This invention relates generally to personal accessories. More particularly, this invention relates to a configurable multipurpose accessory kit. Such an accessory may be configured by the user to meet particular needs of the user. Such an accessory has the benefit of centralizing any number of common and unique accessories in a compact, accessible and attractive format. Such an accessory may be particularly useful for the individual who is always “on the go” as the accessory provides unparalleled convenience and customizability.
For example, it is often desirable for the mobile professional to have a collection of necessity accessories readily available. Such accessories may be particularly helpful when traveling or on business trips.
Likewise, college bound and teenaged individuals may likewise benefit from having a collection of “necessity” accessories always on one's person. In general, anyone with a relatively unpredictable schedule may benefit from having a plurality of accessories, or a single multipurpose accessory kit, that may be conveniently kept on the individual's person.
However, due to the wide range of individuals who could benefit from a multipurpose accessory kit, it is also desirable to be able to configure the functionality of the multipurpose accessory kit to meet each individual's needs.
Traditionally, typical accessories such as toothpaste, make-up and vitamin containers are offered in “travel sizes” for the mobile individual. However, even these “travel sizes” are often considered too bulky to be kept on the person. Thus, for all the purported convenience of such travel-sized accessories, they are often not accessible when needed.
Additionally, such accessories are almost always sold separately and are designed to be carried as individual pieces. Occasionally, “travel packs” may be sold including a carrying case and a collection of necessities; however, seldom are such travel packs compact enough to be kept on one's person. Likewise, such travel packs are not designed to be configurable in terms of accessories included or number of accessories.
It would be advantageous to have a multipurpose accessory kit having a plurality of accessories which enables a range of functionality and is so compact as to be readily stored on one's person. Moreover, it would be advantageous that such a multipurpose accessory kit is configurable as to the type and number of accessories included.
It is therefore apparent that an urgent need exists for a configurable multipurpose accessory kit. The envisioned configurable multipurpose accessory kit may be able to couple with a wide range of accessories to allow the configurable multipurpose accessory kit to have a wide array of functionalities. Thus, the configurable multipurpose accessory kit may be customized to meet any individual's needs or tastes.
To achieve the foregoing and in accordance with the present invention, a configurable multipurpose accessory kit is provided. Such an accessory kit may include a plurality of accessories which may be configured to meet the needs of a user.
The configurable multipurpose accessory kit may include a central coupler. The central coupler may be a solid ring, hinged ring, split ring or linear. The one or more accessories may then couple to the central coupler. The accessories may include an accessory coupler, and extender and a functional component. The accessory coupler may reversibly decouple from the central coupler. The extender is one of a chain, cable, string or rope.
The functional component of the accessory includes any of a toothbrush, toothpaste, tweezers, lip balm, lip gloss, eye shadow, blush, face powder, a powder brush, nail polish, a brush, a mirror, a container, sun block, bug spray, mascara, face wash, a flashlight, mouth wash, breath mints, lotion, a house key, a card and money sheath, perfume, lip liner, a pen, a pad, hair spray, hair gel, cologne, a condom, aftershave, a tampon holder, shine blotter, body spray, multi-purpose make-up stick, deodorant, single use laundry detergent, contact lens case, nail file, anti-bacterial hand sanitizer, wipes, moisturizer, and a razor.
When the central coupler is a solid ring, the accessory couplers may be enabled to couple and decouple from it. In such embodiments the accessory coupler may include a clip. Further, solid ring couplers may include more than one ring in order to separate accessories.
Where the central coupler includes a hinged ring or a split ring, the accessory couplers may be solid. These accessory couplers may include a quick release for rapid removal of the accessory. The quick release may include any of a magnet, a screw threading, a pin and socket, and a hook and loop material.
The hinged ring may then be opened to couple or decouple the accessory coupler to the central coupler. Likewise, for a split ring, the accessory coupler threads onto the split ring to couple or decouple the one or more accessories to the central coupler.
Note that the various features of the present invention described above may be practiced alone or in combination. These and other features of the present invention will be described in more detail below in the detailed description of the invention and in conjunction with the following figures.
In order that the present invention may be more clearly ascertained, one or more embodiments will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to several embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art, that the present invention may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other instances, well-known process steps and/or structures have not been described in detail in order to not unnecessarily obscure the present invention. The features and advantages of the present invention may be better understood with reference to the drawings and discussions that follow.
To facilitate discussion,
In this example, each accessory is coupled to a Chain 112, which in turn couples to a Spring Clip 110. The Spring Clip 110 may be configured to be able to engage and disengage with the Solid Central Coupler 102. In this way, any number of accessories may be coupled to the Solid Central Coupler 102 at any time, enabling customization of the multipurpose configurable accessory kit.
The Solid Central Coupler 102 may be plastic, wood, metal, ceramic or any other suitable material. Additionally, while a ring shape is illustrated for the Solid Central Coupler 102, other shapes are considered. Such shapes may include aesthetically pleasing shapes, such as stars, ellipses and hearts, or may include practical shape designs such as double-ringed “infinity” type designs to enable coupling of accessories to separate parts of the Solid Central Coupler 102.
In addition, the Solid Central Coupler 102 may, in some embodiments, not be a rigid member. In such embodiments, they may include string, rope, chain, rubber, flexible plastic or other suitable material.
In addition to the illustrated accessories, additional accessories are contemplated by the present invention. These additional accessories include, but are not limited to: a toothbrush, toothpaste, tweezers, lip balm, lip gloss, eye shadow, blush, face powder, blush/powder brush, nail polish, brush, mirror, little container (for jewelry, hair items, medication, etc.), sun block, bug spray, mascara, face wash, flashlight, mouth wash, breath mints, lotion, house key, ID/credit card/money (in a sheath or money clip of sorts), perfume, lip liner, pen, pad, hair spray, hair gel, cologne, condoms, aftershave, tampon holder, shine blotter, body spray, multi-purpose make-up stick, deodorant, single use laundry detergent, contact lens case, nail file, anti-bacterial hand sanitizer, wipes, moisturizer, safe mini-razor.
In general each accessory of the multipurpose configurable accessory kit is designed to be in a miniaturized form. Typically, such a miniaturized form is even smaller than “travel sized” equivalents. By miniaturizing the accessories, the entire multipurpose configurable accessory kit may be small enough to be kept on one's person via a pocket, backpack or purse.
In some embodiments, the Spring Clip 110 and Chain 112 may couple to one or more a universal coupler which may enable attachment of personal items to the multipurpose accessory kit. For example, a universal coupler may include a rubber pencil top for coupling to any number of preexisting eyeliner and makeup pencils. Another example of a universal coupler may include a variable screw top for coupling to any preexisting accessory which includes a screw-on top. Exemplary, illustrations of universal accessory couplers may be seen in
Additionally, it is considered that the accessories as a whole, or the Chain 112 and Spring Clip 110 may be color coordinated to signify the particular accessory, or “type” of accessory. For example, all accessories manufactured for a primarily female consumer may be colored pink. Likewise, typically adult accessories, such as holders for contraceptives, may likewise have distinct coloration. This enables retailers to readily identify the accessories they wish to display. Likewise, coordinated coloration may aid the casual purchaser. Finally, such coloration may aid the visual appeal, functionality and salability of the multipurpose configurable accessory kit.
Also, the Chain 112 and Spring Clip 110 may be plastic, wood, metal, ceramic or any other suitable material. Likewise, while a chain is illustrated for Chain 112, any of a cable, a solid member or any additional extension is contemplated by the present invention.
In this embodiment, the Disengage-able Accessory Couplers 204, 206, 208 and 214 may be configured to reversibly release as is shown in Top Portion 210 and Bottom Portion 212. This accessory may include usage of an adhesive, magnetism, screws, pin-in-socket, hook and loop, or any other reasonable coupling mechanism. In some embodiments this coupling may be specific to particular pairs of Top Coupler Portions 210 and Bottom Coupler Portions 212. In some alternate embodiments, the coupling may be generic across all Top Portions 210 and Bottom Portions 212.
Again, in this embodiment the Disengage-able Accessory Couplers 204, 206, 208 and 214 may be configured to reversibly release as is shown in Top Portion 210 and Bottom Portion 212. This accessory may include usage of an adhesive, magnetism, screws, pin-in-socket, hook and loop, or any other reasonable coupling mechanism.
As before, each of the Accessory Couplers 304, 306, 308, 310 and 312 may be made of plastic, wood, metals, ceramics, rope, composite or any other suitable material. Additionally, the Accessory Couplers 304, 306, 308, 310 and 312 may be color coded in the manner discussed above.
The Accessory Couplers 304, 306, 308, 310 and 312 each couple to an accessory but lack the ability to reversibly release the accessories from the Split Ring Central Coupler 314. Unlike the Hinged Central Coupler 302, the Split Ring Central Coupler 314 may include an elastic spring like metal coil similar to a key ring. Thus, by separating the coils of the Split Ring Central Coupler 314 the accessory couplers may be threaded on and off of the Split Ring Central Coupler 314 as desired.
Again, the Solid Ring Accessory Coupler 404 and the Central Coupler 402 may be made of plastic, wood, metals, ceramics, rope, composite or any other suitable material. Additionally, the Solid Ring Accessory Coupler 404 may be color coded in the manner discussed above.
Again, the Cord Accessory Coupler 504 and the Central Coupler 502 may be made of plastic, wood, metals, ceramics, rope, composite or any other suitable material. Additionally, the Cord Accessory Coupler 504 may be color coded in the manner discussed above.
Like the previous illustrations, the Central Coupler 602 may be a solid component, may be hinged or may be a split ring design. Since the illustrated Twist-off Accessory Coupler 604 appears to be a solid unit as regards to the portion which couples to the Central Coupler 602, the Central Coupler 602 typically will include a hinge or split ring in order to enable addition or removal of accessory couplers. The Twist-off Accessory Coupler 604 as illustrated in this exemplary embodiment may include threading, thereby enabling the accessories to engage and disengage the Twist-off Accessory Coupler 604 via a twisting motion.
Again, the Twist-off Accessory Coupler 604 and the Central Coupler 602 may be made of plastic, wood, metals, ceramics, rope, composite or any other suitable material. Additionally, the Twist-off Accessory Coupler 604 may be color coded in the manner discussed above.
Here Tweezers 104, Lip Balm 106, Makeup Compact 108, Nail Polish 114, a Container 116, a Collapsible Toothbrush 118 and Toothpaste 120 are illustrated; however, any combination of items may be included in the multipurpose configurable accessory kit. As noted above, the Spring Clip 710 may include plastic, wood, metals, ceramics, rope, composite or any other suitable material. Additionally, the Spring Clip 710 may be color coded in the manner discussed above.
In this exemplary illustration bead chains are depicted. The cylindrical couplers may slide over a final bead in a bead chain and thereby couple two bead chains together. It is considered within the spirit of the invention to include other chain types and coupler units. For example, standard link chain may be used in some embodiments of the invention.
As noted above, the accessory subunits may include plastic, wood, metals, ceramics, rope, composite or any other suitable material. Additionally, the accessory subunits may be color coded in the manner discussed above.
In some embodiments, the Linear Central Coupler 902 may be a loop covered fabric or other flexible medium. The Accessory Couplers 904, 906, 908, 910, 912 and 914 may then include a pad of hook material coupled to a chain, which may then couple to the accessory.
Accessory Couplers 1030 may be coupled to the Subset Rings 1020a to 1020n. In some embodiments, the accessories coupled to each Subset Ring 1020a to 1020n may be related in some fashion. For example, all bathroom toiletries may be on one subset, whereas all makeup accessories may be on another Subset Ring 1020a to 1020n. As previously mentioned, in some embodiments, the accessories may be color coded in order to indicate which Subset Ring 1020a to 1020n they belong.
Like in other embodiments, Accessory Couplers 1030 may couple to the Subset Rings 1020a to 1020n. Each Accessory Coupler 1030 may include a clip portion 1032 and an extender 1034 which may be a chain, wire or solid member.
To further the discussion,
In sum, various exemplary embodiments of the multipurpose configurable accessory kit have been illustrated and described in detail as to their design and function. Such multipurpose configurable accessory kits have the benefit of a high degree of customizability. Additionally the multipurpose configurable accessory kit may be readily stored on ones person thereby enhancing usability and convenience.
While this invention has been described in terms of several preferred embodiments, there are alterations, modifications, permutations, and substitute equivalents, which fall within the scope of this invention. For example, wherein the disclosed multipurpose configurable accessory kits have been illustrated including a plurality of personal item accessories, such a system may be just as easily be designed for occupation specific accessories.
It should also be noted that there are many alternative ways of implementing the methods and apparatuses of the present invention. It is therefore intended that the following appended claims be interpreted as including all such alterations, modifications, permutations, and substitute equivalents as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention.