Patent Publication Number: US-6220492-B1

Title: Anti-slip pad for strap, belt or the like

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a pad, and more particularly to an anti-slip pad for straps, belts or the like. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Typical suitcases, bags, luggage articles, schoolbags, or even trousers comprise a body and a shoulder belt or a sling strap secured thereto for carrying purposes, etc. The typical fastening seat belts for vehicles are directly engaged onto the users and may hurt the users. For preventing the users from being directly engaged with the belt or the strap, a protective pad is provided and engaged onto the belt or the strap for engaging with the users. One typical pad for attaching onto the belt or the strap is shown in FIG.  5  and comprises a longitudinal pad body  10  having two slits  11 ,  12  formed therein for threading the belt or the strap  20 . Normally, the pad body  10  is entirely engaged with the user and is made of plastic material and includes a hardness that the user may not feel comfortable; i.e., the pad body  10  may not provide a suitable comfortableness to the users. 
     The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional pads for straps or belts. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an anti-slip pad for engaging onto the straps, the belts or the like, and for providing a comfortable cushioning structure to the users. 
     In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided an anti-slip pad for a belt comprising two or more groups of body members, each of the groups including two first body members and a second body member disposed between and coupled to the first body members, the second body member including two sides adjacent to the first body members and each having a slot formed therein for threading the belt, the second body member including a size smaller than that of the first body members for forming and defining a space between the second body member and the first body members and for receiving the belt. 
     The second body member and the first body members include two ends secured together at coupling bars; and are disposed parallel to each other and secured together at live hinges. 
     The first and the second body members each includes a chamber formed therein for forming a hollow structure. The body members of the first body members each includes a curved outer peripheral surface for engaging with a user. 
     The groups of body members include two adjacent first body members secured together at a live hinge, and each having a recess formed therein for receiving and for positioning the belt, or each having two shoulders formed therein for positioning the belt. 
     Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of a detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an anti-slip pad in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken along lines  2 — 2  of FIG. 1; 
     FIGS. 3 and 4 are cross sectional views similar to FIG. 2, illustrating the operation of the anti-slip pad; and 
     FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view showing a typical pad for the belts or the straps. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1 and 2, an anti-slip pad in accordance with the present invention is generally indicated with the reference numeral “ 30 ” and comprises a number of body members  31 ,  32 , such as the longitudinal body members  31 ,  32  as shown in the drawings, disposed parallel to each other and pivotally secured together at live hinges  33  and/or having the end portions secured together at coupling members  37 , such as the coupling bars  37 . The body members  31 ,  32  each includes a longitudinal rod shape having a curved or circular cross section. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the bottom portions of the body members  31 ,  32  each includes a curved surface  38  for defining the live hinges  33  between the body members  31 ,  32  and for reducing the engaging areas with the users or the objects  41  (FIG.  4 ), and for allowing the pad  30  to be easily bent according to the shape of the object  41  onto which the pad  30  is engaged. 
     As best shown in FIG. 2, one of the body members  32  is disposed between every two adjacent body members  31  for forming a group of three body members. The anti-slip pad  30  may include one or more groups of the body members. For example, five groups of body members are shown in the drawings. The pad  30  may also include only two body members  31  and one body member  32  disposed between the body members  31 . In addition, the body members  31 ,  32  are not necessarily formed as the longitudinal shape, but may be formed into various shapes or sizes. Alternatively, the body members  31 ,  32  may be arranged one by one and no two body members  32  are secured together or adjacent with each other. Or, the two adjacent body members  32  may be formed into one piece or taken as a single body member  32 . 
     Every two adjacent body members  31 ,  32  have the live hinge  33  provided and formed therebetween. The live hinges  33  on the sides of each of the body members  32  each includes a slot  36  formed therein for threading a strap or a belt  40  or the like. Alternatively, no live hinges are formed and provided between the body members  32  and the body members  31  adjacent thereto. Only the slots  36  are formed and provided between the body members  32  and the adjacent body members  31  which may also he coupled together at the ends thereof with the coupling bars  37 . The body member  32  of each of the groups of body members includes a depth or thickness less than that of the adjacent body members  31  such that a space  39  is formed and defined between the body members  31 ,  32  for receiving the belt  40  and for preventing the belt  40  from engaging with the users (FIGS. 3,  4 ). It is preferable that the body members  31  each includes a recess  34  formed in the upper portion thereof and defined between two shoulders  35  for receiving the belt  40  and for stably retaining the belt  40  in place relative to the body members  31 . 
     The anti-slip pad  30  or the body members  31 ,  32  are preferably made of spongy materials, foamable materials, rubber materials, gel materials, or the other synthetic materials, such as ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, etc. The body members  31 ,  32  may each further include a chamber  300  formed therein (FIG. 3) for forming a hollow structure and for further increasing the resilience of the pad  30 . 
     Accordingly, the anti-slip pad in accordance with the present invention may be engaged onto the straps, the belts or the like for providing a comfortable cushioning structure to the users. 
     Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.