The present invention relates to an Emergency Contact Holder.
Runners, cyclists, and others who exercise following a specific route away from their homes have a need for carrying on their person a form of identification and emergency contact names and numbers in the event of an accident during their exercise routine. Many types of clothing worn by runners, cyclists, and others do not provide convenient pockets or other means for holding and securing the identity information and emergency contact information thereon.
Previous containers to hold emergency identification and contact information have been made from rigid material, such as metal or rigid plastic, which is not conducive for folding and storing in purse, wallet, or pocket when not in use. Further, the rigid-type containers require a cap or other type of rigid enclosure to seal the opening for placement of the identification and emergency contact information. This causes added cost to a rigid container. It is, therefore, desirable to provide an emergency contact holder that is pliable so that it is foldable, and simply made so that it is inexpensive to manufacture and capable of being stored in small compartments such as a wallet, purse or pocket.
The intent of the invention is to address the aforementioned concerns. The invention provides an emergency contact holder made of a flexible strap having a first and second end wherein the first end has a clipping means secured thereto for connection to an article of clothing on a person. A pocket is formed in the second end and has access thereto from the second end. The holder also provides means for selectively opening and closing the access to the pocket.
In another aspect of the invention, the emergency contact holder is a strap made of a woven, waterproof material.
In another aspect of the invention, the means for selectively opening and closing the access to the pocket includes complementary hook and eye portions engaged to inner surfaces of the pocket.
The description herein makes reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, and wherein:
In one embodiment, the emergency contact device 10 includes a pliable tube having a clip or other device for connecting the emergency contact holder 12 to a person's article of clothing or as shown in
The holder 12 can be made of molded, extruded, heat staked plastic, material such as canvas, Sunbrella®, nylon, polypropylene, polyurethane, or cotton type material. It is advantageous that the holder 12 is made of a pliable material so that the holder 12 can be folded to minimize its size. Therefore, it is preferable to have the holder made of a woven material. Further, it is preferable that the material is water proof or water resistant for durability. The pliable and foldable material allows the user to fold the holder 12 for placement in a clothing pocket, wallet or purse. The holder 12 can also be constructed of non-flexible material such as aluminum, steel, any ferrous or non-ferrous material, but would not offer the advantages of a flexible, foldable material. Raw material, such as plastic, can also be extruded to form a continuous tube that is cut to a desired length to form the holder 12.
The holder 12 may be a piece of material folded over and fused in such a manner that it forms the pocket or tubular cavity or hollow areas 20. The holder 12 is constructed in such a way as to form a pocket, tubular cavity, or hollow area 20 that would allow a document, or personal possession to be inserted into the holder 12.
The holder 12 may also be two pieces of material that are sewn together to form the tubular cavity 20. The holder 12 is attached to the clip 14, cord 22 or ring 24 in a positive manner that would not allow the holder 12 to become removed from the clip 14, cord 22, or ring 24. The attaching manner may be by means of a fold over a retention detail 25 on the clip 14 and sewn, heat staked or glued in such a secured manner it would not come loose from the clip 14. The clip end 27 of the holder 12 is sealed closed when it is attached to the clip. There is no opening or pocket at the clip end 27 to prevent a document or any other piece of material 18 from exiting the holder 12.
The opposing end 29 from the clip end 27 of the holder 12 can be selectively opened and closed and will allow a document 18 or personal possession to be inserted into the holder 12. Once a document 18 has been inserted into the holder 12, the second end 29 can then be securely closed and locked by a sealing means 16 that will not allow the document 18 inside the tubular cavity 20 to become dislodged and fall out. The sealing means can be opened only by the user or other person. The sealing means 16 can be a Velcro® type hook and loop strip attached to the two interior surfaces 30a, b of the holder 12 and pinched together, engaging the hook and loop mechanism to seal the access opening 29 closed. The selectively open end 29 can also be sealed closed by using other means such as buttons, snaps, or drawstrings.
The holder 12 can be in any color or designed graphics. For the purpose of an emergency device 10, it is preferably in a bright red. Emergency identification or other indicia 31 can be written on the exterior surface 33 of the holder to alert a passerby of the contents of the holder 12 when the owner is unable to speak.
The document 18 inside the holder 12 is a material that can retain emergency phone numbers or messages for use in the case of an emergency. The material can be made of paper, cardboard, plastic, ferrous or non-ferrous material on which a phone number or message can be written, engraved or stamped on. The document material can be a flexible or rigid, cut to the preference of the user, and be of a durable material so the phone number or message will not be lost over a long period of time.
While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, which scope is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures as is permitted under the law.
This application claims priority of personal Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/569,571, filed May 10, 2004 which is incorporated herein by reference.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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60569571 | May 2004 | US |