US20050145657A1

US20050145657A1 - Arm accessory pack

Info

Publication number: US20050145657A1
Application number: US10/753,730
Authority: US
Inventors: Jonathan Norberg
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-01-06
Filing date: 2004-01-06
Publication date: 2005-07-07

Abstract

An arm accessory pack worn on the upper arm of a user and adjustable thereto. The pack has a plurality of pockets or compartments, closed off by flaps, for accommodating various accessories for use by a hiker or the like. One pocket may be for a cell phone and may have a hole for a microphone cord. Another pocket may hold a CD player or the like. Another pocket may be securely closed and hold keys, wallets, a driver's license, etc. The compartment holding the cell phone is disposed away from the body of the user.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to packs worn by a user for carrying various articles; and, more particularly, to packs worn on the upper arm of a user having a plurality of compartments.
2. Related Art
Various means have been suggested over the years for allowing a user to carry articles when hiking, working out, running or the like. If certain articles, such as keys, cell phones, wallets, etc. are disposed in the pocket of a user's shorts, for example, they may fall out during any substantial physical activity. Also, certain accessories are bulky and weigh down one's pants. Some exercise clothing do not even have pockets.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,443,341 to Rittmann, a wrist wallet for keys or the like is disclosed. Velcro® is used to attach the wallet about one's wrist. This wallet does not have separately closable pockets and is cumbersome and attached to one's wrist. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,330.961 to Boria, a device is mounted to one's wrist. It can hold a pda device and uses a combination of Velcro® and snap buckles. There is no cell phone compartment nor provision for a cord. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,064 to Lyons, an upper arm pack is disclosed but merely holds a phone unit for receiving and transmitting signals.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,509,667 to Meldrum, an armband device is disclosed but only holds a camera in an exposed position. There are no pockets.
There is thus a need for an arm accessory pack that can be worn on the upper arm of a user and keeps one's valuables on one's upper body for easy access while allowing hands-free speaking on a cell phone.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of this invention to provide an arm accessory pack worn on the upper arm of the user to keep one's valuables on one's upper body in a securely closed compartment.
It is a further object of this invention to carry out the foregoing object with a pack having a compartment away from one's body holding a cell phone or the like for hands free operation.
These and other objects are preferably accomplished by providing an arm accessory pack that is worn on the upper arm of a user and adjustable thereto. The pack has a plurality of pockets or compartments, closed off by flaps, for accommodating various accessories for use by a hiker or the like. One pocket may be for a cell phone and may have a hole at the bottom for a microphone cord. Another pocket may hold a CD player or the like. Another pocket may be securely closed and hold keys, wallets, a driver's license, etc. The compartment holding the cell phone is disposed away from the body of the user.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the pack of the invention worn by a hiker;
FIG. 2 is a plan view of one side of the pack alone of FIG. 1 shown in open position;
FIG. 3 is a plan view of the pack alone of FIG. 2 showing the opposite side thereof, also in open position;
FIG. 4 is a view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 5 is a view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 2; and
FIG. 6 is a view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawing, an arm pack 10 is shown encircling the upper arm portion 11 of a user.
FIG. 2 shows the body pack 10 of FIG. 1 removed from the user's arm. A base 12 is provided which, as seen FIG. 3, is generally oblong in configuration and has a band 13 (FIG. 3) stitched or otherwise secured to base 12 at various locations, such as sewing lines 14, 15 and 16.
Referring again to FIG. 2, a first strap 17 is sewn or otherwise secured to end 18 of band 13 at stitching line 19, passing first through a conventional snap-on male buckle portion 20 as is well known in the art. Another strap 21 is secured, as by stitching or the like along lines 22, to the opposite end 23 of band 13 terminating in a doubled end portion 24 coupled to a conventional snap-on female buckle portion 25. See also FIG. 3 for the buckle portions 20, 23.
It can be seen in FIG. 1 that, in this manner, arm pack 10 can be quickly and easily buckled about the upper arm 11 of a user by snapping buckle portion 20 into buckle portion 23. The buckle portions 20, 23 can be quickly and easily released from locking engagement by squeezing together the resilient prongs 26 (FIG. 3) of buckle portion 20 as is well known in the snap buckle art. Of course, various methods may be used to quickly and easily secure and release arm pack 10 about the upper arm of a user. The overall length of straps 17, 21, when secured together, can be adjusted by adjusting the length of strap 17 in buckle portion 20 as is well known in the art.
As particularly contemplated in the present invention, arm pack 10 includes a plurality of pockets, such as pockets 27, 28 (FIG. 2) and pocket 30 (FIG. 4—pocket 30 is another pocket contiguous with pocket 28 normally closed by a zipper 31).
Pocket 27 (FIG. 2) is normally closed by a closure flap 32. Flap 32 has a first portion 33 of Velcro® material sewn or otherwise secured thereon, such as the hook portion, adapted to be secured to a second portion 34 of Velcro® material, sewn or otherwise secured thereon, such as the loop portion. Second portion 34 is secured to the front wall 35 of pocket 27 which in turn is integral with a back wall portion 36 (FIG. 5) interconnected by spaced side walls 37, 38. In this manner a pocket is formed which can be used to hold a cell phone or the like.
Pocket 28 is closed off by a flap 39 (FIG. 2) having a first portion 40 of Velcro® material, such as hook material, adapted to engage a second portion 41 of Velcro® material on the front wall 42 of pocket 28. Pocket 28, as seen in FIG. 6, includes a back wall 43 and an inner wall 44 secured to front wall 42 and back wall 43 along side wall 46. The spacing between back wall 43 and inner wall 44 forms a first inner pocket 47. As seen in FIG. 4, second inner pocket 30, normally closed by zipper 31, is formed between front wall 42 and inner wall 44.
In operation, when worn by the user as seen in FIG. 1, pocket 27, which may be used to hold a cell phone or the like, is on the far side away from the arm 11 of the user. As seen in FIG. 2, a hole 45 may be provided through the bottom of pocket 27 for the cord of a microphone input. A loop 100 (FIG. 3) may be provided on the far side of pocket 27 for holding a microphone (not shown).
The pocket 30 can be used to hold one's cash, keys, credit cards, driver's license, etc. and is thus not only located near the user's body but is sealed off by zipper 31. Pocket 28 can be used to hold one's wallet, a small book, etc.
Any suitable materials or dimensions may be used. A strong flexible cloth material is preferred with hook and loop material such as Velcro® patches placed as disclosed. The band 13 is sewn or otherwise secured in place and is preferably of a soft cushioning material such as neoprene. Strap 17 is a flexible strip of conventional strap material and includes the conventional plastic buckle portions 20, 25 which snap together and are quickly released as is well known in the art.
The main body portions of pack 10 may be about 8″ in overall length (excluding band 13 and strap 17) with band 13 being about 12″ in overall length. The pocket 27 may be about 4″ long and about 2″ wide whereas pocket 28 may be about 3½″ wide and about 4″ long. Since the pocket material is flexible, it can accommodate various sizes of cell phones or the like. For example, the interior of pocket 27 may be about 2½″ wide by 1½″ from front to rear. This should accommodate most cell phones or the like.
It can be seen that I have disclosed an arm accessory pack having pockets which are attached to the user by a secure band on the upper arm. A pocket for a cell phone is disposed on the far side away from the user, and a cash/credit card wallet is disposed on the side towards the user. A zipper closes off the pocket holding such valuables as credit cards, passports etc. which pocket faces inwardly, allowing easy access for the user. On the underside of the cell phone pocket is a hole in which one can use for the cord of a microphone jack. The microphone may be held in place by a loop on the far side. My invention thus allows for truly hands off speaking on a cell phone while keeping one's valuables on the user's upper body for easy access. My invention can also be used for GPS devices, radios, etc.
Although a particular embodiment of the invention is disclosed, variations thereof may occur to an artisan and the scope of the invention should only be limited by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. An accessory pack adapted to be worn on the upper arm of a user comprising:

a plurality of pockets, each of said pockets having a front wall, a back wall and interconnected side walls closed off at the bottom and open at the top;

each of said pockets having a flap hingedly connected thereto movable from a first position allowing access into the interior of each of said pockets to a second position normally closing off the interior of each of said pockets, each of said flaps being removably secured to the respective front wall of each of said pockets; and

said pockets being mounted on a base, said base having adjusting means connected thereto for releasably securing said base about the upper arm of a user and adjusting the same to the dimensions of the upper arm of a user.

2. The pack of claim 1 wherein a third pocket is provided having a front wall and a back wall, said back wall also being the front wall of one of said pockets and closed off at the top, bottom and one side thereof, the other side being normally closed by a closure member.

3. The pack of claim 2 wherein said closure member is a zipper.

4. The pack of claim 1 wherein the other of said pockets has a hole through the bottom thereof.

5. The pack of claim 4 wherein the other of said pockets has a loop fixed to the front wall thereof.

6. The pack of claim 1 wherein the back wall of each of said pockets is secured to said base.

7. The pack of claim 1 wherein one of said pockets is about 4″ long and about 2″ wide.

8. The pack of claim 7 wherein said last-mentioned pocket is disposed away from the body of the user when secured about the upper arm of the user.

9. The pack of claim 7 wherein the other of said pockets is about 3½″ wide and about 4″ long and disposed adjacent the body of the user when secured about the upper arm of the user.

10. The pack of claim 9 including a third pocket having a front wall and a back wall, said back wall also being the front wall of said other pockets and closed off at the top, bottom and one side thereof, the other side being normally closed by a closure member.

11. The pack of claim 10 wherein said closure member is a zipper.