Slotless Strap Buckle Design for High-Strength Harnesses
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional buckles require a slot in the terminal section of a strap for attachment, which can be cumbersome to create in high-strength or high-temperature-resistant materials, especially for safety harnesses, and may interfere with the operation of the buckle.
Innovation Solution
A buckle design featuring a frame with a first laterally-extending slot and a tongue assembly with a second laterally-extending slot, allowing the strap to be passed through and turned back on itself without needing a slot in the strap, enabling secure attachment without material removal or interference with the buckle's operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a slot is created in the terminal section of the strap for conventional buckle attachment, then the buckle can be attached to the strap, but the strap material integrity is compromised and the attachment process becomes cumbersome especially with high-strength or high-temperature-resistant materials
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of creating a slot in the strap to accommodate the buckle, the invention inverts the approach by having the buckle components (frame and tongue assembly) each provide slots that the strap passes through. This eliminates the need to remove material from the strap while achieving the same attachment function.
Solution Approach 2:
The buckle frame and tongue assembly act as intermediaries that facilitate strap attachment without requiring direct modification of the strap. The slots in the frame and tongue assembly serve as mediators that guide and secure the strap through a loop configuration, enabling attachment while preserving strap integrity.
2Device complexity
If a slot is cut into the strap terminal section, then the buckle components can be assembled, but the operation of the buckle may be interfered with and the material is weakened
Solution Approach 1:
The invention reverses the traditional attachment methodology by placing slots in the buckle components rather than in the strap. This allows the buckle to be assembled around the strap without cutting or modifying the strap material, thereby maintaining both assembly feasibility and operational reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The buckle is divided into separate components (frame and tongue assembly) that can be independently configured with slots. This segmentation allows each component to contribute to the attachment mechanism without requiring modifications to the strap, ensuring reliable buckle operation.
3Ease of manufacture
If material is removed from the strap to create a slot, then the buckle can be attached, but the attachment process becomes time-consuming and the strap strength is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
By inverting the attachment approach and placing slots in the buckle rather than the strap, the invention eliminates the time-consuming process of cutting slots in the strap. The strap can be quickly passed through the pre-formed slots in the frame and tongue assembly and secured by forming a loop.
Solution Approach 2:
The slots are pre-formed in the buckle components during manufacturing, eliminating the need for on-site material removal. This preliminary preparation of the attachment mechanism significantly reduces the time required for field attachment while maintaining strap strength.
Data Source
AI summary
A buckle that includes a frame with a first slot and a tongue assembly with a second slot. A terminal section of a strap can be passed through the first and second slots and turned back on itself to form a loop.