Individual utility belt section

Abstract

A strap-like clip-on accessory retainer or holder for attachment to the user's belt or waistband for the convenience of carrying handy tools, such as knives, pouches for holding small items, tapes, etc. like a utility belt. The accessory retainer or holder allows belt accessories to be attached to the waistband of trousers, shorts, skirts, etc., with or without a belt, as well as to any other wearable or non-wearable material having a thin edge. The inventive strap-like accessory retainer or holder can accommodate several accessories at once and can, therefore, be used to assemble semi-permanent “kits” of accessories that are commonly used together in particular applications. With the belt's clip-on or clamp-on construction, it can supply the secondary function of a waist belt (to harness accessories) without the necessity of serving the primary function (to adjust waistband circumference).

I claim:  
     
         1 . A utility holder comprising: 
 a strap-like accessory retainer portion having first and second ends;    a strap-like base portion generally coextensive with said accessory retainer portion and having first and second ends corresponding thereto;    means for removably fastening said accessory retainer portion to said base portion proximate at least one common end;    said accessory retainer portion having an outer side and a common side with said base portion, said base portion having an inner side;    means for removably attaching said base portion to an article of clothing proximate said first and said second ends, respectively;    whereby said accessory retainer portion is unfastened for mounting accessories thereon; and    whereby said accessory retainer portion is fastened for retaining said accessories thereon.    
     
     
         2 . The utility holder of  claim 1 , further comprising a hinge portion permanently connecting said accessory retainer portion and said base portion at a first common end.  
     
     
         3 . The utility holder of  claim 1 , wherein said means for removably attaching said accessory portion to said base portion is a snap having a head and a receiver.  
     
     
         4 . The utility holder of  claim 3 , wherein said snap head is mounted on said common side of said accessory retainer portion and facing said snap receiver mounted on said base portion common side.  
     
     
         5 . The utility holder of  claim 4 , wherein said accessory retainer portion defines a lengthwise oriented multiple station groove for adjustably mounting said snap head.  
     
     
         6 . The utility holder of  claim 1 , wherein said means for removably fastening said accessory retainer portion to said base portion is located proximate each said common end.  
     
     
         7 . The utility holder of  claim 5 , wherein said means for removably fastening said accessory retainer portion to said base portion is located proximate each common end.  
     
     
         8 . The utility holder of  claim 1 , wherein said means for removably attaching said base portion to an article of clothing comprises a clip or clamp located proximate each end of said base portion and attached to said inner side thereof so oriented as to be attachable to a waist band of an article of clothing being worn by a user.  
     
     
         9 . The utility holder of  claim 1 , wherein said accessory retainer is relatively flexible and said base portion is relatively stiff, said base portion being sufficiently flexible so as to conform to the waist of a user when mounted thereon.  
     
     
         10 . A strap-like utility accessory retainer comprising: 
 a strap-like accessory retainer having a first end and a second end and an inner side and an outer side; and    a clip or clamp located proximate each of said first and said second ends of said accessory retainer and attached to said inner side of said accessory retainer;    at least one of said clips or clamps having one of a first characteristic of a profile sufficiently low as to allow accessories to be slipped over said clip or clamp, and a second characteristic of being removably attached to said accessory retainer, for mounting on or removal of said accessories from said accessory retainer.    
     
     
         11 . The strap-like utility accessory retainer of  claim 10 , having at least one clamp rotatable relative to said accessory retainer so as to allow alignment with said accessory retainer during mounting or removal of said accessories and to allow rotation to a position normal to said accessory retainer for mounting to an article of clothing.  
     
     
         12 . The strap-like utility accessory retainer of  claim 10 , having at least one clamp having a snap head and said accessory retainer having at least one snap head receiver for removably attaching at least one clamp to said accessory receiver whereby said removably attached clamp is removed for mounting or removal of accessories an attached for mounting on an article of clothing.  
     
     
         13 . The strap-like utility accessory retainer of  claim 11 , said clamp having a clamping body having two legs joined at an apex, a groove in each said leg opening at said apex, and a slider having a first leg, a second leg and an apex, said slider second leg having a centrally located groove extending lengthwise of said second leg, said clamping body having mounting means attached in said groove and within said groove of said slider second leg, whereby said slider is movable to an open clamp position when said apexes are spaced, and a closed clamp position when said apexes are adjacent.  
     
     
         14 . The strap-like utility accessory retainer of  claim 13 , wherein said mounting means is a swivel and said accessory retainer has an aperture therein for rotatably receiving said clamp swivel.  
     
     
         15 . The strap-like utility accessory retainer of  claim 13 , wherein said mounting means is a snap head and said accessory retainer has a snap receiver mounted on the inside thereof for removably attaching said clamp swivel.  
     
     
         16 . The strap-like utility accessory retainer of  claim 10 , wherein said accessory retainer is made of leather or plastic.  
     
     
         17 . A buckled, strap-like utility accessory retainer comprising: 
 a flexible strap-like accessory retainer having a first and a second end and inner and outer sides;    said flexible accessory retainer having a buckle insert permanently attached to at least one of said first and second ends, said buckle insert having a profile such as to allow the mounting on and removal of accessories from said flexible accessory retainer;    a buckle receiver having an inner side and an outer side for receiving each of said at least one buckle inserts; and    a clip or clamp located on an inner side of each said buckle receiver; and    a clip or clamp located on said inner side of said flexible accessory retainer proximate said other of said first and said second ends;    whereby each said buckle receiver is removably attachable to an article of clothing or other article having a sharply defined edge sufficient to receive said clip or clamp; and    whereby each said buckle insert is removable from said buckle receiver for mounting on and removal of accessories from said accessory retainer.    
     
     
         18 . The buckled, strap-like utility accessory retainer of  claim 17 , wherein said flexible accessory retainer has a buckle insert permanently attached to each of said first and second ends for removable insertion into said buckle receivers.  
     
     
         19 . The buckled, strap-like utility accessory retainer of  claim 17 , said clamp having a clamping body having two legs joined at an apex, a groove in each said leg opening at said apex, and a slider having a first leg, a second leg and an apex, whereby said slider is movable to an open clamp position where said apexes are spaced, and a closed clamp position where said apexes are adjacent.  
     
     
         20 . The buckled, strap-like utility accessory retainer of  claim 17 , wherein said accessory retainer is a woven polymeric web and said buckle insert and receivers are made of plastic.