Utility belt

A utility belt formed from an elongated strip of plastic material having a predetermined length, width and thickness. The plastic material of the elongated strip has inherent torsion resistance to thereby prevent the belt from being twisted more than 90 degrees. The longitudinal flexibility of the elongated strip is such that it can be drawn around a person's waist to form a closed loop belt. Trim molding is attached to the peripheral edges of the elongated strip and it provides stiffening resistance to torsional twisting forces. The inner surface of the belt has hollow tubing attached to one side of the trim molding and it forms a resilient flange around the periphery of the inner surface of the belt. A layer of open cell foam having an egg carton contour on its outer surface is detachably received against the inner surface of the elongated strip between the resilient flanges formed by the hollow tubing. The hollow tubing and open cell foam function to cushion the inner surface of the utility belt against the wearer's body. A plurality of air holes are formed at predetermined locations in the elongated strip of plastic material to allow the belt to breathe. A plurality of snap-lock assemblies have their female portion permanently attached to the outer surface of the elongated strip. The male portion of the snap-lock assemblies may be attached to tool holders of various sizes an configurations.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The invention relates to a belt and more specifically to utility belt to be 
worn around a person's waist and having structure on its outer surface for 
attaching and carrying articles such as tools or equipment. The utility 
belt is designed to support the articles or equipment close to the body 
and has structure to expedite the exchange or transfer and the use of 
these tools for the purpose of accomplishing work tasks or toteage 
requirements. Specialized receiviers, receptacles, pockets, hooks, 
holders, and so forth can be readily attached to the belt by utilizing the 
snap-lock assemblies whose female portion is permanently attached to the 
belt and whose male portion is attached to the tool or equipment receiver 
to be carried. 
In the past, the standard structure for carrying tools or equipment has 
been through the use of tailored pouches or pockets utilized as receivers. 
A belt usually made of leather or fabric was inserted through a loop or 
aperture manufactured in the receiver and in this manner the belt and 
receivers were worn around the waist of the user. 
The belts of the present state of the art have several disadvantages and 
some of these are as follows. (1). The removal of the receivers first 
necessitates the removal of the belt off of the waist of the user (since 
the belt is "threaded" through the loop or aperture in the receivers) and 
then the disengagement of the receivers from the belt. A lack of utility 
and an unnecessary consumption of time results from such a lengthy 
process. (2) The receivers are affixed to the belt in a manner which 
allows them to slide the entire length of the belt when encircled around 
the waist of the user, thus in a forward prone position a user can 
experience the receivers shift location abruptly and the contents therein 
dislodged. (3) The leather and fabric materials used in the present belt 
systems do not exhibit the inherent torsional stiffness which would 
prevent distorsion from occuring in the belts shape, contributing to this 
distorsion is the present belts minimal thickness which rarely exceeds 1/4 
inch in dimension. (4) Therefore with insufficient torsional stiffness and 
thickness in the belts material characteristics and dimensions, rolls, 
sags, twists, and depressions can form parallel to the plane of the users 
waist, predominately near the receivers, and of a proportion which is 
linked to the amount of weight and load transfered by the receivers to the 
belt in this region. Since the receivers are generally worn at the users 
side near the pelvic hip area, these distorsions in the belt come into 
contact with the users flesh (though separated by clothing if so worn) and 
can cause discomfort and pain. The clothing (shirt, pants) does not serve 
to minimize this substantial abrasive contact caused by the distorsions. 
(5) The distorsions become more pronounced and severe with time and use, a 
correlation attributable to the common material composition of the belt 
systems which are inadequate to prevent stretching, flexure, or 
convolution. (6) Another disadvantage to the present systems is that the 
belt must be worn tightly around the users waist otherwise the belt and 
receivers would slip off of the torso even with modest loading. (7) 
Inevitably this downward slipping of the belt and receivers results in the 
users pants slipping down off of the waist also. This effect is awkward 
and discomforting as well time consuming to remedy. (8) The necessity to 
wear these present systems quite tightly is due to their inability to bear 
load properly upon the body frame. (9) Furthermore, in many construction 
trades a large quantity of tools are worn, therefore this necessitates the 
wearing of suspenders or straps over the shoulders to help bear the weight 
which the present belt and receiver systems are incapable of supporting 
singularly. (10) The present belt systems belt buckle is positioned in the 
front of the user's abdomen, this substantially unprotected contact can 
cause gouging and irritation thus discomfort to the user. 
It is an object of the invention to provide a novel utility belt which can 
facilitate the rapid and simplistic removal or attachment of the 
receivers. 
It is also an object of the invention to provide a novel utility belt 
having structure to provide secure mounting of the receivers on the belt 
to prevent shifting or dislodgement of the articles contained therein. 
It is another object of the invention to provide a novel utility belt which 
provides comfort along the entire surface in contact with the user's body. 
It is another object of the invention to provide a novel utility belt that 
has sufficient torsional characteristics to present a flush surface in 
contact with the user's body which will not exhibit rolls, sags, twists 
and depressions. 
It is another object of the invention to provide a novel utility belt that 
can be worn less tightly than present belt systems. 
It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel utility belt 
that provides greater load bearing capacity, therefore eliminating the 
need for additional support means such as suspenders or straps. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Applicant's novel utility belt has been designed for supporting articles 
secured to the outer surface of the belt. It is formed from an elongated 
strip of plastic material, such as ABS, having a thickness between 0.050 
inches and 0.250 inches. The material of the belt has sufficient torsion 
resistance to prevent the elongated strip from being twisted more than 90 
degrees. Additionally molding is attached to the peripheral edge of the 
elongated strip around its entire perimeter and the serrated metal clip 
structure within the interior of the molding provides additional torsional 
resistance toward preventing the elongated strip from being twisted. As a 
result of this combination of structure, the weight of tools and other 
items or articles that are secured in tool holders or other like devices 
that are attached to the outside surface of the belt is distributed 
thorughout the width and length of the belt. This difference differs from 
the state of the art type of leather belt or fabric belt that sag, twist, 
and form rolls in the area adjacent where the weight of the tool is being 
supported. 
A resilient flange formed from hollow neoprene tubing is attached to the 
inside surface of the belt adjacent the trim molding and this forms a 
resilient flange around the periphery of the elongated strip plastic 
material. A strip of open cell foam is captured within the confines of the 
resilient flange structure. The surface of the open cell foam that is in 
intimate contact with the wearer has a contoured surface formed like the 
interior of an egg carton. The force of the hollow tubing against the 
wearer's waist functions to both cushion the belt against the wearer and 
also effects a fractional resistance to the belt slipping downwardly under 
the weight of the objects carried thereby. 
A plurality of snap-lock assemblies have their female portion permanently 
secured to the outer surface of the elongated strip member. The mating 
male portions may be attached to holders or receivers such as tool 
holders. A plurality of strategically placed air holes are formed in the 
elongated strip member to allow the belt to breathe. 
Nylon webbing straps are secured to the respective ends of the elongated 
strip of plastic material through slots in the outer surface if the strip. 
A buckle assembly having a female portion and a male portion are attached 
to their respective ends of the webbing. Since the webbing is attached to 
the outer surface of the belt, the buckle assembly when assembled in its 
connected position is in minimal or no contact with the wearer's body thus 
preventing the buckle from gouging into the wearer's skin.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Applicant's novel utility belt will now be described by referring to FIGS. 
1 and 2 of the drawing. The utility belt is generally designated numeral 
10. 
Utility belt 10 is formed from an elongated strip of plastic material 12. 
It has a trim molding 14 secured to it around its perpheral edge. A hollow 
tubing 16 is glued to the trim molding 14 and it extends around the 
perimeter of strip 12 and it forms a resilient inwardly extnding flange. A 
strip of open cell foam 18 is captured within the resilient flange 
structure formed by hollow tubing 16. The open cell foam 18 is removable 
when so desired. A plurality of air holes 20 are formed at predetermined 
locations in the elongated strip 12 and provide breathability to the belt. 
Receivers such as tool holder 24 have the male portion 25 of snap-lock 
assembly 26 secured to their upper edge. Male portion 25 has a wall 27, 
downwardly extending laterally spaced flanges 28 and 29, and an upstanding 
resilient tongue member 30. Female portion 31 of snap-lock assembly 26 has 
a tongue receptacle area 32, and a locking bar 33. To engage the two 
members, tongue 30 is slid into the bottom of receptacle area 32 until the 
tongue 30 springs upwardly and is captured by locking bar 33. To disengage 
the male portion 25, it is merely necessary to depress tongue 30 and pull 
downwardly on the male portion 25. A pair of posts 38 extend rearwardly 
from rear wall 39. These posts pass through apertures in strip 12 and push 
nuts 40 securely lock onto posts 38 and prevent the detachment of female 
portion 31 of the snap-lock assembly 26. 
A different type of fastener or attachment for holding different things is 
designated numeral 50. It has a webbing 51 that passes around loop 52 with 
its free end captured under trim molding 14. A snap member 53 is also 
pivoted on loop 52. 
The buckle assembly 60 is formed from a male portion 61 and a female 
portion 62, and straps 63 and 64 of nylon webbing. Slots 66 are formed in 
the respective ends of strip 12 and the free ends of the straps 63 and 64 
pass through them and are secured to the inside surface of strip 12 by a 
solvent. Strap 63 has its other end passing aound a post 68 of female 
portion 62. Strap 64 passes through a loop 69 and then around a post 70 on 
male portion 61. The resilient fingers 72 of male portion 61 are 
compressed into female portion 62 and expand outwardly into apertures 74 
to lock in place. To detach the two members from each other it is merely 
necessary to compress fingers 72 inwardly and pull the male and female 
portions apart.