ADJUSTABLE CARRY STRAP
An apparatus includes a sleeve formed with a longitudinal interior void. A transverse aperture extends through a side of the sleeve into the longitudinal interior void. A cord passes through a first end and a second end of the sleeve, through the longitudinal interior void, and outward through a transverse aperture formed in the sleeve. The portion of the cord passing through the transverse aperture forms a slack loop held by a cord lock. The apparatus may be used to suspend an object from a person's neck or shoulder.
Embodiments are related to apparatus for suspending an object from a person's neck or shoulder.
BACKGROUNDAn object such as a camera, identification badge, binoculars, whistle, pair of eyeglasses, or other relatively small article may be suspended from a lanyard or strap worn around a person's neck or suspended from a person's shoulder. The strap or lanyard may be formed with a wide section to distribute the weight of the suspended object across a larger contact area, or may have a pad slidably engaged with the lanyard. It may be possible to adjust the lanyard or cord with buckles or similar devices to raise or lower the suspended object. However, buckles and other length-adjusting devices may cause discomfort when pressed against a person's body. Furthermore, adjusting a buckle may cause the suspended object to be offset to one side or may move the pad or wide area on the strap away from a preferred contact area on a person's body.
SUMMARYAn example embodiment includes a hollow sleeve having a first end; a second end opposite said first end; and a cord passing through the first end, the second end, and through a longitudinal interior void space of the hollow sleeve. The cord has a segment extending outward from a transverse aperture formed in the sleeve, the segment forming a slack loop. A cord lock slidably engages with the slack loop.
Embodiments may optionally include any one or more of the following, in any combination: the void space in the hollow sleeve extends from the first end to the second end; and the transverse aperture extends into the longitudinal interior void space through a first side of the hollow sleeve but does not extend through a second side of the sleeve. The sleeve may be formed with a second transverse aperture, and in an embodiment with the second transverse aperture, the cord passes through the first end, the transverse aperture, the cord lock, the second transverse aperture, and the second end, and the slack loop is formed between the transverse aperture and the second transverse aperture.
An embodiment may optionally include an attachment device slidably coupled to said cord. The cord may form a closed loop without free ends, or may alternatively be formed with a first free end and a second free end. A first attachment device may be joined to the first free end and a second attachment device may be joined to the second free end. Either one or both of the first and second free ends may be formed with an interior void.
An embodiment may further include a pouch suspended from the cord. The pouch may be suspended from the cord on a side of the sleeve opposite the cord lock. The pouch may slidably engage the cord or may alternately be joined to the said cord.
Example embodiments in accord with the invention are described herein. In some embodiments, a flexible cord passes through opposite ends of a hollow sleeve, through an interior longitudinal void in the sleeve, and through at least one transverse aperture formed about halfway along a longest dimension of the sleeve. The cord further passes through a cord lock, dividing the cord into a segment forming a slack loop and at least one segment from which an object may be suspended. When the cord lock is clamped against the cord, the slack loop is prevented from slipping through the transverse aperture in the sleeve. Unclamping the cord lock permits the cord to slide freely through the cord lock, reducing the size of the slack loop and moving a suspended object farther from the sleeve. The cord can be made from any acceptable material including but not limited leather, cloth, rubber, metal, and twine; and can be elastic or inelastic.
Embodiments may be worn around a person's neck or shoulder with the sleeve against the back of the neck, against the collar of a garment, or against a shoulder. The sleeve remains interposed between the cord lock and the person's body, preventing the cord lock from pinching the person's skin or clothing. Embodiments are well suited for comfortably suspending objects from the cord passing around part of a person's body without causing discomfort to the person from the cord or cord lock pressing against the person's skin.
Embodiments are adjustable to permit a suspended object to be raised or lowered relative to the sleeve. A suspended object will not be displaced toward either the first or second end of the sleeve by an adjustment of the size of the slack loop with the cord lock. Only one cord lock needs to be manipulated to change the height of a suspended object while keeping the object approximately centered on the sleeve, in contrast to previously known straps requiring the adjustment of two or more buckle pieces to raise or lower a suspended object or adjust the centering of the object relative to a person's body.
An example of an embodiment is shown in
The example embodiment 100 in
Releasing the lock release 112 from its compressed position causes the cord lock 110 to grip the cord 102, preventing the slack loop 106 from being withdrawn through the transverse aperture 114 and holding the object suspended from the cord at a fixed distance from the sleeve 104. In the example of
The sleeve 104 may be formed with a first transverse aperture 114 and a second aperture 115, as shown in the example of
The cord 102 in the examples of
In
The cord 102 may optionally be provided with alternative cross-sectional shapes, as shown in the examples of
Some details of the example pouch 122 from
The back panel 142 of the pouch 122 may optionally include a sleeve 140 through which the cord 102 passes. The pouch may slide freely along the cord. Alternatively, the cord may be joined to the pouch by means for joining 136, holding the pouch in a fixed position on the cord.
Although the examples of embodiments have been described with reference to suspending an object around a person's neck, it will be appreciated that all of the embodiments herein are effective for suspending an object from a person's shoulder or from an inanimate object.
Unless expressly stated otherwise herein, ordinary terms have their corresponding ordinary meanings within the respective contexts of their presentations, and ordinary terms of art have their corresponding regular meanings.
Claims
1. An apparatus, comprising:
- a hollow sleeve comprising: a first end; and a second end opposite said first end;
- a cord passing through said first end, said second end, and through a longitudinal interior void space of said hollow sleeve, said cord having a segment extending outward from a transverse aperture formed in said sleeve, said segment forming a slack loop; and
- a cord lock slidably engaged with said slack loop.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said longitudinal interior void space in said hollow sleeve extends from said first end to said second end.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said transverse aperture extends into said longitudinal interior void space through a first side of said hollow sleeve but does not extend through a second side of said sleeve.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a second transverse aperture formed in said sleeve.
5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said cord passes through said first end, said transverse aperture, said cord lock, said second transverse aperture, and said second end.
6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said slack loop is formed between said transverse aperture and said second transverse aperture.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an attachment device coupled to said cord.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said cord forms a closed loop without free ends.
9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said cord is formed with a first free end and a second free end.
10. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a first attachment device joined to said first free end and a second attachment device joined to said second free end.
11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said first free end is formed with an interior void.
12. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a pouch suspended from said cord.
13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said pouch is suspended from said cord on a side of said sleeve opposite said cord lock.
14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said pouch slidably engages said cord.
15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said pouch is joined to said cord.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 13, 2016
Publication Date: Jan 18, 2018
Inventor: Nathaniel D. Stevens (Chula Vista, CA)
Application Number: 15/209,754