FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates, in general terms, to an improved leg rope or leash used for tethering a surfboard, boogie board or the like (hereinafter referred to simply as "a board") to a user/rider.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] A leg rope or Ieash, in accordance with the known art, is used to enable the user/rider to retrieve a board once that user/rider has become separated therefrom, either unintentionally or intentionally. Leg ropes or leashes as now in use usually consist of a length of rope, cord or similar material which is associated with/coupled at one end to a plug or the like which is located in or forms part of the board, or alternatively to an eyelet of any known type which may be actually formed integrally with the board at the time of manufacture thereof. The other end of the rope or cord is generally associated with or coupled to or in some way connected with a leg band, traditionally referred to as a cuff, which is adapted in use to be secured around one leg of the board user/rider. A leg rope or leash is traditionally attached to the deck of the board at or in the vicinity of the tail end thereof. The plug or eyelet allows the leash or rope to be suitably attached using a leg rope string. It is usual for the other end of the leg rope or Ieash may be secured releasably but tightly around the ankle of the surfer using, for example, a Velcro-type fastening strap, preferably covered in neoprene or the like to provide improved comfort for the user/rider. The purpose of using a leg rope or leash is to keep the board attached to the ankle of the user/rider but at a safe distance therefrom. Should the surfer fall whilst, for example, riding a wave, then the board will not be swept away, thus allowing the surfer to quickly recover the board and return to the take-off zone for further surfing.

[0003] In recent times, in Australia and in other countries throughout the world, there has been an unfortunate increase in the incidence of shark attacks on surfers, swimmers and the like. One frightening example is the recent attack at Jeffreys Bay in South Africa on world champion Australian surfer Mick Fanning.

[0004] In an attempt to minimise the risks associated with surfing, swimming in the ocean etc., significant investigations have been effected into methods and means for repelling sharks. Such investigations have revealed that a high-pull- force magnet can be an effective repellent. It is generally accepted that magnetic fields act to repel sharks by disrupting their electroreception sense

[0005] The present invention seeks to improve prior art leg-rope

arrangements by allowing for incorporation into the leg rope assembly of a means effective for repelling sharks. In an especially preferred embodiment such means will take the form of what is referred to as a high-pull-force magnet, more preferably a neodymium-iron boride magnet. It should be understood, however, that the actual type of magnet to be incorporated into or with the subject leg rope is not of the essence of the invention, provided of course that it is sufficiently strong to provide the required strength to actually repel a shark or the like

(commonly referred to as members of the family of elasmobranchii).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] In accordance with the present invention, therefore, there is provided a leg rope assembly to releasably secure a surfboard, boogie board or the like to a surfer/rider, said assembly comprising: a cuff to engage around the leg of the surfer/rider; a rope or the like attached to the cuff at one end and attachable to the surfboard, boogie board or the like at the other end; and at least one device associated with the cuff for repelling an elasmobranch.

[0007] In one form the device associated with the cuff is in the form of a high-pull-force magnet, suitably a neodymium-iron boride magnet.

[0008] The device may be associated with the cuff by being contained in a pocket or sleeve formed in or on the cuff. In a preferred aspect of the invention the device is contained in a compartment formed in or on the cuff. Preferably the device is releasably retained in the compartment.

[0009] In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided an ankle horn for use with a leg-rope assembly for a surfboard, boogie board or the like, said ankle horn including: a base member; a main body portion extending substantially normal to said base member; and an elongate member extending substantially normal to an upper surface of said main body portion, wherein said main body portion and said base member define a compartment adapted to receive, and releasably retain, at least one device for repelling an elasmobranch.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] In order that the invention may be more clearly understood and put into practical effect reference will now be made to preferred embodiments of an improved leg rope assembly in accordance with the present invention. The ensuing description is given by way of non-limitative example only and is with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0011] FIG. 1 shows an improved leg rope assembly according to the invention;

[0012] FIG. 2 is a front view of an ankle horn in accordance with the present invention, to be associated with the cuff of the leg rope assembly;

[0013] FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of the ankle horn of FIG. 2;

[0014] FIG. 4 is a top view of the ankle horn of FIG. 2 in accordance with the present invention; and

[0015] FIG. 5 is a side view of the ankle horn in accordance with the present invention, having a rope or cord releasably associated therewith; [0016] FIG. 6 shows a side sectional view of an alternate embodiment of an ankle horn in accordance with the present invention;

[0017] FIG. 7 shows one method of releasably attaching the rope or cord of FIG. 5 to the ankle horn of FIG. 2; and

[0018] FIG. 8 shows the manner of operation of the invention. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0019] Embodiments of the present invention reside primarily in an improved leg rope assembly and an ankle horn of the improved leg rope. The elements of the invention have been illustrated in concise schematic form in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are necessary for understanding the embodiments of the present invention, but so as not to obscure the disclosure with excessive detail that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the present description.

[0020] In this specification, adjectives such as first and second, left and right, and the like may be used solely to distinguish one element or action from another element or action without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order. Words such as "comprises" or "includes" are intended to define a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed, including elements that are inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus.

[0021] Referring now to FIG 1 there is shown an improved leg rope assembly 10. The principal components of the leg rope assembly 10 are a cuff 1 1 and a rope 12. There is usually also a strap 13 for attaching the rope 12 to a surfboard, boogie board, or the like. The cuff, rope and strap are formed of any suitable materials, but typically the cuff is made from polypropylene webbing, the rope is synthetic (nylon) strands covered with neoprene and the strap may be string, rope or webbing. The assembly further includes a compartment 14 that contains a device for repelling sharks or the like elasmobranchs. The

compartment may be releasably associated with the cuff as described below.

[0022] In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention the compartment is in the form of an ankle horn described below in further detail. The device for repelling sharks and the like is contained within the ankle horn, which is associated with the cuff, which is attached to the ankle of a user. In an alternate embodiment the device for repelling sharks and the like is contained in a pocket or sleeve formed in the cuff. In either embodiment the device for repelling sharks, when in use, is almost always located in the water.

[0023] The ankle horn 14 in accordance with the present invention may be of any suitable shape and may be constructed from any suitable material and using any suitable method, as for example a plastics material in a moulding operation. It should be understood, however, that the actual material and mode of construction are not of the essence of the invention.

[0024] The ankle horn 14 is shown in greater detail in Fig. 2 to FIG. 4. In a preferred embodiment the ankle horn isin the form of a one-piece moulding and includes, as principal components, a base member 20, a main body portion 21 which is substantially hollow, and an elongate member 22 extending substantially normally from the upper surface 21 1 of the main body portion 21 . The elongate member 22, in the preferred embodiment shown, has a plurality of grooves 23 formed on the external surface thereof. The hollow main body portion 21 is of a size and shape so as to be able to receive and releasably retain therein a high- pull-force magnet 24 of any suitable type.

[0025] The arrangement is such that the ankle horn 14 is associated with the cuff of a leg rope in any known manner and using any suitable means. In an especially preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 1 , the cuff may have a section of the polypropylene webbing which makes up the cuff partially removed therefrom, whereby to provide an aperture or space of a shape which is complementary to that of the ankle horn 14. Once the ankle horn 14 is appropriately located in that aperture or space, the previously removed section of polypropylene webbing can be relocated over the horn 14 and affixed to the webbing/cuff in any known manner and using any known means, as for example by stitching or sewing. That section will have an opening formed thereon through which the elongate member 22 of the ankle horn 14 can protrude.

[0026] The elongate member 22 further includes a transverse aperture 25 and an axially-extending blind bore or aperture 26. The blind bore or aperture 26 is, in use, adapted to have disposed therewithin one end of a receiving means 30, preferably of a metallic material, said receiving means 30 being affixed to said elongate member 22 by a fixing means 31 extending through said transverse aperture 25. Such fixing means 31 , in a preferred embodiment, can be in the form of a rivet, pin, bolt or screw. The other end of the receiving means 30 in similar manner is releasably affixable, using any known and suitable means 32 (again in a preferred embodiment in the form of a rivet, pin, bolt or screw), to a shaped member 33 of any suitable material, as for example a plastics material, having disposed therewithin one end of a leg rope or leash. In the especially preferred embodiment shown the shaped member 33 may have a plurality of grooves 34 formed in the exterior face/surface thereof.

[0027] In a preferred embodiment the shaped member 33 is connected to the elongate member 22 using a removable screw 32, as shown in FIG. 7. A small tool 40 is used to release the screw 32 so the leg rope 13 can be replaced.

[0028] In an alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 6 the ankle horn 1 may be in the form of a two-piece moulding, with the two pieces in use being releasably interconnectable, defining a space for receiving a magnet. The two piece ankle horn comprises a hinge 61 that joins the main body portion 21 to the base member 20 thus allowing the main body portion 21 to open by pivoting on the hinge 61 . Opposite the hinge 61 is a ridge 62 that is caught by an elongate catch 63.

[0029] The improved leg-rope assembly in accordance with the present invention allows the repelling means, preferably a magnet, to be fully integrated into the cuff without in any way affecting the performance or comfort (to the rider) of the cuff itself. It also allows for ready replacement of the magnet, as and if such becomes necessary. As shown in FIG. 8, a rider 80 on a board 81 wears the cuff 1 1 around their ankle in conventional manner. The leg rope 12 is connected to the board 81 as usual. The cuff 1 1 is usually in the water so that the ankle horn 14 is immersed and thus the magnet 24 is in the water. The magnetic field 241 acts to repel sharks 82 and other elasmobranchii.

[0030] Finally, it is to be understood that the aforegoing description refers merely to preferred embodiments of the invention, and that variations and modifications will be possible thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the ambit of which is to be determined from the following claims.