Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02500086 2005-03-09
Slip Resistant Releasable Strap
DESCRIPTION:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to hook and loop fastening straps in general and in
particular to
novel slip-resistant cinch and bundling straps which have a wide variety of
applications.
"Bundling straps" are herein defined as straps having no buckle by which means
tension to the
strap can be applied, and "cinch straps" are herein defined as straps wherein
a buckle is utilized to
facilitate the application of cinching forces.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND PRIOR ART
Because the idea of the invention presented here originated with a search for
an affordable
and reusable device in the form of a hook and loop cinch strap to encompass
and secure an ice
skate tightly to the lower leg/ankle area of a skater, it will be described
herein with particular
reference thereto. However, it will be appreciated that the slip-resistant
hook and loop cinch and
bundling devices of the present invention in its various embodiments can be
used in many
applications wherein a low cost, easily attachable, releasable and/or
adjustable strap that is
resistant to shifting or slipping against the objects) being secured by said
strap is required.
Examples of other applications includes, but is not limited to, bundling
plastic pipe and tent poles,
lashing a ladder to roof racks, or holding shin pads to a leg.
It is generally recognized that in order for many skaters to perform with
maximum
efficiency and power it is necessary to secure the skate boot ankle snugly
around the skater's
ankle. A common practice is to wrap the skate ankles with a non-reusable
plastic adhesive tape.
While effective, the drawbacks of this practice are: the tape has a tendency
to leave a sticky
residue on the skate boot; these tapes have a tendency to stretch and break
with relatively little
tension which limits how tight a fit is possible between the skate and the
ankle of the skater; tapes
have a low degree of resiliency and a tendency to stretch over time in
response the
multidirectional forces in the ankle area resulting in the skate loosening up
around the ankle of the
skater; tape is onerous to apply and once applied it is difficult to re-adjust
the tension without
ruining the tape; and generally tape is not reusable making it relatively
expensive to use. Many
amateurs and novices, those who are most in need of ankle support, do not
generally use tape for
one or more of these reasons.
Another practice, one that is not generally recommended by those informed in
the art is, if
the laces are long enough, to wrap the end sections of the skate laces tightly
around the ankles
CA 02500086 2005-03-09
2
before securing with a bow. The drawback with this method of securing the
skate ankle snugly
around the ankle of the skater relates to the relative narrowness of the skate
lace material
whereby wrapping the laces too tight causes them to cut or "bite" into the
skate boot material (a
condition referred to herein after as "lace bite") which causes discomfort to
the skater's ankle
beneath the laces and/or may cut off or reduce blood flow to the feet.
Canadian Patent No. 2324900 to Laverdiere relates to a relatively wide (5
inch) strap
comprised of an elongated strip of elastomeric material with what is known in
the art as hook and
loop fasteners affixed to the two extremities which when engaged hold the
strap in a closed
position around the skate ankle. The limitations of this device, some of which
will become clearer
with the following examination of the prior art and the description of the
invention presented
here, includes: straps of different lengths and thicknesses need to be
manufactured to
accommodate different skate sizes and the different elastic retentive forces
that might be wanted
and/or needed; application and adjustments require the use of two hands making
it somewhat
awkward and at times inconvenient to apply and adjust; and whereas some
skaters prefer to have
ankle support that does not stretch, this device does not provide for them
Canadian Patent No.2011065 to Rosen relates to a skate ankle support strap in
the
form of a cinch that is comprised of a two inch wide strap of non-stretching
synthetic material
such as woven nylon with one free end attached to a retaining device in the
form of a rectangular
buckle through which the other free end is passed in order that cinching
forces may be applied.
To secure the strap at the desired tension Rosen's invention is further
comprised of hook and loop
fastening elements secured to the appropriate surfaces of the woven nylon
strap. Both
Laverdiere"s and Rosen's skate ankle support straps are an improvement over
tape in several
ways. They are clean as they leave no adhesive residue, they are relatively
easy to attach and re-
adjust, and they are reusable. Also, with Rosen's device in the form of a
cinch strap utilizing non-
stretch materials one is able to apply greater and/or more constant tension to
the skate ankle area
than with adhesive tapes or with elastomeric devices such as Laverdiere's,
resulting in less
movement of the ankle in the skate boot. Furthermore, with the cinch straps
being relatively wide
the pressure of the strap in against the ankle is distributed evenly over a
wider area than that of
laces, thus eliminating lace bite. Further, our testing indicates that a two
inch wide strap provides
adequate support to the ankle area. Finally, Rosen's device overcomes other
limitations of
Laverdiere's invention in that: only one hand is needed to adjust tension,
which is advantageous
to hockey players out on the ice; being constructed of non-stretch materials
it accommodates
CA 02500086 2005-03-09
those skaters wanting non-stretch support; and whereas a wider range of
adjustment is possible
one strap size will fit any size skate thus only one strap size need be
produced. However, there
are several drawbacks to Rosen's invention that will become clearer as we
progress through the
examination of the prior art and describe the invention being presented
herein. Three of the more
significant drawbacks are related directly to the particular materials
comprising the device; it is
relatively bulky as unnecessary materials are used, the assembly of which also
adds to the cost of
the device; whereas some skaters prefer to have more flexibility in the ankle
area, Rosen's
invention being constructed of non stretch fabric cannot accommodate them; and
thirdly, the
synthetic fabric comprising the strap body provides relatively little
resistance to slippage (defined
below), which results in a tendency to over tighten the strap and/or the need
for frequent re-
adjustment of the device. This particular problem is noted by users of straps
of Rosen's design
(sold under the trade name "Sonic Arch") on an online feedback forum
established by a merchant
of said strap. (Information found on the Internet January, 31, 2005 at
www.fo~do~.com/sm-sonic-
arch-ankle-ti~htners--pi-503724.htm1- ""Read"reviews").
Hook and loop fasteners referred to above and such as described in U.S. Patent
No.s
2,717,437 and 3,009,235 which are marketed under the registered trademark
VELCRO are
generally formed of paired sheets of synthetic woven or knitted fabric, one
element having raised
threads of synthetic material, such as nylon, which are napped or un-napped to
provide a surface
defined by a plurality of loops, and the other element having a plurality of
semi-rigid synthetic
hooks protruding from the surface which hook into the loops of the opposing
surface when
pressed into a face-to-face relationship. Hook and loop fasteners have gained
widespread
acceptance because the properties of the mating hooks and loops permit easy
attachment and
removal, the user merely having to press the surface defined by the hooks
against the surface
defined by the loops to engage the fastening elements, and separation of
engaged fastening
elements is readily accomplished by pulling the free end of the overlapping
fastening section
away from the other in a direction relatively perpendicular to the interfacial
plane of engagement.
At the same time, when engaged these fasteners tend to resist separation in
directions parallel to
the interfacial plane of engagement thus providing a strong fastener for cinch
and bundling straps
used in many applications.
There are numerous examples in the prior art of applications of hook and loop
fasteners to
cinch and bundling straps wherein some or all sections of the main body of the
strap are
comprised of a strap section of synthetic woven or knitted fabric containing
hook fastening
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elements and/or a length of synthetic woven or knitted fabric containing the
mating loop
fastening elements. Examples of such straps includes: Canadian Patent No.
1106578 to
Hasslinger relates to a tourniquet which is in the form of a hook and loop
cinch strap; U.S. Patent
4,888,830 to Putnam relates to quick release adjustable tension strap for
exerting tension on a
desired object or objects; U.S. Patent 5,548,871 to Trethewey relates to
infinitely adjustable hook
and loop bundling straps; U.S. Patent 3,000,384 to Piers relates to a hook and
loop fastener tie for
use by women in encircling and binding a hank or lock of hair in a desired
shape such as in a
pony tail or the like; Canadian Patent No. 2422808 to Carbonneau and others
relates to a
releasable strap in the form of a hook and loop bundling strap. Our testing
showed that the
synthetic woven or knitted fabric with which most hook and loop fasteners are
constructed is in
and of itself sufficiently strong in terms of the tensile strength and tear
resistance required when
used as, for example, the main strap portion of a skate ankle cinch strap. A
cinch strap
constructed of said materials effectively eliminates the need for the woven
sheet of material
forming the main strap section of Rosen's skate strap thus resulting in a less
bulky and less
expensive product.
In addition to cinching or bundling one or more objects together securely, it
is generally
desired of most cinching or bundling devices that they eliminate or minimize
movement between
the strap and the objects) being bound or cinched. This movement of the strap
relative to the
objects) encompassed is defined herein after as "slippage". However, one
characteristic of the
synthetic materials with which Rosen"s invention and the hook and loop straps
referred to above
are constructed is they tend to provide relatively little resistance to
slippage against many other
synthetic and natural materials and finishes. Our testing of skate ankle cinch
straps wherein the
strap component is constructed of woven synthetic hook and loop fabric and
wherein the woven
backing to the fastening elements is in face to face contact with the sutface
of the skate it
encompasses indicates that while the materials and dimensions of the straps
provides suffcient
support and ease of use, they generally provided insufficient resistance to
slippage. The
multidirectional forces in the ankle area resulting from typical skating
movements, in
combination with the tapered shape of the ankle and the materials comprising
the smooth outer
surface of most ice skates tend to cause the strap to slide towards the top of
the skate which,
being narrower, essentially loosens the strap tension necessitating frequent
re-adjustment of said
strap.
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The generally accepted practice for reducing slippage between non adhesive
backed cinch
and bundling straps constructed of synthetic knitted or woven material simply
entails cinching or
wrapping the strap tighter around the objects) being bound. However, this is
not always a
practicable and/or efficacious solution. In some applications of hook and loop
cinching or
bundling straps the amount of tension required to eliminate or reduce slippage
to an acceptable
degree is such that it causes damage and/or discomfort to the bound object(s).
This is the case in
applications such as skate ankle support straps where further tightening, in
addition to making the
skate uncomfortably tight around the ankle of the skater, is not an optimal
condition insofar as it
relates to maximizing skating efficiency and power as different individuals
need and/or want
different tension settings. It also does not reduce the frequency of the need
for re-adjustment of
the strap to an acceptable level.
While it is advantageous to have a hook and loop cinch or bundling strap
designed to
resist or minimize slippage other than by wrapping or cinching the strap
tighter, a search of the
prior art reveals no such adaptation to said materials. While a search of the
prior art discloses
several Patents related to securing a variety of materials to the backing of
hook and loop
fasteners, nothing was disclosed specifically designed to reduce slippage on a
removable strap. A
sampling of layered hook and loop straps revealed in a search of the prior art
includes: Canadian
Patent No. 2181420 to Kato which relates to a pressure sensitive adhesive
applied to the backing
of hook and loop fasteners for adhering the fastener to a variety of different
materials. However,
while this adhesive backed hook and loop fastener is highly resistant to
slippage, once it has been
attached to an object it is extremely difficult to remove and/or adjust making
it unsuitable for use
on a removable strap; Canadian Patent No. 1285744 to Daniels relates to a
laminated fastening
strap for use with orthopaedic devices and the like for adjustably securing
the appliance to the
body of a user. Daniels invention is designed to eliminate fraying of the hook
and loop material
when cutting said material to size and/or to provide a finished surface. Said
laminates do not, nor
are they intended to, reduce slippage between a strap and the objects) being
encompassed.
Canadian Patent No. 2108550 to Kennedy and others relates to a laminated hook
fastener wherein
polyurethane foam is bonded to the underside of the hook sheet to provide a
soft, resilient
backing to the hook tape which substantially changes the aesthetic and tactile
response to the
hook product. Testing of a laminated foam hook and loop strap showed a much
higher degree of
resistance to slippage in directions parallel to the interfacial plane of
contact as was desired.
However, the testing also resulted in pieces of the foam tearing off with
limited use. Small pieces
CA 02500086 2005-03-09
6
of foam falling on the ice surface pose a tripping hazard for skaters making
this particular
laminate unsuitable as backing for an ice skate ankle strap.
Sewing a slip resistant fabric to the backing of a hook and loop cinch strap
was tested and
is rejected here as a method of attaching because of the costs involved
(modern laminating
technology is much less expensive and faster than sewing), and because of
durability (testing
revealed that stitched on fabrics tended to bag out creating folds in the
material when the strap
was applied to a skate and after relatively little use the stitching ripped
through the fabric).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the limitations of the prior art it is advantageous to construct
hook and loop
cinch and bundling straps wherein a sheet of slip resistant fabric or a
coating of a slip resistant
substance is firmly secured directly to the woven or knitted backing of the
loop fastener section
of said straps, which are configured so that the slip resistant fabric or
compound is in face-to-face
contact with the surfaces) of the objects) being encompassed. More
specifically, the preferred
embodiment of the present invention relates to a slip resistant hook and loop
cinch strap adapted
to encompass one or more objects in gripped relation, which comprises a first
flexible strap
section having on a first surface portion a plurality of engaging elements in
the form of semi-rigid
plastic hooks upstanding therefrom, and a second flexible strap section having
on the first surface
portion a plurality of mating engaging elements in the form of loops
upstanding therefrom and on
the second surface portion of said second strap section a slip resistant
fabric is secured. An
example of a slip resistant fabric that can be utilized is marketed under the
Trade name "Slip-
Not" by Eastex Products Inc. of Weymouth MA, USA, and is a lightweight (0.7mm
thick)
flexible fabric comprised of a thin layer of pliable textured PVC bonded to a
knitted or woven
polyester backing. This product can be secured to the base material of said
loop engaging element
with pressure sensitive adhesive, with a hot melt adhesive or with ultrasonic
welding. The
invention further comprises a connecting means in the form of a rectangular
impact-resistant
plastic buckle attached to the free end of the second strap section. The
configuration of the hook
and slip resistant loop fastening elements are such that positioning the strap
around the ankle of
an ice skate with the slip resistant surface of the second strap section in
face-to-face contact with
the outer surface of said ankle and the free end portion of the first strap
section extending through
the opening defined by the rectangular buckle and applying cinching forces to
the free end
portion of the first strap portion will cause the device to grip the skate
ankle and hold it in a fixed
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7
position around the ankle of the skater. Furthermore, firmly pressing the hook
fastening elements
forming the first surface portion of the first strap section against the
mating loop fastening
elements of the second strap section will engage said fasteners thus retaining
the tension therein
applied.
In order to facilitate the lifting of the free end of the first strap section
from engagement
with the mating loop-like elements of the second strap section, the engaging
elements of the first
strap portion in the immediate area of the free end are neutralized by, for
example, melting the
hook elements in the tip area, by securing a piece of fabric that can be
grasped by the fingers to
the free end of the strap, or by folding the tip over upon itself and securing
it in place.
The embodiment of the present invention described above is constructed of non-
stretch
materials to cinch, for example, a skate boot firmly around the ankle of the
wearer. However,
some skaters prefer to have ankle support that will allow some flex of the
ankle in the boot, and it
has been found advantageous to construct a slip resistant hook and loop cinch
strap having a strap
section providing elastic retention forces to secure the skate boot to the
ankle of the wearer. This
alternative preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises of a first
flexible strap
section having on a first surface portion a plurality of engaging elements in
the form of semi-rigid
plastic hooks upstanding therefrom, and a second flexible strap section having
on the first surface
portion a plurality of mating engaging elements in the form of loops
upstanding therefrom and on
the second surface portion of said second strap section a slip resistant
fabric is secured. This
embodiment of the invention furkher comprises a third strap section
constructed of a short length
of woven or knitted yarn that incorporates elastic filamentary yarns which is
secured at one end
to the free end of the second strap section and at the other end to a
rectangular impact-resistant
plastic buckle, thusly configured to receive the free end of the first strap
section when
encompassing the objects) being bound. The advantage of constructing a strap
incorporating an
elastomeric material is that while the skate is cinched snugly around the
ankle of the wearer, the
elastic material will allow a limited amount of flexibility in the ankle area
The preferred embodiments of the present invention to which I have referred
are
comprised, in part, of a rectangular impact-resistant plastic buckle. However,
it should be
understood that any retaining rings or buckles composed of metal and/or
plastic are contemplated
within the scope of the present invention.
Another alternative preferred embodiment of the invention takes into
consideration that
with some applications of slip resistant hook and loop straps there is no
advantage and potentially
CA 02500086 2005-03-09
g
a disadvantage in utilizing cinching forces to bind objects together, either
because said forces are
not needed or because said forces might crush and/or damage the objects) being
bound. Several
pieces of plastic pipe, for example, can be bundled together securely without
the application of
cinching forces, as could a rolled up set of blueprints. This preferred
embodiment of the invention
relates to a slip resistant hook and loop bundling strap adapted to encompass
at least one member
in a close relation which comprises a first flexible strap section having on a
second surface
portion a plurality of semi-rigid plastic hook engaging elements upstanding
therefrom, and a
second flexible strap section having on the first surface portion a plurality
of mating loop
engaging elements and on the second surface portion of said second strap
section a slip resistant
fabric is secured. The opposed positions of the mating engaging elements are
such that
positioning the strap around the members being secured in a substantially
close position, starting
with the free end of the second strap section first and the slip resistant
surface portion of the strap
in face-to-face contact with the outward surface of the members being
encompassed will cause
those said members to be held in a close position relative to each other and
places the mating
engaging elements in a face-to-face position, and firmly pressing said
surfaces together engages
said mating engaging elements to retain the encompassed members in a bundled
relationship. The
advantages of this particular embodiment of the present invention are that
objects can be held in a
close position without crushing said objects and without slippage occurring
between said straps
and said objects encompassed by them. Also, the strap is less expensive to
produce than straps
with a buckle.
Another embodiment of the invention takes into consideration that with some
applications
of slip resistant hook and loop bundling straps it is advantageous to
construct a strap that
incorporates a section to provide elastic retention forces to hold one or more
members in a close
position. An example of such usage is strapping a hockey players shin pads to
their legs wherein
the part of the strap that is in face-to-face contact with the back of the leg
should be able to
expand and contract in order to accommodate the flexing of the knees and calf
muscles. This
alternative preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a first flexible
strap section having
on a second surface portion a plurality of semi-rigid plastic hook engaging
elements upstanding
therefrom, and a second strap section in which the base material is
constructed of a woven or
knitted yarn and incorporates elastic filamentary yarn, and a third flexible
strap section having on
the first surface portion a plurality of mating loop engaging elements and on
the second surface
portion of said second strap section a slip resistant fabric is secured. The
opposed positions of the
CA 02500086 2005-03-09
9
mating engaging elements are such that positioning the strap around the
members being secured
in a substantially fixed position, starting with the free end of the second
strap portion first and the
slip resistant surface portion of the strap in a face-to-face relation with
the outward surface of the
members being encompassed, in this case the shin pad, will cause those said
members to be held
in a close position relative to each other, and simultaneously pressing the
surfaces of the mating
engaging elements in face-to-face relation provides face-to-face engagement
thusly retaining the
encompassed members in a fixed position.
The advantage that the present invention in it various embodiments has over
straps
constructed of synthetic fibres not secured to a slip resistant material is
that tension is not as
critical a factor insofar as eliminating slippage is concerned. The benefit of
this advantage is most
evident in its use as a skate ankle strap. When using a strap like Rosen's or
a hook and loop strap
with no non-slip surface the tendency is to tighten the strap as much as is
tolerable in order to try
and reduce the slippage to an acceptable level, whereas a slip resistant cinch
strap can be applied
with significantly less tension with a minimum of slippage which allows the
skater to adjust the
tension to obtain an optimal fit in order to perform with maximum efficiency
and power.
The advantages the present invention has over other devices used to secure
skate ankles
include: unlike Laverdiere's elastomeric device the present invention can be
adjusted with one
hand which allows a hockey player to quickly adjust the strap on the ice
during a stoppage in
play; where the present invention need only be produced in one size,
Laverdiere's device must be produced in different lengths and thickness to
accommodate
different sizes and tension needs; in comparison to plastic adhesive tape, the
present invention is
cleaner (no sticky residue or litter at the arena), they are relatively easy
to attach, re-adjust, and
remove, and they are reusable. Furthermore, unlike tape which has a tendency
to stretch over the
period of a game, the present invention provides a more constant tension that
can be easily
adjusted at any time.
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1~
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Preferred embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to
the drawings
wherein:
Fig. 1 is a side view of a preferred embodiment of the slip resistant hook and
loop cinch
strap;
Fig. 2 is an illustration of an application of the invention of Fig. l to
cinch the ankle of a
skate boot securely around the ankle of the skater;
Fig. 3 is a side view of an alternative preferred embodiment of the invention
wherein the
main strap is comprised in part of a section of elastic fabric to allow for
limited flexing of a
skaters ankle, for example;
Fig. 4 is the side view of another preferred embodiment of the invention which
represents
a bundling strap for use when cinching forces are not required;
Fig. 5 is an illustration of the strap depicted in Fig.4 being applied to
cardboard tubing,
plastic pipe, and the likes;
Fig.6 is the side view of another alternative preferred embodiment of the
invention
depicting a stretchable slip resistant hook and loop bundling strap.
It should be noted that the thickness of the strap sections numbered 2 in the
illustrations in Figs
l, 3, 4 and 6, in particular the slip resistant fabric, has been exaggerated
in order that the elements
comprising said components may be better seen and understood.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to the drawings, illustrated in Fig. 1 is a cinch strap device
15 that is
constructed in accordance with the concepts of the invention. The strap
component of the device
is comprised of a first flexible strap section 1, which has on the first
surface portion 11 a plurality
of hook-like engaging elements upstanding therefrom, secured with stitching,
adhesive or with an
ultrasonic weld 41 to a second flexible strap section 2 which has on the first
surface portion 12 a
plurality of mating loop-like engaging elements upstanding therefrom and
having on the second
surface portion 22 a slip resistant fabric wherein the woven or knitted base
material 32 of the slip
resistant fabric is secured directly to the base material 31 of the loop
engaging elements. The
bonding agent used to secure the two layers may be in the form of: a hot melt
adhesive applied
during the lamination process; a pressure sensitive adhesive that is applied
first to the base of the
loop engaging element with the slip resistant fabric attached after in a
separate process; or any
CA 02500086 2005-03-09
11
other adhesive and/or method by which a firm bond between the said layers is
possible. The
device is further comprises a rectangular buckle 3 attached to the free end of
the second strap
section 2. The attachment of said strap to said buckle is accomplished by
placing the strap on a
flat surface with the loop engaging elements defining surface portion 22 in a
face-to-face
relationship with said flat surface, then the free end of the second strap
section 2 is folded
through the opening defined by buckle 3 encompassing one long side of said
buckle and back
upon itself and secured in place with stitching, adhesive or ultrasonic weld
42.
In Fig. 2 the slip resistant hook and loop strap device 15 of Fig. 1 is
illustrated being
applied to a skate ankle. Starting with the buckle 3 end of the strap and the
slip resistant surface
22 in against the skate, the strap is wrapped snugly around the skate and the
free end of the first
strap section 1 is passed through the opening defined by the buckle 3. Tension
is applied by
pulling the free end of the first strap section 1 back in the direction
indicated by arrow A until the
desired tension is attained, and to secure the strap at the desired tension
the first strap section 1 is
pressed down against the second strap section 2 in order that the hook
engaging elements 11
protruding from the first surface portion of the first surface section 1
engage with the loop-like
engaging elements 12 protruding from the first surface portion of the second
strap section 2.
Fig. 3 illustrates an alternative preferred embodiment of the invention
wherein the strap
15 described in Fig. 1 has been adapted to provide elastic retention forces to
compensate for
flexing and/or expansion and contraction of the encompassed objects) such as,
for example, a
skate ankle. The cinch strap device 16 illustrated in Fig. 3 is comprised of a
first flexible strap
section 1 which has on the first surface portion 11 a plurality of hook-like
engaging elements
upstanding therefrom, secured by stitching, adhesive or ultrasonic weld 41 at
one free end to a
free end of a second flexible strap section 2 which has on the first surface
portion 12 a plurality of
mating loop-like engaging elements upstanding therefrom and having on the
second surface
portion 22 a slip resistant fabric wherein the woven or knitted base material
32 of the slip
resistant fabric is secured directly to the base material 31 of the loop
engaging elements. The
invention further comprises the other free end of the second strap section 2
secured by stitching,
adhesive or ultrasonic weld 43 to a free end of a third strap section 4
constructed of a woven or
knitted yarn that incorporates elastic filamentary yarns, and the free end of
the third strap section
4 is attached to the buckle 3 by folding the end of the third strap section 4
through the opening
defined by the buckle 3 encompassing one long side of said buckle and back
upon itself and
CA 02500086 2005-03-09
12
thusly secured by stitching, adhesive, ultrasonic weld 44. The strap 16 in
Fig. 3 is applied to
skates and the likes in the same manner as the strap 1 S illustrated in Fig.
2.
Fig. 4 illustrates an alternative preferred embodiment of the invention which
avoids the
use of a buckle. The strap comprises a first flexible strap section 1 which
has on the second
surface portion 11 a plurality of hook-like engaging elements upstanding
therefrom, secured with
stitching, adhesive or with ultrasonic weld 41 to a second flexible strap
section 2 which has on
the first surface portion 12 a plurality of mating loop-like engaging elements
upstanding
therefrom and having on the second surface portion 22 a slip resistant fabric
wherein the woven
or knitted base material 32 of the slip resistant fabric is secured directly
to the base material 31
of the loop engaging elements.
Fig.S illustrates how the device in Fig. 4 is used to bundle tubing whereby,
starting with
the free end of the second strap section 2 and with the slip resistant surface
22 in face-to-face
contact with the tubing, the strap is wrapped snugly around the tubing and as
the hook engaging
elements 11 come into contact with and are pressed against the mating loop
engaging elements 12
of the second strap section 2 the fasteners are engaged and the device is
fixed in place.
Fig. 6 illustrates another alternative preferred embodiment of the invention
which avoids
the use of the buckles that has been adapted to provide elastic retention
forces to compensate for
expansion and contraction and/or flexing of leg muscles when used to secure a
shin pad to the leg
of a hockey player.1'he strap device 18 illustrated in Fig. 6 comprises a
first strap section 1,
which has on the second surface portion 11 a plurality of hook-like engaging
elements upstanding
therefrom, secured with stitching, adhesive or ultrasonic weld 41 to the free
end of the second
strap section 4 constructed of a woven or knitted yarn that incorporates
elastic filamentary yarns,
and the free end of the second strap section 4 is secured with stitching,
adhesive or ultrasonic
weld 43 to a third strap section 2 which has on the first surface portion 12 a
plurality of mating
loop-like engaging elements upstanding therefrom and on the second surface
portion 22 a slip
resistant fabric wherein the woven or knitted base material 32 of the slip
resistant fabric is
secured directly to the base material 31 of the loop engaging elements. To
apply the strap 18 in
Fig. 6 as a shin pad strap, the shin pad is held in place and, starting with
the free end of the third
strap section 2 and the slip resistant surface 22 in face-to-face contact with
the shin pad, the strap
is wrapped across the front of the pad and stretched around the back of the
leg so the free end of
the first strap section 1 overlaps the free end of the third strap section 2,
and pressing the hook
engaging elements 11 protruding from the second surface portion of the first
strap section 1
CA 02500086 2005-03-09
13
firmly into the mating loop engaging elements 12 protruding from the first
surface portion of the
third strap section 2 fixes the strap in place. When attached correctly the
slip resistant surface 22
will be in a face-to-face relationship with the shin pad and the second strap
section 4 will be the
portion of the device in contact with the back of the leg, and elastic
retention forces hold it in
place.
The preferred embodiments of the invention as described above are comprised of
specified materials. However, each of the components of each of the preferred
embodiments can
be substituted for with materials possessing similar qualities. More
specifically, the preferred
embodiments of the present invention comprise, in part, a layered slip
resistant loop fastening
product that is constructed of a sheet of slip resistant fabric, such as the
"Slip Not" referred to
earlier, bonded firmly to the woven or knitted backing that forms the base to
which the raised
loop fastening elements are attached. However, it should be understood that
any synthetic and/ or
natural materials readily securable to the base fabric of the loop fastener,
wherein said materials
are affixed with the intent of reducing or eliminating slippage between said
strap and the objects)
encompassed are contemplated within the scope of the present invention. This
includes
substances or coatings designed to be applied directly to the base surface of
the knitted or woven
fabric to which the raised loop fastening elements are attached, which when
cured in air and/or by
heat is bonded firmly to or around the filaments comprising said knitted or
woven fabric and
provides a non-sticky, pliable surface that is significantly more resistant to
slippage than a similar
strap wherein the synthetic woven or knitted fabric forming the base of the
loop fastening
element is untreated. Such a coating was created and incorporated into a hook
and loop cinch
strap at our request by the VELCROR company wherein an adapted hot melt
adhesive was
applied to the woven nylon backing of what was identified as Loop 1000, and
when cured this
adhesive provided a pliable surface to the cinch straps that was more
resistant to slippage than
straps not treated with the adhesive. However, the surfaces of fabrics such as
"SLIP NOT" are
significantly more resistant to slippage than the hot melt coating supplied by
VELCROR as the
latter tended to have more of a pliable plastic feel to it. As of the
submission date of the current
document work is continuing to adjust the mixture of chemicals and/or curing
conditions of the
adhesive provided by VELCROR and/or to find another chemical compound that
when cured will
provide a surface more resistant to slippage.
Further, the hook and loop fasteners comprising the preferred embodiments of
the present
invention to which I have referred have a base member of a woven or knitted
synthetic heat
CA 02500086 2005-03-09
14
deformable material such as nylon or polyester, with resilient engaging
elements upstanding
therefrom. More specifically, the hook engaging elements are constructed in
the form of semi-
rigid plastic hook-like hooking elements which mate with loop-like elements on
an opposing
surface portion. However, it should be understood that any flexible integrally
molded, knitted, or
woven engaging elements, including mushroom-like elements, resilient
projections, etc., which
are readily securable in face-to-face relation with a mating engaging element
in the form of a
layered slip resistant loop fastener product, and which particularly resist
forces parallel to the
interfacial plane of engagement, are contemplated within the scope of the
present invention.
Examples include, but are not restricted to, the following Patents:
Canadian Patent Nos. 1170025, 1188085, 2243171, 2268268 and 2449722, and US
Patent No.
2,717,437.
Similarly, any loop engaging fabric readily secured to any slip resistant
fabric or substance is
contemplated within the scope of the present invention. Examples include, but
are not restricted
to, the following Patents:
Canadian Patent Nos. 1285858, 1298066, 1322268, 1333952, 21 S 1220, 2198590
2243171, and 2418983, and US Patent No.s 3,009,235 and 2,717,437.
Further, the materials providing the elastic retention forces referred to
above in the straps
depicted in Figs 3 and 6 are constructed of woven or knitted yarn and
incorporate elastic
filamentary yarn. However, it should be understood that any natural and/or
synthetic material that
provide elastic retention forces are contemplated within the scope of the
present invention. This
includes any type of elastomeric material, or combination thereof.
Further, whereas different applications of the present invention in its'
various
embodiments requires straps of different widths and lengths, any straps with
the configurations of
the preferred embodiments of the invention, regardless of the length, width
and/or thickness of
any of the components comprising said straps, are contemplated within the
scope of the present
invention.
Finally, all forms of the preferred embodiment of the invention are
constructed, in part, of
a layered slip resistant loop fastening product. However, it will be
appreciated that securing a slip
resistant material to the base fabric of the hook fastening element and
reconfiguring the straps as
necessary is contemplated within the scope of the present invention.
