Abstract:
An emergency information holder made of a pliable material having an elongate configuration with a clip secured at one end and a pocket formed at a second end. The pocket is configured to receive a flat strip of writable material. The pocket can be selectively opened and closed.

Description:
This application claims priority of personal Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/569,571, filed May 10, 2004 which is incorporated herein by reference. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to an Emergency Contact Holder. 
   Runners, cyclists, and others who exercise following a specific route away from their homes have a need for carrying on their person a form of identification and emergency contact names and numbers in the event of an accident during their exercise routine. Many types of clothing worn by runners, cyclists, and others do not provide convenient pockets or other means for holding and securing the identity information and emergency contact information thereon. 
   Previous containers to hold emergency identification and contact information have been made from rigid material, such as metal or rigid plastic, which is not conducive for folding and storing in purse, wallet, or pocket when not in use. Further, the rigid-type containers require a cap or other type of rigid enclosure to seal the opening for placement of the identification and emergency contact information. This causes added cost to a rigid container. It is, therefore, desirable to provide an emergency contact holder that is pliable so that it is foldable, and simply made so that it is inexpensive to manufacture and capable of being stored in small compartments such as a wallet, purse or pocket. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The intent of the invention is to address the aforementioned concerns. The invention provides an emergency contact holder made of a flexible strap having a first and second end wherein the first end has a clipping means secured thereto for connection to an article of clothing on a person. A pocket is formed in the second end and has access thereto from the second end. The holder also provides means for selectively opening and closing the access to the pocket. 
   In another aspect of the invention, the emergency contact holder is a strap made of a woven, waterproof material. 
   In another aspect of the invention, the means for selectively opening and closing the access to the pocket includes complementary hook and eye portions engaged to inner surfaces of the pocket. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The description herein makes reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, and wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is an perspective view showing one embodiment of the emergency contact holder according to the present invention attached to a belt; 
       FIG. 2  is an elevational view showing a second embodiment of the invention; and 
       FIG. 3  is an elevational view showing a third embodiment of the invention. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   In one embodiment, the emergency contact device  10  includes a pliable tube having a clip or other device for connecting the emergency contact holder  12  to a person&#39;s article of clothing or as shown in  FIG. 1  to a belt  15 . The clip  14  can be made of plastic, aluminum, steel, and any ferrous or non-ferrous material. The clip  14  can also be replaced with a drawstring  22 , cord, ring  24 , as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , respectively, or any device that would releasably secure the holder  12  to the carrying object or person. The clip  14  can have a conventional spring lock, metal flapper, or any construction that will not allow the clip  14  to become detached from the carrying object or person. The clip  14  has a positive construction to enable the holder  12  to endure pulling, pushing, heat, cold, and still remain fastened to the clip  14  and secured to the carrying object or person. 
   The holder  12  can be made of molded, extruded, heat staked plastic, material such as canvas, Sunbrella®, nylon, polypropylene, polyurethane, or cotton type material. It is advantageous that the holder  12  is made of a pliable material so that the holder  12  can be folded to minimize its size. Therefore, it is preferable to have the holder made of a woven material. Further, it is preferable that the material is water proof or water resistant for durability. The pliable and foldable material allows the user to fold the holder  12  for placement in a clothing pocket, wallet or purse. The holder  12  can also be constructed of non-flexible material such as aluminum, steel, any ferrous or non-ferrous material, but would not offer the advantages of a flexible, foldable material. Raw material, such as plastic, can also be extruded to form a continuous tube that is cut to a desired length to form the holder  12 . 
   The holder  12  may be a piece of material folded over and fused in such a manner that it forms the pocket or tubular cavity or hollow areas  20 . The holder  12  is constructed in such a way as to form a pocket, tubular cavity, or hollow area  20  that would allow a document, or personal possession to be inserted into the holder  12 . 
   The holder  12  may also be two pieces of material that are sewn together to form the tubular cavity  20 . The holder  12  is attached to the clip  14 , cord  22  or ring  24  in a positive manner that would not allow the holder  12  to become removed from the clip  14 , cord  22 , or ring  24 . The attaching manner may be by means of a fold over a retention detail  25  on the clip  14  and sewn, heat staked or glued in such a secured manner it would not come loose from the clip  14 . The clip end  27  of the holder  12  is sealed closed when it is attached to the clip. There is no opening or pocket at the clip end  27  to prevent a document or any other piece of material  18  from exiting the holder  12 . 
   The opposing end  29  from the clip end  27  of the holder  12  can be selectively opened and closed and will allow a document  18  or personal possession to be inserted into the holder  12 . Once a document  18  has been inserted into the holder  12 , the second end  29  can then be securely closed and locked by a sealing means  16  that will not allow the document  18  inside the tubular cavity  20  to become dislodged and fall out. The sealing means can be opened only by the user or other person. The sealing means  16  can be a Velcro® type hook and loop strip attached to the two interior surfaces  30   a, b  of the holder  12  and pinched together, engaging the hook and loop mechanism to seal the access opening  29  closed. The selectively open end  29  can also be sealed closed by using other means such as buttons, snaps, or drawstrings. 
   The holder  12  can be in any color or designed graphics. For the purpose of an emergency device  10 , it is preferably in a bright red. Emergency identification or other indicia  31  can be written on the exterior surface  33  of the holder to alert a passerby of the contents of the holder  12  when the owner is unable to speak. 
   The document  18  inside the holder  12  is a material that can retain emergency phone numbers or messages for use in the case of an emergency. The material can be made of paper, cardboard, plastic, ferrous or non-ferrous material on which a phone number or message can be written, engraved or stamped on. The document material can be a flexible or rigid, cut to the preference of the user, and be of a durable material so the phone number or message will not be lost over a long period of time. 
   While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, which scope is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures as is permitted under the law.