United States Patent
`Abramson
`
`119
`
`[54] HOLSTER ARRANGEMENT FOR A
`TRANSPORTABLE COMMUNICATIONS
`DEVICE
`
`[76]
`
`Inventor: Victor B. Abramson, 632 SE. Peacock
`La., Portland, Oreg. 97214
`
`US005653367A
`[11] Patent Number:
`[45] Date of Patent:
`
`5,653,367
`Aug. 5, 1997
`
`3/1972 ROSS saersercsreesnsststsneseseenee 224/587
`3,648,906
`.- 224/605
`11/1988 DeSantis....
`4,785,983
`12/1993 Shoemaker........ssessesassessonseees 224/911
`5,269,448
`5,358,159 10/1994 Lundie, Jr..
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`[56]
`
`2256700 12/1992 United Kingdom ........see 224/198
`Primary Examiner—Linda J. Sholl
`[21] Appl. No.: 534,622
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Robert L. Harrington
`[22] Filed:
`Sep. 27, 1995
`[57]
`ABSTRACT
`PS]
`Tint, CLS ceeesseceseeenensnen A4S5F 4/00; A45F 5/00
`
` [52] U.S. CL. .....
`. 224/581; 224/583; 224/197;
`A holster arrangement for a transportable communications
`224/624: 224/930: 224/907
`device that is worn by a userandis arranged to have a holder
`.
`[58] Field of Search 0...eecsesssscsssecsssesees 224/930, 907._portion positioned oneither side of the user’s torso. Straps
`224/911, 192, 197, 199, 198, 604, 605,
`extending from a shoulder pad are utilized to support the
`623, 624, 627, 628, 631, 638, 645, 675,
`holder portion and to secure the holster arrangement to the
`240, 575, 578, 581, 582, 583, 904
`user. The holder portion is arranged to support a case in
`.
`varied positions with the case being mountable on the holder
`References Cited
`portion at a substantially vertical position and at angular
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`positions to the holder portion. Two angular mounting
`positions are provided to facilitate the use of the holster
`arrangement whenfitted to either side of the user. The case
`for holding the communications deviceis readily detached
`from the holder of the holster arrangement.
`
`7/1986 Knight .
`D. 284,807
`5/1994 Morrissey.
`D. 346,495
`D. 351,280 10/1994 Pennington .
`1,037,717
`9/1912 Audley on.ccssssssececeeceeeereeee 224/624
`
`2,396,118
`3/1946 Oblemeyer....
`a
`3,583,611
`6/1971 Theodore .....ccssscsssscesseseessecoes 224/674
`
`
`
`
`1 Claim, 4 Drawing Sheets
`
`IPR2018-00294
`Apple Inc. EX1016 Page 1
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`IPR2018-00294
`Apple Inc. EX1016 Page 1
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`

`

`Sheet 1 of 4
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`5,653,367
`
`US. Patent
`
`Aug. 5, 1997
`
`FIG. 1
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`IPR2018-00294
`Apple Inc. EX1016 Page 2
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`IPR2018-00294
`Apple Inc. EX1016 Page 2
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`

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`US. Patent
`
`Aug. 5, 1997
`
`5,653,367
`
`Sheet 2 of 4
`
`IPR2018-00294
`Apple Inc. EX1016 Page 3
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`IPR2018-00294
`Apple Inc. EX1016 Page 3
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`

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`Sheet 3 of 4
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`5,653,367
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`Aug. 5, 1997
`
`U.S. Patent
`
`IPR2018-00294
`Apple Inc. EX1016 Page 4
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`IPR2018-00294
`Apple Inc. EX1016 Page 4
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`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 5, 1997
`
`5,653,367
`
`Sheet 4 of 4
`
`IPR2018-00294
`Apple Inc. EX1016 Page 5
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`IPR2018-00294
`Apple Inc. EX1016 Page 5
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`

`

`5,653,367
`
`1
`HOLSTER ARRANGEMENT FOR A
`TRANSPORTABLE COMMUNICATIONS
`DEVICE
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`
`This invention relates to a holster that is strapped to the
`body of a user and including a holder portion for removable
`attachment of a case designed to contain a transportable
`phone,e.g., a cellular phone.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`Telephones have rapidly progressed from the conven-
`tional wall mounted phone to cordless and car phones and
`more recently to personal phones. Individuals now carry
`with them near pocket size cellular phones that have almost
`limitiess range. Cellular phones are common place in
`restaurants, movie theaters, on the golf course or wherever.
`The only inconvenience to the individual is having to carry
`the phone.
`Whereas the cellular phone is small in size and light
`weight, it is not so compact as to comfortably fit a shirt
`pocket. More likely it is carried in a ladies purse or in a
`briefcase. However, a purse or briefcase is not always
`available to the user. When traveling by car the phone may
`be placed most conveniently on the passenger seat. In a
`restaurant the phone may be laid on the table. When golfing
`it may be placed in the golf bag. And on and
`More recently a special pocket has been developedfor the
`phonein the form of a holster attached to a shoulder harness,
`the holster being positioned substantially out of the way at
`the user’s side. Such a holster is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
`5,358,159 issued Oct. 24, 1994.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
`
`The present invention is an improvement to the holster of
`the °159 patent. In a preferred embodiment a shoulder
`harness incorporates a plate-like holder having multiple sets
`of receiving slots. A case sized to contain a cellular phoneis
`provided with a strap that is selectively insertable and thus
`removably attachable to a selected one of the multiple sets
`of receiving slots. The receiving slots are designed to mount
`the case at different angular positions as may be preferred by
`different users. For example, a user more interested in
`comfort than accessibility may want the case mounted in a
`vertical position and one set of slots will provide vertical
`mounting. A second user may prefer an angular mounting
`whereby the phone is more easily removed from the case. A
`third user may prefer to carry the case angled and at the
`opposite side. Second and third receiving slot sets will
`accomplish these alternate mountings.
`In any event the case itself is readily detached from the
`harness in the event the user prefers to place the phone
`contained in the case in a briefcase or purse, etc. The
`invention will be more fully appreciated upon reference to
`the following detailed description and drawings referred to
`therein.
`
`10
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`DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`FIG. 1 is a view of a holster arrangementfor a transport-
`able communications device of the present invention;
`FIG.2 is a view of the holster arrangement of FIG.1 fitted
`on a USET;
`
`65
`
`FIG. 3 is a view of a holder portion of the holster
`arrangement of FIG. 1;
`
`2
`FIG. 4 is a view of a case of the holder arrangement of
`FIG. 1;
`FIG. 5 is a view showing the case of FIG. 4 mounted in
`one ofthe alternative positions on the holder of FIG. 3; and
`FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate the other alternative mounting
`positions of the case of FIG. 4 on the holder of FIG. 3.
`DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
`EMBODIMENT
`
`FIG.1 illustrates a holster arrangementfor a transportable
`communications device of the present invention. The holster
`arrangement includes a shoulder harness that is arranged to
`fitted to a torso of a useras illustrated in FIG.2 and is suited
`for having a carrying case situated on either side of the torso
`ofthe user. The holster arrangementhas a holder 10 to which
`the case 12 is removably mountable to varied positions as
`will be later explained.
`A belt 14 (strap) extends from the holder 10 and is
`attached to a shoulder pad 16 at 18. Another belt 20 extends
`from the holder 10 substantially as shown andis attached to
`the shoulder pad 16 at 21. Each of the belts 14 and 20 are
`attached to the holder 10 in an adjustable manner with each
`of the belts 14 and 20 looped through a correspondingslot
`22, in the holder 10. The ends of the belts 14, 20 extending
`through the slots 22 are attached to an adjusting mechanism
`32 (buckle) that is slidably mounted on the portion of the
`belts (14, 20) extending from the shoulder pad 16 to the
`holder 10. The length of the belts 14, 20 extending between
`the pad 16 and the holder 10 may be adjusted by moving the
`buckle 32 and thus the position of the holder 10 relative to
`the pad 16 may be adjusted to suit a user. Anotherbelt 26 is
`attached to the shoulder pad at 28 and the belt 26 has at its
`opposite end looped through a fastener 30 andattached to an
`adjuster 32 (buckle). The fastener 30 is suited to attach the
`belt 26 either to the shoulder pad 16itself or alternatively to
`a belt or to the waist line of a garment. The length of the belt
`26 may be adjusted for length with the adjuster 32 in the
`same manneras the belts 14 and 20. A short belt 34 is fitted
`to the bottom of the holder 19 andis attached to the holder
`through slot 36 in the holder 10. A fastener 38 is provided
`on the end of the short belt 34 and is suited for attachment
`to an item such as a belt or the waist line of a garment.
`The holster arrangement of FIG. 1 is fitted to a user as
`illustrated in FIG. 2. The holster arrangementis fitted to a
`user with the shoulder pad 16 resting upon either of the
`shoulders of the user. FIG. 2 illustrates the holster arrange-
`ment with the shoulder pad 16fitted to the left shoulder of
`the user. The beit 14 will extend downthe front of the torso
`of the user and the belt 20 will fit downwardly from the
`shoulder along the back and will wrap aroundthe side of the
`torso. The belts 14 and 20 will cooperatively place the holder
`10 and the attached case 12 substantially at the side of the
`torso of the user in the vicinity of the rib cage. The short belt
`34 has its fastener 38 attached to either a belt or the waist
`line of a garmentofthe user. The belt 26 is extended across
`the back of the user and brought forwardly toward the front
`and may be extended downwardto the waistline to attach
`the belt 26 to a belt or a waistline of a garment by the
`fastener 30. An alternate arrangementis to extendthebelt 26
`across the back and toward the front and then around and
`under the opposite arm pit (as indicated in dashedline) of the
`user and bring the end of the belt 26 back toward the
`shoulder pad 16 with the fastener 30 attachedto the shoulder
`pad 16.
`The holster arrangement may be utilized such that the
`hoider 10 and the case 12 may be positioned on either side
`of the torso of the user.
`
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`5,653,367
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`3
`The holder 10 is further illustrated in FIG. 3. The holder
`10 is basically a flat semi-rigid material such as leather and
`is arranged to support the case 12 in varied angular positions
`relative to holder 10. The holder 10 has slots 22 at an upper
`portion of the holder 10 for the attachment of the belts 14
`and 20. Another slot 36 is positioned at the opposite end for
`the attachment of the short belt 34. The holder 10 has paired
`slots 40, 42 arranged for the central mounting ofthe case 12
`on the holder 10. Additionally paired slots 44 and 46 are
`provided for one angular mounting position of the case 12
`and anotherset of paired slots 48 and 50 are provided for the
`opposite angular mounting position of the case 12.
`The case 12 is illustrated in FIG. 4. The case 12 is
`arranged to receive a communication device such as a
`cellular phone andit will be appreciated that the case 12 will
`be sized to suit the size of the communication device. The
`case 12 is fabricated of a material similar to that of the holder
`10 and as shown the body 60 of the case 12 is formed into
`somewhat of a U shape to form a bottom andsides 61, 62.
`The case 12 haspliable ends 63 attached to the sides 61, 62
`that allow the body 60 to expand and contract to accommo-
`date the size of the communication device. A strap 64 is
`fixedly attachedto side 62 of the body 60 at 66 and as shown
`the strap 64 extends oneither side of the point of attachment
`66. A fastener 70, such as a snap, is provided near end 72 of
`the strap 64 and a corresponding mating receptacle 68 for the
`snap 70, is fixedly attached to the side 62 of the body 60
`strategic to the snap 70. The opposite end 76 of the strap 64
`loops over the body 60 andis attachable to the side 61 of the
`body 60 by self-adhering fasteners such as VELCRO. The
`VELCROfasteners are attached to the side 61 and the end
`76 of the strap 64 in a conventional manner.
`The end 76 of the strap 64 secured to the side 61 of the
`body 60 by the self-adhering fasteners will thus secure a
`communication device within the case 12. To insert a
`communication device, the end 76 of the strap 64 is detached
`from the side 61 of the body 60 permitting the insertion or
`removal of the communication device through the top por-
`tion 80 of the case 12 and thus defines a pathway for the
`insertion and removal of the communication device. When
`a communication device is inserted into the case 12, the
`communications device is secured within the cavity of the
`case 12, the cavity being defined by the bottom andthe sides
`61, 62 of the body portion 60 and the side walls 62 with the
`top opening 80 being secured by the end 76 of the strap 64
`being attached to the side 61 of the body 60of the case 12.
`FIG.5 illustrates one mounting position for mounting the
`case 12 to the holder 10. As shown, the case 12 is placed
`adjacent to the holder 10 with the end 72 of the strap being
`inserted through the slot 40 and extending downwardly
`towardthe slot 42 with the receptacle 68 attached to the case
`12 extending into the slot 42. Snap 70 on the strap 64 is fitted
`to the receptacle 68 to thus secure the case 12 to the holder
`10. This mounting position will position the case 12 in a
`substantially vertical position when the holster arrangement
`of FIG. 1 is fitted to a user as shown in FIG.2.
`FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate the alternate mounting posi-
`tions of the case 12 to the holder 10. In FIG. 6A, the end 72
`of the strap 64 is inserted into the slot 44 and is extended
`downto the slot 46. The receptacle 68 of the case 12 will be
`received in the slot 46 and the snap 70 is secured to the
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`receptacle 68 to thus secure the case 12 to the holder 10. As
`shownin FIG. 6A, the case 12 is mountedat an angle to the
`holder 10 and thus when the holster arrangementisfitted to
`a user, the case 12 will be at an angle rather than in a vertical
`position. FIG. 6B illustrates the alternate angular mounting
`arrangementof the case 12 to the holder 10. In FIG. 6B the
`end 72 of the strap 64 will be inserted through the slot 48 and
`will be extended downto the slot 50. The receptacle 68 of
`the case 12 will be received in slot 50 and the case 12is
`secured to the holder 10 by the snap 70 being securedto the
`receptacle 68.
`‘
`The case 12 may thus be mounted centrally on the holder
`10 (referred to as a vertical position) as illustrated in FIG. 5
`and may be mounted to the holder 10 at an angular position
`as indicated in FIGS. 6A and 6B. The angular mounting
`position of the case 12 on the holder 10 is believed to make
`the communication device contained within the case 12
`more accessible. One angular mounting position would be
`utilized when the holder 10 is positioned on theleft side of
`the individual and the opposite angular mounting position
`would be utilized when the holder 10 is positioned on the
`right side of the individual.
`Those skilled in the art will appreciate that modifications
`and variations may be made without departing from the true
`spirit and scope of the invention. Theinvention is therefore
`not to be determined from the embodiments described and
`illustrated butis to be determined from the appended claims.
`I claim:
`1. A holster arrangementfor a transportable communica-
`tions device comprising:
`a shoulder harnessfitting the upper torso of a user and a
`holder portion carried by the harness and positioned at
`a side of the user with the harnessfitted to the user;
`a case including a device containment cavity and includ-
`ing an opening through which a communications
`device is slidably inserted into and removed from the
`containment cavity and defining thereby a pathway
`along which the device is moved in inserting and
`removing said device from said case; said holder por-
`tion is provided with multiple sets of receiving slots
`and said case is provided with a strap configured to fit
`and secure the case to any one ofthe sets of receiving
`slots whereby a user can angularly vary the direction of
`the pathway for inserting and removing said device
`from said case; and
`the holder portionis a plate like flexible material and each
`set of slots includes an upper and lower opening at
`spaced apart and opposed positions in the holder
`portion, each set of slots defining a different angular
`position, and said strap including an upper and lower
`end portion,
`the upper end portion permanently
`attached to the case, said strap being flexible and
`including mated fasteners at its lower end portion and
`on the case for fastening the lower end portion to the
`case, said lower end portion insertable through any
`upper opening of a set of slots and the fastener of said
`case exposed through the exposed lower opening for
`attachment of the strap lower endto thecase.
`*
`oe
`* *
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