US20040161986A1

US20040161986A1 - Body board handles

Info

Publication number: US20040161986A1
Application number: US10/613,920
Authority: US
Inventors: Frank Scozzari
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-07-09
Filing date: 2003-07-02
Publication date: 2004-08-19

Abstract

A device for recreational water sports is disclosed. The inventive device includes two identical controlling, stabilizing and holding handles. The handles are mounted to the boogie board, body board or sport board with standard flat top anchors or body board anchors.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application relies on a previously filed provisional application 60/394,572 filed on Jul. 9, 2002.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING

Not applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention broadly relates to handles for a sport board, such as a boogie board, body board or the like. Specifically, the present invention is board handles or grips and the like for rider stability and control. Art pertinent to the subject matter of the present invention can be found in U.S. Patent Class 280, Subclasses 607 and 611.

2. Description of Related Art

Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,675 by Shoeffler et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,439,165 by Rothstein; U.S. Pat. No. 2,958,875 by McClain; U.S. Pat. No. 4,929,208 by Corica; U.S. Pat. No. 3,092,857 by Churchman; PCT Patent No. WO 84/01756 by Enners; and EPO Patent No. EP 0 273 989 A1 by Tinkler.

While these devices fulfill particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose handles for a sports board, body board, boogie board or the like. The inventive device includes attachable board handles upwardly extended from the top of a body board and generally positioned towards the front end of a board. The handles comprise a resiliently deformable material to permit adjustments for different size hands. The handles can be added, removed or replaced from any conventional body board.

In these respects, the body board handles according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of providing extra control when body board surfing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Body boarding is an international wave-riding sport and one of the most popular ocean sports in Hawaii. Tom Morey, a California native, made the first foam body board in the summer of 1971 while he was living in Kona on the Big Island. Later that year he took his invention back to California and began to mass produce it as the “Morey Boogie Board.” As the boards began to sell, the sport of body boarding took off in California and Hawaii, and eventually spread around the world. Today, there are many different makes and models of body boards in addition to the originals, now known as Morey Boogie Body boards.

Body boards are ridden most often in a prone position (lying chest down) with the board supporting the upper body of the rider. The prone position is the basic wave-catching position and also offers the most speed across the face of a wave. Once into a wave and riding, some experienced riders crouch on their boards with one knee down and their leading foot forward in the drop-knee stance while others even stand on their boards like they would on a surfboard.

Shaped out of high density polyethylene foam, finished body boards typically measure 42″ long, 22″ wide and 3″ thick and include a slick vinyl bottom skin for high speed performance and maneuverability.

One of the great appeals of body-boarding is that anyone can do it in any sized surf. Unlike the other popular wave-riding sports of bodysurfing and surfing, body boarding takes little effort to learn and is probably the best introduction to the thrill of riding waves. Body boards are buoyant enough to support all body shapes, weights, and sizes; they can be used in one-foot waves to 25-foot waves; they are inexpensive; and they are easy to carry and store. The best feature for beginners is probably the moderately soft, foam composition. Beginners occasionally get hit with their boards when they are tumbled in the surf. The soft foam core eliminates the chances of serious injury.

One of the most exciting features of body boarding is the acrobatic maneuvers performed by the sport's expert riders. These include ‘el rollos’ (360° barrel rolls), aerials (launching off the face of a wave into mid-air), and spinners (360° turns). These maneuvers are especially spectacular when performed in succession or in combination in high surf. Accessories include leashes, which are attached to the board via a plastic anchor/screw and to either the wrist or ankle of the rider to prevent the board from drifting away in the surf.

Almost all body boarders wear fins for added propulsion. Fins give the extra surge of power that is needed to catch a steep wave or to get through a fast-breaking section. They make swimming back out to the lineup easier and less tiring, allowing body boarders to stay in the water longer. Fins also make it much easier for body boarders to contend with the rip currents that occur at all body boarding beaches.

Our invention provides a stability and controlling device or attachment to a sport board, boogie board, body board or the like through a concentric countersunk mounting hole to mount such handles through the body of the board.

The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide body board handles which has many of the advantages of the body boards mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new body board accessory which enhances functionality, safety and control of the board, which are not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art aquatic body boards, either alone or in any combination thereof.

To attain this, the present invention generally comprises board handles upwardly extended from a top face of a board and positioned towards the front end of a board. The handles comprise a resiliently formable material to permit adjustments for different size hands.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide body board handles which has many of the advantages of the aquatic body boards and devices mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new body board attachment which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art aquatic body boards, either alone or in any combination thereof.

Therefore, a primary object of the present invention is to provide handles or hand grips to a sport board, boogie board, body board or the like.

Further, a primary object of the present invention is to provide handles which are an integral resiliently imbedded in the body of a sport board, boogie board, body board or the like for stabilizing and maneuvering the board.

Specifically, an object of the present invention is to provide hand controlling devices to and anchored to a sport board, boogie board, body board or the like.

A specific object of the present invention is to provide handles to a sport board, boogie board, body board or the like which are attachable using standard plastic anchors or screws or other fastening device.

An object of the present invention is to provide a sport board controlling grips or handles which resists lateral forces to maintain a permanent bond with the board.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention, along with features of novelty appurtenant thereto, will appear or become apparent in the course of the following descriptive sections.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Body board Handles: A handle device, or set of handles, that can be fastened onto and/or removed from any industry standard body board using standard plastic anchors or screws or other fastening device. The handles are intended to be used to enhance maneuverability, control and safety of a body board.

Handles can be made adjustable or non-adjustable. Handles are intended to be an accessory that can be added to, or removed from, any commercial or non-commercial body board or boogie board. The handles can be placed anywhere on the board, in any position, in accordance with the individual preference of the body board rider.

The handles can be constructed of any strong, durable material. A prototype consists of a nylon strap, approximately one-inch wide by 8-13 inches long (non-adjustable version), one-piece, fastened at both ends; 12-18 inches long (adjustable version), open at ends with an adjustable buckle. The handle portion is fastened on the upper side of the strap, and is made of nylon strap with Velcro grip, or with luggage-grade plastic. The handle is fastened to the body board through two holes approximately 4-6 inches apart on the bottom side of the strap. There is a plastic grommet surrounding each hole to increase strength and protect from edge wear. Through these holes the handles are attached to the body board using large plastic two-piece screws/anchors in the same manner a body board leash is attached.

The adjustable version of the handle includes a plastic buckle on the upper end to enable the lower end of the nylon strap to be pulled through the buckle and tightened.

ILLUSTRATIONS

FIG. 1[0034]
A perspective view of the top, rear of the device, strap and mounting post assembly thereof; [0035]
FIG. 2[0036]
A perspective view of the top, front of the device, strap and mounting post assembly thereof; [0037]
FIG. 3[0038]
A perspective view of rear of the device, strap and mounting post assembly thereof; [0039]
FIG. 4[0040]
A perspective view of the top of the device, strap and mounting post assembly thereof; [0041]
FIG. 5[0042]
A perspective view of the front of the device strap and mounting post assembly thereof; [0043]
FIG. 6[0044]
A perspective view of the top of the boogie board, wrist strap and cable assembly thereof;[0045]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the handles comprising of a post base [0046] 1 a post collar 3 an adjustment strap 4, an adjustment strap lock 5, and an adjustable strap handle 2. Referring now to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, the body board handles comprising of the post base 1 the post collar 3 the post neck 6 the adjustment strap 4 the strap handle 2 the strap lock 5 and the strap base 7. Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7, the body board with built in handles 8, two handle assemblies 2 with a front side 10 with a wrist strap 11 with a wrist strap cable 9 with four mounting posts 3.
The [0047] handle assemblies 2, can be mounted through the board with a mounting neck 3. The body board handles can be forwardly mounted 10 on the board to assist in control and balance.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. Body board handles designed and constructed for recreational water activities comprising:

a durable plastic or weather resistant mounting post, handle, adjusting strap and grip.

2. Body board handles according to claim 1 wherein the handles can be attached to any body board, boogie board or water sport board.

3. Body board handles according to claim 1 wherein the board handles are designed to be encircled by the operator's hands and fingers.

4. Body board handles according to claim 1 wherein the handles can be easily removed or replaced.

5. Body board handles according to claim 1 wherein the handles are mounted using standard plastic anchors and/or screws, known as a body board anchors and/or Flat Top Anchors.

6. Body board handles according to claim 1 wherein the board is manufactured through an injection mold process.

7. Body board handles according to claim 1 wherein the handles can be permanently or temporarily mounted.