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  Quick release weight lifter beltUSPTO Application #: 20060053531Title: Quick release weight lifter belt Abstract: A support belt, particularly adapted for weight lifting users, includes a strap mounted to the main belt. A ratchet mechanism is mounted to one end of the strap. The other end of the strap is inserted through the ratchet mechanism and folded upon itself and secured to itself to form an anchor location. Another anchor location is a portion of the strap which is permanently secured to the belt. When the ratchet mechanism is operated the first end of the strap becomes wound on a take up reel in the ratchet mechanism to pull the two anchor locations toward each other and tighten the belt. In order to have a quick release of the belt the free end of the strap is detached from its engagement to itself so that its anchor location is thereby disengaged. (end of abstract) Agent: Connolly Bove Lodge & Hutz LLP - Wilmington, DE, US Inventors: Richard D. McBride, Jeffrey F. McBride USPTO Applicaton #: 20060053531 - Class: 002317000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Apparel, Head Coverings, Torso Or Limb Encircling, With Additional Holding Devices Or Features, With Pendant Holding Means, With Member Between Ends Of Encircling Strip The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060053531. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] In various sports, including weight lifting and power lifting, a waist belt is frequently worn to provide additional body support during the lifting. Conventionally such belts are made of a stiff and bendable material such as heavy leather. To maximize the support function the belts are usually tightened as much as possible. Commonly with conventional weight lifter belts the weight lifter asks for help in the tightening and buckling and in the loosening and unbuckling of the belts. [0002] It has been suggested in U.S. Pat. No. 5,647,824 to improve upon such belts by using a ratchet in place of the common tightening structure such as buckles and the like. The advantage in the use of a ratchet is to provide the ability to have an incremental tightening of the belt. In addition, the tightening could be accomplished by the wearer without requiring help from another person. The '824 patent specifically discloses a belt wherein the ratchet mechanism is secured to a loop on the belt. A nylon strap is also secured to the outer surface of the belt. One end of the nylon strap is attached in a permanent manner to the ratchet mechanism. The other end of the nylon strap is the free end which extends through the ratchet mechanism. As a result when the ratchet mechanism is activated the "free end" is incrementally pulled through the ratchet mechanism to tighten the belt. When it is desired to loosen the belt the wearer pulls and holds a loosening mechanism which is part of the ratchet mechanism and grasps the ratchet handle and fully opens it so that the free end of the nylon strap can be pulled out of the nylon strap tightening mechanism. [0003] While the '824 patent suggests marked improvements over conventional weightlifter belts it would also be desirable if such a belt could operate to provide a quick release without having to immediately manipulate various parts of the ratchet mechanism. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0004] An object of this invention is to provide a weight lifter support belt which has the capability of giving quick release. [0005] A further object of this invention is to provide such a belt which can be quickly released by a single pulling action without requiring manipulating a ratchet mechanism. [0006] In accordance with this invention the support belt comprises a stiff and bendable main belt which has a length adjusting strap secured to its outer surface. The area of securement is a first anchor location which is between both ends of the strap. One end of the length adjusting strap is mounted on a take up reel in a ratchet mechanism. The other or free end of the adjusting strap wraps around a rod in the ratchet mechanism and folds upon itself so as to be anchored at a location spaced from the first anchor location. The ratchet mechanism and the first end of the strap are thereby between the two anchor locations. When the ratchet mechanism is activated the two anchor locations are pulled toward each other to tighten the belt. When it is desired to release the belt a quick release can be achieved by unfastening the free end of the strap at its anchor location to permit the free end to become loose around the ratchet mechanism rod and even be completely removed from the rod. [0007] In a preferred practice of this invention the fastening structure which provides for the quick release is hook/loop structure on the two surfaces of the free end of the strap which are in contact with each other. [0008] In a preferred practice of the invention the strap is secured directly and permanently to the belt in a generally central area which comprises less than 1/2 of the length of the belt thereby leaving unattached areas of substantial length on each side of the secured area. By mounting the first end of the strap to the ratchet mechanism, the strap itself is the structure for mounting the ratchet mechanism to the belt. [0009] The Drawings: [0010] FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a support belt in accordance with this invention; [0011] FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the belt shown in FIG. 1; [0012] FIG. 3 is a fragmental top plan view of the belt shown in FIGS. 1-2 with the ratchet mechanism in its fully open condition and partly broken away to show the strap attachment to the take up reel; and [0013] FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the belt shown in FIGS. 1-3, particularly illustrating the free end of the strap. DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0014] The present invention relates to a support belt, particularly of the type that would be worn by a weight lifter. Broadly, however, the invention relates to support belts in general. The belt incorporates a ratchet mechanism to provide the wearer of the belt with the ability to incrementally tighten the belt without needing assistance from any other person. In addition, however, the belt incorporates quick release structure which would be particularly desirable under circumstance where the belt is too tight so as to be extremely uncomfortable. As a result, the wearer can quickly loosen the belt and relieve the over-tightness. [0015] FIGS. 1-2 best illustrate the general structure for the support belt 10. As shown therein support belt 10 includes a main belt 12 as conventionally used in weight lifting. Belt 12 would be of sufficient length to encircle the general waist area of the wearer from a loose condition to a gradually tightening condition. Belt 12 would be made of any conventional material and generally is made of a thick leather which could be about 4 inches wide and up to one-half thick for competition, or even thicker. Thus, the leather is stiff enough to provide support yet is capable of bending in order to conform to the waist of the user and to also gradually increase or decrease in diameter when the ends of the belt are overlapped. [0016] Main belt 12 has a first end 14 which overlaps its second end 16 as shown in FIGS. 2-3. See also FIG. 4. The degree of overlapping would depend upon the tightness of the belt around the waist of the user. [0017] Attached to the outer surface of belt 12 is a width adjusting strap 18 which has a first end 20 and a second end 22. See FIG. 4. The width adjusting strap is secured, preferably permanently, to the main belt 12 in any suitable manner such as by being sewn at locations 24,26 spaced inwardly from both ends 20,22. In addition, further anchoring of strap 18 to main belt 12 could be accomplished by stitching along the upper and lower edges of the strap 18 directly to the main belt 12 between the locations 24 and 26. This general area of permanent attachment of strap 18 to main belt 12 may be considered as a first anchor location between first end 20 and second end 22. As a result, the strap 18 is disposed circumferentially at least partially around the outer surface of main belt 12. [0018] An important feature of this invention is the incorporation of a ratchet mechanism generally indicated by reference numeral 28. Ratchet mechanism 28 may be of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,282,296, all of the details of which are incorporated herein by reference thereto. In general, ratchet mechanism 28 includes a frame which comprises, in part, a pair of outer plates 30,30. A shaft 32 is connected across plates 30,30. Shaft 32 is of split construction as illustrated, for example, in FIGS. 2-3. As a result, the first end 20 of strap 18 may be threaded through the split shaft 32 and then folded upon itself to create a loop 33 and is then permanently secured to itself at location 26. By mounting the ratchet mechanism 28 to free end 20 of strap 18 the strap 18 comprises the structure for mounting the ratchet mechanism to the main belt 12 unlike U.S. Pat. No. 5,647,824 where the ratchet mechanism is mounted to a loop which is distinct from the strap. [0019] Ratchet mechanism 28 also includes a ratchet structure in the form of teeth 36 near each longitudinal end of shaft 32. A first pawl 38 is selectively engaged with teeth 36. Ratchet mechanism 28 also includes a handle 40 which rotates about shaft 32. Handle 40 includes a second pawl 42 on each side thereof for engagement with teeth 36. Second pawls 42 are jointly mounted as extensions of a plate 44 sliding in slot 46. See FIGS. 1 and 2. Pawls 42 are biased in the engaging position by springs 48 disposed against plate 44. See FIG. 1. When handle 40 is moved back and forth from the position shown in solid to the position shown in phantom in FIG. 2 shaft 32 rotates to wind the looped strap end 20 around shaft 32. Shaft 32 may thus be considered as a take up reel. [0020] Ratchet mechanism 28 also includes a rod 50 extending across plates 30,30. The free end or second end 22 of strap 18 is wrapped around rod 50 and is folded back upon itself creating a loop 34. In the illustrated form of this invention free end 22 is formed by securing an outer piece or extension 52 to the remaining portion of strap 18. Any suitable form of attachment, such as the stitching in area 54 may be used for securing extension 52 to strap 18. The outer surface of strap 18, when strap 18 is in the unfolded condition shown in FIG. 4, includes detachable fastening structure 56 for engagement with complementary detachable fastening structure 56 on an inward portion of free end 22. The fastening structure 56 at the free end 22 of strap 18 could extend all the way, for example, to anchor location or fastening site 26 thereby giving a long length of adjustability in the tightening of belt 10. Suitable fastening structure could be the hook and loop formations from Velcro.RTM. or could be snaps or any other type of fastening structure. The particular fastening structure is preferably of a form which serves the dual function of providing a secure attachment of one portion of free end 22 to the inner portion of free end 22 when strip 52 is wrapped around rod 50 and strip 52 is then folded upon strap 18 to engage the free end 22 to itself. The second desired function is that such fastening structure should also be quickly releaseable. The hook and loop formations serve both functions. [0021] FIG. 2 illustrates in phantom lines the free end 22 of strap 18 being wrapped around rod 50. FIG. 2 illustrates in solid lines the free end 22 then being secured to itself. This forms a second anchor location of belt 10 outwardly of loop 34. Since rod 50 is used as the structure for permitting the free end 22 to be folded upon itself, rod 50 may be considered as a direction changing rod. Continue reading... Full patent description for Quick release weight lifter belt Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Quick release weight lifter belt patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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