Apparatus for storing a recreational board

Abstract

An apparatus for storing a recreational board, the recreational board having a narrow portion and a wide portion. A base is mounted on a support surface and a pair of L-shaped retaining members are pivotally mounted on the base. The retaining members are spaced apart by a distance that is greater than the width of the narrow portion of the recreational board and that is less than the width of the wide portion of the recreational board. The apparatus holds the recreational board between the pair of retaining members.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/923,050 filed on Aug. 23, 2004 for APPARATUS FOR STORING A RECREATIONAL BOARD.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a storage apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to a storage apparatus for recreational boards.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Recreational boards are known, such as snowboards, snow skis, water skis, wakeboards, surfboards, skateboards, boogie boards and the like. Such recreational boards are designed to glide along a terrain.

When a recreational board, such as a snowboard, is not in use, it is usually stored either by simply leaning the board against a wall or by laying the board flat on a shelf or on the ground. However, storing a board in this manner can cause damage to the top surface, the bottom surface and the side edges of the board. For example, a snowboard that is being leaned against a wall can easily fall to the ground and be damaged. It is desirable to store recreational boards in such a manner that the top and bottom surfaces and the side edges of the board will not be damaged.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,915 to Morey teaches a bracket for holding a snowboard against a wall. The bracket has a base member adapted to be mounted to a wall and a front member rotatably attached to the base member. The front member rotates between: (i) a first position wherein the bracket is arranged to secure the snowboard between the base member and the front member; and (ii) a second position wherein the bracket is arranged to release the snowboard. However, this device requires a user to manually rotate the front member of the bracket in order to either secure or remove the board. While the user uses one hand to manually rotate the front member, the user has only one free hand to hold the board up and prevent it from falling. This can be especially difficult with larger and heavier recreational boards, such as surfboards.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,196,397 to Maher teaches a rack designed to hold and/or display a snowboard. The rack comprises a base which mounts the rack to a wall. A pair of engaging members are formed on the inside surface of sidewalls and grip the snowboard, thus holding the board in a substantially aligned position. However, the engaging members cannot be adjusted to conform to the shape of the board and therefore, do not hold the board very securely. Also, the distance between the engaging members cannot be adjusted and therefore, this device can only hold boards within a small range of widths.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,417,335 to White teaches a holder apparatus for suspending a pair of skis in a bottom-to-bottom orientation. The holder apparatus comprises a mounting plate and a pair of lever arms mounted to said mounting plate. The lever arms suspend a pair of skis by the ski tip portions which arc outward of the skis. However, this apparatus requires that the equipment to be held have a portion that arcs outward, such as the ski tip portion of skis. Other types of recreational boards, such as wakeboards and boogie boards, are flat and therefore, cannot be stored by this apparatus. Also, the distance between the lever arms is predetermined and cannot be adjusted and therefore, this apparatus can only hold boards within a small range of widths.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,230,248 to Finnegan discloses a device for carrying skis on the roof a vehicle. The device is an elongated rack assembly used singly or within two such assemblies which includes an elongated ribbon which is adapted to the contour of the vehicle surface which is the roof. The anchoring strap fixes to the rain gutter above the window of the vehicle to hold the device on the roof of a vehicle.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,836,058 to Penniman discloses a rack construction for carrying skis on a roof as well. Penniman shows the use of straps to retain the device to the rain gutter of a car in a horizontal position, which straps may be tightened to provide the necessary tension to retain the skis. This patent deals with a horizontal orientation for a carrier mounted on the roof or the rear deck lid of a vehicle and a mechanism which is sealable against snow and ice accumulation and which is self purging upon activation.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome disadvantages of the prior art.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for storing recreational boards securely against a support surface such as a wall.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus which permits easy insertion and removal of the recreational board.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus which is capable of storing a wide range of recreational boards of different sizes and shapes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for storing a recreational board, the recreational board having a narrow portion and a wide portion, the apparatus comprising: (i) a base adapted to be mounted to a support surface; and (ii) a pair of retaining members pivotally mounted on said base, said retaining members being spaced apart by a distance that is greater than the width of the narrow portion of the recreational board and that is less than the width of the wide portion of the recreational board, wherein the apparatus holds the recreational board between the pair of retaining members.

In a preferred embodiment, the support surface is a wall. The base may be mounted to the wall by a fastening means selected from the group consisting of screws, nails and adhesives.

In another preferred embodiment, the support surface is a door. The base may be mounted to the door by means of a bracket adapted to attach to a top edge surface of the door.

Preferably, the base has substantially the same shape as the recreational board to be stored.

In a preferred embodiment, the base further comprises means for adjusting the distance between the pair of retaining members. The means for adjusting the distance between the pair of retaining members may comprise means for individually sliding one or both retaining members relative to the base.

Preferably, the pair of retaining members comprise a material selected from the group consisting of metal, plastic, wood and rubber.

In a further embodiment, each retaining member has an L-shape to form a channel for receiving the recreational board therein.

In yet a still further embodiment, the apparatus is in combination with a recreational board.

The invention also includes an embodiment wherein the recreational board is selected from the group consisting of a snowboard, snow skis, water skis, a wakeboard, a surfboard, a skateboard and a boogie board.

Advantageously, the retaining members are pivotally mounted on said base. Therefore, when the recreational board is received by the retaining members, the retaining members can pivot and better conform to the shape of the recreational board. This provides more contact between the surface of the retaining members and the board. Also, the weight of the board is distributed more evenly. Therefore, the recreational board is held more securely by the apparatus of the present invention.

Another advantage of the present invention is that, in a preferred embodiment, the distance between the pair of retaining members can be adjusted. This permits the apparatus of the present invention to store a wide range of recreational boards of different shapes and sizes. Further, this allows for an even more customized setting to fit any standard or non-standard size of board being stored.

In a preferred embodiment, the base has substantially the same shape as the recreational board to be stored. This gives a user a direct association to the object being stored.

In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus may be mounted to a door by means of a bracket adapted to attach to a top edge surface of the door. Therefore, the apparatus can be portable. Also, the apparatus can be mounted to a support surface without having to install nails or screws into the support surface.

In a preferred embodiment, each retaining member has an L-shape to form a lip and a channel for receiving the recreational board therein. This configuration prevents the recreational board from accidentally falling out and being damaged.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings illustrate, by way of example only, preferred embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 1 shows a front view of a first embodiment of the present invention which is designed for storing a snowboard.

FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the first preferred embodiment along section line A-A in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows a front view of a second preferred embodiment of the present invention which is designed for storing two snowboards.

FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the second preferred embodiment along section line A-A in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 shows a front view of a third preferred embodiment of the present invention which is designed for storing a snowboard and which is portable.

FIG. 6 shows a cross-section view of the third preferred embodiment along section line A-A in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 shows a front view of a fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention which is designed for storing snow skis.

FIG. 8 shows a cross-sectional view of the fourth preferred embodiment along section line A-A in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 shows a front view of a fifth preferred embodiment of the present invention which is designed for storing a wakeboard.

FIG. 10 shows a cross-sectional view of the fifth preferred embodiment along section line A-A in FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 shows a front view of a sixth preferred embodiment of the present invention which is designed for storing a boogie board.

FIG. 12 shows a cross-sectional view of the sixth preferred embodiment along section line A-A in FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 shows a top view of a preferred embodiment of the retaining member.

FIG. 14 shows a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the retaining member.

FIG. 15 shows a perspective view of the first embodiment of the present invention with a snowboard stored therein.

Similar reference characters in different drawings denote similar features.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 illustrates a first preferred embodiment of the present invention which is designed for storing a snowboard, the snowboard having a narrow portion and a wide portion. The apparatus 10 for storing a snowboard (not shown) comprises a base 12 which has substantially the same shape as the type of board that it is designed to store, specifically a snowboard. The base 12 can be mounted to a support surface, such as a wall, by any suitable fastening means including screws, nails and adhesives. In the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the base 12 is mounted to a wall by anchor screws 14.

A pair of retaining members 16 are pivotally mounted on base 12 by locking screws 18. The retaining members 16 are spaced apart by a distance that is greater than the width of the narrow portion of the snowboard and that is less than the width of the wide portion of the snowboard. Thus, the snowboard is to be held between the pair of retaining members 16.

The apparatus 10 has several features designed to hold a recreational board more securely. First, the retaining members 16 are pivotally mounted to the base 12 at locking screws 18. Therefore, when the board is placed between the pair of retaining means 16, the retaining members 16 can pivot to better conform to the shape of the board.

Also, the base 12 provides slot openings 20 through which the locking screws 18 can be slid back and forth. This allows each retaining member 16 to individually slide relative to the base 12 and therefore, provides a means for adjusting the distance between the pair of retaining members 16. As such, the apparatus 10 can accommodate a wide range of boards of different shapes and sizes.

As shown in FIG. 2, which is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 taken along section line A-A, the retaining members 16 have an L-shape to form a lip 28 and a channel 26. An enlarged view of the L-shaped retaining member is shown in FIGS. 13 and 14. The channel 26 receives the board and the lip 28 prevents the board from falling away from the apparatus 10.

Preferably, each retaining member 16 has a security loop 22 mounted thereon. A locking mechanism, such as a chain and padlock device, can be placed between the security loops 22 of the pair of retaining members 16 to lock the board to the apparatus 10.

The retaining members 16 may comprise any resilient material including, but not limited to, metal, plastic, wood and rubber.

To store a snowboard using apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 1, the narrow portion of the snowboard is placed between the pair of retaining members 16. The snowboard is slid down until the wide portion of the snowboard comes into contact with retaining members 16. Retaining members 16 pivot in order to better conform to the shape of the snowboard and hold the snowboard securely in place. The snowboard is prevented from falling away from the apparatus 10 by the lip 28 of the L-shaped retaining members 16. FIG. 15 illustrates the apparatus 10 in combination with a snowboard 100 stored therein.

To remove the snowboard, a user simply lifts the wide portion of the snowboard upwards and away from the retaining members 16 until the narrow portion of the snowboard is positioned between the retaining members 16. The snowboard can then be removed from apparatus 10.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate a second preferred embodiment of the present invention which is designed for storing two snowboards. In contrast to the first embodiment described above, the second preferred embodiment comprises two pairs of retaining members 16. A snowboard can be stored in each pair of retaining members 16.

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate a third preferred embodiment of the present invention which is designed for storing a snowboard. This third preferred embodiment allows for apparatus 10 to be portable. Specifically, the apparatus 10 includes a bracket 24 attached to the rear surface of base 12. The bracket 24 is designed for mounting the apparatus 10 to a top edge surface of a door (not shown).

FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate a fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention which is designed for storing snow skis. Preferably, the base 12 has substantially the same shape as a snow ski. The apparatus 10 comprises multiple pairs of retaining members 16 which allows for the storage of multiple pairs of snow skis.

FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate a fifth preferred embodiment of the present invention which is designed for storing a wakeboard. As shown in FIG. 9, the base 12 has substantially the same shape as a wakeboard. Otherwise, the fifth preferred embodiment operates in a manner similar to the first preferred embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrate a sixth preferred embodiment of the present invention which is designed for storing a boogie board. The base 12 has substantially the same shape as a boogie board. Otherwise, the sixth preferred embodiment operates in a manner similar to the first preferred embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The present invention has been described with regard to preferred embodiments. It is will be obvious to persons skilled in the art that variations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An apparatus for vertically storing a recreational board, the recreational board having a pair of opposed side edges, a narrow portion and a wide portion, comprising:

(i) a solid, one-piece base adapted to be vertically mounted to a vertical support surface; and

(ii) a pair of spaced-apart retaining members pivotally mounted on said base, wherein each retaining member has an L-shape to form a channel adapted to receive one of said edges of the recreational board therein,

wherein the apparatus is adapted to hold the recreational board between the pair of retaining members.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the base comprises a fastening means selected from the group consisting of screws, nails and adhesives for mounting to the support surface.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the base further comprises means for adjusting the distance between the pair of retaining members.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the means for adjusting the distance between the pair of retaining members comprises means for individually sliding one or both retaining members relative to the base.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pair of retaining members comprise a material selected from the group consisting of metal, plastic, wood and rubber.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said support surface is a wall.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said support surface is a door.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the base comprises a bracket adapted to attach to a top edge surface of said door.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said recreational board is a snow board.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said recreational board is a wake board.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said recreational board is selected from the group consisting of a surf board, a skate board and a boogie board.