U.S. patent application number 10/608638 was filed with the patent office on 2004-01-01 for individual utility belt section.
Invention is credited to Reiserer, Randall S., Reiserer, Ronald S..
Application Number | 20040000571 10/608638 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46299532 |
Filed Date | 2004-01-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040000571 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Reiserer, Randall S. ; et
al. |
January 1, 2004 |
Individual utility belt section
Abstract
A clip-on utility carrier for attachment to the user's waistband
for the convenience of carrying handy tools, such as knives,
pouches for holding small items, tapes, etc. The utility carrier
allows belt accessories to be attached to the waistband of
trousers, shorts, skirts, etc., with or without a belt, as well as
to any other wearable or non-wearable material having a thin edge.
The inventive utility carrier can accommodate several accessories
at once and can, therefore, be used to assemble semi-permanent
"kits" of accessories that are commonly used together in particular
applications. With the utility carrier's clip-on or clamp-on
construction, it can supply the secondary function of a waist belt
(to harness accessories) without the necessity of serving the
primary function (to adjust waistband circumference).
Inventors: |
Reiserer, Randall S.;
(Nashville, TN) ; Reiserer, Ronald S.; (Nashville,
TN) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Richard C. Litman
LITMAN LAW OFFICES, LTD.
P.O. Box 15035
Arlington
VA
22215
US
|
Family ID: |
46299532 |
Appl. No.: |
10/608638 |
Filed: |
June 30, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
10608638 |
Jun 30, 2003 |
|
|
|
09939619 |
Aug 28, 2001 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
224/660 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45F 5/00 20130101; A45F
5/02 20130101; A45F 5/021 20130101; A45F 2200/0575 20130101; A45F
2003/001 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
224/660 |
International
Class: |
A45C 001/04; A45F
003/00; F41C 033/02; F42B 039/02 |
Claims
We claim:
1. A utility carrier suited for harnessing belt-wearable
accessories, comprising: an accessory retainer portion having first
and second ends; a base portion generally coextensive with said
accessory retainer portion and having first and second ends
corresponding thereto; means for removably fastening said accessory
retainer portion to said base portion proximate at least one common
end; said accessory portion having an outer side and a common side
with said base portion, said base portion having an inner side; and
means for removably attaching said base portion to an article of
clothing or other thin-edged material proximate said first and
second ends, respectively, without said utility carrier forming a
loop around the user or fastening to itself at said first and
second ends, wherein said accessory retainer portion able to be
unfastened for mounting accessories thereon, and wherein said
accessory retainer portion able to be fastened for retaining said
accessories thereon.
2. The utility carrier of claim 1, wherein a hinge serves to
permanently connect said accessory retainer portion and said base
portion at a first common end.
3. The utility carrier of claim 1, wherein said means for removably
attaching said accessory retainer portion to said base portion is a
snap having a head and a receiver.
4. The utility carrier of claim 1, wherein said means for removably
attaching said accessory retainer portion to said base portion is
hook and loop fastener or other similar part and counterpart
fastening structure which forms a removable bond when mated.
5. The utility carrier of claim 4, wherein said hook and loop or
other similar part and counterpart fastener extends along most or
all of the length of the common sides of said retainer portion and
said base portion, and wherein said part and said counterpart of
fastener are permanently attached to said accessory retainer
portion and said base portion, respectively.
6. The utility carrier of claim 3, wherein said accessory retainer
portion incorporates on at least one end a lengthwise oriented
multiple station mechanism for the purpose of adjusting the
curvature of said base portion and said retainer portion while
mated at both ends.
7. The utility carrier of claim 1, wherein said means for removably
attaching said base portion to a suitable material edge consists of
a clip or clamp located proximate each end of said base portion and
attached to said inner side thereof so oriented as to be attachable
to said material edge.
8. The utility carrier of claim 1, wherein both said accessory
retainer portion and said base portion are sufficiently flexible so
as to bend together to conform to the waist of a user when mounted
thereon.
9. A utility carrier, comprising: an accessory retainer-base having
a first end and a second end and an inner side and an outer side;
and a clip or clamp located proximate each of said first and said
second ends of said accessory retainer-base and attached to said
inner side of said accessory retainer-base. Said clips or clamps
form a means for removably attaching said base portion to an
article of clothing or other thin-edged material proximate said
first and said second ends, respectively, without said utility
carrier forming a loop around the user or fastening to itself at
said first and second ends.
10. The utility carrier of claim 9, wherein at least one of said
clips or clamps, when in a closed configuration, exhibits a profile
sufficiently small as to allow the loop structure of belt-wearable
accessories to pass over said clip or clamp before that clip or
clamp is attached to a material edge. Such a small (compressed)
profile allows accessories with a loop structure to be installed by
passing their loop structure over the clip or clamp onto said
accessory retainer-base on which accessories remain during normal
use of the utility carrier (i.e., clipped or clamped at both ends
to a material edge); accessories are removed by reversing the
installation procedure.
11. The utility carrier of claim 9, wherein said clips or clamps
are removably attached to said accessory retainer-base, such that
removal of one of the clips or clamps allows for mounting on or
removal of said accessories from said retainer-base.
12. The utility carrier of claim 9, wherein at least one clip or
clamp is removably attached to the retainer-base by a snap, whereby
clip or clamp is detached for mounting or removal of accessories
and attached for mounting on an article of clothing.
13. The utility carrier of claim 9, having at least one clip or
clamp rotatable relative to said accessory retainer-base so as to
allow alignment with said accessory retainer-base during mounting
or removal of said accessories and to allow rotation to a position
normal to said accessory retainer-base for mounting to an article
of clothing. More explicitly, said clip or clamp may rotate in a
plane parallel to the plane of the inner flat surface of the
retainer-base.
14. The utility carrier of claim 9, having a clamp comprised of a
clamping body having two legs joined at an apex, a groove in each
said leg opening at said apex, and a slider having a first leg, a
second leg, and an apex, said slider's second leg having a
centrally located slot extending lengthwise of said second leg,
said clamping body having mounting means attached in said groove
and within said slot of said slider's second leg, whereby said
slider is movable to an open clamp position when said apexes are
spaced, and a closed clamp position when said apexes are
adjacent.
15. The utility carrier of claim 14, wherein said mounting means is
a swivel and said accessory retainer-base has an aperture therein
for receiving said clamp swivel. Rotation of clamp via said swivel
is in a plane parallel to the plane of the rear flat surface of
said retainer-base.
16. The utility carrier of claim 14, wherein said mounting means is
a snap head and said accessory retainer-base has a snap receiver
mounted on the inside thereof for removably attaching said clamp
swivel.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The present patent application is a continuation-in-part of
U.S. application Ser. No. 09/939,619, filed Aug. 28, 2001.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] This invention relates to a utility carrier which serves to
attach accessories, normally worn on a standard waist belt, to a
user's clothing and other material edges.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Carrying accessories on a waist belt is well known, and many
commercial items are adapted to be attached to the waistband by a
belt. Likewise, specialized utility belts and proprietary accessory
clips are common. There are, however, several disadvantages to the
current methods of attaching accessories to one's person. Belts, as
typically used, require unbuckling to open one's trousers for
various required duties. Unbuckling sometimes allows heavy
accessories to fall to the floor at inopportune times; the reverse
may also prove cumbersome. When removing an accessory from the
belt, the user must unbuckle the belt, which may loosen the
waistband. Some trades and/or leisure activities require wearing of
a tool bag, lumbar support, or backpack. Normally worn, these
structures cover a standard belt, leaving the user with no
convenient place to carry accessories. Specialized utility belts
are usually worn to carry a multitude of accessories specifically
associated with the intended purpose of the utility belt, but are
rarely able to accommodate accessories designed to be worn on a
standard waist belt. Specialized utility belts and the hip belts
used on lumbar packs and backpacks are commonly limited by their
construction and cannot usually accommodate belt-wearable
accessories. Proprietary clips are typically designed to
accommodate only the device with which they are supplied. It is
therefore desirable to provide a device that will allow a user to
easily carry one or more accessories without relying solely on a
standard belt, specialized utility belt, hip belt, or proprietary
accessory clip.
[0006] The present invention has the advantages of: 1) allowing
easy removal of accessories without unbuckling or otherwise
disassembling any other apparatus worn by the user, 2) allowing
removal of the invention with or without accessories attached, 3)
requiring no belt or belt-like apparatus encircling the waist to
carry accessories, and 4) providing the ability to carry
accessories in a variety of locations other than the waist,
especially when the waist is obscured by another apparatus.
[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 3,767,092, issued Oct. 23, 1973 to Garrison et
al., describes a clamping hanger having a body including an
integrally molded hook and clamping means comprising at least a
pair of gripping members. The gripping members are secured in the
closed position by means of a locking clip slidably mounted within
recesses provided in the gripping members and held therein by means
of a retaining bar spanning the recess of at least one of the
gripping members.
[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 1,597,734, issued Aug. 31, 1926 to Sousa, Jr.,
describes an apparel belt comprising a main belt having means for
removably attaching its ends together, and an auxiliary belt
secured intermediate its ends to the main belt and having devices
for removably attaching the ends of the auxiliary belt to the main
belt. The auxiliary belt is arranged to slidably receive different
articles without unfastening the main belt, whereby the articles
may be slid along the auxiliary belt to different positions into
and out of the way to suit the convenience of the user.
[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 5,511,706, issued Apr. 30, 1996 to
Hendrickson, describes an apparatus for carrying multiple pairs of
handcuffs comprising a wristlet retaining member attachable to a
belt. The retaining member is shaped to define a wristlet receiving
slot dimensioned to slidably receive a portion of one of the
handcuffs. The retaining member includes a biasing portion and a
rigid portion with one end of the rigid portion overlapping one end
of the biasing portion such that the biasing portion is positioned
inwardly adjacent the second end of the rigid portion. The biasing
portion is selectively movable between a closed position wherein
the second end of the biasing portion is biased against the second
end of the rigid portion and an open position wherein the second
end of the biasing portion is deflected inwardly away from the
second end of the rigid portion so as to provide a wristlet
receiving passageway in open communication with the wristlet
receiving slot and through which one side of one of the wristlets
is insertable such that the wristlet is connected to and suspended
from the retaining member when the biasing portion is in the closed
position.
[0010] U.S. Pat. No. 5,586,707, issued Dec. 24, 1996 to Haskell,
describes a holder for score cards with an embodiment consisting of
a base "belt" (14) and retainer, "outer elongated strip" (16),
portion attached at one end via a hinge-like permanent junction
(17) and at the other end by a fastening clip (21) that allows for
release between the two parts. The two fastening clips (18 and 21)
are intended to mate together to form an encircling loop around the
user. The junction between the base and retainer of Haskell is not
designed for easy separation at 21, and is clearly depicted in FIG.
2 of Haskell to be fastened by co-parallel threading of the base
(14) and the retainer (16) into a buckle-type apparatus (21).
Furthermore, Haskell specifies that the fastening clip (21) must be
removed before the user may slide the score card retaining unit
(12) off of the elongated strip (16). The invention of Haskell is
not intended for retaining belt accessories or anything other than
the described score card retaining unit (12), which may only be
adapted to "any other object which is subject to repetitious
marking" (column 3, line 46).
[0011] U.S. Pat. No. 5,665,057, issued Sep. 9, 1997 to Murphy,
describes a heated back supporting device including a belt portion
having a pair of pockets formed in an interior surface thereof. The
belt portion is securable around a waist of a user. A plurality of
utility pockets are securable to an exterior surface of the belt
portion.
[0012] U.S. Pat. No. 5,852,849 issued Dec. 29, 1998 to Lansing et
al., describes a dental bib holder with a flattened midsection and
flanking rod-like extensions ending in terminals to which clips are
attached. The clips are described as either fixed in position or
"rotatably secured to the rod portions at the terminals" (column 2,
line 61). The use of the word "terminal" is taken to mean
positioned at the extreme end of the rod portions of the device. It
is clear from the text and drawings that Lansing et al. refer only
to axial rotation of the terminal clips relative to the rod portion
of their device, and the clips are meant to open toward the
terminus of the device as described. Rotations other than axial are
neither implied nor explicitly stated in any text or figures
provided by Lansing et al. The bib holder of Lansing et al. is
"formed of a flexible rubber or rubber-like plastic material"
(column 2, line 1) and could not support belt accessories, nor is
it claimed to have that capacity. The device described by Lansing
et al. forms a partial loop around the user's neck when in use, and
is not intended or claimed to retain anything other than a bib
while in use.
[0013] U.S. Pat. No. 5,941,438, issued Aug. 24, 1999 to Price,
describes a utility belt having adjustable means and strip loops,
rings, hooks, and pockets for holding various small items. The
utility belt of Price cannot receive standard accessories such as
utility pouches or knife holders which are intended to slide onto a
belt for mounting. This limitation is due to the various rings,
hooks, or loops, and even if these were removed, the belt must be
removed from the wearer to mount or remove these types of
accessories.
[0014] U.S. Pat. No. 6,209,766 B1, issued Apr. 3, 2001 to Kwon,
describes a belt-mounted apparatus for carrying golf accessories.
The device comprises a belt saddle-clip with a plurality of tee
holders and ball marker holders. This device would not hold
standard accessories such as utility pouches or knife holders since
they cannot be mounted and retained between the belt and the
carrying apparatus of Kwon.
[0015] U.S. Pat. No. 5,718,023, issued Feb. 17, 1998 to Billish,
describes a pen holder with a clip attachment to a user's belt. As
in '766 to Kwon, this device would not hold standard accessories
such as utility pouches or knife holders since they cannot be
mounted and retained between the belt and the carrying apparatus of
Billish.
[0016] U.S. Pat. No. 6,328,193 B1, issued Dec. 11, 2001 to Schiff,
describes, in a preferred embodiment, a personal article retention
system including a tether having a means on one end that attaches
to a portable personal article (for example, a wallet, a pager, or
eyeglasses) of its user. The other end of the tether passes through
a first connector body and is then detachably connected to a second
connector body, with each of these connector bodies being clamped
on either side of the belt or waist portion of the user's clothing.
The functionality of Shiff's invention relies on tethers that
encircle the user's waist, and the device can accommodate, at most,
two articles (one at each terminus of two tethers).
[0017] U.S. Pat. No. 6,473,941 B2, issued Nov. 5, 2002 to Mei et
al., describes a fastening assembly and method using a belt
loop/snap arrangement in which a belt loop of a pair of pants or
other garment is combined with a female or male snap part. The
other mating snap part half (male or female) is attached to the bag
or carrying case of an electronic device.
[0018] None of the above inventions and patents, taken either
singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention
as claimed. Thus, an individual utility carrier solving the
aforementioned problems is desirable.
[0019] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0020] The present invention is a utility carrier that may be
removably attached to a user's clothing, most commonly onto the
waistband, but also onto any other suitable material edge of
wearable or non-wearable items for the convenience of carrying or
supporting handy tools, such as holstered knives, pouches for
holding small items, electronic devices, measuring tapes, etc. In
general, the present invention is intended to carry any item
adapted to be harnessed to a user via a standard waist belt.
Importantly, the proposed utility carrier does not attach to itself
at opposite ends or encircle the user's waist or form a loop around
any part of the user's body, and is thus not a utility belt in the
strict sense.
[0021] The utility carrier may be conceptualized as having a
retainer portion and a base portion. In principle, the base
functions to attach the utility carrier to some supporting
material, such as the user's waistband, while the retainer
functions to secure accessories to the base.
[0022] Accordingly, the utility carrier in one embodiment will have
a retainer portion and a base portion hinged at one end with an
easily releasable mating fastener system at the other end so that
accessories may be slipped over the unfastened end of the retainer,
which is then fastened to the base to secure the accessories from
slipping off of the retainer. Clips are mounted, molded, or
otherwise attached to the base near, but not at the terminus of,
both ends of the utility carrier, where said clips may be rotatable
in a plane parallel to the plane of the wide flat surfaces of the
base and/or retainer in order to facilitate right or left hand
preferences.
[0023] To better facilitate right- and left-handed use in another
embodiment, the utility carrier may also be constructed in the form
of a retainer which, by appropriate mating fasteners, fully
detaches from the base at both ends.
[0024] In another embodiment the retainer and base are functionally
fused into a single piece of material, herein referred to as a
retainer-base. In such an embodiment the clips may be said to
attach directly to the inner flat surface of the retainer-base
which then can be said to serve the functions of the base (to
define the spatial separation and structural relationship between
the clips) as well as the retainer (to hold accessories to the
utility carrier).
[0025] The proposed utility carrier is designed in such a way that
it easily facilitates manufacture in a variety of materials, such
as plastics, leather, woven fabrics, metals, etc., and is flexible
enough to conform to the variable curvatures presented by the human
waist, while also allowing for a straight configuration, but is
rigid enough to support accessories without substantial sagging.
Rigidity may be accomplished by material strength or structural
features.
[0026] The utility carrier described herein is intended to be an
intermediary device used for secure attachment of one or more
belt-wearable accessories to cloths or other articles having an
appropriate edge onto which the utility carrier may be
clipped/clamped. Accordingly, the following are objects of the
invention: 1) to provide a utility carrier which is about a quarter
of the length of an average waist belt and which is attached to the
user's clothing by clips or clamps rather than extending and
buckling around the entire waist of an individual, 2) to provide a
utility carrier having a base portion attached to the user's
clothing by clips or clamps and a retainer portion for attaching
accessories to the base portion, 3) to provide a utility carrier in
which the retainer portion is hinged to the base portion at one end
and removably fastened or attached to the base portion at the other
end or along its entire length by a hook and loop or similar
fastener, 4) to provide a utility carrier as above where the
retainer portion is removably fastened or attached to the base
portion at both ends or along its entire length by a hook and loop
or similar fastener, allowing complete removal of the retainer
portion from the base, 5) to provide a utility carrier consisting
of a retainer-base having rotatable clips for allowing the
installation of accessories in a first position and for engaging
clothing in a second position, and 6) to provide a utility carrier
consisting of a retainer-base which removably attaches at both ends
to separate clips or clamps.
[0027] These and other objects of the present invention will become
readily apparent upon further review of the following specification
and drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0028] FIG. 1 is an environmental, perspective view of an
individual utility carrier showing typical usage of the present
invention.
[0029] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a utility carrier of an
embodiment having a hinged end and a removably fastened end.
[0030] FIG. 3 is an elevational, front view of the utility carrier
of FIG. 2.
[0031] FIG. 4 is an elevational, front view of a utility carrier of
an embodiment having an accessory retainer fully removable from a
base by unfastening at both ends.
[0032] FIG. 5 is a rear view of a utility carrier showing the rear
of the base portion, having rotatable clips.
[0033] FIG. 6 is a detail side view of a rotatable clip of FIG. 5
in an open configuration.
[0034] FIG. 7 is a detail side view of a rotatable clip of FIG. 5
in a closed configuration.
[0035] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a utility carrier of another
embodiment having a hinged end and a removably fastened end.
[0036] FIG. 9 is a side view of the utility carrier of FIG. 8 in an
open configuration.
[0037] FIG. 10 is a perspective, exploded view of a utility carrier
having a retainer-base with detachable clips.
[0038] Similar reference characters denote corresponding features
consistently throughout the attached drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0039] The present invention is a utility carrier which may be
removably attached to a user's waistband or other suitable material
edge for the convenience of carrying handy tools, such as holstered
knives, pouches for holding small items, electronic devices,
measuring tapes, and other items adapted to be harnessed to a user
by a standard waist belt. The utility carrier allows belt
accessories to be attached to the waistband of trousers, shorts,
skirts, or other clothing, with or without a belt, as well as to
virtually any other wearable or non-wearable material having a thin
edge. The utility carrier allows its user to easily transfer
accessories, normally harnessed to the waist by a belt, to other
convenient places, permitting a multitude of possibilities, not
only for carrying and storing accessories as a unit, but also for
quickly and conveniently situating a set of belt accessories in a
work area (for example, at a workbench or in an outdoor cooking
area) by clipping (or clamping) the assembly to some other
supporting material.
[0040] The utility carrier can accommodate two or more accessories
at once and can, therefore, be used to assemble semi-permanent
"kits" of accessories that are commonly used together in particular
applications. With the utility carrier's clip-on or clamp-on
construction, it can supply the secondary function of a waist belt
(to harness accessories) without the necessity of serving the
primary function (to adjust waistband circumference).
[0041] Accessories need not be removed from the utility carrier in
order to remove the carrier from the waist (or other supporting
material); nor is it necessary to remove the utility carrier from
the waist to remove an accessory from it. Furthermore, there is no
need to unbuckle or remove the utility carrier to unsnap, open, or
remove the article of clothing to which it is attached. The utility
carrier and harnessed accessories can be removed and attached
without removal of the accessories from the utility carrier and,
therefore, the carrier and accessories can effectively form a unit
which is quickly and easily installed on any appropriate surface.
This unit can be composed of any set of belt accessories harnessed
by the utility carrier, providing limitless possibilities for
virtually any application, from camping and hiking to carpentry,
etc.
[0042] The utility carrier functions as an intermediary device used
in securely attaching various tools and accessories commonly worn
on a waist belt to the waistband of clothing or any other structure
or material with a thin edge to which something can be clipped or
clamped. Appropriate accessories are generally any tool or device
housed in a holster or sheath, or any article or equipment supplied
with a closed strap or clip which allows it to be attached to a
standard waist belt.
[0043] The utility carrier can accommodate one or more accessories
at a time, and can be removed or attached to clothes or other
materials without removing the accessories. The utility carrier
obviates the need to wear a belt to harness tools and accessories
to one's person by functioning as a supporting structure for
belt-wearable accessories and by providing a means for attachment
of supported accessories to clothes or other accommodating
structures via clipping or clamping devices that form part of the
structure of the utility carrier.
[0044] There are many ways to construct the utility carrier which
would effectively provide the functional operation of the inventive
product. Differences in construction reflect options for securing
accessories onto the utility carrier and for clipping, clamping, or
attaching by other methods the utility carrier to articles of
clothing or other materials, but do not reflect changes in
functional properties. The particular design of clips, clamps,
clasps, and hinges is not critical to the inventive concept. In
essence, any suitable clip, clamp, clasp, and/or hinge mechanism
(including fusion of base and accessory retainer at one end) could
be substituted for corresponding items in the disclosed design
without affecting its function or utility. Furthermore, the utility
carrier may be constructed without clasps or hinges. In general,
the utility carrier construction includes two or more clips,
clamps, or other attachment members for securing the carrier to a
supporting substrate (for example, clothes). These clips, clamps,
or other attachment members are generally mounted about the ends of
a base structure, but may be mounted at other effective locations
along the base structure. The base and retainer structures may each
be one or more pieces depending on the sophistication of the model,
or they may be conceptually, as well as physically, fused into one
structure that serves all of the important functions of each
structure (called a retainer-base). One or more additional clips,
clamps, hooks, or other attachment members may be incorporated
between the two end clips, clamps, or other attachment members for
central support of the utility carrier.
[0045] Referring to FIG. 1, the utility carrier 10 of the present
invention is shown mounted on a waist band W of a pants P worn by a
user U, wherein an accessory retainer 12 serves to attach a knife
holder 14 and a utility pouch 16 to the user's waist via a base
(not shown) having clips 17 proximate each end of the utility
carrier 10 (see FIG. 2 for clarification of base and clip
positions). The utility carrier 10 is mounted so that the user's
left hand LH and right hand RH may easily be used to withdraw tools
from the holder 14 and pouch 16 such as a knife from the holder 14
as shown.
[0046] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, a first embodiment of the
present invention is a hinged utility carrier 20 that includes a
base 22 and an accessory retainer 24. The accessory retainer 24 has
a first end, a second end, a first side 27, and a second side 29.
The accessory retainer 24 is able to be unfastened for mounting
accessories thereon and removing accessories therefrom, and to be
fastened for retaining the accessories thereon. The base 22 has a
first end, a second end, a first side 23, and a second side 21. The
base 22 is generally coextensive with the accessory retainer 24,
such that the first and second ends of the base 22 correspond to
the first and second ends of the accessory retainer 24,
respectively. The first side 23 of the base 22 faces the second
side 29 of the accessory retainer 24, while the second side 21 of
the base 22 faces an article of clothing or other thin-edged
material when the utility carrier 20 is removably attached to the
article of clothing or other thin-edged material.
[0047] The base 22 and the accessory retainer 24 are permanently,
or removably, attached or fastened at one end by a hinge 26 to
allow rotation relative to each other in opening and closing the
utility carrier 20 for mounting or removal of accessories as
desired. The end opposite the hinge 26 is removably secured by a
clasp snap head 28 located in a multiple station groove 30 and a
clasp snap seat or receiver 32. The multiple station groove 30
allows the adjustment of the snap head 28 relative to the accessory
retainer 24 to allow for curvature of the human waist. Simple
spring clips 34 (not shown in FIG. 3) are fastened to the side of
the base 22 opposite the snap seat 32 for sliding over the
waistband of the user to mount the utility carrier 20 for use. Also
see FIG. 5 which is a depiction similar to a rear view of the
embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3 where the base 22 (41 in FIG. 5)
supports clamps as a substitute for simple clips 34.
[0048] Referring to FIG. 4, there is shown another embodiment of
the present invention that is similar to the embodiment shown in
FIGS. 2 and 3, but having a clasp snap head 28, 28' and a multiple
station groove 30, 30' at each end of the accessory retainer 25 so
as to be completely removable from the base 22 (see FIG. 2). Such a
configuration allows for mounting and removing tools and
accessories from either end as desired. As shown in FIGS. 2-4, the
snap heads 28, 28' and multiple station groove 30, 30' are located
on the accessory retainers 24, 25, while the snap seat or receivers
32 are located on the base 22. Alternatively, the snap heads 28,
28' and multiple station groove 30, 30' can be made to be on the
base 22 while the snap seat or receivers 32 can be made to be on
the accessory retainers 24, 25.
[0049] Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, another embodiment of the
present invention is a hinged utility carrier 60 that includes a
base 62 and an accessory retainer 64. The accessory retainer 64 has
a first end, a second end, a first side 67, and a second side 69.
The accessory retainer 64 is able to be unfastened for mounting
accessories thereon and removing accessories therefrom, and to be
fastened for retaining the accessories thereon. The base 62 has a
first end, a second end, a first side 63, and a second side 61. The
base 62 is generally coextensive with the accessory retainer 64,
such that the first and second ends of the base 62 correspond to
the first and second ends of the accessory retainer 64,
respectively. The first side 63 of the base 62 faces the second
side 69 of the accessory retainer 64, while the second side 61 of
the base 62 faces an article of clothing or other thin-edged
material when the utility carrier 60 is removably attached to the
article of clothing or other thin-edged material.
[0050] The base 62 and the accessory retainer 64 are permanently,
or removably, attached or fastened at one end by a hinge 66 to
allow rotation relative to each other in opening and closing the
utility carrier 60 for mounting or removal of accessories as
desired. The end opposite the hinge 66 and most or all of the
length of the sides 63, 69 of the accessory retainer 64 and the
base 62 are removably secured, with the sides 63, 69 removably
secured to one another, by a releasable mating fastener structure
or system, such as hooks 68 and loops 70, hooks and hooks, a velcro
type fastener, or any other mating fastener structure or system
known in the art. The part and counterpart of the mating fastener
structure or system are securely attached to the accessory retainer
64 and the base 62, respectively. Alternatively, the end opposite
the hinge 66 and most or all of the length of the sides 63, 69 of
the accessory retainer 64 and the base 62 may be removably
attached, instead of removably fastened, by methods known in the
art.
[0051] Simple spring clips 34 (shown in FIG. 9) are fastened to the
side of the base 62 opposite the loops 70 for sliding over the
waistband of the user to mount the utility carrier 60 for use. The
base 62 (41 in FIG. 5) supports clamps as a substitute for simple
clips 34.
[0052] Referring to FIGS. 5-7, there is shown another embodiment of
the present invention and the clamps 42 of the embodiment in an
open position and a closed position. The utility carrier 40
includes a relatively flexible accessory retainer 41 having a pair
of clamps 42. Each clamp 42 has an outer leg 43, an inner leg 44 at
an apex 45, and a clamp slider 46. Each clamp slider 46 has a short
outer leg 47 and a long slotted inner leg 48 connected to an apex
49 and movable in a groove 50 to alternately open (clamp body apex
45 and clamp slider apex 49 spaced apart) and close the clamp 42
(clamp body apex 45 and clamp slider apex 49 closed together) so as
to allow mounting and securing to the waist band of the user. As
best shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the groove 50 begins in and extends
from the outer leg 43 around the apex 45 and ends in the inner leg
44 and is so sized and disposed as to completely receive the clamp
slider 46. At least one of the clamps 42 is rotatable so as to
align the clamp 42 with the accessory retainer 41 for allowing the
sliding of tool holders onto and off of the accessory retainer 41.
The clamp slider's long slotted inner leg 48 is slotted to allow
mounting of a swivel 56 by means of a mounting stem 52 fitting
within the slot (not shown) of the inner leg 48 to body inner clamp
leg 44 at connection 54 while allowing the slider 46 to slide
between the extended position and the closed position. (See FIG.
10, below, which shows a similar clamp 84 having the slotted slide
feature 87.) The swivel 56 is inserted through the accessory
retainer 41 through an aperture (not shown) to allow rotation of
the clamp 42.
[0053] Referring to FIG. 10, there is shown another embodiment of
the utility carrier 80 of the present invention wherein an
accessory retainer-base 82 has snap-on clamps 84 about each end.
Each snap-on clamp 84 has an opening slider 86 with a slot 87 to
allow movement relative to a snap head 88, and operates similar to
the clamps 42 of FIG. 5. The snap heads 88 are removably attached
to the accessory retainer-base 82 by snap seats 90. In this
configuration, one or both clamps 84 may be removed for ease in
mounting or removal of accessories. At least one of the clamps 84
exhibits a profile sufficiently low so as to allow the loop
structure of belt-wearable accessories to pass over the clamp 84
before that clamp 84 is attached to the article of clothing or
other thin-edged material.
[0054] The clips 34 and clamps 42, 84 can removably attach the base
22, 62, the accessory retainer 24, 41, 64, and/or the retainer-base
82 to an article of clothing or other thin-edged material without
the utility carrier 10, 40, 60, 80 forming a loop around a user or
fastening to itself at the first and second ends of the accessory
retainer 24, 41, 64, the base 22, 62, and the retainer-base 82.
Alternatively, other attachment members or systems known in the art
may be used to removably attach the base 22, 62, the accessory
retainer 24, 41, 64, and/or the retainer-base 82 to the article of
clothing or other thin-edged material. Rotation of the clamps 42,
84 is in a plane parallel to the plane of the rear flat surface of
the base or retainer-base.
[0055] The utility carrier of the present invention may be made of
plastics, fabrics, leather, metals, or combinations of such
materials, and may be rigid or flexible. Flexible models
accommodate the variable curvature of the human waist, as well as
facilitating applications of the utility carrier other than to
secure accessories to the waist (for example, attachment of
accessories to a strap on a backpack or belt bag).
[0056] It is to be understood that the present invention is not
limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and
all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.
* * * * *