Article carrier

Abstract

A carrier for a surfboard or other elongate article comprises a shoulder strap, a waistbelt, and a holder portion. The holder portion comprises a lower flap that passes about a central portion of the board and attaches to an upper flap though snap-lock buckles to hold the board in place. When the carrier is not used to carry a board, it can be converted into a general-purpose bag by using side zip closures to form the lower flap into a pouch and by using the upper flap as a bag closure flap. A non-slip grip panel and/or a bladder may be provided on an inner surface of the lower flap to grip the board. The bladder may be inflated to a maximum pressure limited by a pressure-limiting valve by a pump on the shoulder strap.

1 . A carrier for the personal carriage of an elongate article, the carrier comprising a body-mounting strap and a looped holder portion, the looped holder portion being configured to extend about a portion of the elongate article in use to hold the article on the side of a person wearing the device, with a first end of the article extending forwardly from the holder portion, and a second end of the article extending rearwardly of the holder portion, wherein the looped holder portion is able to be closed along at least one of its sides through which the elongate article would extend in use to form a pouch.  
   
   
       2 . A carrier according to  claim 1 , wherein both sides of the looped holder portion are able to be closed.  
   
   
       3 . A carrier according to  claim 1 , wherein a side edge or side edges of the looped holder portion has/have one or more closure elements, such as zip closure devices.  
   
   
       4 . A carrier according to  claim 1 , wherein the looped holder portion comprises a flapped panel that may be passed about the article and closed into a loop.  
   
   
       5 . A carrier according to  claim 1 , wherein the looped holder portion comprises a pair of flapped portions.  
   
   
       6 . A carrier according to  claim 1 , wherein the looped holder portion comprises tightening means for tightening the looped portion against a carried article.  
   
   
       7 . A carrier according to  claim 1 , wherein the looped holder portion comprises a bladder element.  
   
   
       8 . A carrier according to  claim 7 , wherein the carrier comprises an inflation means for inflating the bladder element.  
   
   
       9 . A carrier according to  claim 1 , wherein the looped holder portion comprises an inner surface area of a non-slip material.  
   
   
       10 . A carrier according to  claim 1 , wherein the body-mounting strap of the carrier comprises a shoulder strap and a waist belt.  
   
   
       11 . A carrier according to  claim 1 , wherein the carrier is a recreational board carrier or a surfboard carrier.  
   
   
       12 . A carrier for the personal carriage of an elongate article, the carrier including a body strap and an article holder, the article holder comprising a panel element that in use extends about a central portion of the article to form a tubular looped carry portion, and wherein side edges of the panel element comprise closure means that enable at least one side of the looped carry portion to be closed to form a pouch.  
   
   
       13 . A carrier according to  claim 12 , wherein the carrier comprises a pair of flaps, the flaps in use extending about an article to be carried and being fastened together.  
   
   
       14 . A carrier according to  claim 13 , wherein in use one flap extends about the top edge of a carried article and the other flap extends about the bottom edge of the article, the top flap being shorter than the bottom flap.  
   
   
       15 . A carrier according to  claim 14 , wherein the closure means is/are adapted to form the lower flap into a pouch, the closure means comprises closure elements provided along opposite side edges of the lower flap, the upper flap acting as a top closure to provide a bag-like configuration.  
   
   
       16 . A board carrier, the board carrier comprising a shoulder strap and a looped carrier portion within which the board is held in use, the looped carrier portion being formed from an elongate panel element that in use extends about a central portion of the board, wherein the looped carrier portion is able to be closed along at least one of its sides, through which the board would extend in use, to form a pouch.  
   
   
       17 . A carrier according to  claim 16 , wherein the panel element is made primarily from an elasticated material or comprises elasticated portions therein.  
   
   
       18 . A carrier according to  claim 16 , wherein the carrier comprises tightening means for ensuring a board or article is securely held within the looped portion, the tightening means comprising any one or more of: a tightening strap or drawstring, padding, and/or an inflatable bladder.  
   
   
       19 . A carrier for an elongate article, the carrier comprising one or more mounting straps and a looped holder portion, the looped holder portion being configured to extend about a portion of an elongate article in use to hold the article in place, with a first end of the article extending forwardly of the holder portion and a second end of the article extending rearwardly of the holder portion, wherein the looped holder portion is adapted to be closed along at least one side thereof through which the elongate article would extend in use such that the looped holder portion can form a pouch- or bag-like configuration.  
   
   
       20 . A carrier according to  claim 19 , wherein the looped holder portion comprises one or more closure elements for forming the looped holder portion into the carry pouch or bag-like configuration, the one or more closure elements provided along edges of the panel element and selected from the group consisting of: zip closures and Velcro™.  
   
   
       21 . A carrier for an elongate article, the carrier comprising a looped holder within which the article is held in use, and a bladder element within the looped holder, the bladder element being inflatable within the looped holder.  
   
   
       22 . A carrier for an elongate article, the carrier comprising one or more mounting straps and a looped holder portion, the looped holder portion being configured to extend about a portion of an elongate article in use to hold the article in place, with a first end of the article extending forwardly of the holder portion and a second end of the article extending rearwardly of the holder portion, wherein the looped holder portion comprises an inner surface area of a non-slip material.  
   
   
       23 . A carrier for the personal carriage of an elongate article, the carrier comprising a body-mounting strap and a looped holder portion, the looped holder portion being configured to extend about a portion of the elongate article in use to hold the article on the side of a person wearing the device, with a first end of the article extending forwardly from the holder portion, and a second end of the article extending rearwardly of the holder portion, wherein the body mounting strap comprises both a shoulder strap and a waist-belt.