EP3162247A1

EP3162247A1 - Tool and accessory holder device

Info

Publication number: EP3162247A1
Application number: EP15425092.2A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ernesto Aldo Coppola
Original assignee: Jl Srl
Current assignee: Jl Srl
Priority date: 2015-10-29
Filing date: 2015-10-29
Publication date: 2017-05-03

Abstract

The invention describes a tool and accessory holder device, configured to be worn by a user and consisting of a foldable sheet-type structure comprising a front flap and a rear flap connected together, in a flexible manner, at a mutual joining portion. The front flap and the rear flap can overlap one another in a closed configuration, or use configuration, of the device. On a first surface of the front flap one or more compartments or pockets configured for containing one or more tools or accessories are provided. On a second surface of the front flap opposite such a first surface at least one first holding means is provided, configured to join with at least one second holding means provided on a predetermined surface of the rear flap. At least one of the first holding means and the second holding means consists of one or more magnets, whereas the remaining holding means consists of at least one element made of ferromagnetic material. In the closed configuration of the device, the joining of the first holding means with the corresponding second holding means, obtained by magnetic attraction, allows the front flap to overlap the rear flap. The front flap and the rear flap, together with the mutual joining portion, thus define a cavity inside the device that allows such a device to be applied around a predetermined portion of a garment of the user.

Description

The present invention refers to a tool and accessory holder device, in particular but not exclusively hairdressing tools and accessories.
In women's hairdressing salons and men's barbers it is known to use numerous tools and accessories for cutting, dyeing and, more generally, caring for hair. Among these tools and accessories, purely as examples, are scissors, combs, brushes and more. These tools and accessories must always be within reach of the hairdresser, so that he/she can quickly and expertly carry out his/her work.
Normally, the tools and the accessories used by hairdressers are placed in suitable containers provided on a component of the salon furniture, like for example a technical table, service furniture or a shelf. This results in the need for the hairdresser to continuously move towards the aforementioned containers in order to be able to have the right tool to be used every time.
Alternatively, specific hairdressers garments have been made, provided with suitable pockets in which to place tools and accessories. However, it is clear that, in this way, the hairdresser cannot have freedom of choice of clothing, but must always wear such garments if he/she wants to have his/her own tools and accessories on him/her.
So-called tool bags for belts have also been made, typically used by masons, carpenters and craftsmen in general. These tool bags are provided with at least one slot that allows the bag itself, filled with a certain amount of various tools and instruments, to be hooked to the user's belt. As well as normally being used in different environments from hairdressing salons and barbers, these bags still have a drawback linked to the fact that the user must necessarily wear a belt, or other similar potential support means, in order to be able to transport the bag and the tools and accessories contained in it.
The purpose of the present invention is therefore to make a tool and accessory holder device, in particular but not exclusively hairdressing tools and accessories, which is able to solve the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art in an extremely simple, cost-effective and particularly functional manner.
In detail, a purpose of the present invention is to make a tool and accessory holder device that allows the user to always have the tools and accessories needed at hand.
Another purpose of the present invention is to make a tool and accessory holder device that does not require specific clothing to be able to be correctly worn by the user.
A further purpose of the present invention is to make a tool and accessory holder device that can be worn and removed quickly.
Yet another purpose of the present invention is to make a tool and accessory holder device that, in a certain condition of use, can also be fixed onto certain surfaces instead of being worn by the user.
These purposes according to the present invention are accomplished by making a tool and accessory holder device as outlined in claim 1.
Further characteristics of the invention are highlighted by the dependent claims, which are an integral part of the present description.
The characteristics and advantages of a tool and accessory holder device according to the present invention will become clearer from the following description, given as an example and not for limiting purposes, referring to the attached schematic drawings, in which:

figure 1 is a front view of a preferred embodiment of the tool and accessory holder device according to the present invention;
figure 2 is a view from the front side of the tool and accessory holder device of figure 1, shown in open configuration;
figure 3 is a view from the rear side of the tool and accessory holder device of figure 1, shown in open configuration; and
figure 4 is a view from the front side of the tool and accessory holder device of figure 1, shown in closed configuration, worn by a user and containing a generic tool.

With reference to the figures, a tool and accessory holder device according to the present invention is shown, wholly indicated with reference numeral 10. The device 10 is configured to be worn by a user and consists of a foldable sheet-type structure, comprising a front flap 12 and a rear flap 14 connected together, in a flexible manner, at a mutual joining portion 16 and able to be overlapped in a closed configuration, or use configuration, of the device 10 itself.
As shown in the figures, the front flap 12 and the rear flap 14 of the device 10 can be advantageously formed in a single piece of foldable sheet-type material, like for example natural or synthetic leather, fabric, non-woven fabric, plastic or materials having similar characteristics. Alternatively, the front flap 12 and the rear flap 14 of the device 10 can consist of two distinct components, joined together at the mutual joining portion 16. The union between the front flap 12 and the rear flap 14 of the device 10 can be carried out through known joining means, like for example stitching, seaming, gluing and others.
Irrespective of the type of manufacture, the front flap 12 and the rear flap 14 of the device 10 can be provided, at the mutual joining portion 16, with one or more weakened or folding lines (not shown) configured to facilitate the passage from an open configuration to the closed configuration of the device 10 and vice-versa. In a further embodiment of the device 10, not shown in the figures, the front flap 12 and the rear flap 14 of the device 10 could also be connected together through zip means.
On a first surface of the front flap 12, in this case its outer surface with reference to the closed configuration of the device 10, one or more compartments or pockets 18 configured for containing one or more tools or accessories, as shown for example in figure 4 are provided. The compartments or pockets 18, variable in number according to requirements, can be advantageously manufactured with the same foldable sheet-type material as the structure that constitutes the device 10. Preferably, the compartments or pockets 18 can be applied on the outer surface of the front flap 12 through stitching, seaming, gluing or other known joining means.
On a second surface of the front flap 12 opposite the first surface, in this case the inner surface of the front flap 12 with reference to the closed configuration of the device 10, at least one first holding means 20 is thus provided, configured for joining with at least one second holding means 22 provided on a predetermined surface of the rear flap 14. At least one of the first holding means 20 and the second holding means 22 consists of one or more magnets, whereas the remaining holding means 20 or 22 consists of at least one element made of ferromagnetic material.
In this way, in the closed configuration of the device 10, the joining of the first holding means 20 with the corresponding second holding means 22, obtained by magnetic attraction, allows the overlapping of the front flap 12 over the rear flap 14, such front flap 12 and rear flap 14, together with the mutual joining portion 16, defining a cavity inside the device 10 that allows such a device 10 to be applied around a predetermined portion of a garment of the user, like for example the upper waist band of trousers (see figure 4) even if such trousers do not have a belt, belt loops and/or other potential support means for the device 10.
For example, in a typical case of application of the device 10 on a pair of trousers, the rear flap 14 is configured to insert inside the trousers, whereas the front flap 12 is positioned outside such trousers, with the compartments or pockets 18 positioned at the hips of the user. The holding means 20 or 22 keep the device 10 stably fixed on the upper portion of the trousers, clasping it, whereas the tools or accessories can be quickly and easily taken and repositioned in the respective compartments or pockets 18.
The particular magnetic holding means 20 and 22 also allow the device 10 to be fixed, both in open configuration, and in closed configuration, on a generic metallic surface. In this condition of use the compartments or pockets 18 of the device 10 can once again be used to reposition and pick up tools and accessories, or the device 10 itself can be kept inactive but in any case within reach for later use.
The magnet 22, which in the attached figures constitutes, purely as an example, the second holding means, can be directly applied on the respective surface of the rear flap 14 or of the front flap 12, or preferably it can be inserted between two overlapping layers of the material (leather, fabric or similar) constituting such rear flap 14 or front flap 12. Similarly, the corresponding element made of ferromagnetic material 20, which in the attached figures, purely as an example, constitutes the first holding means, can also be directly applied on the respective surface of the front flap 12 or of the rear flap 14, or preferably it can be inserted between two overlapping layers of the material constituting such front flap 12 or rear flap 14.
If they consist of two overlapping layers of foldable sheet-type material, each of the front flap 12 and/or the rear flap 14 of the device 10 could be internally provided with one or more semi-rigid intermediate reinforcing layers (not shown), configured to avoid the sagging of the device 10 in its closed configuration, and the accidental detachment between the first holding means 20 and the second holding means 22 in the closed configuration of such a device 10, as well as avoiding the tools or accessories falling out from the compartments or pockets 18 that contain them, which could happen if at least the front flap 12 was manufactured with an excessively thin and/or yielding sheet-type material.
It has thus been seen that the tool and accessory holder device according to the present invention achieves the purposes highlighted earlier, being able to be worn by the user on any item of clothing, typically trousers, without such an item of clothing needing to be provided with particular fastening components, like for example buckles, clasps, belts or belt loops. However, this does not rule out the possibility of the tool and accessory holder device also being able to be used in another way, like for example fixed onto any metallic surface.
The tool and accessory holder device of the present invention thus conceived can in any case undergo numerous modifications and variants, all of which are covered by the same inventive concept; moreover, all the details can be replaced by technically equivalent elements. In practice, the materials used, as well as the shapes and sizes, can be whatever according to the technical requirements.
The scope of protection of the invention is therefore defined by the attached claims.

Claims

Tool and accessory holder device (10), configured to be worn by a user and consisting of a foldable sheet-type structure comprising a front flap (12) and a rear flap (14) connected together, in a flexible manner, at a mutual joining portion (16), said front flap (12) and rear flap (14) being able to overlap one another in a closed configuration, or use configuration, of the device (10), wherein on a first surface of the front flap (12) one or more compartments or pockets (18) configured for containing one or more tools or accessories are provided, on a second surface of the front flap (12) opposite said first surface at least one first holding means (20) being provided that is configured to join with at least one second holding means (22) provided on a predetermined surface of the rear flap (14), the device (10) being characterised in that at least one from the first holding means (20) and the second holding means (22) consists of one or more magnets, whereas the remaining holding means (20, 22) consists of at least one element made of ferromagnetic material, so that, in the closed configuration of the device (10), the joining of the first holding means (20) with the corresponding second holding means (22), obtained by magnetic attraction, allows the front flap (12) to overlap the rear flap (14), said front flap (12) and rear flap (14), together with the mutual joining portion (16), defining a cavity inside the device (10) that allows said device (10) to be applied around a predetermined portion of a garment of the user, wherein the rear flap (14) is configured to insert inside the garment, whereas the front flap (12) is positioned outside of said garment.
Device (10) according to claim 1, characterised in that the front flap (12) and/or the rear flap (14) consist of two overlapped layers of foldable sheet-type material.
Device (10) according to claim 2, characterised in that each of the front flap (12) and/or the rear flap (14) is internally provided with one or more semi-rigid intermediate reinforcing layers, configured to avoid both the sagging of the device (10) in its closed configuration, and the accidental detachment between the first holding means (20) and the second holding means (22) in the closed configuration of said device (10), and also the falling of the tools or accessories from the compartments or pockets (18) that contain them.
Device (10) according to claim 1, characterised in that the front flap (12) and the rear flap (14) are formed in a single piece of foldable sheet-type material.
Device (10) according to claim 4, characterised in that the front flap (12) and the rear flap (14) are provided, at the mutual joining portion (16), with one or more weakened or folding lines configured to facilitate the passage from an open configuration to the closed configuration of the device (10) and vice-versa.
Device (10) according to claim 1, characterised in that the front flap (12) and the rear flap (14) consist of two distinct components, joined together at the mutual joining portion (16).
Device (10) according to claim 6, characterised in that the front flap (12) and the rear flap (14) are connected together through zip means.
Device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the compartments or pockets (18) are manufactured from the same foldable sheet-type material as the structure that constitutes the device (10).
Device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the first holding means (20) and/or the second holding means (22) are applied directly onto the respective surfaces of the front flap (12) and/or of the rear flap (14).
Device (10) according to claim 2 or 3, characterised in that the first holding means (20) and/or the second holding means (22) are respectively inserted between two overlapped layers of the material constituting the front flap (12) and/or the rear flap (14).