Patent Publication Number: US-2011062198-A1

Title: Pin for hiding an item

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of Provisional Patent Application No. 61/242,142, filed on Sep. 14, 2009, in the United States Patent &amp; Trademark Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to attachment pins, and more particularly, an apparatus for securing a small item to under clothing. 
     The apparatus is used for carrying various small items on clothing. The present invention allows each small item to be secured by an elongated pin to both the inside and outside of clothing. The apparatus will enable individuals to carry each small item securely and discreetly at any angle, avoiding the unwanted attention of passer-bys. The small diameter of the elongated pin will not damage the clothing and allows it to be attached to the seams of pant legs, shirtsleeves, inside jacket pockets, and more. The apparatus is ideal for carrying the various small items, such as folding knives, but can also be used to secure small firearms, flashlights, pens, phones, screwdrivers and other lightweight items. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Many individuals use a clipping mechanism to secure their knife or gun to their waistband. These clips are fully visible and often draw attention to the individual. The current clips must be attached to a beltline or pocket, which causes the butt of the weapon to show. They do not offer complete concealment and cause the individual wearing the clip to feel uncomfortable. The clips only allow the knife or gun to be carried at one angle, which is not always convenient. A more discreet method is needed. 
     Numerous innovations for holding clips have been provided in the prior art that will be described. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention. 
     A FIRST EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,704,129, Issued on Jan. 6, 1998, to Glesser teaches a knife having a reversible clip for securing the knife to a user. The clip is advantageously reversible so that the knife can be mounted in the position most comfortable for the user. The clip can be easily reversed and is designed to reduce undesirable rotation of the clip and also to provide a lanyard hole for otherwise securing the knife to the user or another supporting member. 
     A SECOND EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,400, Issued on Sep. 1, 1998, to Glesser teaches a folding knife having an aperture positioned at or near the pivot point of the knife blade and knife handle to receive a lanyard for removable attachment to a user of the folding knife or other object. 
     A THIRD EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,213,364, Issued on Apr. 10, 2001, to Wakefield teaches a rigid appendage fastening means that may be adapted to mount an apparatus that is commonly possessed and carried by law enforcement officers, military personnel and civilians, who are licensed to do so, diurnally. The appendage fastening means is specifically designed to be mounted to those items that the user intends to keep hidden from the view of a casual observer. The device&#39;s primary design characteristic is that of a loosely formed sigmate. The principal object is camouflaged to suit the user&#39;s apparel, thereby enhancing the device&#39;s covert characteristics and applications. The device provides the user with a secure environment to place an item inside the waistband (IWB) and below the belt line (BBL). Objects of appropriate size and utility, which have the principal object mounted to them, can be secreted upon the user&#39;s person IWB. The object remains IWB, BBL with Total Concealment (TC), easily accessible, safe, secure, and immediately available for use. The invention is ergonomically designed so as not to restrict a user&#39;s freedom of movement, or range of motion. 
     A FOURTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Patent Office Publication No. 2009/0188115, Published on Jul. 30, 2009, to Deursen teaches a snap-off knife, having a metal sleeve, a blade contained within the metal sleeve and slidably extendable through a first terminal end of the metal sleeve, and a cap having a cavity such that the cap is capable of fitting over the first terminal end of the metal sleeve from which the blade extends. The metal sleeve also has an open section for allowing a slide button to move along the open section of the metal sleeve in a direction parallel to the direction that the blade extends and retracts. The cap has a narrow slot for placing over the exposed portion of the blade while the blade is being snapped off by the user. The cap is capable of fitting over a second terminal end of the metal sleeve located opposite the first terminal end. 
     A FIFTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Patent Office Publication No. 2009/0241345, Published on Oct. 1, 2009, to Huang teaches a utility knife which includes a handle and an actuator pivotably secured to the rear end of the handle and served as an auxiliary handgrip. In a storage position the actuator is fastened at the bottom of the handle. The actuator is adapted to dispose about perpendicular to the handle by pivoting such that subsequently moving the actuator axially through an axial slot of the handle will extend front portions of a blade and a blade carrier out of the handle. In this position, a user can exert a greater force in cutting an object by grasping both the handle and the handgrip. 
     It is apparent now that numerous innovations for holding clips have been provided in the prior art that are adequate for various purposes. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, accordingly, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     AN OBJECT of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for securing a small item to clothing that avoids the disadvantages of the prior art. 
     ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for securing a small item to clothing that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture. 
     STILL ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for securing a small item to clothing that is simple to use. 
     BRIEFLY STATED, STILL YET ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for securing a small item to clothing comprises an elongated pin being needle slim, having a hook end and a free end. A mechanism at the hook end of the elongated pin is for mounting the elongated pin to the small item, whereby the elongated pin can be retained to the clothing for holding the small item thereto. 
     The novel features which are considered characteristic of the present invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of the specific embodiments when read and understood in connection with the accompanying drawing. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
       The figures of the drawings are briefly described as follows: 
         FIG. 1A  is a perspective view showing the present invention placed in a box; 
         FIG. 1B  is a perspective view showing the present invention ready to be installed on a folding knife; 
         FIG. 2  is a side view taken in the direction of arrow  2  in  FIG. 1B , showing the present invention installed on the folding knife; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view, with parts broken away, showing the present invention installed on the folding knife located in a lapel, in a pocket and in a sleeve of a jacket; 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged perspective view, with parts broken away, of the dotted area indicated by arrow  4  in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view, with parts broken away, showing the present invention installed on a screwdriver located in a front portion of a waistband of a pair of pants; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view, with parts broken away, showing the present invention installed on a phone located in a pocket of the pair of pants; and 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view, with parts broken away, showing the present invention installed on the folding knife located in a rear portion of the waistband and on a small firearm located in a pant leg of the pair of pants. 
     
    
    
     REFERENCE NUMERALS UTILIZED IN THE DRAWING 
     
         
         
           
               110  apparatus 
               112  small item 
               114  clothing 
               116  elongated pin of apparatus  110   
               118  hook end of elongated pin  116   
               120  free end of elongated pin  116   
               122  mounting mechanism of apparatus  110   
               124  spring-like durable material for elongated pin  116   
               126  small arched bow on elongated pin  116   
               128  flat base plate of mounting mechanism  122   
               129  adhesive pad of mounting mechanism  122   
               130  fastener of mounting mechanism  122   
               132  durable material for flat base plate  128   
               134  durable material for fastener  130   
               135  folding knife for small item  112   
               136  pant leg of a pair of pants  144   
               137  sleeve of jacket  140   
               138  pocket of jacket  140   
               139  lapel of jacket  140   
               140  jacket of clothing  114   
               142  waistband of pair of pants  144   
               144  pair of pants of clothing  114   
               146  small firearm for small item  112   
               150  phone for small item  112   
               152  screwdriver for small item  112   
               154  box for holding apparatus  110   
           
         
       
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the figures, in which like numerals indicate like parts, and particularly to  FIGS. 1A through 7 , and as such, will be discussed with reference thereto. 
     As in  FIGS. 1-4 , the present invention is an apparatus  110  for securing and hiding a small item  112  to under clothing  114  that comprises an elongated pin  116  being needle slim, having a hook end  118  and a free end  120 . A mechanism  122  at the hook end  118  of the elongated pin  116  is for mounting the elongated pin  116  to the small item  112 , whereby the elongated pin  116  can be retained to the clothing  114  for holding the small item  112  thereto. 
     The elongated pin  116  is comprised out of a spring-like durable material  124 , such as metal or plastic. The elongated pin  116  further comprises a small arched bow  126  formed near the free end  120  to allow the elongated pin  116  to easily engage with the clothing  114 . 
     The mounting mechanism  122  comprises a flat base plate  128 . An adhesive pad  129  is on the underside of the base plate  128  for attaching the flat base plate  128  to the small item  112 . The mounting mechanism  122  also contains a plurality of fasteners  130  for also attaching the flat base plate  128  to the small item  112 . The flat base plate  128  is comprised out of a durable material  132 . Each fastener  130  is comprised out of a durable material (e.g. plastic or metal  134 ). 
     In summary the apparatus  110  is similar to the ambidextrous clips found on folding knives and smaller frame handguns. The present invention uses an elongated pin  116  made of a durable spring-like material  124 , instead of a flat clip. The elongated pin  116  is needle slim to add friction to keep the small item  112  in place. The apparatus  110  has a flat base plate  128  for mounting to the small item  112 , such as a folding knife  135 . The apparatus  110  is mounted to the small item  112  when there is a need for a pin to hide the item under the clothing. The elongated pin  116  has a small arched bow  126  near the free end  120  to allow it to easily engage with the clothing  114 . To add stability, the elongated pin  116  may be penetrated through a piece of the clothing  114  multiple times. As shown in  FIG. 1A , the apparatus  110  can be placed in a box  154  to be sold in any retail store. The buyer can purchase and stick the pin to any items that the buyer wants. 
     The elongated pin  116  may be inserted at any angle in the clothing  114 , such as vertically along a French seam down a pant leg  136 , a sleeve  137 , inside a pocket  138  and a lapel  139  of a jacket  140 , or horizontally inside the waistband  142  of a pair of pants  144 . The elongated pin  116  mainly is used to attach the small item  112  to the inside of the clothing  114  if desired. The user may insert the elongated pin  116  in any accommodating location. The length of the elongated pin  116  is from three (03) to five (05) times the length of the mounting mechanism  122 . The length of the elongated pin  116  is from one to five inches. The small diameter 1 mm to 3 mm of the elongated pin  116  will not damage the clothing  114 . As shown in  FIGS. 3-7 , it is designed to carry the folding knife  135 , but may be used to hold small firearms  146 , pens, phones  150 , flashlights, screwdrivers  152  and other lightweight items as well. 
     It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above. 
     While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodiments of an apparatus for securing a small item to clothing, accordingly it is not limited to the details shown, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. 
     Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.