EQUIPMENT CARRIERS

Abstract

Equipment carriers are described, including a carrier with an elongated body designed to be placed substantially near an upper torso of a human, the elongated body comprises three coupling points, each coupling points configured to couple to the equipment. In some example implementations, the elongated body may only use two of the three coupling points to connect to the equipment.

Description

This application claims benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/012,072, filed Jun. 13, 2014.

FIELD

The subject matter discussed herein relates generally to transporting, organizing, and storing equipment and, more particularly, to equipment carriers.

BACKGROUND

Equipment, such skateboards, snowboards, surfboards, skis, skates, scooters, etc. often do not come with any carriers. Equipment purchasers or users typically have to improvise when carrying, transporting, and storing this equipment. For example, the users use their hands to carry the equipment.

For some equipment, after-market organizing devices (e.g., bags, boxes, containers, etc.) may be available. Separately, after-market carriers may also be available. However, a user of the equipment (e.g., snowboard) would need to purchase and use an organizing device (e.g., snowboard bag) to organize or store the equipment, and purchase and use a carrier (e.g., snowboard strap) to carry and transport the equipment.

Some after-market carriers may be made to organize and carry certain equipment. However, these after-market devices may be bulky themselves and require supervision, management, or storage when they are not being used.

SUMMARY

The subject matter described herein includes a carrier with an elongate body designed to be placed substantially near an upper torso of a human, the elongated body comprises three coupling points configured to couple to the equipment. In some example implementations, the elongated body may only use two of the three coupling points to connect to the equipment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various example features of the subject matter are described with reference to the drawings. The drawings and the associated descriptions are provided to illustrate example designs or implementations of the subject matter and not to limit the scope of the subject matter. Throughout the drawings, similar reference numbers may be used to indicate correspondence between referenced elements

FIG. 1A shows a rear view of an example equipment carrier in use with example equipment.

FIG. 1B shows a photo of an example equipment carrier in use with example equipment.

FIG. 1C shows a front view of the example equipment carrier in FIG. 1A.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of a three-point attachment of an example carrier to example equipment.

FIG. 3A shows a perspective view of an example equipment carrier.

FIG. 3B shows an photo of an example equipment carrier.

FIG. 3C shows an photo of additional example equipment carriers.

FIG. 4 shows photos of example components that may be used with equipment carriers described herein.

FIG. 5A shows a perspective view of an example equipment carrier in use.

FIG. 5B shows a photo of an example equipment carrier in use.

FIG. 6A shows a perspective view of an example equipment carrier in use hung from a support member.

FIG. 6B shows an illustration of an example equipment carrier in use hung from a support member.

FIG. 6C shows a side view of an example equipment carrier in use hung from a support member.

FIG. 6D shows a photo of an example equipment carrier in use hung from a support member.

FIG. 7A shows a perspective of an example equipment carrier in a compact form.

FIG. 7B shows a photo of example equipment carriers in compact forms.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The subject matter described herein is taught by way of example implementations. Various details have been omitted for the sake of clarity and to avoid obscuring the subject matter. The examples shown below are directed to structures and functions for implementing or making equipment carriers.

FIG. 1A shows a rear view of an example equipment carrier 100 in use with example equipment 180. Carrier 100 includes segments or sections 110, 120, and 130 and attachment points or coupling points 10, 20, and 30. Carrier 100 may be a strap, sling, holster, handle, device, or any apparatus that is capable of attaching or coupling to the equipment to carry, transport, organize, and/or store the equipment. The equipment may be any equipment, such as sporting equipment, recreational equipment, etc. Examples of equipment include, but are not limited to, wheeled boards (e.g., skateboards, mini boards, caster boards, T-boards cruising boards, longboards, etc.), non-wheeled boards (e.g., snowboards, surfboards, etc.), skates (inline skates, roller skates, ice skates, etc.), scooters (e.g., Razor® scooters, foldable scooters, etc.), skis, and the like.

FIG. 1B shows a photo of an example equipment carrier 100 in use with example equipment 180. Coupling points 10, 20, and 30 are designed for attaching to the equipment. For example, some or all of coupling points 10, 20, and 30 may be loops designed to loop around and attach to the wheels of a skateboard. One of the three sections (e.g., section 110) may be longer than the other two sections (e.g., sections 120 and 130) designed for wrapping over the shoulder (e.g., upper torso) of a person carrying the equipment or for hanging the equipment in storage.

FIG. 1C shows a front view of the example equipment carrier 100 in FIG. 1A. The longer section (e.g., section 110) is shown wrapping to the front of a person using the carrier 100.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of a three-point attachment of an example carrier to example equipment 100. Carrier 100 may have at least three points 10, 20, and 30 to attach to, for example, a sport board (e.g., a skateboard). For example, point 10 may be coupled or attached to one of the wheels of a wheeled sport board. Point 20 may be attached to another wheel on another axle of the sport board. Point 30 may be attached to one of the remaining wheels (if there are more than two wheels) or to another point (not shown) on the sport board. A three-point carrier may be structured as a T-shaped carrier having a T-shape, a Y-shaped carrier having a Y-shape, a J-shape carrier having a J-shape, or having any other carrier shape that may be apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

FIG. 3A shows a perspective view of an example equipment carrier 300. FIG. 3B shows an photo of an example equipment carrier 300. FIG. 3C shows an photo of additional example equipment carriers 300 with adjustable lengths. As illustrated, the carrier 300 includes segments or sections 310, 320, and 330 and attachment points or coupling points 10, 20, and 30. Point 40 shows substantially or approximately where sections 310, 320, and 330 meet or join. In implementations where carrier 300 is one integral unit (e.g., sections 310, 320, and 330 cannot be disjoined or detached), point 40 is a theoretical point that approximates a conceptual meeting point because there may not be an actual meeting point 40. In implementations where at least one of sections 310, 320, and 330 (e.g., section 330) can be disjoined or detached, point 40 represents where section 330 can be attached to or detach from carrier 330.

The carrier 300 may be made adjustable at various locations, such as at or near one or more of the three points and/or along the T handle (e.g., section 310). For example, a component 340 (e.g., a slide, buckle, etc.) may be used to adjust or change the length of section 310 as illustrated in FIG. 3C. The length of section 320 and/or 332 may also be made adjustable, such as by using one or more components (not shown), such as slides, buckles, etc.

Coupling points 10, 20, and 30 as shown as loops, but some or all of coupling points 10, 20, and 30 may be configured or designed differently, such as using hooks, buckles, rings, D-rings, clips, wire loops, etc. as discussed below with respect to FIG. 4.

A carrier can be made using any material or combination of materials, such as nylon, cotton, plastic, silicon, rubber, metal, wood, etc. A carrier may be made that is flexible or with flexible portions. Carriers or portions of carriers may be made with any visual designs or colors. Additionally

FIG. 4 shows photos of example components that may be used with equipment carriers described herein. The example components may include one of more of Flat Hooks 405, D-wings with clips 410, O-rings 415, Slides 420, D-rings 425, Nylon loops 430, Nylon Wire Hooks 435, Nylon S-Hooks 440, S-Hooks with clips 445, Wire loops 450, Wire hooks 455, and S-hooks 460. These are example components or parts that may be used with a carrier as may be apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art. Example implementations of the carriers may be designed or configured to use other components or parts not shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 5A shows a perspective view of another example equipment carrier 500 in use. The carrier 500 includes segments or sections 510, 520, and 530. The three sections 510, 520, and 530 are joined or meet at Point 40. As illustrated, each of the segments 510, 520, and 530 connects to portion of a piece of equipment 580 (such as a wheel of a skateboard. FIG. 5B shows a photo of an example equipment carrier 500 in use. The carrier shown (e.g., carrier 100) is attached to the equipment 580 (such as a skateboard), for example, and is ready to be used to carrier the skateboard or store the skateboard, as shown in FIGS. 6A-D.

FIG. 6A shows a perspective view of an example equipment carrier 600 in use hung from a support member 690. FIG. 6B shows an illustration of an example equipment carrier 600 in use hung from a support member 690. FIG. 6C shows a side view of an example equipment carrier 600 in use hung from a support member 690. FIG. 6D shows a photo of an example equipment carrier 600 in use hung from a support member 690. As illustrated the carrier 600 includes three segments 610, 620 and 630. Each of the segments is connected to the equipment 680 (such as a skateboard) at an attachment point or a coupling point 10, 20, 30. The carrier shown (e.g., carrier 600) with attached equipment (e.g., a skateboard 680) is ready to be hung on a support member 690 such as a hook, wall, doorknob, etc. for storage or organization.

FIG. 7A shows a perspective of an example equipment carrier 700 in a compact form.

FIG. 7B shows a photo of example equipment carriers 700 in compact forms. Equipment carriers can be made to be folded up or rolled up (e.g., for easy storage, such as in a pocket of a user).

Although a few example designs and implementations have been shown and described, these example implementations are provided to convey the subject matter described herein to people who are familiar with this field. It should be understood that the subject matter described herein may be implemented in various forms without being limited to the described example implementations. The subject matter described herein can be practiced without those specifically defined or described elements and/or components or with other or different elements and/or matters not described. It will be appreciated by those familiar with this field that changes may be made in these example implementations without departing from the subject matter described herein as defined in the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A device for carrying equipment, comprising:

a first elongated section that comprises a first joining end and a first coupling end configured to couple to the equipment;

a second elongated section that comprises a second joining end and a second coupling end configured to couple to the equipment; and

a third elongated section that comprises a third joining end and a third coupling end configured to couple to the equipment;

wherein the joining end of first elongated section is joined to the joining end of the second elongated section and to the joining end of the third elongated section.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first, second, and third coupling ends is a loop.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first, second, and third coupling ends comprises a hook.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first, second, and third sections has an adjustable length.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the at least one of the first, second, and third sections having the adjustable length includes an adjustment component.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the first, second, and third elongated sections are joined inseparably.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein one of the first, second, and third elongate sections is detachably attached to at least another of the first, second, and third elongate sections.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first, second, and third sections is flexible.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the device is made of nylon.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the device is made of one or more of cotton, plastic, silicon, rubber, and metal.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the device forms a T-shape in one stage.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the device forms a Y-shape in one stage.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the device configured to be folded into a compact form.

14. A system, comprising:

equipment; and

a device having an elongated body configured to be placed substantially near an upper torso of a human, the device comprises three coupling points, each coupling point configured to couple to the equipment.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the equipment is a skateboard.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the equipment is a pair of skates.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the equipment is a scooter.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the equipment is a snowboard.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the equipment is a surfboard.

20. A carrier for carrying equipment, comprising:

an elongated body designed to be placed substantially near an upper torso of a human, the elongated body comprises three coupling points, each coupling point configured to couple to the equipment.