Patent Publication Number: US-7712155-B1

Title: Releasably fastening apparel belt

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a clothing accessory known as an apparel belt. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Apparel belts have been in existence for many decades and in many forms. Most trouser pants have belt loops sewn around the waist to accommodate an apparel belt, which acts to hold the trousers up. A typical belt consists of one continuous strip of sturdy material, such as leather, rope or tightly woven cotton, with a belt buckle and tongue attached to one end and a series of notches punched out of the other end. The user wraps the belt around his or her waist and then feeds the notched end through the buckle, inserts the buckle&#39;s tongue through the notched hole and then feeds the rest of the notched end through a belt loop to secure the belt in place. The buckling and unbuckling of belts typically requires the use of two hands and a certain level of manual dexterity. This can present an insurmountable challenge for some persons, for example people with disabilities affecting their dexterity. For these people, a belt that can easily be put on and taken off but that still functions as a traditional belt and gives the appearance of being a traditional belt is highly desirable. While there are a few examples in the prior art of belts using hook and loop type fasteners (Velcro®) in attempts to create such a belt, the present invention has unique and desirable features lacking in the prior art. 
   For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 6,678,898 to Jones et al. discloses two elongated, flat belt end-tabs designed to be attached to opposite ends of a torso-encircling strap. Each end tab is fitted with VELCRO®-type hook and loop fasteners for securing the belt in place. A decorative buckle is mounted to the topside of one of the end tabs to give the appearance of being fastened with a buckle. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,999,853 to Tanner discloses a belt comprised of two portions attached together by stitching or fastening. Attached to the terminal end of the first portion is a simple buckle loop. A strip of VELCRO®-type hook and loop fastener is attached to the inside of the second portion. When the end of the second portion is threaded through the buckle loop on the first portion and looped back upon itself, the VELCRO®-type hook and loop fastener secures the belt to itself. The first portion has a decorative front portion attached to it. 
   U.S. Patent App. No. 2005/0060791 to Garrett discloses a belt with a lead end and a following end. The loop side of the VELCRO®-type hook and loop fastener is attached to the outside of the lead end and the hook side of the VELCRO®-type hook and loop fastener is attached to the inside of the following end. The lead end is fed through the belt loops and the following end is attached to the lead end by joining the hook and loop sides of the VELCRO®-type hook and loop fastener. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is a releasably fastening apparel belt comprising a continuous strip of leather or similar material, and an outer end and an inner end such that when the belt is wrapped around the waist of the user, the outer and inner ends overlap, the outer end being furthest from the user. The outer end includes a number of belt notches. A belt buckle assembly comprising a buckle and a tongue is fixedly attached to one end of a buckle strap. The outer end of the belt is fed through the buckle, and the tongue extends through one of the belt notches. The outer end of the belt is fed through a belt loop such that a portion of the belt loop is situated between the buckle strap and the outer end of the belt. The buckle strap is then secured to the outer end of the belt, thereby holding the belt loop in place. VELCRO®-type hook and loop fastener, or any other type fastener, is used to detachably secure the ends of the belt together in an overlapping fashion. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the present releasably fastening apparel belt. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the present releasably fastening apparel belt with a break in the belt being substituted for a uniform length of a portion of the continuous strip between the outer and inner ends. 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the belt buckle assembly positioned near, but unattached to, the outer end. 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the belt buckle assembly portion of the present releasably fastening apparel belt. 
       FIG. 5  is a top view of the present releasably fastening apparel belt with a break in the belt being substituted for a uniform length of a portion of the continuous strip between the outer and inner ends. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   With reference to the figures, the preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described. The releasably fastening apparel belt  10  is comprised of an outer end  14 , an inner surface  11 , an inner end  24 , an outer surface  12 , and a belt buckle assembly  34  (more visibly depicted in  FIGS. 3 and 4 ). The outer end  14  includes a plurality of belt notches  16 , preferably apertures. When wrapped around the waist of a user, the outer and inner ends  14 ,  24  overlap such that the outer end  14  is furthest from the user. A means for detachably securing  26 ,  28  the outer surface  12  of the inner end  24  of the belt  10  to the inner surface  11  of the outer end  14  of the belt is also provided. Preferably, that means for detachably securing  26 ,  28  is of the VELCRO®-type hook and loop fastener variety. 
   With reference to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the belt buckle assembly  34  is comprised of a buckle  36  and a tongue  38  fixedly attached to one end of a buckle strap  40 , and a belt loop  44 . When outer end  14  of belt  10  passes through buckle  36 , tongue  38  extends through one of the belt notches  16 . Buckle strap  40  is secured to outer end  14  preferably with the use of a snap mechanism comprising a male and a female component of the snap. Female components  50  are located on buckle strap  40  in a fashion such that the operative portion of female components  50  faces inner surface  11 . Male components  52  are located on outer end  14 , in order to maintain equidistant spacing between notches  16  and male components  52  of the snap mechanisms. The male components are oriented in a manner such that they face the operative portions of female components  50  to allow female and male components  50 ,  52  to snap together and secure buckle strap  40  to outer end  14 . However, outer end  14  of belt  10  is fed through belt loop  44  such that a portion of belt loop  44  is located between buckle strap  40  and outer end  14  of belt  10 , as well as being situated with one each of components  50  and  52  on either side of the loop. Buckle strap  40  is then secured to outer end  14  with the snaps, thereby holding belt loop  44  in place. In this manner, the present invention may then be wrapped around the waist of a user with outer end  14  overlapping inner end  11  such that means for detachably securing  26 ,  28  come into contact and hold the belt in place and releasably secure it at a circumference as chosen by the user. However, the belt, when so wrapped around a user&#39;s waist (not depicted), will still provide the outward appearance to others that it is a typical apparel belt due to the buckle strap assembly being movably secured to outer end  14 , rather than having a traditional buckle and tongue affixed to inner end  11  as is done in prior art apparel belts. 
   In an alternative embodiment, male components  52  of snap mechanisms are of the removable variety. A plurality of notches  16  are located on the outer end  14  and are spaced equidistantly apart. Removable male components  52  of snap mechanisms can be installed in any two adjacent notches  16 . Moving the removable male components  52  from one set of adjacent notches  16  to another, also relocates belt buckle assembly  34  such that when outer end  14  of belt  10  passes through buckle  36 , tongue  38  extends through a different belt notch  16 , thus changing the outward appearance of the belt  10  and allowing for adjustments in sizing. 
   Whereas the figures and descriptions have illustrated and described the concept and preferred embodiment of the present invention, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the form of the invention without affecting the scope thereof. The detailed description above and figures are not intended in any way to limit the broad features or principles of the invention, or the scope of patent monopoly to be granted.