Buckle system and method

Abstract

A buckle system and a method of accommodating a plurality of stack-up configurations of the buckle system is provided. The buckle system includes a base assembly, a locking assembly, and a plurality of optional universal assemblies. Each universal assembly is configured to selectively engage with or be disengaged from the base assembly, thereby changing the stack-up of the buckle system. The locking assembly is configured to be secured to the base assembly, thereby securing the buckle system in its current stack-up configuration. The buckle system can be moved between stack-up configurations by adding and removing universal assemblies, as desired. Each universal assembly is configured to rotate about a vertical axis of the base assembly, thereby accommodating a variety of strap configurations. The locking assembly is configured to translate vertically relative to the base assembly, and to be secured at various vertical positions, thereby accommodating a variety of stack-up configurations.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A buckle system that is configured to facilitate a variety of stack-up configurations, the buckle system comprising:
 a base assembly comprising a base plate and an engagement post extending therefrom;   a plurality of universal assemblies, each universal assembly comprising a universal plate and being configured to selectively engage with the engagement post of the base assembly, thereby moving the universal assembly to an engaged configuration; and   a locking assembly comprising a main body and a retractable trigger slidably engaged therewith, the locking assembly being configured to selectively engage with the engagement post of the base assembly, thereby moving the locking assembly to an engaged configuration,   wherein each universal plate of each universal assembly defines a respective receiving aperture that is configured to receive the engagement post when the respective universal assembly is in its engaged configuration,   wherein the main body of the locking assembly defines a receiving aperture that is configured to receive the engagement post when the locking assembly is in its engaged configuration, and   wherein the trigger of the locking assembly comprises a locking plunger that moves in and out of the receiving aperture of the main body, thereby moving the locking assembly between a locking configuration and a positioning configuration.   
     
     
         2 . The buckle system of  claim 1 , wherein the receiving aperture of each universal plate defines a cross section that is configured to facilitate rotation of each universal assembly about a primary axis of the engagement post. 
     
     
         3 . The buckle system of  claim 2 , wherein the cross section is a circle. 
     
     
         4 . The buckle system of  claim 2 , wherein the receiving aperture of the main body of the locking assembly defines a cross section that is configured to inhibit rotation of the locking assembly about the primary axis of the engagement post. 
     
     
         5 . The buckle system of  claim 4 , wherein the cross section of the receiving aperture of the main body is an elongated shape that substantially matches a corresponding cross section of the engagement post. 
     
     
         6 . The buckle system of  claim 1 , wherein the engagement post includes a first engagement feature, the first engagement feature being associated with a first stack-up configuration, the first stack-up configuration including the base assembly, each universal assembly in its respective engaged configuration, and the locking assembly in its engaged configuration. 
     
     
         7 . The buckle system of  claim 6 , wherein the first engagement feature is a first aperture extending through the engagement post, and wherein the locking plunger is configured to be received by the first engagement feature when the locking assembly is in its locking configuration, thereby moving the buckle system to a locked configuration associated with the first stack-up configuration. 
     
     
         8 . The buckle system of  claim 7 , wherein the engagement post comprises a second engagement feature, the second engagement feature being a second aperture extending through the engagement post and being associated with a second stack-up configuration, the second stack-up configuration omitting at least one of the plurality of universal assemblies. 
     
     
         9 . The buckle system of  claim 8 , wherein moving from the first stack-up configuration to the second stack-up configuration comprises disengaging the locking assembly from the base assembly, disengaging each omitted universal assembly from the base assembly, reengaging the locking assembly with the base assembly, and positioning the locking assembly relative to the second engagement feature. 
     
     
         10 . The buckle system of  claim 6 , wherein the engagement post comprises a second engagement feature, the second engagement feature being associated with a second stack-up configuration that omits at least one of the plurality of universal assemblies, wherein moving from the first stack-up configuration to the second stack-up configuration comprises disengaging the locking assembly from the base assembly, disengaging each omitted universal assembly from the base assembly, reengaging the locking assembly with the base assembly, and positioning the locking assembly relative to the second engagement feature. 
     
     
         11 . The buckle system of  claim 6 , further comprising a replacement post having an engagement feature, the engagement feature of the replacement post being associated with a second stack-up configuration that omits at least one of the plurality of universal assemblies, wherein moving from the first stack-up configuration to the second stack-up configuration comprises disengaging the locking assembly from the base assembly, disengaging each omitted universal assembly from the base assembly, removing the engagement post from the base assembly, securing the replacement post to the base plate of the base assembly, reengaging the locking assembly with the base assembly by engaging the locking assembly with the replacement post, and positioning the locking assembly relative to the engagement feature of the replacement post. 
     
     
         12 . A buckle system comprising:
 a base assembly comprising a base plate and an engagement post extending perpendicularly therefrom, the engagement post being one of a first post and a second post;   a locking assembly comprising a main body, a trigger slidably engaged with the main body, and a biasing mechanism engaged with the trigger, the locking assembly being configured to selectively engage with the engagement post of the base assembly, thereby moving the locking assembly to an engaged configuration,   wherein the trigger moves along a first plane between retracted and extended positions,   wherein the biasing mechanism biases the trigger towards the extended position,   wherein the main body of the locking assembly defines a receiving aperture extending perpendicular to the first plane, the receiving aperture being configured to receive the engagement post when the locking assembly is in its engaged configuration,   wherein the trigger of the locking assembly comprises a locking plunger that moves in and out of the receiving aperture of the main body, thereby moving the locking assembly between a locking configuration and a positioning configuration.   
     
     
         13 . The buckle system of  claim 12 , further comprising a plurality of universal assemblies, each universal assembly comprising a universal plate and being configured to selectively engage with the engagement post of the base assembly, thereby moving the universal assembly to an engaged configuration,
 wherein each universal plate of each universal assembly defines a respective receiving aperture that is configured to receive the engagement post when the respective universal assembly is in its engaged configuration,   wherein the receiving aperture of each universal plate defines a cross section that is configured to facilitate rotation of each universal assembly about a primary axis of the engagement post, and   wherein the receiving aperture of the main body of the locking assembly defines a cross section that is configured to inhibit rotation of the locking assembly about the primary axis of the engagement post.   
     
     
         14 . The buckle system of  claim 13 , wherein the cross section of the receiving aperture of each universal plate is a circle, and wherein the cross section of the receiving aperture of the main body is an elongated shape that substantially matches a corresponding cross section of the engagement post. 
     
     
         15 . The buckle system of  claim 13 , wherein the engagement post includes a first engagement feature, the first engagement feature being associated with a first stack-up configuration that includes the base assembly, each universal assembly in its respective engaged configuration, and the locking assembly in its engaged configuration. 
     
     
         16 . The buckle system of  claim 15 , wherein the first engagement feature is a first aperture extending through the engagement post, and wherein the locking plunger is configured to be received by the first engagement feature when the locking assembly is in its locking configuration, thereby moving the buckle system to a locked configuration associated with the first stack-up configuration. 
     
     
         17 . The buckle system of  claim 16 , wherein the base assembly is configured to accommodate a plurality of stack-up configurations, each stack-up configuration being accommodated by the provision of a plurality of engagement features on the engagement post. 
     
     
         18 . The buckle system of  claim 17 , wherein the provision of the plurality of engagement features on the engagement post is accomplished, at least in part, by a first engagement feature of the second post being positioned differently from a first engagement feature of the first post. 
     
     
         19 . A method of using a buckle system having a base assembly, a plurality of universal assemblies, and a locking assembly, the method comprising:
 engaging each of the plurality of universal assemblies with the base assembly,   engaging the locking assembly with the base assembly,   positioning the locking assembly relative to a first engagement feature of the base assembly,   engaging a plunger of the locking assembly with the first engagement feature of the base assembly, thereby securing the buckle system in a first stack-up configuration by preventing disengagement of the locking assembly and the universal assemblies from the base assembly,   disengaging the plunger from the locking assembly, thereby moving the locking assembly to a positioning configuration,   disengaging the locking assembly from the base assembly,   disengaging at least one of the plurality of universal assemblies from the base assembly,   reengaging the locking assembly with the base assembly,   positioning the locking assembly relative to a first engagement feature of the base assembly,   engaging the plunger of the locking assembly with the second engagement feature of the base assembly, thereby securing the buckle system in a second stack-up configuration by moving the locking assembly from the positioning configuration to a locking configuration,   wherein the at least one disengaged universal assemblies are omitted from the second stack-up configuration.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising removing a first engagement post from the base assembly and installing a second engagement post to the base assembly, wherein the first engagement post comprises the first engagement feature, and wherein the second engagement post comprises the second engagement feature.