Cleaning Supply Belt

Abstract

A cleaning supply belt useful for carrying cleaning supplies, especially heavy trigger-type spray bottles of cleaning fluid, in a stable and comfortable manner for long periods of time. The supply belt includes a flexible, narrow waistbelt with a pair of large, flat, fabric load panels mounted in spaced fashion on each hip side of the waistbelt. Each load panel includes at least a lower central spray bottle pouch designed to receive and support a fluid spray bottle reservoir, and to hold it at an outward cant. The load panels conform to and substantially cover the hips of the wearer, while leaving the front and back of the waistbelt (and the wearer) uncovered and well-ventilated.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS/PRIORITY BENEFIT CLAIM

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/833,203 filed Jun. 10, 2013 by the same inventor (Reed), the entirety of which provisional application is hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD

The subject matter of the present application is in the field of belts with pouches for carrying supplies and tools, in particular household type cleaning supplies and tools.

BACKGROUND

Devices for carrying cleaning supplies and tools for household and light commercial house cleaning are known. One such device is the handheld cleaning “caddy”, most commonly in the form of an elongated plastic tote with two compartments divided by a center carry handle. Another such device is a circumferential multi-pocketed apron that wraps around a large wheeled garbage can or drum.

Tool and equipment belts are also known, including those used by handymen, hair stylists, police and military personnel, construction workers, and others. These belts usually include multiple pouches sized and shaped to hold tools and supplies with varying degrees of security, depending on the use.

Prior tool/supply carriers and belts such as the above are not, in my opinion, convenient, practical, or comfortable for household and especially commercial house cleaning. Commercial cleaning often requires carrying large spray bottles, dusters, rags, pens, flashlights, scrub pads, heavy key sets and the like for long periods, over considerable distances, and up and down ladders.

BRIEF SUMMARY

I have invented a cleaning supply belt for comfortably carrying a significant load of commercial cleaning supplies (and tools) for long periods, especially large spray bottles of cleaning fluid. My belt comprises a relatively narrow, soft, flexible belt with two spaced, separate, large flat load panels mounted on opposite hip sides of the belt, leaving the front and back of the belt (and of the wearer) uncovered. Each load panel includes an integral spray bottle pouch located at a lower central portion of the panel, and optionally includes additional pouches located to distribute the weight of other supplies/tools evenly around the center spray bottle pouch. The load panels are made from a flexible, conforming, but sturdy fabric that drapes over the wearer's hips, especially when loaded with supplies, large enough to cover a substantial portion of the hips.

The belt and load panels are worn on the waist, with the load panels centered over the hips on each side. In a further form, the panels slide freely on the belt, at least over a limited range around the hip region on either side, so that they can be adjusted for a custom fit by the wearer. The front and back portions of the belt portion remain uncovered, promoting comfort and ventilation. The hip placement of the panels and the spray bottle pouches provides holster-like, sight-free access to spray bottles.

These and other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description below, in light of the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of a person wearing an empty cleaning supply belt according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a right side view of a person wearing the empty cleaning supply belt of FIG. 1.

FIG. 2A is similar to FIG. 2, but shows the cleaning supply belt with modified features.

FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 1, but shows the belt loaded with supplies.

FIG. 4 is similar to FIG. 2, but shows the belt loaded with supplies.

FIG. 5 is a rear view of a person wearing the belt of FIG. 1, loaded with supplies.

FIG. 6 is perspective view of the belt of FIG. 1, removed from the wearer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2, a cleaning supply belt 10 is shown in exemplary form in order to teach how to make and use the claimed invention. Belt 10 includes a flexible, relatively narrow waistbelt portion 20 configured to be secured around the waist, for example with a buckle 22. Belt 10 includes two large, flat, flexible fabric load panels 30 made from a sturdy, yet drapable, hip-conforming fabric such as but not limited to ballistic nylon, Cordura nylon, heavy packcloth, canvas and the like.

Waistbelt 20 and buckle 22 are illustrated as being made from nylon webbing and plastic, although the materials and style of buckle used may vary. Waistbelt 20 is relatively narrow, and is flexible, so that it does not interfere with bending at the waist.

Each load panel 30 includes a flat, generally rectangular panel portion 32 with an upper end 32a configured to be attached to or suspended from waistbelt 20 along substantially the entire length of the upper end of the panel. The manner of attachment to waistbelt 20 may vary, but in the illustrated embodiment a continuous sleeve or flat tunnel of fabric 33 is formed along the upper end 32a of the load panel, sized to receive waistbelt 20 therethrough. Other options for securing the panel to the waistbelt include, but are not limited to, belt loops, hook-and-loop, and hooks. Another possibility is to sew or otherwise affix the load panel 30 permanently to waistbelt 20 along upper end 32a. If different fabric weights or thicknesses are used for different portions of load panel 30, panel portion 32 should be made from the heaviest/thickest fabric in order to best distribute load over a wearer's hip.

The panel portion 32 of each illustrated load panel also includes a front side 32b, a rear side 32c, and a lower end 32d. Panel portion 32 is sized to be long enough to hang down beyond an average hip height H, although the exact point at which lower end 32d falls will depend on the wearer's measurements. Panel portion 32 can of course come in different sizes to accommodate different people with a below-hip length.

Panel portion 32 is also sufficiently wide (front to back) to substantially cover the sides of the wearer's hip (FIG. 2), while leaving the wearer's front F (FIG. 1) and rear R (FIG. 5) uncovered and well-ventilated. The width of panel portions 32, and thus of load panels 30, is accordingly such that the load panels do not touch when centered at the sides of waistbelt 20 over the hips as shown in the Figures.

Each load panel 30 also includes a spray bottle pouch 34 centered at lower end 32d of the panel portion. Pouch 34 has a height configured to contain most or all of the fluid reservoir R of a spray bottle S, with the spray head SH positioned above the upper edge 34a of pouch 34. Pouch 34 may be used for supplies other than spray bottles, but the combination of a spray bottle with the pouch has been found to be especially convenient and stable. Pouch 34 also preferably locates the spray head SH at or below the upper end or edge 32a of the panel portion (and of waistbelt 20). In the example of FIG. 3, spray bottles S ride with an outward cant that facilitates sight-free grasping of the spray heads, and that provides a more comfortable, dry carry.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, it is highly preferred to supply cleaning supply belt 10 with two substantially identical load panels 30, each carrying a fluid spray bottle 34. This has been found to be an exceptionally comfortable and stable combination. The respective front and rear sides 32b and 32c of each load panel are spaced from each other on the waistbelt, so that load panels 30 do not touch when worn.

Load panels are preferably circumferentially adjustable on waistbelt 20, for example with a free sliding relationship between belt sleeve 33 and waistbelt 20. The range of circumferential adjustment may be unlimited, although the load panels should always remain spaced on waistbelt 20. Alternately, load panels 30 may be limited by positive stop structure schematically illustrated at 21, 31 in FIG. 2A on the waistbelt and/or on the load panels to prevent their touching, so that the load panels may only be adjusted forward and back over a relatively small range on the hips, as schematically illustrated in phantom lines and arrows in FIG. 2. Stop structure 21, 31 can be, for example, keepers or thickened portions of the belt positioned on the belt 20 to interfere with the sliding of upper end 32a of the load panel; complementary mating hook-and-loop portions on or in the sliding upper end 32a and on belt 20; or any other slide-limiting structure. Alternately, adjusting belt 20 for a snug fit can prevent the panel 30 from sliding from the preferred position over the hip, even without positive stop structure.

Load panels 30 may include additional pouches such as 36 forward and rearward of central spray bottle pouches 34, preferably in a balanced arrangement on either side of pouch 34 as illustrated. These pouches may vary in size and shape, and may be useful for carrying items such as flashlights, brush handles, pens, and other cleaning tools and supplies.

Load panels 30 are also illustrated with snap-rings 38 located at a convenient height on panel portions 32 to hold a rag, or receive a clip or hook from a cleaning cloth, a set of keys, and other handy items. Snap-rings may take other forms than the illustrated O-rings, including but not limited to D-rings, hooks, clips and the like. FIG. 2A shows a modified load panel 30 with a stiff fabric loop 38′ in place of the snap-ring in FIG. 2.

Load panels 30 are also shown with an optional but preferred horizontal pocket 40 having a front-to-back width greater than the width of the upper edge 34a of spray bottle pouch 34. Pocket 40 is open or un-sewn along its upper edge to provide a pocket or pouch for relatively small items, such as a multi-tool, cell phone, scrub pad, knife, keycard, etc. Pocket 40 is also conveniently located to provide an extra layer of wear/wetness protection relative to the uncovered spray head SH of the spray bottle.

DESCRIPTION OF OPERATION

In operation, the cleaning supply belt is used by buckling waistbelt 20 around the wearer's waist with load panels 30 centered on each side over the wearer's hips H. The exact position of load panels 30 may be adjusted forward and back along waistbelt 20 for a custom fit, and loaded with cleaning supplies such as spray bottles 34, dusters or brushes, rags, etc., preferably with a balanced loading on each side. However, with at least a fluid spray bottle S in the central lower pouches 34 on each panel, the load will tend to be balanced and stable even though a number of lighter items are added to the load panels haphazardly.

It will finally be understood that the disclosed embodiments represent presently preferred examples of how to make and use the invention, but are intended to enable rather than limit the invention. Variations and modifications of the illustrated examples in the foregoing written specification and drawings may be possible without departing from the scope of the invention. It should further be understood that to the extent the term “invention” is used in the written specification, it is not to be construed as a limiting term as to number of claimed or disclosed inventions or discoveries or the scope of any such invention or discovery, but as a term which has long been conveniently and widely used to describe new and useful improvements in science and the useful arts. The scope of the invention supported by the above disclosure should accordingly be construed within the scope of what it teaches and suggests to those skilled in the art, and within the scope of any claims that the above disclosure supports in this provisional application or in any non-provisional application claiming priority to this provisional application.

Claims

1. A cleaning supply belt comprising:

a relatively narrow, soft, flexible waistbelt configured to be secured around the waist, the belt having a front portion, side hip portions, and a back portion;

two spaced, separate, substantially flat fabric load panels having upper ends attached along substantially the entire length thereof to opposite hip sides of the waistbelt, with spacing between respective front and rear sides of the load panels sufficient to leave the front and back of the waistbelt uncovered, each load panel comprising an integral spray bottle pouch on an outer face of the panel at a lower central portion of the panel, wherein the load panels are made from a flexible, conforming, sturdy fabric able to drape over a wearer's hips.

2. The cleaning supply belt of claim 1, wherein the load panels are circumferentially adjustable on the waistbelt.

3. The cleaning supply belt of claim 1, wherein the load panels are removably attached to the waistbelt.

4. The cleaning supply belt of claim 1, further including stop structure on at least one of the waistbelt and the load panels to maintain the load panels in a spaced relationship on the belt substantially centered over the side hip regions of the belt.

5. In combination with a pair of cleaning fluid spray bottles, a cleaning supply belt comprising:

a relatively narrow, soft, flexible waistbelt configured to be secured around the waist, the belt having a front portion, side hip portions, and a back portion;

two spaced, separate, substantially flat fabric load panels having upper ends attached along substantially the entire length thereof to opposite hip sides of the waistbelt, with spacing between respective front and rear sides of the load panels sufficient to leave the front and back of the waistbelt uncovered, each load panel comprising an integral spray bottle pouch on an outer face of the panel at a lower central portion of the panel, each spray bottle pouch including a spray bottle therein, wherein the load panels are made from a flexible, conforming, sturdy fabric able to drape over a wearer's hips.

6. The combination of claim 5, wherein the spray bottle pouches have a height approximating the height of a fluid reservoir portion of the spray bottles, such that spray heads of the spray bottles are uncovered above the spray bottle pouches.

7. The combination of claim 6, wherein the load panels include a horizontal pocket located above an upper end of the spray bottle pouches adjacent the uncovered spray head portions of their respective spray bottles.

8. The combination of claim 5, wherein the spray bottle pouches are configured to hold their respective spray bottles with an outward cant such that heads of the spray bottles are angled away from outer faces of their respective panels.

9. The cleaning supply belt of claim 5, further including stop structure on at least one of the waistbelt and the load panels to maintain the load panels in a spaced relationship on the belt substantially centered over the side hip regions of the belt.