GB2383075A

GB2383075A - Belt clip with resiliently biased tongue

Info

Publication number: GB2383075A
Application number: GB0130047A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Victor Arthure De Mouche Nokes; Tristan Richard Lawrence Nokes
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-12-15
Filing date: 2001-12-15
Publication date: 2003-06-18
Also published as: GB0130047D0

Abstract

A one piece belt clip 10 which is used for securing an object (e.g. keys, tools, mobile phone) to a belt comprises an enclosed portion 11 for accommodating a belt, and a tongue 17 having an open loop 19 on its free end-portion which is resiliently held in contact against said portion 11 to form an enclosure 18 with the loop 19 opening into the enclosure. The base of the enclosure may be provided with a detent (figure 2).

Description

A Belt Clip Field This invention relates to a belt clip for supporting a tool, mobile phone, keys etc. from the belt of a wearer.

Background of the Invention Belt clips are well known and are primarily use for supporting bunches of keys from a belt. Typical clips have a curved portion with an opening which is closed by a spring loaded latch, or alternatively the latch is formed from a leaf spring. The article to be supported on the belt typically hangs from a ring which is inserted into the clip so that the clip passes through the centre of the ring.

Such clips facilitate the placing of an article onto the belt but hinder removal of the article difficult.

Other clips comprise an almost closed resilient loop of metal or plastic such as is shown in US 4974 764 which facilitate both easy securing and releasing to and from the clip. A problem with this type of clip is that the curved resilient loop can be overstressed if an excess of force is used during removal of an article from the clip. Furthermore if bulky item e. g mobile phones or hand held radios, are secured on these types of clip they can be accidently dislodged by the wearer, for example during sitting, or brushing against an object.

Object of the Present Invention The present invention provides a simple belt clip which ameliorates the above problems.

Statements of Invention According to the present invention there is provided a one piece belt clip for securing an object to a belt the clip comprising a first enclosed portion for accommodating a belt, with a tongue portion extending upwardly from the first portion and then being looped back on itself towards the first portion to form an open loop which. is resiliently biased by said tongue to contact said first portion to form an enclosure with said loop opening into the enclosure.

The base of said enclosure forms a detent for snap fit engagement with an object, preferably a key ring, support ring or other similar device, passing through the enclosure.

The enclosed first portion is substantially rectangular in cross-section to accommodate a belt and has a pair of elongate sidewalls and the tongue extends upwardly from a lower portion of one of said sidewalls. The rectangular portion may be split to facilitate mounting the device to a belt.

The clip may be moulded from a suitable plastics material with the tongue being moulded integrally with said one

sidewall with the detent formed at the root of the tongue.

The tongue may be narrower that the first portion and spaced apart side walls may extend upwardly of said first portion on either of the tongue.

Alternatively, the clip is formed from a single metallic strip, folded to form the tongue and first portion, with one end portion of the strip forming the tongue and preferably the other end portion of the strip forms the base of the enclosed portion. The base of the enclosed portion may be extended to wrap around at least a portion of the tongue to resiliently reinforce the tongue and bias said loop towards said first portion.

Description of Drawings This invention will be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig 1. is an isometric view of a first clip according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a second clip similar to the first clip, Fig. 3 is an enlargement of a detail shown in Fig. 2, Fig. 4 is a part sectional side elevation taken the line IV-IV of Fig. 5 of yet another clip according to the present invention and showing a support in situ,

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the clip shown in Fig. 4, and Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the support in Fig. 4.

Detailed Description of the Invention With reference to Fig. 1, there is shown a belt clip 10 formed from a single strip of spring steel preferably stainless steel.

The clip 10 comprises a rectangular section enclosed portion 11 through which a belt 37 (see Fig. 2) can pass.

The enclosed portion has two elongate side walls 13,14, a top 15 and base 16. In use the side wall 13 is inside the belt adjacent the wearer and the side wall 14 is an outer sidewall facing away from the wearer.

One end portion of the strip forms a tongue 17 which is integral with the outer sidewall 14 and is bent upwardly from the bottom of the outer sidewall so as to be coextensive with a portion thereof. The tongue 17 and sidewall 14 are aligned with each other and its free end portion extends back on itself to form an open loop 19 which extends towards the sidewall 14. The loop 19 is resiliently biased by the tongue 17 to contact the sidewall 14 forming an enclosure 18 into which the loop opens. The loop 19 is curved towards the outer sidewall 14 with a convex outer surface 21 adjacent thereto.

The loop 19 of the tongue 17 forms a detent to hold a support ring within the enclosure 18 formed between the sidewall 14 and inner surface of the tongue. To remove a support ring from the enclosure the loop 19 must be moved away from the sidewall 14 against the inherent bias of the tongue 17.

The base 16 of the enclosed portion 11 has a projection 23 which extends outwardly and upwardly around the root portion 24 of the tongue and lies in contact against the outer surface thereof. The projection 24 extends upto about halfway up the tongue 17 and serves to reinforce the tongue against distortion and also to resiliently bias the loop 19 to a closed condition. The projection 23 is formed from an end portion of the strip.

With reference to Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, the belt clip 31 is similar to that of Fig. l and only the differences will be described. A belt 37 (shown in dotted outline) may be accommodated in the first enclosed portion 11. The base of the enclosure 18 is formed into a resilient detent 32 by forming the root of the tongue 17 into a part circular shape having a diameter of, for example, 3mm and which extends over the equator to form a narrower gap 33 of say 2.5mm. This detent 32 can form a snap fit with a support ring 35 or device made of say 3mm dia. section wire. Such a ring or device is shown in Figs. 4 and 6 and when slipped over the loop 19 into the enclosure 18 can also be snapped

into the detent 32 forming a double retention system. The end 36 of the loop should be spaced from the sidewall 14 by about 2mm. When a ring 35 snaps out of its detent it is held within the enclosure unless the loop is moved away from the sidewall 14 so as to permit the ring to slide through the created gap.

With reference to Figs. 4 and 5, there is shown a clip 51 which is a one piece plastics moulding formed from a suitable resilient material such as nylon, polypropylene, polycarbonate. The tongue 57 is formed integrally with one wall of the enclosed portion 11 and is moulded with a "crook"end forming a loop 59. The loop 59 is in contact with the sidewall 14 of the enclosed portion 11. A detent 32 is formed at the root of the tongue 57 by moulding a rib onto the inner surafec of the tongue and a similar detent may be formed in the top of the loop 59.

A mobile phone support device 61 formed from 3mm dia wire is shown in Fig 4 and Fig 6 and is illustrated held in the detent 32. The wire support 61 has a substantially rectangular form which is curved and has a central lower clip 62 for attachment to a mobile phone case. The support must be rotated upwards, anti-clockwise as shown in Fig. 4, anq will easily release from the detent 32 and the

enclosure 18. The double release system helps prevent an unauthorised release from the belt.

The tongue 57 may optionally be provided with side covers or shields 58 formed integrally with the sidewall 14 and spaced from the tongue on each side thereof. When side covers 58 are present and support 61 is shaped to pass around the tongue 57 and between said tongue and covers 58.

In the embodiments shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 4 the rectangular portion 11 may be split to facilitate fitting over a belt.

Claims

Claims 1. A belt clip for securing an object to a belt, the clip comprising a first enclosed portion for accommodating a belt, with a tongue portion extending upwardly from the first portion and then being looped back on itself towards the first portion to form an open loop which is resiliently biased by said tongue to contact said first portion to form an enclosure with said loop opening into the enclosure.
2. A clip as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the base of said enclosure forms a detent for snap fit engagement with an object, preferably a key ring, support ring or other similar device, passing through the enclosure.
3. A clip as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the enclosed first portion is substantially rectangular in cross-section to accommodate a belt and has a pair of elongate sidewalls and the tongue extends upwardly from a lower portion of one of said sidewalls.
4. A clip as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3 wherein the clip is moulded from a suitable plastics material with the tongue being moulded integrally with said one sidewall with the detent formed at the root of the tongue.
5. A clip as claimed in Claim 4 wherein the tongue is narrower than the first portion and spaced apart side walls extend upwardly of said first portion on either of the

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tongue.
6. A clip as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3 wherein the clip is formed from a single metallic strip, folded to form the tongue and first portion, with one end portion of the strip forming the tongue and loop.
7. A clip as claimed in Claim 6 wherein the other end portion of the strip forms the base of the enclosed portion and is extended to wrap around at least a lower portion of the tongue to resiliently reinforce the tongue and bias said loop towards said first portion.
8. A clip as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 7 wherein the loop presents a convex surface towards the adjacent enclosed portion.
9. A belt clip for support of a tool, mobile phone, keys etc. from a belt of a wearer and which is substantially as described herein with reference to Fig 1, or Fig 2 or Figs.

4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.