Cellular phones (hereinafter called"phones") are portable and conveniently fit in to bags and pockets of clothing. Users often do not have a single designated place to store their phone when not in use. This frequently causes phone users to scurry around looking for their phone when it rings. Occasionally, this results in the caller terminating the call before the user has answered it.

In order to minimise this problem, users often have a carrier pouch for the phone which is attached to a belt and from which the phone must be retrieved for use.

Alternatively a hands free device comprising a separate earpiece and microphone may be used in which case the cellular phone may be held in a pocket or suspended from a belt. Users of such arrangements are usually unable to see the phone's screen without dislodging or removing the phone from its storage position.

It is an object of this invention to alleviate, at least partially, some of the abovementioned problems.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided an cellular phone accessory comprising an article which in use is secured to or worn on the body of a user and to which is attached one strip of a hook and pile attachment means, the accessory being arranged to be used with a phone to which the complementary strip of the attachment means is attached whereby the cellular phone can be releasably attached to the accessory.

Hook and pile attachment means are well known. One particular such means is that sold under the trade name"Velcro". Such means comprises two complementary strips on one of which are formed hook members and the other are pile members.

When the two complementary strips are pressed together the hook and pile members engage to hold the two strips firmly together.

The accessory is preferably a bracelet or anklet that can be wound around a wrist or ankle of the user respectively. Alternatively it may be secured to a belt or even a more intimate article of clothing such as a brassiere, more particularly one of the straps of the brassiere.

Where the accessory is a bracelet, anklet, belt or like strap, it, the accessory, may have fastening means at its ends whereby the ends of the accessory may be connected together. The fastening means conveniently is capable of being engaged at various positions along the length of the strap thereby enabling the operational length of the strap to be adjustable.

The fastening means is conveniently in the form of a complementary hook and pile fastening means having the hook strip near one end of the strap and the pile strip near the other end of the strap positioned to cooperate with the hook strip. Alternatively the fastening means may be a buckle device as is usual for belts. Yet again, the securing means may be a clip-fit fastening means comprising a male part secured at the one end of the strap and a female part secured at the other end of the strap.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided the combination of an accessory as set out above with a cellular phone wherein the complementary strips of the hook and pile fastening means are secured respectively to the phone and the said accessory.

Where the accessory is a bracelet, the user by rolling his wrist or arm will cause the screen of the cellular phone to be visible without detaching the phone from the strap.

Further the phone is operable by the user without having to detach said phone from the strap. In other arrangements of the invention however, the phone may be detached from the article to be visible and to be used.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the drawings.

In the drawings Figure 1 is front view of a cellular phone accessory of the invention, Figure 2 is a side view of the cellular phone accessory, Figure 3 is a perspective view of the cellular phone accessory with the cellular phone attached, Figure 4 is a side view of a modified cellular phone accessory with the cellular phone attached, Figure 5 is a detail view showing another cellular phone accessory secured around a brassiere strap with the cellular phone attached, and Figure 6 is an enlarged (and slightly distorted) section on line 6-6 of Figure 5 with the phone omitted for clarity.

Referring now to Figures 1 to 3, there is shown a cellular phone accessory 10 comprising a strap 12 and an attachment means 20 for securing a cellular phone 40 to the strap 12.

The strap 12 comprises an elongated length of expandable material such as stretch polyester fabric. The strap 12 is provided with securing means in the form of complementary strips 14 and 16 of hook and pile fastening means on opposite faces of its ends so that the strap 12 can form a loop which may constitute a bracelet as indicated at 18. The fastening means comprises the product that is sold under the trade name "Velcro". The strips are long enough for the bracelet 18 to be of different sizes.

Indeed such length may be sufficient for the strap 12 also to form an anklet.

An attachment means 20 is secured on to the centre portion of the outside face of the bracelet and extends across the width of the strap 12. Such attachment means 20 comprises one strip of a second hook and pile fastening means, normally the strip containing the hooks.

The phone 40 has a complementary strip 26 of the fastening means, being the pile section, secured to its underside 42. It, the strip 26, extends along the majority of the length of the phone. This enables the phone 40 to be releasably but firmly attached to the strap 12 at various positions along the length of the phone 40.

It will be seen that when attached to the bracelet that is worn by the user, the phone will always be readily accessible to the user. Furthermore the user can quickly and easily see the screen of the phone. In addition the user may easily adjust the position of the phone 40 on his wrist according to his needs.

Reference is now made to Figure 4 wherein is shown a modified phone accessory 50. The accessory comprises a strap 52 which is generally similar to the strap 12 save that it has an extension 54 beyond the attachment means 56. A strip 58 of an additional fastening means 60 is provided at the free end of the extension 54 and a complementary strip 62 is provided on the outside of the strap 52 to cooperate therewith. The accessory 50 is used with a phone 64 having on its rear a strip 66 of fastening means that is complementary to the strip forming the attachment means 56.

The length of the extension 54 is such that, when the strips 58 and 60 engage, the extension 54 will form a loop within which the phone 64, when attached to the attachment means 56, will be firmly contained.

The attachment means 56 will desirably be located above, or close to, the strip 68 forming part of the fastening means which is attached to the opposite face of the strap 52.

It will be seen that the extension 54 when wrapped about the phone 64 will provide an additional support therefor. The extension 54 will further cover a major part of the phone 64 to protect it. It will further be appreciated that the extension 54 must be disconnected from the additional fastening means to expose the phone 64 for use. But nevertheless the phone will always be readily accessible.

Reference is now made to Figures 5 and 6 wherein is shown a further modified phone accessory 72 intended to be used by ladies. The accessory comprises two short lengths 74 and 76 of material. These lengths of material are provided at their ends with complementary strips 78 of fastening means to hold them together. On the outside of one length 74 is provided one strip 80 of an attachment fastening means. This phone accessory 72 is used with a phone 82 that has on its rear face a strip 84 of fastening means which is complementary to the strip 80. The accessory 72 is secured over a brassiere strap 86 which extends between the fastening means 78.

The strip 84 on the phone 82 is preferably the pile strip which should it engage the skin of the wearer is not so scratchy.

Thus a lady can carry the phone under her blouse for ready and easy access.

Furthermore this provides a degree of security against theft.

The invention is not limited to the precise constructional details hereinbefore described and illustrated in the drawings. For example the ends of the strap may be secured around the wrist by a clip-fit fastening means. Furthermore the accessory may be strapped around a belt for securing the phone thereto. The accessory to be attached to a brassiere may comprise a single length of material folded over on itself and with releasable fastening means connecting the free ends.