Flexible Strap Carrier with Loop Member for Secure Belt Attachment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing portable article carriers, such as belt-worn holsters, often suffer from loose or broken spring-loaded clips, bulkiness, and discomfort due to rigidity, making it difficult to access devices like smartphones and causing them to slip out when the wearer moves.
Innovation Solution
A portable article carrier design featuring a flexible strap member with a fold that includes a loop member, where the loop can be made of flexible, elastic, or rigid materials, and is secured between strap portions, allowing for secure attachment to a waist belt and easy access with a closure flap or support loop for external support.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a spring-loaded clip is used to secure the carrier to a belt, then the carrier can be firmly attached, but the clip can become loose, fatigue and break through daily use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the spring-loaded clip component entirely from the design. Instead of using a mechanical clip that attaches to the belt, the carrier utilizes the loop member itself to pass through and secure to the belt, eliminating the problematic spring mechanism that was prone to fatigue and failure.
Solution Approach 2:
The design replaces the complex, failure-prone spring mechanism with a simple, durable loop structure made of flexible, elastic, or rigid material that can withstand repeated use without fatiguing. The loop member is designed to be long-lasting and resistant to wear.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid structure is used for the carrier, then the carrier can maintain its shape and secure the article, but it becomes bulky and uncomfortable to wear
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier incorporates a loop member made of flexible or elastic material that can bend and conform to the wearer's body and belt, eliminating bulkiness while maintaining structural integrity. The flexible nature allows the carrier to be comfortable against the skin while still securely holding the portable article.
Solution Approach 2:
The loop member can dynamically adjust its shape and rigidity based on the portable article being carried. When an article is inserted, the loop provides rigid support; when empty, it remains flexible and comfortable. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction between structural stability and comfort.
3Reliability
If the carrier is designed with a secure closure mechanism, then the portable article is retained firmly, but it becomes difficult to access when the wearer is sitting
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier is segmented into an open front end and a secured body portion. The portable article can be easily inserted or removed by simply opening the front end without requiring any closure mechanism to be actuated, providing easy accessibility while maintaining secure retention through the loop structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using a closure mechanism that must be opened to access the article, the design inverts the approach by having an inherently open front end. The security comes from the loop member constraining the article within the carrier body, not from a closure that needs to be manipulated for access.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a portable article carrier for carrying and securing portable articles such as mobile phones, cameras, radios, tools, and water bottles; where the device can be secured to a belt, strap, or harness that is optionally worn by a wearer. The portable article carrier can be assembled from a folded flexible strap member and a loop member. The loop member can be flexible, non-flexible, or elastic. The portable article carrier can be configured to present a seamless surface to the portable article in order to minimize surface damage or wear to the portable article.