Patent Abstract:
A low slung tool belt carrier includes pouches designed to be suspended from a belt strap construction with a shoulder strap crossing over the torso or shoulders to support the larger of two pouches, the pouches arranged to fit on the hips or be rested upon the hips of an individual.

Full Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This is a division of Ser. No. 09/921,125 filed Aug. 2, 2001 (now abandoned) for “Low Slung Tool Carrier” which is incorporated herewith by reference and for which priority is claimed.  
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    In a principal aspect the present invention relates to a tool belt and, more particularly, to a tool belt of the type which includes a number of storage pockets and adjustable belt support members.  
           [0003]    Construction workers, tradesman and the like typically use a tool belt attached about their waist to transport and maintain tools at a work site. Such belts are often fabricated from canvas and/or leather and may include a number of pockets or pouches which are designed to hold tools such as pliers, screwdrivers and the like. Desirable characteristics for such belts are durability and the capability to hold and store many tools and other items. The belts must also be comfortable and yet durable in order to withstand rugged circumstances. Additionally, such a belt must be designed to accommodate various types of tools and if possible permit alteration and adjustment in order to accommodate various types of tools, various sizes of tools and various sizes of workmen. Thus, there has remained a need for an improved tool belt which is comfortable to wear, rugged, economical and easily adapted for multiple uses.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    Briefly the invention comprises a tool carrier which includes an adjustable strap or belt having first and second tool pockets or pouches affixed thereto and spaced one from the other by a distance which enables the pouches to rest comfortably on the opposite hips of a user of the tool belt. A shoulder strap, which is designed to cross over the torso of an individual, has opposite ends connected adjacent the opposite sides of one of the pockets, preferably the larger of the storage pockets. The belt may thus rest upon the hips of an individual with a larger pocket resting on one hip and with a shoulder strap supporting the larger pocket by crossing the torso and extending over one shoulder on one side of the individual to the pocket on the opposite side of the individual. Alternative constructions include first and second shoulder straps connected to opposite sides of the front of the belt strap attached to a single strap that extends down the back of an individual and is then connected to the belt or tool carrier waist strap.  
           [0005]    Thus it is an object of the invention to provide an improved tool carrier.  
           [0006]    It is a further object of the invention to provide a tool carrier which incorporates a tool belt in combination with the various types of shoulder straps and tool pockets or pouches.  
           [0007]    Another object of the invention is to provide a tool carrier which may be “low slung” or in other words, supported on the hips of an individual.  
           [0008]    Another object of the invention is to provide a tool carrier made from a flexible yet rugged material such as leather, canvas or other flexible fabric materials.  
           [0009]    A further object of the invention is to provide a tool carrier which includes tool pockets positioned on the left and right hand side of an individual, preferably over the hips, with a supplemental shoulder strap(s) either crossing the torso or fitting over the shoulders of an individual with a single strap extending down the back of an individual and connected to the tool belt.  
           [0010]    Yet another object of the invention is to provide a tool carrier which permits adjustment of tool pockets suspended from a tool belt.  
           [0011]    These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention are set forth in the detailed description which follows.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0012]    In the detailed description which follows reference will be made to the drawing comprised of the following Figures:  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the tool carrier of the invention;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the tool carrier of the invention as it is worn by a person;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3 is a plan view of the tool carrier of FIG. 1;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 4 is a plan view of an alternative construction of the belt and pockets similar to the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 5 is an alternative embodiment of a tool carrier incorporating dual shoulder straps;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 6 is an alternative embodiment of a tool carrier incorporating dual shoulder straps and a single back strap;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 7 is a plan view of the strap and belt construction of the carrier of FIGS. 5 and 6;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 8 is an isometric view of the tool carrier of FIG. 5 as worn by an individual; and  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 9 is another isometric view of the tool carrier of FIG. 5 illustrating the manner of wearing the tool carrier.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0022]    In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 4 the tool carrier comprises a belt or waist strap  10  having a first end  12  and a second end  14 . The ends  12  and  14  include fasteners, such as buckles  13 ,  15  which permit the ends  12 ,  14  to be attached one to the other. The fasteners  13 ,  15  are such that the length or the waist dimension of strap  10  may be altered depending upon the particular person or worker who is wearing the tool carrier and the position of the belt about the torso. The strap  10  further includes an upper margin  16  and a lower margin  18 . A first set of pockets or pouch  20  comprises an extension of the lower margin  18  and includes multiple pockets such as pockets  22  and  24  for receiving and storing tools on other items. A support strap  26  is attached to strap  10  adjacent one side of pouch  20  to hold pouch  20  in a condition which provides support and enables retention of tools therein. The first pouch  20  is adjacent to the second end  14  of the strap  10 . A second pouch  30  also extends downwardly from the lower margin  18  and includes pockets, for example, pocket  32  for additional tools. First pouch  20  and second pouch  30  are separated by length  19  of strap  10  so that pouches  20 ,  30  fit respectively over a hip of a worker.  
         [0023]    A shoulder strap  36  includes a first end  38  which is attached by means of a buckle  40  to a ring  42  attached to strap  10  adjacent the inner end  25  of the pouch  20  thereby permitting rotational adjustment of the strap  36 . The shoulder strap  36  further includes an adjustable, medial shoulder pad  44 . A second end  46  of the strap  36  is attached adjacent the second end  14  of the waist strap  10  and adjacent pouch  20  opposite inner end  25 . The strap  36  is adjustable in length in the preferred embodiment and includes an overlapping section  48  of the strap  36  that may be adjusted with respect to the buckle  40 .  
         [0024]    All the straps and pouches are made from a flexible fabric material. When being utilized, the tool carrier strap  10  is positioned around the waist of the individual in a manner which enables strap  10  to rest upon the hips of such the individual, as shown in FIG. 2, with pouches  20 ,  30  aligned with each hip. The strap  36  is then adjusted and placed across the shoulder of the individual. Note that the first end  38  of the strap  36  is between the first pouch  20  and the second pouch  30 , though in closer proximity to the first pouch  20 . The ends of the strap  36  are positioned approximately an equal distance from the opposite sides of the first pouch  20  to facilitate support of the larger first pouch  20  by arranging the strap  36  to extend diagonally across the torso of the individual carrying the tool carrier.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 3 depicts the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 with the buckle  13 ,  15  for connecting the strap  10  detached and further depicting the shoulder strap  36  arranged with its connections to the strap  10  on opposite sides of the oversized or larger pouch  20 . The pouch  20  is a larger pouch relative to the pouch  30  in as much as the pouch  20  rests upon the hip of an individual and is supported by the shoulder strap  36  which fits over on the shoulder of an individual and crosses the torso as depicted in FIG. 2.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 4 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the construction of FIG. 3. The strap  10  does not include an integral pouch  30  but includes a replaceable pouch  30 A in FIG. 4 which may slide or fit over the strap  10 . Specifically a sleeve  31  is provided for the pouch  30 A so that the sleeve  31  may fit over the end section  11  of the strap  10 . Further, the strap  10  includes a straight width lower margin  19  and a straight upper margin  21  for section  11  with a first wide section  23  and a lesser width section  25  connected with a second wide section  27  for placement over the backside of an individual. The construction for the tool belt of FIG. 4 may thus be arranged so that the larger pouch  20  will fit on the right hand hip of an individual and the smaller pouch  30 A will fit on the left hand hip with the strap  10  arranged around the back side of the individual so that the wider sections  23  and  27  will fit on opposite sides of the spine of an individual with the narrower strap section  25  aligned over the spine of an individual. This arrangement promotes the comfort of the belt when worn by an individual.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIGS. 5 through 8 illustrate two further embodiments of the invention wherein additional shoulder straps are provided for additional support of heavier tools on both hips and for a circumstance wherein large tool pouches are provided that fit over both hips or opposite sides of an individual wherein the pockets are generally equal size and will bear or hold equal weights of tools or other items. Referring therefore to FIG. 5, a first removable pouch  60  is attached by buckles  62  and  64  to a strap  66 . The strap  66  will encircle the waist of an individual and includes a connecting belt  68 . In the embodiment shown the strap  66  thus includes a series of loops, for example, loops  70  and  72  which receive a belt  68  that encircles the outside face  74  of the strap  66  and connects together by virtue of the belt buckle  69  around the waist or midsection of an individual.  
         [0028]    The pouch  60  is attached to metal loops, such as loop  76  and  78 , attached to the main strap  66 . A second pouch  80  is similarly attached by means of buckles  82  and  84  to metal loops  86  and  88  attached to the strap  66 . Note that with this construction the size and configuration of pouches  60  and  80  may be altered or changed as desired. Additionally, in as much as the belt  68  is provided additional items such as tool holder  90  supported by a loop  92  may be held on the strap  66  by the belt  68 .  
         [0029]    The embodiment of FIG. 5 includes a double shoulder strap comprising a left hand shoulder strap  94  and a right hand shoulder strap  96  which extend respectively from a yoke  98 . Strap  94  is adjustably connected to a buckle  100  that is affixed to a metal loop  102  attached to the strap  66 . In a similar fashion the right hand strap  96  is attached to an extension  104  that is attached by a buckle  106  to a metal loop  108  attached to the strap  66 .  
         [0030]    The yoke  98  connects with a single downwardly extending strap  110  that connects with divergent support straps  112  and  114 . The straps  112  and  114  are affixed by a buckle  116  and  118  respectively to loops  120  and  122  attached to the strap  66 . The right hand shoulder strap  94  thus fits over the right shoulder of an individual. The left hand strap  96  fits over the left shoulder of an individual and the back strap  110  fits down the back along the spine of an individual. All the straps and buckles are adjustable to provide the most appropriate balance and distribution of weight.  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 6 illustrates an alternative to the embodiment of FIG. 5. In FIG. 6, the construction is substantially identical to that of FIG. 5 except that the right shoulder strap  94  and the left shoulder strap  96  are connected to a yoke  98  that extends and connects with a single back strap  110  that is adjustable and connected by means of a single buckle  140  to a single metal loop  142  attached to the midpoint of strap  66 . The strap  110  thus extends downwardly along the spine of an individual and is adjustable.  
         [0032]    As shown in FIG. 7, the back strap  66  is configured with a first left hand wide section  150  and a second right hand wide section  152  separated by an narrow spine section  154  to provide support for the region of the kidneys of an individual wearing the carrier with the narrow portion aligned with the spine of an individual. This provides additional comfort and support for the individual wearing or using the belt as depicted in FIGS. 8 and 9.  
         [0033]    It is possible to vary the construction without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus the straps may all be adjustable. The buckles and connectors may be of any various types. The pouches may be attachable or detachable or integrally incorporated in the strap. The carrier of the invention is therefore to be limited only by the following claims and equivalence thereof.

Technology Classification (CPC): 8