Ski Carrier

Abstract

The opposing end portions of an elongated flexibly constructed strap are folded upwardly about a pair of longitudinally juxtaposed skis resting in a horizontal condition on the center portion of the strap, and a pair of handles formed on the end portions of the strap are gripped simultaneously in one hand to form a sling which, when raised, tightly corners about the skis and presses them together against a frictional interlock member that is upstanding on the center portion of the strap between the running surfaces of the skis. Moreover, to increase the frictional effect, the interlock member preferably has a pair of laterally outstanding ribs thereon which mate with the longitudinally extending grooves commonly provided in the surfaces of the skis.

Description

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

One object of the present invention is to provide a means and technique for carrying skis in a convenient manner, and particularly in a manner which enables the skis to be carried in one hand at the side of the body. Another object is to provide a means and technique of this nature whereby the skis can be carried in a sling, and normally in a horizontal disposition in the sling. A further object is to provide a means and technique of this nature whereby the skis are fully stabilized in the fore and aft directions of the sling, notwithstanding that the person carrying them proceeds forward at a walk. Still another object is to provide a means and technique of this nature whereby the skis can be carried in this fashion for considerable distance, such as the distance between the user's parked car and the point at which he will mount the skis on his feet for use in skiing. Other objects include the provision of a means and technique of this nature whereby the carrier is collapsible and easily stored when not in use; and particularly a means and technique of this nature whereby the carrier can be folded, rolled, or otherwise collapsed into a highly compact condition for storage in one of the user's pockets, such as the pocket of a ski jacket. Still further objects will become apparent from the description of the invention which follows hereafter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

These objects and advantages are realized by a ski carrier of my invention which in use has an elongated bottom section and a pair of handle-equipped sidewalls interconnected therewith, which are upstanding along the longitudinal edge portions of the section to define a sling, and which are articulated with respect to the bottom section, so as to tightly clamp a pair of longitudinally juxtaposed skis together therebetween, when the sling is raised off the ground by the handles, with the skis cradled therein. The carrier is preferably also equipped with a centrally located, longitudinally oriented septum between the walls of the sling, which is operatively interposed between the running surfaces of the skis, to provide a frictional interlock therebetween. The septum has laterally outstanding ribs thereon which are adapted to mate with the longitudinally extending grooves commonly provided midway across the running surfaces of the skis. Also, the handles are provided on the upper edge portions of the walls, and these portions are articulated with respect to the lower edge portions of the walls, so that the walls corner tightly about the skis in the upper regions of the sling, in much the same manner as they do so about the lower regions thereof.

The septum is normally upstanding on the bottom section of the sling, and preferably has a laterally outstanding coping thereon which is elevated above the section to mate with the longitudinally extending grooves in the running surfaces of the skis. The handles are pivotally engaged with the upper edge portions of the walls, either through the fact that the walls and handles are flexibly interconnected with one another, or by virtue of the handles being hinged to the walls, as for example, in loops formed on the ends thereof.

In the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, the sling is formed from an elongated, flexibly constructed, end-handled strap having an upstanding fold in the center portion thereof, the halves of which are interconnected to form an envelope which in turn has a stiffener enclosed therein to form the septum. The strap is made into a carrier for the skis, firstly, by flexing the opposite end portions of the same upwardly away from the center portion, to form a sling in which the septum is upstanding therewithin, between the end portions, and then gripping the handles on the end portions in one hand, so that the skis can be cradled in the sling between the septum and the end portions of the strap.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

These features will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawing which illustrates one of the presently preferred embodiments.

In the drawing, FIG. 1 is a prespective view illustrating the carrier in use;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the carrier alone;

FIG. 3 is an end-on view of the carrier in use;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the carrier in use;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the carrier in unfolded condition; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the stiffener employed within the frictional interlock member of the carrier.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring by numeral to the drawing, it will be seen that in use the carrier assumes the form of a U-shaped, flexibly-constructed sling 2 having an elongated generally rectangular bottom section 4 and a pair of sidewalls 6 interconnected therewith, which are upstanding along the longitudinal edge portions of the section and have a pair of handles 8 formed thereon adjacent the upper edge portions of the walls 6. The handles 8 are disposed to be gripped simultaneously in one hand, and when the sling 2 is raised off the ground, with the skis 10 cradled therein, the walls 6 of the sling tend to articulate with respect to the bottom section 4, to the extent that they tightly clamp the skis together and reduce the likelihood that either ski will dislodge itself, because of the frictional engagement therebetween. Ordinarily, the skis 10 are cradled together in a longitudinally juxtaposed, horizontally oriented condition, with the running surfaces 12 thereof mutually opposed to one another, and the sling 2 centered lengthwise of the skis between the respective bindings 14 thereof, as illustrated. However, the sling 2 may be positioned otherwise, as for example, where the skis are carried by more than one person.

To increase the frictional effect between the skis, the carrier is also equipped with a centrally located, upstanding, longitudinally oriented septum 16 on the bottom section 4 of the sling 2. The septum 16 is operatively interposed between the running surfaces 12 of the skis, to provide a frictional interlock therebetween; and where the skis have part-cylindrical, longitudinally extending grooves 18 midway across the running surfaces thereof, the septum 16 is suitably adapted to mate with the grooves through the provision of a cylindrical coping 20 on the upper edge thereof, the body of thich provides a pair of laterally outstanding ribs 22 for engagement in the grooves 18.

The sling 2 is formed from an elongated, nylon-reinforced, vinyl resin "Barber's" strap 24 (FIG. 5) having a pair of injection molded, ABS resin handles 26 connected with the looped end portions 24' thereof, and a fold 24" in the center portion 24'" thereof, the halves 28 of which are heat sealed to one another at the bottom 30, to form an envelope 32 having a rudder-like, ABS resin stiffener 34 enclosed therewithin. The strap 24 is extendible into an essentially planar condition as in FIG. 5; or it may be folded, rolled or otherwise bunched up into a compacted condition for storage in, for example, one of the pockets of the user's ski jacket. When put to use, the strap 24 is laid under the skis 10, the skis are pressed together about the septum 16, the opposite end portions 24' of the strap are flexed upwardly away from the portion 24'" below the skis, and the handles 26 are gripped in one hand in the manner of FIG. 1, to tightly corner the strap about the skis, both in the regions 36 defined by the lower edge portions of the walls 6 and the longitudinal edge portions of the section 4, and in the regions 38 defined by the upper edge portions of the walls 6. Meanwhile, the septum 16 at the center of the strap, is clamped tightly between the running surfaces 12 of the skis, with the coping 20 along the upper edge thereof engaged in the grooves 18 of the skis.

Typically, the strap 24 is manufactured from a length of nylon-reinforced vinyl resin material, the individual end portions 24' of which are notched, folded back on one another, and heat-sealed to the main body of the strap while the handles 26 are pivotally engaged in the loops 40 thereof. The septum 16 is erected at the same time by drawing up the end portions of the strap to produce the fold 24" in the center portion, and thereafter heat-sealing the halves 28 of the fold to one another at the bottom 30, after the stiffener 34 is added to the envelope 32 formed therebetween. The stiffener 34 is preferably also injection molded from the ABS resin material, and as seen, takes the form of a rod-like bolster 44 having a keel-like fin 46 depending therefrom.

The handles 26 preferably have straight hinges 48 and shaped grips 50. Under some circumstances, the handles 8 may be integral with the strap 24, as for example, where transversely oriented slot-like openings (not shown) are made in the end portions 24' of the strap for the purpose.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A ski carrier having an elongated bottom section, a pair of handle-equipped sidewalls interconnected therewith, which are upstanding along the longitudinal edge portions of the section to define a sling, and which are articulated with respect to the bottom section, so as to tightly clamp a pair of longitudinally juxtaposed skis together therebetween, when the sling is raised off the ground by the handles, with the skis cradled therein, a centrally located, longitudinally oriented septum within the sling, between the walls thereof, which is operatively interposed between the running surfaces of the ski, to provide a frictional interlock therebetween, and which is upstanding on the bottom section of the sling, and has a laterally outstanding coping thereon which is elevated above the section to mate with the longitudinally extending grooves in running surfaces of the skis. in the

2. The ski carrier according to claim 1 wherein the handles are provided on the upper edge portions of the walls, and said upper edge portions are articulated with respect to the lower edge portions of the walls, so that the walls corner tightly about the skis in the upper regions of the sling.

3. The ski carrier according to claim 2 wherein the handles are pivotally engaged with the upper edge portions of the walls.

4. The ski carrier according to claim 3 wherein the handles are hinged to the walls, in loops formed on the ends thereof.

5. A ski carrier having an elongated bottom section and a pair of handle-equipped sidewalls interconnected therewith, which are upstanding along the longitudinal edge portions of the section to define a sling, and which are articulated with respect to the bottom section, so as to tightly clamp a pair of longitudinally juxtaposed skis together therebetween, when the sling is raised off the ground by the handles, with the skis cradled therein, the sling being formed from an elongated, flexibly constructed, end-handled strap having an upstanding fold in the center portion thereof, the halves of which are interconnected to form an envelope which in turn has a stiffener enclosed therein to form a centrally located, longitudinally oriented septum within the sling, between the walls thereof, which is operatively interposed between the running surfaces of the ski, to provide a frictional interlock therebetween.

6. In a ski carrier having an elongated bottom section and a pair of operatively upstanding, handle-equipped side members interconnected with the section along the longitudinal edge portions thereof, a septum operatively centrally upstanding on the bottom section, longitudinally thereof, to be operatively interposed between the running surfaces of a pair of skis juxtaposed in the carrier, and having longitudinally outstanding ribs thereon which are formed by a laterally outstanding coping on the top of the septum and adapted to mate with the longitudinally extending grooves in the running surfaces of the skis.

7. The ski carrier according to claim 6, wherein the septum is integrally formed on the carrier.

8. A device for carrying longitudinally juxtaposed skis, comprising an elongated, end-handled strap which has an upstanding portion on the center section thereof defining an opening therein, and the two end sections of which are inter-connected with the center section so that they can be swung upwardly away from the center section, to form a sling in which the skis can be cradled for carrying when the handles of the end sections are gripped in one hand, and means which are relatively rigid in construction and interengageable with the strap in the opening of the upstanding portion to form a septum that is operatively upstanding on the center section for interengagement between the skis in the sling.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the septum forming means has laterally outstanding ribs thereon which are adapted to mate with the longitudinally extending grooves in the running surfaces of the skis.

10. The device according to claim 8 wherein the upstanding portion of the strap forms an envelope within which the septum forming means is enclosable.

11. The device according to claim 8 wherein the opening is oriented crosswise of the strap and the septum forming means is interengageable with the upstanding portion.