Clip for securing a wearable item

Abstract

A securing apparatus may be configured to secure a wearable item to any one of a variety of different graspable articles, in a suitable manner. The securing apparatus may include a securing portion, having multiple securing members. The stiffness of one of the securing members may differ from the stiffness of another securing member. The securing members may be cantilevers. In some embodiments, the anchored end of one of the cantilevers may be attached to the deflecting end of another cantilever. One of the cantilevers may deform plastically due to repeated usage with relatively thick garments, though, by employing at least one additional cantilever in an appropriate manner, the ability to grip thinner garments in a suitable manner remains uncompromised.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A securing apparatus, comprising:
 a receiving portion constructed and arranged to receive a wearable item; and   a securing portion adapted to receive and couple with an edge of a graspable article, the securing portion including a first securing member having a first stiffness and a second securing member having a second stiffness, wherein the first stiffness is greater than the second stiffness.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first securing member is a first cantilever and the second securing member is a second cantilever, each of the first and second cantilevers having an anchored end and a deflecting end. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first securing member is connected to the second securing member. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first securing member and the second securing member is configured to deflect upon insertion of the graspable article into the securing portion. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the second securing member is configured to deflect upon insertion of the graspable article into the securing portion. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein both the first securing member and the second securing member are configured to deflect upon insertion of the graspable article into the securing portion. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second securing member has at least one protrusion adapted to grip the graspable article upon insertion into the securing portion. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein upon insertion of the graspable article into the securing portion, the first securing member is adapted to provide a first biasing force upon the graspable article and the second securing member is adapted to provide a second biasing force upon the graspable article. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the first biasing force upon the graspable article is greater than the second biasing force upon the graspable article. 
     
     
         10 . A securing apparatus, comprising:
 a receiving portion constructed and arranged to receive a wearable item; and   a securing portion adapted to receive and couple with an edge of a graspable article, the securing portion including a first cantilever and a second cantilever, the first cantilever connected to the second cantilever, wherein at least one of the first cantilever and the second cantilever is configured to deflect upon insertion of the graspable article into the securing portion.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein a first stiffness of the first cantilever is greater than a second stiffness of the second cantilever. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein a deflecting end of the first cantilever is located at an insertion end of the securing portion and a deflecting end of the second cantilever is located at a retaining end of the securing portion. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein a deflecting end of the first cantilever is attached to an anchored end of the second cantilever. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the second cantilever is configured to deflect upon insertion of the graspable article into the securing portion. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein both the first cantilever and the second cantilever are configured to deflect upon insertion of the graspable article into the securing portion. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the second cantilever has at least one protrusion adapted to grip the graspable article upon insertion into the securing portion. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein upon insertion of the graspable article into the securing portion, the first cantilever is adapted to provide a first biasing force to the graspable article and the second cantilever is adapted to provide a second biasing force to the graspable article. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the first biasing force upon the graspable article is greater than the second biasing force upon the graspable article. 
     
     
         19 . A method of securing a wearable item to a graspable article, comprising:
 coupling the wearable item to a receiving portion of a securing apparatus; and   inserting an edge of the graspable article into a securing portion of the securing apparatus such that at least one of a first cantilever and a second cantilever of the securing portion deflects upon insertion of the graspable article into the securing portion, wherein a stiffness of the first cantilever is greater than a stiffness of the second cantilever.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein inserting the edge of the graspable article into the securing portion of the securing apparatus includes deflecting both the first cantilever and the second cantilever. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein deflecting both the first cantilever and the second cantilever includes providing a first biasing force upon the graspable article from the first cantilever and providing a second biasing force upon the graspable article from the second cantilever. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein inserting the edge of the graspable article into the securing portion of the securing apparatus results in deflection of the first cantilever and application of a biasing force from the first cantilever greater than a biasing force from the second cantilever upon the graspable article. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein inserting the edge of the graspable article into the securing portion of the securing apparatus results in deflection of the second cantilever and application of a biasing force from the second cantilever greater than a biasing force from the first cantilever upon the graspable article.