Waterproof pouch releasably clampable to wearing apparel

• US 5,114,061 A
• Filed: 09/11/1989
• Issued: 05/19/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Brady, Thomas J.
• Original Assignee: Brady, Thomas J.
• Inventors: Brady, Thomas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cusick, Ernest G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Walczak, David J.
• Application Number:
  US07/405,598
• Time in Patent Office: 981 Days
• Field of Search: 224/194, 224/228, 224/235-237, 224/240, 224/252, 224/253, 224/269, 224/901, 224/191, 224/230, 224/194, 224/236, 224/252, 224/235, 224/239, 206/811, 383/81, 383/61, 383/63, 24/484, 24/498, 24/530, 24/3 F, 24/3 H, 24/3 J, 24/327, 24/494, 24/500, 24/511, 24/570, 24/487, 24/571, 267/159, 267/164, 223/93, 223/99, 223/96
• US Class Current: 224/669
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/22 Watertight containers for use while swimming
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 5/02 Fastening articles to the garment
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 224/934 Underwater carrier

Abstract

A waterproof pouch includes a readily openable and recloseable waterproof seal protected by a closure flap having readily openable and recloseable fastening means. The pouch also includes a readily openable and closeable clamp for clamping the pouch to wearing apparel.

Claims

1. A waterproof pouch readily releasably clampable to wearing apparel, said pouch comprising front and rear walls made of flexible impermeable sheet material and forming a compartment having an open top, first strip means disposed respectively adjacent the tops of said walls and forming a readily openable and recloseable waterproof seal for the open top of said compartment, a closure flap extending from said rear wall and being foldable over said front wall, second strip means disposed respectively on an inner side of said closure flap and on an outer side of said front wall and forming a readily openable and recloseable fastening means for securing the closure flap in a closed position, and a readily openable and closeable one-piece molded plastic over-center snap-acting clamp secured to an outer side of said rear wall for clamping the pouch to wearing apparel, said clamp including a mounting base, an operating lever pivotally connected to said mounting base, said base and said lever being provided with toothed surfaces in facing relationship with one another for securely gripping the wearing apparel, and spring means for biasing said toothed surfaces of said lever into engagement with said toothed surfaces of said base.

2. The waterproof pouch defined in claim 1 wherein said first strip means includes a flexible plastic sealing strip secured to an upper portion of the front wall, a complementary flexible plastic sealing strip secured to an upper edge portion of the rear wall on and inner side thereof, said sealing strip having tongues and grooves releasably interlockable with those of the other for providing a waterproof seal.

3. A waterproof pouch readily releasably clampable to wearing apparel, said pouch comprising a pair of complementary flexible plastic front and rear walls sealed to each other along lower edge portions and along opposite side edge portions, and flexible plastic sealing strip secured to an upper edge portion of the front wall, a complementary flexible plastic sealing strip secured to an upper edge portion of the rear wall on an inner side thereof, said sealing strips each having a tongue and a groove releasably interlockable with each of the other for providing a waterproof seal, a flexible plastic closure flap forming an extension of said rear wall and being foldable over said front wall, a pair of complementary readily openable and recloseable fastening strips adhered respectively to a lower edge portion of an inner side of said closure flap and to an outer side of said front wall, and a readily openable and closeable one-piece molded plastic over-center snap-acting clamp secured to an outer side of said rear wall for clamping the pouch to wearing apparel, said clamp including a mounting base, a fixed post secured to said base and extending outwardly therefrom, an operating lever pivotally connected to said post, said base and said lever being provided with toothed surfaces in facing relationship with one another for securely griping the wearing apparel, and spring means for biasing said toothed surfaces of said lever into engagement with said toothed surfaces of said base.

4. The invention defined in claim 3 wherein said sealing strips include a plurality of tongues and grooves releasably interlockable with those of the other for providing the waterproof seal.