HOLDING DEVICE

Description

FIELD

Embodiments disclosed herein relate to devices for attachment of holders of accessories for convenient resting and retrieval of items.

INFORMATION

In an outdoor recreational environment, a participant may carry and/or use items while positioned on a moving vehicle and/or craft, such as a watercraft. Such carried items may include, for example food, beverages, tools and/or sporting equipment, just to provide a few examples.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Claimed subject matter is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. However, both as to organization and/or method of operation, together with objects, features, and/or advantages thereof, it may be best understood by reference to the following detailed description if read with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGS. 1A and 1B are depictions of holding devices capable of being secured to a watercraft, according to a an embodiment;

FIG. 1C is a depiction of a base member of a holding device including bumps and/or burrs to prevent and/or mitigate slippage of a flexible cord disposed in a slot, according to an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a of a base member of a holding device secured by a flexible cord disposed in a slot, according to an embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a side view of a base member of a holding device, according to an embodiment;

FIGS. 4A through 4C are views of a base member of a holding device that is attachable to multiple container members, according to embodiments;

FIG. 5 is a view of a base member of a holding device that is attachable to multiple container members with intersecting slots, according to an embodiment; and

FIG. 6 is a view of a base member of a holding device that is attachable to surface by multiple flexible cords with intersecting flexible cords, according to an embodiment.

Reference is made in the following detailed description to accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, wherein like numerals may designate like parts throughout that are corresponding and/or analogous. It will be appreciated that the figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale, such as for simplicity and/or clarity of illustration. For example, dimensions of some aspects may be exaggerated relative to others. Further, it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized. Furthermore, structural and/or other changes may be made without departing from claimed subject matter. References throughout this specification to “claimed subject matter” refer to subject matter intended to be covered by one or more claims, or any portion thereof, and are not necessarily intended to refer to a complete claim set, to a particular combination of claim sets (e.g., method claims, apparatus claims, etc.), or to a particular claim. It should also be noted that directions and/or references, for example, such as up, down, top, bottom, and so on, may be used to facilitate discussion of drawings and are not intended to restrict application of claimed subject matter. Therefore, the following detailed description is not to be taken to limit claimed subject matter and/or equivalents.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

References throughout this specification to one implementation, an implementation, one embodiment, an embodiment, and/or the like means that a particular feature, structure, characteristic, and/or the like described in relation to a particular implementation and/or embodiment is included in at least one implementation and/or embodiment of claimed subject matter. Thus, appearances of such phrases, for example, in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily intended to refer to the same implementation and/or embodiment or to any one particular implementation and/or embodiment. Furthermore, it is to be understood that particular features, structures, characteristics, and/or the like described are capable of being combined in various ways in one or more implementations and/or embodiments and, therefore, are within intended claim scope. In general, of course, as has always been the case for the specification of a patent application, these and other issues have a potential to vary in a particular context of usage. In other words, throughout the disclosure, particular context of description and/or usage provides helpful guidance regarding reasonable inferences to be drawn; however, likewise, “in this context” in general without further qualification refers to the context of the present disclosure.

As pointed out above, participants in outdoor sports may secure themselves in a moving vehicle and/or craft while engaging in activities such as, for example, fishing, paddle boarding, hunting or water skiing, just to provide a few examples. While on a moving vehicle and/or craft, a person engaged in outdoor sports may also carry additional items such as equipment to be used in a particular activity (e.g., fishing poles, goggles, gloves, guns), beverages, food or tools, just to provide a few examples. In some situations, a participant may prefer to have free hands while carried items are secure within a moving platform but are also accessible within arms reach.

Briefly, one embodiment is directed to a holding device, comprising: a base member; and one or more container members. The base member and/or the one or more container members may comprise features to detachably fasten the base member to at least one of the one or more container members. A slot formed in a junction between the base member and the at least one of the one or more container members may receive a portion of a length of a flexible cord such that the portion of the length of the flexible cord is substantially obscured while the at least one of the one or more container members is detachably fastened to the base member.

FIGS. 1A and 1B are depictions of holding devices capable of being secured to a watercraft, according to an embodiment. Here, a holding device may comprise two parts, a base member 104 and a container member 106, that may be connected together and secured to a surface 100. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1A and 1B, surface 100 may comprise a watercraft and/or paddle board, for example. It should be understood, however, that this is merely an example of a particular surface that may be used for securing a holding device, and claimed subject matter is not limited in this respect.

According to an embodiment, base member 104 and a corresponding container member 106 of a holder device may be formed to have mating threaded portions 110 and 112. This may enable attachment of a base member 104 to a container member 106 by aligning threaded portions 110 and 112, and rotating container member 106 relative to base member 106 in a first rotational direction until surface 121 of base portion 104 and surface 122 of container member 106 meet. FIG. 1A shows three holder devices where base members 104 are attached to corresponding container members 106. An attached container member 106 may then be separated from a corresponding base member 104 by rotating the attached container member 106 in a second rotational direction (e.g., rotational direction opposite the aforementioned first rotational direction). FIG. 1B shows two container members 106 separated from corresponding base members 104.

In the particular embodiment of FIGS. 1A and 1B, surface 100 may be provided on a watercraft (e.g., paddleboard) that includes one or more flexible cords 102 stretched over surface 100 and held in place by loops 108. Here, a potion of a flexible cord 102 may be secured at two points by loops 108 as shown. It should be understood, however, that a portion of a flexible cord may be secured at two points by other devices such as, for example, nautical cleats and/or knots tied to other stationary objects. In one implementation, flexible cords 102 may comprise elastic cords wrapped in fabric as so-called “bungee” cords. In other implementations, flexible cords 102 may comprise rope, twine, nylon threading, just to provide a few examples.

According to an embodiment, base member 104 and/or container member 106 may be formed from any one of several different polymers such as, for example, polylactic acid, polyethylene, polyurethane, ABS, or nylon, just to provide a few examples. Base member 104 and/or container member 106 may be formed using any one of several techniques such as, for example, 3-D printing, injection molding and/or milling from solid block material, just to provide a few examples.

As shown in FIG. 2, a base member 104 may have a slot 114 formed therein to receive portion of a flexible cord 102. Slot 114 may be dimensioned relative to a thickness of a typical flexible cord 102 (e.g., bungee cord) for a snug fit. In one particular implementation, slot 114 may have a width of 4.0 to 6.0 mm, just to provide an example width. As shown in FIG. 3, slot 114 may be formed to a depth below a top surface of base member 104 so that a portion of flexible cord 102 disposed therein is held in place after a container member 106 is fastened onto/over the base member 104. In one embodiment, a holding device may be secured to surface 100 by first positioning a corresponding base member 104 underneath a flexible cord 102 such that a bottom portion of base member 104 abuts surface 100. A portion of the flexible cord 102 may then be disposed in/inserted in the length of slot 114 formed on a top portion of base 104. A corresponding container member 106 may then be fastened to the base member to secure the holding device to the flexible cord disposed in slot 114.

As may be observed, slot 114 provides a slot to be formed in to hold a portion of flexible cord 102 may be formed in a junction between a base member 104 and a container member 106 when the base member 104 and container member 106 are coupled together. With a flat surface 121 of base member 104 abutting flat surface 122 of container member 106, a portion of a flexible cord 102 disposed in the slot 114 may be substantially obscured. In one implementation, slot 114 may be sized so that the portion of flexible cord 102 of a given thickness may be constricted and/or pinched in the slot 114 while base member 104 and container member 106 are coupled together to prevent slippage of the holding device on flexible cord 102. In another implementation, slot 114 may have small teeth and/or burrs 123 (FIG. 1C) that may further act to prevent slippage of flexible cord 102 while disposed in slot 114.

In the particular embodiments of FIGS. 1A, 1B, 2 and 3, a portion of a flexible cord 102 may be held in a slot 114 formed in a base portion 104, such that the portion of the flexible cord 102 is secured in a junction between the base portion 104 and a container portion 106 when they are attached so that surfaces 121 and 122 meet. In another implementation, a slot may instead be formed in a container portion so that a portion of a flexible cord may be held in place in the slot formed in the container portion when the container portion is attached to a corresponding base portion.

In the particular example embodiments shown in FIGS. 1A, 1B, 2 and 3, a base member 104 and container member 106 may be detachably fastened to one another by engaging corresponding threaded portions 110 and 112, and rotating container member 106 relative to base member 103. In other embodiments, a base member and a container member may be detachably fastened to one another by different features such as, for example, buckles, snaps, ridges/bumps etc. formed in polymer structures of the base and container members to enable snap-fitting, just to provide a few examples.

FIGS. 4A through 4C are views of a single base member of a holding device that is attachable to multiple container members, according to embodiments. In the particular implementations shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, a slot 414 may be formed through multiple threaded portions 410 to receive a single flexible cord (not shown). Threaded portions of one or more container members (not shown) may be separately mated with threaded portions 410 to obscure corresponding portions of the single flexible cord and to position and/or clamp the holding device to the flexible cord. Here, one or more container portions may be secured to a base 404/406/408 by aligning threads of a container portion and rotating the container portion relative to the base 404/406/408 until a surface of the container portion meets a surface 421/423/425. A single flexible cord disposed in a slot 414 may be secured in junction(s) between base 404/406/408 and one or more container portions.

FIG. 5 is a view of a base member 504 of a holding device that is attachable to multiple container members (not shown) with intersecting slots 514, according to an embodiment. In one application, multiple slots 514 may intersect a single threaded portion 510 formed in base member 504 to receive multiple intersecting flexible cords (not shown). This may, for example, provide additional support for securing the holding device to a surface. In another application, multiple intersecting slots 514 need not be filled with corresponding flexible cord portions, but may enable flexibility in positioning and/or orienting base member 504 on a surface relating to a direction/orientation of the flexible cord. Here, one or more container portions may be secured to base 504 by aligning threads of a container portion and rotating the container portion relative to the base 504 until a surface of the container portion meets surface 521. A single flexible cord disposed in a slot 414 may be secured in junction(s) between base 504 and one or more container portions.

FIG. 6 is a view of a base member of a holding device that is attachable to surface by multiple flexible cords with intersecting flexible cords, according to an embodiment.

In a particular context of usage, such as a particular context in which tangible components are being discussed, therefore, the terms “coupled” and “connected” are used in a manner so that the terms are not synonymous. Similar terms may also be used in a manner in which a similar intention is exhibited. Thus, “connected” is used to indicate that two or more tangible components and/or the like, for example, are tangibly in direct physical contact. However, “coupled,” is used to mean that potentially two or more tangible components are tangibly in direct physical contact. Nonetheless, is also used to mean that two or more tangible components and/or the like are not necessarily tangibly in direct physical contact, but are able to co-operate, liaise, and/or interact, such as, for example, by being “optically coupled.” Likewise, the term “coupled” may be understood to mean indirectly connected in an appropriate context.

Unless otherwise indicated, in the context of the present disclosure, the term “or” if used to associate a list, such as A, B, or C, is intended to mean A, B, and C, here used in the inclusive sense, as well as A, B, or C, here used in the exclusive sense. With this understanding, “and” is used in the inclusive sense and intended to mean A, B, and C; whereas “and/or” can be used in an abundance of caution to make clear that all of the foregoing meanings are intended, although such usage is not required. In addition, the term “one or more” and/or similar terms is used to describe any feature, structure, characteristic, and/or the like in the singular, “and/or” is also used to describe a plurality and/or some other combination of features, structures, characteristics, and/or the like. Furthermore, the terms “first,” “second'” “third,” and the like are used to distinguish different aspects, such as different components, as one example, rather than supplying a numerical limit or suggesting a particular order, unless expressly indicated otherwise. Likewise, the term “based on” and/or similar terms are understood as not necessarily intending to convey an exhaustive list of factors, but to allow for existence of additional factors not necessarily expressly described.

It is further noted that the terms “type” and/or “like,” if used, such as with a feature, structure, characteristic, and/or the like, using “optical” or “electrical” as simple examples, means at least partially of and/or relating to the feature, structure, characteristic, and/or the like in such a way that presence of minor variations, even variations that might otherwise not be considered fully consistent with the feature, structure, characteristic, and/or the like, do not in general prevent the feature, structure, characteristic, and/or the like from being of a “type” and/or being “like,” (such as being an “optical-type” or being “optical-like,” for example) if the minor variations are sufficiently minor so that the feature, structure, characteristic, and/or the like would still be considered to be predominantly present with such variations also present. Thus, continuing with this example, the terms optical-type and/or optical-like properties are necessarily intended to include optical properties. Likewise, the terms electrical-type and/or electrical-like properties, as another example, are necessarily intended to include electrical properties. It should be noted that the specification of the present disclosure merely provides one or more illustrative examples and claimed subject matter is intended to not be limited to one or more illustrative examples; however, again, as has always been the case with respect to the specification of a patent application, particular context of description and/or usage provides helpful guidance regarding reasonable inferences to be drawn.

In the preceding description, various aspects of claimed subject matter have been described. For purposes of explanation, specifics, such as amounts, systems and/or configurations, as examples, were set forth. In other instances, well-known features were omitted and/or simplified so as not to obscure claimed subject matter. While certain features have been illustrated and/or described herein, many modifications, substitutions, changes and/or equivalents will now occur to those skilled in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all modifications and/or changes as fall within claimed subject matter.