Patent Publication Number: US-2007114254-A1

Title: Carrying strap having protective device

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to a carrying strap device, and more particularly to a carrying strap device for supporting and carrying various objects onto a user and having a protective device for preventing the objects from being disengaged from the user inadvertently and for allowing the objects to be disengaged from the user when a great pulling force is applied onto the carrying strap device and thus for protecting the user from being hurt by the carrying strap device inadvertently.  
      2. Description of the Prior Art  
      Typical objects, such as bags, suitcases, luggage articles, electric fans, cameras, video cameras, flashlights, keys, eyeglasses, portable tape recorders, radios, mobile or portable phones, musical instruments, or the like, and particularly the cameras may comprise a carrying strap device coupled thereto for attaching the objects onto the users, such as onto the shoulders or the neck portions of the users.  
      For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,424,841 to Smith discloses one of the typical modular stacking bags also comprising a carrying strap device coupled thereto for attaching onto the shoulders or the neck portions of the users, and four spring clip members for detachably attaching or coupling the typical modular stacking bags to the carrying strap. However, the typical carrying strap device has no protective device for preventing the objects from being vibrated or swung relative to the users particularly when the users are bowing their heads or are jumping or conducting various kinds of exercises.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 5,304,035 to Carter discloses another typical portable necklace fan also comprising a carrying strap device coupled thereto for attaching onto the shoulders or the neck portions of the users. However, the typical portable necklace fan has no spring clip members for detachably attaching or coupling the typical portable necklace fan to the carrying strap and for allowing the objects and the carrying strap device from being disengaged from the users, and for preventing the users from being hurt by the carrying strap device inadvertently when a great pulling force is applied onto the carrying strap device, particularly when the carrying strap device is pulled or robbed or snatched by robbers, for example.  
      The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional carrying strap devices.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a carrying strap device for supporting and carrying various objects onto the user and having a protective device for preventing the objects from being disengaged from the user inadvertently and for allowing the objects to be disengaged from the user when a great pulling force is applied onto the carrying strap device and thus for protecting the user from being hurt by the carrying strap device inadvertently.  
      In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a carrying strap device comprising a strap member for attaching onto a user, including two end portions for coupling to and for supporting and carrying an object thereto, and including an intermediate segment, and a protective device including a band member having two end portions coupled to the intermediate segment of the strap member for allowing the band member and the intermediate segment of the strap member to form a relatively smaller loop and to stably retain the strap member on the user and for preventing the object from being swung or vibrated or disengaged from the user.  
      The band member includes a middle cut provided therein for separating the band member into two band segments, each of the band segments includes a first spring clip member attached thereto, and the first spring clip members are detachably lockable together for allowing the two band segments of the band member to be selectively disengaged from each other.  
      The band member includes a second spring clip member for selectively coupling the first spring clip members together. The first spring clip members are female spring clip members, and the second spring clip member is a male spring clip member for engaging with the first spring clip members respectively.  
      The female spring clip members each includes a channel and at least one lock cavity formed therein and communicating with each other, and the male spring clip member includes a base member having two sides and having at least one lock extension extended from each of the sides thereof for engaging into the channels of the female spring clip members respectively, and having an enlarged head provided on each of the lock extensions for engaging with the lock cavities of the female spring clip members respectively and for detachably locking the female spring clip members together.  
      The strap member includes two belt members each having a first end for attaching to the object and a second end for selectively and detachably attaching to the two end portions of the strap member respectively. The strap member includes two third spring clip members attached to the two end portions thereof respectively, and the belt members each includes a fourth spring clip member attached thereto for selectively engaging with the third spring clip members respectively and for detachably coupling the third and the fourth spring clip members together.  
      The third spring clip members each includes a channel formed therein and at least one lock seat extended into the channel thereof, the fourth spring clip members each includes a base member having at least one lock extension extended therefrom for engaging into the channel of the third spring clip members respectively and having an enlarged head provided on the lock extension for engaging with the lock seat of the third spring clip members respectively and for detachably locking the third and the fourth spring clip members together.  
      The third spring clip members each includes a spring knob extended therefrom and located beside the lock seat for being depressed to engage with and to force and to disengage the enlarged head of the lock extension from the lock seat of the third spring clip member.  
      Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a carrying strap device in accordance with the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  is a partial exploded view of the carrying strap device;  
       FIG. 3  is another partial exploded view of the carrying strap device;  
       FIG. 4  is a further partial exploded view of the carrying strap device;  
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view illustrating the operation of the carrying strap device; and  
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view similar to  FIG. 1 , illustrating the other arrangement of the carrying strap device. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      Referring to the drawings, and initially to  FIGS. 1, 2  and  5 , a carrying strap device  10  in accordance with the present invention comprises a strap member  11  for attaching or engaging onto a user  8  ( FIG. 5 ), such as onto the shoulder or the neck portion  80  of the user  8 , and including two end portions  12 ,  13  for coupling to and for supporting or carrying an object  88  thereto. The object  88  may be selected from various kinds of objects  88 , such as bags, suitcases, luggage articles, electric fans, cameras, video cameras, flashlights, keys, eyeglasses, portable tape recorders, radios, mobile or portable phones, musical instruments, or the like, and particularly the camera  88  as shown in  FIGS. 1-2  and  5 - 6 .  
      The carrying strap device  10  in accordance with the present invention further comprises a protective device  20  including a band member  21  having two end portions  22 ,  23  coupled or secured to the strap member  11  with such as stitches or fasteners or the like, and attached to such as the middle or intermediate segment  14  of the strap member  11 , for allowing the band member  21  of the protective device  20  and the middle or intermediate segment  14  of the strap member  11  to form a relatively smaller or narrower loop and to stably retain the strap member  11  on the neck portion  80  of the user  8  ( FIG. 5 ) and thus to prevent the object  88  from being swung or vibrated and disengaged from the user  8  inadvertently.  
      It is preferable that the band member  21  of the protective device  20  includes a cut  24  formed or provided in the middle portion thereof for separating the band member  21  into two band segments  25 ,  26 , best shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , each of the band segments  25 ,  26  includes an inner end portion  27  having a spring clip member  30  attached thereto, and the spring clip members  30  may be detachably coupled or secured or locked together by themselves or with another spring clip member  40 , and arranged for allowing the two band segments  25 ,  26  of the band member  21  to be selectively disengaged or separated from each other, also shown in  FIGS. 2, 3 .  
      For example, the spring clip members  30  are female spring clip members  30  each having a channel  32  and one or more lock cavities  33  formed therein and communicating with each other, and the other spring clip member  40  is a male spring clip member  40  including a base member  41  having two sides  42  and having one or more lock extensions  43  extended from each of the sides  42  thereof for engaging into the channels  32  of the female spring clip members  30  respectively ( FIG. 3 ), and having an enlarged head  44  formed or extended from the free end portion of each of the lock extensions  43  for engaging with the lock cavities  33  of the female spring clip members  30  respectively and thus for detachably locking the spring clip members  30  together.  
      The provision of the female spring clip members  30  and/or the male spring clip member  40  allows the female spring clip members  30  to be selectively and detachably coupled or secured or locked together, and also allows the female spring clip members  30  to be selectively separated from each other when a great pulling or robbing force is applied onto the carrying strap device  10 , for allowing the objects  88  to be disengaged from the user  8  under the great pulling or robbing force, and thus for protecting the user  8  from being hurt by the carrying strap device  10  inadvertently, particularly when the carrying strap device  10  is pulled or robbed or snatched by robbers, for example.  
      It is further preferable that the carrying strap device  10  further includes two belt members  50  each having one end  51  for attaching or coupling to the object  88  with various coupling members  52 , such as coupling rings  52 , and each having another end  53  for selectively and detachably attaching or coupling to the two end portions  12 ,  13  of the strap member  11 . For example, the strap member  11  of the carrying strap device  10  includes a further spring clip member  60 , such as a female spring clip member  60  attached to each of the two end portions  12 ,  13  of the strap member  11 , and also having a channel  62  formed therein ( FIG. 4 ), and one or more, such as two lock seats  63  extended into the channel  62  thereof, and one or more, such as two spring knobs  65  extended on two sides thereof and located beside the seats  63  respectively.  
      Another spring clip member  70 , such as a male spring clip member  70  may further be provided and attached to the other end portion  53  of each of the belt members  50 , and includes a base member  71  having one or more lock extensions  73  extended therefrom for engaging into the channel  62  of the female spring clip members  60  respectively ( FIG. 4 ), and having an enlarged head  75  formed or extended from the free end portion of the lock extension  73  for engaging with the lock seats  63  of the female spring clip members  60  respectively and thus for detachably locking the spring clip members  60 ,  70  together. The spring knobs  65  may be depressed toward each other by the users to engage with and to force and to disengage the enlarged heads  75  of the lock extension  73  from the lock seats  63  of the female spring clip members  60  respectively.  
      The provision of the female spring clip members  60  and/or the male spring clip member  70  allows the spring clip members  60 ,  70  to be selectively and detachably coupled or secured or locked together, and also allows the spring clip members  60 ,  70  to be selectively separated from each other when a great pulling or robbing force is applied onto the carrying strap device  10 , for allowing the objects  88  to be disengaged from the user  8  under the great pulling or robbing force, and thus for protecting the user  8  from being hurt by the carrying strap device  10  inadvertently, particularly when the carrying strap device  10  is pulled or robbed or snatched by robbers, for example.  
      As shown in  FIG. 6 , without the spring clip members  60 ,  70 , the carrying strap device  10  may also be stably attached and retained on the neck portion  80  of the user  8  with the protective device  20 , to prevent the object  88  from being swung or vibrated and disengaged from the user  8  inadvertently, and the provision of the female and the male spring clip members  30 ,  40  allows the female spring clip members  30  to be detachably secured together, and allows the spring clip members  30  to be selectively separated from each other when a great pulling or robbing force is applied onto the carrying strap device  10 , and for protecting the user  8  from being hurt by the carrying strap device  10  particularly when the carrying strap device  10  is pulled or robbed or snatched by robbers.  
      Accordingly, the carrying strap device may be provided for supporting and carrying various objects onto the user and having a protective device for preventing the objects from being disengaged from the user inadvertently and for allowing the objects to be disengaged from the user when a great pulling force is applied onto the carrying strap device and thus for protecting the user from being hurt by the carrying strap device inadvertently.  
      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.