US20080057804A1

US20080057804A1 - Carrier

Info

Publication number: US20080057804A1
Application number: US11/853,098
Authority: US
Inventors: Joe WATANABE
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-04-22
Filing date: 2007-09-11
Publication date: 2008-03-06
Also published as: JP2006298446A

Abstract

The present invention is characterized in that a carrier (1) comprises support parts (6), (7) configured to be able to support an object of carry (12); a grip part (24) configured to be placed at the outside part of the object (12) supported by the support parts (6), (7); which is configured to be able to carry the object (12) by gripping the grip part (24) and holding the object (12) between an arm and a body of a carrying person.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

n/a

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

n/a

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a carrier, more specifically, it relates to a carrier configured to be able to carry a wide object such as a large surfboard and the like holding the object between an arm and a body of a carrying person.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Traditionally, a person carries a wide object such as a large surfboard and the like folded in both his or her arms, or puts it on his or her head and holding it by both his or her hands. However, by carrying a large item that way, it is very difficult to carry it and the carrying is not very efficient. In addition, wide spaces are required to place a wide object such as a large surfboard flatly in a house, a parking lot, or on a beach and also there is a risk of causing damage to its surface. There is also the problem that it is impossible to stand the item upright without a support surface such as a wall and the like.
Generally, wax is layered onto the deck side of the surfboard that a surfer stands up on in order to prevent slipping, and the wax typically melts easily when exposed to the summer sun and heat. Therefore, there is a risk that the wax on the deck side of the surfboard melts when the surfboard is placed with the deck side faced upward when outside, such as the beach and the like. On the other hand, the problem that sand adheres to the wax on the deck side when the surfboard is placed facing downward at the beach is also an issue.
In order to overcome the above problems, the object of the present invention is to provide a carrier that is easily movable by one hand, that is set up easily and readily saves space.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to achieve the above objects, the present invention comprises support parts configured to be able to support an object to be carried; a grip part configured to be placed at the outside part of the object supported by the support parts; which is configured to be able to carry the object by gripping the grip part and holding the object between an arm and a body of a carrying person.
Preferably, the carrier may comprise perpendicular frame members situated in parallel at the front and the rear, wherein the support parts are formed to bend to the inside at the lower end of the perpendicular frame members and the grip part is mounted on a horizontal grip member laid across the perpendicular frame members.
In addition, the horizontal grip member may be installed to be able to slide up and down along the perpendicular frame members.
Furthermore, a stand member may be installed to be able to incline to the outside on the perpendicular frame members.
Furthermore, the carrier may comprise a horizontal frame member laid across the top end of the perpendicular frame members, wherein a hanger part is situated at the center part of the horizontal frame member and the head end of each support part, respectively.
According to the present invention, it is possible to easily carry a large item by one hand to thereby enhance the carrying efficiency.
In addition, it is possible to place the object to match with the situation of a particular location and to also save space and the like.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete understanding of the present invention, and the attendant advantages and features thereof, will be more readily understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a carrier according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a side view of a carrier according to the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a carrier according to the present invention with a surfboard sideward;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a carrier according to the present invention with a suspending cord;
FIG. 5 is a rear elevation of a carrier according to the present invention with a surfboard upright; and
FIG. 6 is a side view of a carrier according to the present invention with a surfboard upright.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the present invention with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4 is now described, as well as an example that applies the carrier according to the present invention to carrying a surfboard. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a carrier according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side view of a carrier according to the present invention, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a carrier according to the present invention with a surfboard sideward, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a carrier according to the present invention with a suspending cord.
The carrier according to the present invention comprises a body part 5 formed into a gate shape by perpendicular frame members 2, 3 situated in parallel at the front and the rear, and a horizontal frame member 4 laid across on the top end of the each perpendicular frame member 2, 3. Support parts 6, 7 are formed to bend to the inside at the lower end of the each perpendicular frame member 2, 3, and a horizontal grip member 8 is laid across center parts of the each perpendicular frame member 2, 3. A stand member 9 is installed to be able to incline to the outside on the top end of the each perpendicular frame member 2, 3. It is possible to make it compact overall since the height of the carrier 1 may be about 30 cm.
Each perpendicular frame member 2, 3 comprises a vertical long member made of aluminum respectively, and each vertical hole 10, 11 is formed in each perpendicular frame member 2, 3 respectively. Each pad 13, 14 is made of an elastic member for support of the surfboard 12, and is extruded on the inside of the top end of each perpendicular frame member 2, 3 to be able to contact the surface of the surfboard 12. The horizontal frame member 4 comprises a horizontal long member made of aluminum, and the first hanging parts 15, 16 in the shape of a circle hole are formed at both ends of the horizontal frame member 4 respectively. A second hanging part 17, formed in the shape of a hook by bending to the lower outside, is installed at the center of the horizontal frame member 4.
Each support part 6, 7 is formed by bending an elongate member made of aluminum into a U-shape, and the third hanging parts 18, 19 in the shape of a circle hole are formed at the head ends of the support parts 6, 7. Each pad 20, 21, which are made of elastic member for support of the carrier 1, are extruded downward at the lower end of each support part 6, 7.
The horizontal grip member 8 comprises an elongate bar member made of aluminum, and both ends of the horizontal grip member 8 are installed to be able to slide up and down along the each vertical hole 10, 11 so that it can be fixed on the desired position of the perpendicular frame member 2, 3 by screwing a fixing position adjustment member 22. The center of the horizontal grip member 8 bends slightly to the outside, and a cylindrical grip part 24 made of an elastic member is installed at the bending part 23. Preferably, the length L to the outside (as shown in FIG. 2) may be set not to hit a hand on the surfboard 12 supported by the carrier 1 when a person grips the grip part 24. For example, the length L may be approximately 2 cm.
The stand member 9 is made of aluminum, and comprises a pair of foot parts 25, 26, a connection part 27 to connect each lower end of each foot part 25, 26, and pads 32, 33 for supporting the foot parts 25, 26. The pads 32, 33 are made of an elastic member and are installed at the each lower end of the each foot part 25, 26. The top end of the each foot part 25, 26 is supported on the top end of each perpendicular frame member 2, 3 so that each foot part 25, 26 can be fixed on the inclined condition at the desired angle to the perpendicular frame members 2, 3 by screwing an inclination adjustment member 28.
An exemplary use of the carrier 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention is described as follows. As shown in FIG. 3, each support part 6, 7 supports the surfboard 12 sideways while maintaining good balance and a belt 31 made of rubber is hung on the second hanging part 17, while the third hanging parts 18, 19 fix the surfboard 12 on the carrier 1. The surfboard 12 can be fixed on the carrier 1 firmly and without damage since the outside of the surfboard 12 contacts the pads 13, 14 made of an elastic member for support of the surfboard 12. In addition, the foot parts 25, 26 of the stand member 9 are fixed while being folded along each perpendicular frame member 2, 3.
When the surfboard 12 is fixed on the carrier 1 as mentioned above, the carrying person stands at the inside of the carrier 1 (on this side of a paper as shown in FIG. 3) and grips the grip part 24 while holding the surfboard 12 between his or her arm and body. As such, the carrying person can carry the surfboard 12 stably and easily with one hand. In addition, the carrying person can do the gripping motion easily and without fault since the grip part 24 extrudes to the outside slightly to form the optimum clearance for gripping between the surfboard 12 and the grip part 24. Furthermore, the carrying person can carry the surfboard 12 smoothly since his or her body is placed between the front support part 6 and the rear support part 7 to prevent contacting his or her leg on the support parts 6, 7 at the time of carrying the surfboard 12. Also, the carrying person can carry the surfboard 12 more stably and easily by adjusting the installation height of the horizontal grip member 8 beforehand to fit the top end 29 of the surfboard 12 to the axilla.
Next, after the carrying person carries the surfboard 12 to the predetermined place, the foot parts 25, 26 of the stand member 9 are fixed on the inclined condition at the desired degree to the outside by the inclination adjustment member 28. The surfboard 12 is then supported on the setting area by the foot parts 25, 26 and the pads 20, 21 made of an elastic member for support of the carrier 1. The surfboard 12 can be set at the setting area stably supported on the carrier 1 since the surfboard is supported at the four points by the foot parts 25, 26 and the pads 20, 21. The pads 32, 33 for supporting the foot parts 25, 26 and the pads 20, 21 for support of the carrier 1 prevent the surfboard 12 from slipping on the setting area of the carrier 1. In addition, it is possible to protect the surfboard 12 since the shock coming at the time of setting the carrier 1 on the setting area can be absorbed without fault by the pads 20, 21 and the pads 32, 33. Furthermore, it is possible to prevent the sand of the beach from adhering at the lower end of the surfboard 12 since there is less possibility of the support parts 6, 7 and pads 20, 21 sinking under the sand at the time of setting the carrier 1 on the beach.
The carrying person can place the surfboard according to the size of space available since the open angle of the stand member 9 can be adjusted freely by the inclination adjustment member 28. In addition, as shown in FIG. 4, it is possible to further save space by hanging a suspending cord 30 on the first hanging parts 15, 16 to hang the suspending cord 30 on a hook fixed on a wall or hanging the first hanging parts 15, 16 on the hook directly. Furthermore, the suspending cord 30 fixed on the first hanging parts 15, 16 may be hung on the shoulder when the carrying person carries the surfboard 12. This can further improve stability of the surfboard 12 during carrying and also the efficiency of carrying it.
As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, it is also possible to hang fins 34 fixed on the water side of the vertical surfboard 12 on the horizontal grip member 8 that was adjusted to vertically position the surfboard 12. In this case, it is possible to further save space since the surfboard 12 can be placed lengthwise. In addition, in this case, the perpendicular frame members 2, 3 can be formed to be able to lengthen and shorten up and down. In case the surfboard 12 is placed lengthwise, the perpendicular frame members 2, 3 are lengthened up to heighten the height of the horizontal frame member 4, and a belt 36 made of rubber can hang on the first hanging part 15 and the second hanging part 16. Thereby, it is possible to support the surfboard 12 stably by the carrier 1 alone.
It is understood that various changes and modifications of the material and shape and the like of the carrier 1 may be made in the invention. In addition, Although the invention has been described in its preferred form with a certain degree of particularity, the invention can be applied to the case that carry other objects of carry such as grass plate or plywood and the like.
It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to what has been particularly shown and described herein above. In addition, unless mention was made above to the contrary, it should be noted that all of the accompanying drawings are not to scale. A variety of modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, which is limited only by the following claims.

Claims

1. A carrier comprising:

support parts configured to be able to support an object of carry; and

a grip part configured to be placed at the outside part of the object of carry supported by the support parts; which is configured to be able to carry the object of carry gripping the grip part and holding the object of carry between an arm and a body of a carrying person.

2. The carrier according to claim 1 comprising a perpendicular frame member situated in parallel at the front and the rear, wherein the support parts are formed to bend to the inside at the lower end of the each perpendicular frame member and the grip part is mounted on a horizontal grip member laid across the each perpendicular frame member.

3. The carrier according to claim 2 wherein the horizontal grip member is installed to be able to slide up and down along the each perpendicular frame member.

4. The carrier according to claim 2 wherein a stand member is installed to be able to incline to the outside on the each perpendicular frame member.

5. The carrier according to claim 2 comprising a horizontal frame member laid across on the top end of the each perpendicular frame member, wherein a hanger part is situated at the center part of the horizontal frame member and the head end of the each support part respectively.

6. An apparatus for carrying an object, comprising:

a first frame member, a second frame member and third frame member, wherein the second and third frame members extend from the first frame member at a substantially perpendicular angle;

a first support part extending from the second frame member and able to accommodate a portion of the object;

a second support part extending from the third frame member and able to accommodate a portion of the object; and

a grip part extending between the second and third frame members configured to be placed at the outside part of the object supported by the support parts; which is configured to carry the object by gripping the grip part and holding the object between an arm and a body of a carrying person.

7. The carrier according to claim 6, wherein the first and second support parts are substantially curved members.

8. The carrier according to claim 6, wherein the grip member is movably coupled to the second and third frame members.

9. The carrier according to claim 6, further comprising a first foot part movably coupled to at least one of the first, second and third frame members.

10. The carrier according to claim 9, further comprising a second foot part movably coupled to at least one of the first, second and third frame members.

11. The carrier according to claim 6, further comprising a cord coupled to at least one of the first, second and third frame members.