile. 
 
     
     
         16 . The buckle assembly of  claim 15  wherein:
 the receiving portion further comprises a second directional retainer portion; 
 the receiving portion profile comprises a second directional retainer portion profile; and 
 the plurality of buckle body profiles further comprises a buckle body set profile no less than the first directional retainer portion profile and greater than the second directional retainer portion profile whereby the at least one engaging element engages the second directional retainer portion and the buckle body is retained in the cavity when the buckle body is forced in the second direction. 
 
     
     
         17 . The buckle assembly of  claim 16  wherein:
 the buckle body further comprises a pusher portion configured to receive a removing force in the second direction; and 
 the at least one channel comprising a side wall configured to engage the at least one engaging element and flex the buckle body into the buckle body receiving profile when moved in the second direction whereby the buckle body is moved through the receiving portion profile and out of the cavity of the base body by the removing force. 
 
     
     
         18 . A buckle assembly for fastening a strap to an article, the buckle assembly comprising:
 a buckle body comprising a means for engaging a base body;   a base body comprising an interior surface defining a cavity comprising a first directional retainer portion and a receiving portion;   the first directional retainer portion comprising a means for engaging the buckle body and retain the buckle body when the buckle body is forced in a first direction from a set configuration;   the base body further comprising a means to receive the buckle body;   the means to receive the buckle body located in a second direction from the first directional retainer portion;   the cavity further comprising a means to retain the buckle body in the cavity when the buckle body is forced in the second direction;   the buckle body further comprising a means to flex into a plurality of buckle body profiles whereby a buckle body retaining profile is no greater than the means for engaging the buckle body and retains the buckle body when the buckle body is forced in the first direction and a buckle body receiving profile is less than the means to receive the buckle body; and   whereby the plurality of buckle body width profiles further comprises a buckle body set profile greater than the means for engaging the buckle body and retains the buckle body when the buckle body is forced in a first direction and greater than the means to retain the buckle body in the cavity when the buckle body is forced in the second direction whereby the buckle body set profile retains the buckle body in the cavity of the base body.   
     
     
         19 . The buckle assembly of  claim 18  wherein:
 the means for engaging the base body comprises an engaging element; 
 the means for engaging the buckle body comprises the interior surface of the base body defining the first directional retainer portion having a first directional retainer portion profile configured to engage the engaging element; 
 the means to receive the buckle body comprises a receiving portion of the base body; 
 the receiving portion having a second directional retainer portion profile; 
 the means to retain the buckle body in the cavity when the buckle body is forced in the second direction; and 
 a means to flex into a plurality of buckle body profiles comprises a flex gap defined between a stop button and the engaging element whereby the buckle body retaining profile is no greater than the first directional retainer portion profile, the buckle body receiving profile is less than the second directional retainer portion profile and the buckle body set profile is greater than the first directional retainer portion profile and greater than the second directional retainer portion profile whereby when the buckle body set profile retains the buckle body in the cavity of the base body.