Abstract:
A strap retaining device with a flat bottom sheet member, a pair of opposing spacer members, a flat top sheet member, and a decorative member fixedly attached to the flat top member. A preferred embodiment includes the spacer members incorporate additional secondary spacers that help hold the main strap portion and folded strap portion more securely.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Not Applicable 
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not Applicable 
       DESCRIPTION OF ATTACHED APPENDIX 
       [0003]    Not Applicable 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    This invention relates generally to the field of strap retaining devices and more specifically to a strap retaining device for swimming goggles. 
         [0005]    Flexible straps for retaining or carrying items are well known. One such strap application is used in the wearing of a pair of swimming goggles. 
         [0006]    Traditionally, a goggle strap is made of flexible material that is attached to the goggle by a retaining bar built onto each side of the goggle and a standard buckle to help hold the strap in place and to allow for length adjustment of the strap. 
         [0007]    Unfortunately, there is a deficiency in the prior technology in that the end of the strap that exits the buckle can tend to dangle and become unsightly. Furthermore, there are occasions where a group of people, such as a swim team, are in close proximity to each other and can accidentally mistake one pair of goggles for another since they have a common appearance. A number of patents disclose ways of holding a goggle strap flat against itself including Pat. Nos. 5,566,427 and 5,915,540 and 6,550,110. However none of these patents discloses a strap retaining member that includes a decorative element to help the wearer find his or her goggles amidst a group of similar looking goggles. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The primary object of the invention is to provide a strap retaining device for swimming goggles that is decorative so that the user can easily identify his or her goggles from others. 
         [0009]    Another object of the invention is to provide a strap retaining device that keeps the strap from dangling. 
         [0010]    Another object of the invention is to provide a strap retaining device that provides a soft and flexible side that contacts the user&#39;s body. 
         [0011]    A further object of the invention is to provide a strap retaining device that allows the user to snap the retaining device over the strap rather than having to slide it on. 
         [0012]    Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following descriptions, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein, by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed. 
         [0013]    In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is disclosed strap retaining device comprising: a flat bottom sheet member, a pair of opposing spacer members, a flat top sheet member, and a raised decorative member fixedly attached to said flat top member. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]    The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments to the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. It is to be understood that in some instances various aspects of the invention may be shown exaggerated or enlarged to facilitate an understanding of the invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 1  is a side view of the invention in use showing a first decorative element. 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is perspective view of the invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the invention showing a second decorative element. 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the invention showing a third decorative element. 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  is an exploded view of the invention showing an attachment means. 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  is a side section view of the invention showing an attachment means. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0021]    Detailed descriptions of the preferred embodiment are provided herein. It is to be understood, however, that the present invention may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but rather as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed system, structure or manner. For example, although the description below refers to a retaining strap for a swim goggle, it can easily be adapted for use on other eyewear products such as ski goggles, eye protection work goggles or eye glasses. 
         [0022]    Referring now to  FIG. 1  we see a side view of a pair of goggles  2  that includes a bar shown as dotted lines  8  that retains a strap holding extension  4 . A standard buckle  6  releasably retains a strap  14  which is folded over within the buckle  6  in a standard way that creates a loose strap end  12 . The present invention  10  acts to retain the loose strap end  12  so that it can not dangle in an unsightly way. Although strap retainers of this sort are known in the art, for example the retainer member that holds the end of a watch band in place, the retainer device of the present invention  10  has several important improvements. The retaining member  10  includes a decorative element  26  that helps distinguish one user&#39;s pair of goggles from another. The retaining device  10  is intended to be manufactured using a variety of decorative elements  26  so that a user can choose a retaining device  10  that will personalize or customize his or her goggles thereby making the user&#39;s goggles easily distinguishable from other nearby goggles. This feature is particularly important when the members of a swim team all take off their goggles at the same time and put them down in close proximity to each other. The goggles tend to look similar to one another and therefore one pair of goggles can easily be mistaken for another. 
         [0023]    Referring to  FIG. 2  we see a perspective view of the strap retaining device  10 . It is comprised of a flat bottom sheet  24 , a pair of side spacer portions  22  and a top flat sheet  18 . Also included is decorative panel  26 . The space  16  created between spacer portions  22  is the proper size for retaining a standard swim goggle strap  14 ,  12  so that the strap  14 ,  12  is snuggly held. A secondary spacer  24  allows primary strap member  14  to be held independently from folded strap member  12 . This allows for more secure retention of each strap member  12 ,  14 . Decorative panel  26  can either be co-molded over top sheet  18 , or molded separately and attached to the top sheet  18  by standard means or can be printed onto top sheet  18 . In any case, decorative member  26  is colored differently than top sheet  18  so that it stands out and can act well as a distinct identifying element that can distinguish one pair of goggles from another pair that has no decorative element or a different decorative element. 
         [0024]      FIG. 3  shows another retaining strap member  40  that is similar in construction to retaining member  10 , however, the decorative element is printed on and consists of a unique phrase “Eat My Bubbles”.  FIG. 4  shows another embodiment of the invention  50  where a pair of retaining devices  52 ,  54 , including decorative elements  53 ,  55 , are placed next to each other. Each retaining device  52 ,  54  incorporates a letter of the alphabet  53 ,  55 . The user can choose the appropriate letters to form the initials of his or her name. 
         [0025]      FIG. 5  shows an embodiment of the invention  10 A that incorporates a novel means of attachment. The bottom flat sheet  24  is made of soft and flexible plastic having a high durometer such as EVA and includes a plurality of apertures  72  that line each side of the strap retaining area  16 . The top sheet  18  is molded of rigid plastic and includes a plurality of matching downwardly facing posts  70  that can snap into apertures  72 . Soft bottom sheet  24  is also beneficial because it is in direct communication with the user&#39;s skin. 
         [0026]      FIG. 6  shows a side section view of strap retainer  10 A as indicated by section lines  20  and  24  shown in  FIG. 2 . The view in  FIG. 6  shows how barbed ends of posts  70  snap into apertures  72  so that the top sheet  18  and the bottom sheet are locked together. Because bottom sheet  24  is soft and resilient, the rigid barbs on the end of posts  72  can force their way through aperture  70  and then lock under the ledge of inner aperture  70 . This type of attachment means allows the user to attach the retaining device  10 A onto the goggle strap  12 ,  14  without removing the strap  14  from the goggle body and precludes the necessity of the user to have to slide the flexible strap members  12 ,  14  into snuggly fitting aperture  16 . 
         [0027]    While the invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment, it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to the particular form set forth, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.