US 2006/0021202 A1 · Elastic band with snap-buckles for holding garment waistband

Abstract

A device, for holding a garment waistband having at least two belt loops attached at a spaced interval thereon, has a flat, elongated elastic band which is stretchable with a slight tension across the two belt loops, and a pair of fastener components, each having a fastener end and an opposite elastic-band-mounting end that is attachable to a respective end of the elastic band. In a preferred embodiment, the fastener components are formed by metal wire bent to form a back bar for the elastic-band-mounting end and a hook-loop fastener end for hooking onto a post member mounted to the elastic band. The back bar is formed in a thin channel shape defining a concave cross-sectional gap with a thickness such that it can be seated around the exposed length of the belt loop and clasp it by its thickness between the attached elastic band at the back side and the fastener component at the front side. Since it is worn across only two belt loops, the device provides the wearer with a slimmer profile and is more comfortable to wear than a waist-length belt. The back bar elastic-band-mounting end may be formed with bar halves separated by a cut-away gap to allow a stitched tubular end of the elastic band to be sleeved on and off, thereby allowing the wearer to interchange elastic bands of different colors and styles and/or other decorative fastener components.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A device for holding a garment waistband of the type having at least two belt loops attached at a spaced interval thereon, comprising:

a flat, elongated elastic band having a predetermined length between opposing ends thereof and being made of an elastic material which is stretchable with a slight tension to an expanded length approximately equal to the interval across the two belt loops on the garment waistband;
a pair of fastener components, each fastener component having a first member which has a fastener end and an opposite elastic-band-mounting end that is attachable to a respective end of the elastic band, said elastic-band-mounting end being configured to be seated around an exposed length of a respective one of the two belt loops, and a second member having an anchor end on a back side thereof that is anchored to an intermediate portion of the elastic band and a post end projecting a slight distance to a front side from the elastic band which is adapted to be engaged by the fastener end of the first member,
whereby the elastic band can be attached to hold the garment waistband by stretching it and seating the elastic-band-mounting ends of the first members of the fastener components around the exposed lengths of the respective belt loops and then attaching the fasteners ends of the first members to the projecting post ends of the second members.

A fastener component, for use in a pair for attachment to two opposing ends of an elastic band for holding a garment waistband by stretching across a pair of belt loops of a given thickness attached at a spaced interval on the garment waistband, comprising:

a first member having a fastener end and an opposite elastic-band-mounting end that is attachable to a respective end of the elastic band, said elastic-band-mounting end being configured to be seated around an exposed length of the belt loop, and a second member having an anchor end on a back side thereof that is to be anchored to an intermediate portion of the elastic band and a post end projecting a slight distance to a front side of the elastic band which is adapted to be engaged by the fastener end of the first member,
wherein said first member is formed by a metal wire of substantial rigidity that is bent to form a back bar in a thin channel shape defining a concave cross-sectional gap for seating around the thickness of the belt loop at the elastic-band-mounting end, and also bent to form a hook-loop fastener end which extends at a front side of the elastic band to hook onto the projecting post end of the second member, and
whereby the fastener component allows the elastic band to be attached to the garment waistband by stretching and seating the elastic-band-mounting end of the first member around the exposed length of a respective one of the pair of belt loops and clasping it by its thickness, and then attaching the fastener end of the first member to the projecting post end of the second member.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Elastic band with snap-buckles for holding garment waistband

Life of this patent

Elastic band with snap-buckles for holding garment waistband

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18