FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to protecting straps for carrying valuable objects, and more particularly, to security guard strap covers for protecting valuable objects from theft or damage.

BACKGROUND

Conventional straps help users store and transport various objects when not in use. Such objects may include cameras, camera bags, video recording devices, laptop bags, purses, and the like. Typically, a user will position a strap over one of his shoulders such that the object rests comfortably by his side.

In some places, thieves have been known to approach an unsuspecting person from behind, cut a strap with a quick cut of a sharp knife, and steal the valuable object attached to the strap. To protect against this, users may wrap the strap multiple times around their wrist or they may keep the strap and/or valuable object clasped in their hands. Other users may simply decide not to carry the valuable object with them when they travel to places where the risk of theft is relatively high. Since it is desirable to carry objects such as cameras as one travels throughout the world, these current methods of mitigating the risk of theft are a substantial inconvenience.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 A is a view of an implementation of a security guard strap cover, shown covering a strap being worn diagonally across the back of the torso of a user.

Figure 1 B is an enlarged view of a portion of the security guard strap cover shown in Figure 1A.

Figure 2A is a front view of the security guard strap cover shown in Figure 1 A disconnected from the strap and with a top flap and a bottom flap in an open position.

Figure 2B is a back view of the security guard strap cover shown in Figure 1A disconnected from the strap and with the top flap and the bottom flap in an open position.

Figure 3A is front view of the security guard strap cover shown in Figure 1 A disconnected from the strap and with the top flap and the bottom flap in a closed position. igure ΰ is a DacK view οτ tne security guard strap cover snown in igure Ί A disconnected from the strap and with the top flap and the bottom flap in the closed position.

Figure 4A illustrates the security guard strap cover during a first step of the installation process, wherein the top flap and the bottom flap are in the open position and the strap is inserted into a slotted loop of the strap cover.

Figure 4B illustrates the security guard strap cover during a second step of the installation process, wherein the strap is positioned adjacent a center body of the strap cover.

Figure 4C illustrates the security guard strap cover during a third step of the installation process, wherein the bottom flap is in the closed position over the strap and the top flap is in the open position.

Figure 4D illustrates the security guard strap cover during a fourth and final step of the installation process, wherein the top flap and the bottom flap are secured in the closed position over the strap.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to security guard strap covers that are selectively attachable to the back of a conventional strap and configured to prevent someone from cutting the strap from behind when worn by a user. As discussed below, the strap covers are embedded with a substantially cut-resistant material, such as a steel cable, which functions to protect straps from being cut or slashed with a knife or other cutting tool. In this regard, users may continue to use their conventional straps to carry their objects while being protected from theft.

Figures 1 A and 1 B illustrate an embodiment of a security guard strap cover (or

"strap cover") 50 removably attached to a conventional strap 10 between an upper end portion 10A and a lower end portion 10B and below a shoulder pad 12 of the strap. The strap 10 may be formed into a loop and sized to fit over the torso of a user 30 and may be worn diagonally, like a bandolier, or worn vertically draped over a shoulder. As shown, the strap cover 50 is positioned on a portion or length of the strap 10 that is located on the back side of the user 30 such that a substantial portion of the strap between the shoulder pad 12 and the lower end portion 10B of the strap is covered by the strap cover. This feature minimizes the length of the strap 10 on the user's back side that is not covered by the strap cover 50. In some implementations, the strap 10

2 nas a Tiat sectional proTiie as snown ana, in otner implementations, tne strap may nave other sectional profiles including oblong and round profiles, or the like. In this regard, the strap cover 50 may be sized and shaped to cover various types of straps as desired.

As can be appreciated, a camera or other valuable object may be selectively coupled to the strap 10 via a coupler 16. The object can then rest near the lower end portion 10B of the strap 10 when not in use. In the illustrated embodiment, the coupler 16 includes a loop 18 for slidably engaging the strap 10 and has a connector 20 attached to the loop 18. In this example, the connector 20 is of the hook type or carabineer type, and has a gate-style mechanism to permit connecting and

disconnecting of the connector to an object such as a camera (not shown), which facilitates separation of the object from the user without removing the strap 10 from the user. It will be appreciated that other types of couplers may be provided. Further, some straps may be permanently attached to the valuable object. Such straps may include straps for products such as camera bags, laptop bags, purses, and the like.

Figures 2A and 2B illustrate front and back views, respectively, of the security guard strap cover 50 when in an open position without the strap 10 being shown, and Figures 3A and 3B illustrate front and back views, respectively, of the security guard strap cover in a closed position without the strap 10 being shown. The strap cover 50 includes a body comprising an elongated center body 56, a bottom flap 62, and a top flap 64. The center body 56 has an upper end portion 52A and a lower end portion 52B. The width of the center body 56 may be configured to be slightly larger than the straps intended to be used with the strap cover 50 so that the straps may be

sandwiched between the center body 56 on one side and the bottom and top flaps 62 and 64 on the other side. In the illustrated embodiment, the center body 56 has a width that is slightly larger than the width of the strap 10 (see Figure 4B). The bottom flap 62 and the top flap 64 extend substantially along the full length of the center body 56 between the upper end portion 52A and the lower end portion 52B. When the flaps 62 and 64 are in the closed position as shown in Figure 3A, they overlap and an elongated strap channel or cavity 57 is formed between them and the center body 56 that extends in the longitudinal direction and is sized to receive a corresponding length of the strap 10. Throughout the drawings, the "outside" surfaces of the center body 56, bottom flap 62 and top flap 64 are designated with the letter "A," and the "inside" surfaces are designated with the letter "B." For example, in Figures 2A and 2B, the inside surface of

3 tne Dottom Tiap <oz is aesignatea as inside surrace <oz 5 ana tne outsiae surrace is designated as outside surface 62A. When the strap 10 is positioned in the elongated strap cavity 57, the one face of the strap is facing the inside surface 56B of the center body 56 and the other face of the strap is facing the inside surface 62B of the bottom flap 62, with the outside surface 62A of the bottom flap 62 facing the inside surface 64B of the top flap 64.

As shown in Figure 2A, the inside surface 64B of the top flap 64 includes three spaced-apart hook tape pieces 86A, 86B, and 86C. As shown in Figure 2B, the outside surface 62A of the bottom flap 62 includes three corresponding spaced-apart loop tape pieces 82A, 82B, 82C positioned to releasably engage the hook tape pieces 86A, 86B, and 86C, respectively, when the flaps 62 and 64 are folded from the open position into the closed position. The hook tape pieces 86A, 86B, and 86C and the loop tape pieces 82A, 82B, and 82C may be coupled to the top flap 64 and the bottom flap 62, respectively, by any suitable manner (e.g., sewn together). It will be appreciated that, in addition to such Velcro® type fasteners, other types of fasteners may be used to selectively releasably attach the top flap 64 and the bottom flap 62 together, including snaps, buttons, magnets, and the like.

The upper end portion 52A of the center body 56 includes a c-shaped slotted loop 70 that is secured to the center body by small flap portion 54 stitched to the center body (see Figure 2A). As shown in Figure 4A and discussed below, the slotted loop 70 is configured to receive and engage the strap 10 to help prevent the strap cover 50 from sliding along or otherwise moving relative to the strap during use.

In the embodiment illustrated, the center body 56 and the flaps 62 and 64 are integrally formed from a single piece of material, although this is not a requirement. Further, any suitable material may be used to form the center body 56 and the flaps 62 and 64. Examples of suitable materials include, but are not limited to, vinyl-coated polypropylene and chlorosulfonated polyethylene (CSPE) synthetic rubber (CSM) (e.g., HYPALON®).

As may best be viewed in Figure 2B, the strap cover 50 also includes a cable 80 disposed around the perimeter or edge of the center body 56 inside channels formed by stitching 76 that extends downward along and spaced inward from the perimeter of the center body from a position 53 on its left edge, around the lower end portion 52B, and upward to a position 55 on its right edge. The stitching 76 runs off the edge of the center body 56 at the positions 53 and 55 to entrap the cable 80 within the channels

4 Tormea in tne strap cover DU. since tne Diaae οτ a κηιτβ or otner cutting tool is most likely to first contact the strap cover 50 at its perimeter, this location for the cable 80 is well suited to protect the strap 10 from being cut during an attempted robbery.

As shown in Figures 3A and 3B, the strap cover 50 optionally includes cut out portions 72A and 72B configured to expose a portion of the cable 80 to allow a user to view the cable. In the illustrated embodiment, the cable 80 is also exposed near the lower end portion 52B of the center body 56. In some embodiments, the cable 80 may be formed from steel, and may have a diameter of approximately 1 .5 mm. In some embodiments, the cable 80 may be coated with a suitable material, such as clear vinyl (e.g., polyvinyl chloride). It should be appreciated that other types of materials and sizes may be used to form a substantially cut-resistant cable, including various plastic materials, metal materials, composite materials, synthetic materials (e.g., KEVLAR®, etc.), any combinations thereof, and the like. Further, the strap cover 50 may include cut-resistant material embedded in other ways to achieve similar functionality.

Figures 4A-4D illustrate a step-by-step process for selectively attaching or installing the security guard strap cover 50 onto the strap 10 between its upper end portion 10A and the lower end portion 10B. Initially, the strap cover 50 is in the open position. As shown in Figures 4A and 4B, a user may first pass the upper end portion 10A of the strap 10 through the slot in the slotted loop 70 and position the strap 10 adjacent the inside surface 56B of the center body 56 along its full length as shown in Figure 4B.

Next, as shown in Figure 4C, the user may fold the bottom flap 62 over the strap 10 such that the inside surface 62B of the bottom flap is adjacent the strap and the outside surface 62A is facing outward. In this position, the loop tape pieces 82A, 82B, and 82C are also facing outward. As shown in Figure 4D, the user may then fold the upper flap 64 over the outside surface 62A of the bottom flap 62 so that the hook tape pieces 86A, 86B, and 86C on the inside surface 64B engage the loop tape pieces 82A, 82B, and 82C, respectively. Once the strap cover 50 is fully installed, the strap 10 may be worn normally by the user as shown in Figure 1A.

When the strap cover 50 is installed over the strap 10 the slotted loop 70 and the flaps 62 and 64 apply sufficient friction forces to the strap to prevent the strap cover and strap from sliding relative to each other. Thus, the strap cover 50 remains in the position on the strap 10 desired by the user.

5 bmDoaiments οτ tne present invention provide numerous advantages, or example, the embedded cut-resistant material in the strap cover described herein significantly reduces the likelihood that a user's valuable objects will be stolen by a thief cutting their strap. Further, since the strap cover is configured to be selectively attached to conventional shoulder straps, users may continue to use the straps they have previously purchased. Another advantage provided by the embodiments of the present invention is that a user may utilize a single strap cover at different times to protect several of their straps for various objects (e.g., camera straps, laptop bag straps, and the like). Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate these and other advantages provided by the present disclosure.

The foregoing described embodiments depict different components contained within, or connected with, different other components. It is to be understood that such depicted architectures are merely exemplary, and that in fact many other architectures can be implemented which achieve the same functionality. In a conceptual sense, any arrangement of components to achieve the same functionality is effectively "associated" such that the desired functionality is achieved. Likewise, any two components so associated can also be viewed as being "operably connected", or "operably coupled", to each other to achieve the desired functionality.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that, based upon the teachings herein, changes and modifications may be made without departing from this invention and its broader aspects and, therefore, the appended claims are to encompass within their scope all such changes and modifications as are within the true spirit and scope of this invention. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the invention is solely defined by the appended claims. It will be understood by those within the art that, in general, terms used herein, and especially in the appended claims (e.g., bodies of the appended claims) are generally intended as "open" terms (e.g., the term "including" should be interpreted as "including but not limited to," the term "having" should be interpreted as "having at least," the term "includes" should be interpreted as "includes but is not limited to," etc.).

It will be further understood by those within the art that if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is intended, such an intent will be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence of such recitation no such intent is present. For example, as an aid to understanding, the following appended claims may contain usage of the

6 introductory pnrases ^" at least one ^" ana ^" one or more ^" to introduce claim recitations. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed to imply that the

introduction of a claim recitation by the indefinite articles "a" or "an" limits any particular claim containing such introduced claim recitation to inventions containing only one such recitation, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases "one or more" or "at least one" and indefinite articles such as "a" or "an" (e.g., "a" and/or "an" should typically be interpreted to mean "at least one" or "one or more"); the same holds true for the use of definite articles used to introduce claim recitations. In addition, even if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is explicitly recited, those skilled in the art will recognize that such recitation should typically be interpreted to mean at least the recited number (e.g., the bare recitation of "two recitations," without other modifiers, typically means at least two recitations, or two or more recitations).

Accordingly, the invention is not limited except as by the appended claims.

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