AU2005100812A4 - Boardsling - Google Patents

Description

TITLE: BOARDSLING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention THIS INVENTION relates to a boardsling for the carrying of water and snow sport equipment, such as surfboards and other water sports boards.

2. Prior Art Examples of prior art slings are disclosed in GB2082897 (Rai); (ii) US 3,377,007 (Gayler Jr); and (iii) US 4,699,415 (Skovajsa), but these all have one or more practical limitations.

An improved boardsling is disclosed in my Innovation Patent 2005100155, which overcomes most, if not all, of the limitations of the prior art slings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a boardsling which is an improvement over the boardsling in AU 2005100155.

It is a preferred object to provide a boardsling where respective pairs of opposed stirrups or hooks are arranged to restrain, or clamp, the water or snow sport equipment therebetween.

It is a further preferred object to provide a boardsling where the spacing between the opposed stirrups or hooks is easily and readily adjustable.

Preferably, the boardsling incorporates plastic or metal stirrups or hooks connected to straps which go over the user's shoulder(s) to prevent strain on their back, hands and/or arms.

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SPreferably, the boardsling is designed to carry the water or C* snow sports equipment hands-free.

Preferably, the stirrups or hooks are lined with a non-slip 5 membrane to provide non-slip engagement between the stirrups or hooks oo 0 and the equipment being carried.

In a broad aspect, the present invention resides in a boardsling Sfor hands-free carrying of water or snow sports equipment, including: a shoulder strap connected to, or integral with, a pair of end straps, each end strap being connected to a respective, substantially C- or U-shaped lower stirrup or hook; and a respective, substantially C- or U-shaped upper stirrup or hook, slidably mounted on each end strap and movable towards, or away from, its respective lower stirrup or hook for releasable engagement of the water or snow sports equipment between the opposed pair of upper and lower stirrups or hooks on each end strap.

Preferably, each stirrup or hook is formed of metal or plastics material.

Preferably, each stirrup or hook is lined with a non-slip membrane, engageable with the water or snow sports equipment to be carried.

Preferably, each lower stirrup or hook has a longitudinal slot on one side to receive a respective one of the end straps.

Preferably, each upper stirrup or hook has a pair of spaced, Sparallel, slots on one side to receive a respective one of the end straps.

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a Preferably, the slots in the upper and lower stirrups or hooks are inclined, eg., at 50-100 to the longitudinal axes of the stirrups or hooks.

Other preferred features will become apparent from the following description.

00 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS STo enable the invention to be fully understood, a preferred embodiment will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which: FIG. 1 is a side view of a person carrying a surfboard using the boardsling of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the boardsling; FIG. 3 is a part-exploded view of a padded shoulder strap; FIG. 4 is a front view of the attachment of the shoulder strap to the straps; and FIGS. 5 and 6 are perspective views of the lower and upper stirrups or hooks, respectively.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. 1, the boardsling 10, to be hereinafter described in more detail, is used over one shoulder 101 of the user 100 to carry a surfboard 105 or other water or snow sports equipment water- or snow-skis) hands-free.

By adjustment of the length of the boardsling 10, it can be worn Q)diagonally across the user's shoulders 101; or

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a over both shoulders 101 and behind the neck 102 with the surfboard 105 transverse to the body of the user 100).

The boardsling 10 has a shoulder strap 20, surrounded by a padded tube 21, connected to a pair of adjustable end straps 22, 23 by 00oo suitable releasable clips 24, 25 (engaged in reinforced eyes 26, 27).

Each end strap 22, 23 is connected at its other end to a 1 respective substantially U-shaped lower stirrup or hook 28, 29 where the end straps pass through horizontal slits or slots 30 in one side of the lower stirrups or hooks 28, 29.

A respective U-shaped upper stirrup or hook 31, 32 is slidably mounted on the end straps 22, 23 passing through a pair of spaced, parallel slots or slits 33, 34.

Adjusters 35 on the end straps 22, 23 enable the length of the end straps 22, 23 to be adjusted; and the upper stirrups or hooks 31, 32 can be moved towards or away from their respective opposed lower stirrups or hooks 28, 29 to enable surfboards 105 (or other equipment) of different widths to be accommodated.

The stirrups or hooks 28, 29, 31, 32 are preferably lined with a non-slip membrane 36 and are arranged to engage a respective side rail of a surfboard 105 or the water or snow sports equipment to be carried.

Preferably, each stirrup or hook 28, 29, 31, 32 is formed of metal or plastics material and the respective shapes illustrated are by way of example only.

Q It is preferred that the slots oABr slits 30, 33, 34 on the stirrups or hooks 28, 29, 31, 32 be inclined, eg., at an angle of 50, to the axes of the 0 stirrups or hooks.

In an alternative embodiment not shown, the shoulder strap and end straps 22, 23 may be integral; and the padded tube 21 may be 00 0omitted.

The boardsling 10 enables a user to carry the water or snow (N sports equipment on their shoulder, thereby preventing strain to their back, hands and/or arms.

Claims (4)

1. A boardsling for hands-free carrying water or snow sports equipment, including: a padded strap adjustably connected to, or integral with, a pair of end straps, each end strap being connected to a respective, substantially 00oo C- or U-shaped stirrup or hook; and Sa respective, substantially C- or U-shaped upper stirrup or C hook, slidably mounted on each end strap and movable towards, or away from, its respective lower stirrup or hook for releasable engagement of the water or snow sports equipment between the opposed pair of upper and lower stirrups or hooks on each end strap.

2. A boardsling as claimed in Claim 1, wherein: each stirrup or hook is lined with a non-slip membrane, engageable with the water or snow sports equipment to be carried.

3. A boardsling as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein: each lower stirrup or hook has a horizontal slot on one side to receive a respective one of the end straps; and each upper stirrup or hook has a pair of spaced, parallel, slots on one side to receive a respective one of the end straps.

4. A boardsling as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3 wherein: each stirrup or hook is formed of metal or plastics material. A boardsling substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.