Adjustable Belt

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/660,062, filed on Jun. 14, 2024, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.

This disclosure relates to implementations of an adjustable belt.

Tactical and utility belts are commonly used by military personnel, law enforcement officers, and civilian users to carry handguns, ammunition magazines, and other mission- or task-specific tools and supplies. Such belts must generally balance the rigidity required to support attached items while remaining sufficiently flexible to facilitate comfortable movement and accommodate a range of waist sizes. Prior art belts often fail to achieve this balance effectively, resulting in compromises in structural support, wearer comfort, or both. Additionally, adjustment mechanisms found on prior art belts may be bulky, unreliable, or unnecessarily complex.

Accordingly, there exists a need for the adjustable belt disclosed herein. The present invention is directed to providing an adjustable belt configured to address these and other needs.

It is to be understood that this summary is not an extensive overview of the disclosure. This summary is exemplary and not restrictive, and it is intended neither to identify key or critical elements of the disclosure nor delineate the scope thereof. The sole purpose of this summary is to explain and exemplify certain concepts of the disclosure as an introduction to the following complete and extensive detailed description.

An adjustable belt is disclosed. The adjustable belt is configured to be worn around the waist of a user and to have an adjustable girth to accommodate a range of waist sizes. The adjustable belt is typically worn over an inner belt and secured to the inner belt by hook-and-loop fasteners. However, in some implementations, the adjustable belt may be worn independently, without the use of an inner belt.

An example adjustable belt comprises a bridge comprising a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a plurality of openings separated by posts and arranged between the first end and the second end; a first sleeve defining a first internal pocket configured to slidably receive the first end of the bridge, the first sleeve including an opening at a first end thereof that provides access to the first internal pocket, wherein the opening includes a closure mechanism configured to selectively secure the first sleeve in position relative to one of the plurality of openings in the bridge; and a second sleeve defining a second internal pocket configured to slidably receive the second end of the bridge, the second sleeve including an opening at a first end thereof that provides access to the second internal pocket, wherein the opening includes a closure mechanism configured to selectively secure the second sleeve in position relative to one of the plurality of openings in the bridge.

Another example adjustable belt comprises a bridge comprising a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a plurality of openings separated by posts and arranged between the first end and the second end; a first sleeve defining a first internal pocket configured to slidably receive the first end of the bridge, the first sleeve including an opening at a first end thereof that provides access to the first internal pocket, wherein the opening includes a closure mechanism configured to selectively secure the first sleeve in position relative to a selected opening of the plurality of openings in the bridge, the closure mechanism comprising a male portion and a female portion configured to releasably engage within the selected opening of the plurality of openings; and a second sleeve defining a second internal pocket configured to slidably receive the second end of the bridge, the second sleeve including an opening at a first end thereof that provides access to the second internal pocket, wherein the opening includes a closure mechanism configured to selectively secure the second sleeve in position relative to a selected opening of the plurality of openings in the bridge, the closure mechanism comprising a male portion and a female portion configured to releasably engage within the selected opening of the plurality of openings.

Like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

illustrate an adjustable beltaccording to the principles of the present disclosure. The adjustable beltis configured to be worn around the waist of a user and to have an adjustable girth to accommodate a range of waist sizes. The adjustable beltis worn over an inner belt (not shown) and secured to the inner belt by hook-and-loop fasteners.

As shown in, the adjustable beltcomprises a bridge, a first sleeve, and a second sleeve.

As shown in, the bridgehas a first end, a second end, a top edge, a bottom edge, a front face, and an opposite back face. The bridgeincludes a single row of openings, or cutouts, separated by solid segmentsor posts. The openingsare arranged along the bridgebetween the first endand the second end. The back faceof the bridgeincludes hook fasteners used to removably secure the exposed portion of the bridgeto an inner belt. However, in some implementations, the back faceof the bridgemay include loop fasteners instead.

The bridgeis a single piece of thermoplastic composite material overlaid with a nylon laminate material, making it rigid in the vertical plane but flexible in the horizontal plane. The bridgeis preferably made of a Tegris® brand thermoplastic composite material, but could also be made of a CURV® brand thermoplastic composite material. A layer of hook fasteners (e.g., Velcro® brand) is secured to the back faceof the bridge.

As shown in, the first sleeveand the second sleeveeach have a first endwith a buckle portionand a second endwith an opening that provides access to an internal pocket. The buckle portionon the first endof each sleeve,may be a G-hook buckle. The opening of each sleeve,provides access to the internal pocketand includes a closure mechanism, such as a pull-the-dot snap. The internal pocketof each sleeve,is sized to receive either the first endor the second endof the bridge. The front face, or outer side, of each sleeve,may include an array of MOLLE-compatible slits, well known to those of ordinary skill in the art. The back face, or inner side, of each sleeve,includes hook fasteners used to removably secure the sleeve,to an inner belt. However, in some implementations, the inner sideof each sleeve,may include loop fasteners instead.

As shown in, each sleeve,comprises a piece of nylon laminate materialfolded onto itself to form the internal pocket, with the first endsealed and the second endforming the previously mentioned opening. A stiffening elementis positioned longitudinally within and secured to one side of the internal pocket. The stiffening element, which may comprise a single piece of thermoplastic composite material sold under the brand Tegris®, is configured to impart vertical rigidity to the sleeve,while permitting horizontal flexibility, thereby supporting items attached to the sleeve and allowing the sleeve to comfortably contour around the user. The male portionof the closure mechanismis secured to the stiffening element, and the female portionis secured to a flapof the nylon laminate material.

In the example embodiment, the male portionof the closure mechanismcomprises a postA that extends through the nylon laminate materialand the stiffening elementto secure the studB positioned on the stiffening elementwithin the opening of the internal pocket. The female portionof the closure mechanismcomprises a capA and a socketB. A portion of the capA extends through the nylon laminate materialto secure the socketB on the interior side of the flap, so that it can be removably secured to the studB.

illustrates another example sleeveaccording to the principles of the present disclosure. The sleeveis similar to the sleeves,discussed above but includes an angled array of MOLLE-compatible slitsnear the first end. The sleeveis configured to be used instead of the second sleeveshown in, but could also be configured to replace the first sleeve.

The first sleeveand the second sleeveare adjustably and slidably secured to the first endand the second endof the bridge, respectively, allowing the user to adjust the length, and thus the girth, of the adjustable belt. The closure mechanismof each sleeve,cooperates with a selected openingin the bridgeto secure each sleeve,at a desired position on the bridge. Specifically, the male and female portions,of the closure mechanismare secured together in the space defined by the selected opening, with the poststhat define the width of the openingpreventing each sleeve,from sliding inadvertently.

To adjust the length, and thus the girth, of the adjustable belt, the user simply unfastens the closure mechanismand slides the selected sleeve,to the desired position on the bridge. The user then resecures the male and female portions,of the closure mechanismtogether within the selected opening. The width of the postsseparating the openingsand the length of the internal pocketin each sleeve,determine the available range for sizing the adjustable belt.

While the adjustable beltis described as being worn over an inner belt, it should be understood that, with a suitable buckle, the adjustable beltcould be adapted to be worn independently of an inner belt. In such an implementation, the hook fasteners on the back faceof the bridgeand/or the back faceof the sleeves,may be omitted.

The foregoing description of the invention is intended to be illustrative; it is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the claims to the precise forms disclosed. Those skilled in the relevant art can appreciate that many modifications and variations are possible in light of the foregoing description and associated drawings.

Reference throughout this specification to an “embodiment” or “implementation” or words of similar import means that a particular described feature, structure, or characteristic is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the phrase “in some implementations” or a phrase of similar import in various places throughout this specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment.

The described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the above description, numerous specific details are provided for a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that embodiments of the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, etc. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations may not be shown or described in detail.