Reversible Ornamental Plate Belt Buckle with Pivot Lock
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing belt buckles lack easy and durable mechanisms for changing their aesthetic aspect independently of the belt strap, often risking damage to the visible components when attempting to switch designs.
Innovation Solution
A belt buckle design featuring a frame with an ornamental plate that can be pivoted and locked in place using projecting members from the plate and frame, allowing easy switching between two faces without mechanical interference, using locking mechanisms that fit together securely to prevent damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the ornamental plate is made removable to change aesthetic aspect, then adaptability is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to risk of damage during removal and reattachment
Solution Approach 1:
The buckle is divided into two main segments: a fixed frame and a removable ornamental plate. The ornamental plate can be independently removed and replaced to change aesthetic appearance while the frame remains intact, preventing damage to the main structure during aesthetic changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism is localized to specific projecting members (protrusions) on the ornamental plate that engage with corresponding recesses in the frame. This localized locking ensures secure attachment only where needed, allowing easy removal without compromising overall structural integrity.
2Reliability
If a locking mechanism is added to secure the ornamental plate, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking function is extracted as simple geometric features (protrusions and recesses) rather than complex mechanical locks. These minimal structural elements provide sufficient security while maintaining simplicity and avoiding unnecessary complexity in the overall design.
Solution Approach 2:
The protrusions and recesses automatically engage when the ornamental plate is inserted into the frame, providing self-locking without requiring additional locking components or complex assembly steps. The geometry itself performs the locking function.
3Ease of operation
If the ornamental plate is designed to pivot freely for easy turning, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to potential mechanical interference and damage
Solution Approach 1:
The ornamental plate is designed to pivot freely within the frame during the turning operation, allowing easy user manipulation. The dynamic movement is constrained only by the frame boundaries, enabling smooth rotation without mechanical interference from locking mechanisms during the turning action.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking and unlocking actions are performed before and after the turning operation, not during it. The user locks the plate in one position, performs the turning action freely, then locks it in the new position, separating the turning motion from the locking mechanism to prevent damage.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a belt buckle including a surround and an ornamental plate arranged in an interior space defined by the surround. The ornamental plate is connected to the surround by a pivot that allows the ornamental plate to be reversed within the surround. The buckle includes a lock to hold the ornamental plate in position with respect to the surround in a first position that exposes a first face of the ornamental plate via an open upper face of the surround, and in a second position that exposes a second face of the ornamental plate via the open upper face of the surround. The lock includes a first element projecting along an edge face of the ornamental plate and a second element projecting on an interior edge of the surround and which are configured to lock together mechanically. Also disclosed is a belt including such a buckle.