Buckle and buckle-strap assembly

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/996,960 filed Dec. 12, 2007, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

The invention relates generally to belt buckles.

Belts and belt buckles are well-known and long-time fashion accessories. As is well-known, one common use of a belt is to secure clothing about a user\'s waist with a buckle. Buckles are devices that secure the two ends of the belt, or strap, together. Generally, the buckle is secured to one end of the belt, and the other end of the belt may be secured to the buckle in a variable manner. Commonly, the other end of the belt has holes along a portion of the belt length that allow a prong of the buckle to secure to the belt at differing lengths. In this manner, the belt may encircle the person\'s waist and accommodate girth of the waist, which may vary somewhat on a particular day, and between particular people. A new belt may be required if a particular person\'s waist increases or decreases over time by more than the amount that may be accommodated by the second end of the belt. The same buckle may be used in certain instances where the buckle is removable from the belt. In certain other cases, however, the buckle and belt are permanently affixed, and thus a new belt and buckle may be required.

Buckles, while widely used for belts and the like, may also be used as decorative ornaments for numerous other articles of clothing, such as, for example, shoes, shirts, and pants. Furthermore, buckles may be integrated directly into the waist of a pair of pants, skirt, or dress, with the articles of clothing having integrated straps that may be adjusted using the buckle.

As mentioned, belts and/or associated buckles may be used as a fashion accessory. In many cases, it is desirable to match a certain belt and/or buckle to a particular clothing ensemble being worn by the person. In these cases, the person often desires to have ornamentation on the belt and/or buckle that may complement the other articles of clothing being worn by the person. Such ornamentation may include, for example, attached decorative articles, gemstones, designs, and different colors associated with the belt and/or buckle.

Belt buckles as fashion accessories has increased in popularity over the past five years. As accessories, many variations of common belt buckles are marketed with the hopes that the variations will increase or maintain interest in the belt buckles as an accessory.

The western style belt buckle is a mainstay in the market of belt buckles. Western style belt buckles, as with many other styles of belt buckles, are typically of the same structure with a varied theme embossed or imprinted into the particular metal used for making the belt buckle. Some belt buckles allow for one belt buckle to have interchangeable parts, i.e., facings of different compositions with different effects or designs, to be inserted in a hold on the face of the buckle. Although this type of belt buckle is appealing to the wearer, the fact remains that the belt buckle is still one of a metal design or one of mixed components such as metal and plastic, and the desire to be unique in accessorizing may not be completely fulfilled.

Another variation of common belt buckles is where the same or similar metal belt buckle has various materials adhered or fused thereto. Again, this is the same or similar approach attempting to provide unique or individual expression through accessories based on the same belt buckle structure. There is a need for a truly unique structure and style of belt buckle for those persons who want fashion to speak for their personal character and individualism.

The present invention recognizes that it would be desirable to have a single piece, glass buckle that may include multiple different ornamental configurations. The present invention also recognizes that it would be desirable to have a belt system, including a belt strap and a single piece, glass buckle that expresses true uniqueness of a belt buckle as an accessory.

In one embodiment, the present invention provides a belt buckle system, having a single piece, glass buckle having a main body with a front portion and a back portion, a strap bar located on a back portion of the main body for securing the belt strap to the single piece, glass buckle, and at least one spike located on the back portion of the main body for securing the belt strap.

The present invention provides a single piece, glass buckle made from a soda-lime family or a borosilicate family of glass. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a single piece, glass buckle made from soft glass from the soda-lime family.

In another embodiment, the present invention provides a single piece, glass buckle with a strap bar and at least one spike operably spaced to provide maximum stability to the single piece, glass buckle when worn with a belt strap.

In another embodiment, the present invention provides a single piece, glass buckle with a strap bar operably angled away from the direction of the spike, thereby allowing the single piece, glass buckle to be positioned flat with the respect to the belt strap when worn around a desired part of the body. In a preferred embodiment, the strap bar is positioned by angling the base stems of the strap bar, which form a continuous connection between the strap bar and the back portion of the main body of the buckle.

In another embodiment, the present invention provides a single piece, glass buckle with a strap bar that is continuously connected to the main body, wherein the strap bar provides a passage area having a distance from the back portion of the main body of the buckle to allow for at least two times the thickness of the belt strap to fit through.

In another embodiment, the present invention provides a single piece, glass buckle having a spike with a broad base that is continuously connected to the main body, wherein the spike has a tip with a larger diameter than the shaft of the spike. In another embodiment, the tip can be bulbous, diamond-shaped, ridged, toothed, or lipped, thereby allowing the tip to be securely fastened through a hole in a belt strap.

In another embodiment, the present invention provides a single piece, glass buckle that may be clear, near clear, a single color, a mixture of colors, or combinations thereof.

In another embodiment, the present invention provides a single piece, glass buckle that may be of varying shapes, sizes and/or weights.

In another embodiment, the present invention provides a single piece, glass buckle where the strap bar is positioned on the left of side of the buckle for attachment of a belt strap, or where the strap bar is positioned on the right side of the buckle for attachment of a belt strap.