U.S. patent application number 11/982595 was filed with the patent office on 2008-08-07 for paintball pod belt.
Invention is credited to Chris Corcino, John Marques.
Application Number | 20080185413 11/982595 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39675303 |
Filed Date | 2008-08-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080185413 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Marques; John ; et
al. |
August 7, 2008 |
Paintball pod belt
Abstract
A belt comprising an exterior layer having at least a portion
thereof fabricated from an elastic material. A honeycomb structure
sized and configured to receive a plurality of paintball pods is
attached to an inner surface of the exterior layer. The honey comb
structure is disposed between the exterior layer and the waist of
the user when the belt is worn by the user. When paintball pods are
removed or inserted into the honeycomb structure, the elastic
portion of the exterior layer expands or contracts accordingly such
that pressure is applied on the paintball pods against the lower
body of the user so as to securely hold the paintball pods against
the body of the user.
Inventors: |
Marques; John; (Placnetia,
CA) ; Corcino; Chris; (Temecula, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
STETINA BRUNDA GARRED & BRUCKER
75 ENTERPRISE, SUITE 250
ALISO VIEJO
CA
92656
US
|
Family ID: |
39675303 |
Appl. No.: |
11/982595 |
Filed: |
November 2, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60856259 |
Nov 2, 2006 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
224/674 ;
224/684 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45F 2003/144 20130101;
A45F 2200/0591 20130101; A63B 47/001 20130101; F42B 39/02 20130101;
A45F 5/021 20130101; F41B 11/50 20130101; A45F 5/02 20130101; A45F
2200/0566 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
224/674 ;
224/684 |
International
Class: |
A45F 5/00 20060101
A45F005/00; F42B 39/00 20060101 F42B039/00 |
Claims
1. A paintball pod belt for holding a plurality of paintball pods
about a waist of a user, the belt comprising: an exterior layer
having left and right end flaps, the left and right end flaps being
removeably attachable to each other to secure the belt to the waist
of the user, the exterior layer having an elastic portion for
adjusting a length of the exterior layer when paintball pods are
removed from or inserted into the belt such that tension is always
applied on the paintball pod against the lower back of the user by
the exterior layer; a honeycomb structure attachable to an inner
surface of the exterior layer, the honeycomb structure being sized
and configured to hold a plurality of paintball pods, the honeycomb
structure being disposable between the exterior layer and the waist
of the user when the belt is worn by the user.
2. The belt of claim 1 wherein the exterior layer comprises a
midsection and left and right intermediate sections attached to
distal ends of the midsection, at least one of the left and right
intermediate sections being fabricated from an elastic material
defining the elastic portion of the exterior layer.
3. The belt of claim 1 wherein the exterior layer comprises a
midsection fabricated from an elastic material defining the elastic
portion of the exterior layer and the left and right end flaps
being attached to distal ends of the midsection.
4. The belt of claim 1 wherein the honeycomb structure comprises an
intermediate layer and an interior layer, the intermediate layer
being secured to the exterior layer so as to form a first row of
pod compartments for holding paintball pods, the interior layer
secured to the intermediate layer so as to form a second row of pod
compartments for holding the paintball pods.
5. The belt of claim 4 wherein the pod compartments of the second
row are nested between the compartments of the first row.
6. The belt of claim 1 further comprising a padding layer
disposable between the honeycomb structure and the waist of the
user when the belt is secured to the waist of the user.
7. The belt of claim 1 wherein the left and right end flaps are
attached with corresponding hooks and loops attachment system such
that the belt may be removeably securable to the waist of the
user.
8. The belt of claim 6 wherein the padding layer is removeably
attachable to an inner surface of the exterior layer.
9. The belt of claim 8 wherein an inner surface of the exterior
layer and the padding layer are attached with corresponding first
and second components of a hooks and loops attachment system.
10. The belt of claim 1 further comprising a first or second
component of the hook and loop attachment system attached to an
outer surface of the exterior layer such that the belt may fit
youth sized waists
11. A method for wearing an outer paintball pod belt, the method
comprising the steps of: providing an outer belt comprising: a
paintball pod belt for holding a plurality of paintball pods about
a waist of a user, the belt comprising: an exterior layer having
left and right end flaps, the left and right end flaps being
removeably attachable to each other to secure the belt to the waist
of the user, the exterior layer having an elastic portion for
adjusting a length of the exterior layer when paintball pods are
removed from or inserted into the belt such that tension is always
applied on the paintball pod against the lower back of the user by
the exterior layer; a honeycomb structure attachable to an inner
surface of the exterior layer, the honeycomb structure being sized
and configured to hold a plurality of paintball pods, the honeycomb
structure being disposable between the exterior layer and the waist
of the user when the belt is worn by the user; positioning the
honeycomb structure closer to the waist of the user than the
midsection of the exterior layer.
12. The method of claim 11 for comprising the step of attaching the
left end flap of the outer belt to the right end flap of the outer
belt via a hooks and loops attachment system for securing the belt
to the waist of the user.
13. The method of claim 11 further comprising the steps of:
providing an inner belt sized and configured to receive a plurality
of paintball pods; disposing the inner belt about a periphery of
the waist of the user; disposing the outer belt about an outer
periphery of the inner belt, the outer belt being sized and
configured to hold a plurality of paintball pods.
14. The method of claim 14 wherein the left and right end flaps of
the outer belt are attached to left and right end flaps of the
inner belt for securing the outer belt to the waist of the user.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Patent Application Ser. No. 60/856,259, filed on Nov. 2, 2006, the
entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference.
STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT
[0002] Not Applicable
BACKGROUND
[0003] The present invention relates to a paintball pod belt.
[0004] During a paintball game, a first team made up of a plurality
of players is placed in a playing field. A second team made up of a
plurality of different players compete against the first team. The
goal of the paintball game may be to capture a flag, find
something, bring a flag or something back or simply be the last
person standing. Players of the first and second team are
eliminated when hit by a paintball.
[0005] To play a paintball game, each of the players are equipped
with a goggle for eye protection, body protection, a paintball gun
and a plurality of paintballs. Extra paintballs are typically held
in a paintball pod(s). The paintball pods are then secured to a
paintball pod harness worn by the player such that the player may
reload his paintball gun during play. The pod compartment stretches
and relaxes independent of whether paintball pods are inserted or
removed from the other pod compartments.
[0006] Typically, as shown in FIG. 1, the paintball pod harness
comprises a belt which may be wearable about a waist of the user. A
plurality of pod compartments for holding a plurality of paintball
pods are attached to the belt. Each of the pod compartments may be
fabricated from an elastic material sized and configured to receive
the paintball pod. The elastic material stretches when the
paintball pod is inserted into the compartment. The friction
between the elastic material and paintball pod holds the paintball
pod in the compartment. Each individual pod compartment is sized
and configured to receive the paintball pod. Unfortunately, when
one of the compartments or the elastic material of one of the
compartments is degraded, the paintball pod is no longer securely
held in the pod compartment. As such, the paintball pod harness
must either be thrown away or the degraded pod compartment may not
be used to hold a paintball pod. Alternatively, the pod compartment
may not be able to securely hold the paintball pod for some other
reason such as the pod compartment is too large for the paintball
pod.
[0007] Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved
paintball pod harness.
BRIEF SUMMARY
[0008] The paintball pod belt discussed herein addresses the needs
discussed above, discussed below and those that are known in the
art.
[0009] The belt may be worn alone or in conjunction with a separate
inner belt. The belt may comprise an exterior layer wherein at
least a portion of the exterior layer is fabricated from an elastic
material. The exterior layer may also comprise left and right end
flaps. First and second components of a hooks and loops attachment
system may be attached to the left and right end flaps such that
the belt may be wrapped around the waist of the user and secured
thereto. In particular, the user may place the exterior layer
around the waist of the user. The left and right end flaps may be
laid adjacent the belly of the user and overlap against one
another. When the left and right end flaps are overlapped against
each other over the belly of the user, the hooks and loops
attachment system engages the left end flap to the right end flap
thereby securing the belt to the user.
[0010] Paintball pod compartments may be attached to an inner
surface of the exterior layer. By way of example and not
limitation, the paintball pod compartments may comprise a honeycomb
structure. When the belt is worn by the user, the honeycomb
structure of the paintball pod compartments is disposed between the
exterior layer and the lower back of the user. In use, when
paintball pods are inserted into the paintball pod compartments,
the elastic portion of the exterior layer stretches or expands to
allow room for the paintball pod. The exterior layer maintains
pressure on the paintball pod against the lower back of the user.
Conversely, when the paintball pods are removed from the paintball
pod compartments, the elastic portion of the exterior layer
contracts such that the exterior layer maintains pressure on the
paintball pods and against the lower back of the user.
[0011] The paintball pod belt may be used as an outer belt which is
secured to an inner belt and the waist of the user. The inner belt
may have the same structure as described herein or may be any other
conventional paintball pod harness known in the art. Preferably,
the inner belt will have exposed hooks and/or loops adjacent the
belly portion of the user when the inner belt is worn by the user.
The outer belt may be secured to the inner belt via corresponding
hooks and loops disposed on the left and right end flaps of the
exterior layer of the outer belt. Advantageously, the outer belt
contracts and expands as paintball pods are removed and inserted
into the compartments of the inner belt and/or the outer belt, as
discussed above. Accordingly, the outer belt not only places
pressure on the paintball pods inserted into the compartments of
the outer belt but also places pressure on the paintball pods
inserted into the inner belt.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] These and other features and advantages of the various
embodiments disclosed herein will be better understood with respect
to the following description and drawings, in which like numbers
refer to like parts throughout, and in which:
[0013] FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a prior art paintball
pod harness;
[0014] FIG. 2 is a top view of a paintball pod belt;
[0015] FIG. 3 is a rear view of the paintball pod belt shown in
FIG. 2;
[0016] FIG. 4 is a top view of the paintball pod belt shown in FIG.
2 in a disassembled configuration; and
[0017] FIG. 5 is a top view of the paintball pod belt worn in
conjunction with a prior art paintball pod harness or a second
paintball pod belt.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0018] Referring now to the figures, FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate top
and rear views of a paintball pod belt 10. The belt 10 may have a
plurality of compartments 12 sized and configured to receive
conventional or specialty paintball pods 14. The belt 10 is
securable to a person's waist 16 via hooks and loops attached to
distal end flaps 18a, b of the belt 10. The belt 10 may be wrapped
around the waist 16 of the user and the hooks and loops at the
distal end flaps 18a, b of the belt 10 engaged to each other. The
user may remove the paintball pods 14 from the pod compartments
12.
[0019] The belt 10 may comprise an exterior layer 20 and a
honeycomb structure 22 attached to an inner surface 24 of the
exterior layer 20. The honeycomb structure 22 may be attached to a
midsection 26 of the exterior layer, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. The
midsection 26 may be attached to left and right intermediate
sections 28. The left and right intermediate sections 28a, b may
also be respectively attached to left and right end flaps 18a, b.
In use, the honeycomb structure 22 may be filled with a plurality
of paintball pods 14 (see FIG. 2). The user may wrap the belt 10
around his/her waist 16 with the paintball pods 14 in the honeycomb
structure 22 directly adjacent to the user's body, as shown in FIG.
2. The exterior layer 20 is positioned so as to be at the outer
side of the honeycomb structure 22. To secure the belt 10 to the
user's waist 16, the left and right end flaps 18a, b may be
respectively attached to a first component 30 (e.g., hooks or
loops) and a second component 32 (e.g., loops or hooks) of a hooks
and loops attachment system. By way of example and not limitation,
an inner surface of the left end flap 18a may have a first
component 30 of a hooks and loops attachment system. The outer
surface of the right end flap 18b may have a second component 32 of
the hooks and loops attachment system. The user may place the
honeycomb structure 22 and the paintball pods 14 about the lower
back of the user. The right end flap 18b may be placed adjacent the
user's stomach first, as shown in FIG. 2. The second component 32
on the right end flap 18b is exposed. The user may then place the
left end flap 18a over the right end flap 18b thereby attaching the
first and second components 30, 32 of the hooks and loops
attachment system and securing the belt 10 to the waist 16 of the
user. Although the above example has been given in relation to the
outer surface of the right end flap 18b and the inner surface of
the left end flap 18a, the first and second components 30, 32 of
the hooks and loops attachment system may be disposed or attached
to the inner surface of the right end flap 18b and the outer
surface of the left end flap 18a and still be used to attach the
belt 10 to the waist 16 of the user.
[0020] The left intermediate section 28a and/or the right
intermediate section 28b may be fabricated from an elastic
material. When the user is securing the belt 10 to the user's waist
16 as discussed above, the user may adjust the tension of the belt
10 by stretching the elastic material then engaging the left and
right end flaps 18a, b. Beneficially, as the paintball pods 14 are
removed from the honeycomb structure, the elastic material
contracts to take up any slack and to maintain the tension in the
belt 10 and pressure on the pods 14 and against the back of the
user to securely hold the pods 14 in place. Conversely, when
paintball pods 14 are inserted into the honeycomb structure 22, the
left and/or right intermediate sections 28a, b expand to allow room
for the additional paintball pods 14. Advantageously, whenever
paintball pods 14 are removed from the honeycomb structure 22 or
added into the honeycomb structure 22 the left and/or right
intermediate sections 28a, b maintain constant tension or pressure
of the belt 10 on the remaining paintball pods 14 in the honeycomb
structure 22 against the waist 16 of the user. This constant
minimum pressure that is applied to the waist 16 of the user is
advantageous during paintball play. By way of example and not
limitation, the user during play of a game of paintball, may run,
jump, duck, roll and perform other strenuous physical maneuvers.
During these maneuvers, the paintball pod belt 10 remains securely
attached to the user's waist 16 due to the minimum tension or
pressure applied on the paintball pods 14 and against the user's
waist 16 via the left and/or right intermediate sections 28a, b.
Also, the pods 14 remain in the pod compartments 12. Moreover,
another advantage is that if the elasticity of the intermediate
sections 28a, b degrades over time, the exterior layer 20 still
maintains pressure on the paintball pods 14 because the end flaps
18a, b are cinched closer to each other to compensate for the
degradation of the elasticity of the intermediate sections 28a,
b.
[0021] Optionally, a padding layer 34 may be disposed between the
waist 16 of the user and the honeycomb structure 22. The padding
layer 34 provides comfort such that the paintball pods 14 do not
poke the waist 16 of the user. By way of example and not
limitation, the honeycomb structure 22 may be attached to the
midsection 26 of the exterior layer 20. Distal end sections 36 (see
FIG. 4) of the midsection 26 may be formed with a first component
30 (e.g., hooks or loops) of a hooks and loops attachment system.
The padding layer 34 may have corresponding mating second
components 32 (e.g., loops or hooks) of the hooks and loops
attachment system attached to distal end portions 38 of the padding
layer 34. In use, the second component 32 of the hooks and loops
system attached to the padding layer 34 may be attached to the
first component 30 of the hooks and loops attachment system formed
on opposed distal end sections 36 of the midsection 26 of the
exterior layer 20. When paintball pods 14 are inserted into the
honeycomb structure 22, the padding layer 34 prevents the paintball
pods 14 from poking the user, and adds comfort while the belt 10 is
being worn by the user. The distance between the second components
32 formed on the distal end portions 38 of the padding layer 34 may
be sized to the distance between the first components 30 formed on
the distal end sections 36 such that the first and second
components 30, 32 may be engaged to each other when the paintball
pods 14 are inserted into the honeycomb structure 22 or pod
compartments 12.
[0022] The honeycomb structure 22 may comprise an intermediate
layer 40 and an interior layer 42, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. The
intermediate layer 40 is shown as a dashed line in FIG. 2. The
interior layer 42 is shown as a dot-dash line in FIG. 2. The
intermediate layer 40 may be attached to the midsection 26 of the
exterior layer 20 at a plurality of attachment points. The
attachment points 44a-e may be equidistant from each other. The
midsection 26 and the intermediate layer 40 may form the first row
46 (see FIG. 2) of pod compartments 12a-d for holding the paintball
pods 14. By way of example and not limitation, the intermediate
layer 40 may be attached to the midsection 26 of the exterior layer
20 at five different points 44a-e. In particular, the distal ends
of the intermediate layer 40 may be secured to the midsection 26 of
the exterior layer 20 at attachment points 44a, e. The intermediate
layer 40 may further be divided into four equal lengths thereby
defining three additional attachment points 44b, c, d between the
distal ends of the intermediate layer 40. The three additional
attachment points 44b, c, d may be secured to the midsection 26 of
the exterior layer 20. Accordingly, the first row 46 of pod
compartments 12a-d may comprise four pod compartments 12a-d for
holding the paintball pods 14. The interior layer 42 may be secured
to the intermediate layer 40 to form a second row 48 of
compartments 12 for holding paintball pods 14. In particular, the
distal ends of the interior layer 42 may be secured to a middle
portion of each of the first and fourth compartments of the first
row of pod compartments 12. The interior layer 42 may also be
attached to a middle portion of the second and third pod
compartments 12b, c of the first row 46 of pod compartments 12. In
this manner, the second row 48 of pod compartments 12 may comprise
three additional pod compartments 12e, f, g. The second row 48 of
pod compartments 12e-f may be nested within the first row 46 of pod
compartments 12a, b, c, d and vice versa. It is contemplated that
the first and second rows 46, 48 of pod compartments 12 may have
any number of pod compartments 12.
[0023] The intermediate layer 40 and the interior layer 42 may be
fabricated from an elastic material. When the paintball pods 14 are
inserted into the compartments 12a-f of the first and second rows
46, 48, the intermediate layer 40 and the interior layer 42 may
stretch thereby applying tension against the paintball pods 14. As
can be seen from the example above and shown in the figures herein,
the honeycomb structure 22 may be formed by (1) the exterior layer
20 and the intermediate layer 40 defining the first row 46 of pod
compartments 12a-d and (2) the intermediate layer 40 and the
interior layer 42 defining the second row 48 of compartments
12e-f.
[0024] In an aspect of the belt 10, the midsection 26 may be
fabricated from an inelastic fabric material. Accordingly, the
tension of the belt 10 may primarily be supplied via the elastic
left and/or right intermediate sections 28a, b. Alternatively, the
midsection 26 of exterior layer 20 may be fabricated from an
elastic material. In this embodiment, the left and right end flaps
18a, b may be directly attached to the midsection 26 and the left
and right intermediate sections 28a, b removed from the belt 10.
Alternatively, the left and right end flaps 18 may be attached to
the left and right intermediate sections 28. The elastic midsection
26 helps to control the tension of the belt 10 on the paintball
pods 14 against the waist 16 of the user. Also, the elastic
midsection version controls the tension of the belt 10 on the
paintball pods 14 themselves. As discussed above, when the
midsection 26 is fabricated out of an inelastic material, the left
and right intermediate sections 28 adjust the tension of the
midsection 26 on the paintball pods 14 against the lower back of
the user as a whole. The reason is that midsection 26 is inelastic.
The midsection 26 applies a general force against all of the
paintball pods 14. In the event that one of the paintball pods 14
is removed from the honeycomb structure 22, the midsection 26 would
not expand or contract to accommodate such removal or insertion.
Rather, the left and right intermediate sections 28a, b would
expand or contract such that the midsection 26 would continue to
apply a force against the paintball pods 14. In the elastic
midsection version, when paintball pods 14 are inserted or removed
from the first and/or second row 46, 48 of compartments 12, the
midsection 26 itself expands and contracts to adjust the tension
that the belt 10 applies to the paintball pods 14 themselves as
well as the pressure the midsection 26 applies to the lower back of
the user.
[0025] In an aspect of the belt 10, the outer surface of the right
intermediate section 28b may have a second component 32a (see FIG.
2) of the hooks and loops attachment system attached thereto. This
allows the left end flap 18a to engage the second component 32a
such that the belt 10 may fit smaller waist 16 sizes such as
youths.
[0026] In an aspect of the belt 10, the same may be used as an add
on to an inner belt 50 (e.g., prior art paintball pod harness or a
second paintball pod belt 10). By way of example and not
limitation, as shown in FIG. 5, the inner belt 50 and the paintball
pod belt 10 are shown. The inner belt 50 may have a plurality of
pod compartments 12 for holding paintball pods 14. Additionally,
the inner belt 50 may be secured to the waist 16 of the user
through the use of a hooks and loops attachment system. When the
inner belt 50 is secured to the waist 16 of the user, the end flaps
52a, b of the inner belt 50 may have either first components 30
(e.g., hooks or loops) or second components 32 (e.g., loops or
hooks) of the hooks and loops attachment system exposed to the
environment. The paintball pod belt 10 shown in FIGS. 2-4 may be
secured to the inner belt 50. In particular, the inner surfaces of
the left and right end flaps 18a, b of the paintball pod belt 10
may have mating second components 32 or first components 30 of the
hooks and loops attachment system.
[0027] In use, the inner belt 50 is attached to the waist 16 of the
user by engaging left and right end flaps 52a, b of the inner belt
50 to each other. The left and right end flaps of the inner belt 50
may have first components 30 or second components 32 of the hooks
and loops attachment system exposed to the environment. To attach
the paintball pod belt 10 to the inner belt 50, the inner surfaces
of the left and right end flaps 18a, b of the paintball pod belt 10
may have corresponding second components 32 or first components 30
of the hooks and loops attachment system attached thereto (see FIG.
4). The paintball pod belt 10 is disposed about the inner belt 50.
The honeycomb structure 22 of the paintball pod belt 10 is disposed
at the lower back of the user's waist 16. The left and right end
flaps 18a, b of the paintball pod belt 10 are wrapped around the
user's waist 16 and may optionally be engaged to each other as
discussed above. Also, the inner surfaces of the left and right end
flaps 18a, b of the paintball pod belt 10 may have corresponding
second components 32 or first components 30 of the hooks and loops
attachment system which are secured to the first component 30 or
the second component 32 of the hooks and loops attachment system
attached to the outer surfaces of the left and right end flaps 52a,
b of the inner belt 50. In this manner, the paintball pod belt 10
provides additional pod compartments 12 for holding paintball pods
14 in addition to the inner belt 50.
[0028] As used herein, the first and second components of the hooks
and loops attachment system may be (1) hooks and loops,
respectively or (2) loops and hooks, respectively.
[0029] The above description is given by way of example, and not
limitation. Given the above disclosure, one skilled in the art
could devise variations that are within the scope and spirit of the
invention disclosed herein. Further, the various features of the
embodiments disclosed herein can be used alone, or in varying
combinations with each other and are not intended to be limited to
the specific combination described herein. Thus, the scope of the
claims is not to be limited by the illustrated embodiments.
* * * * *