U.S. patent application number 09/996188 was filed with the patent office on 2003-05-29 for removable belt clip.
Invention is credited to Pearman, Robert, Taylor, Stewart.
Application Number | 20030098323 09/996188 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25542601 |
Filed Date | 2003-05-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030098323 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Taylor, Stewart ; et
al. |
May 29, 2003 |
REMOVABLE BELT CLIP
Abstract
An attachment device for attaching an implement, such as a
knife, pager, telephone or the like onto a belt or other garment.
The device includes a clip assembly for attachment to the belt, and
includes a slot having an end portion circular in shape with a
radius larger than the width of the slot. A pin fits into the slot
only when at least one flat surface on the neck portion of the pin
is parallel to one edge of the slot. The pin is allowed to rotate
via the circular shape and the pin having a stem diameter
corresponding the circular shape. This provides a locking mechanism
where the narrower width of the slot prevents the pin from exiting
the slot unless the instrument is turned a specific angle.
Inventors: |
Taylor, Stewart; (Kingsport,
TN) ; Pearman, Robert; (Gray, TN) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Peter N. Lalos
LALOS & KEEGAN
5th Floor
1146 19th Street, N.W.
Washington
DC
20036-3723
US
|
Family ID: |
25542601 |
Appl. No.: |
09/996188 |
Filed: |
November 28, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
224/197 ;
224/271 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45F 2005/026 20130101;
A45F 5/02 20130101; A45F 5/021 20130101; A45F 2200/0516
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
224/197 ;
224/271 |
International
Class: |
A45F 005/00 |
Claims
I claim:
1. An assembly attachable to the attire of a user comprising: a
first member including means for detachably securing said first
member to a selected portion of said attire, a first slot having a
given width along the length thereof and a second slot
communicating with said first slot, said second slot having a first
width along a portion thereof less than the width of said first
slot and a second width at an end thereof less than the width of
said first slot and greater than said first width of said second
slot; a second member having a laterally projecting pin including a
stem portion and a head portion; said stem portion having a first
width no greater than said first width of said second slot and a
second width angularly displaced from said first width of said stem
relating to a centerline of said stem, greater than said first
width of said second slot and less than the second width of said
second slot; and said head portion having a width no greater than
the width of said first slot and greater than said first and second
widths of said second slot.
2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein said first width of
said stem portion comprises two flat surfaces parallel to each
other.
3. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein said first width of
said stem portion comprises at least one flat surface.
4. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the second width of
said second slot has a circular shape corresponding to the second
width of said stem portion of said pin.
5. The assembly according to claim 4, wherein the center of the
circular shape of the second width of said second slot is located
along a centerline of said first slot.
6. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein said means for
detachably securing comprises a front member hinge connected to a
rear member.
7. The assembly according to claim 6, wherein said front and rear
members are connected by a u-shaped spring-metal plate biasing said
front and rear members towards each other.
8. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first slot and
the second slot extend along parallel centerlines.
9. An assembly attachable to the attire of a user comprising: a
first member including means for detachably securing said first
member to a selected portion of said attire comprising a hinge
connected front and rear member, a first slot having a given width
along the length thereof and a second slot communicating with said
first slot, said second slot having a first width along a portion
thereof less than the width of said first slot and a second width
at an end thereof less than the width of said first slot and
greater than said first width of said second slot; a second member
having a laterally projecting pin including a stem portion and a
head portion; said stem portion having a first width no greater
than said first width of said second slot and a second width
angularly displaced from said first width of said stem relating to
a centerline of said stem, greater than said first width of said
second slot; and said head portion having a width no greater than
the width of said first slot and greater than said first and second
widths of said second slot.
10. The assembly according to claim 9, wherein said first width of
said stem portion comprises at least one flat portion.
11. The assembly according to claim 9, wherein said first width of
said stem portion comprises two flat surfaces parallel to each
other.
12. The assembly according to claim 11, wherein said stem portion
slides along said first width of said second slot only when said
flat surfaces are substantially parallel to said first width of
said second slot.
13. The assembly according to claim 9, wherein the second width of
said second slot is a circular shape which communicates with the
second width of said stem portion of said pin.
14. An assembly attachable to the attire of a user comprising: a
first member including means for detachably securing said first
member to a selected portion of said attire and a slot having a
given width along the length thereof, said slot having a first
width along a portion thereof and a second width at an end thereof
greater than said first width of said slot; a second member having
a laterally projecting pin including a stem portion and a head
portion; said stem portion having a first width no greater than
said first width of said slot and a second width angularly
displaced from said first width of said stem relating to a
centerline of said stem, greater than said first width and less
than said second width of said slot; and said head portion having a
width greater than said first and second widths of said second
slot.
15. The assembly according to claim 14, wherein said first width of
said stem portion comprises at least one flat surface.
16. The assembly according to claim 14, wherein the second width of
said slot is a circular shape which communicates with the second
width of said stem portion of said pin.
17. The assembly according to claim 14, wherein said means for
detachably securing comprises a front member hinge connected to a
rear member.
18. The assembly according to claim 17, wherein said front and rear
members are connected by a u-shaped spring-metal plate biasing said
front and rear members towards each other.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to a device for attaching an
implement or instrument, such as a knife, telephone, pager, and the
like to the apparel of a user.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[0002] A user of various hand held instruments has several options
for clipping those instruments to his or her belt or the like when
the user is not immediately using them. A common method is to
insert the instrument into a case rigidly clipped to the user's
belt. Other clips attach directly to the instrument itself. Such
designs are often found not to be practical or convenient in that
they typically are intrusive.
[0003] Other designs for holding such instruments allow for
rotation of the instrument. U.S. Pat. No. 5,597,102 discloses a
design that holds a phone via a flanged lug fastened on the back
side of the phone. The lug slides into a slot on a clip via the
flanges that can be fastened to a person's belt. When the lug is at
the deepest part of the slot, a spring activated projection acts on
the lug to keep it from sliding from the slot. This design allows
for the phone to rotate while in the slot, which can alleviate the
discomfort of a rigid clip. However, the clip design has
disadvantages. First, the rotational forces on the phone can cause
the phone to dislodge. Also, even without rotating the phone, a tug
on the phone towards the opening of the slot can overcome the
spring acting on the projection to release the phone.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0004] It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a
clip for hand held instruments which overcomes the before mentioned
problems associated with previous designs.
[0005] To attain this object, the invention provides a clip design
that allows an instrument to be removably attached to the clip. The
clip attaches the belt of the user using two opposing members
pulled together by a u-shaped spring metal-plate. The instrument
attaches to the clip via a pin fitted into a slot on the clip. The
pin has a head and a stem portion for being held in the slot of the
clip. The diameter of the pin stem is greater than the width of the
slot, but has two opposing flat surfaces whereby the pin stem may
fit into the slot only when the pin is rotated to a certain angle.
At the end of the slot, the slot has a circular shape with a
diameter corresponding to the diameter of the round portion of the
pin stem. This allows for the pin to rotate in the clip.
[0006] To remove the instrument from the clip, the instrument must
be rotated to a horizontal position, or where the flat surfaces are
parallel to the narrow portions of the slot, then the instrument
may be slid out of the slot.
[0007] The clip design provides a locking mechanism to lock the pin
into place. The diameter of the pin being greater than the width of
the slot provides a means whereby the instrument cannot be pulled
from the clip, except when rotated to a certain angle. This helps
alleviate the problem of the instrument from becoming dislodged
from the clip.
[0008] The design also provides for a clip whereby the instrument
can rotate even when it is locked into place. This helps overcome
the problems in the prior art by helping alleviate the discomfort
associated with a rigid attachment device design by allowing the
instrument to rotate to another position while sitting or
walking.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be
described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in
which:
[0010] FIG. 1 is a front view of the clip.
[0011] FIG. 2 is a side view of the clip showing how the clip is
attached to a garment.
[0012] FIG. 3 is a front view of the clip and a phantom view of the
knife during insertion of the locking pin.
[0013] FIG. 4 is a front view of the clip and a phantom view of the
knife when the locking pin of the knife is in the locked
position.
[0014] FIG. 5 is a top view of the locking pin and a phantom view
of the knife.
[0015] FIG. 6 is a side view of the locking pin and a phantom view
of the knife.
[0016] FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view along line 7-7 of FIG.
6.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] In FIG. 1. there is disclosed a front view of the clip 100
according to the present invention. The main features of the clip
disclosed are the first slot 110 and the second slot 140 with a
first width 120 and a second width 130, which has a diameter
greater than the first width 120.
[0018] FIG. 2 shows the operation of the clip to place the clip on
a belt or the like. The clip 100 has a front member 220 and an
opposing rear member 210. Between them is a u-shaped spring metal
plate 200 which is attached to the rear side of the front member
220 and is also attached to the front of the rear member 210. Upon
pressing the rear member 210 at its upper portion 212 in the
direction shown by arrow 250, the bottom portion 214 of rear member
210 moves away from the front member 220. A belt, a portion of
clothing or the like may be inserted in the gap 260 created between
bottom portion 214 and the front member 220. Upon interrupting the
pressing of the upper portion 212, the spring metal plate 200 pulls
the front member 220 and the rear member 210 together to firmly
hold the clip 100 on the belt or clothing.
[0019] Removal of the clip from the belt or the like requires
pressing once again the upper portion 212 to cause the separation
between the bottom portion 214 and the front member 220 to again
form gap 260. The clip 100 is then moved away from the belt or the
like, and then the user may cease the pressing of the rear member
210.
[0020] FIG. 5, FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 show the design of the pin 500
mounted on a knife 510, shown in phantom view. The knife will not
be described as such knives are well known in the art. Further, the
pin may be attached to any device or instrument, such as a phone,
pager, tool, etc.. The knife is used by way example. The pin has a
head portion 610 and a stem portion 600. The stem portion 600
comprises a round portion 720 which has a radius corresponding to
the radius of the second width 130 of the second slot 140 and
opposing parallel flat portions 710 and 711 which between them have
a width corresponding to the width of the first width 120 of the
second slot. The head portion 610 has a diameter greater than the
second width 130 of the second slot.
[0021] FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 show the operation of the clip in
association with the pin. When the user wishes to place the
instrument into the clip, the pin 500 must be placed into the first
width 120 of the second slot 140. The head portion 610 is fits
beneath the surface 310 surrounding the second slot 140, the head
portion having a greater diameter than the first width 120 and the
second width 130 of the second slot 140, while the stem portion is
associated with the second slot 140. The round portion 720 of the
pin 500 has a radius greater than the first width 120, since the
radius of the round portion 720 corresponds to the radius of the
second width 130, which is greater than the first width 120. Thus,
the pin 500 and thus the knife must be rotated until the knife is
horizontal to the clip, as shown in FIG. 3. This aligns the flat
portions 710 and 711 of the pin with the first width 120, which
have corresponding dimensions. Then the pin 500 may slide into the
first width 120 of the second slot 140.
[0022] Once the pin 500 reaches the second width 130, the pin is
also allowed to rotate because the diameter of the second width 130
corresponds to the diameter of the round portion 720, which allows
for rotational movement. The diameter of the round portion 720
being greater than the first width 120 of the second slot 140 also
prevents the pin 500 from moving away from the second width 130,
except at the exact position when the flat portions 710 and 711
line up with the first width 120. Thus, there is provided a locking
mechanism to prevent the dislodging of the knife from the clip
while at the same time allowing rotational movement.
[0023] The release of the knife from the clip requires a rotation
of the knife 510 and movement of the pin from away from the second
width 130. The knife must be rotated so it is horizontal with
respect to the clip 100, as shown in FIG. 3. This aligns the flat
portions 710 and 711 with the first width 120 of the second slot
140. Once aligned, the pin 500 may freely move away from the second
width 130 through the first width 120, out the second slot 140 and
be removed from the clip 100 for use.
[0024] The forgoing describes an embodiment using a knife. The
invention may be used with other instruments or devices, such as
phones, pagers, tools, etc. Further, other embodiments of the
present invention, and obvious modifications to those skilled in
the art can be made without departing from the scope of the present
invention.
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