Retaining System for Removably Retaining Portable Objects on a Carrier Object

Abstract

A retaining system is provided for removably retaining portable objects to a carrier object. Three or more connection elements are defined on a base surface of the carrier object and spaced apart therealong. A flexible member is connectable to different ones of the connection elements to form a loop defined between the base surface and a portion of the flexible member spaced therefrom and extending between two connection elements to which the flexible member is connected. The ability to attach the flexible member to different ones of the connection elements facilitates adjustment of the position, orientation or dimension along the base surface of a loop or the number of loops defined by the flexible member for securing one or more portable objects to the carrier object.

1 . A retaining system for removably retaining portable objects on a carrier object, the retaining system comprising:
 a base surface on the carrier object;   first and second connection elements defined on the base surface and spaced apart therealong;   a flexible member being connected to the base surface at the first connection element and connectable to the second connection element to form a loop defined between the base surface and a portion of the flexible member spaced from the base surface and extending away from the first connection element toward the second connection element; and   a third connection element defined on the base surface and spaced from each of the first and second connection elements;   wherein the flexible member is releasably connectable to the second connection element to allow disconnection therefrom and releasable connection to the third connection element.   
     
     
         2 . The retaining system according to  claim 1  wherein a distance from the first connection element to the third connection element and a distance from the first connection element to the second connection element are unequal. 
     
     
         3 . The retaining system according to  claim 1  wherein the flexible member is connectable to the first, second and third connection elements to form an additional loop defined between the base surface and a portion of the flexible member spaced from the base surface and extending away from the second connection element toward the third connection element. 
     
     
         4 . The retaining system according to  claim 1  further comprising at least one additional connection element, the flexible member being releasably connectable to each of the second, third and at least one additional connection element. 
     
     
         5 . The retaining system according to  claim 1  wherein the flexible member is releasably connected to the first connection element. 
     
     
         6 . The retaining system according to  claim 1  wherein the flexible member is fixed to the first connection element. 
     
     
         7 . The retaining system according to  claim 1  wherein the first, second and third connection elements are disposed within at least one row of connection elements. 
     
     
         8 . The retaining system according to  claim 7  wherein the flexible member is connectable between connection elements of different rows. 
     
     
         9 . The retaining system according to  claim 8  wherein a respective flexible member is provided for each row of connection elements. 
     
     
         10 . The retaining system according to  claim 1  wherein each connection element is capable of connection to a plurality of flexible members. 
     
     
         11 . The retaining system according to  claim 1  wherein at least one connection element to which the flexible member is releasably connectable is defined by a connection member fixed to the base surface to define a passage extending therealong through which the flexible member may be passed. 
     
     
         12 . The retaining system according to  claim 11  wherein the a least one connection element comprises a strip of material having opposite ends fixed to the base surface with enough slack between the opposite ends to allow passage of the flexible member between the strip and the base surface. 
     
     
         13 . The retaining system according to  claim 1  wherein a plurality of connection elements, to each of which the flexible member is releasably connectable, are defined by a longitudinal strip of material extending along the base surface, the longitudinal strip being fixed at spaced intervals therealong to the base surface to define a plurality of sections, each section having enough slack between opposite fixed ends thereof to allow passage of the flexible member between the strip and the base surface. 
     
     
         14 . The retaining system according to  claim 1  wherein a size of the loop is reducible and expandable by decreasing and increasing respectively a length of a shortest distance measured from the first connection element to the second connection element along the portion of the loop spaced from the base surface. 
     
     
         15 . The retaining system according to claim  30  wherein the flexible member is resilient and increasing the size of each loop is achievable by stretching of the flexible member. 
     
     
         16 . A retaining system for removably retaining portable objects on a carrier object, the retaining system comprising:
 a base surface on the carrier object;   a plurality of exclusive or non-exclusive pairs of connection elements defined on the base surface, each pair comprising first and second connection elements spaced apart along the base surface; and   a flexible member being connectable to the first and second connection elements of one pair of the plurality of pairs to form a loop defined between the base surface and a portion of the flexible member spaced from the base surface and extending away from the first connection element of the one pair toward the second connection element of the one pair;   wherein the flexible member is also connectable to the first and second connection elements of at least one other pair of the plurality of pairs to form a loop defined between the base surface and a portion of the flexible member spaced from the base surface and extending away from the first connection element of the one other pair toward the second connection element of the one other pair.   
     
     
         17 . The retaining system according to  claim 16  wherein a plurality of connection elements define the plurality of pairs, the flexible member being releasably connectable to each of the plurality of connection elements. 
     
     
         18 . The retaining system according to  claim 16  wherein the pairs of connection elements are defined by at least row of connection elements. 
     
     
         19 . A retaining system for removably retaining portable objects to a carrier object, the retaining system comprising:
 a base surface on the carrier object;   three or more connection elements defined on the base surface and spaced apart therealong; and   a flexible member being connectable to at least three of the three or more connection elements to form a plurality of loops each defined between the base surface and a respective portion of the flexible member spaced from the base surface and extending away from a first connection element of a respective non-exclusive pair of adjacent connection elements to a second connection element of the respective non-exclusive pair of adjacent connection elements.   
     
     
         20 . The retaining system according to  claim 19  wherein the pairs of connection elements are defined by at least row of connection elements.