Abstract:
A lanyard device for safely carrying articles alone or in containers suspended from an individual&#39;s neck. The lanyard device includes a flexible cord having a first end and a second end where the first and second ends include a retaining means that can be selectively disengaged from the first and second ends when a predetermined force is applied to the retaining means. The lanyard device also includes a coupling means for coupling an object to the flexible cord. The coupling means includes a J-shaped bore, wherein the first end and the second end of flexible cord is insertable through the J-shaped bore.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/401,973, filed on Aug. 7, 2002, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND  
         [0002]    Many people in the workplace perform tasks where both hands are needed, and other items must be kept within easy reach. For example, a nurse or doctor may need both hands to perform an examination, and also need thermometers, catheters or similar devices to be instantly accessible. For others, such as joggers and other athletes that wear athletic attire that lack pockets, storage and security of personal items is an issue. Several prior art devices have been developed to address these needs. While these prior art devices have been useful, there remains a need for an improved carrying device that is suspended from the user&#39;s neck.  
         SUMMARY  
         [0003]    Exemplary embodiments disclosed herein are directed to adjustable breakaway lanyard devices useful for storing and/or carrying essential items in a secure, accessible location, while providing an improved exterior coating for the lanyard itself, and a more reliable and effective friction device. One exemplary embodiment includes a flexible cord or flat webbing that can form a collar for carrying various objects around the neck. The ends of the flexible cord may be coated with a polymeric material and tapered near the bottom portion of the cord end to substantially reduce the tension needed for separation in case of an emergency. The cord or webbing is in engagement with a curved slideway within a housing, and may be releasably attached to a container by a snap/buckle type fitting. The device may also include either single or dual end clips for protecting the cord ends from fraying and other damage and may further include fasteners for securing the lanyard ends to clothing or protective gear in order to minimize uncontrollable dangling of the lanyard ends. The snap fitting of the lanyard device may also allow a wearer to remove the container without having to remove the entire lanyard. Alternatively, in another exemplary embodiment, the container may include a loop device configured to work in conjunction with a J-hook for holding hanging items such as ID cards. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0004]    [0004]FIGS. 1 a - 1   h  show several views of the slideway employed in exemplary embodiments;  
         [0005]    [0005]FIGS. 2 a - 2   c  show several perspective and cross sectional views of an exemplary embodiment employing rubber dipped free ends;  
         [0006]    [0006]FIGS. 3 a - 3   e  show perspective and cross sectional views of another exemplary embodiment of the adjustable breakaway lanyard employing dual end clips and tapered ends;  
         [0007]    [0007]FIGS. 4 a - 4   c  show several perspective and exploded views of an exemplary embodiment of the single clip configuration that includes an attachment member;  
         [0008]    [0008]FIGS. 5 a - 5   d  depict several perspective and cross sectional views of a hook-compatible embodiment;  
         [0009]    [0009]FIGS. 6 a - 6   h  depict perspective and cross sectional views of an embodiment employing a snap engagement for connecting the lanyard to a releasable container;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIGS. 7 a - 7   f  depict various views of an exemplary embodiment of the adjustable breakaway lanyard as configured to support a lighter; and  
         [0011]    [0011]FIGS. 8 a - 8   g  depict various views of the slideway mechanism used with the lighter embodiment. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0012]    The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of exemplary embodiments and is not intended to represent the only forms in which the exemplary embodiments may be constructed and/or utilized.  
         [0013]    One exemplary embodiment includes a lanyard  200  with two free ends  202  in engagement with a slideway  201 , with an integral container  203 . In one exemplary embodiment, the free ends  202  of the lanyard  200  may be attached to an end device (not shown). In an alternative embodiment, the free ends  202  may be dipped in a polymeric material such as a soft rubber in order to provide crimping for the lanyard and/or to add weight to the free ends  202  for stability. The slideway mechanism  201  of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1 a - h . Referring to FIG. 1 a , a slideway opening  100  is shown as generally elliptical orifice that can accommodate lanyards of various shapes. However, as those skilled in the art will appreciate, the slideway opening  100  may have a plurality of cross-sectional shapes. FIG. 1 d  shows the slideway  201  in cross-section, and depicts the curved shape of slideway opening  100  in relationship to an exemplary container  203 .  
         [0014]    Referring to FIG. 2 b , the lanyard  200  is looped, and passed through slideway  201  so that free ends  202  may dangle below container  203 . The lanyard  200  may be of a natural or polymeric material, and may be of any cross-sectional shape, such as round, elliptical, rectangular, or any shape that functions adequately with the friction slide. The lanyard  200  may also be in the shape of a substantially flat web.  
         [0015]    As shown in FIGS. 2 a - 2   c , the slideway  201  comprises a protrusion extending from container  203  that defines a slideway opening  100 . The opening  100  may be of any shape, and are depicted in an elliptical shape here in order to accommodate lanyards  200  of any cross sectional shape, or of a flat web configuration. The opening  100  is positioned so that the passage follows a curved path resembling the letter “J”. The opening  100  is also sized to provide sufficient friction to the lanyard  200  to hold container  203  in place over a locus of points along the length of the lanyard  200  while permitting ease of movement of the lanyard  200  for adjustment or quick release.  
         [0016]    Also, the container  203  as depicted in FIGS. 2 a - 2   c  is cylindrical in shape but may be of any shape, such as, but not limited to, rectangular or conical. The container  203  has an interior wall  101  of cylindrical or elliptical shape designed to frictionally engage the ends of stored objects such as lip balm, pens, markers or other similarly sized items.  
         [0017]    In one exemplary embodiment, the free ends  202  of lanyard  200  may be dipped in a soft, pliable rubber material  204  that finishes or crimps the ends of the lanyard, and also provides stability to the lanyard ends. The free ends  202  may also act as stoppers, preventing the friction/slide device or other attachments from sliding off of the free ends of the lanyard. As a safety feature, these coated free ends  204  will pull through the friction/slide device under one pound or more of force in an emergency breakaway situation. For example, if the lanyard  200  became entangled in machinery while being worn by a person, one pound of pressure would be sufficient to pull the lanyard  200  free and to prevent the injury or possible strangulation of the wearer.  
         [0018]    Turning to FIG. 3 c , another exemplary embodiment of the lanyard  200  may include end clips  400 . The end clip  400  may be formed as a single piece or may be constructed of two pieces with snap fittings. The end clip  400  acts as a stabilizing device for the lanyard  200 , and also enables a safety breakaway mechanism. The end clip  400  depicted in FIG. 3 c  includes an outer surface defining a circular bore, but, as those skilled in the art will appreciate, the bore may be shaped to accommodate the shape of the lanyard  200 , such as, but not limited to, a flat web lanyard configuration. FIG. 3 e  shows a cutaway view of end clip  400  and the optional tapered lanyard end  401  which operates similarly to other previously described safety breakaway features. The tapered end  401  is depicted here as conical, but any shape of taper may be suitable so long as the cross-sectional area of the lanyard  200  decreases substantially near its end and then returns to normal size at its end. The effect of this feature is to reduce the force necessary to implement the breakaway feature during an emergency. As with the previous embodiment, the free ends  202  may be coated with polymeric material to prevent fraying, although the coating in this embodiment should be relatively thin.  
         [0019]    Another exemplary embodiment utilizes an end clip configuration  400  as illustrated in FIGS. 4 a - 4   c . As shown in FIG. 4 a , the end clip configuration  400  comprises female member  402  and male member  403 . According to one embodiment, the female member  402  includes at least one, and preferably two openings  404  configured to receive protrusions  405  in locking engagement. As shown in FIGS. 4 a - 4   c , the end clip  400  includes two openings  404 .  
         [0020]    The members  402 ,  403  include semicircular depressions  406 , which form circular passages when the members are joined, to accommodate round lanyards or any lanyard that will fit within the passages. In an alternate embodiment, the members  402 ,  403  may have rectangular depressions  407  to accommodate rectangular web lanyards in the same manner. The members  402 ,  403  are depicted in FIGS. 4 a - c  in an elliptical shape but may be round, rectangular or polygonal.  
         [0021]    Clip member  409 , shown in FIG. 4 b , may be placed on the outer surface of either member  402  or member  403  but is shown if FIG. 4 a - c  in an elliptical shape, but may be round, rectangular or polygonal.  
         [0022]    The clip member  409  may be placed on the outer surface of either the female member  402  or the male member  403 , as shown in FIGS. 4 a - c . The clip member  409  comprises a rectangular tab biased to rest against the outer surface of member  403 . The bias of the clip member  409  may be accomplished by the curvature of the tab as shown in FIG. 4 a - c . Alternatively, the bias may be accomplished by a hinge mechanism, spring mechanism, or any other biasing means known to those skilled in the art.  
         [0023]    In use, the clip member  409  secures the dangling ends of the lanyard  200  to the clothing of the wearer. Accordingly, the risk of the lanyard  200  being caught in machinery or interfering with the activity of the wearer may be minimized. This embodiment can also employ a tapered lanyard configuration, or rubber-dipped ends as described above.  
         [0024]    In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 5 a - 5   h , the slideway body  500  is configured to engage a hook-type device, such as a “J-hook” for a name tag. As shown in FIG. 5 b , slideway  201  operates as previously described for receiving the lanyard  200 . Referring to FIG. 5 c , loop  501  protrudes from the slideway body  500  and defines opening  502 , which is depicted here as circular but may be triangular, rectangular or polygonal.  
         [0025]    In use, a user would attach tools, implements, nametags, or the like configured with attachment devices such as clips, hooks, or the like by inserting the attachement device through opening  502 . Such an arrangement allows a user to attach and detach articles without removing the lanyard from the user&#39;s body.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIGS. 6 a - 6   d  illustrate another exemplary embodiment that allows a detachable container  600  to be releasably connected with a lanyard by using a snap-fitting tab  601  similar to a belt buckle. As depicted in FIG. 6 b , the slideway  201  operates as previously discussed. The snap-fitting tab  601  protrudes from horizontal surface  602 , and may be substantially rectangular or polygonal. The snap-fitting tab  601  includes lip  604 , which may be integral to snap-fitting tab  601  as shown in FIG. 6 d  or a separate piece bonded to snap-fitting tab  601  as shown in FIG. 6 b . The snap-fitting tab  601  functions as a male member that lockingly engages a female receptor (not shown) incorporated into any of the previously and subsequently disclosed containers or attachments. This exemplary embodiment allows articles of any shape that do not have hook-type attachments to be places into a container that can be removed without removing the entire lanyard from the wearer&#39;s neck.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 7 depicts another exemplary embodiment that is configured to support a lighter  701 . FIG. 7 b  depicts lighter  701  and end plug  700 . While FIG. 7 b  shows the end plug  700  as having a substantially flat surface  702  for secure coupling to lighter  701  by pressure, an adhesive or any other suitable fastening method known in the art, or any previously disclosed embodiment such as the buckle of FIG. 6 may be used in this embodiment.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary slideway mechanism  700  that can be used with the lighter embodiment of FIG. 7. Referring to FIGS. 8 a - 8   b , the slideway  100  (as best shown in FIG. 8 e ) operates as previously described. FIG. 8 g  shows the surface  702  in greater detail with lip  800  being configured for a semi-permanent connection with a lighter.  
         [0029]    While the present invention has been described with regards to particular embodiments, it is recognized that additional variations of the exemplary embodiments may be devised without departing from the inventive concept.