Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02646966 2008-12-18
BELT CLIP HOLDER
Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a holder for a dipping tobacco tin, or other small,
cylindrical
objects, and for small square or rectangular objects.
Background and summary of the invention
Belt-clip holders are well known in the art. Cell phones are commonly held by
such
holders. By including retaining structures, belt-clip devices can securely
hold an object.
Unfortunately, belt-clip devices are relatively complex, with numerous parts
and pieces,
making such designs a poor choice for some applications. The complexity of
such designs
adds cost and reduces the robustness of the holder. In addition, belt-clip
devices with
retaining structures often require considerable effort to undo the retaining
structure and
remove the held device.
Belt-clip holders known in the art tend to rely on one of three means for
retaining the
held object. Some holders rely on the snug fit of the object in the holder. An
example of
such a holder might be a cell phone belt-clip holder using an elastic material
for side panels,
such that when a cell phone is placed in the holder, the elastic panels create
a snug fit around
the phone. This means of securing the held object works in some situations,
but it does not
provide much security. While this configuration allows for easy removal of the
held object, it
also allows for theft or loss of the object in some situations.
Some belt-clip holders use a strap of some sort across the top of the held
object. An
example might be a cell phone of wireless e-mail device holder made of leather
or other
similar material and having a small leather strap with a snap or other closure
system. When a
device is placed in such a holder, the user would then position the retaining
strap over the
device and snap it closed. To remove the device the strap must be unsnapped.
This
configuration provides for security, but it results in additional parts and
also requires effort
and focus to secure the device and to remove the device. Moreover, if a user
simply inserts
the device into this type of holder and forgets to secure the retaining strap,
the device may
easily fall out of the holder.
A third common retaining means is a retaining clip or member attached to the
back of
the holder. An example might be a cell phone holder that has a back panel and
only partial
side and/or bottom panels shaped to fit a specific phone. This type of holder
is commonly
used, and typically has a retaining clip that fits into a mated slot or groove
on the top, back
1
CA 02646966 2008-12-18
side of the cell phone. These holders provide reasonable security, because of
the fit between
the clip and the mated slot or groove on the phone.
There are, however, a number of problems with this third configuration. First,
the
holder does not provide any protection for the front of the held object. Cell
phones carried in
this type of holder can be scratched or more seriously damaged by being hit
from the front.
Second, it can be quite difficult to remove a phone from this type of holder.
In order to
securely retain the phone in a holder with no front panel, these holders tend
to provide a very
tight fit. The retaining clip is often difficult to release, and can require
two hands for
removal, making it a difficult and potentially dangerous operation. Attempting
to remove a
cell phone from such a holder while driving can be quite dangerous. Third,
these holders
must be mated to a specific object, typically a particular model of a cell
phone. They are
useless as holders for any other objects.
Though belt-clip holders are commonly used for cell phones, this type of
holder is not
widely used for another item commonly carried on the person of its users.
Dipping tobacco is
a type of smokeless tobacco designed for use between a person's cheek and
gums. It is a
finely ground tobacco, with a texture somewhere between that of snuff (i.e., a
finely ground
tobacco for sniffing directly into the nose) and chewing tobacco. Dipping
tobacco is
typically packaged in small, cylindrical tins. A standard-sized dipping
tobacco tin measures
just less than one inch in thickness and is about 2.5 inches across.
Users of dipping tobacco often carry a tin in order have the product available
when an
opportunity arises in which the product may be used. For this reason, many
dipping tobacco
users carry a tin of dipping tobacco in a back pocket of blue jeans or other
pants, or in a
pocket of a jacket or shirt.
When a tin of dipping tobacco is carried in a user's back pocket, the tin can
become
damaged and can cause discomfort when sitting. This practice also can lead to
marking of a
user's clothing. For example, a user who carries a tin of dipping tobacco in a
back pocket of
jeans may find that the jeans pocket is worn down in a ring around the outer
circumference of
the tin. This wear can result in tearing of the fabric of the back pocket over
time.
Carrying a tin of dipping tobacco in one's back pocket also poses a risk that
the tin
will be forcibly moved around and may inadvertently open while in the user's
pocket. When
this happens, product is lost, and the user's clothing may be stained by the
dark-colored
tobacco. If a user with a tin of dipping tobacco in his or her back pocket
perspires, the
moisture of the perspiration may enter the tin, if its lid does not seal well.
The lids of these
2
CA 02646966 2008-12-18
tins are thin, and may also be damaged if the tin strikes a sharp object. This
type of damage
could result in loss of the tobacco, as well.
Dipping tobacco users also face problems when they carry the tins in shirt or
jacket
pockets. If a tin is carried in a shirt pocket, the tin may fall out if the
person bends over to
pick up something or to tie a shoe. Users of dipping tobacco may engage in
rough, physical
activities such as horseback riding, rodeo, ATV riding, and other activities.
A tin of dipping
tobacco placed in a shirt pocket during such activities would likely fall out
at some point.
Carrying a tin of dipping tobacco in a jacket pocket is only convenient when
the user is
wearing a jacket, and, even then, the tin may not be securely maintained.
An improved means of carrying a tin of dipping tobacco or other object is
needed.
The object should be securely held while in the holder and should be carried
on the user's
person or clothing so that the product is available when the user desires it.
The holder should
protect the object from damage and should allow for easy removal by the user.
The holder
should be robust and capable of withstanding the rigors of the environment in
which the
product would be used. It would be most desirable for the holder to be capable
of securely
holding an object, and allowing for removal of the object using a single hand.
It would be
advantageous if the holder would securely hold the object as soon as it is
inserted into the
holder, without requiring any additional actions by the user. It also would be
beneficial for
the holder to be inexpensive and simple to manufacture.
Existing solutions do not meet these needs. As explained above, carrying a tin
of
dipping tobacco in the pocket of one's pants, shirt, or jacket poses a number
of problems.
Belt-clip holders are known for a variety of objects, including dipping
tobacco tins, but the
prior art holders fail to meet all the needs identified above. The belt-clip
holders of the prior
art provide certain advantages, but none meet the combination of needs listed
above. These
needs, however, are met by the present invention.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention shall become
apparent from the following descriptions of the invention. For example, in one
preferred
embodiment, the holder of the present invention includes a belt clip having a
resilient upper
bend, a resilient lever body, and a retaining member; a back panel connected
to the belt clip;
two arcuate side panels connected to the back panel; a front panel having an
integral retainer
and being connected to the two arcuate side panels such that a cavity is
formed by lower
edges of the back panel, the two arcuate side panels, and the front panel;
wherein the integral
3
CA 02646966 2008-12-18
retainer and the cavity are configured so that a user may remove a held object
from the holder
using a single hand; and, wherein the holder is of a unitary construction.
In another embodiment, the present invention has front, back, and side panels,
but is
square or rectangular in shape, rather than arcuate. Other characteristics are
as set forth
above, and as disclosed in more detail below.
Brief description of the drawings
Fig. 1 is a front view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 2 is a side view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 3 is a back view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 4 is a front view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 5 is a back view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention.
Detailed description of the preferred embodiments
Turning to Fig. 1, a front view of the holder 10 of the present invention is
shown. The
front panel 12 of the holder 10 is shown in Fig. 1. Three characteristics of
the holder 10 can
be seen in this illustration. First, the upper part of the holder 10 forms an
integral retainer 14.
The integral retainer 14 has an integral retaining lip 16, which is not
visible in Fig. 1, but is
described below. The top of the belt-clip 30, which is described in detail
below, is seen
above the retainer 14.
The second characteristic of the front panel of the embodiment of the holder
10
illustrated in Fig. 1 is the arcuate lower section of the front panel 18. Two
separate sections
18 are shown and are generally arcuate to match the cylindrical shape of a
standard dipping
tobacco tin. This preferred embodiment is a holder designed for dipping
tobacco tins. The
third characteristic shown in Fig. I is the removal cavity 20, which is
located at the bottom of
the holder 10. The front panel 12 has a curved lower edge 26, which forms one
of four sides
of the cavity 20.
In Fig. 2, the holder 10 is shown in side-view. In this view, the retainer 14
and its
integral retaining lip 16 can be seen at the upper end of the front panel 12.
The back panel
22, which has the approximately the same outline as the front panel 12, is
also shown in
profile in Fig. 2. One of two arcuate side panels 24 is shown, positioned
between the lower
parts of the front panel 12 and back pane122.
Fig. 2 also illustrates the integral belt-clip 30, which extends from the back
panel 22.
The belt-clip 30 has an upper bend 32, a lever panel 34, and a belt-retaining
member 36, all
of which are illustrated in Fig. 2. The belt-clip 30 shown in Fig. 2 is
configured to slip over a
4
CA 02646966 2008-12-18
belt or other thin, flat material, such as the front of a pocket. The holder
10 may be
configured so that the belt-clip 30 will slip over a thicker material, such as
an automobile
visor, by lengthening the top portion of the upper bend 32. This alteration
would allow the
lever panel 34 to move farther away from the back panel 22, thus accommodating
thicker
materials. Such changes are well-known in the art. The belt-clip 30 is not
limited to designs
made to work only on belts or other thin materials. The term belt-clip is used
more broadly
to identify this general type of clip.
In use, the lower end of the lever panel 34 is pulled a small distance away
from the
back panel 22, thus creating an opening between the belt-retaining member 36
and the back
panel 22. The belt-clip 30 is then moved over a belt or other suitable object
and the lever
panel 34 will return to its normal position. This moves the belt-retaining
member 36 back to,
or near to, the back pane122, and the belt-retaining member 36 thus secures
the holder 10 to a
user's belt or other suitable object. The holder 10 may be attached to a belt,
the front of a
pocket, to a sun visor of an automobile, or any other generally-flat surface.
The arcuate side panels 24 form the sides of the holder 10, and may help
secure a tin
in the holder 10. In a preferred embodiment, the side panels 24 each form an
arc of about 65-
70 . The side panels 24 end before reaching the bottom of the holder 10, and
leave a cavity
20, which spans an arcuate distance of about 60-70 . This aspect of the design
is best seen in
Fig. 1 and Fig. 3. This configuration results in a total arcuate distance from
the top of one
arcuate side panel 24 to the top of the opposite arcuate side panel 24 of
about 190 . Because
this arc extends beyond 180 , the distance between the upper edges of the
arcuate side panels
24 is slightly less than the full width of the holder 10. This feature
provides an advantage in
certain applications.
When the holder 10 is designed for use as a dipping tobacco tin holder, it is
advantageous, though not essential, to use the particular configuration
described in the prior
paragraph. The inner diameter of the holder 10 in such an application is sized
to match the
outer diameter of a standard-sized dipping tobacco tin. Because in the
configuration just
described, the upper edges of the side panels 24 have a side-to-side distance
that is less than
the full width of the holder 10 (i.e., less than an inside diameter of the
holder). This
configuration requires that a tin of dipping tobacco be forced into the holder
10. To insert a
tin into a holder 10 of the configuration just described, the tin must be
slightly compressed,
the side panels 24 of the holder 10 must flex, or some combination of the two
must occur.
CA 02646966 2008-12-18
Once a dipping tobacco tin is inserted into the holder 10 described above, the
arcuate
side panels 24 will help hold the tin in the holder 10. The side panels 24
wrap around the tin
to a small extent, and thus help hold the tin in the holder 10. Described
differently, when a
tin is placed in a holder 10 of this configuration, slightly more than half of
the tin will be
positioned below the upper edges of the arcuate side panels 24. This
configuration is
advantageous because it provides a very secure hold for a tin of dipping
tobacco without
required undue force to insert or remove the tin from the holder 10. Because
dipping tobacco
tins may be used in particularly rugged environments, the additional security
and protection
afforded by this embodiment are desirable.
The holder 10 is preferably made of a resilient and moderately flexible
material, such
as nylon. Such materials provide natural resilience, and thus allow the lever
panel 34 to be
moved away from the back panel 22, and also create a holding force as the
lever panel 34
tries to return to its normal position. The resilient nature of the material
is also important to
the operation of the retainer 14. Finally, some flexibility and resilience is
necessary in the
side panels 24 if the configuration described above is utilized (i.e., if the
side panels 24)
extend around more than 180 of a held cylindrical object.
The integral retaining lip 16 of the retainer 14 is shaped to allow for easy
insertion of
a dipping tobacco tin into the holder. As shown in Fig. 2, the integral
retaining lip 16 may be
angled in such a manner than a dipping tobacco tin will easily slide over the
lip 16, but will
then be securely held in the holder 10 by the retaining lip 16. The resilient
nature of the
material used to make the holder 10 allows that upper part of the front panel
12 to push away
from the dipping tobacco tin during insertion with minimal force applied by
the user.
In use, a tin of dipping tobacco is held in place in the holder 10 by the
front panel 12,
the retainer 14, with integral retaining lip 16, the back panel 22, and the
arcuate side panels
24. The side panels 24 may extend up to or beyond the lower half of the tin.
This
arrangement, which was also described above as leaving a cavity spanning about
60-70 ,
securely holds the tin and protects it from damage. This arrangement also
allows a user to
easily push upward, using at least one finger, on a held tin via the cavity
20.
When a user wishes to remove the dipping tobacco tin from the holder 10, only
a
small force is needed to move the retainer 14, and its integral retaining lip
16, far enough
from the dipping tobacco tin to allow for removal of the tin. The front panel
12 is also
shaped so that the retainer 14 is of a narrower width than the main body of
the front panel 12.
6
CA 02646966 2008-12-18
This design facilitates movement of the retainer 14 relative to the body of
the holder 10, and
allows for easy insertion and removal of the dipping tobacco tin.
The belt-clip 30 is similarly formed of a relatively narrow piece of material,
thus
allowing this component to similarly benefit from the resilient nature of the
material used to
construct the holder 10. In a preferred embodiment, the retainer 14 and the
belt-clip 30 are of
approximately the same width. If, however, a stronger gripping force is
desired by the belt-
clip 30, that component may be made wider, which will increase the force
needed to move
the lever panel 34 of the belt-clip 30.
The cavity 20 is formed by the lower edges of the front panel 12, the back
panel 22,
and the two arcuate side panels 24. The front panel 12 and back panel 22 have
arcuate
shaped lower sections, but do not form a full arc around the bottom of the
holder 10. Indeed,
the front panel 12 and back panel 22 have inwardly curved surfaces 26 at their
lower edges.
The arcuate side panels 24 end at each end of the inwardly curved surfaces 26
of the front
panel 12 and back panel 22. This configuration creates a cavity 20 at the
bottom of the
holder 10.
The cavity 20 is sized to allow a user to insert at least one finger into the
bottom of
the holder 10 to force the dipping tobacco tin out. The front panel 12 and its
retainer 14 are
sized and shaped so that a user may push the retainer 14 and integral
retaining lip 16 away
from the dipping tobacco tin using the thumb or palm of the hand, while
simultaneously
inserting at least one finger into the cavity 20 and pushing upward on the
dipping tobacco tin.
This operation is easy to perform and requires only one hand. It allows a user
to
quickly and easily remove a tin of dipping tobacco with a single hand, but
also securely
retains the tin until such removal is desired. The combination of these two
results is highly
desirable. Dipping tobacco is sometimes used by persons who engage in intense
and rough
activities like rodeo and ATV (all-terrain-vehicle) riding. It is very
important that a tin of
dipping tobacco be held very securely during such activities. It is also
important for a user to
be able to access the dipping tobacco tin using a single hand, because the
user may need to
use his or her other hand to hold onto whatever he or she is riding on or in
at the time. The
design disclosed herein provides these desirable advantages.
In a most preferred embodiment, the entire holder is made of nylon. The side
panels
24 extend about 60 around the lower sides of the holder 10. The cavity 20
covers about 60 ,
forming an opening that is about 30mm wide, which is just over one inch wide.
A cavity of
approximately one inch width is of sufficient size to allow most users to push
upward on a
7
CA 02646966 2008-12-18
held object using one finger, and possibly the tips of two fingers. It is,
therefore, desirable
that the cavity be at least approximately one inch wide. This sizing is based
on use by males,
as females tend to have narrower fingers. If a holder according to this
invention is made
especially for women, the cavity width could be reduced. These and other
similar
modifications to accommodate different users are within the scope of the
present invention.
The holder 10 in this preferred embodiment is about 70mm wide, measured from
the
outside top edge of one side panel 24 to the other side panel 24. The front
panel 12 is about
72mm from top to bottom, while the back pane122 is slightly larger, or about
73mm from top
to bottom. This results in the top of the belt-clip 30 extending a small
distance above the top
of the retainer 14 of the front panel 12. This can be seen in Fig 1, where the
top of the belt-
clip 30 can be seen just above the top of the front panel 12. The retainer 14
and belt-clip 30
in this embodiment are about 20mm wide. The integral retaining lip 16 and the
belt-retaining
member 36 are angled at about 20 relative to the front panel 12 and lever
panel 34,
respectively, and have lip surfaces that are about 2mm across. The belt-clip
30 extends for a
length of about 63mm along the back panel 22, and ends just above the upper
edge of the
cavity 20, as shown in Fig. 3.
In this preferred embodiment, the front panel 12, back panel 22, and arcuate
side
panels 24 are about 2.5mm in thickness. The belt-clip 30 varies in thickness,
with the upper
bend 32 being about 4.5mm thick, and the lever panel 34 being about 3mm thick.
This
configuration provides added strength in the upper bend 32 while allowing
sufficient
flexibility of the lever panel 34.
The holder 10 is preferably of unitary construction. By unitary construction,
it is
meant that the entire holder 10, once constructed, is a single, unitary piece
without additional
parts or pieces beyond the basic panels described herein. No hinges, screws,
or pins are
needed. The resiliency of the material used and the size and shape of the
panels allows for
the necessary movement and retaining forces.
It is not, however, necessary, that the holder 10 be manufactured as a single
piece or
of a single type of material. For example, the front panel 12 and back panel
22 may be
formed as separate pieces from the arcuate side panels 24, and these pieces
may then be
secured to each other to form the main body of the holder 10. This would
result in a holder
of unitary construction, as described above, because the holder 10 would be a
single,
unitary piece once constructed. The pieces may be secured using a thermal
bonding process,
adhesive, or other means. The belt-clip 30 also may be formed separately and
then bonded to
8
CA 02646966 2008-12-18
the back panel 22. Alternatively, the entire holder 10 may be formed in a
unitary process as a
single piece.
Similarly, the parts of the holder 10 may be made of the different, but
compatible,
materials. The front panel 12 and belt-clip 30 require use of a somewhat
flexible and resilient
material. Nylon is used in a preferred embodiment. The back panel 22 and the
arcuate side
panels 24, on the other hand, may not require use of a resilient or flexible
material. If such
flexibility is not required, and if more structural rigidity is desired, these
panels may be
constructed of a more rigid material like polyethylene. It should be noted,
however, that in
one preferred embodiment, the side panels 24 do benefit from being somewhat
flexible. If
the side panels 24 extend around more than 180 of a held cylindrical object
(e.g., a dipping
tobacco tin), using flexible material for the side panels 24 may provide some
benefit, as
described above. In other embodiments, such flexibility may not be
advantageous, and a
more rigid material might be used.
The holder 10, however, is still considered to be of unitary construction if
different
materials are used for certain of the panels. This remains true so long as the
panels and parts
described herein are made of compatible materials and lack additional parts
like hinges,
screws, pins, and the like. For example, if the front panel 12 and belt-clip
30 are made of
resilient nylon, and the back panel 22 and arcuate side panels 24 are made of
polyethylene,
the holder 10 would still be of unitary construction.
The unitary nature of the resulting holder 10 provides another advantage. By
eliminating the need for additional parts, pieces, and materials, the cost and
complexity of
manufacturing the holder 10 is reduced. The holder also is more robust, with
no small,
mechanical parts to break or fail during use. The result is a reliable, but
simple to make,
holder 10 that provides key benefits to users at an acceptable cost.
An alternative embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in Figs. 4
and 5,
where front and back views, respectively, of a square or rectangular holder 10
are shown.
The front panel 12 has the same integral retainer 14, and a cavity 20 is still
formed at the
bottom of the holder 10. Two sides of the cavity 20 are formed by the lower
edges 26 of the
front and back panels, as with the embodiments described above.
The embodiment shown in Figs. 4 and 5, however, differs in the nature of the
sides
and bottom of the holder 10. The holder 10, being generally square in shape
rather than
round, the side panels 40 are straight, rather than arcuate in shape.
Moreover, there are
separate bottom panels 42 in this embodiment. The cavity 20 is formed by the
lower edges
9
CA 02646966 2008-12-18
26 of the front and back panels and by the inner edges of the bottom panels
42. The lower
ends of the front panel 12 and back pane122 are generally squared in shape, as
seen in Figs. 4
and 5, respectively. The holder 10 may be longer or shorter, wider or more
narrow, as
necessary for the particular application.
Though Fig. 2 shows a rounded embodiment of the holder 10, the belt-clip 30
shown
in Fig. 5 is of the same construction as that shown in Fig. 2. Similarly, the
retainer 14 and its
integral retaining lip 16 are of the same construction in the squared
embodiment as in the
rounded embodiment shown in Fig. 2. These features of the squared embodiment,
therefore,
can be fully understood by reference to Fig. 2.
The embodiment shown in Figs. 4 and 5 may be used to hold a variety of square
or
rectangular objects. The specific size and shape of the holder 10 will depend
upon the
application for which it is to be used. For example, this embodiment might be
useful for
holding a group of credit cards and possibly some cash. The cards and cash
might be secured
using a money clip, rubber band, or other means. The means of holding the
cards and cash
together in this example are not in any way a part of the present invention.
The cards and
cash could be inserted into the holder, and secured by the retainer 14 and
integral retaining lip
16. The cards and cash could be removed using a single hand as described above
in
connection with the dipping tobacco tin holder embodiment.
The square or rectangular shaped embodiment of the invention also might be
used to
hold cell phones, wireless e-mail devices, pagers, small music players (e.g.
mp3 players),
small cameras, or other small objects that are generally square or rectangular
in shape. The
advantages of the present invention would be beneficial for all such uses,
namely the
protection provided to the held object, the security provided without
requiring extra steps to
retain the object, and the easy removal. The holder in this embodiment also
may be of
unitary construction, as described above, thus providing additional
advantages.
While the preceding description is intended to provide an understanding of the
present
invention, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to
the disclosed
embodiments. To the contrary, the present invention is intended to cover
modifications and
variations on the structure and methods described above and all other
equivalent
arrangements that are within the scope and spirit of the following claims.
