Stretchable belt loop retention device

Abstract

A stretchable or elastic, removable and reversible elongated strip or closed loop of material forms a belt loop retention device. This belt loop retention device releasably secures and/or retains a free or dangling end portion of a conventional belt. In one preferred embodiment a closed loop of material having at least one loop-fastening member securted to either loop end to lockingly receive the other loop end to form a belt loop about the free or dangling end of the conventional belt. In another preferred embodiment the strip of material having at least a pair of loop fastening members secured at opposite ends or locations thereon to lockingly receive one another to form a belt loop about the free or dangling end of the conventional belt. Optionally, a decorative brooch or garment-enhancing securing element adapted to be used in combination with the strip or closed loop of material to form the belt retention device. The decorative brooch or garment-enhancing securing element having at least one fastening member disposed thereon for removably locking with at least one fastening members disposed on the strip or closed loop of material to form the belt loop.

1 . A belt loop retention device, the belt loop retention device improvement comprising: 
 a closed loop of stretchable material, the closed loop of stretchable material having inner and outer surfaces;    a securing element, the securing element is secured about the outer surfaces of the stretchable material, with the inner surfaces overlapping one another in an abutting engagement therein, thereby forming a pair of loops at opposites sides of the securing block;    a unitary loop fastener having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being selectively secured to a center portion of either one of the loops, the fastener having a second portion for receiving the center portion of the other loop; and,    wherein the first and second portions lockingly receiving the pair of loops defining a belt loop for securing and retaining the free end of a belt to prevent the free end of the belt from dangling.    
   
   
       2 . The belt loop retention device of  claim 1  wherein the securing element having a pair of block sections.  
   
   
       3 . The belt loop retention device of  claim 3  wherein the block sections have a first block member and a second block member.  
   
   
       4 . The belt loop retention device of  claim 3  wherein the first block member has a front surface with a snap recess in the center thereof, and a back portion with a pair of snap protruding ribs or beads with a first cavity disposed there between.  
   
   
       5 . The belt loop retention device of  claim 3  wherein the second block member has a front surface with a pair of complimentary snap protruding rib or bead channels with a second cavity disposed there between, with the first and second cavities being in alignment with one another.  
   
   
       6 . The belt loop retention device of  claim 1  wherein the securing block is adapted to receive a cover within the snap recess to embellish the appearance of the securing block.  
   
   
       7 . The belt loop retention device of  claim 6  wherein the cover can be made of many different colors to match different colors and styles of belts and garments.  
   
   
       8 . The belt loop retention device of  claim 6  wherein the cover has a stem portion with a spherical head portion at the end thereof, wherein the spherical head portion is adapted to be pressed into the snap recess for securing the cover to the securing block.  
   
   
       9 . The belt loop retention device of  claim 4  wherein the snap recess being adapted to receive a locking element of an ornamental device, such as a brooch, to enhance the appearance of the belt or a piece of clothing.  
   
   
       10 . The belt loop retention device of  claim 9  wherein the ornamental device has a stem portion with a spherical head portion at the end thereof, wherein the spherical head portion is adapted to be pressed into the snap recess for securing the ornamental device to the securing block.  
   
   
       11 . The belt loop retention device of  claim 6  wherein the cover and the securing element can be made from different types of material selected from the group consisting of metals and plastics.  
   
   
       12 . The belt loop device of  claim 1  wherein the loop fastener is made from different types of material selected from the group consisting of metals and plastics.  
   
   
       13 . The belt loop device of  claim 1  wherein the stretchable material is made of polyester and rubber materials.  
   
   
       14 . The belt loop device of  claim 1  wherein the stretchable material is made of at least 51% polyester and at least 49% rubber.  
   
   
       15 . The belt loop device of  claim 9  wherein the ornamental device having a face that can be made up of diamonds, rhinestones or different color gems.  
   
   
       16 . The belt loop device of  claim 9  wherein the ornamental device can be made of different types of materials, such as sterling silver, gold, brass, bronze, plastics, etc.  
   
   
       17 . The belt loop device of  claim 1  wherein the unitary loop fastener is molded or bent into a double S-shape configuration with one side longer than the other, the shorter side having an intermediate indented portion with an upper portion being formed as a lip or a slightly curved end and a first lower curved end, the longer side having an intermediate slanted or inclined portion an upper hook-like portion and a second lower curved end, the joining of the curved ends, the inclined portion and the indented portion create a receiving cavity there between, whereby, one is able to catch the lip or the slightly curved end to enable the indented portion to be moved slightly way from the inclined portion to allow one of the loops to be received within the receiving cavity, while the other loop is secured within the upper hook-like portion to form the belt loop.  
   
   
       18 . The belt loop device of  claim 1  wherein the snap recess includes a releasable spring member therein.  
   
   
       19 . The belt loop device of  claim 1  wherein the spring member include a pair of spring elements, the spring elements have a first pair of arcuate or semi-circular indentations on a front surface and a second pair of arcuate or semi-circular indentations on a rear surface, each of the arcuate or semi-circular indentations having a semi-circular groove or channel extending there between, whereby the engagement of the head portion against the first semi-circular indentations allows for easy movement of the spring elements away from one another so that the spherical or head portion can pass along the semi-circular groove or channel to the exterior of the second semi-circular indentations and lockingly seating there against with the stem portion seating within the semi-circular groove or channel.  
   
   
       20 . A belt loop retention device for releasably securing a free end of a belt to the body thereof the belt retention device improvement comprising: 
 a stretchable, removable and reversible strip of material;    a pair of fastening members disposed at both ends of the strip of material, the fastening members having a spring section disposed thereon;    a securing member, the securing member includes a pair of complimentary fastening members disposed at opposite locations at each end thereon, the spring section having a pair of complimentary engaging portions thereon; and,    wherein, each pair of the complimentary engaging portions at both ends of the strip of material releasably receive the complimentary fastening members of the securing member at each end thereon to form a belt loop member for securing and retaining the free end of a belt to prevent the free end of the belt from dangling.    
   
   
       21 . The belt retention device of  claim 20  wherein the complimentary fastening members of the securing member are receiving apertures.  
   
   
       22 . The belt retention device of  claim 20  wherein the spring section includes a pair of spring members having complimentary protruding stem elements extending there from, the spring members having a housing element with a spring element housed between the pair of protruding stem elements that extend through each end of the housing element.  
   
   
       23 . The belt retention device of  claim 20  wherein the strip of material is rolled at each end to form an opening for receiving and enclosing at least a major portion of the spring members therein.  
   
   
       24 . The belt retention device of  claim 20  wherein the securing fastening members can be made from different types of material selected from the group consisting of metals and plastics.  
   
   
       25 . The belt retention device of  claim 20  wherein the strip of material is made of polyester and rubber materials.  
   
   
       26 . The belt retention device of  claim 20  wherein the strip of material is made of at least 56% polyester and at least 44% rubber.  
   
   
       27 . The belt retention device of  claim 20  wherein the securing member can be made from different types of material selected from the group consisting of plastics and metals.  
   
   
       28 . The belt loop retention device of  claim 20  wherein the securing member has a snap recess on a front surface thereof and being adapted to selectively receive either one of a cover or an ornamental device, such as a brooch therein to enhance the appearance of the securing member.  
   
   
       29 . The belt loop retention device of  claim 20  wherein the cover can be made of many different colors to match different colors and styles of belts and garments.  
   
   
       30 . The belt loop retention device of  claim 28  wherein each of the cover and the ornamental device has a stem portion with a spherical head portion at the end thereof, wherein the spherical head portion is adapted to be pressed into the snap recess for selectively securing each of the cover and the ornamental device to the securing member to enhance the appearance of the belt or a piece of clothing.  
   
   
       31 . The belt loop retention device of  claim 28  wherein the cover can be made from different types of material selected from the group consisting of metals and plastics.  
   
   
       32 . A belt loop retention device, the belt loop retention device improvement comprising: 
 a closed loop of elastic or stretchable material, the closed loop of elastic or stretchable material having inner and outer surfaces;    a securing member, the securing member is secured about a selected portion of the inner and outer surfaces of the elastic or stretchable material, the securing member having a front side and a rear side;    a unitary closed loop fastener having at least a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being fixedly secured to the rear side of the securing member, the second portion being flexed in one direction to expand a space with the rear side for slidably receiving selected portions of the inner and outer surfaces of the elastic or stretchable material; and,    wherein the second portion is flexed in another direction for contracting the space to lockingly retain the securing member about the selected portions of the inner and outer surfaces of the elastic or stretchable material, thereby creating a belt loop for securing and retaining the free end of a belt to prevent the free end of the belt from dangling.    
   
   
       33 . The belt loop retention device of  claim 32  wherein the securing member is a clamp.  
   
   
       34 . The belt loop retention device of  claim 32  wherein the securing member has a snap recess on a front surface thereof and being adapted to selectively receive either one of a cover or ornamental device, such as a brooch therein to enhance the appearance of the securing member, the belt or a piece of clothing.  
   
   
       35 . The belt loop retention device of  claim 34  wherein the cover can be made of many different colors to match different colors and styles of belts and garments.  
   
   
       36 . The belt loop retention device of  claim 34  wherein each one of the cover and ornamental device has a stem portion with a spherical head portion at the end thereof, wherein the spherical head portion is adapted to be pressed into the snap recess for selectively securing the cover and the ornamental device to the securing member.