Breakaway lanyard with adjustable mounting element

• US 6,539,588 B1
• Filed: 10/02/2000
• Issued: 04/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Precision Dynamics Corporation (Brady Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comprehensive Identification Products, Inc. (Brady Corporation)
• Inventors: Brosofsky, Robert N., Raia, Richard M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sandy, Robert J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rodriguez, Ruth C.
• Application Number:
  US09/677,295
• Time in Patent Office: 911 Days
• Field of Search: 24/31, 24/32, 24/34, 24/36, 24/31.2, 241/65, 242/65.AL, 245/984, 246/009, 246/012, 246/02, 241/6-4-1, 119/863, 119/864
• US Class Current: 24/3.4
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 11/2592 fastening by sliding in the main plane or a plane parallel to the main plane of the buckle A44B11/2503, A44B11/2584 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 2003/002 Sacks or packs carried on the body by means of a single strap passing around the neck
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 5/02 Fastening articles to the garment
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 45/036 with an elastically bending closing member
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 21/02 by a carrier person or animal
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/207 in the form of a badge to be worn by a person
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/13 Article holder attachable to apparel or body
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/1374 Neck supported holder
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/1394 Article held by clip
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/4005 Combined buckles and snap hooks
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45408 Resilient, self-biased gate

Abstract

According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a lanyard construction, which includes a strap forming a closed loop of flexible material adapted to be disposed about a part of a human body. An adjustable mounting element, preferably either a slide hook assembly or a universal slide attachment, is on the loop. This mounting element is used for mounting an object to be displayed or used by the wearer of the lanyard. Finally, the lanyard construction of the present invention includes a breakaway member which defines a weak point in the strap whereat the loop may open and be pulled free from the wearer. In the present invention, the user of the lanyard selects the best location for separation of the weak point from the mounting element about the periphery of the lanyard loop. Such a location may be behind the wearer'"'"'s neck, or it may be some location closer to the mounting element. The user is provided with the ability to determine the best location for placement of the mounting element relative to the breakaway member, by merely moving the mounting element along the periphery of the lanyard loop.

Claims

1. A lanyard construction comprising;

a strap forming a closed loop of flexible material for disposal about a part of a human body;

an adjustable position mounting member attached to said loop and adapted for mounting a separate object to be displayed or used by the wearer of the lanyard;

wherein the mounting member comprises a body with two horizontally offset and vertically spaced apart slots, thereby forming friction bars between the slots at the front and back of the body, said friction bars allowing the strap to adjustably slide through the slots under tension; and

a breakaway assembly defining a weak point in said loop, whereat said loop may open and be pulled free from the wearer.

2. The lanyard of claim 1, wherein the horizontally offset and vertically spaced apart slots in the mounting member cause the mounting member to lie flat against the human body.

3. The lanyard of claim 1, wherein the horizontally offset and vertically spaced apart slots in the mounting member cause objects held by the mounting member to be maintained in a plane that is parallel to the body of the mounting member, wherein that plane is parallel to the body of the wearer when the lanyard is worn around a person'"'"'s neck.

4. The lanyard of claim 1, wherein said breakaway assembly comprises interengaging male and female parts.

5. The lanyard of claim 4, wherein the male part comprises a rigid member with at least one side notch, and a semi-circular end portion.

6. The lanyard of claim 5, wherein the female part comprises a slot in a wall, the side of which includes at least one detent.

7. The lanyard of claim 1, wherein the mounting member further comprises a slide hook assembly comprising a hook member attached to a sliding members.

8. The lanyard of claim 7, wherein the hook member and the sliding member comprise an integral unit.

9. The lanyard of claim 1, wherein the mounting member further comprises a universal slide attachment comprising a hinged extension member emanating from the body, wherein the distal end of the extension member includes a closure member which is adapted for closure of the extension member with a corresponding member in the main body, forming an attachment point for one or more other objects.

10. The lanyard of claim 9, wherein the extension member and the main body of the universal slide attachment further comprise snap-together members.

11. The lanyard of claim 10, wherein the snap-together members comprise plastic male and female members.

12. The lanyard of claim 11, wherein one of the other objects held by the attachment point is a key ring.

13. The lanyard of claim 11, wherein one of the other objects held by the attachment point is a badge clip.

14. The lanyard of claim 11, wherein one of the other objects held by the attachment point is a swivel hook.

15. The lanyard of claim 11, wherein one of the other objects held by the attachment point is a “

J”

hook.

16. The lanyard of claim 11, wherein one of the other objects held by the attachment point is a bulldog clip.