Patent Application
20060064948
The present invention relates generally to surcingle sets, and more specifically, to improved surcingle sets which will be particularly useful with equestrian equipment and methods of making the surcingle sets.
The use of horses for both work and play typically requires a variety of accessories and equipment. For example, most people ride horses using a saddle. Underneath the saddle may exist a blanket or liner of sorts to protect the horse from saddle movements. Various saddle bags and other blankets also may be used. For most of this equipment it is desirable to have an attachment mechanism to firmly couple the equipment to the horse or to another piece of equipment on the horse. A variety of clips and belts are typically used. In some cases, surcingle sets are used.
As shown in
The present invention relates generally to surcingle sets, and more specifically, to improved surcingle sets for use with equestrian equipment and methods of making the surcingle sets. Surcingle sets of the present invention will be useful for a wide range of equestrian equipment, and provide for a more secure attachment. Surcingle sets of the present invention also will be useful in non-equestrian fields. For example, bags, backpacks, camping gear, sporting equipment, and a wide range of other items which require an attachment device will be able to make use of surcingle sets of the present invention.
In one embodiment of the present invention, a surcingle set for use with equestrian equipment includes a male component and a female component. The male component has an extension extending from a surface thereof. The female component has a coupling hole disposed therethrough, the coupling hole including a first hole and a smaller second hole connected to the first hole. An inner surface of the coupling hole has a friction layer disposed thereover. The friction layer has a greater coefficient of friction than the extension. By increasing the friction between the extension and the coupling hole, the extension has a more secure fit in the hole. Further, the likelihood for unintended slippage between the extension and coupling hole is reduced. In some aspects, the extension or the male component has a second friction layer disposed thereover, to further increase the friction between the extension and the coupling hole.
In some aspects, the female component includes an inner layer and an outer layer, with the outer layer comprising the friction layer. The inner layer includes a metal in some aspects. The metal inner layer helps provide structural strength to the surcingle set. In alternative aspects, the friction layer includes a plastic, a rubber, or the like. The extension is a mushroom-shaped extension in one embodiment. In another embodiment, the extension has a bulbous tip or enlarged end disposed at an end of a stem. The stem has a smaller width or diameter than a tip width or diameter. In some aspects, a width of the extension tip is smaller than the first hole width and larger than the second hole width. In this manner, the enlarged extension end is adapted to be received through the first hole, but is not adapted to be received through the smaller second hole. The stem portion is adapted to slide between the first hole and the second smaller hole. This may occur, for example, upon the application of a force to the extension that is greater than the increased level of friction.
In some aspects, the male and/or female component(s) further include an opening passing therethrough for coupling the male and/or female component(s) to an equestrian equipment piece. The equestrian equipment may be a blanket, leg guard, bag, or the like.
The present invention further provides methods of making a surcingle set for use with equestrian equipment. One such method includes providing a male component having an extension, and providing a female component inner layer. The inner layer has a coupling hole disposed therethrough, with the coupling hole having a first hole and a smaller second hole connected to the first hole. The method further includes coating the female component inner layer with an outer layer that has a higher coefficient of friction than the inner layer. The male and/or female components may be attached to one or more equestrian pieces of equipment.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description, the appended claims, and the accompanying drawings.
With reference to
In one embodiment, surcingle set 200 includes a female component 210 (
As shown in
In one embodiment, female component 210 includes an inner layer 212 and an outer layer 214. As can be seen in
As can be seen with reference to the dotted lines in
An embodiment of male component 250 is further depicted in
In a particular embodiment, at least a portion of male component 250 further includes an outer layer. The outer layer (not shown) of male component 250 may cover the entire male component 250, or may cover only a portion of male component 250. In one embodiment, the outer layer covers only extension 260. In another embodiment, the outer layer covers stem 264. Male component 250 outer layer may comprise a variety of materials, including rubber or the like, and may be manufactured in a similar or same fashion as the outer layer for female component 210. In a particular embodiment, the outer layer over male component 250 has a higher coefficient of friction than does the underlying layer of male component 250. Further, in one embodiment some or all of male component 250 has an outer layer while female component 210 does not. In this manner, male component 250 provides the increased friction layer to produce a more secure coupling of male and female components 250, 210.
Turning now to
Further, the width or diameter of tip 262 is preferably greater than width or diameter 234 of second hole 224 such that male component 250 and female component 210 remain coupled. More specifically, tip 262 cannot slip directly through second hole 224, but can only be passed through first hole 222. In this manner, male and female portions 250, 210 are decoupled by sliding stem 264 back into first hole 222 and removing tip 262 through first hole 222.
In one embodiment, a width 270 of stem 264 is about equal to a width 238 of channel 226. Further, in the embodiment in which first and second holes 222, 224 are connected without channel 226, width 238 corresponds to the opening in the adjoined portion of holes 222, 224. In this manner, stem 264 may be slid between first hole 222 and second hole 224 with the application of force to male component 250 and/or female component 210 in the desired direction. In a particular embodiment, width 270 of stem 264 is slightly greater than width 238 of channel 226 or the opening between first and second holes 222, 224. In this embodiment, stem 264 and/or the outer layer portion 214 disposed within coupling hole 220 compresses to permit stem 264 to pass through the narrower channel or opening 226. Upon receipt into smaller hole 224, an even greater force must be applied to extension 260 to cause stem 264 to pass through the narrowed channel or opening 226 in coupling hole 220. In a preferred embodiment, the material comprising outer layer 214 of female component 210 provides increased friction between stem 264 and the exposed surfaces of coupling hole 220. In this manner, coupled components 210, 250 remain in the desired orientation.
A more secure surcingle set coupling results by requiring a greater sliding force to be applied to one or both components 210, 250 to change the coupling orientation of extension 260 within coupling hole 220. This is particularly important on horses or other larger animals as their movement may produce two hundred kilograms (200 kg) or three hundred kilograms (300 kilograms) or greater force on surcingle set 200. This force is typically greater than the maximum force plastic locking clips can resist. Further, surcingle set 200 maintains its structural integrity in the event the horse jumps or moves suddenly to create the large pulling force.
The invention has now been described in detail. However, it will be appreciated that the invention may be carried out in ways other than those illustrated in the aforesaid discussion, and that certain changes and modifications may be practiced within the scope of the appended claims. Accordingly, the scope of this invention is not intended to be limited by those specific example, but rather to be accorded the scope represented in the following claims.
