US20040020950A1

US20040020950A1 - Pocket flask type water bottle with recessed belt clip

Info

Publication number: US20040020950A1
Application number: US10/211,649
Authority: US
Inventors: Fred Overbay
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-08-01
Filing date: 2002-08-01
Publication date: 2004-02-05

Abstract

A bottle is molded into a flask shaped configuration, like a hip flask, resembling a typical ½ pint bottle or a 1 pint whisky bottle or other sizes. It is provided with a unique pivotable belt clip molded into a recess in the back of the bottle. The belt clip does not protrude outside the footprint or exterior contour of the bottle. This sleek design will eliminate any possible snags or gouges when being carried in a pocket or clipped onto the belt.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to bottles for carrying liquids and in particular to a water bottle molded into a pocket flask shape including a belt clip molded into a recess in the back of the bottle within the surface outline of the bottle.

2. Description of the Prior Art

A current healthy trend is to carry a water bottle for quenching thirst and maintaining proper hydration. This is particularly prevalent in fitness situations. This presents a problem of yet another item to carry or store on the person.

Bottled water or other bottled drinks purchased from the store are typically cylindrical bottles of varying sizes which are not easily stored, especially on a person's body. So unless the user has a backpack, shoulder bag, purse or other place to put the bottle, invariably the bottles are carried in the hand of the user. When engaging in fitness activity the exerciser seldom has any place to store a bottle of water or Gatorade or other drink. The popular cylinder type bottles become inconvenient, awkward, and unsightly to carry. Even President Bush was shown on TV carrying a bottle of water in plain view of the cameras. If he were carrying water in the bottle of the present invention, he could have kept the bottle out of sight in his pocket or clipped onto his belt.

While there have been many devices provided for attaching a bottle to the body of a user, these devices are extraneous to the bottle. There have also been attempts to incorporate carrying clips built into the bottle, but these usually protrude from the bottle and prevent other placement of the bottle than that of being carried by the clips.

What is needed is a bottle for carrying liquids which is conveniently shaped to fit into a pocket of a user and also provided with a non-protruding hook means for attaching the bottle to clothing if no pockets are available or, if it is preferred, to hook the bottle conveniently to a belt or other part of the clothing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a pocket flask bottle with a recessed clip capable of fitting smoothly in a pocket and alternately capable of being clipped to a portion of clothing for conveniently transporting the liquid in the bottle.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a pocket flask bottle which is shaped to have a concave flask-type back to contour the body for a more comfortable fit during transportation on a hip or in a breast or back pocket.

One more object of the present invention is to include a non-protruding hook means for attaching the bottle to clothing if no pockets are available or to hook the bottle conveniently to a belt or other part of the clothing which is meant to eliminate any possible snagging or gouging.

An additional object of the present invention is to alleviate the need to use one's hands for carrying.

A further object of the present invention is to use a recessed clip which is hollow in order to be additional space for containing liquid.

In brief, the bottle of the present invention is molded into a flask shaped configuration, like a hip flask. It resembles a typical ½ pint bottle or a 1 pint whisky bottle and other sizes. It is provided with a unique pivotable belt clip molded into a recess in the back of the bottle. The belt clip does not protrude outside the footprint or exterior contour of the bottle. This sleek design will eliminate any possible snags or gouges when being carried in a pocket or clipped onto the belt.

The belt clip naturally will clip onto ones belt or garment at the waist or any other place of choice. Having the concave flask-type back on the bottle will fit into a suit breast pocket or into a typical trouser's rear pocket and be more compatible to fit the contour of the body. This bottle can be easily carried on hiking trips, exercise walking or to any formal function without the use of additional bags, strings or bulky coat pockets that the typical cylinder type bottle requires.

An advantage of the present invention is to provide a pocket flask bottle with a recessed clip capable of transporting liquid by fitting smoothly into a pocket or by being clipped to a portion of clothing.

Another advantage of the present invention is having a concave flask-type back of the bottle shaped to fit the contour of the body.

One more advantage of the present invention is the non-protruding hook means used to attach the bottle to clothing or a belt.

Yet another advantage of the present invention is that the entire flask, bottle and clip portion, are hollow and capable of containing liquid.

Still another advantage of the present invention is the alleviation of a personal common item to be carried by hand.

An associated advantage of the present invention is to be a convenient and useful way to strategically hide an otherwise unsightly but necessary item.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other details of my invention will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are furnished only by way of illustration and not in limitation of the invention, and in which drawings: [0021]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention showing the recessed opening in the back of the flask-type bottle with the pivotable clip fitting within the recess; [0022]
FIG. 2 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the invention of FIG. 1 showing the wall configuration in cross-section with the pivotable clip formed from a continuation of the bottle wall in the recess as a part of the molding process; [0023]
FIG. 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the invention of FIG. 1 similar to the view of FIG. 2 but with the top thumb release portion of the pivotable clip pushed into the recess and a belt inserted in the recess behind the bottom of the pivotable clip.[0024]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

In FIGS. [0025] 1-3, a carrying bottle 20 is comprised of a pocket flask shaped bottle 21 which has a concave back 23 and a pivotable clip 22 which fits within a recessed opening 26 formed in the back of the bottle. The bottle 20 is capable of fitting smoothly within a pocket or clipped onto a portion of clothing.
The pocket flask-[0026] shaped bottle 21 has a narrow body capable of fitting within a pocket and also has a concave back portion 23 which conforms to a contour of a human body.
In FIGS. [0027] 1-3, a pivotable clip 22 is attached to the pocket flask-shaped bottle 21 by a pivotable means, such as a flexible connecting arm 27. The pivotable clip 22 fits completely within the recessed opening 26 so that none of the pivotable clip 22 protrudes outside the contour of the outer surface of the pocket flask-shaped bottle 21 when the clip 22 is not in use. The pivotable clip 22 has a biasing means, which may also be the flexible connecting arm 27 which has a bias to return the clip 22 to an upright position maintaining the clip 22 within the recessed opening 26. The pivotable clip 22 is capable of pivoting out to admit a portion of clothing, such as a belt 30, within the recessed opening 26 behind the pivotable clip 22. The pivotable clip 22 is capable of exerting pressure on the portion of clothing, such as the belt 30, due to the biasing means to retain the pocket flask-shaped bottle 21 on the clothing, such as the belt 30.
In FIGS. [0028] 1-3, the pivotable clip 22 is molded of resilient plastic and formed as a continuation of a wall 19 of the recessed opening 26 with a resilient connecting arm 27 between the wall 19 of the recessed opening 26 and the pivotable clip 22 so that the resilient connecting arm 27 acts as both the pivotable means and the biasing means.
In FIGS. [0029] 1-3, the clip 22 is comprised of a thumb release portion 24 above the connecting arm 27 and a clothing retaining portion 25 below the connecting arm. The thumb release portion 24 is capable of being pressed into the recessed opening 26 to pivot the clothing retaining portion 25 outwardly to receive a portion of clothing, such as a belt 30, as seen in FIG. 3, in the recessed opening 26 behind the clothing retaining portion. The thumb release portion 24 is capable of being released to allow the connecting arm 27 to bias the clothing retaining portion 25 against the portion of clothing, such as the belt 30.
In FIGS. [0030] 1-3, the bottle 20 and the clip 22 and the connecting arm 27 are fabricated together in one molding process.
In FIGS. 2 and 3, an [0031] interior passageway 28 is located between the interior of the bottle 29 through the connecting arm 27 and into the clip 22 to allow liquid to be stored therein.
It is understood that the preceding description is given merely by way of illustration and not in limitation of the invention and that various modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed. [0032]

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A carrying bottle having a built-in clip, the bottle fitting smoothly within a pocket or clipped to a portion of clothing, the carrying bottle comprising:

a pocket flask-shaped bottle having a narrow body capable of fitting within a pocket and having a concave back portion conforming to a contour of a human body, the pocket flask-shaped bottle having a recessed opening in the concave back portion;

a pivotable clip attached to the pocket flask-shaped bottle by a pivotable means, the pivotable clip fitting completely within the recessed opening so that none of the pivotable clip protrudes outside of the contour of the outer surface of the pocket flask-shaped bottle when the clip is not in use, the pivotable clip having a biasing means to maintain the clip within the recessed opening and the pivotable clip being capable of pivoting out to admit a portion of clothing within the recessed opening behind the pivotable clip and being capable of exerting pressure on the portion of clothing due to the biasing means to retain the pocket flask-shaped bottle on the clothing attached to a wearer of the clothing.

2. The carrying bottle of claim 1 wherein the pivotable clip is molded of resilient plastic and formed as a continuation of a wall of the recessed opening with a resilient connecting arm between the wall of the recessed opening and the pivotable clip so that the resilient connecting arm acts as both the pivotable means and the biasing means.

3. The carrying bottle of claim 2 wherein the clip comprises a thumb release portion above the connecting arm and a clothing retaining portion below the connecting arm, the thumb release portion capable of being pressed into the recessed opening to pivot the clothing retaining portion outwardly to receive a portion of clothing in the recessed opening behind the clothing retaining portion and the thumb release portion capable of being released to allow the connecting arm to bias the clothing retaining portion against the portion of clothing.

4. The carrying bottle of claim 2 wherein the bottle and the clip and the connecting arm are fabricated together in one molding process.

5. The carrying bottle of claim 4 further comprising an interior passageway between an interior of the bottle through the connecting arm and into the clip to allow liquid to be stored therein.