Abstract:
A combined belt clip and locking fastener is provided which is adapted for selectively securing an electronic device such as a cellular telephone or Personal Digital Assistant to a belt or other object.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims priority of pending U.S. Design patent application Ser. No. 29/163,110, filed Jun. 26, 2002, and is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to selectively attachable holders designed for interconnection to a belt or pocket, and more specifically, a molded belt clip and fastener for selectively holding a cellular phone or other device.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Cellular telephones, pagers, family radios, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and other similar electronic devices have become increasingly popular, with many people carrying these devices on their belts or a pocket. The inevitable advances in technology will surely bring about new items that users will want to carry on their belts so that they are easily accessible.  
           [0004]    Various means of clipping small items to a user&#39;s belt have been in use for many years. Specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 5,779,115, assigned to the cell phone manufacturer NOKIA®, teaches a carrying device that employs a hand-operated slide which includes an element to deflect a spring to release a lock. The device employs a button which is sewn on a case that the phone slips into. The other portion of the holding device is clipped to the user&#39;s belt and employs a locking feature. The user inserts the button into the lock which allows for storage or hands-free use. To disengage the cell phone from the holding device, the user must release a locking mechanism. These type of locks have the disadvantage of being made from many parts which can be time consuming to manufacture due to the extensive assembly required, and thus expensive.  
           [0005]    The traditional lock release can be inadvertently activated causing the item to become dislodged and possibly damaged in a fall. Also, failure of these types of mechanisms may happen fairly quickly. Failure of the locking spring and the clip housing are common, which will cause the cell phone to become dislodged from the locking mechanism and possibly damaged in a fall.  
           [0006]    Separable fasteners with a single piece locking feature are also known in the art. For example, the MOD-U-LOCK® attachment system built by the National Molding Corporation and sold commercially by DURAFLEX® is a fastener which utilizes the elastic properties of plastic to lock a button into place. The locking portion includes a flexible tab with a locking lip and a pocket to receive a button, and is released by applying finger pressure against an upper portion of the tab. However, these fasteners are sewn into existing materials, and provide no means for removable interconnection to a belt, pocket, or other object.  
           [0007]    Another drawback of the separable fasteners is that they have limited applications outside use with soft compliant items. When a user applies pressure to a tab, it is deflected to achieve a sufficient gap so that a button, which is interconnected to a device, can be easily slipped into and out of the locking pocket without interference with the locking lip on the tab. In current low-profile lock designs, a deflected tab will come in contact with the item the lock is attached to. If the lock is attached to a compliant item, a nylon bag for example, pressure from the tab will deflect the item and a sufficient gap will be supplied. If the item to which the locking portion of the separable fastener is not compliant, a deflected tab may not be able to provide a sufficient gap for the insertion of a button. Fasteners in use today are low profile, and as such lack a sufficient gap when deflected to be used on non-compliant materials.  
           [0008]    There is thus a significant need for a one-piece integrally molded interconnection system which can be selectively attached to a belt or pocket and which comprises a locking mechanism which selectively secures a cellular phone, radio, or PDA. There is a further need for a simplistic interconnection system which requires no assembly, is durable, and can be used for a multitude of applications.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    It is thus one aspect of the present invention to provide a detachable fastener that attaches to a user&#39;s belt and selectively secures an electronic device, while eliminating post-manufacturing steps of assembly and the costs associated therewith. Thus, the detachable fastener of the present invention does not employ springs or other means to disengage the lock, since the resilient properties of the molded plastic perform the required function. By attaching a belt clip of the present design the same functionality of a spring actuated belt clip can be achieved, without the numerous components and costs associated therein.  
           [0010]    It is another aspect of the present invention that the single piece design be light, strong, and less susceptible to breakage and jamming due to the reduction of movable parts. Also, the single piece design will have no metal parts which could be prone to corrosion and tend to activate metal detectors. Due to the single piece design and the elimination of post manufacturing steps, significant time and expenses can be saved.  
           [0011]    It is a further aspect of the present invention to provide a selectable fastener which has a multitude of possible designs, and which can readably changed with a revision of the mold. Thus, the shape and design of the clip can be changed easily, as well as the color. In addition, the clip can be molded with flat areas for the attachment of company logos or other advertisements, or the desired indicia can be etched or molded directly onto the clip.  
           [0012]    It is another aspect of the present invention that a portion of the separable lock have a button which interfaces with the locking portion of the fastener by sliding into a pocket. This button can be selectively attached to any number of electronic devices, tools, or carrying pouches, such as a cell phone, pager, PDA, MP3 player, CD player, diagnostic device, radio, tape cassette player, health monitor, hammer, tape measure, inventory device, water bottle, flashlight, gun holster, pouch, hand cuff holder, knife case, and time piece (hereafter “electronic device”). The attachment of the button to the electronic device depends on the application, but the button may be sewn, glued, integrally molded, screwed, riveted, clipped, taped, or tied to the item, as appreciated by one skilled in the art. Finally, items of the same general size may fit into the same lock depending on the shape of the interface portion of the lock and interconnecting button.  
           [0013]    In another aspect of the present invention, a belt clip is integrally interconnected to the locking portion of the separable fastener, and is joined by a thinner, flexible section of plastic. By squeezing together the finger and thumb tabs on the clip and lock, the thinner section of plastic will resiliently deflect, thereby allowing removable attachment to a user&#39;s belt. The lock portion will similarly use the same materials, and the tab attached to the locking portion may be easily deflected to allow insertion and removal of the button that is attached to the electronic device.  
           [0014]    In another aspect of the present invention, the locking portion of the integral assembly is attached to the belt clip via a spring and pin combination, and thus does not utilize the one-piece integral mold discussed above, but is still simplistic in design, simplistic to manufacture, and cost effective.  
           [0015]    It is another aspect of the present invention that the holder may be used to carry larger items that, due to their shape and/or size, a user would find difficult to disengage the lock on the clip. In this embodiment, the locking portion would employ a pocket, but no movable tab. In contrast, the locking portion is equipped with a small protrusion which in turn interfaces with a tab on the button. Disengagement is achieved by flexing the tab toward the item, thereby releasing the interface. In addition, the connection between the clip may not have a reduced thickness, but rather will have the same dimensions as the joined pieces to increase the strength of the holder to accommodate heavier items.  
           [0016]    In each of the above mentioned aspects of the invention, a button that is selectively interconnected to the electronic device will be used. The interface portion of the button will dictate the mobility of the item when it is installed in the lock&#39;s pocket and engaged in a locked position. For example, a round interface will allow the item to rotate, whereas a square interface will constrain the item to present rotation, while an interface which is notched will allow the user to set a desired rotation angle in a preferred position of use.  
           [0017]    It is another aspect of the present invention that there is a sufficient gap integrated into the locking portion of the integral assembly such that there is sufficient space for the tab on the lock to be deflected. Additional advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following discussion, particularly when incorporated with the accompanying drawings.  
           [0018]    Thus, in one aspect of the present invention a one-piece carrier adapted for interconnection to a belt or other object is provided comprising:  
           [0019]    a belt clip having an upper end, a lower end, an internal surface, and an external surface;  
           [0020]    a locking portion having an upper end, a lower end, and a locking pocket positioned there between;  
           [0021]    a resilient interconnection means operably connecting said upper end of said belt clip portion and said locking portion, wherein said lower end of said belt clip portion and said locking portion can be selectively opened for interconnection to a belt or other object. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0022]    [0022]FIG. 1 is perspective view of a first embodiment of an integral belt clip and locking fastener;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 2 is a rear elevation view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 3 is a left elevation view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 5 is a front elevation and a plan view of a square engagement button used with the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 6 is a front elevation and a plan view of a round engagement button used with the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 7 is a front elevation and a plan view of a notched engagement button used with the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 8 is a left elevation view of the button attached to an electronic device and a method of insertion into the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 9 is a left elevation view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 interconnected to a belt and the electronic device selectively secured thereto;  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 10 is a top plan view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 11 is a rear elevation view of the invention shown in FIG. 10;  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 12 is a left elevation view of the invention shown in FIG. 10;  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 13 is a front elevation view of the invention shown in FIG. 10;  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 14 is a bottom plan view of the invention shown in FIG. 10;  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 15 is a left elevation view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 16 is a rear elevation view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 17 is a left elevation view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 16;  
         [0039]    [0039]FIG. 18 is a front elevation view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 16;  
         [0040]    [0040]FIG. 19 is a front elevation view of a button with an extended tab;  
         [0041]    [0041]FIG. 20 is a right elevation view of the button with extended tab shown in FIG. 19;  
         [0042]    [0042]FIG. 21 is a left elevation view of the button with an extended tab attached to an item and the method of insertion into the embodiment shown in FIG. 16;  
         [0043]    [0043]FIG. 22 is a left elevation view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 16 interconnected to a user&#39;s belt and an electronic device selectively secured thereto;  
         [0044]    [0044]FIG. 23 is a rear elevation view of an alternative embodiment;  
         [0045]    [0045]FIG. 24 is a left elevation view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 23;  
         [0046]    [0046]FIG. 25 is a front elevation view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 23;  
         [0047]    [0047]FIG. 26 is a front elevation view of a resilient engagement button;  
         [0048]    [0048]FIG. 27 is a right section view of a resilient engagement button;  
         [0049]    [0049]FIG. 28 is a top plan view of a resilient engagement button; and  
         [0050]    [0050]FIG. 29 is a rear elevation view that shows an example of a hard stop. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0051]    Referring now to FIGS. 1-4, one embodiment of the present invention is shown herein. In general, a one-piece integral belt clip holder ( 60 ) is a union of a belt clip ( 10 ) and a locking portion ( 30 ) of a separable fastener which are attached by a web ( 31 ) of plastic or other material with resilient properties such as rubber, etc. The web ( 31 ) is resilient to allow for attachment to a belt when pressure is applied to the finger grip on the clip portion ( 12 ) and the finger grip on the lock portion ( 13 ). Alternatively, the lower portions of the belt clip ( 10 ) and the locking portion ( 30 ) may be pulled apart to allow for selective interconnection to a belt or other object. The lock portion ( 30 ) employs a flexible plastic tab ( 15 ) with a lip ( 16 ) that secures a button and prevents upward movement and disengagement from the lock portion ( 30 ). Alternatively, other types of residual materials commonly known in the art may be used, including rubber, polyethylene, etc. A locking pocket ( 19 ) constrains the non-locking portion of the separable fastener, and consists of a front wall ( 17 ), a back wall ( 18 ), and side pocket walls ( 22 ). When the tab ( 15 ) is flexed, the non-locking portion remains supported in the pocket and is easily disengaged. The belt clip portion ( 10 ) may be equipped with a hook ( 11 ) which will help maintain the unit on the user&#39;s belt. Both portions of the belt clip ( 10 ) and the locking portion ( 30 ) of the separable fastener are integrally molded with open molded spaces ( 14  &amp;  21 ) which eliminates assembly, inherent labor costs, and the expenses related thereto.  
         [0052]    Referring now to FIGS. 5-7 and FIGS. 26-27, a non-locking portion of the separable fastener is shown. This item is referred to herein as a button( 40 ), and is generally comprised of a plastic material such as polypropylene, polyethylene, etc. The button&#39;s attachment surface ( 41 ) is connected to the pocket interface ( 42 ) by a stem ( 46 ) such that the button ( 40 ) is easily slipped into the pocket of the lock. In one embodiment, the interconnecting stem ( 46 ) and/or the attachment area ( 41 ) may be made of rubber or other resilient material capable of deflection which will decrease the leverage on the button and electronic device interface when a force is applied to a portion of the electronic device. The stem ( 46 ) is not limited to a cylindrical shape. For example, a rectangularly shaped stem ( 46 ) can be used which would provide resiliency in one direction and greater stiffness in the others. Also, at the button to electronic device interface, a resilient material will provide a better bond between the button attachment surface ( 41 ) and the electronic device because the resilient material will be capable of deflection and conformance to the electronic device that may have a non-planar shape. The interface portion ( 42 ) dictates the mobility of the item when it is locked in the pocket. More specifically, a square shape will give a user substantially no rotation, while a round button shape will allow for free rotation. Alternatively in one embodiment , notches ( 43 ) may be employed to provide a variety of rotational positions depending on the preferred application.  
         [0053]    The button ( 40 ) is selectively interconnected to an electronic device or an electronic device carrying pouch by many means including sewn, glued, integrally molded, clipped, screwed, riveted, taped, or tied to the electronic device. The button ( 40 ) may further employ a rivet hole ( 45 ) or stitching holes ( 44 ) to facilitate interconnection with an electronic device or electronic device carrying pouch.  
         [0054]    Referring now to FIG. 8, the locking function of one embodiment of the present invention is illustrated herein. More specifically, the button ( 40 ) is shown interconnected to the electronic device ( 50 ), while the integral belt clip and holder ( 60 ) is shown with a tab ( 15 ) in the locked position. To lock the electronic device ( 50 ) into place, in one embodiment the user applies pressure to the tab ( 15 ) in the direction of the clip portion ( 10 ) of the integral assembly ( 60 ). Alternatively embodiments may employ release mechanisms which are pushed in different directions to release. After pressure is applied to the tab ( 15 ), there is an unobstructed path for the button ( 40 ) to engage the pocket ( 19 ). That is, the button interface ( 42 ) can be easily guided downward into the lock pocket ( 19 ). When the user releases the pressure on the tab ( 15 ) the locking portion of the tab ( 16 ) will prevent the button interface ( 42 ) from traveling upward. Thus, the electronic device ( 50 ) is released by the application of pressure to the tab ( 15 ) towards the clip portion ( 10 ) of the integral assembly ( 60 ) thereby deflecting the tab, separating the lock ( 16 ) and button interface ( 42 ), and providing an unobstructed path in which the electronic device can travel in an upward direction.  
         [0055]    The requisite pressure that deflects the tab ( 15 ) prior to the introduction of the button interface ( 42 ) into the pocket ( 19 ) can be supplied by the interface ( 42 ) itself. More specifically, the user can initiate the downward motion of the electronic device ( 50 ) into the pocket ( 19 ) without touching the tab ( 15 ). Thus, the contact of the interface ( 42 ) with the tab ( 15 ), along with the downward force supplied by the user, will sufficiently deflect the tab ( 15 ) so that the interface ( 42 ) will engage the pocket ( 19 ).  
         [0056]    Referring now to FIG. 9, the button ( 40 ) is shown interconnected to the electronic device ( 50 ), while the belt clip( 10 ) is attached to the user&#39;s ( 5 ) belt. The tab ( 15 ) of the lock ( 30 ) has been flexed towards the user ( 5 ), while the button interface has been seated in the pocket ( 19 ), and the tab ( 15 ) has been released. Thus, the button has been prevented from upward motion by the lock ( 16 ).  
         [0057]    Referring now to FIGS. 10-14, a second embodiment of the present intention is shown herein. This embodiment is similar to the first embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1-9, but the single piece molding is modified to simplify manufacturing because “side pulls” on the mold are not required. In some molding processes side pulls are required to form holes or cavities into the final product. By deleting the need for side pulls, an integral design is moldable using a two-piece mold construction, and more clips can be made using a single mold. The requirement of side pulls adds complexity and cost to the molding operation. More specifically, the belt clip portion ( 10 ) is constructed slightly longer than the locking portion ( 30 ). In addition, the belt clip finger grip is split into two pieces ( 12 A &amp;  12 B).  
         [0058]    Referring now to FIG. 15, a third embodiment of the present invention is shown herein that employs a pin ( 7 ) and spring mechanism to connect the locking ( 30 ) and clip ( 10 ) portions of the unit. More specifically, the pressure on the finger grips ( 12  &amp;  13 ) is reduced by the use of a pin and spring such that selective interconnection to a user&#39;s belt or other object is more easily performed.  
         [0059]    Referring now to FIGS. 16-20, a fourth embodiment of the present invention is shown herein which is more durable and specifically designed for larger items such as radios, CD players, PDAs, inventory devices, water bottles, etc. In this embodiment of the present invention, the locking feature ( 3 ) on the integral assembly ( 60 ) is not attached to a flexible tab. Instead, the locking portion ( 30 ) employs a small protrusion ( 3 ), which interfaces with a flexible tab ( 2 ) on the button ( 40 ) when the button is seated in the pocket ( 19 ) and the tab ( 2 ) is released. Further, the halves are connected by a thicker interface ( 32 ) which increases the strength of the unit.  
         [0060]    Referring now to FIG. 21, the locking function of one embodiment of the present invention is illustrated herein. More specifically, the button ( 40 ) is shown interconnected to a sleeve ( 36 ) on a larger device ( 50 ), while the integral belt clip and holder ( 60 ) is shown with a stationary locking protrusion ( 3 ). The sleeve ( 36 ) may be used to selectively secure the larger device ( 50 ) to the button ( 40 ) if attachment locations on the item ( 50 ) are not feasible. To lock the device into place the user applies pressure to the tab ( 2 ) on the button ( 40 ) in the direction of the device ( 50 ). After pressure is applied to the tab ( 15 ) there is an unobstructed path for the button ( 40 ) to engage the pocket ( 19 ), that is, the button interface ( 42 ) can be easily guided downward into the lock pocket ( 19 ). When the user releases the pressure on the tab ( 2 ), the locking portion of the integral assembly ( 3 ) will prevent the button interface ( 42 ) from traveling upward because a portion of the tab ( 2 ) will interface with the lock ( 3 ). The item is released by the application of pressure to the tab ( 2 ) towards the device ( 50 ) thereby deflecting the tab, separating the lock ( 3 ) and the tab interface ( 4 ), and providing an unobstructed path in which the device can be moved upward.  
         [0061]    The requisite pressure that deflects the tab ( 2 ) prior to the introduction of the button interface ( 42 ) into the pocket ( 19 ) can be supplied by the interface ( 4 ) itself. More specifically, the user can initiate the downward motion of the device into the pocket without touching the tab ( 2 ). The contact of the interface ( 4 ) with the lock ( 3 ), along with the downward force supplied by the user, will sufficiently deflect the tab ( 2 ) so that the button interface ( 42 ) will be able to be seated into the pocket ( 19 ).  
         [0062]    Referring now to FIG. 22, the button ( 40 ) is shown interconnected to the larger device ( 50 ), while the belt clip( 10 ) is attached to the user&#39;s ( 5 ) belt. The tab ( 2 ) of the button ( 40 ) has been flexed towards the device ( 50 ), the button interface has been seated in the pocket ( 19 ), the tab ( 2 ) has been released, and the button has been prevented from upward motion by the contact of the interface ( 4 ) with the lock ( 3 ).  
         [0063]    Referring now to FIGS. 23-25, a fifth embodiment of the present invention is shown that employs a thick connection interface ( 32 ), but is substantially similar to the first two embodiment described with respect to some aspects of the locking feature. In order for any locking mechanism to work properly, a gap ( 70 ) must be integrated into the locking portion ( 30 ) of the integral design to allow unrestricted travel of the locking tab ( 15 ). This gap ( 70 ) will extend from the back surface of the locking portion ( 71 ) to the back wall of the locking pocket ( 18 A). When the user deflects the tab ( 15 ), the gap ( 70 ) will provide sufficient deflection of the tab ( 15 ) so that the button ( 40 ) will not come in contact with the locking lip ( 16 ) when a user inserts and removes a device from the integral assembly ( 60 ). The greater the gap ( 70 ), the easier and quicker the button can be inserted and released from the pocket and lock.  
         [0064]    Referring now to FIG. 29, a “hard stop” is shown. As used herein, a hard stop ( 1 ) is any type of backing material, detent, or other mechanism which prevents the tab ( 15 ) from extending or deflecting past a predetermined position. The predetermined position may be dictated by the maximum deflection the tab ( 15 ) can move without incurring damage. To engage and disengage a button from the integral assembly ( 60 ), a user must depress the tab ( 15 ) toward the belt clip ( 10 ) of the integral assembly. Extreme deflections of the tab ( 15 ) may fatigue the material such that it will be permanently deformed or break. In order to prevent this detrimental effect, the hard stop ( 1 ) may be added to the belt clip portion ( 10 ) of the integral assembly ( 60 ). When a user applies pressure on the tab ( 15 ) towards the belt clip portion ( 10 ), the tab ( 15 ) will deflect enough for engagement or disengagement of a button, but the tab ( 15 ) will be stopped from further deflection when it comes in contact with the hard stop ( 1 ). Preferably, the hard stop ( 1 ) is molded integrally with the belt clip ( 10 ).  
         [0065]    Further, the hard stop ( 1 ) may be added to or molded onto the tab ( 15 ) of the locking portion ( 30 ) of the integral assembly ( 60 ) as opposed to the belt clip ( 10 ), as discussed above. When a user applies pressure on the tab ( 15 ) towards the belt clip portion ( 10 ), the tab ( 15 ) will deflect enough for engagement or disengagement of a button, but the tab ( 15 ) will be stopped from further deflection when the hard stop ( 1 ) on the tab ( 15 ) comes in contact with the belt clip portion ( 10 ).  
         [0066]    To provide clarity to the various components found in the drawings, and the numbering of the various components provided herein:  
                                                   #   Component                            1   Hard Stop            2   Extended Tab            3   Locking Protrusion            4   Extended tab/Protrusion interface location            5   User            7   Pin           10   Belt clip portion           11   Hook           12   Belt Clip Finger Grip           12A   Belt Clip Finger Grip           12B   Belt Clip Finger Grip           13   Locking Portion Finger Grip           14   Open molding area           15   Tab           16   Locking Lip           17   Front wall of locking pocket           17A   Front wall of locking pocket (Looking from the belt clip)           18   Back wall of locking pocket           18A   Back wall of locking pocket (Looking from the belt clip)           19   Locking Pocket           21   Open molding space           22   Side pocket walls           30   Lock portion           31   Web           32   Belt clip/Lock portion interface           36   Sleeve           40   Button           41   Button attachment surface           42   Button/Locking pocket interface           43   Button notches           44   Stitch holes           45   Rivet hole           46   Stem           50   Electronic Device or other item           60   Integral Belt Clip and Holder           70   Gap           71   Back surface of locking portion                      
 
         [0067]    While various embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, it is apparent that modifications and adaptations of those embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art. However, it is to be expressly understood that such modifications and adaptations are within the spirit and scope of the present invention, as set forth in the claims that follow.