This invention relates generally to portable, leisure, recreation and rescue equipment, such as small drink flasks of metal or synthetic polymeric material known as "plastic" and relates in particular to a portable device for detachably carrying on ones person, a drink flask and an electronic unit such as a transistor radio by a carry strap, belt clip or the like.

The invention, according to a general concept resides in a portable device which is adapted to detachably carry on ones person, a drink flask and an electronic unit comprising a radio frequency transmitting or receiving unit, cassette player, compact disc player or other sound generating equipment.

Preferably, the device is a holder for removably carrying the drink flask and for detachably carrying the electronic unit; the drink flask, the holder and the electronic unit all forming a portable compact unit and are all formed by injection moulding from synthetic polymeric materials (or the same material) , the drink flask can be slipped into and out of the holder without unfastening the electronic unit from a belt or the like, so that the flask can be filled or partly filled with water or other aqueous beverages such as cordial and then placed in a freezer or chilled in a refrigerator and replaced in the holder ready for use.

Preferably, the holder has fastening means thereon for attachment to a belt, the holder is a rectangular sleeve with an inner, an outer and end walls, a resilient being integrally moulded to the outer wall, the end walls also have integrally moulded means for attachement of a carry strap, if desired. - Alternatively, instead of an integrally moulded clip, the holder can have a detachable belt clip which may be replaceable with ^' a shoulder or hand carry strap clip.

Preferably, the housing for the electronic unit has fastening means in the form of a resilient clip integrally moulded on the outer face of a rear segment of the split-shell housing forming the casing, the clip co-operates with slots formed in the rear wall of the holder to lock holder and housing together, or for detachment of the radio unit for battery replacement by means of a separate battery compartment formed in the radio unit and accessible from behind the radio unit by removing a snap-on cover.

Preferably or advantageously, the drink flask is formed with a top cylindrical portion, a rectangular intermediate portion and a rounded lower portion to the top portion has extended ends or shoulders which overhang or project beyond the side walls of the flask and also the holder. Finger grips are also provided on the over¬ hung ends at the top of the flask. All these features facilitate insertion and removal of the flask into and out of the holder while one is on the move. Figure 1 is a front perspective view of an assembled holder device, portable drink flask and portable radio unit, constructed, arranged and adapted to operate in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the drink flask, detached from the assembly unit of Figure 1 of the drawings.

Figure 3 is a rear perspective view on a reduced scale of the radio part detached from the unit of Figure 1 of the drawings. Figure 4 is a perspective view on a reduced scale of the holder device detached from the unit of Figure 1 of the drawings.

Figure 5 is a rear elevation of a radio housing segment of the portable radio unit of Figure 3 of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a portable device for carrying a drink flask and electronic unit to form in this example, a portable drink flask and

radio unit comprising a two-part holder, a drink flask and a two-part or split-shell housing for the radio, the five components and all parts preferably being manufactured from synthetic polymeric or co-polymeric materials such as high impact polystyrene, high density polyethylene, SAB, ABS or polypropylene. In Figure 1 of the drawings, all five plastic components are shown assembled and nested together in the carry position and comprise a drink flask 10, (shown separately in Figure 2) which has a top portion 10a of transverse cylindrical configuration with a conventional threaded neck with a screw cap 11, closing a filling opening; an intermediate portion 10b of generally rectangular configuration with flat side walls; and lower portion of rounded con- figuration. The drink flask 10 is adapted to nest within a correspondingly, rectangular-shaped sleeve or sheath-like holder 12, (shown separately in Figure 4) and is removable therefrom by a user for drinking from or refilling the flask with water cordial and like beverages which can then be frozen in the flask within a refrigerator and then the flask replaced in the holder (12). The holder is preferably formed in two mating segments joined along the line 12a by ultrasonic welding or by gluing. There is shown in Figures 1 and 3, a completely assembled and separate radio unit 13, comprising a casing pre-formed in two segments namely, a front segment 13a and a rear segment 13b, both joined together, after installation of radio components therein, by ultrasonic welding, the casing with the radio components therein, preferably being non- dismantleable by a user. The entire radio unit 13 is attachable to, and detachable from the holder 12 by means of a resilient clip 14, formed on the outer surface of a rearward segment 13b of the casing of the radio unit 13 which engages with a rear wall of the holder. Referring to Figure 4, the holder 12 has an outer or front wall 16, an inner or rear wall 17 and two identical end wall 18 and 19. The top 18a, 18b respectively of each

end wall is inwardly or downwardly curved to accommodate cylindrical overhung ends 20, 21 at the top of the drink flask 10, which ends are retained in the holder by the curved tops 18, 18a of each end wall - the side walls of the holder being of lesser dimension than the transverse dimension of the top of the drink flask. (Finger grip ribs 22, 23 are formed in the circular ends of the over¬ hung ends 20, 21 of the flask). The outer wall 16 of the holder 12 has a belt clip 24 formed therein, while the inner or rear wall 17 has a closed slot 25 formed therein which is adapted to engage with a transverse rib 26 formed behind the bevelled lower edge of the clip 14 on the rear segment 13b of the radio unit casing, when the holder 12 and the assembled segments of the radio casing are slid together, therby clipping holder and radio unit together. The rear wall of the holder also has an open slot 27 formed on the upper edge thereof which facilitates locking and unlocking of the holder 12 to and from the outer sur¬ face of the rearward segment of the radio unit casing. Each end wall of the holder is provided with a carry strap receiving bar 28 formed across an access slot 29. This bar is formed as a pin extending from one holder segment engaging in a hole formed within the other segment.

Referring to Figure 3, the outer surface of the radio unit casing rear segment 13b has a battery compart¬ ment 30 formed therein, closeable by a user-removable and replaceable snap-in cover plate 31 shown in Figure 3 to one side of the radio unit. This same outer surface of segment 13b is formed with a flat, recessed portion to closely accommodate the inner or rear wall 17 of the holder. If desired, carry strap fastening bars may also be provided on the radio unit, such as that labelled 32 shown in Figure 1. Referring again to Figure 1, there is provided a tuning on/off control knob 33 and a volume control knob 34. Alternatively, the tuning control knob can be for tuning only and a separate on/off switch can be provide within and projecting from the side walls of the assembled radio unit.

In Figure 5, there is shown a rear or inside view of the front casing unit 11a of the radio frequency unit, which in this example is a 6 volt D.C. dry cell battery operated AM/FM transistor radio receiver with standard electronic components, prior to assembly of Figure 1 and which shows a band selection or on/off switch 35, projecting from the upper right-hand side of the casing, there are also shown, radio components mounted on printed circuit board 36 and a speaker mounting, locating ring in the form of a semi-circular rib 37. A speaker is mounted by gluing or other suitable means within the locating ring against the rear surface of the front radio unit casing segment to face outwardly opposite the slots, such as those labelled 38, 39 of a grid moulded into the front casing unit or segment 11a, the slots extend through the casing segment. In Figure 3, there is also shown at the top left-hand side an ear plug socket40.

Referring again to Figure 1, the face of the front segment of the radio unit has a hollow, removable and interchangeable decorative panel 41 which can be in a range of different colours. Removability is provided by means of moulded-in pins on the rear face adapted to fit into pin holes extending through the front face of the radio unit segment 13a. Although as an example of the invention, a transistor radio receiver has been described and illustrated, it will be appreciated that a transmitter such as a walkie/talkie or CB ban radio can instead be carried by the unit.