Security wallets

Abstract

An adjustable security strap for a wallet worn by a user includes a strap 12 comprising a actual core 19 and a fabric sheath 20. A slider 13 is stitched to one end of the strap 12 and surrounds and embrace over a length adjacent another end of the strap. The slider 13 allows the other end to be moved relatively to adjust the effective length of the strap as required.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to security wallets.

[0002] It is common practice especially for travellers to ‘wear’ wallets on their person making the likelihood of being robbed of the wallet or its contents less likely. Typically such wallets are secured to the user by a strap extending around a waist or a neck. However, the wallets are relatively easily and quickly taken off a user by cutting the strap when the user is off-guard or in a conjested environment. It is already been proposed therefore to make the strap very strong and/or include a substantial cable in the strap which may be formed of steel wire, for example. While this makes the strap virtually impossible to cut through, difficulties in providing a conveniently adjustable strap at relatively low cost as required then arise.

[0003] It is an object of the invention to overcome or at least reduce this problem.

[0004] According to the invention there is provided adjustable security strap comprising a length of fabric-sheathed flexible metal cable, in which one end of the cable is fixedly attached to slider that frictionally slidingly receives the other end of the cable to allow the effective length of the strap to be adjusted, by sliding the ends relative to one another, and the ends held in desired relative positions.

[0005] A separate slider may be fixedly attached to each end of the cable.

[0006] Each slider may comprise of fabric sheath.

[0007] The cable may be a steel Bowden cable and arranged with its cable ends splayed out to fascilite fixing the slider or anchoring the sheath thereto, as the case may be.

[0008] The strap may extend intermediate its length through a waist wallet or a neck travel wallet.

[0009] Adjustable security straps for carrying wallets will not be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0010] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a waist wallet with an adjustable strap;

[0011] FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the wallet of FIG. 1 with a different strap;

[0012] FIG. 3 is a plan view of a neck wallet and adjustable strap;

[0013] FIG. 4 is an isometric view of a slider fixed to a sheathed cable forming the strap; and

[0014] FIG. 4 is an isometric view of a slider fixed to a double sheathed cable forming the strap.

[0015] Referring to the drawings, in FIG. 1 a waist wallet 10 has zipper closure 11 and an adjustable strap 12 that extends through the wallet. At each end of the strap a sliders 13 and 14 are anchored to end of the strap so that the strap is held with an overlapping section 15. The strap is embraced and slidable in the sliders and by moving the sliders, the overall effective length of the strap can be adjusted.

[0016] In FIG. 2, the arrangement is very similar to FIG. 1 except that only one slider 13 is provided.

[0017] A neck wallet 16 is shown in FIG. 3 and arranged so that the strap 12 with the sliders 13 and 14 of FIG. 1 can be adjusted to hold the wallet 16 at a chosen height on the torso of a user. The wallet 16 has a closure front flap 17 and a peripheral beading 18 through which the strap 12 is threaded.

[0018] As seen in FIG. 4, each strap 15 has central flexible multi-strand steel core 19 (sometimes referred to as a “Bowden cable”) with a fabric sheath 20. The slider 13 is anchored by stitching 21 to an end of the strap and extends over and embraces the other length of the strap. Preferably, the end of the core 19 is splayed out and the fabric sheath is pulled past the splayed end and sewn across the sheath to prevent the sheath sliding back along the steel core. The slider 13 is arranged to slidingly grip the embraced part of the strap so that a chosen adjusted effective length for the strap will be normally maintained until specifically manually adjusted by the user.

[0019] In some cases, the sliders 13 and 14 will be provided at each end of the strap, as in FIGS. 1 and 3. In FIGS. 2 and 4, only one end of the strap has a slider. In those cases, the end without a slider is stitched ‘closed’ by sewing up the end of the sheath as chosen at 22. It will be noted that when stitching up the end, or fixing the slider, it is preferable to make sure the fabric sheath is pulled taut along the core 19 and cut-away, otherwise the sheath will or may banch up in use making relative sliding of the strap ends somewhat cumbersome.

[0020] In FIG. 5, the strap is formed with two steel cores and the fabric sheath extending between the cores. (If preferred the fabric sheaths may be separately provided on each core as before and the sheaths joined by a webbing at 23). In FIG. 5, a slider 24 comprises a rigid plastic plate 25 that is glued or stitched to an exposed section 26 of the fabric sheath and surrounded by a cover 27, also stitched or glued in position to the plastic plate 25. A layer of ‘friction’ material 28 is attached to an exposed face of the plastic plate and arranged to bear against the fabric sheaths of the strap passing through and embraced by the cover 27.

[0021] The arrangement of FIG. 5 enables the strap to be adjusted in the same manner as before and to form an adjusting of the effective length of the strap and a holding of the strap in the adjusted positions.

Claims

1. An adjustable security strap comprising a length of fabric-sheathed flexible metal cable, in which one end of the cable is fixedly attached to slider that frictionally slidingly receives the other end of the cable to allow the effective length of the strap to be adjusted, by sliding the ends relative to one another, and the ends held in desired relative positions.

2. An adjustable security strap according to claim 1, in which a separate slider is fixedly attached to each end of the cable.

3. An adjustable security strap according to claim 1 or 2, in each slider comprises of fabric sheath.

4. An adjustable security strap according to any of claim 1 to 3, in which the cable is a steel Bowden cable and is arranged with its cable ends splayed out to fascilite fixing the slider or anchoring the sheath thereto, as the case may be.

5. An adjustable security strap according to any of claims 1 to 4, in which the strap extends intermediate its length through a waist wallet.

6. An adjustable security strap according to claim 1 to 5, in which the strap extends intermediate its length through a neck travel wallet.