GARMENT STRAP ENGAGEABLE STORAGE AND CARRYING DEVICE
A personal item carrying a storage device is provided which is configured for concealment under clothing securely engaged to a brassiere strap. The device features a fastener which encircles the strap for a secure mount. Additionally provided are an engagement surface for a smart phone, and storage compartments for personal items such as identification, credit cards, and currency.
1. Field of the Invention
This application is a Nonprovisional Application of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/750,529 filed on Jan. 9, 2013. The present invention relates generally to personal item storage and carrying devices. More particularly, the invention relates to a storage and carrying device adapted for a concealed but secure engagement to a user's garment, such as the strap of a brassiere.
2. Prior Art
The carrying of personal items is conventionally done through the employment of sewn pockets on garments such as shirts and pants, as well within accessories such as purses, backpacks, handbags, and the like. However, it is generally known in the art that some garments, especially women's dresses and formalwear, do not include pockets or have limited pocket space and therefor restrict the user from easily carrying their personal items such as cash, credit cards, wallets, phones, music players, etc. In addition, the employment of handbags and purses both limits the user's free hands and requires them to set the purse down when a free hand or arm is needed.
In some social environments such as clubs, bars, restaurants, ball games at stadiums, and similar venues, the owner of the purse therefor risks the chance of items being lost from the purse, or the purse itself getting lost, stolen, or miss-placed when the purse is out of their immediate possession. In such an instance, because purse carrying users carry their identification and money in the purse, the user would be left without their personal and possibly valuable items as well as a means to identify themselves or their age. The loss of cash obviously poses an immediate financial loss.
For these and many other reasons, individuals may choose to not carry a purse with many items and instead to only carry essential items such as a cell phone, an identification card (ID), a credit/debit card, and/or cash. As a conventional solution, these items can be easily stored and concealed in a small pocket on one's garment (if available), a waist band, or other clothing pocket, which provides the user with a hands free yet easily accessible storage of the items.
Additionally, many women may prefer the storage of these type of small personal items within the confines of a brassiere as it provides a personal location for storage which is generally only accessible to the wearer due the personal nature of the location. It also well concealed underneath and overlying blouse or clothing. However, storing items in such places is often not secure and can easily become dislodged, for example, while walking, running, dancing, bending over, or during any other jarring movement. The security of these items is exceptionally challenged when the need to hold larger items such as a mobile phone, smart phone, music player or the like, is required because they have more weight and are thus more easily jarred by quick motions or bending over.
As a result, there is a continuing unmet need for a personal item storage and carrying device which can be easily engaged and concealed in an engagement in a concealed space unlikely to be found by someone unauthorized, such as a women's brassiere strap. The brassiere strap is typically a resilient flexible member or band extending from the back of the brassier, over the shoulders, and secured to the front of the brassier.
While the personal storage device may be deposited into the confines of the brassiere, the provision of an easily removably engageable means for engagement to the strap, provides secured storage for a carrying device which can be stored in a location known only to the wearer, and which can be concealed under any over-garments worn by the user such as a shirt, jacket, coat, or the like. However so secured, the personal storage device will not become dislodged during rapid movement, or when the user bends forward. Such a device should provide easy means for removable engagement to a users brassiere strap which is secure, however can be readily disengaged if access to the secured items if needed. Such a device should provide means for carrying and storage of personal items such as a phone, an identification card (ID), a credit/debit card, and/or cash to name a few.
The forgoing examples of related art and limitation related therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive, and they do not imply any limitations on the invention described and claimed herein. Various limitations of the related art will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading and understanding of the specification below and the accompanying drawings.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe device herein disclosed and described provides a solution to the shortcomings in prior art and achieves the above noted goals through the provision of concealed personal item storage and carrying device, adapted for an as-used engagement to a strap of a brassier worn by the user and either concurrently held in the brassiere confines, or held to the strap outside of the brassiere confines. In general, the device comprises a body configured with one or a plurality of means for removably engaging and carrying and storing personal items. Particularly preferred in the device is an easily secured, but strong means for removable engagement to the strap of a brassiere.
In accordance with a first preferred mode, the means for removable engagement to a strap can be provided by one or a plurality of releasable fasteners which the user can engage over the strap quickly and easily. For example, the fasteners can employ a slidably or compressibly engaged first locking fastener, having a plurality of teeth, which can be translated over the strap and engaged to a mating second complimentary locking fastener having a protrusion or pawl portion which registers to a lockable ratchet type engagement within the teeth of the first fastener. This sliding engagement is preferred because it provides a secured biased and adjustable engagement thereover allowing the user to engage it over a variety of straps of differing widths and thicknesses.
Experimentation has found that the biased engagement of the teeth and pawl portions, helps maintain the locked engagement around the strap. Disengagement may be provided by deflecting the pawl portion of the second fastener out of engagement with the teeth and sliding the first fastener away from the second fastener. This fastener may have an accordion style plastic base to allow the user to compress the base to engage it, whereafter the biasing of the compressed base holds it engaged. Other engagements without the bias force on the two locking portions were found to more easily unhook allowing the device to drop or dislodge.
It should be noted, however, that upon reading this disclosure, those skilled in the art may recognize other means for removable engagement of the device to a strap which may be slightly different or modifications of the preferred modes described herein. As such, these different or modified means for removable engagement which provide a secure engagement to the strap during jarring or movement are considered part of this disclosure and are within the scope and intend of the present invention. For example, removable engagement means may be provided by straps employing hook and loop fabric or magnets, hooks, clips, etc.
In accordance with at least one preferred mode, a first preferred means for carrying and storing personal items may take the form of a small purse or wallet container. This purse container may be configured like a conventional coin purse, small money bag, pouch or wallet, or any other suitable containing means known in the art. However, because of the small confines in which the device must occupy, the container should be adapted to store cards and money and the like, in layers to maintain a thin profile. It is preferred that the purse container employs releasable fastener means which allows the user to close or open the purse for storing or retrieving items therein.
In another preferred mode, another means for storing personal items may include means for removable engagement to the device, of an electronic device, such as cellular telephone, a smart phone other phone device, music player, or the like. The means for removable engagement of a users electronic device may take the form of a plurality of biased securement clips engaged to the body which allows the user to essentially compress and ‘snap in’ and ‘snap out’ their phone from its engagement with the clips. Further, the clips may be biased rearward forward to accommodate a plurality of different dimensional characteristics of phones and the like. However, other means for engagement of an electronic device can be made more secure through the employment of a engaging case or other structure which more securely engages the electronic device to the body of the invention.
In yet another preferred mode, another preferred means for storing and carrying personal items is provided by the combination of an aperture communicating with a cavity formed in the body of the device. The cavity is configured to removably engage one or any suitable combination of a wallet, folding wallet, and credit card/ID card holder means which is insertable through the aperture. The wallet would preferably be formed with pocket portions or slots in a stacked configuration for containing conventional credit and debit cards, keys, and cash. It is preferred that the cavity configured for holding the wallet would be formed of elastic material formed slightly smaller than the wallet such that the wallet slightly compressively and frictionally engages within the cavity, and therefor is securely stored yet easily removable with translating force. Alternatively the aperture may be slightly smaller than the inserted wallet or container and elastically deform during insertion or removal from the cavity. This has been found to solve the problem of the wallet or container falling out of the cavity during quick movements such as cheering at a game, or when bending over. However, other means for secured engagement of the wallet within the cavity may be provided and is anticipated.
In yet another preferred mode, the credit card/identification card holder means may be formed with a plurality of discrete slots which are configured to engage one or a plurality of standard sized ID cards and credit cards within each respective slot. The cavity formed in the body of the device for removably engaging the card holder means is preferably configured slightly shorter than the card holder. As such, when the card holder is engaged within the cavity, a free end portion of the card holder will extend from the cavity such that the user can easily grasp the free end with their thumb and forefinger to easily remove the card holder from the device. In addition, the slots themselves formed on the card holder may be configured slightly shorter than the standard ID and credit card size such that the cards will protrude slightly from the card holder providing a means for easily grasping the card for removal. Still further the slots may be formed to be elastically engageable around the inserted card or ID.
It is further noted that those skilled in the art may recognize other configurations of the means for storing and carrying personal items which differ from the preferred modes described above. However, it is within the scope of the invention that any means for engaging any type of item which a user may desire to carry may be employed and is considered the intent of the present invention.
With respect to the above description, before explaining at least one preferred embodiment of the herein disclosed invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangement of the members in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention herein described is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways which will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present disclosed device. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent construction and methodology insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
As used in the claims to describe the various inventive aspects and embodiments, “comprising” means including, but not limited to, whatever follows the word “comprising”. Thus, use of the term “comprising” indicates that the listed elements are required or mandatory, but that other elements are optional and may or may not be present. By “consisting of” is meant including, and limited to, whatever follows the phrase “consisting of”. Thus, the phrase “consisting of” indicates that the listed elements are required or mandatory, and that no other elements may be present. By “consisting essentially of” is meant including any elements listed after the phrase, and limited to other elements that do not interfere with or contribute to the activity or action specified in the disclosure for the listed elements. Thus, the phrase “consisting essentially of” indicates that the listed elements are required or mandatory, but that other elements are optional and may or may not be present depending upon whether or not they affect the activity or action of the listed elements.
The objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be brought out in the following part of the specification, wherein detailed description is for the purpose of fully disclosing the invention without placing limitations thereon.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a part of the specification, illustrate some, but not the only or exclusive, examples of embodiments and/or features. It is intended that the embodiments and figures disclosed herein are to be considered illustrative rather than limiting. In the drawings:
In this description, the directional prepositions of up, upwardly, down, downwardly, front, back, top, upper, bottom, lower, left, right and other such terms refer to the device as it is oriented and appears in the drawings and are used for convenience only; they are not intended to be limiting or to imply that the device has to be used or positioned in any particular orientation.
Now referring to drawings in
In a first preferred mode shown, the device 10 comprises a body 13 formed of first 12 and second 14 sidewall. The second sidewall is rotatably engaged along at least one edge by a hinge (
A storage compartment is housed in this mode by a space between the sidewalls 12 and 14 where a section of collapsible partitions 34 is engaged with and communicates between the side edges of the sidewalls 12, 14 such that a purse container cavity 36 is formed. From the closed and secure position of
It is within the scope of the invention that the purse container cavity 36 may be configured like a conventional coin purse, small money bag, pouch or any other suitable containing means known in the art. It is additionally preferred that the purse container 36 employs releasable fastener which provides a means for securing the container 36 closed (
In the current mode the fastener means are provided by complimentary friction fasteners 26, 30, as are commonly known in the art, however, other fastener means may be employed and are anticipated. For example, the fastener means may be magnets, snap fits, or the like.
Additional means for carrying and storage of personal items is provided by a plurality of bending or biased securement clips 16 engaged to and extending from the peripheral edges of the first sidewall 12. The clips 16 are configured and adapted as a means for removably engaging electronic devices such as cell phones, smart phones, music players, and the like. It is noted that the current depiction of the shape of the first sidewall 12 and clips 16 is substantially rectangular in shape as is conventional for the well known iPhone smart phone device. However, it is anticipated that the device 10 can be formed differently or be slightly modified to accommodate other cell phone, smart phone, and electronic device shapes, and should not be considered limited to the current depiction. The clips can be flexible and may deform or bend away from the engaged phone or device during insertion whereafter they will impart a biased contact with the inserted item.
In
It has been found that compressible material 15 such as rubber, or a spring, located in communication with the track, rebounds with a bias (
Disengagement without the bias may be provided by deflecting or otherwise bending the pawl 28 of the second fasteners 24 out of the teeth 22 of the first fasteners 18 and sliding the first fasteners 18 away. However in the more secure mode, compression of the two components must first be accomplished. Means for deflecting the pawl 28 may be provided through the employment of an elongated member 26 communicating between the second fasteners 24 which is adapted to be easily grasped between the thumb and forefinger of the user.
The various components of the device disclosed herein can be formed of conventional materials such as plastic or metal, however can be formed of any material suitable for the purposes set forth in this disclosure.
In addition, the depth of the cavity 40 may be formed slightly shorter that the length of insertion of the wallet 42 such that the wallet 42 will bottom out on the inserted end and will slightly protrude from the cavity, in the compressed engagement, thereby allowing the user easily grasp the protruding portion of the wallet 42 for removal. Still further, the cavity 40 may employ releasable fastener means for securely engaging the wallet 42 therein, such as a squeeze release, or other suitable means. The wallet 42 is preferably formed with one or a plurality of pocket or slot portions 44, 46 adapted for containing and storing conventional items such as credit and debit cards, keys, and cash.
Further, as shown in the view of
The cavity 52 formed in the body 13 of the device 10 for removably engaging the card holder 56 is preferably configured slightly shorter than the card holder 56. As such, in use a free end portion of the card holder 56 will extend from the aperture 54 of the cavity 52, as shown in
In addition, as can be seen in the cross sectional view of
This invention has other applications, potentially, and one skilled in the art could discover these. The explication of the features of this invention does not limit the claims of this application; other applications developed by those skilled in the art will be included in this invention.
It is additionally noted and anticipated that although the device is shown in its most simple form, various components and aspects of the device may be differently shaped or slightly modified when forming the invention herein. As such those skilled in the art will appreciate the descriptions and depictions set forth in this disclosure or merely meant to portray examples of preferred modes within the overall scope and intent of the invention, and are not to be considered limiting in any manner.
While all of the fundamental characteristics and features of the invention have been shown and described herein, with reference to particular embodiments thereof, a latitude of modification, various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosure and it will be apparent that in some instances, some features of the invention may be employed without a corresponding use of other features without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth. It should also be understood that various substitutions, modifications, and variations may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Consequently, all such modifications and variations and substitutions are included within the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.
Claims
1. A personal item storage and carrying apparatus configured for concealment under clothing engaged to a brassiere strap, comprising:
- a body having a first wall and a second wall;
- a storage compartment positioned in-between said first wall and said second wall, said storage compartment configured to hold one or a combination of personal items including identification cards, credit cards, and currency; and
- a fastener positioned upon said first wall, said fastener configured for a removable encircled engagement to a brassiere strap whereby a user my engage said body to said strap using said fastener and position it to a concealed position underneath overlying clothing.
2. The personal item storage and carrying apparatus of claim 1, additionally comprising:
- said storage compartment comprising a section of collapsible partitions engaged between said first wall and second wall;
- a clasp positioned to maintain said first wall adjacent said second wall in a closed position;
- said partitions in said storage compartment accessible for insertion and removal of said personal items when in an open position with said first wall rotated a distance away from said second wall;
- said partitions being inaccessible with said first wall and second wall in said closed position, thereby securing said personal items within said partitions and preventing a dislodgement of said personal items during abrupt user movement bending over movements.
3. The personal item storage and carrying apparatus of claim 2 additionally comprising:
- said fastener formed of a first locking fasteners having a plurality of teeth adjacent to a distal end translatabley engaged to said first wall and complimentary second locking fastener having a pawl adjacent a distal end translatabley engaged to said first wall;
- means for biasing said first locking fastener away from said second locking fastener when said first locking fastener is translated to an engagement of one or more said teeth with said pawl; and
- said engagement of said one or more teeth with said pawl having a biased contact of said one or more teeth with said pawl whereby said encircled engagement is formed.
4. The personal item storage and carrying apparatus of claim 3 additionally comprising:
- a plurality of pairs of opposing clips projecting from said second wall in a direction opposite from said first wall;
- a first perimeter running along an inside edge of each of said pairs of opposing clips;
- said plurality of clips positioned to engage upon a perimeter of an electronic device inserted in-between said pairs of opposing clips, said perimeter of said electronic device being larger than said first perimeter; and
- whereby said electronic device so inserted deflects said clips which engage said perimeter of said electronic device in a biased engagement within said first perimeter.
5. The personal item storage and carrying apparatus of claim 1, additionally comprising:
- said storage compartment having a cavity formed between said first wall and said second wall;
- said cavity having an interior perimeter and a depth running from an edge of said body into said body;
- a wallet configured to hold said personal items, said wallet having an exterior circumference slightly larger than said interior perimeter;
- said wallet insertable within said storage compartment in a compressed engagement therein;
- said wallet having a length which positions an end section protruding from said storage compartment when in said compressed engagement, said end section providing a grip point for a hand of said user to insert and remove said wallet from said cavity.
6. The personal item storage and carrying apparatus of claim 1, additionally comprising:
- said fastener formed of a first locking fasteners having a plurality of teeth adjacent to a distal end translatably engaged to said first wall and complimentary second locking fastener having a pawl adjacent a distal end translatably engaged to said first wall;
- means for biasing said first locking fastener away from said second locking fastener when said first locking fastener is translated to an engagement of one or more said teeth with said pawl; and
- said engagement of said one or more teeth with said pawl having a biased contact of said one or more teeth with said pawl whereby said encircled engagement is formed.
7. The personal item storage and carrying apparatus of claim 5, additionally comprising:
- said wallet configured to hold said personal items through a plurality of slots formed in a surface of said wallet;
- a biasing member positioned within each respective said slot, said biasing member compressible to a compacted position during insertion of a respective said personal item in said slot; and
- said biasing member formed of material resisting said compacted position and thereby imparting a biased engagement of a facing surface of said biasing member, against said personal item inserted in said slot.
8. The personal item storage and carrying apparatus of claim 6, additionally comprising:
- said wallet configured to hold said personal items through a plurality of slots formed in a surface of said wallet;
- a biasing member positioned within each respective said slot, said biasing member compressible to a compacted position during insertion of a respective said personal item in said slot; and
- said biasing member formed of material resisting said compacted position and thereby imparting a biased engagement of a facing surface of said biasing member, against said personal item inserted in said slot.
9. The personal item storage and carrying apparatus of claim 2, additionally comprising:
- said collapsible partitions configured to hold said personal items therein;
- a biasing member positioned within each respective said partition, said biasing member compressible to a compacted position during insertion of a respective said personal item in said partition; and
- said biasing member formed of material resisting said compacted position and thereby imparting a biased engagement of a facing surface of said biasing member, against said personal item inserted in said partition.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 9, 2014
Publication Date: Jul 10, 2014
Inventor: Michelle Cox (Ramona, CA)
Application Number: 14/151,698
International Classification: A45F 3/00 (20060101);