Ski Tying Strap

Abstract

A ski tying strap for firmly tying together the skis of a pair, comprising a resilient elastic strap consisting of a spacer portion at one end designed to lie between the facing surfaces of skis of a pair, and a wrap-around portion which extends nearly twice around the non-facing surfaces of a pair of skis when the strap is stretched longitudinally. The wrap-around portion of the strap is provided with "Velcro" type fastening means applied to one side near one end of the strap and second fastening means applied to the opposite side intermediate the first fastening means and the spacer portion. The strap is made of two layers, one of which is foam rubber and the other nylon bonded to the rubber layer.

Description

This invention relates to a ski tying strap for firmly tying together the skis of a pair for convenience in transporting skis. The main object of the invention is to firmly hold the skis of a pair in surface facing relationship, without movement relatively to each other and without marring of the facing or non-facing surfaces of the skis.

Skis have been tied together by bands or straps of leather provided with metal buckles fastening opposite ends of the straps together. Such prior art tying means permit movement of the skis relatively to each other, resulting in injury to their facing surfaces, and the metal buckles or fastening means also mar non-facing surfaces of the skis tied together by such straps.

My invention comprises an elongated strip of flexible and elastic material of length sufficient to provide a spacer section at one end for placement between the facing surfaces of a pair of skis and wrap-around sections which cover the edges and non-facing surfaces of the skis. One end portion of the wrap-around sections is provided with a "Velcro" strip attached to one surface of the end section in such manner that it does not affect the elasticity of the section. Another portion of the wrap-around sections, located inwardly from the outer edge of said end portion and on the opposite surface, is provided with a "Velcro" strip which cooperates with the first mentioned strip for fastening the wrap-around sections together. "Velcro" is well known material comprising hook surfaces and loop surfaces that can cooperate to fasten facing materials together. The second mentioned "Velcro" strip also is stiched to the wrap-around section without affecting the elasticity of the section.

The ski tying strap of my invention preferably is made of two layers of material, one of which is elastic resilient foam rubber and the other is nylon material having elasticity somewhat less than the elasticity of the rubber layer. This arrangement provides for stretchability of the strap but restricts the elasticity of the rubber layer and prolongs the life of the strap for its intended purposes.

Advantages of the invention will become apparent from the drawings and following description.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one major surface of a ski tying strap embodying my invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the opposite major surface of the strap shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one end portion of a pair of skis tied together by the strap of my invention.

FIG. 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view in the plane of the line 4--4 of FIG. 3, on an enlarged scale.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, the ski tying strap 10 embodying the invention comprises a flat band or strap consisting of a layer 11 of resilient and elastic rubber bonded to a layer 12 of elastic nylon. The elasticity of the nylon layer 12 is limited and thus restricts the freer stretchability of the rubber layer 11 and prolongs its life.

A narrow strip 13 of "Velcro" is stitched by stitches 15 to the rubber side 11 of the strap 10, adjacent one end, and a cooperating strip 14 of "Velcro" is stitched by stitches 16 to the nylon side 12 of the strap 10, in a position located inwardly of the strip 13, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In the embodiment shown, the strap 10 is 15 inches long, 2 inches wide, and each of the "Velcro" strips 13, 14, is approximately 4 inches long and three-fourths inch wide. As shown, the strip 13 on the rubber side extends inwardly from the edge 17. The strip 14 extends in alignment with the strip 13 and is spaced therefrom approximately 2 inches. These dimensions are stated to describe one embodiment of the invention when the strap is in flat, unstretched condition, and is intended to disclose the preferred proportions of the components and not to limit the invention to the specific example herein given which obviously may vary according to the size of the skis tied together thereby.

Part of the end portion 20 of the strap 10 is a spacer portion approximately as long as the width of the skis 30. In the example heretofore described, the end portion 20 is 5 inches long between the strip 14 and the outer edge 18. A portion of the end is designed to be placed between the proximate surfaces 31 of skis, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, to serve as a spacer and cushioning means therebetween. Conventional skis are 23/4 inches wide and therefore 23/4 inches of the spacer portion 20 may be placed between the facing surfaces of a pair of skis and serve as a spacer and cushioning means. In FIG. 4, the spacer section 20 is shown between the skis 30, and the rest of the strap 10 or wrap-around sections have been designated 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 and 28, to identify the parts which successively engage the skis in the act of stretching and wrapping the strap around the pair of skis. The wrapping is done while the spacer portion 20 is firmly held between the proximate faces 31 of the skis, and the rest of the strap is being stretched lengthwise. The stretched length is approximately 16 or more inches which is sufficient for the strap to surround the pair of skis almost twice and have the "Velcro" strips 13 and 14 engage each other for securely fastening the strap as shown in FIG. 4.

Two straps 10 are used to firmly tie the skis of a pair together. One strap is applied to the forward end of the skis and another to the rearward portion of the skis. When tied as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, with the facing surfaces 31 of the skis cushioned by the spacer portion 20, and the non-facing surfaces securely covered by the stretched wrap-around portions 21-25, the latter augmented by the outer wrap-around portions 26, 27, 28, with the "Velcro" strips 13 and 14 in overlapping relationship for fastening the outer end portion 28 to the intermediate portion 24, the skis of a pair become as one unitary structure, devoid of relative movement and contact between the skis. Preferably the strap is applied with the nylon layer 12 outwardly facing, but the invention is not limited to this arrangement. The rubber layer surface has some adhering quality for engaging the ski surfaces when the strap is stretched in application to the skis.

Claims

I claim:

1. A ski tying strap tying the skis of a pair together in surface facing relationship comprising:

a an elongated resilient elastic strap having an end section which is a spacer portion, and remaining sections which are wrap-around portions,

b a first fastening means applied to one surface of the strap adjacent the end opposite the spacer portion, and

c a second fastening means cooperating with the first fastening means applied to the opposite surface of the strap intermediate the first fastening means and the spacer portion, said spacer portion of the strap lying between facing surfaces of the skis of a pair, and the wrap-around portions of the strap covering the non-facing surfaces of the skis while stretched longitudinally, the outer end with its first fastening means overlying the second fastening means on the intermediate portion of the wrap-around portion in strap fastening relationship.

2. The ski tying strap defined by claim 1, in which the resilient elastic strap comprises two layers one of which is foam rubber and the other is nylon bonded together.

3. The ski tying strap defined by claim 1, in which the resilient elastic strap, exclusive of the spacer portion, is stretchable longitudinally to extend nearly twice around a pair of facing skis.

4. The ski tying strap defined by claim 1, in which the fastening means are cooperating strips of "Velcro" stitched to the strap by lines of stitching which do not affect the elasticity of the strap.