Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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A SKI CARRYING DEVICE
The present invention relates to a ski carrying device and particularly but
not exclusively relates to a ski carrying device for enabling a user to
carry a pair of skis hands free.
It has previously been proposed to provide a ski carrying device to
facilitate carrying a pair of skis when not being used. Previous devices
have included a VelcroT'" strip which may be fastened about the pair of
skis to form a loop. A user can fasten a VelcroT" strip at each end of the
skis to prevent the skis from coming apart. A carrying handle may be
provided, the ends of which are secured to the Velcro'"' loops to enable
the secured skis to be picked up once the VelcroT"' has been attached.
However, the use of VelcroT'~ or any other adjustable attachment
mechanism is relatively difficult when wearing thick winter gloves or
mittens as is normal when skiing or when travelling to and from the ski
piste. Also the VelcroT"' loops can come loose during use and can slide
up and down the skis causing the skis to unbalance or move around
beneath the carrying handle thus unbalancing the carrier of the skis.
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a ski
carrying device comprising a carrying strap a first end of which carries
first and second loops, the first loop being captive to the first strap end,
and the second loop being captive to the first loop in chain formation,
the first loop being adapted to be looped around a pair of skis to retain
the skis together, the second loop being adapted to be looped around part
of a boot binding on one of the skis, to support the weight of the skis
when the carrying strap is picked up, a second end of the strap carrying
at least another loop adapted to be looped around another part of the pair
of skis.
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The second loop may be fixedly secured to the first loop, but preferably
the second loop is capable of pivotal movement relative to the first loop.
The freedom to pivot is conveniently achieved by suitable dimensioning
of the first and second loops and by not fixedly attaching the first loop to
the second loop.
Preferably the first loop is fixedly secured to the first end of the strap.
Preferably the first loop is formed integrally with the strap.
Preferably the loops are of non-adjustable dimensions.
Preferably the strap and loops are formed from a woven fabric material.
Most preferably indicia such as a trade name are woven into the material.
Preferably a second end of the carrying strap also carries two loops one
loop of said second end loops being adapted to be looped around the pair
of skis, the other loop of said second end loops being adapted to be
looped around a boot binding.
Preferably said one loop of said second end loops is fixedly secured to
the second strap end.
Preferably the length of the carrying strap is adjustable such that, when
in a short condition the strap, in use, can be gripped by a hand of a user,
and when in a lengthened condition, the strap can be supported by a
shoulder of the user.
Preferably the carrying strap comprises two strap halves which may be
releasably secured together.
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Preferably the two halves of the carrying strap can be releasably secured
together using a quick release mechanism.
Other aspects of the present invention may include any combination of
the features or limitations referred to herein.
According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a ski
carrying device comprising a carrying strap a first end of which carries a
pair of loops, one loop being adapted to be looped around a pair of skis
to retain the skis together, the other loop being adapted to be looped
around part of the boot binding on one of the skis, to support the weight
of the skis when the carrying strap is picked up.
The present invention may be carried into practice in various ways, but
embodiments will now be described by way of example only with
reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a ski carrying device in
accordance with the present invention,
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the ski carrying device of
Figure 1, mounted on a pair of skis, and
Figure 3 is an enlarged view corresponding to Figure 2.
Referring initially to Figure 1, a ski carrying device 1 comprises two
straps 2, 3. Each strap 2, 3 is manufactured from a flexible, woven
material which is substantially nylon based. Any other flexible material
of a strength suitable for carrying a pair of skis may alternatively be
used. The straps 2, 3 may be provided with indicia such as a trade name
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or manufacturer name. Such indicia could be printed onto the straps 2, 3
or interwoven integrally with the straps 2, 3.
Strap 2 has one end secured to a female part 4 of a quick release buckle
of well known construction. The end of the strap 2 is fed through the
female part 4 and is secured to the strap 2 using a sliding length
adjuster 5. The length adjuster 5 is used in known manner to lengthen or
shorten 'the effective length of the strap 2. The opposite end of the strap
2 has a first loop 6 fixedly secured thereto, the first loop 6 being formed
by looping the end of the. strap back on itself and stitching the looped end
to another part of the strap 2 spaced from the extremity of the strap end.
The loop 6 is thus formed integrally with the strap 2 and is of
predetermined, non-adjustable length
A second loop 7 is captive to the first loop 6. The second loop 7
comprises a strip of material which is fed through the loop 6, and curved
into a loop. The ends of the loop 7 are secured together using stitching
or the like. The loop 7 is formed from a woven, flexible fabric which
may be the same fabric as the strap 2. The second loop 7 is captively
retained to the first loop 6 in chain formation, namely so that loop 7 can
pivot freely relative to first loop 6. The advantage of this is that with
the first loop 6 located around the skis it is easy to manipulate the second
loop 7 so that the second loop 7 is positioned on a boot binding. The
strap 3 has one end secured to a male part ~ of the buckle and another
end formed in a further loop 9 in similar manner to loop 6 of strap 2. A
loop 10 is captive to loop 9 in similar manner to loop 7 being captive to
loop 6.
Thus one end of each strap 2, 3 is provided with two adjacent loops
whilst the other end of each strap is provided with a respective part of a
buckle.
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Referring now to Figures 2 and 3, a first ski 10 comprises a boot binding
11 for releasably securing a ski boot to the ski 10. The binding 11
comprises a toe retaining portion 12 and a heel retaining portion 13. A
second ski 14 is of similar construction and comprises a binding 15
5 having a toe retaining portion 16 and a heel retaining portion 17.
The skis 10, 14 are located with the base of the skis 10, 14 parallel to,
and adjacent, one another. The skis 10, 14 may be provided with an
attachment mechanism (not shown) for releasably securing the two skis
10, 14 in this position. Such an attachment mechanism often comprises
two prongs on each ski 10, 14 which interengage. The two prongs on
each ski 10, 14 also function as ski brakes when the individual skis
10, 14 are placed with the bases on the snow and with the bindings open.
The ski carrying device 1 is used as follows:
In use, the loop 6 of strap 2 of the ski carrying device 1 is passed over a
lower end of the skis 10, 14 and is slid along the skis to a position
adjacent heel retaining portion 13, 17 of respective bindings 11 and 15.
The loop 7 is then looped over the heel retaining portion 17 of
binding 15, this having the advantage that if the skis are standing in a
vertical orientation, the loop 7 will hold the lower strap 2 in the air
whilst the other strap 3 is being assembled to the skis.
In order to assemble strap 3 to the skis, the loop 9 of strap 3 is passed
over and slid along the other end of skis 10, 14 and slid to a position
adjacent toe retaining portions 12, 16 of respective bindings 11 and 15.
The loop 10 is then looped over the toe retaining portion 16 of
binding 15.
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The male part ~ of the buckle may then be inserted into the female part 4
of the buckle such that the straps 2 and 3 form a continuous carrying
strap or handle.
The handle may then be used to pick up the pair of skis 10, 14 and to
carry the skis as would be necessary, for example, when leaving the piste
and returning to a hotel or the like.
It will be appreciated that the loops 6, 9 around the skis, especially when
under tension as during carrying the skis with the handle 7, assist in
holding the pair of skis 10, 14 together. The loops 7, 10 around the
binding 15 absorb the weight of the skis 19, 14 when the skis 10, 14 are
picked up and carried. It will be appreciated that depending on which
end of the skis are tilted upwardly only one of the loops 7, 10 may
absorb the weight of the skis 10, 14. For example, if the skis are tilted
so that the toe retaining portions 12 and 16 are uppermost, the loop 7
will absorb the weight of the skis.
It will be appreciated that when carried upright, the lower captive loop 7,
which does not support the weight of the skis, if so wished, can receive
the pointed ends of two ski poles, the handle straps of which can be
looped over and between the tips of the skis.
Thus the double loop arrangement at the ends of the straps 2, 3 serve a
dual function to retain the skis together and support the weight of the skis
when carried.
The length of the strap 2 can be adjusted using length adjuster 5 between
a shortened condition, in which the handle can be gripped by a hand of a
user so that the skis 10, 14 are carried by the user's side, and a
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lengthened condition in which the handle rests on a user's shoulder so
that the skis 10, 14 hang by the user's side or on the user's back.
It will be appreciated that the loops 6, 7, 9 and 10 are all of fixed
dimensions and need no adjustment to be operated. Because there are
two points of attachment at each end of the skis 10, 14 there is no need
to adjust the loops so as to be tightly wrapped around the skis 10, 14 or
the bindings 11, 15. Indeed the loops are specifically dimensioned such
that the loops may be easily and quickly placed around the skis 10, 14 or
the bindings 11, 15 using gloved hands without adjustment. Thus there
is no need to have VelcroT'" adjustment or the like to tighten the loops
around the respective parts of the skis 10, 14.
However this looseness of fit and ease of use does not affect the
portability of the device when attached to the skis because two of the
loops 6, 9 when under tension fasten the skis 10, 14 together whilst at
least one another loop 6, 7 or 10 absorbs the weight of the skis 10, 14.
It does not matter which way the skis 10, 14 are moved or tilted because
one of the loops 7, 10 will always absorb the weight of the skis 10, 14
whilst the other loops 6, 9 fasten the skis 10, 14 together.
Either strap 2, 3 could alternatively be used without the other such that
the skis 10, 14 are secured together using, for example only loop 9 of
strap 3 and are supported by only loop 10 over the toe retaining portion
16 of binding 15. The end of the strap 2 adjacent the male part 8 of the
buckle could be gripped by a user and indeed a handle could be provided
instead of the male part 8 of the buckle.
