Sling retaining assembly and method of use

Abstract

A sling retaining assembly for assisting the carrying of a plurality of devices on a single shoulder is provided. The sling retaining assembly includes a flexible body having an outer side, an under side, an aperture provided through the flexible body, and a self attachment assembly connected to the flexible body, wherein a first portion of the self attachment assembly is connected to the outer side of the flexible body and a second portion of the self attachment assembly is connected to the under side of the flexible body. A hook member is received by the aperture of the flexible body, the hook member having a first segment connected to a second segment, the first and second segments forming a retaining gap, wherein a portion of the flexible body is received by the retaining gap. In addition, a method of using the sling retaining assembly is also provided.

1 . A sling keeper comprising:
 a flexible body having an outer side, an under side, a self attachment assembly connected to the flexible body, and defining an aperture provided through the flexible body, wherein a first portion of the self attachment assembly is connected to the outer side of the flexible body and a second portion of the self attachment assembly is connected to the under side of the flexible body; and   a hook member at least partially received by the aperture defined by the flexible body, the hook member having a first segment connected to a second segment, the first and second segments forming a retaining gap, wherein a portion of the flexible body is received by the retaining gap.   
     
     
         2 . The sling keeper of  claim 1 , wherein the self attachment assembly includes a hook and loop fastener, the hook fastener is connected to the outer side of the flexible body and the loop fastener is connected to the under side of the flexible body. 
     
     
         3 . The sling keeper of  claim 1 , wherein the hook member is a unitary member. 
     
     
         4 . The sling keeper of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible body includes a first extension and a second extension, the first portion of the self attachment assembly is connected to the first extension and the second portion of the self attachment assembly is connected to the second extension. 
     
     
         5 . The sling keeper of  claim 4 , further comprising a third segment connected to the second segment of the hook member, the second and third segments forming a second retaining gap. 
     
     
         6 . The sling keeper of  claim 5 , wherein the retaining gap has an opening facing the first extension and the second retaining gap has an opening facing the second extension. 
     
     
         7 . The sling keeper of  claim 6 , wherein the first, second and third segments of the hook member have a serpentine profile. 
     
     
         8 . The sling keeper of  claim 7 , wherein the first, second and third segments of the hook member have an S-shaped profile. 
     
     
         9 . The sling keeper of  claim 1 , further comprising a stability strip connected to the under side of the flexible body, wherein the stability strip receives a portion of the second segment of the hook member. 
     
     
         10 . The sling keeper of  claim 9 , wherein the second segment includes a retention segment having a first wing and a second wing opposite the first wing, the retention segment having a first width which is greater than a second width of the second segment. 
     
     
         11 . A sling retaining assembly adapted for helping carry a plurality of devices on a single shoulder of a person comprising:
 a flexible strip having a first side and a second side, the flexible strip including a body portion connected to a first arm and a second arm, an aperture provided through and defined by the body portion connecting the first side and second side, and a self attachment assembly having a first attachment portion and a second attachment portion, the first attachment portion connected to the first side of the first arm and the second attachment portion connected to the second side of the second arm; and   a hook member received by the aperture of the flexible strip, the hook member having a first segment connected to a second segment to form a first pocket, wherein the first pocket receives a portion of the body of the flexible strip.   
     
     
         12 . The sling retaining assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the first segment of the hook member is provided on the first side of the flexible strip and the second segment of the hook member is provided on the second side of the flexible strip. 
     
     
         13 . The sling retaining assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the hook member includes a third segment connected to the second segment to form a second pocket adapted to receive a portion of a shoulder mounted strap. 
     
     
         14 . The sling retaining assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the first pocket has a first opening provided closer to the first arm than the second arm, and the second pocket has an opening provided closer to the second arm than the first arm. 
     
     
         15 . The sling retaining assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the first attachment portion is a hook fastener and the second attachment portion is a corresponding loop fastener. 
     
     
         16 . A method of carrying a plurality of devices on a single shoulder of a person comprising:
 attaching a sling retaining assembly about a shoulder mounted strap of a first device by wrapping a first arm of the sling retaining assembly about the shoulder mounted strap of the first device, wrapping a second arm of the sling retaining assembly about the shoulder mounted strap of the first device, and engaging the self attachment assembly connecting the first arm and second arm;   placing the shoulder mounted strap of the first device about a first shoulder of a person;   placing a shoulder mounted carrying sling of a second device about the first shoulder of the person; and   engaging the shoulder mounted carrying sling of the second device with the sling retaining assembly by placing the shoulder mounted carrying sling of the second device into a first retaining gap formed by a first segment connected to a second segment of a hook member of the sling retaining assembly, such that the shoulder mounted carrying sling of the second device is retained between the first segment and a flexible body of the sling retaining assembly.   
     
     
         17 . The method of carrying a plurality of devices on a single shoulder of a person of  claim 16 , wherein attaching a sling retaining assembly about a shoulder mounted strap of a first device further comprises:
 engaging the shoulder mounted strap of the first device with a second retaining gap formed by the second segment connected to a third segment of a hook member, such that the shoulder mounted strap of the first device is received between the second segment and third segment of the sling retaining assembly.