SHOULDER STRAP Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a one- or two-shouldered strap. Background to the Invention Straps are well known products that are used to secure an object to a person; the strap allows the user to have an increased level of manoeuvrability with an object. Objects used with straps include duffle bags, handbags and musical instruments such as electric guitars, bass guitars, banjos amongst others.

Straps in the main have always been single strapped or they have two individual straps (one for each shoulder). In the case of single straps used for objects such as duffle bags and guitars, the full weight of the object is supported by one shoulder only.

The present invention provides a strap which can be used on one or two shoulders. Summary of the Invention

According to the present invention there is provided a shoulder strap assembly for use in carrying objects, comprising: a first connecting member having an anchorage for one end of a strap, a first bar around which a portion of the strap is freely slidable, and first attach- ment means for the object to be carried; and a second connecting member separate from the first connecting member and having a second bar around which a portion of the strap is freely slidable, and a second attachment means for the object to be carried; and wherein the strap extends from the anchorage, around the second bar and then around the first bar, an adjustable fastening being provided to enable the free end of the strap extending from the first bar to be adjustably attached to a portion of the strap extending between the first and second bars.

The two parts of the strap may be adjustably attached to each other by means of a hook-and-loop connection, for example that sold under the Regis- tered Trade Mark Velcro, or buttons and buttonholes, hooks and eyes, flexible magnetic attachment strips, or indeed any other temporary fastening permitting

adjustment of the relative fastening position of the two parts of the strap one to the other.

Other features of the invention are defined in the claims.

The strap of the invention is convenient to use, either on a single shoul- der or on two shoulders, permitting the position of the object being carried to be readily adjusted in use. Brief Description of the Drawings

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing in which :- Figure 1 is a front view of a single-shoulder strap according to a first embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is side elevation or profile view of the strap shown in Figure 1 ;

Figure 2a is an enlarged sectional view of the ringed portion of Figure 2 marked A; Figure 3 is a front view of a two-shoulder strap according to another embodiment of the invention;

Figure 4 is a view of the adjustable section of the strap showing the stop device;

Figure 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the second connecting mem- ber;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the first connecting member;

Figure 7 is a view corresponding to Figure 6 of an alternative configuration of the first connecting member; and

Figure 8 is a side elevation of the first connecting member shown in Fig- ure 7.

Detailed Description of the Illustrated Embodiment

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the shoulder strap comprises a single length of strap material 1 , for example fabric webbing, leather, or a plastics coated fabric, anchored to a first connecting member 2 as hereinafter described in more detail with reference to Figure 7. The first connecting member 2 has fixed thereto a first attachment tab 3 which can be connected to the object which is to be supported by the strap, for example a guitar or a bag. The strap

1 extends to a second connecting member 4, which may comprise a simple rectangular loop, and where it passes around a transverse bar 5 and then doubles back over itself to pass around a transverse bar 6 on the first connecting member 2. The second connecting member 4 has a second attachment tab From there, the strap again doubles back on itself for a distance less than half the length between the two connecting members 2 and 4. The external face of the portion of the strap between the two connecting members at this point is provided with one half of a hook-and-loop connector strip, for example that sold under the Registered Trade Mark VELCRO, while the inner face of the free end 8 of the strap is provided with the mating half so that the free end 8 can be adjustably fixed at any position along the length of the strap.

In use, the strap carrying length - that is the carrying height of the object carried by the strap - can be readily adjusted by detaching the free end 8 from the remainder of the strap by separating the hook-and-loop connector strips, and then pulling on the free end to raise the object, or allowing the free end to move towards the first connecting member 2 to lower the object under its own weight. The free end 8 is then re-attached by means of the hook-and-loop connector strip.

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate the strap in its single shoulder configuration. It will be appreciated that, because the strap is configured with two loops, it is possible to use it as a two-shoulder strap as well. While the basic form as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 can be used in this way, a preferred embodiment is shown in Figure 3, in which the transverse bar 6 is set oblique to the remainder of the connecting member 2, to facilitate redirection of the strap over the other shoulder. The connections to the first connecting member may be seen more clearly from Figure 2a, which shows the member in partial cross-sectional view. Figure 4 illustrates a stop member 9 which may be attached to the strap to define a limit to movement of the strap through one of the connecting members to ensure that the strap does not become accidentally separated from the connecting members, for example during adjustment. The stop member may consist simply of a metal bar sewn or otherwise attached to the surface of the

- A - strap. The bar is dimensioned so as to be too large to pass through the connecting member.

Figure 5 illustrates in enlarged form one form of the first connecting member 2, which is in the form of a rectangular frame with the transverse bar 6 projecting from the ends of the frame to extend parallel to the sides thereof. In use the attachment tab is connected to one side of the frame, for example by being looped round the side with the loop being closed by stitching.

Figure 6 illustrates another form of the first connecting member 2, suited to two-shoulder carrying use. The structure is essentially the same as for the second connecting member illustrated in Figure 5, but with an additional transverse bar 6a mounted on the frame so as to extend diagonally across it, ensuring that there is an angle between the two portions of the strap passing over it, to provide separation for two-shoulder use. For one-shoulder use, the strap passes around the transverse bar 6 which extends parallel to the frame sides. Figures 7 and 8 illustrate an alternative embodiment of the first connecting member, comprising a rectangular frame 10 with a central member 1 1 mounting a bearing 12 rotatably mounting a rectangular loop 13, one side 13a of which forms the transverse bar through which the strap passes. Rotation of the loop 13 permits the angle of separation of the two parts of the strap to be adjusted to suit the user for two-shoulder use; in practice, the loop will rotate automatically to the optimum angle.

In order to adjust the strap (from a single left shoulder position) the user holds the top of the free end or adjustable section 8 ensuring the weight of the object is held, and hoists up or releases down, securing by overlapping the end on top of the strap layer lying directly beneath.

In order to wear the strap on two shoulders the user holds the top of adjustable section 8, ensuring the weight of the object is held, and removes it from the middle horizontal transverse bar 6 of the first connecting member and from the horizontal aligning loop 14 (Figures 1 and 3). The strap is then positioned over the free right shoulder and pulled down to and through the diagonal bar 6a of the first connecting member 2, the adjustable strap section then being adjusted as previously described.

The strap can be worn on either the left or right shoulder in the single shouldered position. However, by changing the orientation of the diagonal bar of the first connecting member, the top layer of the adjustable strap section can be worn on what will be the free left shoulder.