Ratchet-type buckle
AssigneeThe Burton Corporation
InventorDavid J. Dodge
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A ratchet buckle for incrementally tightening and quickly releasing a strap, such as a snowboard binding strap and the like. A housing supports a pawl, a release actuator and a drive actuator. The housing slidably receives a serrated strap, which is engaged by the pawl to prevent an inadvertent release from the buckle. The drive actuator allows a user to selectively tighten the strap relative to the buckle. The release actuator is arranged to both disengage the pawl from the strap and separate the buckle from the strap using one continuous motion. The pawl, release actuator and drive actuator may be pivotally mounted to the housing about separate axes, and the drive actuator may be pivotally attached to the release actuator.
Claims28
A ratchet buckle for adjusting a strap, the ratchet buckle comprising:
- a housing that is adapted to slidably receive the strap, the housing having a front portion and a rear portion;
- a pawl constructed and arranged to engage and prevent movement of the strap in a direction from the rear portion toward and through the front portion of the housing while allowing movement of the strap in a direction from the front portion toward and through the rear portion of the housing;
- a drive actuator constructed and arranged to feed the strap through the housing from the front portion of the housing toward the rear portion of the housing;
- and
- a release actuator constructed and arranged to be actuated in a first direction to disengage the pawl from the strap, wherein continuously directed movement of the release actuator in the first direction causes withdrawal of the strap from and through the front portion of the housing.
A ratchet buckle for adjusting a strap, the ratchet buckle comprising:
- a housing that is adapted to slidably receive the strap therein;
- a pawl pivotally mounted to the housing about a first axis, the pawl being constructed and arranged to engage and retain the strap;
- a drive actuator pivotally mounted to the housing about a second axis and a third axis, the second axis being spaced from the first axis and the third axis being spaced from the second axis, the drive actuator being constructed and arranged to engage and feed the strap through the housing to tighten the strap;
- and
- a release actuator supported by the housing, the release actuator being constructed and arranged to disengage the pawl from the strap so that the strap can be released from the housing.
A ratchet buckle for adjusting a strap, the ratchet buckle comprising:
- a housing for slidably receiving the strap the housing having a front portion and a rear portion;
- means for engaging and preventing movement of the strap in a direction from the rear portion toward and through the front portion of the housing while allowing movement of the strap in a direction from the front portion toward and through the rear portion of the housing;
- means for driving the strap in a direction from the front portion of the housing toward the rear portion of the housing;
- and
- means for disengaging and causing withdrawal of the strap from and through the front portion of the housing through one continuously directed motion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.