Methods and apparatus for carrying and securing snow ski and snowboard boots

Abstract

Apparatus for carrying boots includes a handle, a fabric band in the form of an endless loop connected to the handle, first and second parts of a two-part fabric closure connected to the loop at separate positions with the loop being wrappable about the boots in a manner to contact the first and second parts of the two-part fabric closure, thereby to secure the boots for transport upon lifting of the handle.

1 ) Apparatus for carrying boots, comprising:
 a) a continuous flexible strip;   b) a handle connecting to the strip at two positions thereon, defining therebetween a first portion of the strip;   c) a second portion of the strip, having first and second parts extending from respective extremities of the first portion, the first and second parts having intermediate sections portions proximate respective remaining extremities of the first and second parts secured together in facing contact with one another;   d) a third portion of the strip having first and second parts extending from and continuously adjoining the extremities of the first and second parts of the second portion;   e) the first and second parts of the third portion being secured together in facing contact over their common length;   a fourth portion of the strip connecting respective extremities of the third portion;   g) a hook portion of fabric hook-eye fastening means being connected to the fourth portion of the strip on both sides of the strip proximate a midpoint of the fourth portion;   h) eye portions of the fabric hook-eye fastening means being facingly contactingly connected to respective outer surfaces of the third portion, along the length of the third portion.   
     
     
         2 ) Apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a section of the second part of the second portion of the strip being folded on itself to form a loop. 
     
     
         3 ) Apparatus of  claim 2  further comprising a ring retained within the loop. 
     
     
         4 ) Apparatus of  claim 3  further comprising a openable ring, having a manually actuable spring closure, engaging the ring retained within the loop. 
     
     
         5 ) Apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the handle is tubular and the strip passes through the tubular interior of the handle. 
     
     
         6 ) Apparatus of  claim 5  wherein the handle further comprises a pair of plugs fitting within respective ends of the tubular interior of the handle, securing the strip immovably within the handle by wedging the strip against the tubular interior of the handle. 
     
     
         7 ) Apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the plugs are elastomeric. 
     
     
         8 ) Apparatus of  claim 1  where the handle is transparent. 
     
     
         9 ) Apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the handle further comprises printed message indicia. 
     
     
         10 ) Apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the first portion of the strip has entity identification indicia thereon. 
     
     
         11 ) Apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the strip is fabric. 
     
     
         12 ) Apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a) first stitchings securing together in facing contact intermediate sections of the first and second parts of the second portion of the strip; 
 b) second stitchings securing in facing contact sections of the second part of the second portion of the strip that are folded on themselves to form the loop; 
 c) third stitchings securing together the first and second parts of the third portion in facing contact substantially over the length of the third portion; 
 d) fourth stitchings connecting the hook portion of fabric hook-eye fastening means to the fourth portion of the strip on both sides of the strip proximate the midpoint of the fourth portion; and 
 e) fifth stitchings connecting eye portions of the fabric hook-eye fastening means in facing contact with outwardly facing surfaces of the first and second parts of the third portion, along substantially the length of the third portion. 
 
     
     
         13 ) Apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the strip is extruded. 
     
     
         14 ) Apparatus for carrying boots, comprising:
 a) a band-like strip;   b) a handle;   c) the strip secured to the handle;   d) one part of the strip extending from the handle forming a loop proximate the handle;   e) the one part and a remaining part of the strip extending from the handle being secured together intermediate the loop and the handle;   f) the one part extending from the loop in a direction away from the portion of the first part intermediate the loop and the handle being secured to the remaining part for a first distance;   g) the one part extending from the loop in a direction away from the part intermediate the loop and the handle being separated from the remaining part for a second distance and thereafter joining;   h) a hook portion of fabric hook-eye releasable fastener being connected to the strip at juncture of the one part separated from the remaining part where those parts join;   i) an eye portion of the fabric hook-eye releasable fastener being connected to the first and remaining parts of the strip along the first distance at which the first and remaining parts are secured;   j) a first ring retained within the loop;   k) an openable ring, having a manually actuable spring closure, engaging the first ring.   
     
     
         15 ) Apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the strip is continuous. 
     
     
         16 ) Apparatus of  claim 14  where in the strip is fabric. 
     
     
         17 ) Apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the fabric is nylon. 
     
     
         18 ) A method for carrying a pair of ski and similar boots comprising:
 a) placing the boots of the pair adjacent one to another and laterally aligned with the toes of the boots pointing in a common direction;   b) configuring a portion of a continuous band-like loop into a circular form large enough to fit over and around the portions of the boots that cover the wearer's ankles;   c) wrapping the circularly configured portion of the continuous band-like fabric loop, having a hook portion of a fabric hook-eye releasable fastener facingly connected to the circularly configured portion, around upstanding ankle portions of the boots at a position below an uppermost buckle of the boots with the fabric hook-eye fastener positioned equally overlapping each of the boots;   d) drawing a remaining portion of the continuous band-like loop, the remaining portion having loop portions secured together and having an eye portion of the fabric hook-eye releasable fastener facingly connected to the secured together portions of the loop, forward relative to the boots, to pull the circularly formed portion firmly around the upstanding portions of the boots;   e) rotating the secured together loop portions under the boots to wrap the circularly formed portion entirely about the upstanding portions of the boots at the position below an uppermost buckle of the boots and then pulling the secured loop portions upwardly between the adjacent boots until the eye portion of the fabric hook-eye releasable fastener contactingly engages and thereby secures the boots within the continuous band;   f) raising a remaining portion of the secured together loop portions above upper extremities of the boots and thereafter lifting the boots, using the remaining portion of the secured together loop portions, for carriage of the boots and continuous band-like loop together.   
     
     
         19 ) Ankle high boots with buckle or other fasteners on the ankle portion thereof and a carrier therefor, comprising:
 a) a pair of ankle-high boots having buckle or other fastening means on the ankle portions thereof, with the boots of the pair adjacent one to another and laterally aligned with the toes of the boots pointing in a common direction;   b) a portion of a continuous band-like loop in circular form fitting over and around the portions of the boots covering the wearer's ankles, having a hook portion of a fabric hook-eye releasable fastener facingly connected to the circularly formed portion and being wrapped around rear ankle portions of the boots at a position below an uppermost buckle or other fastener on the ankle portion of the boots with the fabric hook-eye fastener overlapping each of the boots;   c) a remaining portion of the continuous band-like loop, the remaining portion having loop portions secured together and having an eye portion of the fabric hook-eye releasable fastener facingly connected to secured together portions of the loop extending forward relative to the boots with the circularly formed portion positioned around and in contact with the upstanding ankle portions of the boots;   d) the secured together loop portions passing under the boots thereby to wrap the circularly formed portion entirely about the upstanding ankle portions of the boots at the position below an uppermost buckle or other fastener of the boots and then extending upwardly between the adjacent boots with the eye portion of the fabric hook-eye releasable fastener contactingly engaging and thereby securing the boots within the continuous band;   e) a remaining portion of the secured together loop portions extending above upper extremities of the boots for manual lifting of the boots for carriage of the boots and continuous band-like loop together.   
     
     
         20 ) Apparatus for carrying snow ski boots, snowboard boots and other ankle-high and higher boots having mechanical closures, comprising:
 a) a handle;   b) a fabric band in the form of an endless loop connected to the handle;   c) a first part of a two-part fabric closure connected to the loop at a position remote from the handle;   d) a second part of the two part fabric closure connected to facingly connected portions of the loop that are intermediate the handle and the first part of the two-part fabric closure;   e) the band being wrappable about the ankle portion of a pair of boots when respective toes and heels of the boots are aligned with the first part of the fabric closure at the rear of the ankle portions of the boots, the portion of the band extending away from the wrappable portion towards the handle being movable by being drawn by the handle between the boots below the wrappable portion and then upwardly to contact the second part of the two part fabric closure with the first part of the two part fabric closure thereby securing the fabric band about the boots with the handle then being vertically liftable to raise the band and the boots for transport thereof.