US5283933A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Belt buckle with interactive dual tongues
Assignee: Indiana Mills and Manufacturing Inc
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Filing: 1993-01-26
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Granted: 1994-02-08
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Expires: 2013-01-26
Abstract
Abstract A pair of interactive tongues are for latching to a dual-tongue belt buckle. The belt buckle includes false latching features that only permits the latching mechanism to trigger when both of the tongues are fully inserted into the buckle. The contact surfaces of the first and second tongues include interactive features that prevent the tongues from sliding past one another in the direction of the tongue bars when the contact surfaces are meshed. The interactive features of the contact surfaces are shaped and configured so that the contact surfaces can be meshed by moving the tongues toward each other in a plurality of different directions that are perpendicular to the direction defined by the tongue bars.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael A. Wiseman
- 👤 James R. Chinni
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 04:48
CPC Classifications
A; A44; A44B; A44B11/00; A44B11/25; A44B11/2503; A44B11/2546; A44B11/2549; A44B11/2507; A44B11/2511; A44B11/2561; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S24/00; Y10S24/30; Y10S24/31; Y10S24/35; Y10T; Y10T24/00; Y10T24/45; Y10T24/45005; Y10T24/45079; Y10T24/45084; Y10T24/45225; Y10T24/45602; Y10T24/45607; Y10T24/45613; Y10T24/45618; Y10T24/45623; Y10T24/4566; Y10T24/4567
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
356 words
A belt buckle-tongue combination comprising: a first tongue having a first main body with a first contact surface and a first web attachment aperture, and further including a first tongue bar extending therefrom in a first direction; a second tongue having a second main body with a second contact surface shaped to mesh with said first contact surface and a second web attachment aperture, and further including a second tongue bar extending therefrom in said first direction; a buckle main body having a cavity therein shaped to force said first and second contact surfaces to mesh when one of said first and second tongue bars is partially received in said cavity and the other of said first and second tongue bars is inserted into said cavity and advanced in said first direction; interactive means formed on said first contact surface of said first tongue and said second contact surface of said second tongue and operable when said first tongue is inserted into said buckle main body prior to said second tongue which is thereafter inserted to force both tongues simultaneously fully into said buckle main body when insertion pressure is applied to only one of said tongues in said first direction; a movable latch mounted in said body and movable from an unlatched position to a latched position wherein said latch engages said first and second tongue bars; manual operating means accessible at the exterior of the buckle main body for moving said latch between said latched position and said unlatched position to release said first and second tongues from locking engagement with said buckle main body; and false latching means movably mounted in said buckle main body and contactable and moved by said first and second tongues when inserted into said buckle main body, said false latching means being operable to allow said latch to lockingly engage said tongues when said first and second tongue bars are simultaneously fully inserted into said buckle main body but further operable to hold said latch from moving to said latched position when only one of said first or second tongue bars is inserted into said buckle main body.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
356 words
A belt buckle-tongue combination comprising: a first tongue having a first main body with a first contact surface and a first web attachment aperture, and further including a first tongue bar extending therefrom in a first direction; a second tongue having a second main body with a second contact surface shaped to mesh with said first contact surface and a second web attachment aperture, and further including a second tongue bar extending therefrom in said first direction; a buckle main body having a cavity therein shaped to force said first and second contact surfaces to mesh when one of said first and second tongue bars is partially received in said cavity and the other of said first and second tongue bars is inserted into said cavity and advanced in said first direction; interactive means formed on said first contact surface of said first tongue and said second contact surface of said second tongue and operable when said first tongue is inserted into said buckle main body prior to said second tongue which is thereafter inserted to force both tongues simultaneously fully into said buckle main body when insertion pressure is applied to only one of said tongues in said first direction; a movable latch mounted in said body and movable from an unlatched position to a latched position wherein said latch engages said first and second tongue bars; manual operating means accessible at the exterior of the buckle main body for moving said latch between said latched position and said unlatched position to release said first and second tongues from locking engagement with said buckle main body; and false latching means movably mounted in said buckle main body and contactable and moved by said first and second tongues when inserted into said buckle main body, said false latching means being operable to allow said latch to lockingly engage said tongues when said first and second tongue bars are simultaneously fully inserted into said buckle main body but further operable to hold said latch from moving to said latched position when only one of said first or second tongue bars is inserted into said buckle main body.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
82 words
The buckle-tongue combination of claim 1 wherein said interactive means for advancing includes each of said first and second contact surfaces having a pushing surface and an engaging surface; and wherein said pushing surface of one of said contact surfaces engages said engaging surface of the other of said contact surfaces when said contact surfaces are meshed such that both said tongues advance in said first direction when either said first tongue or said second tongue is moved in said first direction.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The buckle-tongue combination of claim 2 wherein each said pushing surface and each said engaging surface includes a portion substantially perpendicular to said first direction.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
77 words
The buckle-tongue combination of claim 3 wherein each of said contact surfaces has a wedge shaped projection with said pushing surface at one end and an indentation with said engaging surface at one end; and wherein said indentation on one of said contact surfaces is sized to receive said wedge shaped projection of the other of said contact surfaces such that each said pushing surface contacts one of said engaging surfaces when said contact surfaces are meshed.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The buckle-tongue combination of claim 4 wherein said first contact surface is a mirror image of said second contact surface.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
138 words
A pair of tongues lockingly engageable with a dual tongue belt buckle comprising: a first tongue having a first main body with a first contact surface and a first web attachment aperture, and further including a first tongue bar extending therefrom in a first direction; a second tongue having a second main body with a second contact surface shaped to mesh with said first contact surface and a second web attachment aperture, and further including a second tongue bar extending therefrom in said first direction; said contact surfaces including interactive features that prevent said tongues from sliding past each other in said first direction when said contact surfaces are meshed; and wherein said contact surfaces can be meshed by moving said tongues toward each other in a plurality of different directions that are perpendicular to said first direction.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
138 words
A pair of tongues lockingly engageable with a dual tongue belt buckle comprising: a first tongue having a first main body with a first contact surface and a first web attachment aperture, and further including a first tongue bar extending therefrom in a first direction; a second tongue having a second main body with a second contact surface shaped to mesh with said first contact surface and a second web attachment aperture, and further including a second tongue bar extending therefrom in said first direction; said contact surfaces including interactive features that prevent said tongues from sliding past each other in said first direction when said contact surfaces are meshed; and wherein said contact surfaces can be meshed by moving said tongues toward each other in a plurality of different directions that are perpendicular to said first direction.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
78 words
The pair of tongues of claim 6 wherein said interactive features include each of said contact surfaces having a pushing surface and an engaging surface; and wherein said pushing surface of one of said contact surfaces engages said engaging surface of the other of said contact surfaces when said contact surfaces are meshed such that both said tongues advance in said first direction when either said first tongue or said second tongue is moved in said first direction.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The pair of tongues of claim 7 wherein each said pushing surface and each said engaging surface includes a portion substantially perpendicular to said first direction.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
78 words
The pair of tongues of claim 8 wherein each of said contact surfaces has a wedge shaped projection with said pushing surface at one end and an indentation with said engaging surface at one end; and wherein said indentation on one of said contact surfaces is sized to receive said wedge shaped projection of the other of said contact surfaces such that each said pushing surface contacts one of said engaging surfaces when said contact surfaces are meshed.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
The pair of tongues of claim 9 wherein said first contact surface is a mirror image of said second contact surface.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
The pair of tongues of claim 6 wherein said plurality of different directions lie within a 90° arc about an axis defined by said first direction.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
167 words
A method of latching a safety belt buckle comprising the steps of: providing a pair of individual tongues having a main body with a contact surface, a web attachment aperture and a tongue bar extending from the main body in a direction, wherein the contact surfaces include interactive features that prevent the tongues from sliding past one another in said direction when the interactive features engage one another; providing a belt buckle that will latch to the pair of individual tongues when the tongues are simultaneously fully inserted into the belt buckle; inserting one of the tongue bars into the belt buckle in said direction; inserting the other of the tongue bars into the buckle in said direction until the interactive features of the contact surfaces engage each other; and pushing one of the tongues in said directions so that the engagement of the interactive features will simultaneously advance the other of the tongues until both tongues are fully inserted into the belt buckle and latched thereto.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
167 words
A method of latching a safety belt buckle comprising the steps of: providing a pair of individual tongues having a main body with a contact surface, a web attachment aperture and a tongue bar extending from the main body in a direction, wherein the contact surfaces include interactive features that prevent the tongues from sliding past one another in said direction when the interactive features engage one another; providing a belt buckle that will latch to the pair of individual tongues when the tongues are simultaneously fully inserted into the belt buckle; inserting one of the tongue bars into the belt buckle in said direction; inserting the other of the tongue bars into the buckle in said direction until the interactive features of the contact surfaces engage each other; and pushing one of the tongues in said directions so that the engagement of the interactive features will simultaneously advance the other of the tongues until both tongues are fully inserted into the belt buckle and latched thereto.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-02-07 | 1997-08-09 | 1998-02-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-02-07 | 2001-08-09 | 2002-02-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-02-07 | 2005-08-09 | 2006-02-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |