US3908875A

US3908875A - Extensible belt with extensible connection to small implements

Info

Publication number: US3908875A
Application number: US470217A
Authority: US
Inventors: Woodrow F Wilson; Frances Y Wilson
Original assignee: Woodrow F Wilson; Frances Y Wilson
Current assignee: SUPER COIL Inc
Priority date: 1974-05-15
Filing date: 1974-05-15
Publication date: 1975-09-30
Anticipated expiration: 1992-09-30

Abstract

A coiled elastomer belt to be worn about a human torso is provided with a coiled extension from an integral plastic ring around the coiled plastic, which ring can be moved along the belt when the latter is extended to position the coiled extension at any point desired. The same plastic ring carries an attachment, such as a snap hook, and at its other end a ring or other attachment to a small implement, such as keys, ball point pen, light tools, and the like. The extension is fairly short but can stretch to from two to three feet so that the implement can be used by the wearer of the belt. When fastened up to the slidable plastic ring, the extension does not hang down for an excessive distance. The extension can be positioned at any point on the belt by sliding the plastic ring along the stretched out elastomer forming the coiled belt. Ends of the belt are provided with fastenings, such as a snap hook and a ring, so that they can be fastened around a human torso to fit all sizes of person since the belt is extensible. The plastic used to form the coiled belt may be any suitable plastic, for example polyurethane, which even has some stretch when fully uncoiled.

Description

United States Patent 1 1 Wilson et al.

[ 1 Sept. 30, 1975 EXTENSIBLE BELT WITH EXTENSIBLE CONNECTION TO SMALL IMPLEMENTS [76] Inventors: Woodrow F. Wilson: Frances Y.

Wilson, both of W. River Rd.. R.F.D. 5, Oswego. NY. 13126 22 Filed: May 15,1974

211 Appl. No.: 470,217

[52] U.S. Cl. 224/5 A; 2/338; 224/5 B [51] Int. Cl. A45C 1/04 [58] Field of Search 224/4 B, 4 C, 5 R, 5 A, 224/5 B. 5 M, 5 N, 26 R, 26 B, 26 K; 2/330, 338

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,566,192 12/1925 Forrest 224/5 A 2,388,811 11/1945 Zatko 224/5 A Primary E.\'aminerRobert G. Sheridan Attorney, Agent, or FirmRobert Ames Norton; Saul Leitner [57] ABSTRACT A coiled elastomer belt to be worn about a human torso is provided with a coiled extension from an integral plastic ring around the coiled plastic, which ring can be moved along the belt when the latter is extended to position the coiled extension at any point desired. The same plastic ring carries an attachment, such as a snap hook, and at its other end a ring or other attachment to a small implement, such as keys, ball point pen, light tools, and the like. The extension is fairly short but can stretch to from two to three feet so that the implement can be used by the wearer of the belt. When fastened up to the slidable plastic ring, the extension does not hang down for an excessive distance. The extension can be positioned at any point on the belt by sliding the plastic ring along the stretched out elastomer forming the coiled belt. Ends of the belt are provided with fastenings, such as a snap hook and a ring, so that they can be fastened around a human torso to fit all sizes of person since the belt is extensible. The plastic used to form the coiled belt may be any suitable plastic, for example polyurethane, which even has some stretch when fully uncoiled.

2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures US, Patant Sept. 30,1975

Sheet 1 of 2 3,908,875

US. Patent Sept. 30,1975 Sheet20f2 3,908,875

EXTENSIBLE BELT WITH EXTENSIBLE CONNECTION TO SMALL IMPLEMENTS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A problem is presented with small implements, such as a bunch of keys, on a belt. A hotel or motel maid has to use the various keys but there is a real problem because either the implements hang down a long way or are too short for the maid to use them conveniently without detaching from her belt. Similar problems are presented by waitresses that have to carry a pen or pencil for writing up orders. Also, mechanics have the problem of carrying light tools with them, such as screwdrivers, pliers, and the like, attached to their belts. In every case it is important to be able to attach the small implements at a particular point on the belt convenient for the wearer. If ordinary belts are used, different sizes may be required for different sized people, and the particular point at which the tools, for example on a lanyard, attach to the belt may not be suitable for all uses in a single position. If the lanyard or other attachment to the small implements is long enough so that the belt wearer can use them without detaching, it hangs down quite a long way and can interfere with walking and other movement.

Coiled spring devices, for example using a coiled elastomer, have been attached to various elements, for example a leash from the wrist of a person to the harness of a child or the collar of a dog. Such coiled leashes are described in the Grahling US. Pat. No. 2,994,300, Aug. 1, 1961. As there illustrated, at one end the leash is attached to an inextensible strap around the mothers wrist and at the other end to a childs wrist or, if the leash is for a dog, to a dog collar. The leash is capable of stretching, for example to about 3 times its coiled length, and is useful, but in its coiled form it is quite long in order to give the child or dog sufficient scope for movement.

It is with the combination of a coiled extensible belt and a coiled extension or lanyard fastened to small implements that the present invention deals.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the present invention a coiled extensible plastic belt, for example of polyurethane, fastens around the waist of a human being. Preferably it is provided with suitable fastenings, such as a snap hook at one end and a ring at the other, though the particular fastenings are not what distinguishes the present invention from the prior art. At a desired point on the belt there is an extension or lanyard also of coiled plastic which at its end is attached to small implements, for example a bunch of keys for a hotel maid, a ball point pen or pencil for a waitress, or light tools, such as screwdrivers, pliers and the like, for a mechanic. This extension is not long enough to trip over but can be extended, for example to about 3 times its coiled length, so that an extension to some three feet is readily obtainable. This permits using the implement, such as a key, writing instrument, screwdriver. plier and the like, without having to detach it from the belt, which latter is extensible and therefore fits any human waist.

Even the relatively short extension is sometimes longer than is desired to hang down from the extensible belt and so there can be provided a snap hook or other attachment to the ring or other connection to the belt so that the implements can be held quite close to the belt when not in use and do not interfere in any way with the movement of the person using them. As soon as the implements are to be used, the snap hook is unhooked from the end of the extension or lanyard attached to the belt and can then be extended to sufficient length, for example about three feet, as described, so that the implements can be used comfortably by the person wearing the belt.

There is another and even more preferred modification in which the attachment to the belt is in the form of an integral plastic ring through which the coiled plastic passes. When the belt is stretched out, this ring can easily be slid to any particular point desired. This adds additional flexibility; for example, one position might be convenient for a right-handed person and another for a left-handed person. Of course, as soon as the belt is allowed to snap back to its coiled form or to the slightly stretched form as it is worn, the ring no longer can move but it is located at the most convenient point.

The exact design of the coiled spring belt is not what distinguishes the present invention from the prior art. Round coils are very economically made and for many purposes are preferable. However, it is perfectly possible to have flattened coils, in other words, a coil which has two straight portions with curved connections, and this is sometimes of advantage where the belt is worn by a man as it can more conveniently slide through trouser loops than a round belt. The particular shape of the belt coils, however, is not what distinguishes the present invention from the prior art as both types of coils, as such, are known. Below in the description of the preferred embodiments the economical round coil form is illustrated but the flattened form may be used wherever this is convenient.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevation of a stylized human torso with a ring of a number of keys extending down from the belt;

FIG. 2 shows the belt in its coiled form in somewhat greater detail;

FIG. 3 shows a portion of belt stretched out somewhat illustrating the movability of a preferred plastic ring to different positions on the belt, also illustrating the hooking up of the implements closer to the belt when not actually in use, and

FIG. 4 is a stylized elevation ofa human torso similar to FIG. 1 but illustrating a writing implement, such as a ball point pen, fastened to the coiled extensible Ianyard and is illustrative of a modification suitable for use by waitresses and other persons who must write at times.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows a highly stylized silhouette of a female torso at 1. In order not to confuse the drawings arms, legs and head are not shown. A coiled extensible belt is shown at 2 around the womans waist and having attached at a particular point a coiled and therefore extensible lanyard 3 having a ring 4 at its end to which there are attached a number of keys. This is a modification useful for hotel maids, housekeepers and the like or for other persons who must carry a number of keys with them, for example a telephone employee carrying keys for unlocking coin telephone boxes and the like. It can readily be seen that if the keys are grasped and the lanyard 3 is stretched out, for example to about three feet, the keys can be used conveniently without detaching from the belt. As soon as the unlocking operation has been performed, the lanyard 3 snaps back and hangs the keys much closer to the belt.

FIG. 2 shows in more detail the belt with end fastenings, such as a snap hook 6 and a ring 7. This figure also illustrates an attachment of the lanyard at one end to the belt by an integral molded-in plastic ring 8 through which the elastic of the belt passes. The same ring 8 also carries a snap hook 9 which can snap into the key ring and hold it up even closer to the belt when not in use, as shown in FIG. 3. As the belt is extensible, it fits any size person from a small woman to a large man, and therefore only one size belt need to kept in stock. The extension of the coils for the belt is to a much smaller degree than the extension of the coiled lanyard for actual use but is sufficient to accommodate all sizes of person.

FIG. 4 is substantially the same as FIG. 1 but illustrates a different implement on the end of the lanyard, a ball point pen l1, and is, of course, useful for a waitress or someone who has to use a writing instrument from time to time.

FIG. 3 illustrates a preferred connection to the belt 2 in the form of an integral molded plastic ring 8. This figure shows a portion of the belt somewhat stretched out, and it will be seen that the ring can be slid along it to any particular position on the belt which is desired. In FIG. 3 one position is shown in full lines and the extensible lanyard itself shown in dotted lines in the second position. This permits attaching the extensible lanyard to any particular position on the belt which is desired for convenience in use. For example, it can be moved to one position for a right-handed person and to another for a left-handed person. In order to illustrate a wider variety of small implements, FIG. 3 shows the ring attached through a hole in the handle of a screwdriver 10. Any other light implement may be fastened or several of them may be fastened, for example a screwdriver and a pair of pliers.

The coiled spring belt and lanyard are preferably made of polyurethane tubing, though any other plastic material may be used, and are of the round coil form. As has been mentioned above, the coils may be flattened, which is sometimes useful when a man is using the belt and wishes to have it extend through trouser loops. Both shapes of coils are well known by themselves and the above reference is merely to illustrate further the flexibility of use of the present invention.

The present invention is a combination of the extensible belt and the lanyard, which is also extensible, and does not depend for its novelty on any single element. In more specific aspects the movability of the lanyard to different points of the belt and the additional snap hook 9, which hooks the lanyard still closer to the belt, are also included. Since these additional features add nothing to the cost of the belt and lanyard of the present invention, ordinarily they will be present but, of course, the invention broadly includes the combination without these two specific features.

We claim:

1. A belt and implement lanyard combination comprising a belt of coiled plastic, means for attaching the two ends of the belt together around a human torso, an attachment to the belt of a coiled lanyard of the same general form as the belt which can be extended and which carries at one end an attachment for light implements and at the other end an integral plastic ring through which the plastic of the belt passes, whereby when the belt is somewhat stretched the ring can slide along the plastic to any desired position and the belt then allowed to recoil and thus keep the lanyard and the implements attached to the belt at a particular point desired.

2. A belt lanyard and implement combination according to claim 1 in which the attachment of the lanyard to the belt also carries a hook so that the implement attaching end can be hooked up nearer to the belt

Claims

2. A belt lanyard and implement combination according to claim 1 in which the attachment of the lanyard to the belt also carries a hook so that the implement attaching end can be hooked up nearer to the belt when the implement is not in use.