Abstract:
An arrangement for carrying or storing or transporting portable items for quick access by a user includes a magnetically assisted mechanical catch and carrying system which has a carrying unit with a cavity and a carried member with a protrusion that is received in the cavity. The carried member has a recess and the carrying unit has a movable latch that can be engaged into the recess for locking the carrier member in the cavity. Mutually magnetically attracting parts or materials are provided in or on the carrying unit and carried member for magnetically attracting the protrusion into the cavity. At least one or both of the latch and the protrusion are shaped to allow easy insertion of the protrusion into the cavity, or the latch may be manually pushed aside to allow insertion of the protrusion into the cavity.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    The present application claims priority on U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/282,703 filed Mar. 19, 2010 which is also incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to the field of carrying devices and in particular, to a new and useful arrangement for detachably and securely locking a portable item to a carrying unit. The carrying unit may be worn by a user, for example on the user&#39;s belt, or connected to a larger item that is carried by the user, such as a handbag, backpack, brief case or other luggage, or the carrying unit may be attached to an even larger item like a vehicle or a piece of furniture or other fixed or movable fixture or surface in the user&#39;s home or work place. 
         [0003]    There are many devices used to attach and hold or carry items, in particular, relatively small portable items. In recent years there has been a surge in such portable items that people could carry in addition to the traditional items needed for everyday living such as keys, eyeglasses, ID tags, tools and other similar items that a person would carry or need to have readily available for immediate access. In the current world, in addition to the items previously mentioned, there are MP players, cell phones (smart and otherwise), PDA&#39;s, iPod® and iPad® brand electronic handheld units, BlackBerry® brand electronic handheld units, GPS devices, pagers and small cameras, to name a few. For the purpose of this disclosure, the varied newer devices, as well as the older types of small items to be carried around, or even a case, or housing or holder or sleeve for such a new or old item are here called a “portable item.” For convenience the term “other item” or “another item” is here used to denote the person or thing that will be carrying the portable item, such as the user, the user&#39;s belt, belt loop or other thing worn by the user, another larger item that is carried by the user such as a handbag, backpack, brief case or other luggage, or even larger items like a vehicle or a piece of furniture or other fixed or movable fixture or surface in the user&#39;s home or work place. 
         [0004]    There are many and varied known devices used to help carry these portable items. There are snap hooks used to secure items to rings, loops, buckles, etc. There are pouches used to transport items and clips that attach the items to one&#39;s belt or to special sections in handbags and carrying cases. There are clips that attach some portable items directly to other items and there are magnets used to hold the portable item to a desired location. 
         [0005]    All of these and more are ways people carry, transport or store portable items for immediate or quick access and portability. The invention disclosed here, is a better way to carry or storing or transport portable items. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    It is an object of the present invention to provide an arrangement for carrying or storing or transporting portable items for quick access by a user that includes a magnetically assisted mechanical catch and carrying system which has a carrying unit with a cavity and a carried member with a protrusion that is received in the cavity, the carried member having a recess and the carrying unit having a movable latch that can be engaged into the recess for locking the carrier member in the cavity. Mutually magnetically attracting parts or materials are provided in or on the carrying unit and carried member, for magnetically attracting the protrusion into the cavity. At least one or both of the latch and the protrusion are shaped to allow easy insertion of the protrusion into the cavity, or the latch may be manually pushed aside to allow insertion of the protrusion into the cavity. 
         [0007]    Another object of the invention is to fix the carrier member to a portable item and to provide the carrying unit with mounting means for connecting the carrying unit to a larger item such as the user, via an item of the user&#39;s clothing like a belt or belt loop, or other larger item that is carried by the user, such as a handbag, backpack, brief case or other luggage, or to an even large item like a vehicle or a piece of furniture or fixture or surface in the user&#39;s home or work place. 
         [0008]    According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the carrier member that is fixed to the portable item wished to be carried and transported, includes a base in the form of a disk or plate that is fixed to the portable item by attachment means such as, but not limited to, adhesives, screws, clips, etc. The carrier member also includes the protrusion that is connected to the base by a connector such as a cylindrical shaft having a smaller dimension, e.g. a smaller diameter, than the protrusion, to form the recess that is preferably an annular recess around the connecter into which the latch is received. 
         [0009]    Part or all of the carried member, especially the protrusion, is advantageously made of or includes a metal such as iron, nickel or other magnetic material, that is attracted by a magnetic flux, and a permanent magnet is provided in the carrying unit for attracting the protrusion into the cavity. 
         [0010]    Mounting means for connecting the carrying unit to the larger item such as the user, may be a hook and catch that is attached to the user&#39;s belt loop or other loop on the user&#39;s bag or brief case. It can, for example be, a loop, ring or buckle. 
         [0011]    The carrying unit in its preferred form, has a magnet that attracts the magnetically attractable metal protrusion into the cavity of the carrying unit. The magnetic flux draws the protrusion into the cavity, pulling it through the ramped locking latch and into a rest area within the cavity. The protrusion also has a ramp shape around it perimeter to aid the moving aside of the latch. The latch is biased into the cavity by a spring or other biasing means so that when the protrusion is seated in the cavity the latch is urged into the recess of the carried member to lock the protrusion in the cavity and positively and mechanically lock the carried member to the carrying unit. The latch can also be drawn back from it&#39;s locked position and can be opened to receive the protrusion, then closed again to lock the protrusion. This allows the latch to secure the protrusion in the cavity with a positive lock and not to release the protrusion until the user desires to release the protrusion, and therefore the portable item connected thereto. 
         [0012]    This action of drawing back the locking latch can also be done by the force of the magnetic flux onto the protrusion in conjunction with the shapes of the parts of the latch and protrusion that engage each other as the protrusion enters the cavity. All the user has to do is put the protrusion within range of the magnetic flux. 
         [0013]    Since the protrusion is fixed onto or is an inherent part of something desired to be transported or stored, i.e. the portable item, this item is now fixed onto the body of carrying unit. 
         [0014]    The release is achieved by depressing a release button, lever or activator located on the body of the carrying unit. This button or release will then move the locking latch out of its locked position, allowing the portable item to be removed by the user when they pull the protrusion out of the cavity. The only resistance is the magnetic flux. By exerting sufficient force to overcome the magnetic flux, the user removes the portable item from the carrying unit. 
         [0015]    The invention is unique in that it allows a magnet to help seek the position needed to lock the carrying unit to the protrusion. The magnet seeks and draws the protrusion into the locking cavity, pulling the protrusion past the locking latch by pushing the latch out of the way by use of magnetic force and the ramp shapes on the protrusion or latch or both. The protrusion is now in the carrying unit cavity as the latch snaps into the recess or undercut around the connector connecting the protrusion to the base of the carrier member, and securing the protrusion in the cavity. The portable item is now secured by a positive lock created by the use of the magnetic flux and the ramp and spring tension on the latch and protrusion. 
         [0016]    A carabineer version of the invention is also contemplated there the carrying unit body of the invention will move and seek the protrusion as much as the protrusion seeks the magnet. This greatly aids the ability to find the locking cavity and secures the parts without even having to look. By just putting the protrusion near the carrying unit, the magnetic flux then attracts the parts and they will work to find each other. 
         [0017]    If one needs to secure or transport two items, such as a cell phone and keys, there is an embodiment of the invention where there are two locking cavities, one on one side and one on the other side of the carrying unit. The function will work the same on each side and allow the user to use the invention to secure or transport two independent items, yet have easy access to each. 
         [0018]    The various features of novelty which 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 specific objects attained by its uses, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]    In the drawings: 
           [0020]      FIG. 1  is a front elevational view of a carrying unit of the invention with part of a cover of the unit cut away; 
           [0021]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a latch of the invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged sectional view taken along line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0023]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the latch of the invention as it is being approached by a carried member of the invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 5  is a sectional view taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 4  but with a portable item fixed to the carrier member; 
           [0025]      FIG. 6  is a view similar to  FIG. 4  showing the latch and carried member just before the latch is biased into its locking position; 
           [0026]      FIG. 7  is a view similar to  FIG. 4  showing the latch and carried member after the latch has been biased into its locking position; 
           [0027]      FIG. 8  is a sectional view taken along line  8 - 8  of  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0028]      FIG. 9  is an enlarged sectional view taken from area  9  of  FIG. 8 ; 
           [0029]      FIG. 10  is an exploded view of the individual parts that make up the carrying unit of the invention; 
           [0030]      FIG. 11  is a left side elevational view of the carrying unit of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0031]      FIG. 12  is a front elevational view of the carrying unit of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0032]      FIG. 13  is a right side elevational view of the carrying unit of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0033]      FIG. 14  is a rear elevational view of the carrying unit of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0034]      FIG. 15  is a diagram illustrating the action of the invention as a portable item like a smart phone to which a carried member of the invention is fixed, approaches the carrying unit of the invention; 
           [0035]      FIG. 16  is a diagram illustrating a later moment in the action as the carrying unit that is hung on a belt loop of a user, is being magnetically attracted to the carried member of the invention; 
           [0036]      FIG. 17  is a diagram illustrating a still further moment in the action after the carried member has been captured by and locked to the carrying unit of the invention; 
           [0037]      FIG. 18  is a left side elevational view of the carrying unit of a second embodiment of the invention; 
           [0038]      FIG. 19  is a front elevational view of the carrying unit of the second embodiment; 
           [0039]      FIG. 20  is a right side elevational view of the carrying unit of the second embodiment; 
           [0040]      FIG. 21  is a rear elevational view of the carrying unit of the second embodiment; 
           [0041]      FIG. 22  is an exploded explanatory view of the assembly process for the second embodiment; 
           [0042]      FIG. 23  is a left side elevational view of the carrying unit of a third embodiment of the invention; 
           [0043]      FIG. 24  is a front elevational view of the carrying unit of the third embodiment; 
           [0044]      FIG. 25  is a right side elevational view of the carrying unit of the third embodiment; 
           [0045]      FIG. 26  is a rear elevational view of the carrying unit of the third embodiment; and 
           [0046]      FIG. 27  is an exploded view of the latch and button of the embodiment of  FIGS. 23 to 26 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0047]    Referring now to the drawings, in which like reference numerals are used to refer to the same or similar elements,  FIGS. 1 to 10  illustrate an arrangement for carrying a portable item like a cell phone or other small electronic device  100  show in  FIG. 5 , on another item, such as a person or something the person is wearing or carrying, like a belt or handbag. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the arrangement comprises a carrying unit  12  having a body  14  with a circular opening  18  and a cavity  16  in the body  14  that communicates with the opening  18 . A latch  20  is mounted for movement, e.g. vertical linear sliding movement, in the carrying unit body  14 , between a locking position shown in  FIGS. 1 and 7 , and a releasing position shown in  FIG. 6 . The latch  20  has a blocking portion  22  that extends in a locking position, at least partly into the cavity  16  when the latch is in the upper locking position. The blocking portion  22  is at least partly withdrawn from the cavity  16  when the latch is in the lower releasing position, to allow exiting of a protrusion of a carrier member of the invention from the cavity, as will be explained later in this disclosure. 
         [0048]    A biasing member that is here generically called a spring, and in the preferred embodiment is a steel coil compression spring  24 , is engaged with latch  20  for biasing the latch toward and into its locking position. An activator  26 , that in the embodiment of  FIG. 1  is a lever, is engaged the latch  20 . The activator  26  has a manually accessible portion  29  extending outside the carrying unit body  14 , for being manually movable by a user for moving the latch  20  down into its release position to release the protrusion and allow removal of the carrier member and its attached portable item from the carrying unit. The manually accessible portion  29  of the activator  26  is a knurled handle extending outside the carrying unit body  14 . 
         [0049]    As best shown in  FIGS. 4 to 9 , a carried member  30  has a protrusion  32  that can be received in the cavity  16  when the portable item  100  is carried by the other item or user. The carried member  30  has a recess  34  for receiving the blocking portion  22  of the latch  20  when the latch is in its locking position for locking the carried member to the carrying unit and thus connecting the portable item to the carrying unit. 
         [0050]    A permanent magnet is connected, is positioned in or is formed as a part of either the carrying unit  12  or the carried member  30 , or both, the other of the carrying unit or carried member being at least partly made of or containing a magnetically attractable material so that when the protrusion  32  is near the cavity  16 , the protrusion is urged by magnetic attraction to enter the cavity  16  through the opening  18 . In a preferred embodiment of the invention, and as shown in  FIG. 10 , a permanent magnet  28  is in the cavity  16  at its base for attracting the carrier member  30  that is made or contains magnetically attractable material like iron or nickel or other magnetically attractable material. Alternatively carrier member  30  may also be a permanent magnet with its North pole facing a South pole of the magnet  28 , or visa versa, or carrier member  30  may be a permanent magnet and the interior of cavity  16  at least near  28  may be or contain magnetically attractable material like iron or nickel or other such material. 
         [0051]    Attachment means, such as but not limited to an adhesive pad  40 , fixes the carried member to the portable item  100  to be carried by the carrying unit  12 . These attachment means may alternatively be another type of adhesive, one or more screws, a clip, one or more rivets, a clamp, a press fit pin or pins, or some other mechanism that will attach the carrier member to the portable item or even to a carrying case or housing or sleeve for the portable item. Mounting means are also provided for connecting the carrying unit  12  to another item like the user, his or her clothing, or an item the use is carrying, for carrying the portable item  100 . A preferred embodiment for these mounting means is a hook  15  formed on the carry unit body  14  for hooking onto a loop of another item, like a belt loop, a backpack, brief case, handbag or luggage ring, or the like. In an even more preferred embodiment the mounting means includes the hook  15  forming an entry passage with another portion of the carry unit body  14 , and spring loaded catch  17  movably mounted to the carry unit body  14  for closing and opening the passage to receptively admit and trap a loop of another item  102  for carrying the portable item  100 . In this way the carrying unit  12  acts like a carabineer that is suspended from the loop and can swing freely thereon as will be better explained in connection with  FIGS. 15 to 17 . 
         [0052]    According to another aspect of the invention, at least one of the protrusion  32  and the blocking portion  22  of the latch  20 , and preferable both, are shaped so that with the magnetic attraction pulling the protrusion into the cavity, the latch  20  is temporarily moved aside, toward its release position, to allow the protrusion  32  to pass the latch  20  and enter the cavity  16 , whereupon the latch moves to its locking position with the blocking portion  22  entering the recess  34  of the carrier member to lock the portable item to the carrying unit. 
         [0053]      FIG. 15  shows the invention as the portable item  100  is approaching the carrying unit  12 , for example after a user  102  has finished a phone call and is returning the cell phone  100  to the carrying unit  12 . As the distance between the carrier member  30  and carrying unit  12  becomes small, for example about 1 to ½ inch, the magnetic attraction between the two will cause the hanging carabineer-like carrying unit  12  to swing up on the belt loop  104  it has been hooked onto, toward the hand held portable item  100  in the direction of the arrows. 
         [0054]    Returning to  FIGS. 2 to 6 , the special shaped of the protrusion  32  or the blocking portion  22  or both that permits entry and locking of the protrusion  32  in the cavity  16  is preferably achieved by having the protrusion  32  of the carried member  30 , formed as a circular disc with a ramped or beveled outer perimeter  36  facing the opening  18  in the carrying unit body  14  when the protrusion is to enter the cavity  16 . This is illustrated in  FIG. 4 . The blocking portion  22  of the latch  20  is also concavely arcuate and ramped or beveled facing outwardly of the opening  18  from the cavity  16  as shown  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 , so that with a magnetic attraction pulling the protrusion into the cavity, the beveled perimeter  36  and beveled blocking portion  22  engage each other to cause the latch  20  to temporarily move toward its release position as shown in  FIG. 6 , to allow the protrusion to pass the latch and enter the cavity  16  whereupon the latch moves to its locking position with the blocking portion  22  entering the recess  34  of the carrier member as shown in  FIGS. 7 ,  8  and  9 . 
         [0055]    The carrier member  30  as shown in  FIG. 5 , has a base  35  adapted to be fixed to the portable item  100  by the attachment means  40  and a connector  33  connecting the protrusion  32  to the base, the recess  34  being in the connector. The carrier member  30  preferably has a flat disc-shaped base  35  having opposite surfaces, one surface of the base being adapted to be fixed to the portable item  100  by said attachment means, a cylindrical connector  33  connecting the protrusion  32  to the opposite surface of the based, and the cylindrical connector  33  having a smaller diameter than the base and containing said recess  34 . The recess  34  is preferable an annular recess around the connector  33 , the protrusion  32  being flat and circular and having a diameter that is substantially equal to the diameter of the cylindrical connected  33  and larger than a diameter of the recess  34 . 
         [0056]    As shown in  FIG. 10  which is an exploded view of the carrying unit, the permanent magnet comprises a disk magnet  28  that is inserted into the cavity  16  in the carrying unit body  14 . The latch  20  has a rectangular journal portion  27  that is linearly slidably mounted in a slightly larger rectangular bearing box  21  formed in the carrying unit body  14 . The activator  26  has a lower cam surface  23  (see  FIG. 1 ) that is engaged with the top of the journal portion  27  and the spring  24  is engaged between the bottom of the journal portion  27  and the carrying unit body in the bottom of bearing box  21 . The carrying unit  12  includes a cover  19  defining the opening  18  into the cavity  16  and is connected to the carrying unit body  14  over the bearing box and an L-shaped part of the latch  20 , by screws  31  that are inserted from the rear of the body  14  through openings  37 , and are threaded into holes in the rear surface of the cover  19 . 
         [0057]    Activator  26  is mounted for rotation to the body  14  by a pin  25  shown in  FIG. 10 . To center the disk magnet  28  in the cavity  16  in the carrying unit body  14 , a spacer ring  42  is provided around the disk magnet  28 . The catch  17  is formed of a U-shaped length of spring metal which, as seen in  FIG. 10 , has a pair of off-set, inwardly bend free ends that engaged in holes  39  on opposite sides of the body  14 , on a portion of the body  14  that defines the passage with the free end of the hook  15 . This caused the catch  17  to be naturally biased against an inside surface of the free end of the hook  15  and allows the catch to be pushed inwardly of the passage to allow entry of a loop or ring or the other item, like the action of the gate of a carabiner, so the carrying unit  12  can hung freely on the loop or ring. 
         [0058]    The latch  20  is L-shaped in the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-17  and has a vertical leg mounted for linear movement in the carrying unit body  14 , via the journal portion  27 , and a horizontal leg that carries the acuate, ramped blocking portion  22 , the spring  24  being a coil compression spring engaged between the vertical leg of the latch  20  via its journal portion, and the carry unit body  14 , the cam surface  23  engaging the vertical leg of the latch for moving the latch when the activator  26  is rotated on its pin  25 , and the manually accessible portion comprising the knurled handle  29  and extending outside the carrying unit body. 
         [0059]      FIGS. 11 to 14  are two side, a front and a rear view of the carrying unit  12  that better show the carabiner-like hook  15  and catch  17  on the carrying unit body  14 . Respectively corresponding views of a second embodiment of the invention are in  FIGS. 18 to 21  where invention differs from the first embodiment by including two protrusion receiving openings  18  and  18 A with corresponding cavities  16  and  16 A on opposite sides of the carrying unit body  14 . This permits the engagement of two portable items on one carrying unit, such as a cell phone on one side and a set of keys on the other.  FIG. 22  shows the inside structure and assembly of the second embodiment that is like the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , except that it has an entry opening  18  and  18 A on both sides of the body  14  instead of the one entry point  18  as seen in  FIG. 1 . Near the top of  FIG. 22 , two rings  42  and  42 A are engaged on opposite sides of the disk shaped permanent magnet  28  to hold and center the magnet, both side-to-side and front-to-back, before this assembly of rings and magnet are placed into the double cavity  16 ,  16 A. At the bottom of  FIG. 22 , the two latches  20  and  20 A are installed and covers shown in  FIGS. 19 and 20 , each with their own opening  18  and  18 A are attached to the opposite sides of the carrying unit body, e.g. by screws. A pair of activators  26  and  26 A are also installed so that the latches  20  and  20 A can be individually moved to selectively release the protrusion from each cavity  16  and  16 A, or move together to release both. 
         [0060]    In the second embodiment of  FIGS. 18 to 22 , the magnet is  28  is located in the center of the body  14  between the openings  18  and  18 A, the locking latches  20  and  20 A being located behind each respective opening. Magnet  28  is fixed in and is correctly centered between the cavities  16  and  16 A by the pair of rings  42  and  42 A. The activators  26  and  26 A can be separately or together manually pivoted to compress springs  24  and  24 A that are biasing the latches  20  and  20 A, manually release protrusions on both sides of the magnet  28  to remove a portable item from each side of the carrying unit by applying a force that is sufficient to overcome the magnetic pull of the magnet. The user can thus secure one or two articles to the unit. 
         [0061]    Referring now to  FIGS. 23 to 27 , a third embodiment of the invention is illustrated that includes a push button  226  to slide a latch inside a carrying unit body  214  of the carrying unit  212  of this embodiment. The mounting means for connecting the carrying unit to another item in the third embodiment comprises a clip  215  formed on, connected to, or pivotally mounted to the back of the carry unit body  214  for hooking onto a belt that might be a belt worn the user, or a belt on another piece of luggage like a handbag, backpack or briefcase, or another structure onto which the clip might be engaged, that are all here called a belt for convenience. Clip  215  is pivotally mounted to the body  214  at the top at pivot ears and shaft  217  in the embodiment of  FIG. 25  and is spring loaded so that when a top end of the clip  215  is pressed toward the body  214  its bottom end will pivot away from the body  214  so that the carrying unit  212  can be slipped or hooked onto a belt shown at  110  in  FIG. 25 , and then be biased back to its closed position shown in  FIGS. 23 and 26 . The bottom of clip  215  has an angled piece that extends back toward the carrying unit body  214  to close a loop formed by the body  214  and the clip  215 , to better secure the carrying unit to the belt  110 . 
         [0062]    Alternatively clip  215  is fixed to the body  214  at the top and bottom and in that case defines a closed loop into which the belt  110  can be slide. A shown in  FIG. 27 , latch  220  is slidably mounted in carrying unit body  214  and is spring loaded by spring  224  in the upward direction, spring  224  being captured between a part of the body  214  and a journal portion  227  of latch  220  in the same way that latch  20  of  FIGS. 1-17  operate, latch  220  have a blocking portion  222  that locked a protrusion  32  of a carried member  30  as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0063]    While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.