Patent Application
20170096200
Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a surfboard bag configured to facilitate transport of one or more surfboards and protect the surfboards) during transport and insertion/removal from the surfboard bag.
Background of the Disclosure
Surfboard bags are generally known in the art for facilitating transport of one or more surfboards and for protecting the surfboard(s) during transport. Such surfboard bags may include zippers or other closure mechanisms to retain the surfboard(s) within the bag, padding to protect the surfboard(s), exterior pockets to retain accessories or other items, and/or handles to facilitate transport of the surfboard(s).
Despite the above-noted advantageous features, prior art surfboard bags are susceptible to board sticking. Board sticking occurs, particularly on warm-weather days, where the wax on the surfboard melts and then re-hardens such that the surfboard and the interior of the bag are sealed to one another. Once board sticking has set it, it is difficult to remove the surfboard from the bag without damaging the surfboard and/or the bag.
Accordingly, there is a continuing need for a surfboard bag configured to facilitate the separation of the bag from the surfboard in the event of board sticking with relative ease and without damaging the surfboard and/or the bag.
Provided in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure is a surfboard bag including a body having first and second sides, a closed end, and an open end. The body is formed from upper and lower exterior surfaces of a first material, e.g., terry cloth, canvas, or other suitable material, and upper and lower interior surfaces of a second, different material, e.g., a tarpaulin made from vinyl, polyethylene, etc., or other suitable material. The surfaces of the body are joined to one another along the first and second sides of the body and the closed end of the body so as to define an interior cavity. The open end of the body defines a mouth providing access to the interior cavity. One or more release tabs are disposed on the upper exterior surface of the body and/or the lower exterior surface of the body. The release tab(s) are spaced-apart from the first and second sides of the body and spaced-apart from the open and closed ends of the body. The release tab(s) are configured to facilitate breaking a seal created by board sticking between a surfboard disposed within the interior cavity and the upper exterior surface of the body or the lower exterior surface of the body.
In aspects of the present disclosure, the surfaces of the body are joined to one another along the first and second sides of the body and the closed end of the body via stitching.
In aspects of the present disclosure, at the open end of the body, the upper exterior and interior surfaces are joined to one another and the lower exterior and interior surfaces are joined to one another. These surfaces, in aspects, may be joined to one another via stitching.
In aspects of the present disclosure, the upper exterior surface of the body and/or the lower exterior surface of the body includes two or more release tabs. The two or more release tabs are laterally centered relative to the first and second sides of the body. Additionally or alternatively, the two or more tabs may be equally-spaced longitudinally relative to each other and the ends of the body.
In aspects of the present disclosure, each release tab includes a first end, a second end, and a central portion. In such aspects, each release tab is joined to the body at the first and second ends of the release tab. More specifically, the first and second ends of each release tab may be stitched to the body.
In aspects of the present disclosure, a pocket is disposed within the interior cavity of the body. The pocket may be stitched to the upper interior surface of the body or the lower interior surface of the body.
Aspects and features of the present disclosure are described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Various embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals identify similar or identical elements. In the following description, well known functions or constructions are not described in detail to avoid obscuring the present disclosure. To the extent consistent, any of the aspects and/or features of any of the embodiments detailed herein may be used in conjunction with any of the aspects and/or features of any of the other embodiments detailed herein.
Turning to
Body 12 further defines a first side 13, a second side 14, a closed end 15, and an open end 16. Layers 12a-12d are stitched to one another about the outer peripheries thereof along first and second sides 13, 14, respectively, and closed end 15 of body 12. However, all of the layers 12a-12d are not stitched together at open end 16 of body 12 so as to define a mouth 17 providing access to the interior cavity of body 12 of bag 10. Rather, at open end 16 of body 12, upper outer layer 12a and upper inner layer 12b are stitched to one another and lower inner layer 12c and lower outer layer 12d are stitched to one another. As can be appreciated, the resultant configuration is a body 12 having an exterior defined by upper outer layer 12a and lower outer layer 12d (which, as noted above, may be formed from terry cloth, canvas, or other suitable material) and an interior cavity defined by upper inner layer 12b and lower inner layer 12c (which, as noted above, may be formed from tarpaulin or other suitable material). The interior cavity of body 12 is accessible by mouth 17 and may further include a flap (not shown) configured to releasably close mouth 17 in any suitable fashion, e.g., via folding, hook and loop fastening, buttons, latches, zippers, etc.
Bag 10 further includes and interior pocket 18 formed on the interior of body 12, e.g., on upper inner layer 12b or lower inner layer 12c, towards mouth 17. Pocket 18 is stitched to body 12 on three sides thereof, thus providing an opening to permit insertion and removal of items, e.g., board wax, car keys, and/or other accessories. Pocket 18 may further include a flap (not shown) configured to releasably close the opening in any suitable fashion, e.g., via folding, hook and loop fastening, buttons, latches, zippers, etc.
With additional reference to
Each release tab 19, as noted above, is stitched to the upper layers 12a, 12b or the lower layers 12c, 12d of body 12. Release tabs 19 are laterally centered between first and second sides 13, 14 of body 12. Longitudinally, release tabs 19 are equally spaced relative to each other, closed end 15 of body 12, and open end 16 of body 12. As illustrated in
For longer bags 10 configured for use with long boards, three release tabs 19 may be disposed on each outer layer 12a, 12d, e.g., spaced-apart from each other and the closed and open ends 15, 16, respectively, of body 12 by approximately ¼ the length of body 12. On the other hand, for shorter bags 10 configured for use with short boards, a single release tab 19 may be provided on each outer layer 12a, 12d, e.g., spaced-apart from the closed and open ends 15, 16, respectively, of body 12 by approximately ½ the length of body 12. Other configurations are also contemplated, depending upon the size of the bag 10 which, in turn, is dependent upon the size of the surfboard “S” configured for receipt therein. For example, in embodiments where two release tabs 19 are provided, the release tabs may be spaced-apart from one another by approximately ⅕ the length of body 12 and spaced-apart from the nearest end 15, 16 by approximately ⅖ of the length of body 12. Additionally or alternatively, multiple rows of release tabs 19 may be provided with the release tabs 19 of each row laterally-spaced from each other and sides 13, 14 of body 12.
Referring to
Due to the lateral positioning of release tabs 19 away from sides 13, 14 of body 12, release tabs 19 are positioned towards the lateral center of the upper surface of the surfboard “S,” rather than being position adjacent an edge thereof. Likewise, due to the longitudinal positioning of release tabs 19 spaced-apart from the ends 15, 16 of body 12, release tabs 19 are generally spaced-apart from the ends of the surfboard “S.” As a result of this configuration, pulling release tab(s) 19 upwardly away from the surfboard “S” in the direction of arrows “R,” provides a pulling force across substantially the entire surface area of upper layers 12a, 12b of body 12 of bag 10 away from the upper surface of surfboard “S.” That is, the pulling force exerted on upper layers 12a, 12b is sufficiently spread about the entire surface area of upper layers 12a, 12b of body 12 of bag 10 so as to break the seal between the surfboard “S” and inner upper layer 12b of body 12 and release inner upper layer 12b of body 12 from the upper surface of surfboard “S.” Once released in this manner, the surfboard “S” can be easily removed from bag 10 via mouth 17 at open end 16 of body 12
In addition to their primary function of facilitating breaking the seal between the surfboard “S” and the interior of body 12 of bag 10, release tabs 19 may additionally be used as handles to facilitate transport of bag 10, tying loops to enable tying bag 10 to a roof rack or other structure (not shown), and/or attachment loops to allow attachment of a carrying strap (not shown) to bag 10. It should be noted that, while handles, tying loops, and/or attachment loops disposed along ends and/or sides of a surfboard bag may be provided for any or all of the above-noted additional functions, the positioning of such handles, tying loops, and/or attachment loops along the ends and/or sides of the surfboard bag cannot be used to readily break a seal created as a result of board sticking at least because the pulling force exerted on these handles, tying loops, and/or attachment loops would not be spread about a sufficiently large surface area of the bag. Rather, it is the positioning of the release tabs 19 as detailed in the above-noted embodiments of the present disclosure that enable such a feature.
It will be understood that various modifications may be made to the embodiments of the present disclosure. Therefore, the above description should not be construed as limiting, but merely as exemplifications of embodiments. Those skilled in the art will envision other modifications within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/236,240 filed on Oct. 2, 2015, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62236240 | Oct 2015 | US |
