Abstract:
This invention relates to a trouser leg retaining device which is used for maintaining one&#39;s trouser legs in the proper position in relation to one&#39;s shoes. This invention includes an elongated elastic strap with a snap fastener device at one end and either a locking clip or an O-ring at the opposite end. The snap fastens onto one&#39;s trouser leg while the O-ring fastens onto one&#39;s shoe. The elastic strap has an adjuster positioned on it to adjust the length of the strap.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a trouser leg retaining device for use in connection with keeping one&#39;s trousers positioned in the proper place. The trouser leg retaining device has particular utility in connection with ensuring that the trouser leg does not get caught within the shoes. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Trouser leg retaining devices are desirable for keeping trouser legs in place and ensuring that the trouser leg does not get caught within the shoes. 
     The use of a footwear securing device is known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,974,591 to Leslie discloses a firefighter&#39;s boot to trouser strap device for keeping a firefighter&#39;s uniform together. However, the Leslie &#39;591 patent does not have an elastomeric band which stretches with the movement of the user, and has further drawbacks of being unable to be used with any footwear other than boots. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,115,906 to Lavine et al discloses a clippable trouser retaining strap that maintains the cuff of a leg of a pair of trousers in a downward position. However, the Lavine et al &#39;906 patent does not have a mechanism to secure the pant to the back of the shoe, and additionally does not have a design snap onto which a logo may be displayed. 
     Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,941,213 to Grilliot et al discloses a firefighter&#39;s boot and trouser attachment that keeps a firefighter&#39;s boot attached to his trouser leg. However, the Grilliot et al &#39;213 patent does not have an elastomeric strap, which stretches with the movement of the user, and cannot be used with any footwear other than boots. It has the additional deficiency of wrapping around the firefighters boot as opposed to attaching to the top of the boot. 
     Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,156 to Oglesby discloses a trouser leg retaining device that keeps trouser legs attached to shoes to keep pant legs from riding up. However, the Oglesby &#39;156 patent does not attach to the top of a shoe, and has the additional deficiency of attaching to the bottom of a shoe thus enabling the elastic strap to wear out quicker due to friction from walking on pavement. 
     While the above-described devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a trouser leg retaining device that allows attachment to the top of a shoe as opposed to wrapping around the side or the bottom of a shoe or boot. The present patent also can be used with any sort of footwear, not just boots as seen in some of the above-mentioned patents. Furthermore, the present patent utilizes an elastomeric strap to allow for stretching with the movement of the user. The snap used to attach the trouser to the shoe can be made with any design or logo for decoration. The present invention also can use either a circular hook device or an alligator clip for attachment to the shoe. 
     Therefore, a need exists for a new and improved trouser leg retaining device that can be used for keeping pants in place. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need. In this respect, the trouser leg retaining device according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of keeping pants legs in place. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of footwear securing device now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved trouser leg retaining device, and overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages and drawbacks of the prior art. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved trouser leg retaining device and method which has all the advantages of the prior art mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a trouser leg retaining device which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by the prior art, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises an elastic band with opposing ends having a bell-shaped ring on one end and an O-ring on the other end. A rigid support member having a U-shaped channel on one end lies adjacent to the elastic band. The U-shaped channel has a shorter side with gripping teeth on the inside surface to grip the outside of the pant leg. A snap fastener device comprised of two separate sections is used to attach the elastic band and the support member to a pant leg. A first section of a snap goes through the bell-shaped ring and through a hole that is in the end of the support member that is opposite the U-shaped channel to connect the support member to the elastic band. The second section of the snap is pushed through the pant leg from the exterior of the pant leg to the interior of the pant leg to slidably engage with the first section of the snap to connect the trouser leg retaining device to the pant leg. The outside surface of the second section of the snap can be imprinted with a predetermined logo or design. The O-shaped ring has a coupling that opens to attach the trouser leg retaining device to a shoe strap on the back of a shoe. The ring is attached to the shoe and the snap attaches to the pant leg to keep the pant leg in place and not let it fall behind the shoe. The strap also has an adjuster secured to it to adjust the length of the elastic band. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. 
     The invention may also include a locking clip at the bottom end of the elastic band as opposed to an O-shaped ring. The locking clip is useful if the shoes being worn do not have a hanging loop on their backside. The locking clip would have a pair of jaws pivotally attached by a spring with a pair of flanges. When pressure was applied to the flanges, the jaws would open to attach to the shoe. The locking clip would attach to the back of a shoe and could be used with any type of shoe. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims attached. 
     Numerous objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description of presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative, embodiments of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In this respect, before explaining the current embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of descriptions and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved trouser leg retaining device that has all of the advantages of the prior art shoe to trouser strap device and none of the disadvantages. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved trouser leg retaining device that may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed. 
     An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved trouser leg retaining device that has a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such trouser leg retaining device economically available to the buying public. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new trouser leg retaining device that provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith. 
     Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a trouser leg retaining device for keeping pant legs in place. This keeps pants from falling behind shoes and further discourages upward movement of pant legs when moving. The trouser leg retaining device can be used with any type of footwear. Furthermore, the present invention uses an elastomeric band, which stretches with the movements of the user. The trouser leg retaining device is also attached to the top of the shoe as opposed to wrapping around the bottom of the shoe thus limiting friction to the band caused by movement. The present invention also has an outside snap onto which a logo or design could be placed for ornamental value. 
    
    
     These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty that characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a right side view of the first embodiment of the trouser leg retaining device constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention wherein the dashed lines are not part of the invention and represent the environment for the invention. 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded right perspective view of the first embodiment of the trouser leg retaining device of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a right perspective view of the second embodiment of the trouser leg retaining device of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the first embodiment of the trouser leg retaining device of the present invention. 
     The same reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the various figures. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1-4, a preferred embodiment of the trouser leg retaining device of the present invention is shown and generally designated by the reference numeral  10 . 
     In FIG. 1, a new and improved trouser leg retaining device  10  of the present invention for keeping trouser legs in their proper place and ensuring that the trouser legs do not get caught within the shoes is illustrated and will be described. More particularly, the trouser leg retaining device  10  has an elastomeric band  12  with opposed end sections. One end section is attached to a bell-shaped ring  14  and is fastened to the interior of one&#39;s pant leg by a snap fastening device comprised of a first portion  30  and a second portion  32 . The opposing end section is attached to an O-shaped ring  20  with a coupling  22  that can be opened or closed. The O-shaped ring  20  attaches to the shoe strap on the back of the shoe to fasten the elastomeric band  12  to the shoe. The elastomeric band  12  also has a locking clamp  38  secured to it to lengthen or shorten the band  12 . A rigid support member  24  having a hole at one end and a U-shaped channel  26  at the opposing end lies adjacent to the elastomeric band  12 . The U-shaped channel  26  has a shorter side having gripping teeth  28  along its interior surface to grip the hem of the pant leg. The trouser leg retaining device  10  is eight to ten inches long and an inch wide. In use, the trouser leg retaining device  10  is placed within the pant leg so that the rigid support member  24  lies adjacent to the interior of the pant leg. The hem of the pant leg is placed within the U-shaped channel  26  of the support member  24  so that the gripping teeth  28  grip the exterior surface of the pant leg. The first portion  30  of a snap fastener passes through the bell-shaped ring  14  on the elastic band  12  and then passes through the hole in the rigid support member  24 . The second portion  32  of the snap fastener passes through the pant leg to attach to the first portion  30  of the snap fastener to hold the trouser leg retaining device  10  to the pant leg. The O-shaped ring  20  on the other end of the elastic band  12  is hooked through the shoe strap on the back of a shoe. The elastic band  12  is then adjusted to the desired length so that when sitting or standing, the elastic band  12  stretches and keeps the pant leg from falling into the shoe. 
     FIG. 2 shows how the parts of the trouser leg retaining device  10  fit together. The trouser leg retaining device  10  is comprised of an elongated elastomeric band  12 , a rigid support member  24 , and a fastener device that is comprised of a snap with two portions  30  &amp;  32 . The elastomeric band  12  has an O-shaped ring  20  attached to one end and a bell-shaped ring  14  attached to the other end. The O-shaped ring  20  has a coupling  22  that is used to open and close the O-shaped ring  20  for fastening the trouser leg retaining device  10  to the shoe strap on the back of a shoe. The bell-shaped ring  14  has a curved top portion  16  and a flat bottom portion  18 . The elastomeric band  12  encircles the flat bottom portion  18  of the bell-shaped ring  14  to secure the bell-shaped ring  14  to the elastomeric band  12 . The support member  24  has opposing top and bottom ends with a hole at its top end and a U-shaped channel  26  at its bottom end. The U-shaped channel  26  has a shorter side and a longer side with the shorter side having gripping teeth  28  placed along its inner surface. The support member  24  lies adjacent to the elastomeric band  12  and is connected to the elastomeric band  12  through the use of a snap  30  &amp;  32 . The snap is comprised of a first portion  30  and a second portion  32 . The first portion  30  of the snap has an elongated receptacle  34  while the second portion  32  of the snap has a prong  36  that is slidably engageable with the elongated receptacle  34  on the first portion  30  of the snap. The receptacle  34  of the first portion  30  of the snap extends through the curved portion  16  of the bell-shaped ring  14  located at the top of the elastomeric band  12  and through the hole in the top of the support member  24  until it lies adjacent to the interior of the pant leg. The prong  36  of the second portion  32  of the snap passes through the pant leg to engage with the receptacle  34  of the first portion  30  of the snap to hold trouser leg retaining device  10  to the pant leg. In use, the support member  24  is placed adjacent to the inside surface of the pant leg so that the back hem of the pant leg inserts into the U-shaped channel  26  and is held in place by the gripping teeth  28 . The elastomeric band  12  lies adjacent to the opposite side of the support member  24 . The snap  30  &amp;  32  is engaged to ensure that the trouser leg retaining device  10  stays in place on the pant. The O-shaped ring  20  is then secured to the shoe by opening the coupling  22  to allow for the trouser leg retaining device  10  to be secured to the shoe. Once the O-shaped ring  20  is hooked through the shoe strap, the coupling  22  is closed to ensure a secure attachment from the pant to the shoe. The outside surface of the second portion  32  of the snap could be imprinted with a predetermined logo or design. 
     FIG. 3 shows the second embodiment of the present invention, which utilizes a locking clip  42  for the attachment device as opposed to the O-shaped ring  20  of the first embodiment. The locking clip  42  has a pair of jaws  44  pivotally affixed to one another. Each of the jaws  44  has a plurality of teeth  46  affixed to one end. Each pair of jaws  44  has a flange  48  protruding from the end opposite the teeth  46 . A spring (not shown) attaches the jaws  44  so that pressure applied to each flange  48  opens the jaws  44  to attach the trouser leg retaining device  10  to the back of a shoe. 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the trouser leg retaining device  10  engaged with the trouser leg. This figure shows the first portion  30  of the snap engaged with the second portion  32  of the snap to hold the supporting member  24  to the elastomeric band  12 . The prong  36  of the second portion  32  of the snap passes through the exterior surface of the pant leg to slidably engage with the receptacle  34  of the first portion  30  of the snap. The receptacle  34  of the first snap portion is lined with a plastic holding material  40  that grips the prong  36  of the second snap portion  32  to hold the two snap portions  30  &amp;  32  together. It also shows the snap  30  &amp;  32  engagement with regard to placement on the trouser leg. The hem of the pant leg sits within the U-shaped channel  26  of the support member  24 . The gripping teeth  28  of the U-shaped channel  26  hold the pant leg in place. The locking clamp  38  is shown as allowing the elastomeric band  12  to be lengthened or shortened as the need may be. In use, the trouser leg retaining device  10  is placed within the pant leg so that the rigid support member  24  lies adjacent to the interior of the pant leg. The hem of the pant leg is placed within the U-shaped channel  26  of the support member  24  so that the gripping teeth  28  grip the exterior surface of the pant leg. The receptacle  34  of the first portion  30  of a snap fastener passes through the bell-shaped ring  14  on the elastic band  12  and then passes through the hole in the rigid support member  24 . The prong  36  of the second portion  32  of the snap fastener passes through the pant leg to attach to the receptacle  34  of the first portion  30  of the snap faster to hold the trouser leg retaining device  10  to the pant leg. The O-shaped ring  20  on the end of the elastic band  12  is hooked through the shoe strap on the back of a shoe. The elastic band  12  is then adjusted to the desired length using the locking clamp  38  so that when sitting or standing, the elastic band  12  stretches and keeps the pant leg from falling behind the shoe. 
     While a preferred embodiment of the trouser leg retaining device has been described in detail, it should be apparent that modifications and variations thereto are possible, all of which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.