Buckle Assembly

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/451,203, filed Aug. 17, 2023, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/833,182, filed Jun. 6, 2022, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,925,241, issued Mar. 12, 2024, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/928,005, filed Jul. 14, 2020, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,350,705, issued on Jun. 7, 2022, which claims the benefit of Chinese Patent Application No. 202010621957.3, filed Jun. 30, 2020, and Chinese Patent Application No. 201910648903.3, filed Jul. 17, 2019, the contents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference.

The present invention relates to a child product, and more specifically, to a buckle assembly.

With development of economy and advancement of technology, there are more and more consumer products available in the market to bring convenience in people's life. Child carriers are one of the consumer products.

It is well-known that straps are indispensable for the child carriers, and buckle assemblies are commonly used on the straps for fastening and unfastening the straps.

Currently, a conventional buckle assembly includes a male buckle, a female buckle for engaging with the male buckle and a release button. The male buckle the female buckle can be disengaged from each other by the release button. The release button is usually located at a front surface or a rear surface of one of the male buckle and the female buckle for providing an easy access for a user to operate the release button. However, since the release button is located at such a conspicuous place, it is easy for a child sitting in a child carrier to recognize existence of the release button, which leads to a potential hazard caused by an unintentional release operation of the buckle assembly due to the child's subconscious touching. Meanwhile, when the release button of the conventional buckle assembly is operated, it is required to apply a great force on the release button, which causes a difficulty in the release operation. Furthermore, the configuration of the release button located at the front surface or the rear surface of the one of the male buckle and the female buckle increases a possibility of being hit by other objects, which also leads to the potential hazard caused by the unintentional release operation of the buckle assembly. Although there is a buckle assembly having an inconspicuous release button, such buckle assembly has a complicated structure and a difficult release operation.

Therefore, there is a need to provide an improved buckle assembly to solve the aforementioned problems.

It is an objective of the present invention to provide a buckle assembly with an inconspicuous operating component and easy operation.

In order to achieve the aforementioned objective, the present invention discloses a buckle assembly. The buckle assembly includes a first buckle component, a second buckle component and an operating component. The first buckle component includes a locked portion. The second buckle component includes a locking portion configured to cooperate with the locked portion. The locking portion engages with the locked portion along a lateral direction of the buckle assembly when the second buckle component is mated with the first buckle component along a mating direction. The operating component is partially embedded in the second buckle component and partially exposed out of the second buckle component. The operating component is configured to cooperate with the locking portion and slidable relative to the second buckle component. The operating component drives the locking portion to move away from the locked portion for disengaging the locking portion from the locked portion during a sliding movement of the operating component relative to the second buckle component.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the locked portion is located at a front surface of the first buckle component.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the locking portion is a resilient structure, and the operating component resiliently deforms the locking portion for disengaging the locking portion from the locked portion during the sliding movement of the operating component relative to the second buckle component.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the locking portion includes a resilient arm and a locking head connected to the resilient arm. The resilient arm is configured to cooperate with the operating component. The locking head is configured to engage with the locked portion. The resilient arm is biased to engage the locking head with the locked portion, and the operating component resiliently deforms the resilient arm for disengaging the locking head from the locked portion during the sliding movement of the operating component relative to the second buckle component.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the operating component is slidable relative to the second buckle component along the lateral direction. An abutting portion protrudes from the operating component along the lateral direction. A cooperating portion is formed on a free end of the resilient arm and for cooperating with the abutting portion, and the operating component abuts against the cooperating portion by the abutting portion to resiliently deform the resilient arm for disengaging the locking head from the locked portion during the sliding movement of the operating component relative to the second buckle component.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the cooperating portion is aligned with the abutting portion along the lateral direction.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the locking head protrudes from an inner wall of the resilient arm along the lateral direction, and the cooperating portion is adjacent to the locking head.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the locking head and the cooperating portion are sequentially arranged along a direction from a fixing end of the resilient arm toward the free end of the resilient arm.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the locking portion is detachably connected to the second buckle component.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the locking portion further includes an engaging bracket fixedly connected to a fixing end of the resilient arm. An engaged structure is formed on the second buckle component and for detachably engaging with the engaging bracket, and the engaging bracket is detachably embedded into the engaged structure.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the engaged structure includes at least two engaged rods spaced apart from each other. The engaging bracket is embedded between the at least two engaged rods. Each of the at least two engaged rods includes an upper restraining part and a lower restraining part. The upper restraining part and the lower restraining part are configured to restrain movement of the engaging bracket, and the engaging bracket is located between the upper restraining part and the lower restraining part when the engaging bracket is detachably embedded into the engaged structure.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the engaging bracket includes a step-shaped structure for engaging with the lower restraining part when the engaging bracket is detachably embedded into the engaged structure.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, an avoiding space is formed between the at least two engaged rods and for allowing the resilient arm to move.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the locked portion includes an abutting structure and a locked structure. The abutting structure abuts against the locking head to resiliently deform the resilient arm during a mating process of the first buckle component and the second buckle component. The locked structure is configured to engage with the locking head, and the operating component resiliently deforms the resilient arm for disengaging the locking head from the locked structure during the sliding movement of the operating component relative to the second buckle component.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, an end portion of the abutting structure includes a first inclined part inclined relative to the mating direction. The locking head includes a second inclined part for cooperating with the first inclined part, and the abutting structure resiliently deforms the resilient arm by abutment of the first inclined part and the second inclined part to pass across the locking head for engaging the locked structure with the locking head during the mating process of the first buckle component and the second buckle component.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the locked structure is an enclosed recess, and the locking head is configured to engage with the enclosed recess.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the locking portion includes a first locking portion and a second locking portion. The first locking portion and the second locking portion are located at two opposite sides of the locked portion and clamp the locked portion along the lateral direction. The operating component includes a first operating component and a second operating component. The first operating component and the first locking portion are located at a same side. The second operating component and the second locking portion are located at another same side. The first operating component is configured to cooperate with the second locking portion. The second operating component is configured to cooperate with the first locking portion, and the first operating component and the second operating component respectively deform the second locking portion and the first locking portion for disengaging the first locking portion and the second locking portion from the locked portion during the sliding movement of the operating component relative to the second buckle component.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first locking portion includes a first resilient arm and a first locking head connected to the first resilient arm. The first resilient arm is configured to cooperate with the second operating component. The first locking head is configured to engage with the locked portion. The first resilient arm is biased to engage the first locking head with the locked portion. The second operating component is configured to resiliently deform the first resilient arm for disengaging the first locking head from the locked portion. The second locking portion includes a second resilient arm and a second locking head connected to the second resilient arm. The second resilient arm is configured to cooperate with the first operating component. The second locking head is configured to engage with the locked portion. The second resilient arm is biased to engage the second locking head with the locked portion, and the first operating component is configured to resiliently deform the second resilient arm for disengaging the second locking head from the locked portion.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first operating component is slidable relative to the second buckle component along the lateral direction. A first abutting portion protrudes from the first operating component along the lateral direction. A second cooperating portion is formed on a free end of the second resilient arm and for cooperating with the first abutting portion. The first operating component abuts against the second cooperating portion by the first abutting portion to resiliently deform the second resilient arm for disengaging the second locking head from the locked portion during a sliding movement of the first operating component relative to the second buckle component. The second operating component is slidable relative to the second buckle component along the lateral direction. A second abutting portion protrudes from the second operating component along the lateral direction. A first cooperating portion is formed on a free end of the first resilient arm and for cooperating with the second abutting portion, and the second operating component abuts against the first cooperating portion by the second abutting portion to resiliently deform the first resilient arm for disengaging the first locking head from the locked portion during a sliding movement of the second operating component relative to the second buckle component.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first cooperating portion is aligned with the second abutting portion along the lateral direction, and the second cooperating portion is aligned with the first abutting portion along the lateral direction.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first locking head protrudes from an inner wall of the first resilient arm along the lateral direction. The first cooperating portion is adjacent to the first locking head. The second locking head protrudes from an inner wall of the second resilient arm along the lateral direction, and the second cooperating portion is adjacent to the first locking head.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first locking head and the first cooperating portion are sequentially arranged along a direction from a fixing end of the first resilient arm to the free end of the first resilient arm, and the second locking head and the second cooperating portion are sequentially arranged along a direction from a fixing end of the second resilient arm to the free end of the second resilient arm.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first cooperating portion and the second cooperating portion are located at different levels along an up-down direction of the buckle assembly, and the first abutting portion and the second abutting portion are located at different levels along the up-down direction.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first cooperating portion is misaligned with the second cooperating portion along the lateral direction, and the first abutting portion is misaligned with the second abutting portion along the lateral direction.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the buckle assembly further includes a first magnetic structure and a second magnetic structure. The first magnetic structure is disposed on the first buckle component. The second magnetic structure is disposed on the second buckle component, and the first magnetic structure magnetically attracts or repels the second magnetic structure during the mating process of the first buckle component and the second buckle component.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a first embedding chamber is formed on the first buckle component. A second embedding chamber is formed on the second buckle component. The first magnetic structure is embedded into the first embedding chamber, and the second magnetic structure is embedded into the second embedding chamber.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first embedding chamber is aligned with the second embedding chamber along the mating direction.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a mating hole is formed on the second buckle component and for allowing the locked portion to pass therethrough.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the buckle assembly further includes a resilient component disposed between the operating component and the second buckle component and for biasing the operating component to slide away from the locking portion.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a C-shaped structure is formed on the second buckle component and for accommodating the resilient component.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a restraining protrusion protrudes from the operating component. The second buckle component includes a restraining block for cooperating with the restraining protrusion, and the second buckle component blocks the operating component by abutment of the restraining block and the restraining protrusion for preventing disengagement of the operating component and the second buckle component.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, one of the first buckle component and the second buckle component is a male buckle, and another of the first buckle component and the second buckle component is a female buckle.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the locking portion includes a rotating arm, a locking head and a recovering component. The rotating arm is pivotally connected to the second buckle component. The locking head is connected to the rotating arm and for engaging with the locked portion. The operating component is configured to drive the rotating arm to rotate for disengaging the locking head from the locked portion, and the recovering component is disposed between the rotating arm and the second buckle component and for biasing the rotating arm to rotate to engage the locking head with the locked portion.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the operating component is slidable relative to the second buckle component along the lateral direction. An abutting portion protrudes from the operating component along the lateral direction. A cooperating portion is formed on the rotating arm and for cooperating with the abutting portion. The cooperating portion is aligned with the abutting portion along the lateral direction, and the operating component drives the rotating arm to rotate by abutment of the abutting portion and the cooperating portion for disengaging the locking head from the locked portion during the sliding movement of the operating component relative to the second buckle component.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the operating component is slidable relative to the second buckle component along an extending direction perpendicular to the lateral direction and the mating direction. An abutting portion protrudes from the operating component along the extending direction. A cooperating portion is formed on the rotating arm and for cooperating with the abutting portion. The cooperating portion is aligned with the abutting portion along the mating direction, and the operating component drives the rotating arm to rotate by abutment of the abutting portion and the cooperating portion for disengaging the locking head from the locked portion during the sliding movement of the operating component.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the operating component is slidable relative to the second buckle component along the mating direction. An abutting portion protrudes from the operating component along the mating direction. A cooperating portion is formed on the rotating arm and for cooperating with the abutting portion. The cooperating portion is aligned with the abutting portion along the mating direction, and the operating component drives the rotating arm to rotate by abutment of the abutting portion and the cooperating portion for disengaging the locking head from the locked portion during the sliding movement of the operating component.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the locking portion includes a first locking portion and a second locking portion. The first locking portion and the second locking portion are located at two opposite sides of the locked portion and clamp the locked portion along the lateral direction. The first locking portion includes a first rotating arm, a first locking head and a first recovering component. The first rotating arm is pivotally connected to the second buckle component. The first locking head is connected to the first rotating arm and for engaging with the locked portion. The first locking head protrudes from an inner wall of the first rotating arm along the lateral direction. The first recovering component is disposed between the first rotating arm and the second buckle component and for biasing the first rotating arm to rotate to engage the first locking head with the locked portion. The second locking portion includes a second rotating arm, a second locking head and a second recovering component. The second rotating arm is pivotally connected to the second buckle component. The second locking head is connected to the second rotating arm and for engaging with the locked portion. The second locking head protrudes from an inner wall of the second rotating arm along the lateral direction, and the second recovering component is disposed between the second rotating arm and the second buckle component and for biasing the second rotating arm to rotate to engage the second locking head with the locked portion.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the operating component includes a first operating component and a second operating component. The first operating component and the first locking portion are located at a same side. The second operating component and the second locking portion are located at another same side. The first operating component and the second operating component are slidable relative to the second buckle component along the lateral direction. A first abutting port ion protrudes from the first operating component along the lateral direction. A second cooperating portion is formed on the second rotating arm and for cooperating with the first abutting portion. The second cooperating portion is aligned with the first abutting portion along the lateral direction. The first operating component drives the second rotating arm to rotate by abutment of the first abutting portion and the second cooperating portion for disengaging the second locking head from the locked portion during a sliding movement of the first operating component. A second abutting portion protrudes from the second operating component along the lateral direction. A first cooperating portion is formed on the first rotating arm and for cooperating with the second abutting portion. The first cooperating portion is aligned with the second abutting portion along the lateral direction. The second operating component drives the first rotating arm to rotate by abutment of the second abutting portion and the first cooperating portion for disengaging the first locking head from the locked portion during a sliding movement of the second operating component. The first cooperating portion and the second cooperating portion are located at different levels along an up-down direction of the buckle assembly. The first cooperating portion is misaligned with the second cooperating portion along the lateral direction. The first abutting portion and the second abutting portion are located at different levels along the up-down direction of the buckle assembly, and the first abutting portion is misaligned with the second abutting portion along the lateral direction.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the operating component is slidable relative to the second buckle component along an extending direction perpendicular to the lateral direction and the mating direction. A first abutting portion and a second abutting portion protrude from the operating component along the extending direction. A second cooperating portion is formed on the second rotating arm and for cooperating with the first abutting portion. The second cooperating portion is aligned with the first abutting portion along the extending direction. A first cooperating portion is formed on the first rotating arm and for cooperating with the second abutting portion. The first cooperating portion is aligned with the second abutting portion along the extending direction, and the operating component drives the first rotating arm and the second rotating arm to rotate by abutment of the second abutting portion and the first cooperating portion and abutment of the first abutting portion and the second cooperating portion for disengaging the first locking head and the second locking head from the locked portion during the sliding movement of the operating component.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the operating component is slidable relative to the second buckle component along the mating direction. A first abutting portion and a second abutting portion protrude from the operating component along the mating direction. A second cooperating portion is formed on the second rotating arm and for cooperating with the first abutting portion. The second cooperating portion is aligned with the first abutting portion along the mating direction. A first cooperating portion is formed on the first rotating arm and for cooperating with the second abutting portion. The first cooperating portion is aligned with the second abutting portion along the mating direction, and the operating component drives the first rotating arm and the second rotating arm to rotate by abutment of the second abutting portion and the first cooperating portion and abutment of the first abutting portion and the second cooperating portion for disengaging the first locking head and the second locking head from the locked portion during the sliding movement of the operating component.

In summary, in the present invention, the operating component is disposed on the second buckle component including the locking portion which cooperates with the locked portion of the first buckle component. The operating component drives the locking portion to disengage the locking portion from the locked portion when the operating component is operated. Therefore, the present invention has advantages of simple structure and labor-saving and easy operation.

These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings.

In order to illustrate technical specifications and structural features as well as achieved purposes and effects of the present invention, relevant embodiments and figures are described as follows.