ADJUSTABLE STRAP

Abstract

The interlocking adjustable strap provides for adjusting the length of a strap, such as those typically found on visors or sunshades. The adjustable strap includes first and second elongated strap members, each of the strap members having a free end and an opposing end forming a head that is wider than the body of the strap. One head has a single transverse slit formed therein and the other head has two parallel transverse slits formed therein, each of the slits being slightly wider than the body of the strap. In use, the free end of each strap member is drawn through the slit(s) in the head of the opposing strap member, and the free ends of the strap members are attached to the cap, visor, bag, or other article bearing the adjustable strap. The strap is preferably made from neoprene and encased in nylon fabric.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/272,181, filed Aug. 28, 2009.

1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to straps, and particularly to an interlocking adjustable strap having an interlocking mechanism that provides for adjusting the length of the strap.

2. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

Visors, sunshades, hats and the like typically include an adjustable strap for securing the visor, sunshade, or hat to the user's head. The strap will typically be a split strap having an adjustable fastener or fasteners, such as snap fasteners, buckles and hook and loop fasteners. Snap fasteners and buckles are typically formed from metal or hard plastic, and can cause injury to the user's head if the user receives a blow to the head over the fastener. Further, snaps, buckles, hoop and loop fasteners, and other similar, common fasteners can easily become tangled in the user's hair.

Straps are versatile, however, and may be used on many other devices for different purposes. For example, many bags, purses, laptop computer carrying cases, and the like have a shoulder strap that includes two strap ends adjustably joined by a fastener. Quite often the fastener is a metal buckle that may bite into the shoulder. Consequently, adjustable straps have many uses, and there is a need for an alternative form of fastener for adjustably joining the two ends of the strap. Thus, an adjustable strap solving the aforementioned problems is desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The adjustable strap provides for adjusting the length of a strap, such as those typically found on visors or sunshades. The adjustable strap includes first and second elongated strap members, each of the strap members having a free end and an opposing end forming a head that is wider than the body of the strap. One head has a single transverse slit formed therein and the other head has two parallel transverse slits formed therein, each of the slits being slightly wider than the body of the strap. In use, the free end of each strap member is drawn through the slit(s) in the head of the opposing strap member, and the free ends of the strap members are attached to the cap, visor, bag, or other article bearing the adjustable strap. The strap members are drawn together or pulled in opposite directions to adjust the strap to the desired length, and lock together when tension is placed on the strap. The strap is preferably made from neoprene and encased in nylon fabric.

These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an environmental, perspective view of a visor having an adjustable strap according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded plan view of an adjustable strap according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of an adjustable strap according to the present invention.

Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, the interlocking adjustable strap 10 provides for adjusting the length of the strap, such as those typically found on visors or sunshades. The visor V shown in FIG. 1 shows an exemplary application of the adjustable strap 10. It should be understood that the adjustable strap 10 is not limited to headgear, and may be used for other applications where an adjustable strap is desirable, e.g., adjustable shoulder straps for purses or bags, adjustable wrist straps, etc.

As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the adjustable strap 10 includes a first strap member 12 having an elongated body 26 and a first head 16 that is wider than the body 26. The head 16 has a single transverse slit 20 formed therein. The adjustable strap 10 has a second strap member 14 having an elongated body 28 and a second head 18 that is wider than the body 28. The second head 18 has a pair of parallel transverse slits 22, 24 formed therein. Preferably, the body 26, 28 of each strap member 12, 14 has the same width, and each of the slits 20, 22, and 24 has a length slightly larger than the width of the strap bodies 26, 28 and a width slightly larger than the thickness of each strap body 26, 28.

As shown in FIG. 3, when the strap 10 is assembled, the body 28 of the second strap member 14 is slidably inserted through the single slit 20 in the head 16 of the first strap member 12, and the body 26 of the first strap member 12 is slidably inserted through the two parallel slits 22 and 24 in the head 18 of the second strap member. The free end 30 of the first strap member 12 is then affixed to the article the strap 10 is attached to, e.g., one end of the visor V of FIG. 1, and the free end 32 of the second strap member 14 is affixed to the article the strap 10 is attached to, e.g., the opposite end of the visor V.

In use, the two strap members 12 and 14 are drawn towards each other to shorten the strap 10 (thereby increasing the area of overlap of the two strap members 12 and 14), or the two strap members 12 and 14 are pulled away from each other to lengthen the strap 10 (thereby decreasing the area of overlap of the two strap members 12 and 14). The length of the strap 10 becomes fixed when tension is applied to the strap 10 by placing the visor V on one's head, or placing the strap 10 over one's shoulder when used as a shoulder strap, etc., due to friction between the strap bodies 26, 28 and the heads 16, 18, the snug fit between the strap bodies 26, 28 and the slits 20, 22, and 24, and friction between the strap bodies 26, 28.

Preferably, the strap members 12 and 14 are made from neoprene, making the strap members 12, 14 resilient, and may be encased in nylon fabric, which tends to wick up and sweat from the forehead when used in visors, sunshades, hats, or the like.

The dimensions of the first and second strap members 12, 14 depend upon the particular use. In the example of FIG. 1, the adjustable strap 10 is shown in use with a typical visor V. Such visors V often have brims B having a lateral length of approximately eleven inches. For such an exemplary visor, each of first and second strap members 12, 14 may have an overall length of approximately six inches, and strap widths of approximately one-half of an inch. Each slit is also approximately one-half of an inch, and each slit may have a thickness of approximately 0.114 inches. Each head width may be approximately 0.808 inches. It should be understood that these relative dimensions are given for exemplary purposes only.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. An interlocking adjustable strap, comprising:

a first elongated strap member having a body, a head, and a free end, the head having a single transverse slit formed therein; and

a second strap member having a body, a head, and a free end, the head having a pair of parallel transverse slits formed therein, the body of the second strap member slidably extending through the single slit defined in the head of the first strap member and the body of the first strap member slidably extending through the parallel slits defined in the head of the second strap member, the free end of the first strap member and the free end of the second strap member each being adapted for attachment to an article to bear the interlocking adjustable strap.

2. The interlocking adjustable strap according to claim 1, wherein said first and second strap members are resilient.

3. The interlocking adjustable strap according to claim 1, wherein each said first and second strap members comprises a resilient layer of material between layers of cloth material.

4. The interlocking adjustable strap according to claim 3, wherein said resilient layer is made from neoprene.

5. The interlocking adjustable strap according to claim 4, wherein said cloth material is made from nylon to assist in wicking moisture.

6. The interlocking adjustable strap according to claim 1, wherein each said first and second strap members comprises a resilient layer of material encased by a layer of cloth material.

7. The interlocking adjustable strap according to claim 1, wherein said article is a visor.