Patent Publication Number: US-9402459-B2

Title: Belt loop array for a carry pouch or holster

Description:
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/932,098 filed Jan. 27, 2014, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     This invention relates to pouches and holsters for carrying personal items on a belt, and in particular a belt loop array for accessory carry pouches and holsters. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Waist belt mounted pouches and holsters have been developed to carry a variety of personal items. For example, personal electronic devices, such as, cell phones, cameras, radios and digital music players are often carried in pouches attached to a user&#39;s belt. Law enforcement personnel and first responders routinely carry weapons, ammunition magazines, radios, and other duty equipment in pouches and holsters attached to their duty belts. Carpenters, electricians and other construction works carry tools in pouches attached to utility belts. Typically, these pouches and holsters are supported on a waist belt by passing the belt through one or more belt loops affixed to the back of the pouch or holster. While belt loops can be dimensioned to accept the wide range of belt widths, when used with a smaller width belt, the pouch or holster is prone to shift and tilt on the belt. In many applications, any shift or tilt of a carry pouch is undesirable. Consequently, belt loops must be specifically sized to match the particular belt width in order to securely support the pouches. 
     The present invention seeks to provide a belt loop array for mounting a pouch or holster to waist belts of three or more different widths. The belt loop array consists of a plurality (five shown) of belt loop straps: a single intermediate strap, a pair of short straps and a pair of long straps, which are sewn or otherwise affixed to the back of a pouch or holster to form belt loops of three different widths. The loop straps are affixed to the pouch or holster in a side by side arrangement with the intermediate strap interposed between the short loop straps and the long loop straps. The smallest width belt for which belt loop array is configured is securely held by only the short loop straps where the smallest width belt passes under all five loop straps. The largest width belt for which belt loop array is configured is securely held by only the long loop straps where the belt passes under long loop straps, but over the short loop straps and the intermediate loop strap. The intermediate width belt for which belt loop array is configured is secured by the single intermediate loop strap centered in the array where the belt passes under the long loop straps and the intermediate loop strap, but over the short loop straps. The arrangement and orientation of the loop straps within the belt loop array prevents the pouch or holster from shifting or tilting about the belt as long as the belt passes under any loop straps that will accommodate that belt width. 
     The above described features and advantages, as well as others, will become more readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by reference to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention may take form in various system and method components and arrangement of system and method components. The drawings are only for purposes of illustrating exemplary embodiments and are not to be construed as limiting the invention. The drawings illustrate the present invention, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective of an embodiment of a rifle magazine pouch using the belt loop array of this invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of the pouch of  FIG. 1  showing a belt extending under the long loop straps; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the pouch of  FIG. 1  showing a belt extending under the intermediate loop strap; 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of the pouch of  FIG. 1  showing a belt extending under the short loop straps; and 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of another embodiment of a rifle magazine using the belt loop array of this invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     In the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific preferred embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that logical, structural, mechanical, electrical, and chemical changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. To avoid detail not necessary to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, the description may omit certain information known to those skilled in the art. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims. 
     Referring now to the drawings,  FIGS. 1-4  illustrate a first embodiment of a carry pouch  10  using belt loop array  100  of this invention. For simplicity of illustration and explanation only, belt loop array  100  is illustrated in the drawings and described herein as part of a vertical load rifle magazine pouch of the type used for carrying an M-16/AR-15 rifle magazine 2.  FIG. 5  shows another embodiment of a carry pouch using belt loop array  100  depicted as a horizontal load rifle magazine pouch. It should be noted that belt loop array  100  may be incorporated into any carry pouch or holster within the teaching of this invention. The design, configuration and construction of the pouches or holsters may vary within the teaching of this invention for use in enclosing and carrying any desired item. Typically, the belt loop array of this invention is best suited for pouches and holsters that are constructed of a durable fabric, such as a nylon, but may be modified for use with pouches and holster made of leather, cloth or other durable fabrics and materials. 
     As shown, belt loop array  100  consists of a plurality (five shown) of belt loop straps: a single intermediate strap  110 , a pair of short straps  120  and a pair of long straps  130 . The opposed ends of loop straps  110 ,  120  and  130  are sewn or otherwise affixed to back panel  12  of pouch  10  to form passages (belt loop passages)  111 ,  121  and  131  through which belts of three widths can pass. As shown, loop straps  110  and  120  are affixed to pouch  10  in a side by side arrangement. Intermediate strap  100  is generally centered on back  12  of pouch  10  interposed between short loop straps  120  and long loop straps  130 . Long loop straps  130  overlies short loop straps  120 . The bottom ends of loop straps  120  and  130  are sewn together and affixed to back  12  of pouch  10 . The bottom ends of loop straps  110 ,  120  and  130  are aligned while the top ends of the loop strap are spaced at different locations due to their different lengths. Each loop strap or pair of loop straps  110 ,  120  and  130  has a length to form belt loops  111 ,  121 , and  131  which each accommodates one of three different belt widths. For example, belt loop array  100  may be configured for three belt widths, namely 1″, 1.5″ and 1.75.″ As such, intermediate loop strap  110  is dimensioned to securely receive the intermediate width belt  4 , short loop straps  120  are dimensioned to securely receive the smallest width belt  6  and large loop straps  130  are dimensioned to securely receive the largest width belt  2 . 
     The arrangement and orientation of loop straps  110 ,  120  and  130  within belt loop array  100  prevents pouch  10  from shifting or tilting about the belt as long as the belt passes under any loop straps that will accommodate that belt width. The largest width belt  2  for which belt loop array  100  is configured is securely held by long loop straps  130  where the belt passes under long loop straps  130 , but over short loop straps  120  and intermediate loop strap  110  ( FIG. 2 ). The intermediate width belt  4  for which belt loop array  100  is configured is secured by the single intermediate loop strap centered in the array where the belt passes under long loop straps  130  and intermediate loop strap  110 , but over short loop straps  120  ( FIG. 3 ). The smallest width belt  6  for which belt loop array  100  is configured is securely held by only short loop straps  120  where the smallest width belt passes under all five loop straps  110 ,  120  and  130  ( FIG. 4 ). 
       FIG. 5  shows another embodiment of a magazine pouch  10 ′ using a second embodiment of the belt loop array of this invention, which is designated as reference numeral  200 . Belt loop array  200  is similar in design and function to belt loop array  100  described above, except that the loop straps  210 ,  220  and  230  are all affixed to the back of the pouch in a side by side arrangement. The pair of long loop straps  230  do not overlap but are positioned adjacent the pair of short loop straps  220 . As shown, loop straps  210 ,  220  and  230  are affixed to pouch  10 ′ in a side by side arrangement. The bottom ends of loop straps  210 ,  220  and  230  are aligned while the top ends of the loop strap are staggered due to their different lengths. 
     It should be apparent from the foregoing that an invention having significant advantages has been provided. While the invention is shown in only a few of its forms, it is not just limited but is susceptible to various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof. The embodiment of the present invention herein described and illustrated is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. It is presented to explain the invention so that others skilled in the art might utilize its teachings. The embodiment of the present invention may be modified within the scope of the following claims.