FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates to a wrist wallet which is adapted to be worn on a wrist of a person.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

According to the invention there is provided a wrist wallet which is adapted to be worn on a wrist of a person, the wrist wallet including: an annular locating formation which is locatable around the wrist of the person and which substantially circumscribes the person's wrist; and a wallet body which extends from the annular locating formation and which is shaped and configured to at least partially surround a distal end region of the person's forearm in an arrangement wherein a part of the wallet body is spaced from the person's forearm, the wallet body being sufficiently rigid so as to maintain its shape and maintain the spaced arrangement of said part of the wallet body from the person's forearm, the wallet body having at least one pocket formation for storing articles therein. The pocket formation may be disposed on an inner side of the wallet body, so as to be disposed adjacent the person's arm, when the wrist wallet is worn on the person's wrist, in use, thereby to restrict unauthorized access to the pocket formation by unauthorised persons.

The annular locating formation may be configured to conform to a shape of the person's wrist. In a particular embodiment, the annular locating formation may be in the form of a strap. The annular locating formation may be of a flexible material. The annular locating formation may have elastic properties so as to fit snugly around the person's wrist, in use.

The wallet body may have a first end and an opposite second end, with the annular locating formation being disposed at a first end region of the wallet body. The wallet body may taper from the second end of the wallet body to the first end thereof. In a particular embodiment, the wallet body may comprise a funnel-like formation which completely surrounds the distal end region of the person's forearm, in use, and which tapers towards the person's wrist from the second end of the wallet body to the first end thereof. The second end of the wallet body may have one of a generally round and a generally square shape, when the second end of the wallet body is viewed in plan view. The wallet body may have a first opening defined at the first end of the wallet body and a second opening defined at the second end of the wallet body, the first opening and the second opening being configured and dimensioned to receive the person's hand therethrough, when the wrist wallet is worn on the wrist of the person, in use.

The wrist wallet may include a first end closing formation which is displaceable between a closed condition wherein the first end closing formation closes the first opening and an open condition, the first end closing formation permitting the wrist wallet to be interchangeable between a wrist wearing configuration wherein the first end closing formation is displaced into its open condition, and wherein the wrist wallet is operable to be worn on the wrist of the person, with the wrist of the person being received within the annular locating formation and with the wallet body being spaced from and surrounding the distal end region of the person's forearm; and a container configuration wherein the first end closing formation is displaced into its closed condition to close the first opening so that the wallet body and the first end closing formation together define a container for containing articles therein.

The wrist wallet may further include a second end closing formation which is displaceable between an open condition and a closed condition wherein the second end closing formation closes the second opening such that the wallet body, the first end closing formation and the second end closing formation together surround the articles contained within the container, thereby to secure the articles contained within the container.

The wrist wallet may further include a handle formation which is attachable to one of the annular locating formation and the wallet body, so as to permit the wrist wallet to be carried by the person, in use. In use, when the wrist wallet is in its container configuration with the handle formation attached to said one of the annular locating formation and the wallet body, the wrist wallet may be operable to be used as a bag.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features of the invention are described hereinafter by way of a non-limiting example of the invention, with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying schematic drawings. In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a wrist wallet in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 shows a side view of the wrist wallet of Figure 1 , showing the wrist wallet being worn on a wrist of a person; Figure 3 shows a front view of the wrist wallet of Figure 1 ; Figure 4 shows a bottom plan view of the wrist wallet of Figure 1 ;

Figure 5 shows a sectional view of the wrist wallet of Figure 1 , sectioned along section lines V-V of Figure 4;

Figure 6 shows a top plan view of the wrist wallet of Figure 1 ;

Figure 7 shows a perspective view of another embodiment of a wrist wallet in accordance with the invention;

Figure 8 shows a side view of the wrist wallet of Figure 7;

Figure 9 shows a front view of the wrist wallet of Figure 7;

Figure 10 shows a bottom plan view of the wrist wallet of Figure 7; Figure 1 1 shows a top plan view of the wrist wallet of Figure 7;

Figure 12 shows a perspective view of another embodiment of a wrist wallet in accordance with the invention; Figure 13 shows a side view of the wrist wallet of Figure 12, showing the wrist wallet being worn on a wrist of a person;

Figure 14 shows a front view of the wrist wallet of Figure 12; Figure 15 shows a bottom plan view of the wrist wallet of Figure 12; Figure 16 shows a sectional view of the wrist wallet of Figure 12, sectioned along section lines XVI-XVI of Figure 15; Figure 17 shows a sectional view of the wrist wallet of Figure 12, sectioned along section lines XVI l-XVI I of Figure 14;

Figure 18 shows a top plan view of the wrist wallet of Figure 12, with the wrist wallet shown being folded into a flat configuration;

Figure 19 shows a top plan view of another embodiment of a wrist wallet in accordance with the invention; and

Figure 20 shows a sectional view of the wrist wallet of Figure 19, sectioned along section lines XX-XX of Figure 19.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

With reference to Figures 1 to 6 of the drawings, a wrist wallet, in accordance with the invention, is designated generally by the reference numeral 10. The wrist wallet 10 is adapted to be worn on a wrist 4 of a person 8, as illustrated in Figures 2, 3 and 5 of the drawings.

The wrist wallet 10 comprises an annular locating formation in the form of an elasticated wrist band 13 which is locatable around the wrist 4 of the person 8 and a wallet body 12 which extends from the elasticated wrist band 13.

The elasticated wrist band 13 substantially circumscribes the wrist 4 of the person 8, in use, and conforms to the shape of the person's wrist 4 and fits snugly around the person's wrist 4, as shown in Figures 2, 3 and 5 of the drawings. The elasticated wrist band 13 is sufficiently elastic so as to accommodate various sizes of wrists of various persons received therein, in use.

The wallet body 12 has an inner side 14, an outer side 16, a first end 18, an opposite second end 22 and comprises a funnel-like formation 24 having a number of pocket formations in the form of pockets 26. The inner side 14 and the outer side 16 of the body 12 are of leather. The funnel-like formation 24 is semi-rigid and is configured, shaped and dimensioned so as to surround a distal end region 6 of the person's forearm, in an arrangement wherein the funnel-like formation 24 is spaced from the person's forearm when the wrist wallet 10 is worn on the wrist 4 of the person 8. More particularly, the funnel-like formation 24 tapers inwardly from the second end 22 of the body 12 to the first end 18 of the body 12, as shown most clearly in Figure 1 of the drawings. The funnel-like formation 24 completely surrounds the distal end region 6 of the person's forearm, in use, and tapers towards the person's wrist 4 from the second end 22 of the body 12 to the first end 18 of the body 12, as shown in Figures 1 to 6 of the drawings. The funnel-like formation 24 of the wallet body 12 is sufficiently rigid so as to maintain its shape and maintain its spaced arrangement from the distal end region 6 of the person's forearm, for reasons which will be explained in more detail hereinbelow. The pockets 26 are disposed on inner sides 14 and outer sides 16 of the funnel-like formation 24, as shown in Figures 1 to 6 of the drawings. More particularly, the pockets 26 which are disposed on the inner side 14 of the funnel-like formation 24 are disposed adjacent the person's arm, as shown most clearly in Figure 5 of the drawings. The body 12 also has a first opening 30 defined at the first end 18 of the body 12 and a second opening 32 defined at the second end 22 of the body 12, the first opening 30 and the second opening 32 are configured and dimensioned to receive the person's hand therethrough when the wrist wallet 10 is worn on the wrist 4 of the person 8, in use. As shown in Figure 6 of the drawings, the second end 22 of the body 12 has a generally square shape, when the second end 22 of the body 12 is viewed in top plan view. In use, when the wrist wallet 10 is worn on the person's wrist 4, the pockets 26 which are disposed on the inner side 14 of the body 12 are particularly inaccessible to unauthorized persons and thereby restrict access to the pockets 26 by unauthorized persons, so as to enable the person 8 to store valuable articles within the pockets 26 disposed on the inner side 14 of the funnel-like formation 24.

The applicant envisages that the comfort of the person is increased because the funnellike formation 24 is spaced from the person's arm, so as to reduce contact between the skin of the person 8 and the wrist wallet 10, so as to reduce discomfort, skin irritation and sweating of the person 8. In use, the applicant envisages that the wrist wallet 10 may also be worn by a person 8 who is wearing a shirt having long sleeves. More particularly, the applicant envisages that the funnel-like formation 24 will surround the long sleeves of the person 8, in use. With reference to Figures 7 to 1 1 of the drawings, another embodiment of a wrist wallet in accordance with the invention, is designated generally by the reference numeral 50. The wrist wallet 50 is configured to be interchangeable between a wrist wearing configuration wherein the wrist wallet 50 is operable to be worn on the wrist 4 of a person 8 and a container configuration wherein the wrist wallet 50 defines a container for containing articles therein, as will be explained in more detail hereinbelow.

The wrist wallet 50 of Figures 7 to 1 1 of the drawings is similar to the wrist wallet 10 of Figures 1 to 6 of the drawings, and as such, features of the wrist wallet 50 which are the same and / or similar to features of the wrist wallet 10, are indicated by the same and / or similar reference numerals in Figures 7 to 1 1 of the drawings. More specifically, the wrist wallet 50 is virtually identical to the wrist wallet 10 in all respects and comprises the semi-rigid wallet body 12 and the annular locating formation in the form of the elasticated wrist band 13. What is stated above with respect to the wrist wallet 10 applies generally to the wrist wallet 50. The wrist wallet 50, however, differs from the wrist wallet 10 in that the wrist wallet 50 further includes a first end closing formation 34, a second end closing formation 36, a handle formation 37 and a pair of studs 38 extending from the funnel-like formation 24 at opposite second end regions thereof, as best shown in Figure 10 of the drawings.

The first end closing formation 34 comprises a flexible sheet of leather which is shaped and configured to close the first opening 30 and which has a first zipper 39 extending around a peripheral edge thereof. More particularly, the first end closing formation 34 is releasably connected to the body 12 by the first zipper 39 which is stitched to an outer peripheral edge of the body 12 defining the first opening 30, as illustrated in Figures 7 and 8 of the drawings. As such, when the first zipper 39 is displaced into a closed condition, as illustrated in Figure 7 of the drawings, the first end closing formation 34 closes the first opening 30 in the manner illustrated in Figure 7 of the drawings. When the first zipper 39 is displaced into an open condition, as illustrated in Figure 8 of the drawings, the first end closing formation 34 can be removed from the wallet body 12 and the first opening 30 is open.

The second end closing formation 36 comprises a flexible sheet of leather which is shaped and configured to close the second opening 32 and which has a second zipper 40 extending around a peripheral edge thereof and an access zipper 42 extending along a middle region thereof, the purposes of which will be explained in more detail hereinbelow. As illustrated in Figure 1 1 of the drawings, the second end closing formation 36 is releasably connected to the body 12 by the second zipper 40 which is stitched to an outer peripheral edge of the body 12 defining the second opening 32, as illustrated in Figure 1 1 of the drawings. As such, when the second zipper 40 is displaced into a closed condition, as illustrated in Figure 1 1 of the drawings, the second end closing formation 36 closes the second opening 32. As such, the second zipper 40 may also be displaced into an open condition, in use, so as to release the second end closing formation 36 from being connected to the body 12, thereby permitting the second end closing formation 36 to be removed from the wallet body 12 and thereby opening the second opening 32.

In use, the first end closing formation 34 is thus displaceable between its closed condition illustrated in Figure 7 of the drawings wherein the first end closing formation 34 closes the first opening 30, and its open condition illustrated in Figure 8 of the drawings. The first end closing formation 34 thus permits the wrist wallet 50 to be interchangeable between a wrist wearing configuration, wherein the first end closing formation 34 is displaced into its open condition and wherein the wrist wallet is operable to the worn on the wrist 4 of the person 8 with the wrist 4 of the person 8 being received within the elasticated wrist band 13 and with the funnel-like formation 24 being spaced from and surrounding the distal end region 6 of the person's forearm, as illustrated in Figure 8 of the drawings; and a container configuration wherein the first end closing formation 34 is displaced into its closed condition to close the first opening 30 and wherein the body 12 and the first end closing formation 34 together define a container for containing articles therein, as illustrated in Figure 7 of the drawings.

In use, the second end closing formation 36 is thus also displaceable between its open condition and its closed condition shown in Figure 1 1 of the drawings, wherein the second end closing formation 36 closes the second opening 32 such that the body 12, the first end closing formation 34 and the second end closing formation 36 together surround the articles contained in the container, thereby to secure the articles contained within the container. As shown in Figure 1 1 of the drawings, the access zipper 42 is thus opened, in use, so as to access articles contained within the container.

The handle formation 37 is of a flexible plastics material and is configured to permit the wrist wallet 50 to be carried by the person 8, in use. The handle formation 37 includes releasable attachment formations in the form of apertures 44. In use, the studs 38 are releasably received within the apertures 44 of the handle formation 37, for releasably attaching the handle formation 37 to the body 12 of the wrist wallet 50. In use, when the wrist wallet 50 is in its container configuration, with the handle formation 37 attached to the body 12, the wrist wallet 50 is operable to be used as a bag, as can be seen from Figure 1 1 of the drawings.

With reference to Figures 12 to 18 of the drawings, another embodiment of a wrist wallet, in accordance with the invention, is designated generally by the reference numeral 100. The wrist wallet 100 of Figures 12 to 18 of the drawings is similar to the wrist wallet 10 of Figures 1 to 6 of the drawings, and as such, features of the wrist wallet 100 which are the same and/or similar to features of the wrist wallet 10 are indicated by the same and/or similar reference numerals in Figures 12 to 18 of the drawings. What is stated above with respect to the wrist wallet 10 applies generally to the wrist wallet 100. The wrist wallet 100 is adapted to be worn on a wrist 4 of a person 8. The wrist wallet 100 includes a semi-rigid wallet body 1 12 which is similar to the wallet body 12 of the wrist wallet 10 and an annular formation in the form of a wrist strap 1 13 which is similar to the wrist band 13 of the wrist wallet 10.

As can be seen most clearly in Figures 13 and 17 of the drawings, the body 1 12 of the wrist wallet 100 differs from the body 12 of the wrist wallet 10. More particularly, as can be seen from Figures 13 to 17 of the drawings, the body 1 12 of the wrist wallet 100 only partially surrounds a distal end region 6 of the person's forearm. Furthermore, as shown most clearly in Figure 17 of the drawings, the second end 122 of the body 1 12 has a V-shape configuration when the second end 122 of the body 1 12 is viewed in plan view. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 16 and 17 of the drawings, the material constituting the wallet body 1 12 comprises an inner layer 127 of leather; a reinforcing middle layer 129 of semi-rigid plastic sheet material, such as, for example, polyurethane and an outer layer 131 of leather. The inner layer 127, the middle layer 129 and the outer layer 131 are bonded to one another. Another difference between the wrist wallet 100 and the wrist wallet 10 is that, whereas the wrist wallet 10 has an annular locating formation in the form of the wrist band 13, the wrist wallet 100 has an annular locating formation in the form of the wrist strap 1 13. The wrist strap 1 13 has a fastener (not shown) in the form of a buckle, a button, Velcro ™ fastener, or the like, for adjustably and releasably securing the wrist strap 1 13 to a person's wrist.

With reference to Figure 18 of the drawings, the applicant envisages that the wrist wallet 100 may be adapted to be folded, as illustrated in Figure 18 of the drawings, so as to take up a flat, compact configuration, permitting the wrist wallet 100 to be sufficiently compact so as to be accommodated in a pocket or purse of the person. This enables the wrist wallet 100 to be conveniently stored in the person's pocket or purse, when not in use. With reference to Figures 19 and 20 of the drawings, another embodiment of a wrist wallet in accordance with the invention, is designated generally by the reference numeral 200. The wrist wallet 200 of Figures 19 and 20 of the drawings is similar to the wrist wallet 10 of Figures 1 to 6 of the drawings. As such, features of the wrist wallet 200 which are the same and / or similar to features of the wrist wallet 10, are indicated by the same and / or similar reference numerals in Figures 19 and 20 of the drawings. What is stated above with respect to the wrist wallet 10 applies generally to the wrist wallet 200.

The wrist wallet 200 includes a wallet body 212 which is similar to the wallet body 12 of the wrist wallet 10; and an elasticated wrist band 213 which is similar to the elasticated wrist band 13 of the wrist wallet 10. The wrist wallet 200, however, further includes an inner sock 221 ; a thumb receiving formation 241 and a pull loop 242.

The inner sock 221 is of a flexible material and defines a sock-like formation or sheath within which a person's arm is received in a snug fit. The inner sock 221 is located within the funnel-like formation 224 of the wallet body 212 and is connected to an inner side 214 of the wallet body 212, as illustrated in Figure 20 of the drawings. The inner sock 221 is thus configured to receive the person's arm therein in a tight snug fit for positively locating the wallet body 212 with respect to the wrist and arm of the person, thereby preventing sliding displacement of the wallet body 212 with respect to the person's arm.

As illustrated in Figure 20 of the drawings, the thumb receiving formation 241 is configured for receiving a person's thumb therethrough. The applicant envisages that the thumb receiving formation 241 will thus also serve to positively locate the wallet body 212 with respect to the person's arm and, more specifically, will serve to prevent the wallet body 212 from sliding up the person's arm in a direction towards the person's body. Still referring to Figure 20 of the drawings, the pull loop 242 is stitched to the wallet body 1 12 and is configured and dimensioned to be grasped by the person 8, to permit the person 8 to get a secure grip on the wrist wallet body 212, when carrying or manipulating the wrist wallet 200. Furthermore, as illustrated in Figure 20 of the drawings, each pocket 226 of the wrist wallet 200 is of a flexible elasticated material and has Velcro™ strips 243 for closing top openings 244 into the pockets 226. More specifically, the Velcro™ strips 243 include strips 243.1 and 243.2 which releasably connectable to one another for closing and opening the top openings 244.

In use, a storage compartment 245 is thus defined between an outer side of the inner sock 221 and the wallet body 212, when the wrist wallet 200 is worn on a person's wrist, as illustrated in Figure 20 of the drawings. The applicant envisages that the wrist wallet 200 is convenient to be used by sportsmen, such as, for example, cyclists, joggers and hikers. For example, the applicant envisages that cyclists can conveniently carry energy supplements in sachet form within the storage compartment 245 defined between the person's arm and the funnel-like formation 224 of the wallet body 212, or alternatively, within the pockets 226. The applicant envisages that the cyclists can conveniently retrieve the sachets from the compartment 245 while cycling, without disrupting or distracting the cyclist. The applicant also envisages that joggers or hikers can use the wrist wallet 200 to conveniently carry their house keys, car keys or cellular phones within the pockets 226.

It will be appreciated that the exact configuration of the wrist wallet in accordance with the invention may vary greatly while still incorporating the essential features of the invention, as described hereinabove. More particularly, the applicant envisages that the second end of the wallet body may have any other shape, other than the shapes illustrated in the drawings, when the second end of the wallet body is viewed in plain view. The applicant also envisages that in another embodiment (not shown) the zipper 42 of the wrist wallet 50 may be replaced by fasteners such as, for example, studs, buttons or any other type of closable and openable arrangement, such as, for example, a draw string. Furthermore, the applicant has also found that in an alternative embodiment (not shown) the middle layer 129 of the wallet body 1 12 of the wrist wallet 100 may be omitted and another type of reinforcement (not shown) such as, for example "boning" or other semi-rigid material may replace the middle layer 129. Furthermore, the applicant envisages that in another embodiment (not shown), the inner layer 127 and the outer layer 131 may be of any other flexible sheet-like material, other than leather, such as, for example, synthetic plastics material, or synthetic or natural fabric.