Buckle

1. A buckle comprising a male member, a latching member, and a first body, the latching member being pivotally coupled to the first body to define a female assembly for receiving the male member,

wherein the male member comprises in one molded structure: a second body, a guide plate, and an engaging leg, the second body having a height extending from an undersurface to an uppersurface at opposing side walls, the guide plate extending from the second body and having a leading end furthest from said second body, the guide plate having an undersurface elevated relative to the second body undersurface and having an uppersurface recessed relative to said second body uppersurface, the engaging leg having an engaging face extending from the guide plate upper surface to a leg height and having an incline surface inclining from said leg height back to said guide plate upper surface toward the guide plate leading edge;

wherein the latching member comprises in one molded structure: an upper plate, a first and a second sidewall, a latching wall, a first pivot, and a second pivot, the upper plate having an uppersurface defining an upper outer surface of the female assembly, the upper plate having a length from a first end to an opposite second end, the latching wall located at an upper plate undersurface toward the first end, the first and second sidewalls located at opposite side edges of the upper plate and having a height exceeding a thickness of the upper plate, the first pivot located along the first sidewall, the second pivot located along the second sidewall, the latching wall being configured to engage with the engaging leg;

wherein the first body comprises in one molded structure: a bottom plate, third and fourth sidewalls, an elastic member, a third pivot and a fourth pivot, the bottom plate configured to guide and receive the guide plate of the male member at an upper surface of the bottom plate, the third and fourth sidewalls located at opposite side edges of the bottom plate and having a height exceeding a thickness of the bottom plate, the third pivot located along the third sidewall, the fourth pivot located along the fourth sidewall, the first and third pivots mating and the second and fourth pivots mating to define a pivot axis about which the latching member is pivotally coupled to the first body, the pivot axis occurring at an intermediate portion of the first, second, third and fourth sidewalls which, relative to the length of the upper plate, is offset from both the first end and second end of the upper plate, the elastic member having a proximal end at an upper surface of the bottom plate and extending to a distal end contacting the upper plate along the length of the upper plate at a location between the pivot axis and the second end; and

wherein when the male member is buckled to the female assembly, the elastic member supports the upper plate toward the second end to maintain the latching member pivoted with the latching wall engaged to the engaging leg, and wherein when force is applied downward at the upper plate second end the latching member pivots about the pivot axis pushing the elastic member distal end downward toward the bottom plate upper surface and elevating the latching wall relative to the engaging leg.

2. The buckle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second body includes a first traverse bar extending between the opposing sidewalls at an intermediate portion of the opposing sidewalls, and a second traverse bar extending between the opposing sidewalls at one end of the opposing sidewalls, the first and second traverse bars forming a part of a belt receiving space in which a belt is received when the belt is connected to the male member.

3. The buckle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a reinforcing rib is formed on a lower surface of the guide plate to provide rigidity to the guide plate and receive a part of the female assembly.

4. The buckle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the guide plate extends a predetermined distance from an end of the second body and has first step portions engaging with step portions formed in the first body respectively and second step portions engaging with step portions formed at respective first ends of the first and second sidewalls of the latching member.

5. The buckle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the engaging leg has a generally triangular section.

6. The buckle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first body further includes a belt connection bar spaced a desired distance from a rear portion of the bottom plate to extend between the first and second sidewalls thereof.

7. The buckle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the engaging leg is spaced a desired distance from the first traverse bar of the second body so that the latching wall is located between the second body and the engaging leg when the male member is coupled to the female assembly.

8. The buckle as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the bottom plate has a lip portion located at a front end of the bottom plate and engages with the reinforcing rib of the male member when the male member is coupled to the female assembly.

9. The buckle as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the third and fourth sidewalls of the second body have front ends extending a desired distance from the front end of the bottom plate to form extension portions which have a leading end identical with a terminal end of the lip portion formed at the front end of the bottom plate.

10. The buckle as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the extension portions of the third and fourth sidewalls of the first body have step portions which are formed in the extension portions to engage with the first step portions of the guide plate when the male member is coupled to the female assembly.

11. The buckle as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the first and second sidewalls of the latching member have the step portions at a position spaced a desired distance from the front end of the first and second sidewalls of the latching member, respectively.

12. The buckle as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the step portions of the latching member upper plate come into contact with the second step portions formed on the guide plate of the male member, respectively, when the male member is inserted into the female assembly.

13. The buckle as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the latching member upper plate has a groove formed on the undersurface thereof, in order to receive the distal end of the elastic member.