Lanyard

Abstract

A lanyard wearable on a body part of a person for displaying an item on the person. The lanyard may include one or more cables including a transmission medium operative to transmit at least one of electric current signals and light signals. The cable includes connectors having connector elements on opposite ends of the cable, which may be in operative communication with the transmission medium for transmitting the at least one of electric current signals and light signals. A loop of the cable is sized for being received on body part of the person. In some embodiments, a mount of the lanyard includes a loop of the cable sized for receiving the item for mounting the item on the lanyard. In some embodiments, at least one of the connectors includes a tangible computer readable electronic storage medium.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A lanyard wearable on a body part of a person for displaying an item on the person, the lanyard comprising:
 a cable having first and second ends and a length extending between the ends, the cable including a transmission medium extending along the length of the cable, the transmission medium being operable to transmit at least one of electric current signals and light signals along the transmission medium between the first and second ends of the cable;   first and second connectors on the respective first and second ends of the cable, the connectors including connector elements in operative communication with the transmission medium and operable to transmit said at least one of electric current signals and light signals;   portions of the cable between the first and second ends being secured together, the secured cable portions having a first side and a second side opposite the first side;   a segment of the cable extending between the secured cable portions on the first side of the secured cable portions defining a mount in the form of a first loop on the first side of the secured cable portions, the first loop being sized for receiving the item for mounting the item on the first loop;   first and second sections of the cable extending from the second side of the secured cable portions to the respective first and second connectors; and   the first and second connectors being configured for releasably connecting to each other for securing the first and second sections of the cable extending from the secured cable portions in the form of a second loop on the second side of the secured cable portions, the second loop when formed being sized for reception on the body part of the person.   
     
     
         2 . A lanyard as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the first loop is smaller than the second loop. 
     
     
         3 . A lanyard as set forth in  claim 2  wherein the second loop is sized for reception around a neck of the person. 
     
     
         4 . A lanyard as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the secured cable portions are secured together by a securing member which overlays the cable portions. 
     
     
         5 . A lanyard as set forth in  claim 4  wherein the securing member is a piece of tubing received over the cable portions. 
     
     
         6 . A lanyard as set forth in  claim 5  wherein the tubing is positioned in snug heat shrunk engagement with the cable portions. 
     
     
         7 . A lanyard as set forth in  claim 4  wherein the securing member includes a frangible portion sized and positioned to permit removal of the securing member from the cable portions when the securing member is torn along the frangible section. 
     
     
         8 . A lanyard as set forth in  claim 4  further comprising a thimble positioned in the first loop. 
     
     
         9 . A lanyard as set forth in  claim 8  wherein the thimble includes a curved channel member having a radially outward facing channel, the channel receiving the segment of the cable forming the first loop. 
     
     
         10 . A lanyard as set forth in  claim 9  wherein the thimble is mated with the securing member. 
     
     
         11 . A lanyard as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising a thimble positioned in the first loop. 
     
     
         12 . A lanyard as set forth in  claim 11  wherein the thimble includes a curved channel member having a radially outward facing channel, the channel receiving the segment of the cable forming the first loop. 
     
     
         13 . A lanyard as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the first and second connectors are configured for being releasably connected directly to each other for securing the first and second sections of the cable in the form of the second loop. 
     
     
         14 . A lanyard as set forth in  claim 13  wherein the first connector is a male connector and the second connector is a female connector configured for releasably matingly receiving the male connector. 
     
     
         15 . A lanyard as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising an intermediate connector and wherein the first and second connectors are configured for being releasably connected to each other via connection with the intermediate connector for forming the second loop. 
     
     
         16 . A lanyard as set forth in  claim 15  wherein the first connector is a male connector having a connector element having a first shape and the second connector is a male connector having a connector element having a connector element having a second shape different than the first shape. 
     
     
         17 . A lanyard wearable on a body part of a person for displaying an item on the person, the lanyard comprising:
 a cable having first and second ends and a length extending between the ends, the cable including a transmission medium extending along the length of the cable, the transmission medium being operable to transmit at least one of electric current signals and light signals along the transmission medium between the first and second ends of the cable;   first and second connectors on the respective first and second ends of the cable, the connectors including connector elements in operative communication with the transmission medium and operable to transmit said at least one of electric current signals and light signals, the first and second connectors being configured for forming a direct releasable connection of the first and second connectors, the connectors when connected securing the cable in the form of a loop sized for reception on the body part of the person; and   a mount on the cable between the first and second ends of the cable, the mount being adapted for receiving the item for mounting the item on the mount.   
     
     
         18 . A lanyard as set forth in  claim 17  wherein the first connector is a male connector and the second connector is a female connector configured for releasably matingly receiving the male connector. 
     
     
         19 . A lanyard wearable on a body part of a person for displaying an item on the person, the lanyard comprising:
 a cable having first and second ends and a length extending between the ends, the cable including a transmission medium extending along the length of the cable, the transmission medium being operable to transmit at least one of electric current signals and light signals along the transmission medium between the first and second ends of the cable;   first and second connectors on the respective first and second ends of the cable, the connectors including connector elements in operative communication with the transmission medium and operable to transmit said at least one of electric current signals and light signals, the first connector element having a shape different than a shape of the second connector element;   an intermediate connector including third and fourth connector elements, the third connector element corresponding to the first connector element and being configured for forming a releasable connection with the first connector element, the fourth connector element corresponding to the second connector element and being configured for forming a releasable connection with the second connector element, the first and third connector elements and the second and fourth connector elements when connected securing the cable in the form of a loop sized for reception on the body part of the person; and   a mount on the cable between the first and second ends of the cable, the mount being adapted for receiving the item for mounting the item on the mount.   
     
     
         20 . A lanyard as set forth in  claim 19  wherein the first connector element is a male connector element having a first shape and the second connector element is a male connector element having a second shape different than the first shape. 
     
     
         21 . A lanyard wearable on a body part of a person for displaying an item on the person and for electronically storing information readable by a computer, the lanyard comprising:
 a cable having first and second ends and a length extending between the ends, the cable including a mount positioned between the ends of the cable adapted for receiving the item for mounting the item on the mount;   first and second connectors on the respective first and second ends of the cable, the first connector being configured for releasably receiving the second connector for forming a releasable connection of the first and second connectors, the connectors when connected securing the cable in the form of a loop sized for reception on the body part of the person;   at least one of the first and second connectors including a tangible computer readable storage medium, the storage medium being adapted for electronically storing information which is readable by the computer, at least one of the first and second connectors including a connector element in operative communication with the storage medium, the connector element being operative to transmit information electronically stored on the storage medium.   
     
     
         22 . A lanyard wearable on a body part of a person for displaying an item on the person, the lanyard comprising:
 a first cable having opposite ends and a length extending between the ends, the cable including a transmission medium extending along the length of the cable, the transmission medium being operable to transmit at least one of electric current signals and light signals along the transmission medium between the ends of the cable;   first and second connectors on respective ends of the first cable, the first and second connectors including connector elements in operative communication with the transmission medium and operable to transmit said at least one of electric current signals and light signals;   a second cable having opposite ends and a length extending between the ends;   third and fourth connectors on respective ends of the second cable;   wherein the first and third connectors are configured for forming a releasable connection of the first and third connectors, the second and fourth connectors are configured for forming a releasable connection of the second and fourth connectors, and the first and third connectors and the second and fourth connectors when connected secure the first and second cables in the form of a loop sized for reception on the body part of the person; and   a mount positioned on one of the first and second cables between the ends of said one of the first and second cables, the mount being adapted for receiving the item.   
     
     
         23 . A lanyard as set forth in  claim 22  wherein the second cable includes a transmission medium extending along the length of the cable, the transmission medium being operable to transmit at least one of electric current signals and light signals along the transmission medium between the ends of the cable, and wherein the third and fourth connectors include connector elements in operative communication with the transmission medium and are operable to transmit said at least one of electric current signals and light signals. 
     
     
         24 . A lanyard as set forth in  claim 23  wherein the first connector includes a male connector element, the third connector includes a female connector element, and the male and female connector elements are configured for forming a releasable mating connection. 
     
     
         25 . A lanyard as set forth in  claim 24  wherein the second connector includes a male connector element, the fourth connector includes a female connector element, and the male and female connector elements are configured for forming a releasable mating connection, the male connector element of the first connector having a first shape and the male connector element of the second connector having a second shape different than the first shape.