Belt system

Abstract

A belt including a strap of synthetic rubber, wherein the strap has perforations that extend only partially through a thickness of the strap. A belt system including a protective belt including a strap of synthetic rubber and configured such that the protective belt is in direct contact with the skin of a wearer, and a functional belt worn outside the protective belt such that the protective belt is positioned between the functional belt and the wearer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A belt comprising:
 a strap of synthetic rubber, wherein the strap has perforations that extend only partially through a thickness of the strap.   
     
     
         2 . The belt of  claim 1  wherein the strap includes a fabric material on one surface thereof and wherein the perforations intersect an opposite surface of the strap. 
     
     
         3 . The belt of  claim 1  wherein the synthetic rubber is an open cell neoprene. 
     
     
         4 . The belt of  claim 1  wherein the perforations are cavities that define an open volume in the strap. 
     
     
         5 . The belt of  claim 1  wherein each perforation intersects a surface of the strap and has a surface area at the surface of between about 0.002 mm 2  and about 3.14 mm 2 . 
     
     
         6 . The belt of  claim 1  wherein each perforation intersects a surface of the strap such that the surface has a perforation surface density of between about 0.01 and about 0.1 square inches/square inch. 
     
     
         7 . The belt of  claim 1  wherein the strap has a height of between about 4 and about 8 inches, a thickness of between about 2 mm and about 7 mm, and a length of between about 28 inches and about 50 inches. 
     
     
         8 . The belt of  claim 1  wherein each perforation extends at least about 25% of the thickness of the strap. 
     
     
         9 . The belt of  claim 1  wherein the strap includes a first piece fastening material positioned on one surface thereof that is configured to releasably engage a second piece of fastening material on an opposite surface thereof to enable the strap to be wrapped around a waist of a wearer and secured in place. 
     
     
         10 . A belt comprising:
 a strap of synthetic rubber, wherein the strap has a height of between about 4 and about 8 inches and a thickness of between about 2 mm and about 7 mm; and   a pair of fastening components coupled to said strap and configured to releasably engage each other such that said strap is formable into a closed loop about a waist of a wearer.   
     
     
         11 . The belt of  claim 10  wherein the strap has a fabric material on at least one side thereof, wherein the fabric material is configured to be positioned away from a wearer when the belt is worn, or wherein the fabric material is configured to be positioned adjacent to a wearer when the belt is worn and includes a soft, bulky deep-piled knitted or woven fabric. 
     
     
         12 . A belt system comprising:
 a protective belt including a strap of synthetic rubber and configured such that the protective belt is in direct contact with the skin of a wearer; and   a functional belt worn outside the protective belt such that the protective belt is positioned between the functional belt and the wearer.   
     
     
         13 . The belt system of  claim 12  further comprising a pair of trousers having a plurality of belt loops, and wherein the functional belt is threaded through the belt loops, and further comprising a plurality of utility items directly coupled to and supported by the functional belt, wherein the plurality of utility items have a total weight of at least about five pounds. 
     
     
         14 . The belt system of  claim 12  wherein the protective belt has a height greater than a height of the functional belt. 
     
     
         15 . The belt system of  claim 12  wherein the synthetic rubber is breathable neoprene and wherein the strap has perforations that extend only partially through a thickness of the strap. 
     
     
         16 . The belt system of  claim 12  wherein the protective belt includes a pair of fastening components coupled to said strap and configured to releasably engage each other such that said strap is formable into a closed loop about a waist of a wearer. 
     
     
         17 . The belt system of  claim 12  wherein the synthetic rubber is in direct contact with the skin of the wearer. 
     
     
         18 . The belt system of  claim 12  wherein the belt further includes a fabric material on at least one side thereof, and wherein the fabric material is in direct contact with the skin of the wearer. 
     
     
         19 . A method for using a protective belt comprising:
 a wearer donning a protective belt including a strap of synthetic rubber such that the belt is in direct contact with the skin of the wearer about the wearer's waist; and   the wearer donning a functional belt outside the protective belt such that the protective belt is positioned between the functional belt and the wearer.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the functional belt is passed through belt loops of a pair of trousers and the functional belt supports items thereon having a combined weight of at least about five pounds.