U.S. patent application number 10/463133 was filed with the patent office on 2004-12-16 for wrist-mounted storage box assembly.
Invention is credited to O'Neill, Jessica.
Application Number | 20040251285 10/463133 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33511532 |
Filed Date | 2004-12-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040251285 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
O'Neill, Jessica |
December 16, 2004 |
Wrist-mounted storage box assembly
Abstract
A Wrist-mounted Storage Box Assembly is disclosed. The device
has a substantially rigid, durable box that attaches to the user's
wrist securely. Within the rigid box, there is a pouch for
retaining and organizing a variety of different personal objects of
the user. Still further, the device/assembly includes one or more
straps, etc. for holding a cellular telephone to the pouch, within
the box. Finally, the device/assembly has one or more apertures
formed within the box to provide for the phone antennae and
earphone cable, if desired.
Inventors: |
O'Neill, Jessica; (Aliso
Viejo, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Karl M. Steins
Steins & Associates
Suite 120
2333 Camino del Rio South
San Diego
CA
92108
US
|
Family ID: |
33511532 |
Appl. No.: |
10/463133 |
Filed: |
June 16, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
224/221 ;
224/222 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45C 11/008 20130101;
A45F 2200/0516 20130101; A45F 2005/008 20130101; A45C 5/005
20130101; A45F 5/00 20130101; A45F 2003/006 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
224/221 ;
224/222 |
International
Class: |
A45F 003/14; A44C
005/18; A45C 013/30 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A wrist-mounted storage box assembly, comprising: a box defined
by an internal chamber and at least one substantially hard side; at
least one strap for attaching said box to an individual's wrist;
and a pouch retained inside said internal chamber.
2. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a lid, said lid
attached to said box by a hinge.
3. The assembly of claim 2, wherein said pouch is defined by a
side, said pouch further comprising at least one retention device
extending from said side.
4. The assembly of claim 3, wherein said box comprises
substantially rigid sides.
5. The assembly of claim 4, wherein said box is further defined by
a curved bottom and said lid is curved in a substantially similar
shape to said bottom.
6. The assembly of claim 4, wherein said pouch comprises an
opening, said pouch further comprising a zipper located at the
perimeter of said opening.
7. The assembly of claim 4, wherein said box comprises a pair of
straps for attaching to a user's arm.
8. The assembly of claim 7, wherein each said strap further
comprises a buckle for adjusting the length of said strap.
9. The assembly of claim 4, wherein said box further comprises: a
latch extending from said box; and a latch aperture formed in said
lid and located cooperatively with said latch to provide a secure
closure when said latch is activate.
10. The assembly of claim 4, wherein said pouch comprises a pair of
retention devices extending therefrom.
11. A storage assembly comprising: a box defined by an internal
chamber and at least one substantially rigid side and a bottom
side; at least one strap extending down from said bottom side; and
a pouch retained inside said internal chamber.
12. The assembly of claim 11, further comprising a lid, said lid
attached to said box by a hinge.
13. The assembly of claim 12, wherein said pouch is defined by a
side, said pouch further comprising at least one retention device
extending from said side.
14. The assembly of claim 13, wherein said box comprises
substantially rigid sides.
15. The assembly of claim 14, wherein said box is further defined
by a curved bottom and said lid is curved in a substantially
similar shape to said bottom.
16. The assembly of claim 14, wherein said pouch comprises an
opening, said pouch further comprising a zipper located at the
perimeter of said opening.
17. The assembly of claim 16, wherein each said strap further
comprises a buckle for adjusting the length of said strap.
18. The assembly of claim 14, wherein said box further comprises: a
latch extending from said box; and a latch aperture formed in said
lid and located cooperatively with said latch to provide a secure
closure when said latch is activate.
19. The assembly of claim 14, wherein said pouch comprises a pair
of retention devices extending therefrom.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates generally to personal storage devices
and, more specifically, to a Wrist-mounted Storage Box Assembly
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] It is common for women to carry their personal effects, such
as cosmetics, wallets, keys and other items in a purse or "clutch."
Although the origins of the purse of clutch were utilitarian, their
role has evolved over time. The purse is no longer common; it has
become a clothing accessory for most women. Today, virtually all
women own several different purses, wallets and clutches; this
allows them to carry a different purse for different occasions and
to match different outfits. The purse industry has exhibited
explosive growth in response to this demand.
[0005] The problem with the conventional purse or clutch is they
are generally available in only two basic forms: those with
shoulder- or hand-held straps, or those that have no strap (and are
handheld). While other attempts have been made at providing
alternate forms pouches for carrying personal effects, none have
had sufficient style and aesthetic beauty to be considered by women
as an addition to their purse collection. An example of one attempt
at an alternate carrying pouch is depicted in FIG. 1.
[0006] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prior art "wrist wallet
and carrying pouch," as disclosed in Mazzo, U.S. Pat. No.
5,588,571. The Mazzo wrist wallet and carrying pouch 10 consists of
a soft pouch 12 that is wrapped around a wearer's wrist 14, and
secured thereto by a pair of straps 16. While the Mazzo device
arguably provides utility and convenience to the user by
eliminating the need to carry a wallet in one's pocket or purse, it
fails to be a suitable replacement for a woman's purse or clutch.
First, the Mazzo device is not aesthetically pleasing; it's intent
is to provide convenience and security, and it does not go beyond
those objectives. Second, the Mazzo device is substantially flat
when wrapped around the individual's wrist 14; while this form is
fine for holding money, credit cards and identification cards and
the like (items normally found in a wallet), it is not adequate to
carry larger items, such as cellular telephones (which are now
commonly carried in purses).
[0007] What is needed, therefore, is an alternative device for
carrying an individual's personal items that is convenient, large
enough in size to hold conventional cellular telephones, and
aesthetically pleasing in shape and style.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] In light of the aforementioned problems associated with the
prior devices and assemblies, it is an object of the present
invention to provide a Wrist-mounted Storage Box Assembly. The
device should have a substantially rigid, durable box that attaches
to the user's wrist securely. Within the rigid box, there should be
a pouch for retaining and organizing a variety of different
personal objects of the user. Still further, the device/assembly
should include one or more straps, etc. for holding a cellular
telephone to the pouch, within the box. Finally, the
device/assembly should have one or more apertures formed within the
box to provide for the phone antennae and earphone cable, if
desired.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] The objects and features of the present invention, which are
believed to be novel, are set forth with particularity in the
appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization
and manner of operation, together with further objects and
advantages, may best be understood by reference to the following
description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, of
which:
[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prior art "wrist wallet
and carrying pouch;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of
the wrist-mounted storage box assembly of the present
invention;
[0012] FIG. 3 is another perspective view of the assembly of FIG.
2;
[0013] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the box of the assembly of
FIGS. 2 and 3, having the lid in the opened position;
[0014] FIG. 5 is a partially exploded perspective view of the
assembly of FIGS. 2 and 3; and
[0015] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the assembly of FIGS. 2, 3
and 5, depicting embodiments of internal components of the
assembly.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0016] The following description is provided to enable any person
skilled in the art to make and use the invention and sets forth the
best modes contemplated by the inventor of carrying out her
invention. Various modifications, however, will remain readily
apparent to those skilled in the art, since the generic principles
of the present invention have been defined herein specifically to
provide a Wrist-mounted Storage Box Assembly.
[0017] The present invention can best be understood by initial
consideration of FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a
preferred embodiment of the wrist-mounted storage box assembly 20
of the present invention. In this embodiment, the assembly 20
attaches in the vicinity of an individual's wrist 14; adjacent to
the hand 18. In it is believed that in other embodiments, the
assembly 20 might actually attach to the individual's hand or
fingers at one end, and at the wrist on its other end.
[0018] The assembly 20 attaches to the wrist 14 by first and second
straps 24 and 26. These straps 24 and 26 are made from durable
material that will provide long life, while also being
aesthetically pleasing; silk or other decorative cloths are
examples of suitable materials of construction; elasticized
material might also be employed. In other embodiments, more than
two straps may be available in order to improved aesthetic
appearance as well as a more positive attachment to the user's
arm.
[0019] A unique aspect of the assembly 20 lies with the outer
container 22; rather than providing a thin, soft-sided wallet for
storing items in, this invention has a substantially hard-sided box
22. The interior of the box 22 will preferably be accessible by
opening the substantially hard lid 30.
[0020] Although the box 22 is depicted as being very simple in form
in this drawing figure, it should be understood that this is only
an example to demonstrate one shape that is possible. In other
embodiments, the box 22 includes a variety of decorative coverings,
indicia and accessories. Furthermore, the box 22 may be circular,
elliptical, or other shapes, and may also have sharp or rounded
edges; this creates virtually unlimited style options. In every
case, the box 22 will be elegant and unique in style in order to
truly provide an alternative to the conventional purse or clutch,
no matter what the occasion. If we now turn to FIG. 3, we can
further examine the device of the present invention.
[0021] FIG. 3 is another perspective view of the assembly 20 of
FIG. 2. This figure depicts a number of additional features, such
as the latch 34. The latch 34 in this embodiment is of the type
that is fairly common to purse design, namely, a small rectangular
latch that is twisted to align with an aperture in order to release
it. Of course other conventional designs are intended for other
embodiments. It is also shown there that the lid 30 is attached to
the box 22 by a hinge 32 at one side; this permits the
substantially hard lid to be easily opened to gain access to the
inside of the box 22. Still further shown here is a buckle 36 for
adjusting length of the first strap 24 in order to make it fit a
person's wrist properly. This buckle 36 is similar to, just smaller
than a conventional belt buckle; depending upon the material that
the straps 24 and 26 are made from, there may or may not be a
buckle 36 of the type depicted included in the design. In fact, in
some versions, elastic material may be used for the straps, or even
chain or other decorative, durable material. Now turning to FIG. 4,
we can begin to examine the internal components of the assembly
20.
[0022] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the box of the assembly of
FIGS. 2 and 3, having the lid 30 in the opened position. As can be
seen, in order to open the lid 30, the user needed to simply twist
the latch 34 ninety degrees, such that it aligns with the latch
aperture 38, after which the lid 30 can be lifted open. In this
embodiment, a mirror 44 is displayed on the inner surface 42 of the
lid; this location makes it extremely convenient for the wearer to
access quickly. Since the assembly 20 is mounted to the hand or
wrist, the user only has to raise their hand, release the latch 34,
and flip up the lid 30 in order to use the mirror 44. The mirror 44
may be permanently integrated into the lid 30, or it might be
removable (or replaceable if broken). Not only can the device 20 be
worn on either hand that the user chooses, but it also can be
donned, removed and operated (i.e. accessed) with a single
hand--this is not possible with any of the prior devices.
[0023] Also depicted here is the box bottom 43; it should be
noticed that the bottom 43 has a curved shape in order to
comfortably rest against the user's wrist or hand. In this
embodiment, the lid 30 is also curved in order to provide a sleek
package; again, in other designs, other shapes or configurations
might be used. If we now consider the next drawing figure, we can
examine additional novel features of the present invention.
[0024] FIG. 5 is a partially exploded perspective view of the
assembly 20 of FIGS. 2 and 3. The interior chamber 40, is
configured to accept a pouch 46 within it, such that when the lid
30 is opened, the pouch 46 is easily accessible. The pouch 46 may
be attached to the box bottom 43, such as by hook-and-loop
fasteners (not shown), or it can simply be resting inside the
chamber 40 (to make it easier to remove when desired).
[0025] In this version, the pouch 46 is formed with a zippered
opening 48 along one side (away from the hinge side of the lid 30).
The zipper on the opening 48 provides security for loose items,
such as change or cosmetics or other small items. Also shown on the
top surface of the pouch 46 are a pair of retention devices 50. The
strap-type retention devices 50 are provided to permit the wearer
to hold items therein to make them available very easily; whatever
is held by the retention devices 50 will be immediately on top when
the lid 30 is opened. The retention devices 50 should be strong yet
aesthetically pleasing, and may be adjustable in length or
elasticized. Finally, turning to FIG. 6, we can see how these
retention devices 50 might be employed.
[0026] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the assembly of FIGS. 2, 3
and 5, wherein a conventional cellular telephone 52 is being held
in place against the pouch 46 by the straps 50A and 50B. If the
wearer receives a call, it is a simple matter to flip open the lid
30 and press the answer button on the cellular phone to answer a
call; this is much simpler than if the cellular phone was held in a
conventional purse, in the person's pocket, or even clipped on the
belt.
[0027] While the devices 50A and 50B are shown here as being simple
straps, it should be understood that other designs might be
preferred. Specifically, custom holsters might be attachable to the
pouch 46; the holster might be specially designed to hold a
particular type of cellular telephone.
[0028] In some versions, an aperture 51 may be provided in one or
more ends of the device 20 (or both, if desired). The apertures 51
are positioned for alignment with the antennae of the cellular
telephone (typically at the top), or with the bottom of the
cellular telephone for passing an earphone wire therethrough.
[0029] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various
adaptations and modifications of the just-described preferred
embodiment can be configured without departing from the scope and
spirit of the invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that,
within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be
practiced other than as specifically described herein.
* * * * *