BELT AND BOTTLE MOUNTING SYSTEM FOR A BELT

Abstract

A belt including a belt portion, a bottle connector integrated into the belt portion, the bottle connector defining a receiving opening, and a bottle including a bottle hook, wherein the bottle hook is configured to be inserted into the receiving opening of the bottle connector, thereby mounting the bottle on the belt. A bottle mounting system for a belt includes a bottle having a spout and a removable cap, a hook configured to be disposed over the bottle spout and retained on the bottle by the removable cap, and a connector integrated into a belt to define a receiving opening for the hook.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The disclosure herein is directed to a belt and a bottle mounting system for a belt, and more particularly to a sports belt having a mounting system for a hydration bottle.

BACKGROUND

Hydration systems have been proposed in the prior art for freeing runners during extended runs from dehydration worries. Such systems include belts designed to be worn about the waist or arm and which are provided with a pocket or pockets for holding cans or bottles of liquid.

A disadvantage with the prior art hydration system belts is the cumbersome mounting of the cans or bottles, and the lack of an ergonomic fit for running or other physical activities.

Accordingly, there is a need for a belt that overcomes these and other disadvantages by providing an ergonomic bottle mounting system for a belt that is suitable for use during physical activities.

SUMMARY

The disclosure herein is directed to a belt comprising a belt portion; a bottle connector integrated into said belt portion, said bottle connector defining a receiving opening; and a bottle including a bottle hook; wherein said bottle hook is configured to be inserted into said receiving opening of said bottle connector, thereby mounting said bottle on said belt.

A further aspect of the disclosure is directed to a bottle mounting system for a belt, said mounting system comprising a bottle having a spout and a removable cap; a hook configured to be disposed over the bottle spout and retained on the bottle by the removable cap; and a connector integrated into a belt to define a receiving opening for the hook.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

FIG. 1 illustrates a rear view of a bottle and clip assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 illustrates a mounting assembly for the bottle shown in FIG. 1 according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 illustrates a belt including the mounting assembly shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 illustrates a front view of the bottle and clip assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 illustrates a side view of the bottle and clip assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the bottle shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 illustrates the bottle and clip assembly being secured to the mounting assembly on a belt.

FIG. 8 illustrates the bottle and clip assembly when secured to the mounting assembly on a belt.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A belt according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure herein is shown generally by reference numeral 18 in FIG. 3. The belt 18 is preferably a waist belt incorporating a bottle mounting system including a bottle 10 and a bottle hook 14 as shown in FIG. 1 and a bottle clip or connector 16 as shown in FIG. 2. The bottle connector 16 is integrated or otherwise secured into the waist belt 18 such that the bottle 10 can easily be connected or removed therefrom, as shown best in FIGS. 7 and 8.

The bottle 10 according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure is a hydration bottle suitable for use during running or other physical activity due to its lightweight and easy open mouthpiece 20. Still further, the bottle 10 includes ergonomic contours in the vertical direction to follow the natural curvature of a wearer's lower back. As shown in FIG. 6, the bottle 10 has a preferred ergonomic spout angle θ₁ in the range of approximately 15.0°-18.0°, and most preferably a spout angle θ₁ of 17.88°. In addition, the bottle 10 has a preferred ergonomic back angle θ₂ in the range of 3.0°-4.5°, and most preferably a back angle θ₂ of 3.69°. The back angle is the angle of the rear surface of the bottle 10.

A bottle hook 14 is provided on the rear surface of the bottle 10 to provide a mounting mechanism for connection of the bottle 10 to the bottle connector 16 on the belt 18. The bottle hook 14 includes a central through opening (not shown), preferably circular, that allows it to be placed over the spout 22 of the bottle when the removable cap 12 is removed. When the cap 12 is replaced onto the threaded spout 22, the bottle hook 14 is thus held in place. The bottle hook 14 includes “shoulders” 24 form-fitting to the bottle 10, and preferably disposed on the front and rear, so as to reduce the likelihood that it will rotate on the bottle 10. The bottle hook 14 has a tapered shape from the shoulders 24 to the terminal end 28 which allows it to easily be inserted into connector 16 and moved down such that the connector 16 fully engages the hook 14. Further, the bottle hook 14 includes a rear surface 26 that is also ergonomically contoured and in line with (parallel to) the angle of the rear surface of the bottle 10 to follow the natural curvature of a wearer's lower back, as illustrated in FIG. 5.

The bottle connector 16 includes opposing side flange portions 30 via which the connector 16 is integrated into the waist belt 18. The connector 16 further includes a protruding central portion 32 spaced from a surface of the belt 18 which defines an opening for receiving the bottle hook 14. The central portion 32 is also tapered from the top opening to the bottom opening in order to easily receive the bottle hook 14 therein and fully engage the bottle hook 14 when it is seated therein.

Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, the hydration bottle 10 with the hook 14 attachment is positionable in an upright orientation in the bottle clip or connector 16, as shown by the arrow in FIG. 7, and the connector 16 locates the bottle 10 with the hook 14 in the correct ergonomic position for running or walking. More particularly, the preferred location of the bottle 10 is approximately in alignment with the kidneys, sitting between the back and gluteus muscles of the wearer.

The detailed description above describes a belt and a bottle mounting system disclosed by way of example. The disclosure is not limited, however, to the precise embodiment and variations described. Various changes, modifications and equivalents can be effected by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the accompanying claims. It is expressly intended that all such changes, modifications and equivalents which fall within the scope of the claims are embraced by the claims.

Claims

1. A belt comprising:

a belt portion;

a bottle connector integrated into said belt portion, said bottle connector defining a receiving opening;

a bottle having a projecting spout;

a bottle hook attached to the bottle;

wherein said bottle hook is configured to be inserted into said receiving opening of said bottle connector, thereby mounting said bottle on said belt in an upright orientation.

2. The belt according to claim 1, wherein the bottle hook includes a central opening configured to be disposed over the projecting spout.

3. The belt according to claim 2, wherein the bottle further includes a removable cap disposed over the projecting spout, the bottle hook being secured to the bottle by the removable cap.

4. The belt according to claim 3, wherein the projecting spout includes a screw thread and the removable cap is threadedly engaged over the projecting spout.

5. The belt according to claim 1, wherein the bottle hook is disposed on a rear surface of the bottle.

6. The belt according to claim 5, wherein the bottle has an ergonomically contoured shape, the bottle hook configured to follow the ergonomically contoured shape of the bottle.

7. The belt according to claim 5, wherein the bottle hook tapers downwardly from a top of the bottle hook to a bottom of the bottle hook.

8. The belt according to claim 1, wherein the bottle connector includes opposing side flange portions configured to integrate the bottle connector into said belt portion.

9. The belt according to claim 1, wherein the bottle connector further includes a protruding central portion spaced from a surface of the belt to thereby define the receiving opening for the bottle hook.

10. The belt according to claim 9, wherein the protruding central portion is tapered from an upper surface to a lower surface such that the receiving opening for the bottle hook is also tapered from an upper opening portion to a lower opening portion.

11. A bottle mounting system for a belt, said mounting system comprising:

a bottle having a spout and a removable cap;

a hook configured to be disposed over the bottle spout and retained on the bottle by the removable cap; and

a connector integrated into a belt to define a receiving opening for the hook.

12. The bottle mounting system according to claim 11, wherein the hook includes a central opening configured to be disposed over the bottle spout.

13. The bottle mounting system according to claim 12, wherein the bottle spout includes a screw thread and the removable cap is threadedly engaged over the bottle spout.

14. The bottle mounting system according to claim 11, wherein the hook is disposed on a rear surface of the bottle.

15. The bottle mounting system according to claim 14, wherein the bottle has an ergonomically contoured shape, the hook configured to follow the ergonomically contoured shape of the bottle.

16. The bottle mounting system according to claim 15, wherein the hook tapers downwardly from a top of the hook to a bottom of the hook.

17. The bottle mounting system according to claim 11, wherein the connector includes opposing side flange portions configured to integrate the connector into a belt.

18. The bottle mounting system according to claim 17, wherein the connector further includes a central portion configured to be spaced from a surface of the belt to thereby define the receiving opening for the hook.

19. The bottle mounting system according to claim 18, wherein the central portion is tapered from an upper surface to a lower surface such that the receiving opening for the hook is also tapered from an upper opening portion to a lower opening portion.

20. The bottle mounting system according to claim 11, wherein the bottle 10 has a spout angle in the range of approximately 15.0°-18.0° and back angle in the range of 3.0°-4.5°.