Abstract:
A paddle clip for securing a paddle to a user and thus allowing the user to free his hands for other tasks. The paddle clip has an elongated back plate and a flexible resilient rounded bottom section with a trough configured to accommodate a cylindrical shaft of a paddle. The shaft of the paddle can be squeezed into the clip with one hand. In addition, using only one hand, the fingers can lift open the clip to release the paddle. A flat front section of the clip has a thumb opening large enough for a thumb or a finger to pass through to press downward and thus release paddle shaft onto the other fingers of the same hand.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims benefit to and is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/292,803, filed May 30, 2014 entitled “Paddle Clip”, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The disclosed apparatus relates to a clip to secure a paddle to a belt of a person. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    A paddle for use while standing on a kayak, canoe or standup paddleboard is comprised of an elongated shaft having a first end and a second end, at least one end of the shaft having a blade attached thereto and the other end having a handle, grip, or another blade. 
         [0004]    There is currently no clip designed to hold a paddle on a belt. Rather, current paddle clips are typically designed to attach to a watercraft. In many cases, the manner in which the paddle is attached requires a user to either kneel, sit or awkwardly bend down to either secure or retrieve the paddle. For example, some paddle clips are mounted to the gunwale or cockpit rim of a watercraft. Such retaining devices do not provide a means for a user to free himself of his paddle while remaining standing and then later regain access when necessary without bending or kneeling. Furthermore, current clips do not provide a means for a user to stow the paddle in several positions. Current clips also do not provide a user with a convenient and safe means for quick one hand storage and retrieval of the paddle. 
         [0005]    There are many belt accessories and specialty belts with pouches and holders for holding sporting gear, camera gear and fishing gear. For example, there are many fishing pole holders on the market that allow fishermen to secure their rods in a belt rod holster. The various pole holders are used to free up the users hands of the fishing gear. However, none of these address the current problem of how to secure a paddle to free up the hands to allow the user to fish. While a fishing pole holder takes care the problem of freeing both hands for paddling, the fishing pole holder does not provide a reasonable mechanism for freeing a fisherman&#39;s hands of a paddle to allow the fisherman to fish. 
         [0006]    Another example of a situation in which a standup paddleboard user (i.e., a paddleboarder) requires free hands is when the paddleboarder wishes to take photographs. A photographer needs to adjust camera settings, change lenses, clean the lens, and ultimately take pictures. Each of these activities requires the use of both hands free from the paddle. The same holds true for using binoculars for bird watching. While a user can place the binoculars around his neck, it is advantageous for user to use both hands on the binoculars, free from the paddle. These are but a few of many examples of difficulties faced by users of paddleboards in trying to deal with their paddle. 
         [0007]    Accordingly, there is a need for a mechanism to allow a paddle to be stored quickly so that opportunities to do other activities are not missed. Examples are, casting a fishing pole quickly when fish appear in the water, taking a photo of a wildlife subject before the subject moves, or taking aim while hunting with bow and arrow. 
         [0008]    In addition, it would be advantageous in light of safety concerns to provide a means by which the paddle can be retrieved quickly and easily to avoid collision with objects in the water. Such objects include branches, rocks, water plants, and trees. In addition, it is desirable to have quick access of the paddle to avoid colliding with objects on shore, such as trees, plants, boulders, rocks and steep embankments and the shore itself. Furthermore, by having quick access to the paddle, the user can avoid shallow water where the watercraft could become stuck. All these conditions and others are potentially harmful to the paddler and require the ability to retrieve the paddle quickly for safety. 
         [0009]    Also, it is desirable to be able to retrieve the paddle easily so that the paddler does not fall into the water while bending, stooping, or over reaching for the paddle while standing on an unstable watercraft. It is also desirable for a user to be able to retrieve a paddle quickly to maneuver the watercraft into the best position and location for fishing, viewing, hunting or photographing the surroundings. 
         [0010]    Therefore, there is a need for a means by which a paddler on a watercraft can easily stow and retrieve the paddle. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0011]    The disclosed apparatus is a paddle clip. In accordance with one embodiment, the paddle clip can be attached to a belt. One embodiment of the clip secures a paddle used by a standup paddler while the paddler is in the standing position, thus freeing up the paddler&#39;s hands. The paddle can be secured into, or retrieved from, the clip using one hand. In addition, the paddler can move the paddle into multiple positions as necessary to make it easier and more comfortable for the paddler to use both hands and to move freely without interference from, or the encumbrance of, the paddle. The disclosed apparatus provides quick and easy access to the paddle. 
         [0012]    In accordance with one embodiment of the disclosed apparatus, the clip comprises a piece of sheet plastic (such as PVC, ABS or other such material), or a laminate or sheet metal, spring steel or other such material with a substantially elongated shape having a back plate and a flexible resilient clip portion with an opening configured for accommodating a cylindrical shaft of a paddle parallel with the longitudinal axis of a trough in the clip. The clip has an opening to facilitate squeezing the shaft of a paddle into the clip with one hand. In addition, using only one hand, the fingers can lift open the clip. The body of the clip has a second opening large enough for thumb or finger to press downward while lifting open the clip to release paddle shaft onto the fingers of the same hand. The body of the clip also has a back plate that urges the paddle shaft to rest in the trough of the clip. 
         [0013]    In accordance with one embodiment, the clip is fabricated out of a plastic that ensures that the clip is sufficiently flexible to open while being stiff enough to secure the paddle and close the clip once the paddle is in the trough. The use of molded or sheet plastic allows for inexpensive production. However, in an alternative embodiment, the clip could be manufactured out of sheet metal, wire, synthetic materials or laminates. 
         [0014]    Accordingly, it is one object to provide a convenient method for a standup paddler to secure his paddle while standing for safety thus eliminating the need to stoop, kneel, bend or end up in an awkward position to set the paddle down or clip a paddle into a holder on a watercraft. 
         [0015]    Another objective is to provide the ability to secure and retrieve the paddle with one hand for convenience and safety. 
         [0016]    Another objective is to provide the ability of the paddler to rest either end of the paddle on the deck of the watercraft or in the water, or balance the paddle completely in the paddle clip. 
         [0017]    Another objective is to allow a paddle to be slid in any number of positions along the trough of the paddle clip for convenience and safety. This allows for body movement such as sitting and for moving the paddle out of the way of objects, and for convenient use the use of the hands. 
         [0018]    Another objective is to allow the clip to be used anywhere on a belt, at the front, side or back to accommodate whatever is the most comfortable position for the paddler. 
         [0019]    Another objective is to provide an extremely secure attachment of the paddle at the same time having it easily accessible and positionable. When performing other task such as fishing, photograph or hunting while stand up paddling, winds, rough weather conditions, rough seas, bumping the paddle with hands or other objects could knock the paddle out of the clip if it were not extremely secure, thus if it were not extremely secure a very dangerous situations could occur where the paddle ends up in the water leaving the paddler without his main means of guidance and propulsion. 
         [0020]    Another objective is to provide a paddle clip that can be used on belts manufactured for various sports including fishing, photography, hunting and bird watching without exclusivity to any one sport or for use by itself on a general purpose belt. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0021]    The disclosed method and apparatus, in accordance with one or more various embodiments, is described with reference to the following figures. The drawings are provided for purposes of illustration only and merely depict examples of some embodiments of the disclosed method and apparatus. These drawings are provided to facilitate the reader&#39;s understanding of the disclosed method and apparatus. They should not be considered to limit the breadth, scope, or applicability of the claimed invention. It should be noted that for clarity and ease of illustration these drawings are not necessarily made to scale. 
           [0022]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a clip  100  in accordance with one embodiment of the disclosed apparatus. 
           [0023]      FIG. 2  is a front perspective view of the clip with the rounded top section being distorted (i.e., the radius of the curvature expanded) to open the clip and thus allow a paddle or other such device to enter the trough through the expanded opening  6 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the clip with a cross section of a paddle shown in the trough of the clip. 
           [0025]      FIG. 4  illustrates the clip opening to allow the shaft of a paddle to enter the clip. 
           [0026]      FIG. 5  is a rear perspective view of the clip. 
           [0027]      FIG. 6  is an illustration of a paddle clip holding a paddle and mounted on a belt. 
           [0028]      FIG. 7  is an illustration of a paddle clip with a flap for securing the clip to a paddler. 
       
    
    
       [0029]    The figures are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the claimed invention to the precise form disclosed. It should be understood that the disclosed method and apparatus can be practiced with modification and alteration, and that the invention should be limited only by the claims and the equivalents thereof. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0030]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a clip  100  in accordance with one embodiment of the disclosed apparatus. The clip  100  is made from a single sheet of resilient plastic material having a thickness of between 1/16 inch to ¼ inches. However, in an alternative embodiment, the clip  100  can be made of a metal, synthetic materials or any other resilient material that will allow the clip  100  to be slightly deformed and return to the original shape. 
         [0031]    The clip  100  has a flat back plate  1 , a rounded top section  14  that extends from the flat back section, an essentially flat front section  13  that extends from the rounded top section and a rounded bottom section  5  that extends from the flat front section to create a trough  4 . The rounded bottom section  5  curls around leaving an opening  6  between the distal end  9  of the rounded bottom section  5  and the back plate  1 . The thickness and elastic properties of the plastic used to form the clip  100  allow the clip  100  to be deformed and then to spring back to its original shape and thus close after being pulled open. The clip  100  is pulled open by pulling the front section  13  laterally away from the back plate  1 . The material used to form the clip  100  has sufficient integrity to allow the clip  100  to open to allow a paddle shaft to enter the clip and then close once the paddle shaft is within the trough  4 . Furthermore, the resilient material has sufficient integrity to retain a paddle within the trough  4  once the clip closes, as will be described in greater detail below. 
         [0032]      FIG. 2  is a front perspective view of the clip  100  with the rounded top section  14  being distorted (i.e., the radius of the curvature expanded) to open the clip  100  and thus allow a paddle or other such device to enter the trough  4  through the expanded opening  6  (See  FIG. 4 ). 
         [0033]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the clip  100  with a cross section of a paddle shown in the trough  4  of the clip  100 .  FIG. 4  illustrates the clip  100  opening to allow the shaft of a paddle  7  to enter the clip  100 . A space  8  between the front section  13  and the back plate  1  expands when the front section  13  pulls away from the back plate  1  to open the clip  100  and thus allow the shaft of the paddle  7  to enter past the rounded bottom  5 . The diameter of the curve in bottom section  5  and the trough  4  and the diameter of the curve of the rounded top section  14  of the clip  100  are roughly equal to the diameter of a shaft  7  of a paddle that the clip  100  will accommodate. The bottom section  5  of the clip forms the trough  4  in which the paddle  7  is captured. When the clip is not holding a paddle  7 , the front section  13  of the paddle clip  100  and the back plate  1  are essentially parallel. The back plate  1  extends approximately 1½ inches beyond the rounded bottom  5  of the clip  100 . 
         [0034]    Typically, the clip  100  is opened by sliding the shaft of a paddle  7  (or other such object to be held by the clip  100 ) along the back plate  1 . As the paddle  7  comes into contact with the rounded bottom section  5 , the curvature of the rounded bottom section  5  will engage the paddle  7  and slide outward to allow the paddle  7  to pass through the opening  6  and into the trough  4 . Alternatively, the user can gently pull from below on the rounded bottom section  5  to pull the rounded bottom section  5  away from the back plate  1  to expand the opening  6  and thus assist the paddle  7  in entering opening  6 . 
         [0035]      FIG. 5  is a rear perspective view of the clip  100 . The space  8  within the clip  100  has a vertical height  16  of between 1 and 2½ times the diameter of the shaft  7  of the paddle to be held by the clip  100 . A thumb opening  3  (see  FIG. 1 ) in the front section  13  of the paddle clip  100  is sized to accommodate a person&#39;s thumb (i.e., approximately 1¼ inch wide). The thumb opening  3  is configured to allow the user to press down with the user&#39;s thumb (not shown) on the shaft  7  of a paddle when a paddle is captured in the clip  100 . Pressing down on the shaft  7  of the paddle applies a sufficient pressure to the rounded bottom  5  to both cause the rounded bottom  5  to slightly distort (i.e., straighten out) and/or to push the front section  13  away from the back plate  1 , expanding the space  8  (as shown in  FIG. 4 ) and thus allow the shaft  7  of the paddle to slip between the distal end  9  of the rounded bottom  5  and the back plate  1 . The vertical length of the thumb opening  3  extends along the front section  13  roughly from the lower portion of the rounded top section  14  to the bottom of the trough  4 . 
         [0036]    The material from which the clip  100  is fashioned will be sufficiently sturdy to hold a paddle shaft  7  in place once disposed within the trough  4 . In accordance with one embodiment of the disclosed apparatus, the curved portion of the trough  4  forms an arc of approximately 180 degrees. Accordingly, the trough  4  will cradle and hold a paddle shaft  7  in place. 
         [0037]    The overall width of the clip is between 2 to 5 inches and overall height is between 1½ inches and 6 inches. The overall height of the front portion  13  of the clip is between 1¼ and 3 inches. 
         [0038]      FIG. 6  is an illustration of a paddle clip holding a paddle and mounted on a belt. In accordance with one embodiment of the disclosed apparatus, as can be seen from  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 5 , the clip  100  has two slots  2 . The slots  2  provide a means by which the clip  100  can be mounted on a user&#39;s belt  11 . The end of the belt  11  is threaded through the first slot  2  from the inside to the outside and through the second slot  2  from the outside to the inside, thus securing the clip  100  to the belt. A paddle  10  is secured in the clip  100 . The Shaft  7  of the paddle is captured in the trough  4  (see  FIG. 3 ). Alternatively, the clip can be permanently fixed to a belt by rivets, sewing, glue or other such well known means of attachment. 
         [0039]    In accordance with one embodiment of the disclosed apparatus, the clip  100  is covered with a wrapping, such as a cloth material, webbed material. In one such embodiment, the covering is decorated to enhance the appearance of the clip  100 . 
         [0040]      FIG. 7  is an illustration of a paddle clip with a flap for securing the clip to a paddler. 
         [0041]    In the alternative embodiment of  FIG. 7 , a paddle clip  101  has a flap  701  that protrudes from the back plate  1 . A paddler&#39;s belt or swimsuit can be captured between the flap  701  and the back plate  1  to secure the paddle clip  101  to the paddler&#39;s belt or swimsuit. Other such means for securing the paddle clip  101  to a piece of the paddler&#39;s apparel (e.g., the paddler&#39;s belt swimsuit, etc.) or to can be used as well and would be within the scope of the presently disclosed apparatus. For example, the flap  701  can be hinged to the back plate  1 . In one such embodiment, spring tension is capture the paddler&#39;s belt or swimsuit between the flap  701  and the back plate  1 . 
         [0042]    Although the disclosed method and apparatus is described above in terms of various examples of embodiments and implementations, it should be understood that the particular features, aspects and functionality described in one or more of the individual embodiments are not limited in their applicability to the particular embodiment with which they are described. Thus, the breadth and scope of the claimed invention should not be limited by any of the examples provided in describing the above disclosed embodiments. 
         [0043]    Terms and phrases used in this document, and variations thereof, unless otherwise expressly stated, should be construed as open ended as opposed to limiting. As examples of the foregoing: the term “including” should be read as meaning “including, without limitation” or the like; the term “example” is used to provide examples of instances of the item in discussion, not an exhaustive or limiting list thereof; the terms “a” or “an” should be read as meaning “at least one,” “one or more” or the like; and adjectives such as “conventional,” “traditional,” “normal,” “standard,” “known” and terms of similar meaning should not be construed as limiting the item described to a given time period or to an item available as of a given time, but instead should be read to encompass conventional, traditional, normal, or standard technologies that may be available or known now or at any time in the future. Likewise, where this document refers to technologies that would be apparent or known to one of ordinary skill in the art, such technologies encompass those apparent or known to the skilled artisan now or at any time in the future. 
         [0044]    A group of items linked with the conjunction “and” should not be read as requiring that each and every one of those items be present in the grouping, but rather should be read as “and/or” unless expressly stated otherwise. Similarly, a group of items linked with the conjunction “or” should not be read as requiring mutual exclusivity among that group, but rather should also be read as “and/or” unless expressly stated otherwise. Furthermore, although items, elements or components of the disclosed method and apparatus may be described or claimed in the singular, the plural is contemplated to be within the scope thereof unless limitation to the singular is explicitly stated. 
         [0045]    The presence of broadening words and phrases such as “one or more,” “at least,” “but not limited to” or other like phrases in some instances shall not be read to mean that the narrower case is intended or required in instances where such broadening phrases may be absent. 
         [0046]    Additionally, the various embodiments set forth herein are described with the aid of illustrations. As will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art after reading this document, the illustrated embodiments and their various alternatives can be implemented without confinement to the illustrated examples.