Patent Publication Number: US-6216932-B1

Title: Support member and detachable container mounting arrangement

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a support member and detachable container mounting arrangement, which enables a container, for example, a bag to be easily detachably fastened to a support member, for example, a shoulder strap. 
     When going outdoors for shopping or outdoor activities, people may carry small bags for keeping small personal items. However, it is not convenient to constantly hold a small bag with the hand. In order to keep the hands free, one may use a fastening device, for example, a belt to secure a small bag to the body for keeping small personal items. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the present invention, a flexible suspension member is suspended from a support member (which can be a shoulder strap, a bag, or a piece of cloth) for holding a container (which can be, for example, a bag). The flexible suspension member has one end fixedly connected to the support member, and an opposite end terminating in a T-shaped end piece inserted through a mounting hole on the container by force to suspend the container from the support member. Further, loop and hook materials are respectively provided at the support member and the T-shaped end piece of the flexible suspension member, for enabling the T-shaped end piece of the flexible suspension member to be secured to the support member. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded view of one embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a sectional assembly view in an enlarged scale of a part of FIG. 1, showing the container suspended from the flexible suspension member, the free end of the flexible suspension member secured to the support member. 
     FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 2 but showing the free end of the flexible suspension member disengaged from the support member. 
     FIG. 4 shows another application example of the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 shows still another application example of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a support member and detachable container mounting arrangement in accordance with the present invention is shown comprising a support member (for example, a shoulder strap)  1 , a pad of loop (or hook) material  11  fixedly provided at the support member  1 , a flexible suspension member (for example, a strap)  2  suspended from the support member  1  outside the pad of loop material  11 , the suspension member  2  having one end fixedly connected to the support member  1  and an opposite end terminating in a hook (or loop) material provided T-shaped end piece  21 , and a container (for example, a bag)  3  detachably fastened to the support member  1  by the flexible suspension member  2 . The container  3  has a mounting hole  31  on the topside thereof. The inner diameter of the mounting hole  31  is smaller than the T-shaped end piece  21 . 
     Referring to FIG.  3  and FIGS. 1 and 2 again, by inserting the T-shaped end piece  21  of the flexible suspension member  2  through the mounting hole  31  by force, the container  3  is suspended from the flexible suspension member  2 . After coupling of the mounting hole  31  of the container  3  to the flexible suspension member  2 , the T-shaped end piece  21  is fastened to the pad of loop material  11  at the flexible suspension member  2 . Because the T-shaped end piece  21  is provided with hook (or loop) material, it can be detachably fastened to the pad of loop material  11  at the flexible suspension member  2 . Because the inner diameter of the mounting hole  31  is smaller than the T-shaped end piece  21 , the mounting hole  31  of the container  3  is still maintained secured to the T-shaped end piece  21  of the flexible suspension member  2  in case the T-shaped end piece  21  is disengaged from the pad of loop material  11  at the flexible suspension member  2 . 
     The aforesaid support member  1  can be a shoulder strap as shown in FIG. 1, a shoulder bag as shown in FIG. 4, a jacket or pairs of trousers as shown in FIG.  5 . The aforesaid container  3  can be a handbag, pocket bag, etc. 
     It is to be understood that the drawings are designed for purposes of illustration only, and are not intended for use as a definition of the limits and scope of the invention disclosed. For example, the flexible suspension member  2  can have any of a variety of profiles; the free end (namely, the T-shaped end piece) of the flexible suspension member can be detachably fastened to the support member by a snap, or any of a variety of fasteners.