Patent Publication Number: US-11019911-B2

Title: User worn hydration device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (1) Field of the Invention 
     The disclosure relates to hydration devices and more particularly pertains to a new hydration device for wearing around a waist of a user. 
     (2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98 
     The prior art relates to hydration devices. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a bladder, which is positioned in a sleeve that is configured to be positioned around a waist of a user so that the sleeve is coupled to the user. The bladder is configured to position a fluid. A tube, which is resiliently flexible, is coupled to a bottom of the bladder and extends through a hole that is positioned in the sleeve. A mouthpiece that is coupled to the tube distal from the bladder in fluidic communication with the bladder through the tube. A valve positioned in the mouthpiece so that the mouthpiece is configured to be clamped between teeth of the user to open the valve, positioning the user to draw the fluid from the bladder through the tube. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
       The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a front view of a user worn hydration device according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a back view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a detail view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  is an in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 6  is an isometric perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS. 1 through 6  thereof, a new hydration device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 6 , the user worn hydration device  10  generally comprises a bladder  12 , which is positioned in a sleeve  14  that is configured to be positioned around a waist of a user so that the sleeve  14  is coupled to the user. The sleeve  14  may be resiliently stretchable so that the sleeve  14  is configured to apply pressure to contents of the sleeve  14  and to adjust to a circumference of a waist of the user. 
     The sleeve  14  may comprise an inner panel  16  and an outer panel  18 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . The inner panel  16  is substantially inelastic and configured to position around the waist of the user. The outer panel  18  is resiliently stretchable and is coupled to a perimeter  20  of the inner panel  16 . The outer panel  18  is configured to apply pressure to the contents of the sleeve  14 . 
     The bladder  12  extends from proximate to opposing endpoints  22  of the sleeve  14  and is configured to position a fluid, such as water and a sport drink. A tube  24 , which is resiliently flexible, is coupled to a bottom  26  of the bladder  12  and extends through a hole  28  that is positioned in the sleeve  14 . A mouthpiece  30  that is coupled to the tube  24  distal from the bladder  12  is in fluidic communication with the bladder  12  through the tube  24 . A valve  32  is positioned in the mouthpiece  30  so that the mouthpiece  30  is configured to be clamped between teeth of the user to open the valve  32 , positioning the user to draw the fluid from the bladder  12  through the tube  24 . 
     A pair of belt fasteners  34  is coupled singly to the opposing endpoints  22  of the sleeve  14 . The belt fasteners  34  are selectively mutually couplable to selectively secure the sleeve  14  around the waist of the user. The pair of belt fasteners  34  may comprise a belt side release buckle  36 , or other fastening means, such as, but not limited to, hook and loop fasteners, tongue buckles, and the like. 
     A pair of belt straps  38  is coupled singly to and extends from the opposing endpoints  22  of the sleeve  14 . The pair of belt fasteners  34  is slidably coupled singly to the pair of belt straps  38  so that the pair of belt fasteners  34  is selectively positionable relative to the sleeve  14 . Thus, the sleeve  14  and the pair of belt straps  38  are selectively sizable to the circumference of the waist of the user. 
     A slit  40  is positioned in the sleeve  14  proximate to a respective opposing endpoint  22  of the sleeve  14  so that the bladder  12  is selectively positionable in the sleeve  14 . A closure  42  is coupled to the sleeve  14  proximate to the slit  40  so that the closure  42  is positioned to selectively close the slit  40  to retain the bladder  12  in the sleeve  14 . The closure  42  may comprise at least one of a hook and loop fastener  44 , as shown in  FIG. 3 , and a zipper  92 , as shown in  FIG. 6 . The closure  42  also may comprise other closing means, such as, but not limited to, snap closures, button closures, and the like. 
     A port  46  that is positioned in the bladder  12  is configured to allow for filling and emptying of the bladder  12 . A cap  48  that is hingedly coupled to the bladder  12  proximate to the port  46  is positioned to selectively seal the port  46 . 
     A pipe  50  is coupled to the bottom  26  of the bladder  12  and extends through the hole  28 . The tube  24  is removably couplable to the pipe  50 . The tube  24  is selectively decouplable from the pipe  50  to facilitate placement of the bladder  12  in, and extraction of the bladder  12  from, the sleeve  14 . 
     A harness  52  that is selectively couplable to the sleeve  14  is positionable over shoulders of the user. The harness  52  is configured to partially support a mass of the fluid that is positioned in the bladder  12  upon the shoulders of the user. The harness  52  comprises a pair of suspender straps  54  and a connector  56 . The connector  56  is coupled to each of the suspender straps  54  so that the pair of suspender straps  54  is X-shaped. The connector  56  may be slidably coupled to each of the suspender straps  54  so that the connector  56  is selectively positionable on the pair of suspender straps  54 . 
     A set of four suspender fasteners  58  is coupled to an upper limit  60  of the sleeve  14  so that the suspender fasteners  58  are positioned two apiece on a front and a back of the user when the sleeve  14  is coupled around the waist of the user. Each suspender fastener  58  is positioned to selectively couple to a respective suspender strap  54 , proximate to a respective opposing terminus  62  of the respective suspender strap  54 , to removably couple the harness  52  to the sleeve  14 . The suspender fasteners  58  are slip lock type, as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     A set of four strap clips  64  is coupled two apiece to each of the suspender straps  54 . The strap clips  64  are slip lock type so that each strap clip  64  is positioned for length adjustment of an associated segment  66  of a respective suspender strap  54 . 
     A pair of chest straps  68  is coupled singly to and extends from the pair of suspender straps  54  so that the pair of chest straps  68  is positionable over a chest of the user. A pair of chest fasteners  70  is coupled singly to the chest straps  68  distal from the suspender straps  54 . The chest fasteners  70  are selectively mutually couplable to secure the pair of chest straps  68  between the pair of suspender straps  54 , with the pair of chest straps  68  extending substantially horizontally between the pair of suspender straps  54 . The pair of chest fasteners  70  may comprise a suspender side release buckle  72 , or other fastening means, such as, but not limited to, hook and loop fasteners, button fasteners, and the like. 
     Each of a set of suspender clips  74  is coupled to a respective chest strap  68 . The suspender clip  74 , which is slip lock type, is configured for length adjustment of the respective chest strap  68 . The set of suspender clips  74  may comprise one suspender clip  74 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     A hose fastener  76  that is coupled to the tube  24  proximate to the mouthpiece  30  is configured to selectively couple the tube  24  to the user. The hose fastener  76  may comprise a hose clip  78 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , or other fastening means, such as, but not limited to, hook and loop fasteners, pressure sensitive adhesives, magnets, and the like. 
     Each of a set of rings  80  that is coupled to the harness  52  is configured for clipping to a respective article of the user to couple the article to the harness  52 . The set of rings  80  may comprise four rings  80 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     Each of a set of pouches  82  that is selectively couplable to a lower limit  84  of the sleeve  14  is configured to position a respective item of the user. The set of pouches  82  may comprise two pouches  82 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     A set of first bag fasteners  86  is coupled two apiece to each pouch  82 . A set of second bag fasteners  88  is coupled to the lower limit  84  of the sleeve  14 . The second bag fasteners  88  are complementary to the first bag fasteners  86  so that each second bag fastener  88  is positioned to selectively couple to a respective first bag fastener  86  to removably couple an associated pouch  82  to the sleeve  14 . The second bag fastener  88  and the respective first bag fastener  86  may comprise a bag side release buckle  90 , or other fastening means, such as, but not limited to, hook and loop fasteners, button fasteners, snap fasteners, and the like. 
     In use, the bladder  12  is filled via the port  46  with a fluid of the user&#39;s choice, such as water and a sport drink, and the cap  48  is used to seal the port  46 . The bladder  12  is inserted through the slit  40  into the sleeve  14  and the pipe  50  through the hole  28 , positioning the pipe  50  to couple to the tube  24 . The sleeve  14  then is positioned around the waist of the user and fastened in place using the belt side release buckle  36 . The tube  24  is extended to proximate to the mouth of the user and fastened in place using the hose fastener  76  so that the mouthpiece  30  is conveniently positioned for use. When the user requires hydration, the mouthpiece  30  is positioned between the teeth and clamped to open the valve  32 , positioning the user to draw the fluid from the bladder  12  through the tube  24 . 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the elements is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.