Waist supported structure with attachment band

Abstract

A waist supported structure for mounting a tool carrier to carry tools at the waist of a wearer is provided that includes an upper portion having an outwardly directed surface adjacent the waist of a wearer. At least one band portion is attached at its opposite ends to the outwardly directed surface, wherein the band is substantially parallel to and facing the outwardly directed surface to define a slot therebetween. A tool carrier extends through the slot and is releasably attached to the at least one band portion.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A waist supported structure for mounting a tool carrier to carry tools at the waist of a wearer comprising: 
 an upper portion having an outwardly directed surface adjacent the waist of a wearer;    at least one band portion attached at its opposite ends to the outwardly directed surface, wherein the band is substantially parallel to and facing the outwardly directed surface to define a slot therebetween; and    a tool carrier extending through the slot and releasably attached to the at least one band portion.    
     
     
         2 . The waist supported structure of  claim 1 , wherein the tool carrier comprises: 
 an upper portion comprising: 
 a top marginal portion rigidly affixed to an upper end of a flap forming a rigidly affixed juncture between the upper portion of the tool carrier and the flap, and  
 a bottom marginal portion having a coupling means that forms a releasable interlocking connection with a coupling means that is attached to a bottom end of the flap; and  
   a main portion having a tool carrying means attached thereto.    
     
     
         3 . The waist supported structure of  claim 2 , wherein when the tool carrier is attached to the at least one band portion, the band is confined between the upper portion of the tool carrier and the flap.  
     
     
         4 . The waist supported structure of  claim 2 , wherein when the tool carrier is attached to the at least one band portion, the upper portion of the tool carrier is extended through the slot and the flap is extended over the band and releasably attached to the upper portion of the tool carrier.  
     
     
         5 . The waist supported structure of  claim 2 , wherein when the tool carrier is attached to the at least one band portion, the upper portion of the tool carrier is disposed in the slot and adjacent to an inner surface of the band portion; the flap is disposed adjacent to an outer surface of the band portion; the rigidly affixed juncture between the upper portion of the tool carrier and the flap is disposed adjacent to a first edge of the band portion; and the coupling means of the upper portion of the tool carrier is interlocked with the coupling means of the flap to form the releasable interlocking connection adjacent to a second edge of the band portion.  
     
     
         6 . The waist supported structure of  claim 2 , wherein the tool carrying means is an elongated tool carrying means that is attached to the main portion of the tool carrier at an inclined position with respect to a horizontal axis of the tool carrier.  
     
     
         7 . The waist supported structure of  claim 2 , wherein the elongated tool carrying means engages a pair of aligned brackets of a tool to releasably secure the tool to the tool carrier, and wherein the aligned brackets form a bracket axis that is inclined with respect to the horizontal axis of the tool carrier when the elongated tool carrying means engages the pair of aligned brackets, such that a first of the pair of aligned brackets is disposed at a higher position than a second of the pair of aligned brackets.  
     
     
         8 . The waist supported structure of  claim 1 , further comprising a first thigh protector that forms a portion of the outwardly directed surface, wherein the first thigh protector extends from the wearer's waist to a position just above the wearer's knee.  
     
     
         9 . The waist supported structure of  claim 8 , further comprising a second thigh protector that forms a portion of the outwardly directed surface, wherein the second thigh protector extends from the wearer's waist to a position just above the wearer's knee.  
     
     
         10 . A waist supported structure for mounting a tool carrier to carry tools at the waist of a wearer comprising: 
 an upper portion having an outwardly directed surface adjacent the waist of a wearer;    at least one band portion attached at its opposite ends to the outwardly directed surface, wherein the band is substantially parallel to and facing the outwardly directed surface to define a slot therebetween;    a tool carrier extending through the slot and releasably attached to the at least one band portion;    a first thigh protector and a second thigh protector that each form a portion of the outwardly directed surface, wherein each thigh protector extends from the wearer's waist to a position just above the wearer's knee; and    an attachment mechanism coupled to each thigh protector to retain each thigh protector in front of a corresponding one of the wearer's thighs.    
     
     
         11 . The waist supported structure of  claim 10 , wherein the tool carrier comprises: 
 an upper portion comprising: 
 a top marginal portion rigidly affixed to an upper end of a flap forming a rigidly affixed juncture between the upper portion of the tool carrier and the flap, and  
 a bottom marginal portion having a coupling means that forms a releasable interlocking connection with a coupling means that is attached to a bottom end of the flap; and  
   a main portion having a tool carrying means attached thereto.    
     
     
         12 . The waist supported structure of  claim 11 , wherein when the tool carrier is attached to the at least one band portion, the band is confined between the upper portion of the tool carrier and the flap.  
     
     
         13 . The waist supported structure of  claim 11 , wherein when the tool carrier is attached to the at least one band portion, the upper portion of the tool carrier is extended through the slot and the flap is extended over the band and releasably attached to the upper portion of the tool carrier.  
     
     
         14 . The waist supported structure of  claim 11 , wherein when the tool carrier is attached to the at least one band portion, the upper portion of the tool carrier is disposed in the slot and adjacent to an inner surface of the band portion; the flap is disposed adjacent to an outer surface of the band portion; the rigidly affixed juncture between the upper portion of the tool carrier and the flap is disposed adjacent to a first edge of the band portion; and the coupling means of the upper portion of the tool carrier is interlocked with the coupling means of the flap to form the releasable interlocking connection adjacent to a second edge of the band portion.  
     
     
         15 . The waist supported structure of  claim 11 , wherein the tool carrying means is an elongated tool carrying means that is attached to the main portion of the tool carrier at an inclined position with respect to a horizontal axis of the tool carrier.  
     
     
         16 . The waist supported structure of  claim 11 , wherein the elongated tool carrying means engages a pair of aligned brackets of a tool to releasably secure the tool to the tool carrier, and wherein the aligned brackets form a bracket axis that is inclined with respect to the horizontal axis of the tool carrier when the elongated tool carrying means engages the pair of aligned brackets, such that a first of the pair of aligned brackets is disposed at a higher position than a second of the pair of aligned brackets.  
     
     
         17 . The waist supported structure of  claim 10 , wherein the first thigh protector comprises: 
 a first shield member sized so as to cover a first thigh of the wearer, wherein the first shield member comprises a planar piece of flexible material that is adapted to reduce injury to the wearer's first thigh and clothes as a result of positioning a bundle of reinforcing bars on the wearer's first thigh and sliding a selected one of the bundle of reinforcing bars along at least a portion of the first shield member so as to fall to the ground; and    a first reinforcing member attached to the first shield member at a location selected so as to be adjacent the interface between the wearer's first thigh and the wearer's groin, wherein the first reinforcing member comprises a curved rigid member that is attached to a side of the shield member that is positioned adjacent the wearer's first thigh so that the weight of the bundle of rods, when balanced on the wearer's first thigh, is distributed by the reinforcing member so as to reduce the likelihood of injury occurring to the wearer's first thigh when the bundle of rods is balanced thereon.    
     
     
         18 . The waist supported structure of  claim 17 , wherein the second thigh protector comprises: 
 a second shield member sized so as to cover a second thigh of the wearer, wherein the second shield member comprises a planar piece of flexible material that is adapted to reduce injury to the wearer's second thigh and clothes as a result of positioning a bundle of reinforcing bars on the wearer's second thigh and sliding a selected one of the bundle of reinforcing bars along at least a portion of the second shield member so as to fall to the ground; and    a second reinforcing member attached to the second shield member at a location selected so as to be adjacent the interface between the wearer's second thigh and the wearer's groin, wherein the second reinforcing member comprises a curved rigid member that is attached to a side of the shield member that is positioned adjacent the wearer's second thigh so that the weight of the bundle of rods, when balanced on the wearer's second thigh, is distributed by the reinforcing member so as to reduce the likelihood of injury occurring to the wearer's second thigh when the bundle of rods is balanced thereon.    
     
     
         19 . The waist supported structure of  claim 18 , wherein each attachment mechanism is attached to a corresponding one of the reinforcing members so as to retain each reinforcing member in the desired location with respect to a corresponding one of the wearer's thighs, wherein each attachment mechanism comprises an adjustable buckle assembly that is attached to a corresponding one of the reinforcing members and is adapted to extend around a corresponding one of the wearer's thighs so as to encircle the corresponding one of the wearer's thighs and retain each thigh protector on the front of the corresponding one of the wearer's thighs.  
     
     
         20 . The waist supported structure of  claim 10 , wherein the first thigh protector includes a first hip protector that extends laterally outward from the first thigh protector and is sized to cover a first hip of the wearer.  
     
     
         21 . The waist supported structure of  claim 20 , wherein the second thigh protector includes a second hip protector that extends laterally outward from the second thigh protector and is sized to cover a second hip of the wearer.