Patent Application
20250195979
Various embodiments of this disclosure relate to the field of transporting items. In particular, various embodiments of this disclosure are related to apparatuses and methods for transporting and displaying sporting equipment on the outside of a bag or pack.
Sporting equipment is generally transported to and from a location by individuals within bags or packs. For example, baseball players may travel to and from a baseball field with a bag or pack including their baseball gloves, sliding mitts, and other assorted gear and equipment. Some items, such as baseball gloves and sliding mitts, may include characteristics that the players or other individuals are interested in displaying. To be able to do so, it is beneficial to have an apparatus for attaching the items to the outside of a bag or a pack so that the items may be displayed while still being efficiently, safely, and securely transported via the bag or pack.
According to certain aspects of the disclosure, apparatuses and methods are disclosed for transporting items and, more particularly, to apparatuses and methods for transporting and displaying sporting equipment on the outside of a bag or pack.
In one aspect, an exemplary embodiment of an apparatus for transporting items may include a first strap portion with a first buckle portion attached at a first end of the first strap portion, wherein the first strap portion comprises a first inner layer and a first outer layer; a second strap portion with a second buckle portion attached at a first end of the second strap portion, wherein the second strap portion comprises a second inner layer continuous with the first inner layer and a second outer layer continuous with the first outer layer; and a connecting portion connecting a second end of the first strap portion to a second end of the second strap portion, wherein the connecting portion comprises a third inner layer continuous with the first inner layer and the second inner layer, an intermediate layer continuous with the first outer layer and the second outer layer, and a third outer layer.
In another aspect, an exemplary embodiment of an apparatus for transporting items may include a first strap portion with a first buckle portion attached at a first end of the first strap portion, and a first connecting ring attached at a second end of the first strap portion; a second strap portion with a second buckle portion attached at a first end of the second strap portion, and a second connecting ring attached at a second end of the second strap portion; a connecting portion connecting the second end of the first strap portion to the second end of the second strap portion; and a sliding component configured to cover the first buckle portion and the second buckle portion in a first configuration.
In a further aspect, an exemplary embodiment of a glove loop may include: a first strap portion with a first buckle portion attached at a first end of the first strap portion, wherein the first strap portion comprises a first inner layer and a first outer layer; a second strap portion with a second buckle portion attached at a first end of the second strap portion, wherein the second strap portion comprises a second inner layer continuous with the first inner layer and a second outer layer continuous with the first outer layer; a connecting portion connecting a second end of the first strap portion to a second end of the second strap portion, wherein the connecting portion comprises a third inner layer continuous with the first inner layer and the second inner layer, an intermediate layer continuous with the first outer layer and the second outer layer, and a third outer layer, wherein the first inner layer is formed of a material that is softer and less abrasive than the second inner layer; and a sliding component attached to the first strap portion and configured to slide between a first configuration covering the first buckle portion and the second buckle portion and a second configuration allowing a user to access the first buckle portion and the second buckle portion.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the disclosed embodiments, as claimed.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate various exemplary embodiments and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the disclosed embodiments.
Disclosed is an equipment holder comprising, among other elements, a strap and at least one self-clipping element, such as a carabiner. The strap may attach to sporting equipment, such as, for example, a baseball glove or a sliding mitt, and the self-clipping element may attach to a bag or pack.
The strap may be configured to couple with an existing element of the sporting equipment. For example, the strap may be configured to encircle the wrist strap of a baseball glove or sliding mitt.
The strap may include at least two strap portions connected to each other at two connection locations. At one connection location, the two strap portions may be connected via a connecting portion that is sewn onto each of the two strap portions. The connecting portion may include one or more D-rings connected thereto. At a second connection location, the two strap portions may be connected via, for example, a buckle. The buckle may be separable and include a female buckle component and a male buckle component. In some examples, a first strap portion may include a female buckle component and a second strap portion may include a male buckle component.
In other examples, the strap may be one single continuous strap with a first end and a second end. The first end may include a male buckle component and the second end may include a female buckle component, such that the first end and the second end are coupled via insertion of the male buckle component into the female buckle component and released via removal of the male buckle component from the female buckle component.
One of the first strap portion and the second strap portion may be configured to be inserted into an existing gap between the wrist strap of a baseball glove or sliding mitt and a main body of the baseball glove or sliding mitt. The other of the first strap portion and the second strap portion may then be connected to the one of the first strap portion and the second strap portion by engaging the male and female components.
The strap may be comprised of at least two different material layers. A first layer that is configured to contact the baseball glove or sliding mitt may be formed of a material that is softer and less abrasive than a second layer opposite the first layer.
The self-clipping element may be configured to couple with an existing element of a bag or pack. Bags and packs, in particular those used for transporting sporting goods and equipment, generally include at least one loop configured for attaching items thereto or for hanging or supporting the bag or pack on a hook or other element. The self-clipping element may be configured to couple with this existing loop. The self-clipping element may be, for example, a carabiner. More than one self-clipping element may be included on the strap.
The strap and the at least one self-clipping element may be directly coupled to each other or include intermediate elements for coupling thereto, such as coupling rings. One or more of the coupling rings may be a D-ring to better accommodate the strap. An additional coupling ring may further be included to provide a user with further personalization options. For example, a user may attach key chains or the like.
The strap may be inserted through a back opening or a wrist opening of a baseball glove, and pulled through the other of the back opening or the wrist opening. The buckle may be closed, and the strap may then be secured around a wrist strap of the baseball glove. The padded portion may be slid over the buckles to protect the baseball glove from being abraded or otherwise damaged by the buckles.
Reference to any particular activity is provided in this disclosure only for convenience and not intended to limit the disclosure. A person of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the concepts underlying the disclosed devices and methods may be utilized in any suitable activity. The disclosure may be understood with reference to the following description and the appended drawings, wherein like elements are referred to with the same reference numerals.
The terminology used below may be interpreted in its broadest reasonable manner, even though it is being used in conjunction with a detailed description of certain specific examples of the present disclosure. Indeed, certain terms may even be emphasized below; however, any terminology intended to be interpreted in any restricted manner will be overtly and specifically defined as such in this Detailed Description section. Both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the features, as claimed.
In this disclosure, the term “based on” means “based at least in part on.” The singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context dictates otherwise. The term “exemplary” is used in the sense of “example” rather than “ideal.” The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” “including,” or other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion such that a process, method, or product that comprises a list of elements does not necessarily include only those elements, but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. The term “or” is used disjunctively, such that “at least one of A or B” includes, (A), (B), (A and A), (A and B), etc. Relative terms, such as, “substantially,” “approximately,” “about,” and “generally,” are used to indicate a possible variation of ±10% of a stated or understood value.
It will also be understood that, although the terms first, second, third, etc. are, in some instances, used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another. For example, a first strap portion could be termed a second strap portion, and, similarly, a second strap portion could be termed a first strap portion, without departing from the scope of the various described embodiments. The first strap portion and the second strap portion are both strap portions, but they are not the same strap portion.
First strap portion 102 may comprise an inner layer 102A and an outer layer 102B opposite inner layer 102A. Inner layer 102A may be formed of a material that is softer and less abrasive than outer layer 102B. Second strap portion 104 may likewise comprise an inner layer 104A and an outer layer 104B opposite inner layer 104A. Inner layer 104A of second strap portion 104 may be formed of a material that is softer and less abrasive than outer layer 104B of second strap portion 104. The material used for inner layer 102A and inner layer 104A may be the same material, and the material used for outer layer 102B and outer layer 104B may be the same material. In some examples, inner layer 102A and inner layer 104A are formed of a single, continuous layer of material, and outer layer 102B and outer layer 104B are formed of a single, continuous layer of material.
In the first, closed, configuration shown in
In
Connecting portion 106 may include one or more additional connecting rings, such as a first D-ring 116 and a second D-ring 118. First D-ring 116 may be connected to connecting portion 106 at a first seam 117 at an end of first strap portion 102 opposite loop 110, and may define an end of first strap portion 102. Second D-ring 118 may be connected to connecting portion 106 at a second seam 119 at an end of second strap portion 104 opposite loop 114. One of first D-ring 116 and second D-ring 118 may be connected to one or more self-clipping elements, such as first carabiner 120. The other of first D-ring 116 and second D-ring 118 may be connected to one or more additional self-clipping elements, such as a second carabiner 122 and a keychain clip 124. In some examples, first carabiner 120 is larger than second carabiner 122. In some examples, first carabiner 120 is connected to first D-ring 116.
Connecting portion 106 may comprise a connecting layer 106C sewn onto first strap portion 102 and second strap portion 104 at first seam 117 and second seam 119, respectively. In some examples, the strap comprises three layers at connecting portion 106: an inner layer 106A continuous with inner layer 102A of first strap portion 102 and inner layer 104A of second strap portion 104; an intermediate layer 106B continuous with outer layer 102B of first strap portion 102 and outer layer 104B of second strap portion 104; and connecting layer 106C disposed at a side of intermediate layer 106B opposite inner layer 106A.
Sliding component may include a first slit 132 at a first end of sliding component 130 and a second slit 134 at a second end of sliding component 130 opposite the first end in a direction parallel to first strap portion 102. First slit 132 may be closer to first buckle portion 108 in the first configuration. Second slit 134 may be closer to loop 110 in the first configuration. First slit 132 may be sized to slide over and receive first buckle portion 108, while second slit may be sized to stop sliding when it contacts first buckle portion 108, so as to prevent sliding component 130 from sliding beyond first buckle portion 108. To this effect, first buckle portion 108 may have a first width W1 that is smaller than a second width W2 of first slit 132 and greater than a third width W3 of second slit 134. Additionally, width W3 of second slit 134 is substantially equal to or greater than width W4 of first strap portion 102.
As shown in
To unbuckle to equipment holder, sliding component 130 may be slid away from first buckle portion 108 and second buckle portion 112 to allow a user to access the first buckle portion 108 and second buckle portion 112 to unbuckle the elements to open equipment holder 100. Furthermore, an interior of sliding component 130 may be composed of a material that allows for sliding along first strap portion 102, first buckle portion 108, and second buckle portion 112, such as sheep fur. An exterior of sliding component 130 may be comprised of a material that may protect an item from abrasion and wear, especially as compared to abrasion and wear that may result from contact with first buckle portion 108 or second buckle portion 112. For example, the exterior of sliding component 130 may be formed from padded leather. Furthermore, sliding component 130 may help prevent unintentional unbuckling of equipment holder 100 by preventing access to first buckle portion 108 and second buckle portion 112 in the closed configuration.
It should be appreciated that in the above description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, various features of the invention are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in the understanding of one or more of the various inventive aspects. This method of disclosure, however, is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the claims following the Detailed Description are hereby expressly incorporated into this Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment of this invention.
Furthermore, while some embodiments described herein include some but not other features included in other embodiments, combinations of features of different embodiments are meant to be within the scope of the invention, and form different embodiments, as would be understood by those skilled in the art. For example, in the following claims, any of the claimed embodiments can be used in any combination.
Thus, while certain embodiments have been described, those skilled in the art will recognize that other and further modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is intended to claim all such changes and modifications as falling within the scope of the invention. For example, functionality may be added or deleted from the block diagrams and operations may be interchanged among functional blocks. Steps may be added or deleted to methods described within the scope of the present invention.
The above disclosed subject matter is to be considered illustrative, and not restrictive, and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications, enhancements, and other implementations, which fall within the true spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Thus, to the maximum extent allowed by law, the scope of the present disclosure is to be determined by the broadest permissible interpretation of the following claims and their equivalents, and shall not be restricted or limited by the foregoing detailed description. While various implementations of the disclosure have been described, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many more implementations are possible within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, the disclosure is not to be restricted except in light of the attached claims and their equivalents.
This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/610,825, filed Dec. 15, 2023, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63610825 | Dec 2023 | US |
