Positional locking tool pouch & method of use

Abstract

A tool pouch with an opening in a wall member is attached to a belt loop by extending a portion of a belt through both the opening and the belt loop in a manner to prevent lateral movement of the tool pouch.

Description

The words “comprising,” “having,” “containing,” and “including,” and other forms thereof, are intended to be equivalent in meaning and be open ended in that an item or items following any one of these words is not meant to be an exhaustive listing of such item or items, or meant to be limited to only the listed item or items.

“Rectangular shape” includes square shape.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

Tool pouches commonly used by carpenters, electricians, roofers, and other craftpersons typically are attached to a belt worn by the user. Such tool pouches include one or more tool holding members and a passageway through which the user's belt passes upon attaching the pouch to the belt. The pouch being held by the user's belt is usually between a pair of adjacent belt loops on the user's pants, trousers, shorts, or other clothing worn by the user. The problem with such a pouch is that it moves laterally between the belt loops, and consequentially, it is difficult or inconvenient for the craftperson to access a tool in the pouch or the lateral movement creates discomfort.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

This invention has one or more features as discussed subsequently herein. After reading the following section entitled “DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ONE EMBODIMENT OF THIS INVENTION,” one will understand how the features of this invention provide its benefits. These benefits include, but are not limited to: avoidance of lateral movement of a tool pouch carried on the user's belt, positioning the pouch at single place along the user's waist for easy and convenient access to tool in the pouch, and elimination of any discomfort associated with lateral movement of the pouch along the belt.

Without limiting the scope of this invention as expressed by the claims that follow, some, but not necessarily all, of the tool pouch's features are:

One, the tool pouch of this invention is adapted to be attached to a belt worn about the waist of a user. It includes a front section having at least one tool holding member, and a back section including a passageway having an entry end, exit end, and a wall member between these ends. The wall member may comprise an extension of the back section that is made of a flexible material bent to form the passageway. The passageway may extend along a substantially linear directional orientation.

Two, the wall member includes an opening therein having a predetermined size to enable a portion of a belt worn by a user to pass through this opening. The opening may have a length at least about as long as the width of the belt and a width at least about twice the thickness of the belt. This opening, for example, may be elongated, substantially rectangular, and centrally located within the wall member. It may also be oriented substantially at a right angle to the linear directional orientation of the passageway. The opening may have a length of at least about 0.5 inch and a width of at least about 0.25 inch. The tool pouch may be locked in position at the side of a user using the opening into which a belt loop on the user's clothing is drawn by the user's belt.

These features of the tool pouch are not listed in any rank order nor is this list intended to be exhaustive.

This invention also includes a method of securing a tool pouch to clothing worn by a user. The clothing includes a belt loop and the tool pouch has an opening therein. The tool pouch is attached to the loop by extending a portion of a belt through both the opening and the belt loop in a manner to prevent lateral movement of the tool pouch. A segment of the belt loop may be pulled into the opening upon drawing the belt snugly around the waist of the user. The tool pouch may include a belt passageway having the opening between an entry end and an exit end of the passageway.

The tool pouch of this invention and method of using it allows the user to be assured that the tool pouch, and thus necessarily tools it contains, will always be in the same place along their waist. This assurance of always knowing where the tools are enables the user to grab quickly the desired tool without having to take his or her eyes off the work.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

One embodiment of this invention, illustrating all its features, will now be discussed in detail. This embodiment depicts the novel and non-obvious tool pouch and method of this invention as shown in the accompanying drawing, which is for illustrative purposes only. This drawing includes the following figures (Figs.), with like numerals indicating like parts:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the front section of the tool pouch of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the back section of the tool pouch of this invention;

FIG. 2A is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the opening in the wall member forming a portion of the passageway for the user's belt

FIG. 3 is an overhead view of the top of the tool pouch of this invention;

FIG. 4 is a front view showing the front section of the tool pouch of this invention;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the tool pouch of this invention;

FIG. 6 is a rear view showing the back section of the tool pouch of this invention;

FIGS. 7 through 13 illustrate the tool pouch shown in FIGS. 1 through 6, with a portion of its front section broken away, and positioned adjacent a side of a user and being secured to a belt loop in accordance with the method of this invention where:

FIG. 7 is a side view of the user illustrating a user's belt being inserted into an entry end of the passageway of the tool pouch of this invention;

FIG. 8 is a side view of the user illustrating the belt passing out of the opening in the wall member;

FIG. 9 is a side view of the user illustrating the belt passing through a belt loop on the user's clothing at the user's waist;

FIG. 10 is a side view of the user illustrating the belt again passing into the opening in the wall member;

FIG. 11 is a side view of the user illustrating the belt passing out of an exit end of the passageway of the tool pouch of this invention;

FIG. 12 is a side view of the user illustrating the tool pouch secured to a user's waist;

FIG. 12A is a cross-sectional view taken along line 12A-12A of FIG. 12; and

FIG. 13 is a front view of the user taken along line 13-13 of FIG. 12 illustrating the tool pouch at one side of the user properly secured in place upon fastening the belt.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ONE EMBODIMENT OF THIS INVENTION

One embodiment of this invention is the tool pouch 26 depicted in FIGS. 1 through 6. In accordance with the method of this invention as illustrated in FIGS. 7 through 13, this tool pouch 26 may be secured to a belt loop 32 on clothing 32a worn by a user. With the clothing 32a being worn, the belt loop 32 is at or near the waist 30 of the user. As best shown in FIG. 2, the tool pouch 26 has a rear opening 14 in a wall member 12. Lateral movement of the tool pouch 26 is prevented by attaching the pouch to the belt loop 32 by extending a portion of a belt 28 through both the opening 14 and the belt loop 32. Most belts used with the method of this invention have a width from about 0.5 to about 2.5 inches.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 4, the tool pouch 26 includes a front section 20 and a back section 22. The tool pouch 26 is secured to the belt loop 32 with front section 20 in the foreground as shown in FIGS. 7 through 12. The tool pouch 26 may be made of a flexible and durable material, for example, leather, canvas, and synthetic materials such as nylon, typically in pieces that are fastened together. The present invention contemplates using multiple and different pieces of material in the same embodiment. The different pieces of material may be connected by any means that would be strong enough to enable the pouch to carry tools, such as, but not limited to, stitching or brads or rivets or any other suitable means or combination of means. The front section 20 has a number of tool holding members, for example, holding members 5, 6, 7, 8, 9a and 9b, which may be cavities, slots, pockets, etc. into which a tool is inserted. Nevertheless, a tool pouch of this invention may only have a single tool holding member. The tool holding member or members may include any tool holding member style, design, number or arrangement.

The wall member 12 creates a major structural component of a passageway 10 that receives a portion of the belt 28. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 4, an entry end 16 of the passageway is on the left side of passageway 10 while an exit end 18 is on the right side. The entry end and exit end may, however, switch sides depending on the way the user puts on the belt 28, or on which side of the user's waist the tool pouch 26 is positioned. The entry end is always the opening to the passageway 10 through which the user first inserts a free end 29 of the belt 28. The exit end is always the opening in passageway 10 from which the free end 29 of the belt 28 is ultimately pulled from the passageway 10. The wall member 12 is between the entry end and exit end, and the entry end and exit end are on opposite sides of the passageway 10. The passageway 10 is substantially linear, but it may curve slightly to conform to the curvature of the user's waist yet it projects substantially in one direction. The passageway 10 is sufficiently wide to allow the belt 28 to pass through it from the entry end to exit end. As discussed subsequently in greater detail, the belt 28 makes a detour after entering the entry end to pass through the belt loop 32.

The wall member 12 may be a continuation of the back section 22 that extends up and away from a top end 26a (FIG. 3) of the tool pouch 26 and then is reconnected to a rear wall 23 (FIGS. 2 and 6) of back section 22. The wall member 12 is connected to the rear wall 23 far enough down so that the passageway 10 is large enough to allow the belt 28 to pass through it with ample additional space to accommodate the formation of the opening 14, usually by cutting away a segment of the wall member. In the embodiment illustrated, the rear wall 23 has an integral flap portion 23a that is bent or folded over outward with its outer edge 23b connected by brads or rivets 24 to an intermediate exterior surface portion 23c of the rear wall. This, however, is not the only way to form the wall member 12.

In the wall member 12 between the ends of the passageway 10 is the opening 14. The opening 14 has a length L (FIG. 2) at least as long as the width of the belt 28 being used, typically slightly greater so the belt may easily pass through this opening. The width W (FIG. 2) of the opening 14 is at least twice the thickness T (FIG. 7) of the belt 28, and typically 4 to 8 times the thickness of the belt. For most applications, this length L is from about 0.5 to 2.5 inches, and therefore, the wall member 12 has a length L2 greater than the length L, usually at least about 20 percent greater. For most applications, this width W is from about 0.25 to 0.75 inch. The opening 14 may be elongated or oblong. In other words, it is taller than it is wide. Such an elongated or oblong opening has a major axis A1 and a minor axis A2, with the major axis being substantially at a right angle to the substantially linear directional orientation of the passageway 10. The opening 14 may be centrally located in the wall member 12 and it may be substantially rectangular shaped.

As shown in FIGS. 12 through 13, this opening 14 allows the user to secure the tool pouch 26 to the belt loop 32 at the user's waist 30. By snaking belt 28 through the entry end 16, out the opening 14 through one of the user's belt loops, the belt loop 32 for example, and then back into the opening 14 and out the exit end 18, the user is able to secure tool pouch 26 in place to the belt loop 32. As the belt 28 is pulled tight around the user's waist (FIGS. 12 and 13), it will bring the tool pouch 26 next to the user's waist 30. As tool pouch 26 draws near to the user's waist 30, the belt loop 32 to which tool pouch 26 is to be secured will pass through elongated opening 14 as depicted in FIG. 12A. Thus, a portion of the belt loop 32 will extended through the opening 14 and project inside the passageway 10, thereby preventing the tool pouch 26 from sliding laterally along the belt 28.

FIGS. 7 through 13 show the individual steps involved in attaching and securing the tool pouch 26 at the user's waist 30. The user begins by passing belt 28 through the loops of his or her clothing in a normal fashion, stopping before the user passes the belt 28 through the belt loop 32 at the side of the user. The belt loop 32 is the loop to which the user wants to affix the tool pouch 26. As depicted in FIG. 7, before the user passes the belt 28 through the belt loop 32, he or she first inserts the free end 29 of the belt 28 through the entry end 16 of the passageway 10. Before the user passes belt 28 through the passageway 10, the tool pouch 26 is oriented so that front section 20 is facing away from the user and the back section 22 faces towards the user. FIG. 7 shows the tool pouch 26 just after the free end 29 of the belt 28 has been inserted into the passageway 10 through the entry end 16.

As depicted in FIG. 8, the user then continues to pass belt 28 through the passageway 10 until he or she reaches the opening 14. The user then inserts the free end 29 through the opening 14 so that it detours from the passageway 10. The belt 28 is pulled from the opening 14 toward the user as shown in FIG. 8. As depicted in FIG. 9, at this point the belt 28 is fed through the belt loop 32. As depicted in FIG. 10, once the belt 28 passes through the belt loop 32 it is again inserted through the opening 14 into the passageway 10. In other words, it enters through the same opening 14 that it originally came out of. The user continues to advance the belt 28 through the passageway 10, heading away from the entry end 16 and towards the exit end 18. As depicted in FIG. 11, the free end 29 of the belt 28 is pulled from the passageway 10 through exit end 18 and towards the next belt loop on the user's clothing.

As depicted in FIGS. 12, 12A, and 13, the belt 28 is then pulled through the next loop 32a on the user's clothing. Thereafter belt 28 is passed through any remaining loops and the free end 29 is secured in a normal fashion to a buckle end 29a as shown in FIG. 13. As belt 28 is pulled tight around user's waist 30, a segment 32b (FIG. 12A) of the belt loop 32 is pulled through the opening 14, thereby securing the tool pouch 26 in place and preventing lateral movement.

SCOPE OF THE INVENTION

The above presents a description of the best mode contemplated of carrying out the present invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use this invention. This invention is, however, susceptible to modifications and alternate constructions from that discussed above which are fully equivalent. Consequently, it is not the intention to limit this invention to the particular embodiment disclosed. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications and alternate constructions coming within the spirit and scope of the invention as generally expressed by the following claims, which particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter of the invention:

Claims

1. A tool pouch adapted to be attached to a belt of a predetermined width and a predetermined thickness and comprising

a front section having at least one tool holding member, and

a back section including a passageway having an entry end, exit end, and a wall member between said ends,

said wall member including an opening therein having a length at least as long as the predetermined width of the belt and a width at least twice the predetermined thickness of the belt.

2. A tool pouch comprising

a front section having at least one tool holding member, and

a back section including a passageway having an entry end, exit end, and a rear wall member between said ends, said belt passageway extending along a substantially linear directional orientation,

said wall member including an elongated opening centrally located therein that is oriented substantially at a right angle to said linear directional orientation of the passageway.

3. The tool pouch of claim 2 where the elongated opening is substantially rectangular.

4. A tool pouch comprising

a front section having at least one tool holding member, and

a back section including a passageway having an entry end, exit end, and a wall member between said ends,

said wall member including an opening having a predetermined size to enable a portion of a belt worn by a user to pass therethrough.

5. The tool pouch of claim 4 where said wall member comprises an extension of the back section that is made of a flexible material bent to form said passageway.

6. The tool pouch of claim 5 where the opening has a length of at least 0.5 inch and a width of at least 0.25 inch.

7. A method of attaching a tool pouch to a belt of a predetermined width and a predetermined thickness where the belt extends around the waist of a user through at least one belt loop on clothing worn by the user, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a tool pouch having a front section including at least one tool holding member, and a back section including a passageway having an entry end, exit end, and a wall member between said ends, said wall member including an opening therein having a length at least as long as the predetermined width of the belt and a width at least twice the predetermined thickness of the belt,

(b) with the back section facing the waist of the user, passing an end portion of the belt through the entry end of the passageway and then out the opening,

(c) next passing the end portion of the belt through the one belt loop and then back into the opening, and

(d) finally passing the end portion of the belt out the exit end of the passageway and drawing the belt snugly around the waist of the user, pulling the tool pouch next to the waist of the user at the loop to thereby restrict lateral movement of the tool pouch along the belt and connecting the one end portion of the belt to an opposed end portion of the belt.

8. The method of claim 7 where a segment of the belt loop is pulled into the opening upon drawing the belt snugly around the waist of the user.

9. The method of claim 8 where the belt passageway extends along a substantially linear directional orientation, and the wall member includes an elongated opening centrally located therein that is oriented substantially at a right angle to said linear directional orientation of the passageway.

10. The method of claim 9 where the elongated opening is substantially rectangular.

11. The method of claim 9 where the opening has a length of at least 0.5 inch and a width of at least 0.25 inch.

12. A method of securing a tool pouch with an opening therein to clothing including a belt loop worn by a user, said method comprising attaching said pouch to the loop by extending a portion of a belt through both the opening and the belt loop in a manner to prevent lateral movement of the tool pouch.

13. The method of claim 12 where a segment of the belt loop is pulled into the opening upon drawing the belt snugly around the waist of the user.

14. The method of claim 13 where the tool pouch includes a belt passageway having said opening between an entry end and an exit end of the passageway.

15. The method of claim 14 where the passageway extends along a substantially linear directional orientation, and the opening is elongated opening and oriented substantially at a right angle to said linear directional orientation of the passageway.

16. A tool pouch that can be laterally secured about a user's waist by a belt being connected to the pouch and a belt loop, said pouch comprising:

a front section having at least one tool holding member, and

a back section coupled to the front section including a wall member forming a passageway with an entry end and an exit end that enables the belt to pass therethrough,

said wall member having an opening located substantially midway between the entry end and exit end, said opening shaped to allow a user's belt and belt loop to pass through the opening and into the passageway for securing the tool pouch in place.