CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 63,029,147, filed on May 22, 2020.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A. Field of the Invention

The present invention provides an adaptative multi-use utility sleeve that enables quick, convenient, and tenacious securement of the utility sleeve to a person's appendage or torso while also allowing for the swift and convenient attachment and detachment of a variety of items to the utility sleeve.

B. Prior Art

There are many situations when storing one or more handheld items in a pocket of an article of clothing may not be preferable or even possible. Furthermore, storing one or more handheld items with handbags, backpacks, and the like are often undesirable or inconvenient. The wearable sleeves known within the prior art are often difficult and cumbersome to attach or fail in providing adequate structural support for securing an electronic communication device or other item. Other wearable sleeves are often limited by design to only allow for securing a specific individual handheld item or to only integrate with a specific electronic device. However, the present invention aims to solve these issues by providing an adaptive multi-use utility sleeve that is versatile and allows for quick attachment, reliable securement, a variety of configurations, and a secure compact folding mechanism for easy storage when it is not in use.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides several embodiments of an adaptive multi-use utility sleeve that enables quick and secure attachment to a person's appendage or torso and allows for the convenient securement of one or more handheld items. The quick and secure attachment to a person's appendage or torso of adaptive multi-use utility sleeve, hereinafter referred to as the “utility sleeve”, is accomplished by cleverly integrating a plurality of strips of hook material, a plurality of strips of loop material, and a plurality of bistable ribbons.

Several embodiments of the utility sleeve are provided. It is anticipated that each embodiment of the utility sleeve may be worn or attached to another object in a folded or unfolded configuration.

The utility sleeve comprises an interior surface and an exterior surface. The interior and exterior surfaces are comprised of one or more layers of fabric. The interior and exterior surfaces are further comprised of a plurality of sections and a variety of materials that are designed to enhance the adaptive functionality of the utility sleeve. The plurality of sections may comprise primary and secondary sections. Each section of the plurality of sections comprises a plurality of boundaries. Each primary section comprises one or more layers of fabric that secure to one or more metal ribbons. Each secondary section comprises one or more layers of fabric. It is preferable to provide at least one secondary section between adjacent primary sections. The interior surface further provides a first end loop strip. The first end loop strip provides a loop material that is used to assist in securing the closure of the utility sleeve when it is worn in an unfolded configuration.

Each bistable ribbon is in a state of static equilibrium when either in an elongated straightened position or a curled position. When sufficient compressive stresses are applied to the bistable ribbon while it is in its elongated straightened position, it eventually reaches a critical stress that results in a snap-through buckling mode of instability which activates a geometric transition of the bistable ribbon to the curled position. The transition between the elongated straightened position is nearly instantaneous.

Each primary section secures at least one bistable ribbon. The bistable ribbons provided by the utility sleeve are flexurally coupled to one another such that the transition between states of static equilibrium of each bistable ribbon occur contemporaneously.

Providing secondary sections between the primary sections enables the utility sleeve to be folded onto itself in such a way that allows in the bistable ribbons being stacked and longitudinally aligned. The folded configuration of the utility sleeve provides for a more concentrated clasping force provided by the bistable ribbons during the geometric transition from their elongated straightened position to the curled position. As a result, when the utility sleeve is worn in the folded configuration it latches onto a user with a greater clasping force and improves its resistance to slippage around the body part which it is secured to.

