WALLET FOR FIRST RESPONDER SHIELD

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to wallets and, more specifically, to wallets and holders for law enforcement shields, firefighter badges, other first responders, and civilians.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Police officers, firefighters, and first responders carry shields to identify themselves, hereinafter refered to as first responder shields. These first responder shields are commonly termed badges, for example, police badges. For purposes of this patent application the term “shield” and “badge” are intended to be synonymous. Wallets for first responder shields are specialized accessories designed for first responder officers to securely transport their first responder shields, identification, and other items. They typically feature a designated holding compartment for the first responder shield holder with a flap or window for displaying the first responder shield, complemented by slots or pockets for organizing identification cards, credit cards, cash, and other essentials. Models may also integrate additional security features, such as RFID-blocking technology, to thwart unauthorized scanning of credit cards and identification. However, these wallets can have shortcomings, especially in terms of bulkiness, if overloaded with cards, pass keys, cash, and other items. The resulting bulk can pose challenges for officers, especially when the wallets are worn on a duty belt, trouser belt, or carried in a pocket, by hindering access, making it difficult for officers to swiftly retrieve their first responder shields or identification during emergencies or encounters with the public. Bulkiness can also impede mobility and even cause discomfort. Because of such limitations, there is a longfelt need for an improved first responder shield wallet designed to reduce bulkiness while maintaining functionality and security.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention broadly comprises a wallet for a first responder shield or badge, including a front sheet having a front slot, a rear sheet having a rear slot in registration with the front slot, the front sheet and the rear sheet secured to one another to form a first pocket therebetween, the first pocket having a top opening, a flap extending from the rear sheet and designed to cover the top opening, and, a fastener operatively arranged to secure the flap to the front sheet to close the first pocket.

In some embodiments of the wallet, the fastener comprises a first magnetic element secured to the flap and a second magnetic element secured to the first sheet. In some embodiments of the wallet, the first magnetic element is embedded within the flap and the second magnetic element is embedded within the first sheet. In some embodiments of the wallet, the fastener comprises a hook component and a loop component, where the hook component is secured to a surface of the flap and the loop component is secured to a surface of the first sheet. In some embodiments of the wallet, the fastener comprises a hook component and a loop component, where the hook component is secured to a surface of the first sheet and the loop component is secured to a surface of the flap.

Some embodiments of the wallet include a divider operatively arranged to be inserted into the first pocket to create sub-compartments. In some embodiments of the wallet, the divider comprises a mesh. Some embodiments of the wallet include a second pocket.

In some embodiments of the wallet, the wallet is substantially rectangular in shape, the rectangle has a length and a width, the rectangle has a longitudinal centerline, and the front slot is arranged to be coincident with the longitudinal centerline. Some embodiments of the wallet include a belt clip operatively arranged to be secured within the rear slot. Some embodiments of the wallet are made from a material in the group consisting of nylon, polyester, and leather.

Benefits and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the following detailed specification and related drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The nature and mode of the operation of the present invention will now be more fully described in the following detailed description of the invention taken with the accompanying drawing figures. It should be understood that these drawings only depict preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not therefore to be considered limiting in scope, thus, the invention will be described with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of the wallet of the invention showing the shield in full view;

FIG. 2 is a left perspective of the wallet shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a right perspective of the wallet shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a front view of the wallet shown in FIG. 1 with the shield removed;

FIG. 5 is a front view of the wallet shown in FIG. 4, but with fasteners extended;

FIG. 6 is a front view of the wallet shown in FIG. 5 with the flap open and fasteners extended;

FIG. 7 is a perspective rear view of the wallet shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is a rear view of the wallet shown in FIG. 7 with fasteners closed;

FIG. 9 is a rear view of the wallet shown in FIG. 8 but with the fasteners extended;

FIGS. 10A-10C illustrates how a shield could be attached to the shield holder of the wallet shown in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 11A-11C illustrates one way in which a shield can be inserted in the wallet shown in FIG. 1 such that the shield will be visible when inserted in the wallet;

FIGS. 12A-12C illustrates one way in which a shield can be inserted in the wallet shown in FIG. 1 such that the shield will be hidden from view when inserted in the wallet;

FIG. 13 is a perspective rear view of the wallet shown in the above figures but with an attached belt clip;

FIGS. 14A-14B is a rear view of the wallet shown in FIG. 13 but with the belt clip detached;

FIGS. 15A-15F are views of the wallet shown in the above figures and also illustrating various belt clip attachment components; and,

FIG. 16 is a rear view of the wallet of FIG. 1 but with hook and loop fastener components.

It should be understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale. In certain instances, details which are not necessary for an understanding of the present invention or which render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Referring now, with more particularity, to the drawings, it should be noted that the disclosed invention is disposed to embodiments in various sizes, shapes, and forms. Therefore, the embodiments described herein are provided with the understanding that the present description is intended as illustrative and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiments described herein. The present invention is directed towards wallets and holders for first responder shields. The wallet for a first responder shield includes a front sheet having a front slot, a rear sheet having a rear slot in registration with the front slot, the front sheet and the rear sheet secured to one another to form a first pocket therebetween, the first pocket having a top opening, a flap extending from the rear sheet and designed to cover the top opening, and, a fastener operatively arranged to secure the flap to the front sheet to close the first pocket. These embodiments are designed to allow items to be secured inside the wallet with the shield exposed and can also contain the shield with the shield being hidden from view. The front and rear slots accommodate a shield fastener such as a pin commonly present on shields.

In some embodiments of the wallet, the fastener comprises a first magnetic element secured to the flap and a second magnetic element secured to the first sheet. The flap, therefore, and in the representative embodiment, may be wider than the rear sheet so that in addition to covering the top opening, a portion of the flap may also fold around sides of the wallet wherein first magnet elements and second magnetic elements can engage each other. In some embodiments of the wallet, the first magnetic element is embedded within the flap and the second magnetic element is embedded within the first sheet. In some embodiments of the wallet, the fastener comprises a hook component and a loop component, where the hook component is secured to a surface of the flap and the loop component is secured to a surface of the first sheet.

Some embodiments of the wallet include a divider operatively arranged to be inserted into the first pocket to create sub-compartments wherein the divider may be permanent or may be removable. In some embodiments of the wallet, the divider comprises a mesh. Some embodiments of the wallet include a second pocket.

In some embodiments of the wallet, the wallet is substantially rectangular in shape, the rectangle having a length and a width, the rectangle having a longitudinal centerline, and the front slot being arranged to be coincident with the longitudinal centerline. Some embodiments of the wallet include a belt clip operatively arranged to be secured within the rear slot. Some embodiments of the wallet are made from a material in the group consisting of nylon, polyester, and leather. Leather includes commonly used bovine hides but may also include natural leather from other mammals, reptiles, birds, and elasmobranchs. Leather could also be made from plant-based products such as, but not limited to, pineapple skins and fungi. Leather can also include artificial, polymer-based leathers, including but not limited to polyurethane and polyvinyl. Wallets in other embodiments could be constructed from such materials as nylon, polyester, and from plastics generally, as well as carbon fiber, natural fibers such as cotton and hemp, and metal. Leather wallets, as described above, may include combinations of non-leather materials listed above, for example, a substantially leather wallet having one or more nylon portions of pockets.

Adverting now to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a front view of wallet 100 with shield 90 in full view. Shield 90 is mounted in front slot 102 of front sheet 101. In this representative embodiment, shield 90 can overlap flap 108 when flap 108 is closed.

FIG. 2 is a left perspective of the wallet shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a right perspective of the wallet shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 illustrates a front view of wallet 100 without shield 90. Front slot 102 is visible in its entirety. Notch 130 in flap 108 functions to make it easier to open the wallet and also provides space for a fastener on the back of the shield (not shown).

FIG. 5 is a front view of wallet 100 shown in FIG. 1 with fasteners 109 in an extended position. Each fastener 109 includes first magnet element 110 and second magnet element 111 which are designed to magnetically couple with one another to secure flap 108 in a closed state. Magnetic elements 110 and 111 could be two magnets where poles of those alignments are properly placed for magnets to attract each other. Magnetic elements 110 and 111 could also be configured where either is a magnet and the other is made of or includes a ferromagnetic material. Other embodiments could include clips, snaps, buttons, hooks, latches, clastic, and other such fasteners could be used, metallic components of which could also be magnetic. A second pocket 119, illustrated here, may also be included in some embodiments.

FIG. 6 is a front view of wallet 100 that illustrates second magnet element 111 disposed in rear sheet 103. Flap 108 extends from rear sheet 103. Further illustrated is first pocket 105 and top opening of first pocket 106 which is designed to be covered by flap 108 when wallet 100 is closed. Divider 121, in this representative embodiment, appears within first pocket 105 and, in some embodiments, may be a mesh. Divider 121 may create a first sub-compartment 115 and a second sub-compartment 116 within the first pocket 105.

FIG. 7 is a perspective rear view of wallet 100 that includes rear sheet 103. Rear slot 104 is in register with front slot 122 and is particularly suited to accept a belt clip 118, shown in FIG. 13. Fasteners 109 fold around from flap 108 (shown in FIG. 4) when flap 108 partly covers front sheet 101 such that fasteners 109 partly cover rear sheet 103, fasteners 109 thereby anchoring on rear sheet 103 to keep flap 108 closed.

FIG. 8 is a rear view of wallet 100 that illustrates wallet 100 and rear sheet 103 with fastener 109 in a closed state. First magnetic element 110 is engaged with second magnetic element 111, not shown, as from this perspective second magnetic element 111 is covered by first magnetic element 110. Rear slot 104 is in registration with front slot 102 from front views of wallet 100. Fasteners 109 fold and partly cover rear sheet 103, the fasteners thereby anchoring on rear sheet 103.

FIG. 9 illustrates wallet 100 and rear sheet 103 with fastener 109 in an open state. First magnetic element 110 is disengaged from second magnetic element 111. Fasteners 109 are extended.

FIGS. 10A-10C illustrate perspective views of a representative assembly of shield 90 and shield holder 122. Shield fastener 123 can pass through slots 102 and 103 from the previous figures as required by a user. The representative shield fastener has pin 124 and latch 125. The shield fastener (pin) is used to affix the shield to an article of clothing, such as a shirt.

FIGS. 11A-11C illustrate as a sequence exposed deployment of shield 90 in wallet 100. Shield 90 is removable. In this illustration, shield backing 122 is inserted into first pocket 105 wherein front slot 102 accommodates shield fastener 123 such that though shield backing 122 is within the first pocket 105, and shield 90 can be visible outside front sheet 101. This would be the typical deployment of shield 90 in wallet 100 either when on display, such as when deployed on a belt, or in a lanyard assembly, or when carried inside a pocket but available for presentation.

FIGS. 12A-12C illustrate as a sequence concealed deployment of shield 90 in wallet 100. Wallet 100 is designed so a first responder user can conceal shield 90 when desiring to use wallet 100 without revealing shield 90. In this illustration, shield backing 122 is inserted into first pocket 105 but behind divider 121 wherein shield 90 and shield backing 122 are concealed by said divider 121.

FIG. 13 illustrates a perspective rear view of wallet 100 with representative belt clip 118. Many belt clip designs are possible. In the representative embodiment, belt clip 118 includes slider 127 designed to slide vertically along outer clip portion 126 of belt clip 118 wherein belt clip 118 can be configured to accommodate belts of different vertical widths. This representative embodiment of the clip 118 addresses that first responder belts, often called tactical belts, are typically wider than civilian belts first responder professionals might wear when off duty or on duty as an investigator or on special details.

FIGS. 14A and 14B illustrate in perspective an embodiment of wallet 100 wherein belt clip 118 is removed, further including belt clip receiver plate socket 131 wherein the belt clip 118 is removable. Belt clip 118 includes slider 127 designed to slide vertically along outer clip portion 126 of belt clip 118 wherein belt clip 118 can be configured to accommodate belts of different vertical widths. Shield fastener has a pin 124 and a latch 125 in registration with slot 104.

FIGS. 15A, 15B, 15C, 15D, 15E, and 15F illustrate belt clip receiver plate outward face 132 perspectives and belt clip 118 perspectives wherein belt clip receiver plate socket 131 is designed to be disposed within aperture 137 of belt clip 118. Belt clip inner face 136 which, when belt clip 118 is attached, is designed to be substantially flush to belt clip receiver plate outward face 132, wherein at belt clip receiver plate slot 134 is designed to accommodate shield fastener pin 124. Shield fastener has pin 124 and latch 125 in registration with slot 104 and receiver plate slot 134.

FIG. 16 illustrates a rear view of wallet 100 in an embodiment having hook 112 and loop 113 components for closing flap 108 wherein fasteners 109 are folded partially around to rear sheet 103 of wallet 100 to removably couple hook 112 and loop 113 portions. In the illustrated embodiment of wallet 100, hook component 112 is disposed on the flap 108 and loop component 113 is disposed on front sheet 101.

The foregoing description, for purposes of explanation, uses specific and defined nomenclature to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the specific details are not required in order to practice the invention. Thus, the foregoing description of the specific embodiment is presented for purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Those skilled in the art will recognize that many changes may be made to the features, embodiments, and methods of making the embodiments of the invention described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the described methods, embodiments, features or combinations of features but include all the variation, methods, modifications, and combinations of features within the scope of the appended claims. The invention is limited only by the claims.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

• • 90 Shield
  • 100 Wallet
  • 101 Front sheet
  • 102 Front slot
  • 103 Rear sheet
  • 104 Rear slot
  • 105 First pocket
  • 106 Top opening of first pocket
  • 108 Flap
  • 109 Fastener
  • 110 First magnetic element
  • 111 Second magnetic element
  • 112 Hook component
  • 113 Loop component
  • 115 First sub-compartment
  • 116 Second sub-compartment
  • 118 Belt clip
  • 119 Second pocket
  • 121 Divider
  • 122 Shield holder
  • 123 Shield fastener
  • 124 Pin
  • 125 Latch
  • 126 Outer clip portion of belt clip
  • 127 Belt clip slider
  • 128 Belt slider stops
  • 130 Flap notch
  • 131 Belt clip receiver plate socket
  • 132 Belt clip receiver plate outward face
  • 134 Belt clip receiver plate slot
  • 136 Belt clip inner face
  • 137 Aperture