Abstract:
Holders having multiple, adjustable straps are disclosed herein. According to an aspect, a holder includes a first adjustable strap having mating connectors. The holder also includes a second adjustable strap having other mating connectors. Further, the holder includes a third adjustable strap attached to the first adjustable strap at a first position and attached to the second adjustable strap at a second position distal from the first position.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/909,424, filed Nov. 27, 2013 and titled SHOE HOLSTER, the content of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. This application is related to a commonly-owned U.S. design patent application titled HOLDER HAVING MULTIPLE STRAPS, which is being filed simultaneously herewith. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Technical Field 
         [0003]    The present subject matter relates to item storage and transport, and more specifically, to holders having multiple, adjustable straps. 
         [0004]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0005]    Currently, athletic equipment, such as shoes, is typically either carried by hand or in some type of bag and generally stored in some sort of bag or other closed structure. Carrying wet and dirty athletic equipment by hand, is generally repellent, and storing or carrying wet athletic equipment, such as shoes, in the dark and damp confines of a bag or pack can prematurely age the shoe material and lead to the growth of odor causing bacteria. For at least these reasons, there is need of durable, secure, and sanitary holders for athletic equipment. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY 
       [0006]    Holders having multiple, adjustable straps are disclosed herein. According to an aspect, the holder includes a first adjustable strap having mating connectors. The holder also includes a second adjustable strap having other mating connectors. Further, the holder includes a third adjustable strap attached to the first adjustable strap at a first position and attached to the second adjustable strap at a second position distal from the first position. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a front view of an example holder having multiple, adjustable straps in a disconnected state in accordance with embodiments of the present subject matter; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a side rear view of the holder shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a front side view of the holder shown in  FIG. 1  while holding a pair of shoes; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a rear side view of the holder shown in  FIG. 1  while holding a pair of shoes; 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the holder shown in  FIG. 1  while holding a pair of shoes; 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is another perspective view of the holder shown in  FIG. 1  while holding a pair of shoes; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a front view of another example holder having multiple, adjustable straps in a disconnected state in accordance with embodiments of the present subject matter. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0014]      FIG. 1  illustrates a front view of a holder having multiple, adjustable straps in accordance with embodiments of the present subject matter. Referring to  FIG. 1 , the holder includes three adjustable straps as shown in reference numbers  102 ,  103 , and  104 . Straps  102  and  103  extend substantially parallel to each other and are bisected by strap  104 . Each strap can be made, either entirely or partially, of leather, a synthetic polymer (e.g., nylon), or other suitable material. Strap  104  is shown as being perpendicular to straps  102  and  103 , although it should be understood that the strap  104  may be attached to the other straps in any other suitable orientation or configuration. 
         [0015]    Strap  104  can be stitched to strap  102  at position  105 . Alternative to stitching, the straps may be attached together by any other suitable technique as will be appreciated by those of skill in the art. Strap  104  can be either stitched to (as shown) or looped around strap  103  at position  106 . Alternative to looping or stitching, the straps may be attached together by any other suitable technique as will be appreciated by those of skill in the art. 
         [0016]    An end of strap  104  can include a connector, at an end  107 , such that the holder can be attached or connected to other items or carried by a person. In this example, the connector at the end  107  includes hook-and-fastener material  108 A and  108 B (e.g., VELCRO®). To form a loop for attaching to another item or for carry by a person, portions  108 A and  108 B can be attached together. Alternatively, the connector may be a snap or any other suitable connector as will be understood by those of skill in the art. 
         [0017]    Each strap  102 ,  103 , and  104  can be adjustable in length. For example, the straps  102 ,  103 , and  104  may include buckles  109 ,  110 , and  111 , respectively. The holder can thus accommodate items of various sizes and shapes since straps  102 ,  103 , and  104  are adjustable in length. The buckles  109 ,  110 , and  111  can be, for example, glide buckles, bi glide buckles, tri glide buckles, or other suitable components. 
         [0018]    The strap  102  may include connectors  112  and  114  for connecting the ends of the strap. For example, the connector  112  may be a male connector for connecting to a female connector  114  as shown in  FIG. 4  at reference number  402 . Similarly, referring to  FIG. 1 , strap  103  may include male and female connectors  113  and  115 , respectively, for connecting the ends in a similar manner as shown in  FIG. 4  at reference number  403 . The broken lines in  FIG. 4  represent shoes held by the holder, although it should be understood that the holder may suitably carry or hold any other type of item. The buckles, when the device is in use, may align as shown in  FIG. 3  reference numbers  109 ,  110 , and  111 . 
         [0019]    The loop of strap  104  is shown in the closed position in  FIG. 4  at  301 .  FIG. 5  shows the entire apparatus in use with the dotted lines again representing the shoes being carried.  FIG. 2  shows a rear side view of the holder in its open unused state,  FIG. 3  shows a front view of the holder in use with the loop of strap  104  in the closed position at  301 , while  FIG. 6  shows a rear view of the holder in use. 
         [0020]      FIG. 7  illustrates a front view of another example holder having multiple, adjustable straps in a disconnected state in accordance with embodiments of the present subject matter. The example holder of  FIG. 7  is similar to the example holder of  FIG. 1 . In the example of  FIG. 7 , strap  104  also includes a rigid, ring-shaped component  701  that extends through secured loops  702  and  704  formed by the strap  104 . In this example, the ring-shaped component  701  is a metal ring, although it should be appreciated by those of skill in the art that the component may be any suitable shape made of any suitable material. The loop portion  702  is attached at the position  105 . The loop  704  is attached at position  106 . It should be appreciated by those of skill in the art, that as an alternative implementation a second rigid, ring-shaped component may attach strap  104  to strap  102  in a similar manner as rigid, ring-shaped component  701  attaches strap  104  to strap  103 . 
         [0021]    The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the present subject matter. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. 
         [0022]    The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. The description of the present subject matter has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the embodiments disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the present subject matter and the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the present subject matter for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. 
         [0023]    The descriptions of the various embodiments of the present subject matter have been presented for purposes of illustration, but are not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the embodiments disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein was chosen to best explain the principles of the embodiments, the practical application or technical improvement over technologies found in the marketplace, or to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.