Abstract:
A clip device for securing an item is provided. The clip device is securable to an object. The clip device comprises a main body having a top surface, a bottom surface, a front edge, and a back edge. A supporting wall extends from the front edge in general direction away from the top surface. A clip mechanism extends from the supporting wall over the top surface for securing the clip device to an object. An item retaining mechanism extends substantially along the back edge for releasably securing the item within the lip portion adjacent and against the bottom surface of the main body.

Description:
[0001]     The present application is a continuation-in-part and claims priority of pending patent application Ser. No. 10/706,806, filed on Nov. 12, 2003, entitled “Clip Device for Securing a Diaphragm Hunting Call and the Like, and claims priority of provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/426,143, filed on Nov. 14, 2002, entitled “Clip Device for Securing a Diaphragm Hunting Call and the Like”. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     This invention relates generally to a clip device for securing a diaphragm hunting call and the like and, in particular, it relates to a clip device which can be releasably secured to a hat or other garment for holding a diaphragm hunting call and the like.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Prior Art  
         [0005]     During hunting activities, a hunter typically carries a tremendous amount of gear and other hunting equipment. For quick response and reaction, it is important to maintain the essential gear such as weapons and hunting calls directly on the hunter to allow easy and quick access to the gear. If a hunter has to search and find the essential gear, valuable time is wasted and the opportunity for bagging the desired game can be lost.  
         [0006]     In the past, the hunter has typically maintained his or her diaphragm hunting call in his or her pocket, either in the pants or in the coat or jacket. Since many hunting activities are conducted in colder weather, a hunter usually wears gloves or other hand coverings to maintain warmth and comfort. If a hunter has to fumble and search for his or her hunting call in his or her pocket, he or she must first remove the gloves and retrieve the hunting call from the pocket location. Once retrieved, the hunter uses the hunting call, places the hunting call back in the pocket, puts on the gloves, and readies his gun or rifle. This procedure causes valuable time to be lost and the opportunity for hunting success is reduced.  
         [0007]     Accordingly, there exists a need for a clip device for securing a diaphragm hunting call and the like which can be easily secured to a hat or other garment. Additionally, a need exists for a clip device for securing a diaphragm hunting call and the like which allows a hunter to access his or her diaphragm hunting call in an expeditious manner. Furthermore, there exists a need for a clip device for securing a diaphragm hunting call and the like which protects the diaphragm hunting call from being damaged or otherwise injured.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0008]     The present invention is a clip device for securing an item. The clip device is securable to an object. The clip device comprises a main body having a top surface, a bottom surface, a front edge, and a back edge. A supporting wall extends from the front edge in general direction away from the top surface. A clip mechanism extends from the supporting wall over the top surface for securing the clip device to an object. An item retaining mechanism extends substantially along the back edge for releasably securing the item within the lip portion adjacent and against the bottom surface of the main body.  
         [0009]     In addition, the present invention includes a method for securing an item to an object. The method comprises providing a main body, forming a lip around at least a portion of the main body, cantilevering at least one arm over the main body, scoring the main body, manipulating the main body onto the object; releasably securing the object between the main body and each arm, and releasably securing the item within the lip portion.  
         [0010]     The present invention further includes an assembly for securing an item to an object. The assembly comprises a main body having a top surface and a bottom surface, clip means for securing the clip device to an object, and item retaining means for releasably securing the item to the main body.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]      FIG. 1  is a top perspective view illustrating a clip device for securing a diaphragm hunting call and the like, constructed in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is a bottom perspective view illustrating the clip device for securing a diaphragm hunting call and the like of  FIG. 1 , constructed in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is a top plan view illustrating the clip device for securing a diaphragm hunting call and the like of  FIG. 1 , constructed in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  is bottom plan view illustrating the clip device for securing a diaphragm hunting call and the like of  FIG. 1 , constructed in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0015]      FIG. 5  is a side elevational view illustrating the clip device for securing a diaphragm hunting call and the like of  FIG. 1 , constructed in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0016]      FIG. 6  is an elevational front view illustrating the clip device for securing a diaphragm hunting call and the like of  FIG. 1 , constructed in accordance with the present invention; and  
         [0017]      FIG. 7  is an elevational rear view illustrating the clip device for securing a diaphragm hunting call and the like of  FIG. 1 , constructed in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0018]     As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the present invention is a clip device, indicated generally at  10 , for securing a diaphragm hunting call (not shown) or the like. Preferably, the clip device  10  of the present invention is molded from a durable plastic material having sufficient strength and flexibility for mounting to a garment (not shown). However, it is within the scope of the present invention to construct the clip device  10  from other materials including, but not limited to, metal, fiberglass, ceramics, resin, wood, etc.  
         [0019]     It should be noted that while the clip device  10  of the present invention has been described hereto and will be described hereafter as securing a diaphragm hunting call, a person skilled in the art will understand that the clip device  10  of the present invention can be used to secure other objects. In fact, the clip device  10  of the present invention is suitable for securing a wide variety of essentials such fishing lures, i.e., flies, fishing line, and the like, flashlights, emergency medical supplies, etc.  
         [0020]     As illustrated in  FIGS. 1, 2 ,  3 , and  4 , the clip device  10  of the present invention has a top surface  12 , a bottom surface  14 , a front edge  16 , and a curved back edge  18 . A supporting wall  20  extends from the front edge  16  of the top surface  12  in general direction away from the top surface  12 . The supporting wall  20  can carry advertisements or endorsements  22  thereon, if so desired.  
         [0021]     As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 5 , the clip device  10  of the present invention additionally includes a first clip arm  24  and a second clip arm  26  extending from the supporting wall  20  in a cantilever manner over the top surface  12  of the clip device  10 . The first clip arm  24  is preferably spaced from the second clip arm  26  with each clip arm  24 ,  26  having a protruding portion  28  for maintaining the position of the clip device  10  relative to the mounting location, such as a brim (not shown) of a hat (not shown) or other garment. The first clip arm  24  and the second clip arm  26  are free from contact with the top surface  12  of the clip device  10  which allows the clip device  10  to be easily releasably secured to the hat without requiring the user to manipulate or otherwise open the clips. Furthermore, having two clip arms  24 ,  26  provide more secure mounting of the clip device  10  to the hat in case the clip device  10  as compared to only one clip arm. Actual mounting of the clip device  10  to the brim of the hat will be described in further detail below.  
         [0022]     As illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , the clip device  10  of the present invention includes lip portion  30  extending substantially along the curved back edge  18  of the clip device  10  and defining a receiving slot  31 . The receiving slot  31  is preferably tapered to frictionally hold the diaphragm hunting call therein. The lip portion  30  and the receiving slot  31  allows a diaphragm hunting call to be releasably secured within the lip portion  30  to the clip device  10  adjacent and against the bottom surface  14  of the clip device  10 , as will be described in further detail below. A retaining tab  32  having a retaining protrusion  34  extends from the lip portion  30 . The retaining tab  32  and the retaining protrusion  34  further secures the diaphragm hunting call within the clip device, as will be described in further detail below.  
         [0023]     As illustrated in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the top surface  12  of the clip device  10  includes a first slot  36  and a second slot  38  along the length of the top surface  12  on each side of the supporting wall  20 . Furthermore, the bottom surface  14  of the clip device  10  includes a first slot  40  and a second slot  42  opposite the first slot  36  and the second slot  38  of the top surface  12  along the length of the bottom surface  14 . It should be noted, as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , that the first slot  40  and the second slot  42  of the bottom surface  14  extend through the lip portion  30  around the curved back edge  18  of the clip device  10 . The slots  36 ,  38 ,  40 ,  42  of the top surface  12  and the bottom surface  14  allow the clip device  10  to bend and flex to accommodate a variety of brim sizes and curvature when mounting to the brim of the hat. The hunting call is not received within the slots.  
         [0024]     Securing the clip device  10  of the present invention to the brim or a hat or the like will now be discussed. As will be understood by a person skilled in the art, the description below is only one manner of securement of the clip device  10  to the brim of the hat and other manners of securement of the clip device  10  are within the scope of the present invention.  
         [0025]     First, the clip device  10  of the present invention is positioned adjacent the brim of the hat with the curved back edge  18  adjacent the brim. The clip device  10  is then manipulated such that the brim is releasably received between first clip arm  24  and the second clip arm  26  and the top surface  12  of the clip device  10 . The clip device  10  is further moved onto the brim until the brim contacts the supporting wall  20 . The protruding portions  28  of the first clip arm  24  and the second clip arm  26  contacts the brim thereby releasably securing the clip device  10  to the brim.  
         [0026]     Next, the diaphragm hunting call is slid along the bottom surface  14  of the clip device  10  within the lip portion  30  and under the retaining tab  32 . The snug fit between the diaphragm hunting call and the lip portion  30  and the retaining protrusion  34  of the retaining tab  32  releasably maintain the diaphragm hunting call within the clip device  10 .  
         [0027]     With the clip device  10  of the present invention, the diaphragm hunting call is readily available for use by the hunter. The hunter maintains easy access to the diaphragm hunting call without having to search and retrieve the diaphragm hunting call from an inconvenient location. Furthermore, with the clip device  10  of the present invention, the hunter can retrieve the hunting call without having to place the hunting gun or rifle in an inconvenient or dangerous position.  
         [0028]     The foregoing exemplary descriptions and the illustrative preferred embodiments of the present invention have been explained in the drawings and described in detail, with varying modifications and alternative embodiments being taught. While the invention has been so shown, described and illustrated, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that equivalent changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention, and that the scope of the present invention is to be limited only to the claims except as precluded by the prior art. Moreover, the invention as disclosed herein, may be suitably practiced in the absence of the specific elements which are disclosed herein.