U.S. patent application number 13/940218 was filed with the patent office on 2014-02-06 for slotted fastener for suspenders.
The applicant listed for this patent is Gary Spina, SR.. Invention is credited to Gary Spina, SR..
Application Number | 20140033398 13/940218 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 50024002 |
Filed Date | 2014-02-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140033398 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Spina, SR.; Gary |
February 6, 2014 |
Slotted Fastener for Suspenders
Abstract
My "Slotted Fastener" for Suspenders is a unique design that
keeps the suspenders in place and will not disengage from the
wearer's waist belt or pants or trousers as other fasteners do. My
"Slotted Fastener" will not disengage and will not damage the
wearer's clothing because the wearer's belt slides through both the
belt loop on the pants and through the slotted suspender fastener.
The slot on the "Slotted Fastener" allows the belt loop to be
caught by the belt passing through it.
Inventors: |
Spina, SR.; Gary; (Joplin,
MO) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Spina, SR.; Gary |
Joplin |
MO |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
50024002 |
Appl. No.: |
13/940218 |
Filed: |
July 11, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61680044 |
Aug 6, 2012 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
2/327 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A41F 19/00 20130101;
A41F 3/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
2/327 |
International
Class: |
A41F 19/00 20060101
A41F019/00 |
Claims
1. I am claiming that my "Slotted Fastener" for Suspenders is
different from all other suspender fasteners. What makes it an
improvement in design and function are several factors: In my
design, the "slot" in the back of the suspender fastener--on the
inside of the fastener, closest to the wearer--allows the fastener
to fit directly over the belt loop on the pants--which in turn
allows the waist belt to pass through the belt loop while
simultaneously going through the fastener, securing the suspenders
firmly in place. The slot over the belt loop holds the suspenders
in the proper position and the fastener will not move side to side.
My "Slotted Fastener" holds up both the pants and the belt and
securely and comfortably holds up objects hooked to the belt (such
as tools or weapons). The design distributes all weight and
pressure between the snugness of the belt around the wearer's waist
and the suspenders themselves. The suspenders, the belt, the belt
loops, and the material of the pants all become a unified "support
system" for carrying the weight of the pants and anything attached
to the belt, such as tools or weapons. The wearer also has the
option of not placing the fastener slot over the belt loop. In that
way, the belt does not pass through the belt loop and the fastener
simultaneously, and the suspender fastener can be slid along the
belt to wherever the wearer is the most comfortable for the weight
he is carrying. My "Slotted Fastener" for Suspenders can be
manufactured from a variety of materials--from extruded plastic or
fashioned from harness leather, nylon, brass, or other material.
The unique slotted design is the same for each process and for each
material.
Description
FIELD OF INVENTION
[0001] This invention is related to articles of clothing. More
specifically, this invention is related to suspenders which hold up
pants or trousers.
CURRENT U.S. CLASS
[0002] 2/327, 2/326
FIELD OF SEARCH
[0003] 2/327, 2/326, 2/319, 2/311, 2/312, 2/340, 2/338
BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0004] My invention is the "Slotted Fastener" for suspenders that
hold up trousers or pants. The "Slotted Fastener" is a unique way
of fastening the suspenders to the wearer's waist belt. Many
people, for many reasons, wear both belt and suspenders to secure a
pair of pants around their waist. There have been patents granted
for other fasteners that clip onto a wearer's belt, but unlike
others, my "Slotted Fastener," in normal use, will not accidently
disengage from the belt. Nor will it damage the fabric of the
pants. Unlike other fasteners, the "Slotted Fastener" can be
manufactured from various materials: extruded plastic, brass,
harness leather, nylon, etc. Other such fasteners (such as the
patented "J" hook design) will not work if manufactured from a
soft, pliant material such as leather or nylon. In addition to its
security, the "Slotted Fastener" is more practical for carrying
weight on the waist belt such as tools or a sidearm. Finally,
besides the peace of mind of wearing suspenders that will not
accidently come off of the pants, the "Slotted Fastener" is
comfortable to wear.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0005] Other suspender fastener designs that utilize the belt loop
are hooks or clips that hook only onto the belt loop--not onto the
belt. The pressure and strain on the fabric can and will tear the
belt loops from the pants if too much strain is applied.
[0006] Suspenders that clip on (spring clip and teeth) are
unreliable in that often the back clasp or spring clip (at the
wearer's back) is easily knocked off the pants when the wearer
brushes up against something solid. Most often the clip is knocked
off when the wearer enters or exits his car or truck simply by
brushing up against or catching on the car or truck seat. In time,
these clips can and do shred the fabric of the pants. Also, the
spring on the clip loosens after a while and the fasteners too
easily slip off the pants on their own.
[0007] The Hold Up Suspender Company holds a patent for a "No-Slip
Clip" that uses a spike or a pin that pierces the fabric of the
waistband on a pair of pants. The company claims there is no damage
to the pants, but catching the suspenders on an immovable object
may readily result in torn pants.
[0008] Suspenders that have "J" hook designs can fall off the
wearer's belt and pants as soon as upward pressure is loosened.
(U.S. Pat. No. 5,623,735 issued to Don A. Perry, 29 Apr. 1997.)
[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 5,623,735 was issued to Don A. Perry, 29 Apr.
1997 for a design that fastens onto a person's belt with a sort of
"J" that hooks under the belt. The half-loop of the "J" comes in
under the belt with the long edge (the right side of the J) on the
outside of the belt and the "hook" side tucked under the belt
against the wearer's body. That patented design allows for the
pants to be lowered by the wearer who can physically disengage the
hooks even when outer garments are covering the suspenders. But
many times when the wearer lowers his pants even briefly, the "J"
hook--especially the one in back--falls off the belt because there
is no longer any upward "pull" of the suspenders holding it in
place.
[0010] In the 29 Apr. 1997 design, the two front "J" hooks are
easier to set back in place than the back hooks because the wearer
can see them in front of him--but, once loosened and detached from
the pants, trying to keep the suspender strap untwisted can be
difficult. Without a mirror the wearer may attempt to reattach the
suspenders to his pants, but he cannot always tell whether or not
the suspender straps are twisted, especially in back where he
cannot see them or feel them. Also, it is difficult to reattach the
rear hook while wearing the pants, especially for wearers who are
overweight. The "J" hook is designed to pinch the belt tightly, but
the hook can become disengaged as often as not simply from the
force of gravity.
[0011] Also, with the "J" design of 29 Apr. 1997, the hooks tend to
fall off or slip off just before a wearer can cinch up his pants as
he is getting dressed. At that point he must either drop his pants
and reach behind himself to try to reset the "J" hooks in place, or
he must remove his pants entirely to reset the hooks and hope the
hooks do not slip off again as he tries again to get dressed. My
"slotted" design will prevent that because the "slotted fastener"
keeps the suspenders in place and untwisted whether the suspenders
are loose or taut, whether the wearer is putting them on, taking
them off, or simply wearing them as he goes about his daily
activities.
[0012] As the belt slips through both the belt loop and my "Slotted
Fastener," it is impossible for the suspenders to slip off the belt
or the pants. No other suspender fastener offers that feature.
Although U.S. Pat. No. 2,437,714 issued to Walter A. Thomason Jr.,
16 Mar. 1948 has a fastener that completely encloses the wearer's
waist belt, the patent is for a "Trouser and Suspender
combination," the primary object of which is stated to be for the
trousers to be readily lowered or removed, or readily put back
on--readily detached from the waistline of the pants and readily
reconnected without removing the upper garments or "searching
beneath the ends of the suspenders." Instead of belt loops, Mr.
Thomason's trouser design has a series of "straps or loops" that
fasten in place over the belt by snaps that can be undone
"permitting the belt and trousers to be lowered. Upon bringing the
trousers (up) to normal position, the snaps may be again snapped
over the belt, and thus securely support the trousers in place."
Mr. Thomason's design makes no provision anywhere for "slots" that
are the essential elements of my design.
Utility and Uniqueness of the Design
[0013] Many men and women who are overweight prefer suspenders to a
waist belt because their stomach is bigger than their hips and
buttocks. Were they to rely solely on a belt, their pants could
fall from their waist with just a cough, sneeze, or simply by
reaching to high places such as high kitchen cabinets or workplace
shelves.
[0014] When persons who are overweight, elderly, or disabled in any
way use a belt-suspender combination, it is usually the suspenders
that are the most trustworthy. However, one reason a belt is
preferred in addition to suspenders is when the wearer must carry
items that are intended to be attached to a belt at his waist. He
may attach tools to his belt, or a knife, or a sidearm, as in the
case of law enforcement personnel, hunters, fisherman, or
construction workers. With my "slotted" design, the belt,
suspenders, and pants are always secure and anything attached to
the belt will stay attached. My "slotted" design allows for the
belt to fit loosely or snuggly, and the utility of the suspenders
is not affected.
[0015] In the case of hunters and fishermen, or anyone who goes
outdoors in winter, a tight belt around a person's waist can
restrict blood flow and the flow of heat along the upper and lower
body. In such conditions, many people prefer a loose, unrestrictive
belt around their waist. Again, my design allows for that, as the
belt can fit either loosely or snuggly, and again, the utility of
the suspenders is not effected.
Clarity of Terms
"Suspenders" and "Fasteners"
[0016] "Suspenders," as used in this application, refers to two,
and sometimes three straps (usually elastic) worn over a person's
shoulders and used to hold up that person's pants or trousers. If
two suspender straps are used, they usually come over the shoulders
from back to front and crisscross over the wearer's back. The two
suspender straps that come over the shoulders, fasten in two places
on the rear waistband of the pants, and in two places on the front
waistband of the pants. This is referred to as an "X" style or type
of suspenders. In the case of suspenders with three straps, two
straps begin at the front waistband and go over the wearer's
shoulders where the straps are jointed to one strap in the center
of the back. The one strap comes straight down from the center of
the wearer's back to fastener at the center of the rear waistband
of the wearer's pants. This is referred to as a "Y" style or type
of suspenders.
[0017] "Fasteners" are located at the end of each suspender strap
to connect the suspenders to the pants or to the belt around the
wearer's waist. The suspender straps are usually fastened to the
pants by narrow leather thongs with "eyes" or "slots" cut in the
thongs to accommodate the buttons which are sewn inside the
waistband of the pants (see U.S. Pat. No. 504,661 issued to William
Bloomberg, 5 Sep. 1893). Many suspenders are fastened by barbed
metal clips with metal "teeth" that clip onto the waistband fabric
of the pants. Another fastening method is a "J" shaped hook on the
end of the suspender straps that catches a belt around the wearer's
waist and serves to lift or otherwise hold up the belt and the
pants. (See U.S. Pat. No. 5,623,735 issued to Don A. Perry, 29 Apr.
1997.)
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0018] Not applicable.
CURRENT U.S. CLASS
[0019] 2/327, 2/326
FIELD OF SEARCH
[0020] 2/327, 2/326, 2/319, 2/311, 2/312, 2/340, 2/338
REFERENCES CITED
[0021] U.S. Patents Documents
TABLE-US-00001 2437714 Walter A. Thomason Jr. 3 Mar. 1948 504661
William Bloomberg 5 Sep. 1893 5623735 Don A. Perry 29 Apr. 1997
* * * * *