Pinch Resistant Helmet Buckle

Abstract

Disclosed is a buckle assembly having a female buckle component and a male buckle component. The female buckle component including a first plate and a second plate that is spaced apart from the first plate and is connected to the first plate via a first side and a second side. Each of the first side and the second side is configured to secure a button of the male buckle component. The second plate includes a pinch-mitigating feature to maintain a distance between a pinch zone and a user. The pinch-mitigating feature can integrated with the second plate. For example, the second plate can define a wall of material formed at least partially about a perimeter of the second plate to maintain the distance between the pinch zone and the user.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A female buckle component configured to mate with a male buckle component to assume a connected position, said female buckle component comprising:
 a first plate; and   a second plate that is spaced apart from the first plate and is connected to the first plate via a first side and a second side,
 wherein each of the first side and the second side is configured to secure a button of the male buckle component, and 
 wherein the second plate comprises a pinch-mitigating feature to maintain a distance between a pinch zone and a user. 
   
     
     
         2 . The female buckle component of  claim 1 , wherein the pinch-mitigating feature is integrated with the second plate. 
     
     
         3 . The female buckle component of  claim 2 , wherein the second plate comprises a wall of material formed at least partially about a perimeter of the second plate that is configured to maintain the distance between the pinch zone and the user. 
     
     
         4 . The female buckle component of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the second plate comprises an interior surface that faces the first plate and an exterior surface that faces away from the first plate, and   wherein a thickness between the interior surface and the exterior surface is configured to maintain the distance between the pinch zone and the user.   
     
     
         5 . The female buckle component of  claim 4 , wherein the interior surface is substantially parallel to the exterior surface. 
     
     
         6 . The female buckle component of  claim 4 , wherein the interior surface is non-parallel to the exterior surface and defines an angle (α°). 
     
     
         7 . The female buckle component of  claim 6 , wherein the angle (α°) is between 5 and 20 degrees. 
     
     
         8 . The female buckle component of  claim 1 , wherein the first plate has a first thickness and the second plate has a second thickness that is greater than the first thickness. 
     
     
         9 . The female buckle component of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first side and the second side comprises one or more locking ledges configured to secure the button of the male buckle component. 
     
     
         10 . A female buckle component configured to mate with a male buckle component to assume a connected position, said female buckle component comprising:
 a first plate; and   a second plate that is spaced apart from the first plate and is connected to the first plate via a first side and a second side,
 wherein each of the first side and the second side is configured to secure a button of the male buckle component, 
 wherein the second plate comprises an interior surface that faces the first plate and an exterior surface that faces away from the first plate, and 
 wherein the second plate is configured with a thickness between the interior surface and the exterior surface that defines a pinch-mitigating feature configured to maintain a distance between a pinch zone and a user. 
   
     
     
         11 . The female buckle component of  claim 10 , wherein the interior surface is substantially parallel to the exterior surface. 
     
     
         12 . The female buckle component of  claim 10 , wherein the interior surface is non-parallel to the exterior surface and defines an angle (α°). 
     
     
         13 . The female buckle component of  claim 12 , wherein the angle (α°) is between 5 and 20 degrees. 
     
     
         14 . The female buckle component of  claim 10 , wherein the thickness between the interior surface and the exterior surface is greater than a thickness of the first plate. 
     
     
         15 . A female buckle component configured to mate with a male buckle component to assume a connected position, said female buckle component comprising:
 a first plate; and   a second plate that is spaced apart from the first plate and is connected to the first plate via a first side and a second side,
 wherein each of the first side and the second side is configured to secure a button of the male buckle component, and 
 wherein the second plate comprises a wall of material formed at least partially about a perimeter of the second plate that is configured to maintain a distance between a pinch zone and a user. 
   
     
     
         16 . The female buckle component of  claim 15 , wherein the second plate comprises an interior surface that faces the first plate and the wall of material defines an exterior surface that faces away from the first plate. 
     
     
         17 . The female buckle component of  claim 16 , wherein the interior surface is substantially parallel to the exterior surface. 
     
     
         18 . The female buckle component of  claim 16 , wherein the second plate is configured with a thickness between the interior surface and the exterior surface that defines a pinch-mitigating feature configured to maintain the distance between the pinch zone and the user. 
     
     
         19 . The female buckle component of  claim 10 , wherein the interior surface is substantially parallel to the exterior surface. 
     
     
         20 . The female buckle component of  claim 10 , wherein the interior surface is non-parallel to the exterior surface and defines an angle (α°) that is between 5 and 20 degrees.