Buckle for weightlifting belt

Abstract

A buckle configured to hold a wrapped weightlifting belt and provide fine adjustments to the snugness or tightness of the weightlifting belt is disclosed. The buckle may include an adjustable element, which allows the buckle to pull-in or ease the two ends of the weightlifting belt. The adjustable element may be a worm screw that can be rotated by a user to move a car of the buckle relative to the body of the buckle. The car may have legs that hold onto one end of the weightlifting belt via holes in the weightlifting belt, while the other end of the weightlifting belt is fixed to a fastener plate of the buckle. The buckle may include a wedge and lever design to latch the buckle closed. Additionally, the buckle's rugged design allows for the manufacture thereof with polymeric materials using low-cost manufacturing techniques, like injections molding.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A buckle, comprising:
 a lever;   a wedge rotatably coupled to the lever;   a side element rotatably coupled to the lever;   a body rotatably coupled to the side element;   a car held by the body and configured to move relative to the body, the car configured to engage a first end of a weightlifting belt; and   a fastener plate configured to engage a second end of the weightlifting belt, the second end of the weightlifting belt opposing the first end of the weightlifting belt.   
     
     
         2 . The buckle of  claim 1 , wherein the car further comprises:
 at least one leg configured to hold the weightlifting belt proximal to the first end of the weightlifting belt.   
     
     
         3 . The buckle of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one leg comprises a first leg, a second leg, a third leg, and a fourth leg, wherein the first leg and the second leg are spaced at a distance substantially equal to a spacing of holes formed on the weightlifting belt. 
     
     
         4 . The buckle of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one leg comprises a foot to prevent the weightlifting belt from slipping off of the at least one leg. 
     
     
         5 . The buckle of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a worm screw disposed between the car and the body.   
     
     
         6 . The buckle of  claim 5 , wherein the worm screw comprises a first set of threads that mesh with a second set of threads disposed on the body. 
     
     
         7 . The buckle of  claim 5 , wherein the worm screw is accessible through a window in the car defined by an edge of the car. 
     
     
         8 . The buckle of  claim 5 , wherein rotating the worm screw changes a distance between the car and the fastener plate. 
     
     
         9 . The buckle of  claim 8 , wherein rotating the worm screw results in changing the distance between the car and the fastener plate by up to at least 0.5 inches. 
     
     
         10 . The buckle of  claim 1 , wherein the wedge comprises at least one of Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), Polylactic Acid (PLA), Nylon, High density Polyethylene (HDPE), Polyoxymethylene (POM), Thermoplastic Rubber (TPR), Polypropylene (PP), or High Impact Polystyrene (HIPS). 
     
     
         11 . The buckle of  claim 1 , wherein the body includes a rail along which the car is configured to move. 
     
     
         12 . The buckle of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a magnet disposed on the lever.   
     
     
         13 . The buckle of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a second magnet disposed on one of the wedge or the fastener plate, the second magnet configured to attract the magnet.   
     
     
         14 . A method to form a buckle, comprising:
 forming a lever;   forming a wedge;   forming a worm screw having threads thereon;   forming a body;   forming a car;   attaching the car to the body with the worm screw disposed therebetween; and   attaching the lever to the wedge and to the body.   
     
     
         15 . The method to form the buckle of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 forming a first side element;   forming a second side element;   attaching the first side element to the lever;   attaching the first side element to the body;   attaching the first side element to the lever; and   attaching the second side element to the body.   
     
     
         16 . The method to form the buckle of  claim 15 , to form the body further comprises:
 forming a second thread in the body, the second thread configured to mesh with the threads.   
     
     
         17 . The method to form the buckle of  claim 14 , wherein forming the wedge further comprises:
 machining a metal block, the metal block comprising at least one of aluminum, stainless steel, steel, or iron.   
     
     
         18 . The method to form the buckle of  claim 14 , wherein forming the lever further comprises:
 injection molding a polymeric material, the polymeric material comprising at least one of Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), Polylactic Acid (PLA), Nylon, High density Polyethylene (HDPE), Polyoxymethylene (POM), Thermoplastic Rubber (TPR), Polypropylene (PP), or High Impact Polystyrene (HIPS).   
     
     
         19 . The method to form the buckle of  claim 14 , wherein forming the worm screw comprises:
 3D printing the worm screw using a thermoplastic material.   
     
     
         20 . The method to form the buckle of  claim 14 , wherein attaching the lever to the wedge further comprises:
 rotatably attaching the lever to the wedge using a fastener, the fastener having a different material composition than the lever or the wedge.