Abstract:
A hidden implement holder system. The hidden implement holder system comprises; a cummerbund article; and an implement compartment coupled to and concealed by the cummerbund. The cummerbund article further comprises an implement holder contained within the implement compartment, and the implement compartment further comprises a closeable access coupled thereto. The implement holder is comprised of a vertically stabilized rigid material, having horizontal flexibility, and having a set of implement cavities thereon, and additionally comprises a set of implements positioned within the set of implement cavities.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention is in the field of implement holders, and more particularly, is a system for a cummerbund that holds implements while simultaneously concealing them from view, and also providing vertical stabilization of the cummerbund. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     In the hospitality profession a standard item of apparel is a cummerbund, or similar article. A cummerbund is a wide sash with horizontal pleats worn at the waist. More generally, a cummerbund is also defined as any shawl or sash worn at the waist, especially by men in India. The cummerbund is generally worn beneath a dinner jacket by guests or attendees to formal events, and is also worn as an accessory by hospitality professionals. Hospitality professionals include, without being limited to, bartenders, bussing staff, waiters, waitresses, maitre&#39;ds, hospitality managers, etc. Hospitality professionals often wear a cummerbund as it presents a neat, well-ordered appearance, and serves to keep the front of the shirt and pants, particularly around the waist, looking professional and dapper. Hospitality professionals in the course of their duties have need of implements, or working tools, to: remove bottle tops and corks; light cigarettes and cigars for guests; trim cigars for guests; supply writing instruments when asked; etc. Therefore, the hospitality professional must keep these and other tools of their trade at hand. This becomes even more important as the level of event formality or the stature of the event guests increases. Until now, hospitality professionals had to carry their working tools in their shirt pockets, in their pants pockets, etc. Placing these tools in their shirt or pants pockets creates an unsightly appearance as the pockets become distended, and the pockets more easily pick up stains and dirt due to brushing dirty surfaces. The constant access to the tools also causes the pockets areas to become soiled quickly by the user&#39;s hands. A further problem is that some tools may not even fit easily into pockets, or the number of tools will exceed the space available in the clothing pockets. 
     Therefore, a need existed for a system of carrying a variety of hospitality professional&#39;s implements in a concealed manner to maintain the hospitality worker&#39;s appearance dapper. Additionally, a need existed for a system for carrying a variety of hospitality professional&#39;s implements in a manner that would allow easy access by the hospitality worker. A further need existed for a system for carrying a variety of hospitality professional&#39;s implements in a manner that would minimize the problem of soiling the hospitality professional&#39;s clothing problem due to removing and replacing the implements during use, and minimize contact soiling due to distended pockets. Yet another need existed for a system for easily carrying a variety of hospitality professional&#39;s implements not easily carried in the pockets of the hospitality professional. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a system of carrying a variety of hospitality professional&#39;s implements in a concealed manner to maintain the hospitality worker&#39;s appearance dapper. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a system for carrying a variety of hospitality professional&#39;s implements in a manner that would allow easy access by the hospitality worker. 
     Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a system for carrying a variety of hospitality professional&#39;s implements in a manner that would minimize the problem of soiling the hospitality professional&#39;s clothing problem due to removing and replacing the implements during use, and minimize contact soiling due to distended pockets. 
     An additional object of the present invention is to provide a system for easily carrying a variety of hospitality professional&#39;s implements not easily carried in the pockets of the hospitality professional. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a hidden implement holder system is disclosed. The hidden implement holder system comprises; a cummerbund article and an implement compartment coupled to and concealed by the cummerbund. 
     In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, an internal hidden implement holder and cummerbund appearance maintenance system is disclosed. The internal hidden implement holder and cummerbund appearance maintenance system comprises; a cummerbund article; and a vertically stabilized implement compartment coupled to the cummerbund. 
     The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following, more particular, description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     FIG. 1 is a elevated perspective view, of the hidden implement holder system of the present invention with the implement compartment closed. 
     FIG. 2 is a side cut-away view along the line  2 — 2  of FIG. 1 of the hidden implement holder system of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a front view of the implement holder/cummerbund reinforcement of the hidden implement holder system of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a top view of three of the implement cavities of the implement holder/cummerbund reinforcement looking down along line  4 — 4  of FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 5 is an exploded back perspective view, of the hidden implement holder system of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a back perspective view of the implement holder/cummerbund reinforcement showing the flexibility of the hidden implement holder system. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to FIG. 1, an elevated perspective view of the hidden implement holder system (the “system  10 ” hereinafter) of the present invention is shown. The system  10  comprises a cummerbund article of wearing apparel. A cummerbund is worn in the hospitality profession as a standard item of wearing apparel or uniform. A cummerbund is a wide sash with horizontal pleats worn about the waist. More generally, a cummerbund is also defined as any shawl or sash worn at the waist, especially by men in India. Hospitality professionals often wear a cummerbund as it presents a neat, well-ordered appearance, and serves to keep the shirt front and pants, particularly around the waist, looking professional and dapper. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the system  10 , in general, comprises a cummerbund sash  20 , featuring a plurality of horizontal pleats  21 , the sash end pieces  18   a  and  b,  the cummerbund support straps  16   a  and  b,  support strap length adjustment buckles  14   a  and  b,  and the cummerbund clasps  12   a  and  b.  A user places the system  10  around their waist in a manner well known to users of cummerbunds (wearing method not shown herein) with the cummerbund sash  20  at the front of the user&#39;s waist, the cummerbund clasps  12   a  and  b  are fastened together, and the support strap length adjustment buckles  14   a  and  b  adjusted for a comfortable fit around the user&#39;s waist. The cummerbund sash  20  further comprises a pouch  25  (See FIG. 2.) The pouch  25  also comprises a closure at the top of the cummerbund sash  20 . In a preferred embodiment, the closure is a zipper  22 , though other closures may be used. Other closures, for example may be, without being limited to, hook and loop fasteners, buttons, snaps, etc. Examining the system  10  shown in FIG. 1, the zipper  22  may be observed along the top of the cummerbund sash  20 . The zipper  22  has it&#39;s zipper pull  24  located to the user&#39;s right in a preferred embodiment when the zipper  22  is in the closed position, though those skilled in the art will realize that the zipper  22  may be attached so as to place the zipper pull at either the left or the right when in the closed position depending on the preferences of the user or the manufacturer. 
     Referring to FIG. 2, a side cut-away view along the line  2 — 2  of FIG. 1 of the system  10  of the present invention is shown. In a preferred embodiment, the cummerbund sash  20  has within its confines the pouch  25 . However, in an alternate embodiment (not shown herein), the pouch  25  may be a separate item coupled to and behind the cummerbund sash  20 . This alternate embodiment would allow the use of multiple cummerbunds with a single pouch  25  thereby more easily allowing the cleaning and care of the cummerbund sash  20 . Retuning to a preferred embodiment as shown in FIG. 2, placed within the pouch  25  is an implement holder/cummerbund reinforcement  30 . The implement holder/cummerbund reinforcement  30  is placed within the pouch  25  and when the zipper  22  is in the zipped, or closed position, the implement holder/cummerbund reinforcement  30  is not visible to proximate people. Referring to FIG. 5, a back perspective and exploded view, of the system  10  is shown. In this exploded view, the implement holder/cummerbund reinforcement  30  is shown removed from the pouch  25 . Additionally, the pouch  25  is open with the zipper pull  24  shown in the open position. Also shown in FIG. 5 are exemplary implements  42 ,  44 ,  46 ,  48 , and  50  above their receiving implement cavities  32   a,    32   c,    32   d,    32   f  and  3   g  respectively. The exemplary implements shown herein are: 
     
       
         
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 Item Number 
                 Implement 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 42 
                 Cigar Cutter 
               
               
                 44 
                 Cork Screw / Bottle Cap 
               
               
                   
                 Remover 
               
               
                 46 
                 Pen / Pencil 
               
               
                 48 
                 Lighter 
               
               
                 50 
                 Box of matches 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     The exemplary implements  42 - 50  are not meant to be limiting, but are merely exemplary of the many different implements useable with the system  10 . Further examples of implements (not shown herein) comprise, without being limited to; books of matches, pen knifes, crumb scoops, candle trimmers, nail files, fingernail clippers, etc. 
     Referring to FIG. 3 a front view of the implement holder/cummerbund reinforcement  30  of the system  10  of the present invention is shown. In a preferred embodiment the implement holder/cummerbund reinforcement  30  is comprised of a set of implement cavities  32   a-g,  as previously mentioned, for holding or storing the implements, or tools of the trade, of the user, a hospitality professional. Each of the implement cavities  32   a-g  are designed to fit a variety of implements. In a preferred embodiment the implement cavities  32   a-g  are sized for specific implements that are generic in nature. i.e. a standard BIC™ lighter, a standard cigar cutter etc. However those skilled in the art will realize that a designer or manufacturer would easily be able to select their own desired implements and size the implement cavities  32   a-g  accordingly, including varying the number of, size, shape and design of the implement cavities  32 , or the material thereof, as either desired or necessary. 
     Referring to FIG. 4 a top view of the implement cavities  32   a-g  of the implement holder/cummerbund reinforcement  30  looking down along line  4 — 4  of FIG. 3 is shown. This view shows that in a preferred embodiment the construction of the implement holder/cummerbund reinforcement  30  of the system  10  comprises interstitial spacing  33  between the implement cavities  32 . This interstitial spacing  33  is a feature that allows the implement holder/cummerbund reinforcement  30  of the system  10  to be horizontally flexible while remaining vertically rigid. The horizontal flexibility is shown in FIG. 6 which shows a back perspective view of the implement holder/cummerbund reinforcement  30 . As shown, the implement holder/cummerbund reinforcement  30  will flex along a horizontal axis thus allowing the cummerbund sash  20 , into which the implement holder/cummerbund reinforcement  30  is inserted, to conform to the waist of the user of the system  10 . Additionally, the implement cavities  32   a-g  will maintain the vertical aspect of the implement holder/cummerbund reinforcement  30  substantially linear thereby maintaining a smooth vertical appearance of the cummerbund sash  20  and pleats  21 . 
     Although the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.