Package and article carriers – Carried by animate bearer – Rigid means fixedly mounted on article and detachably...
Reexamination Certificate
1997-12-10
2001-11-20
Vidovich, Gregory M. (Department: 3727)
Package and article carriers
Carried by animate bearer
Rigid means fixedly mounted on article and detachably...
C224S269000, C024S003600, C024S003120
Reexamination Certificate
active
06318610
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND—FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to a device that is used to carry commonly used accessories like keys, cameras, cellular phones, pagers, tape measures, and hand drills around a person's waist.
BACKGROUND—DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART
There are many medium sized accessories that people like to carry around. Items like keys, cameras, cellular phones, pagers, tape measures, and hand drills are usually carried so that they can be used in the near future. People want to carry these items with the least amount of inconvenience while still having their hands free to do other tasks. It is also important that these items are within easy reach when they are needed.
These accessories are frequently too large to fit into the front or rear pockets of a persons pants, so they need another way to be carried. The items can be placed in a jacket, vest, backpack, or fannypack. These solutions are inadequate for two reasons. Firstly, they require that the carrier wears another piece of clothing. Secondly, these solutions make it hard to get at the accessories when they are needed. The carrier will have to open up pockets, possible zipped or buttoned shut, and rummage for items when they are needed. This can be a waste of time and a major inconvenience if the item is used frequently.
Another solution is to carry the accessories in a hand held bag such as a briefcase, purse, handbag, or duffel bag. This solution is also inadequate for two reasons. Firstly, this requires that the person ties up one of his/her hands to carry the bag, which doesn't leave both hands free to do other tasks. Secondly, it takes time and energy to get one of these items out of the bag. It is an inconvenience to rummage through a bag every time a beeper goes off or every time you need to use one of your keys.
There have been a number of inventions that allow people to carry these items on their waists. U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,580 to Lee (1992) discloses a key holder that wraps around a persons belt. This device is designed to snap closed around a persons belt and hold all of his/her keys around ones waist. The problem with this design becomes apparent when the wearer wants to use his/her keys. The entire device has to be unsnapped and removed from the belt so that the keys can be used. Then the belt must be loosened or removed in order to get the piece of material around the belt so that the key holder can be refastened. This becomes time consuming if the keys are frequently used. It also becomes embarrassing if the keys are used in public, because it is not socially acceptable for a man or woman to loosen or remove his/her belt in public every time keys are to be used. This key holder is limited by the fact that it is only designed to carry keys and none of the other commonly used accessories I mentioned.
There have been other attempts to make devices that hold keys or tools around a persons belt. U.S. Pat. No. 4,107,823 to Siesto (1978) discloses a thin piece of sheet metal that is bent in such a way that it wraps around a persons belt and holds keys or other tools in place. Firstly, this is a narrow piece of sheet metal that is designed to hold a few keys. This device is too thin to effectively hold a device as large and heavy as an industrial tape measure or hand held drill. The narrow aspect of the design will disperse the weight of the tool over a small area of the belt, resulting in greater force per area. This will give added wear to a users belt and will eventually destroy the belts by forcing the sheet metal into the belt.
In this design an opening must be made between the two pieces of sheet metal before the key ring can be inserted. This means that the user must use two hands. One to make the opening and the other to slot the key ring between the two pieces of metal.
Removing the keys from this device presents another problem. The user has to fight gravity by lifting the keys higher than the mid point of the device before then can be removed. This action will require extra energy and becomes a greater design flaw when larger accessories are carried in the device.
This design also uses a key ring as the part of the tool that is connected to the belt clip. A key ring is a small round object that is difficult to handle. For this reason people have historically purchased novelty key chains to make their keys easier to handle. It is not easy for people to manipulate a small key ring onto this belt clip and it will be even more difficult for people who have either large hands or small key rings. This design flaw also makes this device very hard to use for people who have lost their hand dexterity and strength due to illness or old age.
The other flaw with this design is that it looks very utilitarian. It is just a simple piece of small sheet metal. This may be fine on the construction site but it wouldn't go over well with presentation conscious shoppers. This device would not look correct if worn by a tourist to carry his/her camera around Paris snapping occasional pictures of cafes and the Eiffel Tower. This device would also look out of place carrying a cellular phone and a beeper for a top level executive. This device also has no room or way of being customized with a corporate logo as to become part of a companies official uniform. I believe that it is important for accessory holders to look professional and stylish enough to be worn in all situations.
Some pagers, tape measures, and cellular phones are coming with clips on the back so that they can be worn on a persons belt. These clips are made out of plastic or metal depending on the manufacturer and they are designed to be both functional and visually appealing. The major problem with these designs is that every time you want to use one of these items you have to remove the whole thing from your belt. These can be difficult to remove if your belt is tight and even more difficult to return to your belt once the item has been used. This type of design also adds significant wear and tear to a belt by the repeated removal and installation of the clip.
OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES
Accordingly, several objects and advantages of my patent are:
(a) to provide a way to carry accessories that doesn't require extra clothing and leaves both hands free;
(b) to provide a way to carry accessories so that they are always exposed and immediately ready for use;
(c) to provide a way to carry accessories that doesn't require the carrier to rummage through bags or pockets for the accessories once they are needed,
(d) to provide a way to carry accessories by mounting them on a persons belt, waist, or other place that makes them easily accessible,
(e) to provide a way to carry accessories that vary in size;
(f) to provide a way to carry accessories in such a way that they lock into place and are securely held;
(g) to provide a way to carry accessories that makes it easy for a person to remove, use, and return the accessory to the holder with the use of a single hand;
(h) to provide a way to carry accessories that will last for many years without need of repair or replacement;
(i) to provide a way to carry accessories using a modular design that will allow many accessories (like keys, cameras, cellular phones, pagers, tape measures, and hand held drills) to be held by the same carrier,
(j) to provide a way to carry accessories that can easily be enhanced with a design or logo, which will make the accessory holder more appealing to customers who want to make a statement and company owners who want to use the holder as part of an official uniform;
(k) to provide a way to carry accessories that will make a clearly audible sound when they are securely locked into the accessory holder; and
(l) to provide a way to carry accessories that makes it easy for the user to get the accessory when he/she needs it but makes it hard for the accessory to be accidentally removed and lost.
Further objects and advantages are to provide a waist mounted accessory holder that is inexpensive to manufacture and customize with new logos and artwork, It will be made of a sturdy
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