Patent ID: 12221991

The illustrations in the figures may not necessarily be drawn to scale.

The invention and its various embodiments can now be better understood by turning to the following detailed description wherein illustrated embodiments are described. It is to be expressly understood that the illustrated embodiments are set forth as examples and not by way of limitations on the invention as ultimately defined in the claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS AND BEST MODE OF INVENTION

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well as the singular forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one having ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and the present disclosure and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

In describing the invention, it will be understood that a number of techniques and steps are disclosed. Each of these has individual benefit and each can also be used in conjunction with one or more, or in some cases all, of the other disclosed techniques. Accordingly, for the sake of clarity, this description will refrain from repeating every possible combination of the individual steps in an unnecessary fashion. Nevertheless, the specification and claims should be read with the understanding that such combinations are entirely within the scope of the invention and the claims.

In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be evident, however, to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details.

The present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated by the figures or description below.

As is well known to those skilled in the art, many careful considerations and compromises typically must be made when designing for the optimal configuration of a commercial implementation of any apparatus, and in particular, the embodiments of the present invention. A commercial implementation in accordance with the spirit and teachings of the present invention may be configured according to the needs of the particular application, whereby any aspect(s), feature(s), function(s), result(s), component(s), approach(es), or step(s) of the teachings related to any described embodiment of the present invention may be suitably omitted, included, adapted, mixed and matched, or improved and/or optimized by those skilled in the art, using their average skills and known techniques, to achieve the desired implementation that addresses the needs of the particular application.

Broadly, embodiments of the present invention provide a clip assembly that allows users to adjust the position at which the clip is mounted, allows for variance in mounting positions and styles, provides adjustability to allow a varying width of belts or webbing, and has cloth gripping abilities. The clip assembly can include a wire clip that is adjustably attached to a mounting base. The wire clip can, for example, be mounted facing upward, relative to the mounting base, downward, relative to the mounting base, or may adjustably slide to a desired position relative to the mounting base. A spacer may be provided that can adjust a size of an opening of the wire clip. The spacer may also provide a fabric catch member for helping keep the clip assembly in a desired position.

The clip assembly can be constructed out of metal, composite, or plastic, for example. Each component described herein can, for example, be formed out of a single piece of the desired material and assembled as described below.

Referring toFIGS.1A and1B, a wire clip10includes clip legs12and a clip leg retainer14. The clip leg retainer14can formed by a 90-degree bend at the end of both clip leg12and can interface with the mounting base32, as discussed below, referencingFIG.3A. The bend formed by the clip leg retainer14may be formed in angles other than 90 degrees, as illustrated. For example, the bend to form the clip leg retainer may be from about 45 degrees to about 135 degrees, for example.

A clip belt space20can be formed by a clip hoop16, the clip leg12, a clip rear portion19, and the clip return18. The clip belt space20is where a belt, webbing, fabric, or other material can be captured and held by the wire clip10. The wire clip10may be made in different sizes to accommodate different size belts, for example. However, as discussed below, a spacer may be optionally used to further adjust the side of the clip belt space.

Referring toFIGS.2A through2D, a spacer22can include a spacer return tab24, as best seen inFIG.2A, that retains the clip return18(seeFIG.1B) when the clip return18is inserted into a spacer clip return channel26. This allows the spacer22to be firmly attached to the wire clip10. The clip return18can be seen inserted into the spacer clip return channel26inFIGS.2B and2D. InFIG.2C, spacer clip leg channels28are shown, which provide a space for the clip leg12to recess below the bottom of the spacer22. A spacer fabric catch30can be seen inFIG.2C. The spacer fabric catch30can provide an edge that catches fabric, in conjunction with the spacer clip leg channels28. The spacer fabric catch30and spacer clip leg channels28extend below the bottom of the clip leg12, as best illustrated inFIG.2D. These elements provide a fabric-catching ability of the spacer22.

Referring toFIGS.3A through3D, a mounting base32can provide an attachment system for the wire clip10. The mounting base32can be attached to various objects that are desired to be carried on one's wearable object, belt, or self. The mounting base32, for example, can be attached to an object by, but not limited to, screws, bolts, glue, epoxy, tape, or sewn into fabric. InFIG.3A, a mounting base hole36can provide the means to secure the wire clip10. One example of the wire clip10mounted to the mounting base32can be seen inFIG.4, where a screw38is used to secure the wire clip10to the mounting base32, using the mounting base hole36, to form one embodiment of a clip assembly. A screw, bolt, or other fasteners can be utilized to secure the wire clip10to the mounting base32through the mounting base hole36. The mounting base hole36can be used with a screw38or other hardware to fasten the mounting base32to a desired object.

As shown inFIG.3A, a mounting base leg channel40is provided where the mounting base32interfaces with the clip legs12. The mounting base leg channel40provides a recess for the clip leg12to lie in, allowing the wire clip10to slide in the mounting base leg channel40. The mounting base leg channel40allows only one degree of movement for the wire clip10when the mounting base leg hole(s)42are not used. Typically, the wire clip10can slide in the mounting base leg channels40in a direction that is generally parallel with a longitudinal axis of the mounting base32.

The mounting base leg hole(s)42, as best seen inFIG.3B, can fix the wire clip10from sliding in the mounting base leg channel40. The mounting base leg hole(s)42can interface with the clip leg retainer14and two of the four mounting base leg hole(s)42can be utilized at a single time, as shown inFIG.4andFIG.5A(illustrating where each of the two sets of two (four total) the mounting base leg holes(s)42are used). A mounting base slot44, as seen inFIG.3Aand inFIG.3B, can allow additional points to fix the mounting base32using, but not limited to, hardware such as screws and bolts. The mounting base slot step46, as seen inFIG.3C, can allow for the head of the fixing hardware to fit below the wire clip10when the wire clip10is fixed to the mounting base32. This is illustrated inFIG.5B, where a screw38A is shown in between the wire clip10and the mounting base32, which is accommodated by the mounting base slot step46. In other words, an upper surface of the mounting base slot is positioned lower than an upper surface of the mounting base where the mounting base hole is formed.

InFIG.3D, a mounting block32is shown without the mounting base slot44. The mounting base slot44allows for variability in the attachment of the mounting block32but may not be required depending upon the mounting application.

FIG.4illustrates one possible orientation of the wire clip10, the mounting base32, the spacer22and the screw38. The mounting base32is orientated so that the mounting base slot44is not under the clip leg12. This is possible due to the first set of two mounting base leg holes42being used as shown inFIG.4.

FIG.5Aillustrates another possible orientation of how the clip10, the mounting base32, and the spacer22could be configured. The mounting base32is orientated so that the mounting base slot44is under the clip leg12. This is possible due to the other set of two mounting base leg holes42being interfaced with the clip leg retainer14as shown inFIG.5A. InFIG.5B, the clip belt space20is made to accommodate a smaller size belt or webbing due to the spacer22being utilized. Adding or removing the spacer creates variance for different sizes of belts or webbing in the clip belt space20. A different size spacer22, or removal thereof, as illustrated inFIGS.7A through7C, could allow a variety of different size belts, webbing, etc. to be accommodated in the clip belt space20.

FIG.6provides another possible representation of how the clip10, the spacer22, and two mounting bases32could be configured. By using an additional mounting base32on the clip leg12, an additional point of mounting the wire clip10is provided. The use of a second mounting base32allows for additional security and increased rigidity to the wire clip10.

Another representation of the clip10and mounting base32can be seen inFIGS.7A and7B. The spacer22is not used in this representation. The mounting base32can be positioned in two possible configurations, as shown inFIG.7AandFIG.7B. This illustrates that the spacer22is not required in the use of the wire clip10and the mounting base32. When the spacer22is not utilized, a wider belt or webbing can be accommodated in the belt space20, as seen inFIG.7C. Adding or removing the spacer creates variance for different sizes of belts or webbing in the clip belt space20.

All the features disclosed in this specification, including any accompanying abstract and drawings, may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

Claim elements and steps herein may have been numbered and/or lettered solely as an aid in readability and understanding. Any such numbering and lettering in itself is not intended to and should not be taken to indicate the ordering of elements and/or steps in the claims.

Many alterations and modifications may be made by those having ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, it must be understood that the illustrated embodiments have been set forth only for the purposes of examples and that they should not be taken as limiting the invention as defined by the following claims. For example, notwithstanding the fact that the elements of a claim are set forth below in a certain combination, it must be expressly understood that the invention includes other combinations of fewer, more or different ones of the disclosed elements.

The words used in this specification to describe the invention and its various embodiments are to be understood not only in the sense of their commonly defined meanings, but to include by special definition in this specification the generic structure, material or acts of which they represent a single species.

The definitions of the words or elements of the following claims are, therefore, defined in this specification to not only include the combination of elements which are literally set forth. In this sense it is therefore contemplated that an equivalent substitution of two or more elements may be made for any one of the elements in the claims below or that a single element may be substituted for two or more elements in a claim. Although elements may be described above as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, it is to be expressly understood that one or more elements from a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from the combination and that the claimed combination may be directed to a subcombination or variation of a subcombination.

Insubstantial changes from the claimed subject matter as viewed by a person with ordinary skill in the art, now known or later devised, are expressly contemplated as being equivalently within the scope of the claims. Therefore, obvious substitutions now or later known to one with ordinary skill in the art are defined to be within the scope of the defined elements.

The claims are thus to be understood to include what is specifically illustrated and described above, what is conceptually equivalent, what can be obviously substituted and also what incorporates the essential idea of the invention.