Patent Document

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    The Applicant claims the benefit of his Provisional Application, Serial No. 60/367,038, filed Mar. 25, 2002. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to the field of protecting valuables and particularly to the field of waist worn money belts.  
           [0003]    Travelers frequently carry cash, travelers&#39; checks and other valuable documents with them. In order to safeguard these items from pickpockets and thieves, they frequently carry them in a waist worn money belt. The typical money belt has an internal pouch which is accessible via a zipper on the inside, back of the belt. Thus, when worn, it is impossible for criminals to secretly obtain access to the zipper and thus remove the valuables. However, for reasons of practicality and cost, such money belts are available in only a few colors and very plain designs. No belts are available in fashionable designs and in colors to match various outfits.  
           [0004]    What is needed is a money belt that is fashionable, able to go with various outfits and of reasonable cost. Development of such a belt represents a great improvement in the field of valuable protection and satisfies a long felt need of the traveling public.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    The present invention is a flat pouch, with a zipper on one side, which removably attaches to the inside of any belt typically at the rear. The pouch comprises an inner layer and an outer layer fastened together at their edges. The preferred method of attachment is one or more segments of hook and loop fastener. The pouch is the same width as regular belts and has one or more portions of hook or loop fastener attached with double sided adhesive to its front side, i.e. the side without the zipper. The pouch is preferably supplied in a kit with extra portions of adhesive backed hook or loop fastener. If the pouch is supplied with hook portions adhered to it, the extra portions are loop portions and vice versa. The extra portions are adhered by the user to the rear of one or more belts using the double sided adhesive so that their spacing matches that of the portions already adhered to the pouch. Thus the pouch can be attached to and removed from any belt. Use of this invention satisfies the traveler&#39;s desire for a money belt that is fashionable, able to go with various outfits and of reasonable cost.  
           [0006]    The present invention is conveniently fabricated by the following steps.  
           [0007]    1. Cutting the inner layer for the pouch out of a sheet of material, the inner layer being no wider than the belt the pouch will eventually attach to.  
           [0008]    2. Cutting the outer layer for the pouch out of a sheet of material, the outer layer being the same size as the inner layer.  
           [0009]    3. Cutting a medial opening in the inner layer.  
           [0010]    4. Fastening a zipper into the medial opening.  
           [0011]    5. Fastening the inner layer to the outer layer other around their edges to form a zippered pouch.  
           [0012]    6. Attaching the outer layer to the inside of the belt. Preferably this is accomplished with adhesive backed hook and loop fastener.  
           [0013]    An appreciation of the other aims and objectives of the present invention and an understanding of it may be achieved by referring to the accompanying drawings and description of a preferred embodiment. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 is an exploded view from the rear of this invention.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 2 is an exploded view from the front of this invention.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 3 is a view from the rear showing this invention detached from a belt.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 4 is a view from the rear showing this invention attached to a belt.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 5 is an expanded cross sectional view at the line  5 - 5  of FIG. 4. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0019]    While the present invention is described herein with reference to illustrative embodiments for particular applications, it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the teachings provided herein will recognize additional modifications, applications and embodiments within the scope thereof and additional fields in which the present invention would be of significant utility.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 1 is an exploded view from the rear of this invention  10 . At the rear or of this invention is the first layer of material  14 . Fastened in a medial opening  18  in this first layer  14  is a zipper  22 . Next is the second layer of material  26 . Both layers  14 ,  26  are the same size, approximately rectangular with a width no greater than the width of a standard belt. Finally, there are one or more segments of adhesive backed, hook and loop fastener  30 . The hook and loop fastener  30  is shown separated on FIG. 1. Whether the hook  34  or loop  38  portion is outermost or innermost is, obviously, immaterial. However, it is important that the portions  34 ,  38  are installed in alignment. On FIG. 1 one can see the adhesive  42  on one portion and the loop face  46  on the other portion of the fastener  30 .  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 2 is an exploded view from the front of this invention. At the front of the invention are one or more segments of adhesive backed, hook and loop fastener  30 . The hook and loop fastener  30  is shown separated on FIG. 2. Whether the hook  34  or loop  38  portion is outermost or innermost is, obviously, immaterial but again, the portions  34 ,  38  must be in approximate alignment. On FIG. 2 one can see adhesive  42  on one portion and the loop face  46  on the other portion of the fastener  30 . Next is the second layer of material  26 . Finally there is the first layer of material  14  with the zipper  22  fastened in the opening  18 .  
         [0022]    This invention  10  can be made with any kind of material such as leather, nylon, cotton, etc. The layers of material  14 ,  26  can be fastened together around their edges  50 ,  54  in any fashion such as by welding, gluing and sewing. Once fastened together, they form a flat pouch  58  (see FIGS. 3, 4 and  5 ). The interior  62  (see FIG. 5) of the pouch  58  is only accessible through the zipper  22 . The hook and loop fastener  30  is sold under the trade name Velcro®. It can be procured without adhesive but is typically supplied with double sided adhesive on the rear of each portion.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 3 is a view from the rear showing the pouch  58  fully assembled but detached from a belt  66 . In this figure one can see the rear  70  of the pouch  58  and the portions of hook or loop  48  adhered to the rear  74  of the belt  66 .  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 4 is a view from the rear showing the pouch  58  attached to a belt  66 . The pouch  58  will usually be supplied with several extra portions of adhesive backed hook or loop fastener  30  so that the pouch  58  can be attached to several different belts  66  that the purchaser already owns.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 5 is an expanded cross sectional view at the line  5 - 5  of FIG. 4. What can be seen on FIG. 5, starting at the front, are the belt  66 , the first layer of double sided adhesive  42 , a segment of hook and loop fastener  30 , the second layer of double sided adhesive  42 , and the flat pouch  58 . The segment of hook and loop fastener  30  is comprised of a portion of hook fastener  34  and a portion of loop fastener  38 . Again, their exact order is immaterial but it will be noted that they are in alignment so that then can co-operate and make a fastener  30  when the portions  34 ,  38  are pressed together. The pouch  58  is comprised of the second layer of material  26  attached around the edges  50 ,  54  to the first layer of material  14  with he zipper  22  fastened into the opening  18 .  
         [0026]    It can be appreciated from FIG. 5 that when the pouch  58  is attached to a belt  66  and the belt  66  is fastened around the user&#39;s waist, the pouch  58  is hidden from view and the zipper  22  is inaccessible.  
         [0027]    The following reference numerals are used on FIGS. 1 through 5:  
         [0028]    [0028] 14  First layer of material  
         [0029]    [0029] 18  Opening in first layer  
         [0030]    [0030] 22  Zipper  
         [0031]    [0031] 26  Second layer of material  
         [0032]    [0032] 30  Hook and loop of fastener  
         [0033]    [0033] 34  Hook portion  
         [0034]    [0034] 38  Loop portion  
         [0035]    [0035] 42  Layer of adhesive  
         [0036]    [0036] 46  Loop face  
         [0037]    [0037] 48  Hook or loop face  
         [0038]    [0038] 50  Edge of first layer of material  
         [0039]    [0039] 54  Edge of second layer of material  
         [0040]    [0040] 58  Pouch  
         [0041]    [0041] 62  Interior of pouch  
         [0042]    [0042] 66  Belt  
         [0043]    [0043] 70  Rear of pouch  
         [0044]    [0044] 74  Rear of belt  
         [0045]    Thus, the present invention has been described herein with reference to a particular embodiment for a particular application. Those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the present teachings will recognize additional modifications, applications and embodiments within the scope thereof.  
         [0046]    It is therefore intended by the appended claims to cover any and all such applications, modifications and embodiments within the scope of the present invention

Technology Category: 1