During endurance sports and events, as well as during military operations, there exists a need to provide essential nutrition and rehydration to optimize physical performance. Many attempts have been made to provide nutrition in a convenient manner. For example, the ubiquitous canteen worn by Soldiers on their belts can be considered a precursor to the CamelBak® fluid holder worn on the back of cyclists. The CamelBak® has a tube that runs from the bladder to the cyclist's mouth so the cyclist never needs to stop bicycling to get fluids. Rather than developing similar innovative methods of carrying food substances, innovation in this area focuses on reducing the size of the food while increasing nutrition and/or calories per weight. This one-dimensional innovation relies on traditional means of carrying the food, such as pockets and bags, or else forgoes nutrition and supplementation.
The electronics industry has developed means for wearing or carrying radios, telephones, music players, and calculators. The golfing industry has developed numerous products for holding golf balls, golf tees, divots, and other golf paraphernalia. Similarly, the hunting industry has developed wearable means for carrying bullets, arrows and the like. For example, U.S. Design Pat. No. 496,155 discloses an arm band carrier that holds devices, such as a cell phone. The arm band carrier includes an open pocket for the cell phone, two side tubular pockets for holding articles such as pens, and a pouch with a flap to close the pouch. U.S. Pat. No. 5,368,042 discloses a forearm mounted biofeedback device for monitoring muscular movement. The device includes a strap upon which are mounted electrodes, a ground, an electronic amplifier, and an indicator.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,069,954 discloses a wrist band for carrying tees and golf ball position markers. The wrist band includes three loops that have a channel to receive golf tees. The wrist band also includes slotted pouches into which position markers can be inserted with the disc or head under the fabric and the pin sticking out through the slot in the fabric. U.S. Pat. No. 5,365,609 discloses a golf glove with a holder for golf tees and ball markers. The glove includes two layers for holding the tees and markers. The inner layer includes channels having openings that receive the golf tees. The outer layer includes a slotted pocket having a slot through which the tang extends. U.S. Pat. No. 6,173,451 discloses a golf accessory wrist band that includes a pouch to hold a divot tool, pouches to hold golf tees, and a retaining member to hold position markers. The retaining member includes openings into which the shaft of the position marker is inserted.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,374,719 discloses a band with a resilient block having apertures for receiving ammunition, such as lead pellets. U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,531 discloses a leg mounted quiver for holding arrows for an archer. The quiver includes a lower compartment that receives the sharp end of the arrows and an attachment portion that slides into a mounting bracket. U.S. Pat. No. 5,271,176 discloses an arm mounted bullet holder. The holder is a closed band that includes an inner foam rubber layer and an outer fabric layer. The holder includes openings into which the bullets can be inserted. U.S. Pat. No. 5,967,391 discloses a forearm mounted game call holder. The holder includes a band that encircles the arm and on which are attached securing loops that retain the game call. U.S. Pat. No. 3,273,766 discloses a wrist article retaining device that includes a holder that has a base that fits, and can slide, within a slotted channel. The holder includes a pair of arms that clamp around an article such as a flashlight to retain the article to the holder.
Other prior art containers include pill containers by Apothecary Products, Inc. U.S. Pat. No. 6,000,546 discloses containers have an openable lid that is opened to access pills held within a container. The person accessing the pills within the container must either rotate the container to empty the contents or reach in to pull out the contents. Some of the products provided by this company include removable compartments that can be separated from the remainder of the container. In addition, some of the products may be attached to a key chain. However, none of the products appear to be either wearable or openable to easily access the contents of the container. What is meant by the latter is that to access the contents of the container of the prior art, one opens a lid that covers one surface of the container. The person must then reach into the compartment and pull the pill up and out to obtain the compartment's contents rather than easily access the pill and pull it out.
The above described prior art does not, however, describe containers or holders that can be mounted to the body or equipment and used to carry food, snacks, supplements, or medication.
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USPTO Backgrounds