A child's safety tether with an attachment pouch provides for quick release of the stored child safety tether in situations where the child care provider must temporarily relinquish contact with the child's hand while using both adult hands to negotiate a commercial transaction. The pouch has a top openable compartment for storing a cell phone or other personal electronic device, with other necessary documents such as credit cards and drivers license cards providing an adult's photographic identification and/or signature replica. The pouch also has a lower openable compartment for storing the child safety tether, which is released downward upon opening a quick release fastener for the downward oriented lower compartment for the tether.
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0. 26. A safety tether in combination with an attachment pouch providing for quick release of the stored safety tether, comprising:
said pouch having a vertically extending inner wall, a vertically extending outer wall spaced from said inner wall, and side walls for forming an enclosure between said inner and outer walls;
a horizontally extending wall within said enclosure forming an upper compartment and a lower compartment within said pouch;
a top opening into said upper compartment with a closure for opening and closing access to said upper compartment;
a bottom opening into said lower compartment with an upwardly folding flap having one end attached to a bottom edge of said inner wall and a free end overlapping said outer wall for closing and opening said lower compartment, with a quick release fastener, whereby releasing said fastener will open up said lower compartment to permit contents within said lower compartment to drop out from said lower compartment by way of gravity;
a safety tether including a flexible strap having a distal end with an attachment attachable to a tetherable object and a proximal end attached to an inside surface of said inner wall within said lower compartment, whereby said tether remains coiled up within said lower compartment when said lower compartment is closed;
whereby upon quick release of said lower compartment fastener said tether drops out of said lower compartment permitting rapid deployment of said tether for attachment to said tetherable object.
12. A method of restraining a child temporarily comprising the steps of:
a user wearing a pouch having a vertically extending inner wall, a vertically extending outer wall spaced from said inner wall, side walls forming an enclosure between said inner and outer walls, a horizontally extending wall within said enclosure forming an upper compartment and a lower compartment within said pouch, a top opening into said upper compartment with a closure for opening and closing access to said upper compartment, a bottom opening into said lower compartment with a flap having one side attached to folding upwardly from a bottom edge of said inside inner wall and a free end for overlapping a front of said outer wall for closing and opening said lower compartment, with a quick release fastener for attaching said free end to said outer wall, whereby releasing said fastener will open up said lower compartment to permit contents within said lower compartment to drop out from said lower compartment by way of gravity;
attaching a proximal end of a child safety tether to an inside surface of said inner wall within said lower compartment;
securing said tether inside of said lower compartment by closing said flap with said quick release fastener;
deploying said tether to restrain said child by releasing said fastener to allow said flap to open, allowing said tether to drop out of said lower compartment with the proximal end of the tether attached to said inner wall;
using a wrist attachment on a distal end of said tether to secure the distal end to a wrist of said child; and mounting an amusement device on said wrist attachment for distracting the child while the wrist attachment is on the child.
1. A child's safety tether attachable to the wrist of a child, in combination with an attachment pouch providing for quick release of the stored child safety tether in situations where the child care provider must temporarily relinquish contact with the child's hand while using both adult hands to negotiate a commercial transaction, comprising:
said pouch having a vertically extending inner wall, a vertically extending outer wall spaced from said inner wall, and side walls for forming an enclosure between said inner and outer walls;
a horizontally extending wall within said enclosure forming an upper compartment and a lower compartment within said pouch;
a top opening into said upper compartment with a closure for opening and closing access to said upper compartment;
a bottom opening into said lower compartment with a flap having one side attached to folding upwardly from a bottom edge of said inside inner wall and a free end for overlapping a front of said outer wall for closing and opening said lower compartment, with a quick release fastener for attaching said free end to said outer wall, whereby releasing said fastener will allow said flap to drop down and open up said lower compartment to permit contents within said lower compartment to drop out from said lower compartment by way of gravity;
a the child safety tether attachable to a wrist of a child including a flexible strap having a distal end with a child wrist attachment and a proximal end attached to an inside surface of said inner wall within said lower compartment, whereby said tether remains coiled up within said lower compartment when said flap is closed;
whereby upon quick release of said flap said tether drops out of said lower compartment permitting rapid deployment of said wrist attachment of said tether with provision to distract said child.
0. 25. A method of restraining a custodial care recipient under the care of a custodial care provider temporarily comprising the steps of:
a user wearing a pouch having a vertically extending inner wall, a vertically extending outer wall spaced from said inner wall, side walls forming an enclosure between said inner and outer walls, a horizontally extending wall within said enclosure forming an upper compartment and a lower compartment within said pouch, a top opening into said upper compartment with a closure for opening and closing access to said upper compartment, a bottom opening into said lower compartment having a closure flap folding upwardly from a bottom of said inner wall and overlapping a front of said outer wall with a quick release opening fastener, whereby releasing said fastener will open up said lower compartment to permit contents within said said lower compartment to drop out from said lower compartment by way of gravity;
attaching a proximal end of a custodial care recipient safety tether to an inside surface of said inner wall within said lower compartment; securing said tether inside of said lower compartment by closing said flap with said quick release fastener;
deploying said tether to restrain said custodial care recipient by releasing said fastener to allow said flap to open, allowing said tether to drop out of said lower compartment by way of gravity with the proximal end of the tether attached to said inner wall;
using a body part attachment on a distal end of said tether to secure the distal end to a body part of said custodial care recipient; and
wherein said closure flap is attached to a bottom edge of said inner wall and includes a free end for overlapping said outer wall for closing and opening said lower compartment, with said quick release fastener for attaching said free end to said outer wall.
0. 15. A safety tether in combination with an attachment pouch providing for quick release of the stored safety tether in situations where a custodial care provider must temporarily relinquish contact with a custodial care recipient while using both provider hands to negotiate a transaction, comprising:
said pouch having a vertically extending inner wall, a vertically extending outer wall spaced from said inner wall, and side walls for forming an enclosure between said inner and outer walls;
a horizontally extending wall within said enclosure forming an upper compartment and a lower compartment within said pouch;
a top opening into said upper compartment with a closure for opening and closing access to said upper compartment;
a bottom opening into said lower compartment having a closure flap folding upwardly from a bottom of an inner wall of said pouch with a quick release opening fastener, whereby releasing said quick release opening fastener will open up said closure flap of said lower compartment to permit contents within said lower compartment to drop out from said lower compartment by way of gravity;
a safety tether for a custodial care recipient including a flexible strap having a distal end with a body part attachment attachable to the custodial care recipient and a proximal end attached to an inside surface of said inner wall within said lower compartment, whereby said tether remains coiled up within said lower compartment when said closure flap is closed;
wherein said closure flap has a bottom edge attached to a bottom edge of said inner wall and a free end for overlapping said outer wall for closing and opening said lower compartment, with said quick release fastener for attaching said free end to said outer wall of said lower compartment of said pouch; and
whereby upon quick release of said quick release fastener opening said tether drops out of said lower compartment permitting rapid deployment of said body part attachment of said tether to the custodial care recipient.
2. The child's safety tether in combination with an attachment pouch as in
3. The child's safety tether in combination with an attachment pouch as in
4. The child's safety tether in combination with an attachment pouch as in claim 3 1 wherein a mounting apparatus is attached to an outside surface of said inner wall.
5. The child's safety tether in combination with an attachment pouch as in claim 4 1 wherein said flexible strap is stretchably elastomeric.
6. The child's safety tether in combination with an attachment pouch as in claim 4 1 wherein said flexible strap has at least two non-stretchable flexible portions and a stretchably elastomeric central portion located therebetween.
7. The child's safety tether in combination with an attachment pouch as in claim 4 1 wherein said flexible strap is a self-retracting cord.
8. The child's safety tether in combination with an attachment pouch as in claim 4 1 wherein said quick release fastener is a magnetic fastener.
9. The child's safety tether in combination with an attachment pouch as in claim 4 1 wherein said quick release fastener comprises snap button fasteners.
10. The child's safety tether in combination with an attachment pouch as in claim 4 1 wherein said side walls are pleated.
11. The child's safety tether in combination with an attachment pouch as in claim 4 1 wherein said child's safety tether is removably attached to said lower compartment of said pouch.
14. The method of
0. 16. The safety tether in combination with an attachment pouch as in claim 15 wherein said upper compartment provides storage for personal items.
0. 17. The safety tether in combination with an attachment pouch as in claim 15 wherein a mounting apparatus is attached to an outside surface of said inner wall.
0. 18. The safety tether in combination with an attachment pouch as in claim 15 wherein said flexible strap is elastomeric.
0. 19. The safety tether in combination with an attachment pouch as in claim 15 wherein said flexible strap has at least two non-stretchable flexible portions and an elastomeric central portion located therebetween.
0. 20. The safety tether in combination with an attachment pouch as in claim 15 wherein said flexible strap is a self-retracting cord.
0. 21. The safety tether in combination with an attachment pouch as in claim 15 wherein said quick release fastener is a magnetic fastener.
0. 22. The safety tether in combination with an attachment pouch as in claim 15 wherein said quick release fastener comprises snap button fasteners.
0. 23. The safety tether in combination with an attachment pouch as in claim 15 wherein said side walls are pleated.
0. 24. The safety tether in combination with an attachment pouch as in claim 15 wherein said safety tether is removably attached to said lower compartment of said pouch.
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This application claims priority under 35 USC 119 (e) from provisional application Ser. No. 61/938,592, filed Feb. 11, 2014, which application is incorporated by reference herein.
The present invention relates to a pouch with a quick release of a stored child safety tether in situations where the child care provider must temporarily relinquish contact with the child's hand while using both adult hands to negotiate a commercial transaction.
An adult is often multi-tasking by doing errands with a toddler in-tow. In some situations, it is difficult to keep track of the child especially while involved in activities requiring two hands. Examples of such situations include doing transactions at bank teller windows, post office, and ticket counters with typically high narrow counter tops. Often, the adult is tempted with the alternative of trying to carefully sit the squirming toddler on the high narrow surface. This invention is an aid for such situations with the objective of keeping the toddler safely at ground level at one's side for a short time period, and thereby precluding more dangerous alternatives.
The invention involves the use of a child tether as well as a pouch to store the tether when not in use. The prior art does teach the use of pouches for a variety of normally carried objects. The prior art is also replete with a variety of harnesses and tethers for children.
In particular, U.S. Design Pat. No. D619,356 of Hillman shows various views of a carrying case for mobile phone and credit cards. U.S. Design Pat. No. D602,689 of Hewitt discloses a combination wallet and cell phone case.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,667,624 of Smith is exemplary of the many patents over the years relating to safety harnesses for children. In Smith's patent, an inelastic strap attaches a child's harness to a hook on a waistband worn by an adult.
The prior art does not reveal a child tether attached to a pouch which also serves to contain the tether when not in use.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a belt worn pouch with a quick release of a stored child safety tether in situations where the child care provider must temporarily relinquish contact with the child's hand while using both adult hands to negotiate a commercial transaction.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a dual use pouch for storing personal objects such as personal electronic devices, cell phones, credit cards and items of photographic identification while also providing a downward operable quick release lower compartment for quick release of a stored child's safety tether having a outer distal end portion wrapable around the wrist of the child while the adult child care provider uses both hands to negotiate commercial transactions at a bank, retail store or other public or private institutions.
Other objects which become apparent from the following description of the present invention.
This invention combines a belt-attached pouch with a child tether. The pouch not only serves its mundane function of storing objects such as cell phone, keys, sun glasses, and credit cards in its upper compartment, but it also serves to attach the child tether to the adult as well as storing it in a lower compartment when not in use. In an alternate embodiment, the pouch can have a separate exterior clip or ring to hold one or more keys. The pouch itself is fabricated of leather, vinyl, canvas, reinforced heavy twill or other materials or fabrics commonly used for the purpose of making pouches or purses. The pouch has a latched top cover over the object-containing compartment. The child tether is a short flat strap such as a nylon strap with an elastomeric center section of about 12 to 15 inches to permit a range of overall lengths from 18 to 24 inches when extended. One end is attached inside the lower storage compartment. The outer distal end has a hook and loop , hook and loop fastener, patches 19b, 19c which are looped around the toddler's wrist (in the direction of the arrows indicated) and secured. An amusement device 19d and/or 19e attachable to the wrist attachment 19 keeps the child occupied during use. The amusement device 19d can be a visual attraction, such as a pirate, mermaid or other cartoon image, or it can be a tangible object, such as an optional blowing tube whistle 19e for the child to blow and occupy his time.
Note the inside of the top compartment 22 is a preformed cavity that can hold a number of different objects 5, 6, 7 and 8.
As shown in
Top compartment 22 has a bottom separating it from the lower tether storage compartment 23 below. Note that pleated sides 26 are shown at each side of bottom cover 13 attached to both the back of pouch 10 as well as cover 13. A different arrangement can extend the semi-rigid sides of pouch 10 covering the area 26 shown as pleated in
In the foregoing description, certain terms and visual depictions are used to illustrate the preferred embodiment. However, no unnecessary limitations are to be construed by the terms used or illustrations depicted, beyond what is shown in the prior art, since the terms and illustrations are exemplary only, and are not meant to limit the scope of the present invention.
It is further known that other modifications may be made to the present invention, without departing the scope of the invention.
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