PORTABLE STORAGE DEVICE, WALLET, OR HOLDER
A portable storage device may include a sheet of material having a first, second, third, and fourth sections, wherein the first section is contiguous with the second section along a first line, the second section is contiguous with the third section along a second line, and the third section is contiguous with the fourth section along a third line. The first section may be folded over the second section along the first line and secured to the second section to form a first pouch. The fourth section may be folded over and secured to the third section to form a second pouch. An eyelet along the second line may receive a spring clip for securing items in the portable storage device.
This patent application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/323,851, filed Apr. 13, 2010, which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUNDEmbodiments disclosed herein relate to a portable storage device, such as a wallet, for example.
Embodiments disclosed below provide for a means (e.g., a storage device) to allow a user to securely carry items, such as a mobile phone, cash, receipts, identification, credit cards, etc. One embodiment may allow for the carrying of an electronic device, such as a cell phone, a personal data assistant (PDA), an MP3 player, etc. In one embodiment, the storage device may be slipped into a pant or coat pocket. In another embodiment, the storage device may be attached to an article of clothing, such as the inside or outside of the waistband of a pair of pants, a pair of shorts, a dress, a skirt, etc., via a clip when, for example, no pocket is available or when extra security is desired.
Sections 101, 102, 103, and 104 may be substantially rectangular. Section 101 includes three edges, two adjacent line 106 and one opposite line 106. Section 102 includes two edges, both adjacent lines 106 and 107. Section 103 also includes two edges, both adjacent line 107 and 108. Section 104, like section 101 includes three edges, one opposite line 108 and two adjacent line 108. In one embodiment, as shown in
Source material 100 may include an eyelet cut 110 between sections 102 and 103. Eyelet cut 110 may include eyelet stitching to strengthen the material along the cut point. Eyelet stitching may also help prevent tearing of source material 100 between sections 102 and 103. Source material 100 may be folded in the directions shown by arrows 114 and 116. Section 101 may be folded in the direction of arrow 114 onto section 102. Section 104 may be folded in the direction of arrow 116 onto section 103. Such folding results in the storage device being configured as shown in
Section 101 may be secured (e.g., sewn) to section 102, as indicated by dotted lines in
In addition to sewing sections to form pouches (e.g., pouches 201 and 202), sections may also be secured by heating and pressing the sections together (e.g., if source material 100 includes plastic). Other means of securing sections together are possible, such as by glue or staples.
Extension portion 502 may be placed through eyelet 110 of the storage device in configuration 200 of
In configuration 290 shown in
In the embodiment of
The exact dimensions of source material 100 may depend on whether it is intended to carry large items (large bills, larger mobile phones, etc.) or smaller items (small bills, smaller mobile phones, etc). In one embodiment, the size of the assembled storage device (e.g., configuration 200, 290, or 400) may be approximately the size of a conventional wallet. Source material 100 may be formed from a single piece of material (as shown in
In one embodiment, the size of clip 500 is scaled to match the size of source material 100. In another embodiment, the size of clip 500 may be such that it is suitable for any size of source material 100 in any configuration (e.g., configuration 200, 290, or 400). As shown in
In one embodiment, clip 500 may be integrally formed of one piece of material. In another embodiment, clip 500 may be formed of multiple pieces of material. In one embodiment, the width of backing plate 504 is wider than eyelet 110. As a result, when in configuration 400 (
In one embodiment, extension portion 502 may include engraving to identify the owner of the device or the manufacturer, the product name, or company logo (e.g., “The Stash”). In an alternative embodiment, clip 500 may be omitted, as shown in the configuration 300 of
In one embodiment, the user can slip the storage device into a pocket for safe keeping. Alternatively, the user can clip the storage device onto the waistband using, for example, clip 500. In this embodiment, the storage device can be worn outside of the waistband or inside the waistband for more security. In configuration 290, where pouch 201 and pouch 202 can move with respect to each other in the direction of arrow 220, pouch 201 may be place inside the waistband while pouch 202 may be moved to rest outside the waistband.
In one embodiment, section 612 may be folded under section 610 in the direction of arrow 624. Section 612 may be secured to section 610 along three edges to form pouch 616, as shown in
As shown in
An eyelet 614 may pass clip 500 such that extension portion 502 passes under section 608 and backing plate 504 is above section 608, as shown in
As shown in configuration 690 of
Pouch 618 may be used, for example, to store a mobile phone or a PDA. Pouch 618 may be reached through opening 634. Pouch 616 may be used, for example, to store cash, credit cards, etc. Pouch 616 may be reached through opening 634.
In one embodiment, pouches 201, 202, 616 and/or 618 may be made with material that may stretch so that, for example, a mobile phone may be inserted into these pouches. In another embodiment, pouches 201, 202, 616, and/or 618 may be made with excess material such that, for example, a mobile phone may be placed into these pouches. For example, any one of these pouches may be sized and configured to securely fit an iPhone, a Blackberry, a Motorola Razr, etc. In another embodiment, an additional layer of material may be added to the outside of pouches 201, 202, 616, and/or 618 to form an additional pouch.
In one embodiment, the pouches (e.g., pouches 202, 201, 616, and/or 618) may include two openings (e.g., another opening opposite opening 212, where pouch 202 is secured on two sides). In another embodiment, the pouches (e.g., pouch 201) may be secured along different edges (e.g., creating an opening 213 rather than opening 211). In yet another embodiment, the pouches (e.g., pouch 201) may be secured along three different edges (e.g., creating an opening for pouch 201 along the edge opposite opening 213). In another embodiment, pouch 201 may be branded with a logo or product name. In another embodiment, the stitched edges of the storage device (e.g., a cloth holder) may use surge stitching to attached the layers (e.g., layers of cloth) together to form the pouches that hold physical objects.
While the sections of source materials 100 and 600 are shown of equal size, the sections may be of differing sizes. For example, section 101 may have a shorter length (in the direction of the major axis of source material 100) than section 102. As such, opening 211 to pouch 201 may be set back from line 106 between sections 101 and 102. In another embodiment, the pouches (e.g., pouches 201 and 202 may be of various different sizes (e.g., pouches 201 and 202 may be different sizes than shown). Further, the pouches (e.g., pouches 201 and 202) may be of differing sizes than each other. For example, pouch 201 may be larger than pouch 202, or vice versa. Some embodiments may include clip 500, while other embodiments may not include clip 500.
As the term is used herein, a “pouch” may also be considered a “pocket.” While source materials 100 and 600 may include sheets in which the sections (e.g., sections 602, 604, 608, 610, and 612) are integrally formed, in other embodiments, one or more sections may not be integrally formed. In this embodiment, the separate sections may be secured to each other using stitches, etc. (e.g., along the dotted lines as shown in the figures).
In the preceding specification, various preferred embodiments have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes may be made thereto, and additional embodiments may be implemented, without departing from the broader scope of the invention as set forth in the claims that follow. The specification and drawings are accordingly to be regarded in an illustrative rather than restrictive sense.
Claims
1. A portable storage device comprising:
- a sheet of material having a first, second, third, and fourth sections, wherein the first section is contiguous with the second section along a first line, the second section is contiguous with the third section along a second line, and the third section is contiguous with the fourth section along a third line;
- wherein the first section is folded over the second section along the first line and secured to the second section to form a first pouch,
- wherein the fourth section is folded over and secured to the third section to form a second pouch;
- wherein the second section and the third section includes an eyelet along the second line for receiving a spring clip for securing items in the portable storage device.
2. The portable storage device of claim 1,
- wherein the first section includes a first edge adjacent the first line and a second edge adjacent the first line,
- wherein the second section includes a third edge adjacent the second line and a fourth edge adjacent the second line;
- wherein the first section is secured to the second section along the first edge and the third edge, and
- wherein the first section is secured to the second section along and along the second edge and the fourth edge.
3. The portable storage device of claim 2,
- wherein the third section includes a fifth edge adjacent third line and a sixth edge adjacent the third line;
- wherein the fourth section includes a seventh edge opposite the third line and an eighth edge adjacent the third line;
- wherein the third section is secured to the fourth section along the eighth edge;
- wherein the third section is secured to the fourth section along the seventh edge and the fifth edge or along the seventh edge and the sixth edge.
4. The portable storage device of claim 3, wherein the first pouch and the second pouch move relative to each other along the second line.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 13, 2011
Publication Date: Dec 15, 2011
Inventor: Stephen Michael Laake (Rockville, MD)
Application Number: 13/086,378
International Classification: A45C 1/06 (20060101);