Reversibly Engaged Force-controlled Buckle and Pelvic Ring Support Device Incorporating Such a Buckle

A pelvic binding system, comprising:

• (a) an elongated main body portion having opposite first and second end portions;
• (b) a buckle attached to said first end portion of said main body portion;
• (c) a flexible elongate strap having an inner end attached to said second end portion, the strap extending away from said main body portion and having an outer end portion opposite from said inner end thereof, the strap being of a size to pass through the buckle and the buckle being adapted to engage the strap so as to interconnect the first and second end portions of the main body portion with each other, the strap having an area of flexible fastener material of a first kind located on a first side of the strap;
• (d) an area of flexible fastener material of a second kind that is cooperatively matable with the flexible fastener material of the first kind, located on the second end portion of the main body portion;
• (e) and wherein the buckle comprises:
• (i) a frame having a base portion and a pair of opposite sides and defining an opening through the frame from one to the other of the opposite sides;
• (ii) a movable member disposed within the opening adjacent the base and movable between a first position with respect to the frame, in which the movable member shields an engagement member, and a second position with respect to the frame, in which at least a portion of the engagement member is exposed with respect to the movable member;
• (iii) an elastic member urging the movable member toward the first position;
• and
• (iv) a latch arranged to be engaged automatically in response to the movable member moving in the second position, and to hold the movable member in the second position with respect to the frame.