Wearable folded map

Details Wearable folded map Wearable folded map

2002-07-01

2003-11-11

Wellington, A. L. (Department: 3722)

Printed matter

Maps

C002S016000, C002S160000, C002S170000, C002S162000, C002S312000, C040S124090, C040S124070, C040S304000, C040S586000, C040S633000, C040S665000, C040S904000, C206S039700, C283S034000, C283S106000, C281S034000, C281S013000, C224S164000, C224S165000, C224S221000, C224S222000, C224S223000, C224S219000, C224S620000, C224S650000, C224S660000, C224S901400, C224S901600, CD11S003000, CD11S004000, CD11S062000, CD11S110000, C428S064100, C428S099000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06644694

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND—FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates generally to large, single sheet reference guides and more specifically to two or three dimensional maps that can be worn on the outside surface of a person's clothes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There are several problems with maps related to outdoor activities and more specifically to ski maps that are given away for free at ski resorts:
They are made of thin paper that easily tears, especially in snow and wind.
They are large maps, usually over 110 square inches, with several fold lines that also cause them to tear easily.
They must be stored in the pockets of ski pants or coats. A skier must remove one or both gloves in order to retrieve the map, unfold it, refold it, and put it away for temporary storage. Removal of gloves can be painful and can even be dangerous in certain weather conditions.
Several previous patents have attempted to fix these problems.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,957,310 attempts to overcome the problems mentioned herein by using a weather resistant map that completely encircles the skier's arm. The map may be folded in one dimension, yet it still encircles the arm. In order to view this map, a skier must first slide the map from the upper arm to the lower arm. The skier then unwraps the map from around the arm. Finally, the skier removes the entire map from the arm and holds the map with both hands. There are three disadvantages associated with this design. The first disadvantage is that the skier must manipulate the map with both hands in order to view any significant portion of the map. Using both hands can be difficult when trying to hold ski poles. The second disadvantage is that the map does not fit securely to the upper or lower arm because the map must easily slide to a position where the skier can unwrap the map. The skier cannot easily tighten the looped strap because the looped strap is inaccessible when the map is wrapped around the arm. The third disadvantage is that the flexible unfolded map becomes rigid when wrapped around the arm. This rigidity is caused by the cylindrical shape of the folded map, which now restricts the flexibility of the map in almost all dimensions. This rigidity is a problem when the map slides to the skier's elbow and the skier consequently has difficulty bending the elbow.
U S. Pat. No. 5,400,936 and U S. Pat. No. 5,80,98 attempt to solve the general map problems listed previously by using ‘map pouches’ which allow traditional ski maps to be inserted into transparent, weather-resistant pouches. The primary disadvantage with these designs is that the maps are still difficult to read and manipulate. The portion of the map that can be visible at any one time is quite small, usually nine square inches or less, because the map must be folded in order to fit in the pouch. To see other parts of the ski map, the skier must remove the map from the pouch, re-fold it so that the desired portion of the map is visible, and then replace the map in the pouch. Removing and folding the map usually requires that the skier remove his or her gloves.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,743,449 uses a weather resistant ski map that is worn around the neck. There are two disadvantages associated with this design. The first disadvantage with this design is that the map is not attached securely to the body if it is worn on the outside of the ski jacket. The map can move about when the skier is skiing at a high velocity or in windy conditions. In either situation, the skier's visibility could easily be impaired. The second disadvantage with this design is that if the map is temporarily stored inside a ski jacket, the skier must remove his or her gloves to unzip the ski jacket and retrieve the map. As stated previously, it is undesirable to remove ski gloves or mittens at any time on the mountain.
Two of the aforementioned problems are also prevalent in other outdoor maps and the activities associated with these maps. For example, maps for hiking trails are usually so large and unwieldy that they easily tear. In these outdoor activities, it is also beneficial to be able to open, manipulate, and close a map with only one hand.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The objectives of this invention are to allow large size maps or reference guides to be worn externally on a person's body such that:
(a) gloves or mittens do not have to be removed in order to manipulate the map,
(b) a person can easily manipulate the map with only one hand—even while wearing gloves,
(c) the map can be attached securely to the human body while not interfering with any rigorous physical activity such as snow skiing,
(d) the map is easily legible for even large areas of land,
(e) the map is resistant to tearing, snow, ice, rain, and wind, and
(f) one or more straps can be easily adjusted while wearing the map on the arm, torso, or leg.
In general, the invention is a foldable, weather-resistant map that is worn on a person's forearm, although the map could be worn on the upper arm, torso, or thigh. The map is folded into a small size, for example, less than 11 square inches, when not in use. The map unfolds to a full-size or slightly reduced-size map, for example, more than 100 square inches and less than 400 square inches. The map, when unfolded, is substantially flat. When folded, the map is also substantially flat but slightly thicker than when unfolded. The map can be held in the folded position via the use of a soft case, which serves as a keeping member. Alternatively, the map can be held in the folded position via the use of a fastening means such as hook & loop fasteners, snaps, or other similar means on the inner or outer surfaces of the folded map. The map can be folded several times in order to fold-up into a small compact size that is not intrusive to a person participating in a rigorous physical activity such as snow skiing.
The map can be attached to the keeping member either permanently via the use of adhesives or stitching or temporarily via the use of hook & loop fasteners or snaps. The soft case or keeping member is generally attached to one or more looped straps that encircles the arm, torso, or leg. The soft case can be attached to the looped strap or straps either permanently or temporarily. Alternatively, the looped strap or straps can be part of the soft case or keeping member.
However, the folded map itself does not encircle the arm, torso, or leg. The folded map and keeping member form a substantially flat surface that conforms to a skier's arm, torso, or leg such that the map and keeping member are not intrusive when snow skiing or when participating in other outdoor activities. If a soft case is not used, the map can be attached directly to the looped strap via a permanent attachment means such as glue or stitching, or the map could be attached temporarily to the looped strap via hook & loop fasteners or snaps.
The looped strap can be made of a flexible material such as elastic, nylon, or some other fibrous material. The looped strap can be adjustable by means of an elastic type material, a loop attachment with hook & loop fasteners, or a buckle type attachment. Thus, persons of various sizes can utilize the same size map, and one can move the map up, down, and around the upper arm or forearm so that the map is not intrusive when skiing or participating in other outdoor activities.
The map is made weather-resistant by printing the map directly on a weather-resistant material such as a synthetic fiber paper or with the use of laminates. The map may contain additional or different printed information such as instructional guides, safety warnings, advertisements, or other reference material.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3660916 (1972-05-01), McDermott et al.
patent: 4341331 (1982-07-01), McDougall
patent: 4415106 (1983-11-01), Connell et al.
patent: 4536889 (1985-08-01), Taylor et al.
patent: D300786 (1989-04-01), Josselyn
patent: 4905881 (1990-03-01), Graber
patent: 4957310 (1990-09-01), Bissonnette
patent: 4982837 (1991-01-01), Toth
patent: 4984683 (1991-01-01), Eller
patent: D323939 (1992-02-01), Mok
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