Login| Sign Up| Help| Contact|

Patent Searching and Data


Title:
SKI STRAP AND HANGING DEVICE
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2017/091906
Kind Code:
A1
Abstract:
The following describes a combined ski strap and hanging device that provides a suitably placed loop or ring that allows a pair of strapped skis to be hung on a hook or other protrusion on a wall or structure to assist in organizing and storing pairs of skis. Also described is a hanger system for hanging skis. The hanger system includes at least one member to be secured to a surface; a hanging mechanism supported by the at least one member, the hanging mechanism cooperating with a complementary hanging mechanism on a ski strap and hanging device; and a protrusion extending in a direction away from the surface to which the at least one member is to be secured to maintain a separation between the skis and the surface when the skis are hung using the hanging mechanism.

Inventors:
KEOHANE EDMUND MARK (CA)
KLINE MARK (CA)
Application Number:
PCT/CA2016/051422
Publication Date:
June 08, 2017
Filing Date:
December 02, 2016
Export Citation:
Click for automatic bibliography generation   Help
Assignee:
KEOHANE EDMUND MARK (CA)
KLINE MARK (CA)
International Classes:
A63C11/02; A45F3/14; A63C11/00
Foreign References:
GB2528475A2016-01-27
US4470528A1984-09-11
US4878274A1989-11-07
US20020190169A12002-12-19
US20020144963A12002-10-10
US20120305722A12012-12-06
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
SLANEY, Brett J. et al. (CA)
Download PDF:
Claims:
Claims:

1 . A ski strap device comprising :

a tab to be interposed between a pair of skis;

a strap for wrapping around the pair of skis when the tab is positioned therebetween; a fastening mechanism to releasably secure the strap to itself to tighten the strap around the pair of skis; and

a hanging mechanism extending in a direction opposite that of the tab, for hanging the pair of skis when secured by the ski strap.

2. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a guard extending to at least one side of the strap and being aligned with the hanging mechanism to be interposed between the hanging mechanism and the pair of skis.

3. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a ring attached to one end of the strap for looping the strap therethrough to tighten the strap around the pair of skis.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the ring comprises at least one portion of additional material in a corner thereof on a side opposite that attached to the one end of the strap.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the fastening mechanism comprises Velcro.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the fastening mechanism comprises a low profile unnapped loop.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein the fastening mechanism comprises a first portion with the Velcro and a second portion made from a suede material.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the hanging mechanism comprises a loop.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the loop is provided by a ring.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the ring is D-shaped.

1 1 . The device of claim 8, further comprising a stabilizer having a slot through which the loop protrudes to stabilize positioning of the loop.

12. The device of claim 8, wherein the loop is formed from a fabric material.

13. The device of claim 8 wherein the loop is formed from a flexible material and comprises a discontinuity to permit the loop to be installed in a pair of holes positioned in a member from which the tab extends.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the tab comprises a notch for securing the loop atop the tab.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein the member from which the tab extends comprises a lip for securing the loop on a front face of the device.

16. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a slideable portion secured to the hanging mechanism and the tab to enable the strap to move relative to the tab when tightening the strap around the pair of skis.

17. The device of claim 2, wherein the guard comprises a slideable portion to enable the strap to move relative to the tab when tightening the strap around the pair of skis.

18. The device of claim 2, wherein the guard is statically affixed to the strap.

19. The device of claim 1 , wherein the loop and the strap are formed from a continuous piece of material.

20. The device of claim 1 , wherein the tab and the strap are formed from a continuous piece of material.

21 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the tab, the strap, and the hanging mechanism are formed from a single piece of material.

22. The device of claim 1 , wherein the tab, the strap, and the hanging mechanism are formed from separate pieces of material that are affixed to each other.

23. The device of claim 8, wherein the loop comprises an opening that is orthogonal to a plane defined by the tab to orient the pair of skis vertically against a wall.

24. The device of claim 1 , wherein the strap and tab each have a first size for accommodating alpine skis.

25. The device of claim 1 , wherein the strap and tab each have a second size for accommodating Nordic skis.

26. A ski strap system comprising the device of claim 25 for securing one end of the Nordic skis and for hanging the skis; and further comprising a second strap for securing the other end of the Nordic skis.

27. A hanger system for hanging skis, the hanger system comprising:

at least one member to be secured to a surface;

a hanging mechanism supported by the at least one member, the hanging mechanism cooperating with a complementary hanging mechanism on a ski strap and hanging device; and

a protrusion extending in a direction away from the surface to which the at least one member is to be secured to maintain a separation between the skis and the surface when the skis are hung using the hanging mechanism.

28. The hanger system of claim 27, wherein the protrusion extends from a lower end of the at least one member, and the hanging mechanism is supported at or near an upper end of the at least one member.

29. The hanger system of claim 27, wherein the at least one member comprises a first member connected to a second member, the first member supporting the hanging mechanism, and the second member supporting or having the protrusion.

30. The hanger system of claim 29, wherein the hanging mechanism comprises a hook extending from the first member.

31 . The hanger system of claim 27, wherein the hanging mechanism comprises a hook extending from the at least one member.

32. The hanger system of claim 29, wherein the protrusion is integral with the second member.

33. The hanger system of claim 27, wherein the hanging mechanism comprises a tapered extension from the at least one member, the tapered extension supporting an upstanding post for cooperating with the complementary hanging mechanism on the ski strap and hanging device.

34. The hanger system of claim 29, wherein the first member connects to the second member via a slot in the second member.

35. The hanger system of claim 27, wherein the at least one member is secured to the surface using a plurality of anchors an a plurality of fasteners.

36. The hanger system of claim 27, wherein the protrusion comprises a curved face.

37. The hanger system of claim 27, wherein the at least one member comprises at least one counter bore on a rear face thereof to accommodate mounting hardware protruding from the surface.

38. The hanger system of claim 27, wherein the protrusion comprises a passage for accommodating a ski lock.

39. The hanger system of claim 27, wherein the at least one member comprises a recessed portion to accommodate a guide strip for installing the hanger system with at least one additional hanger system.

40. The hanger system of claim 27, wherein the protrusion provides a base to which at least one accessory can be attached.

41 . The hanger system of claim 40, wherein the at least one accessory comprises one or more extensions for hanging ski poles.

42. The hanger system of claim 39, further comprising the guide strip.

43. A kit comprising a ski strap device according to any one of claims 1 to 26, and a hanger system according to any one of claims 27 to 42.

44. The kit of claim 43, further comprising a second strap for securing the other end of the skis.

45. The kit of claim 43, further comprising a guide strip for aligning the hanger system with at least one other hanger system.

46. The kit of claim 45, further comprising a plurality of hanger systems for a plurality of pairs of skis.

Description:
SKI STRAP AND HANGING DEVICE

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S Provisional Patent Application No.

62/262,196 filed on December 2, 2015, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.

62/341 ,972 filed on May 26, 2016, the contents of both applications being incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The following relates to ski straps and hanging devices for skis.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

[0003] Ski straps are routinely used to secure a pair of skis together to assist in transporting the pair of skis when not in use. Ski strap include a protective tab at the end of the strap that is inserted between the skis, and the remaining portion of the strap wraps around the skis and is secured to itself to effectively combine a pair of items into a single item for transportation purposes.

[0004] While a ski strap is useful for transporting, it does not address issues related to storing the skis. To organize the storage of the skis, even when strapped, typically requires careful placement or a separate rack or other structure to organize and protect the skis.

SUMMARY

[0005] The following describes a combined ski strap and hanging device that provides a suitably placed loop or ring that allows a pair of strapped skis to be hung on a hook or other protrusion on a wall or structure to assist in organizing and storing pairs of skis.

[0006] In one aspect, there is provided a ski strap device comprising: a tab to be interposed between a pair of skis; a strap for wrapping around the pair of skis when the tab is positioned therebetween; fastening mechanism to releasably secure the strap to itself to tighten the strap around the pair of skis; and a loop extending in a direction opposite that of the tab, for hanging the pair of skis when secured by the ski strap.

[0007] In an implementation of the device, the device also includes a guard extending to at least one side of the strap and being aligned with the loop to be interposed between the loop and the pair of skis. In an implementation of the device, the device also includes a ring attached to one end of the strap for looping the strap therethrough to tighten the strap around the pair of skis. In an implementation of the device, the fastening mechanism comprises Velcro. In an implementation of the device, the loop is provided by a metal ring. [0008] In another aspect, there is provided a hanger system for hanging skis, the hanger system comprising: at least one member to be secured to a surface; a hanging mechanism supported by the at least one member, the hanging mechanism cooperating with a complementary hanging mechanism on a ski strap and hanging device; and a protrusion extending in a direction away from the surface to which the at least one member is to be secured to maintain a separation between the skis and the surface when the skis are hung using the hanging mechanism.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] Embodiments will now be described by way of example only with reference to the appended drawings wherein:

[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a ski strap including a hanging device;

[0011] FIG. 2A is a side view of a pair of skis held by the ski strap of FIG. 1 and hanging against a wall using the hanging device and a hanger system with bumper to maintain separation of skis from the wall;

[0012] FIG. 2B is a perspective view of a pair of skis held by the ski strap of FIG. 1 and hanging against a wall using the hanging device on a standard hook;

[0013] FIG. 3A is a partial perspective view of the ski strap and hanging device with a sliding center piece and a wing for supporting and orienting a D-ring;

[0014] FIG. 3B is a partial perspective view of the ski strap and hanging device with a sliding center piece and without the wing;

[0015] FIG. 3C is a partial perspective view of the sliding center piece shown in FIG. 3A in isolation;

[0016] FIG. 3D is a partial perspective view of the sliding center piece shown in FIG. 3B in isolation;

[0017] FIG. 3E is a rear elevation view of the ski strap and hanging device shown in FIG. 3A;

[0018] FIG. 3F is an overhead view of the ski strap and hanging device shown in FIG. 3E;

[0019] FIG. 3G is a schematic partial overhead view of the hanging device with a slot for facilitating attachment of material used to support a tab for placement between the skis; [0020] FIG. 3H is a schematic partial overhead view of the hanging device with a unitary construction from a rubber extrusion;

[0021] FIG. 3I is a perspective view of the unitary construction shown in FIG. 3H;

[0022] FIG. 4A is a partial perspective view of a ski strap and hanging device with a static center piece and a wing as shown in FIG. 3A;

[0023] FIG. 4B is a partial perspective view of a ski strap and hanging device with a static center piece without a wing as shown in FIG. 3B;

[0024] FIG. 5 is a partial perspective view of the ski strap and hanging device with a variation of the sliding center piece;

[0025] FIG. 6 is a rear view of the ski strap and hanging device shown in FIG. 5;

[0026] FIG. 7 is an overhead view of the ski strap and hanging device shown in FIG. 2;

[0027] FIG. 8 is a front view of the ski strap and hanging device shown in FIGS. 3A, 3C, and 3D;

[0028] FIG. 9 is a front view of the ski strap and hanging device shown in FIG. 5;

[0029] FIG. 10 is a front view of a ski strap and hanging device shown in FIG. 4;

[0030] FIGS. 1 1 A and 1 1 B are overhead views of a ski strap and hanging device in another embodiment;

[0031] FIGS. 12A and 12B are front views of the ski strap and hanging device shown in FIGS. 1 1 A and 1 1 B;

[0032] FIG. 13 is an overhead view of a ski strap and hanging device in yet another embodiment;

[0033] FIG. 14 is a front view of a ski strap and hanging device configured to be in a closed position as shown in FIG. 13 and having a notch in the strap to accommodate a loop that is placed lower on the guard;

[0034] FIG. 15 is a partial perspective view of the ski strap shown in FIG. 14 in the closed position;

[0035] FIG. 16 is a front view of a ski strap and hanging device configured to be in a closed position as shown in FIG. 13 and having an opening in the strap to accommodate a loop that is placed lower on the guard; [0036] FIG. 17 is a partial perspective view of the ski strap shown in FIG. 16 in the closed position;

[0037] FIG. 18 is a partial perspective view of a ski strap wherein a strap is folded on itself to create a hanging loop in one embodiment;

[0038] FIG. 19 is a partial perspective view of a ski strap wherein a strap is folded on itself to create a hanging loop in another embodiment;

[0039] FIG. 20 is a partial perspective view of ski strap and hanging device wherein the hanging device is implemented using a roll of fabric;

[0040] FIG. 21 A is a partial perspective view of a ski strap and hanging device wherein the hanging device is implemented using a folded fabric loop in one embodiment;

[0041] FIG. 21 B is a partial perspective view of a ski strap and hanging device wherein the hanging device is implemented using a folded fabric loop in another embodiment;

[0042] FIG. 22 is an overhead view of a ski strap and hanging device wherein a central separator tab is created using a fold in the strap;

[0043] FIG. 23 is an overhead view of a ski strap and hanging device wherein a central separator tab and hanging device are created using folds in the strap;

[0044] FIG. 24 is an overhead view of a ski strap and hanging device implemented using a single piece of material;

[0045] FIG. 25 is an overhead view of the ski strap and hanging device shown in FIG. 19;

[0046] FIG. 26 is a partial perspective view of a ski strap and hanging device having a single tab and strap configuration;

[0047] FIG. 27 is a plan view of the ski strap and hanging device of FIG. 26;

[0048] FIG. 28A is a schematic side view of an alternative hanging device having an alternative coupling system for attaching the hanging device to a wall;

[0049] FIG. 28B is a schematic side view of an alternative hanger system in which an arm provides lateral support;

[0050] FIG. 28C is a schematic view of an alternative hanger system using a separate floating bumper component affixed to a wall;

[0051] FIG. 28D is a schematic view of an alternative hanger system using a separate floating bumper component affixed to a pair of skis; [0052] FIG. 29A is a schematic side view of the hanger system of FIG. 2A in an Alpine system;

[0053] FIG. 29B is a schematic side view of the hanger system of FIG. 2A in a Nordic system in which a second lower ski strap is used;

[0054] FIG. 30A is an overhead view of the ski strap and hanging device as shown in FIG. 3F for an Alpine version;

[0055] FIG. 30B is an overhead view of the ski strap and hanging device as shown in FIG. 3F scaled for a Nordic version;

[0056] FIG. 31 A is a perspective view of the hanger system shown in FIG. 2A;

[0057] FIG. 31 B is a top view of the hanger system shown in FIG. 31 A;

[0058] FIG. 32 is an exploded side view of the hanger system shown in FIGS. 31 A and 31 B, with installation hardware;

[0059] FIG. 33 is an exploded rear perspective view of the hanger system shown in FIG. 31 illustrating a two-piece configuration;

[0060] FIG. 34 is a perspective view of the hanger system shown in FIGS. 31 and 33 in an unassembled state for packaging and shipment;

[0061] FIG. 35A is a perspective view of yet another configuration for a sliding center piece for an Alpine version of the ski strap and hanging device;

[0062] FIG. 35B is a side view of the sliding center piece shown in FIG. 35A;

[0063] FIG. 35C is a front view of the sliding center piece shown in FIG. 35A;

[0064] FIG. 35D is a rear view of the sliding center piece shown in FIG. 35A;

[0065] FIG. 35E is a bottom view of the sliding center piece shown in FIG. 35A;

[0066] FIG. 36A is a is a perspective view of yet another configuration for a sliding center piece for a second lower ski strap for Nordic skis;

[0067] FIG. 36B is a side view of the sliding center piece shown in FIG. 36A;

[0068] FIG. 36C is a top view of the sliding center piece shown in FIG. 36A;

[0069] FIG. 36D is a rear view of the sliding center piece shown in FIG. 36A;

[0070] FIG. 37A is a perspective view of loop constructed of a nylon material;

[0071] FIG. 37B is a plan view of the loop shown in FIG. 37A; [0072] FIG. 37C is a sectional side view of the loop shown in FIG. 37A;

[0073] FIG. 38A is a perspective view of a ring for tightening the strap, constructed of a nylon material;

[0074] FIG. 38B is a plan view of the ring shown in FIG. 38A;

[0075] FIG. 38C is a sectional end view of the ring shown in FIG. 38A;

[0076] FIG. 38D is a side view of the ring shown in FIG. 38A;

[0077] FIG. 39A is a perspective view of another configuration for a hanger system;

[0078] FIG. 39B is a top view of the hanger system shown in FIG. 39A;

[0079] FIG. 39C is a front view of the hanger system shown in FIG. 39A;

[0080] FIG. 39D is a rear view of the hanger system shown in FIG. 39A;

[0081] FIG. 39E is a side view of the hanger system shown in FIG. 39A;

[0082] FIG. 40 is a partial perspective view of the base of the hanger system shown in

FIG. 39A accommodating a ski lock passing therethrough;

[0083] FIG. 41 is a perspective view of a guide system for mounting one or more hanger systems; and

[0084] FIG. 42 is a perspective view of a hanger system with an example of an accessory attachment coupled thereto for supporting ski poles.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0085] Turning now to the figures, FIGS. 1 , 2A, and 2B illustrate a combined ski strap and hanging device 10 (the "device 10" hereinafter). The device 10 includes a central tab 12 to be interposed between a pair of skis A1 , A2 and a strap 14 to wrap around and secure the skis A1 , A2 to each other. In the example shown in FIG. 1 , the device 10 includes a guard 16 to protect the edges of the skis A1 , A2 from a hanging loop 18 or other hanging support member (e.g. a D-ring) that is used to hang the skis A1 , A2 on a hook 30 or other complementary portion of a hanging mechanism such as a peg, post, nail, protrusion, magnet, buckle, Velcro, etc. The guard 16 also acts to align the tab 12 between the skis A1 , A2 to support the strap 12 (whether statically or slidingly as discussed below). A wing-like stabilizer 27 is also seen in FIG. 1 , which as explained below, is used to stabilize the loop 18 to facilitate aligning the loop 18 with the hook 30. The tab 12 is interposed between the skis A1 , A2 to ensure a central placement of the guard 16 and loop 18 and, consequently, an equal distribution of the skis' load and the positioning of the ski edges against a hanging surface 32 (thus preventing interference of the skis' tips).

[0086] As illustrated in FIG. 1 , the strap 14 includes a ring 20 that enables the strap 14 to be fed therethrough for securing the device 10 around the skis A1 , A2. The ring 20 is secured to the strap 14 in this example using a fold 22 that is formed by wrapping one end of the strap 14 around a portion of the ring 20 and securing the folded portion to the strap 14 (e.g., by stitching, heat bonding, adhesive, etc.). The ring 20 enables slack to be removed from the strap 14 to enable easier tightening.

[0087] The strap 14 also includes female and male Velcro strips 24, 26 respectively, to releasably secure the strap 14 to itself as illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B. It can be appreciated that other releasable securing mechanisms can be used to hold the strap 14 in place, including, for example, snaps, clasps, etc.

[0088] The device 10 can be used to secure a pair of skis A1 , A2 to each other by inserting the tab 12 between the skis A1 , A2; wrapping the strap around the skis A1 , A2; feeding the free end of the strap 14 through the ring 20; and attaching the strips 24, 26 to each other. By feeding the strap 14 through the ring 20 in this way, the strap 14 can be "cinched" around the skis A1 , A2 and can accommodate different widths and sizes of skis A1 , A2. By providing one of the female and male strips 24, 26 (female 24 in the present examples) along a majority of the length of the strap 14 and the other of the female and male strips 24, 26 (male 26 in the present examples) along the remainder, the strap 14 can be secured to itself for varying widths of skis A1 , A2.

[0089] Once secured in this way, the guard 16 is positioned between the edges of the skis A1 , A2 and the loop 18. As such, when hung on the hook 30 as shown in FIGS. 2A or 2B, the skis A1 , A2 are protected from both the loop 18 and the hook 30. As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the loop 18 is oriented such that a generally vertically oriented member can pass therethrough enabling the loop 18 to be supported on a generally horizontally oriented member such as a portion of the hook 30 secured to the wall 32. That is, in this example, the opening provided in the loop 18 is oriented orthogonal to the plane of the tab 12 to orient the skis in an upright manner. It can be appreciated that the stabilizer 27 (not shown in FIG. 2A) provides stability to the loop 18 to facilitate placement of the loop 18 over the end of the hook 30 by holding the loop 18 in a generally horizontal orientation as shown in FIG. 2A.

[0090] While the device 10 can be hung, secured to, or otherwise supported on and be supported by the wall 32 using any suitable coupling or attachment mechanism, e.g., a basic hook 30 secured to the wall 32 as shown in FIG. 2B, the device 10 is preferably used in conjunction with a hanger system 200, one example configuration for which is shown generally in FIG. 2A. The hanger system 200 is described in greater detail below, however, it can be seen in FIG. 2A that the hanger system 200 includes a first member shown as an upper portion 202, connected to a second member shown as a lower portion 204, both portions being secured to the wall 32. The upper portion 202 includes or otherwise supports at one end (positioned as the upper end), a hooked portion or post, referred to herein as the hook 30. The lower portion 204 includes or otherwise supports or has attached thereto, a protrusion hereinafter referred to as a "bumper" 206. The bumper 206 extended outwardly from the wall 32 to maintain a separation 208 between the skis A1 , A2 and the wall 32. In this way, not only can the skis A1 , A2 be hung on the wall, the bumper 206 inhibits damage to finished walls (e.g., to avoid paint and drywall chips, dents, etc.) when mounting the skis A1 , A2. It has also been found that supporting the skis A1 , A2 in this way also improves the aesthetic appeal of the overall solution. The upper portion 202 is secured to the wall 32 using a first mounting hardware 210 (e.g., screw and wall anchor), and the upper and lower portions 202, 204 are secured to the wall 32 using a second mounting hardware 212 secured therethrough as explained in greater detail below. The upper and lower portions 202, 204 can be separate components, or integrated into the same component, e.g., using a plastic extrusion or 3D-printing.

[0091] In addition to using the hook 30 or a hanger system 200 secured to a wall, the device 10 can also be hung on hooks, pegs or other members provided on a ski rack or other free-standing structures such as shelving units and the like (not shown). Therefore, the device 10 does not necessarily need to be used with a wall-mounted structure.

Moreover, existing ski racks (or other structures) can be retrofitted to include hooks (or the hangar system 200) such that the structure can be used with the device 10 as herein described.

[0092] It can be appreciated that the tab 12, strap 14, guard 16, loop 18, and ring 20 can be constructed from various materials. For example, the strap 14 and guard 16 can be constructed from a fabric such as nylon and the tab 12 from a rubber or plastic, coated or reinforced fabric, composite, polymer, etc. The strap 14 can also be constructed using a suede material with the male Velcro portion being provided using an unnapped loop extending from the suede portion, to reduce "fuzzing" that can occur with regular Velcro. In such a construction, the portions of the strap 14 may have dissimilar widths. To

accommodate this, a rubber or other material can be added to the passage in the center piece 40 through which the strap 14 is fed to facilitate feeding portions of the strap with different widths. [0093] The ring 20 can be made from a plastic or a metal or any other suitable material that can withstand the forces imparted on the ring 20 when the strap 14 is looped

therethrough, e.g., nylon as described below (see FIG. 38). Similarly, the loop 18 can be implemented using a metal ring such as a D-ring, or can be made from a fabric, plastic, string/rope or any other material that enables the loop 18 to be formed or affixed to the guard 16 and/or strap 14 while being able to support the weight of a typical pair of skis A1 , A2, e.g., nylon as described below (see FIG. 37). The contours and relative sizes of the components shown in FIGS. 1 , 2A, and 2B, and throughout this disclosure are illustrative only. For example, the strap 14 can include a taper as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2B, and may include various thicknesses depending on the material used, and lengths to accommodate different ski-widths. As such, it can be appreciated that there are various configurations and materials that can be used within the scope of the principles described herein. The following describes various different configurations to illustrate such variations.

[0094] The hanging device 10 can be constructed in several ways in order to incorporate the tab 12, the guard 16, the loop 18, and the strap 14. For example, as shown in FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C, and 3D, a sliding center piece 40 can be integrated into the guard 16 to permit the strap 14 to slide relative to the guard 16 and to the tab 12 when using the device 10 to secure the skis A1 , A2 to each other. This avoids the strap 14 pulling the tab 12 out from between the skis A1 , A2 during the tightening operation and avoids the center piece 40 from buckling or twisting to a great degree. The center piece 40 can be a separate piece of material or can be an extension of the guard 16 which is folded to form a slot or

passageway. The same portion of material can also be used to create a fold 42 over a portion of a D-ring or other metal ring acting as the hanging loop 18 as shown in FIGS. 3B and 3D. However, a separate piece of material could also be used to create the fold 42 that secures the loop 18 to the guard 16 with additional stitching on each side of the loop 18.

[0095] FIGS. 3A and 3C illustrate an implementation that includes the stabilizer 27, whereas FIGS. 3B and 3D show the fold 42 over the loop 18 (i.e. the straight portion of a D- ring in this example). It can be appreciated that the stabilizer 27 can be removable and can be optional. In FIG. 3C, the stabilizer 27 includes stitching 25 to secure it to the guard 16. The stabilizer 27 includes a central slot 21 that is sized to accommodate passage of the loop 18 with a snug fit so as to provide support for the loop 18 and resist rotation, twisting, and shifting thereof.

[0096] By using a sliding center piece 40 as shown in FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C, and 3D, the tab 12 maintains its position between the skis A1 , A2 while the strap 14 is being tightened. As can be appreciated from FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C, and 3D, female Velcro strips 24 can be along a large portion of the strap 14 to permit the male Velcro strip 26 to be affixed thereto in various positions depending on the width of the skis A1 , A2. This also allows the strap 14 to be sized to accommodate various ski widths and thus the device 10 can be used as a "one size fits all" ski strap and hanging device. Furthermore, as described later, different configurations can be made for Alpine versus Nordic skis, which inherently have different characteristics, such as width, thickness, and camber. This can be done by varying the length of the tab 18 and the length of the strap 14, particularly to accommodate the different widths. FIGS. 3A-3D illustrates the relative positioning of the loop 18 along the guard 16. By positioning the loop 18 above the width of the strap 14, the strap 14 can be wrapped around the front of the guard 16 when tightened. It can be appreciated that the sizing and shape of the stabilizer 27 as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3C is for illustrative purposes only and can be varied to suit the look and feel or provide additional support in any direction, as desired.

[0097] FIG. 3E illustrates the embodiment shown in FIG. 3A from the rear (i.e. the stabilizer 27 is omitted from this view). The guard 16 can be formed by folding over a single piece of material and stitching below 17b and above 17a the loop 18 to contain the loop 18 in the guard 16. The stitching 17a can also be made along the perimeter of the upper portion of the guard 16 to close the folded material. As can also be seen from the rear view in FIG. 3E, the Velcro strips 24, 26 can be affixed to the strap 14 using stitching 19 therealong. FIG. 3F illustrates an overhead view of the device 10 to illustrate one way to form the tab 12. In this example, the tab 12 can be formed from a pair of strips 12a, 12b of material that are stitched together with protective or reinforcing strips 15a, 15b along the length and stitched to the guard 16 using end flaps 13a, 13b. FIG. 3F also illustrates a relatively short male Velcro strip 26 at the long end of the strap 14 and female Velcro strips 24 along the remaining portions of the strap 14 and guard 16. It can be appreciated that the relative proportions shown in FIG. 3F are purely illustrative. The sliding center piece 40 allows slack in the strap 14 to dissipate, particularly when the strap 14 is fed through and tightened over the ring 20.

[0098] FIG. 3G illustrates another way in which to attach the tab 12 to the hanging device 10. In this implementation, the pair of strips 12a, 12b are fed through a slot 29 in the rear portion of the fold in the guard 16 that permits passage of the strap 14. The strips 12a, 12b are then stitched to the inside of that fold and the reinforcing strips 15a, 15b are attached such that they abut the opposite side of the fold. [0099] While the examples shown herein and described above include configurations wherein portions of fabric or other materials are stitched or otherwise attached to each other, it can be appreciated that any of the components described herein can be made from a plastic or rubber extrusion, or otherwise created as unitary pieces/components. For example, FIGS. 3H and 31 illustrate a hanging device 10 wherein the center piece 40, tab 12, and guard 16 are made from a single rubber or plastic extrusion. The loop 18 can also be incorporated into the same extrusion or otherwise be attached to the extrusion. The strap 14 can also be made from a rubber or plastic extrusion, but preferably a separate extrusion from the center piece 40 etc. Furthermore, it has been found that the strap 14 can also be made from a material that can be "fused" together (e.g., through the application of heat) to avoid the need to stitch portions together. By making the strap 14 from a nylon material enables the strap 14 to be fused to itself in order to create any of the implementations described herein that would otherwise be stitched together.

[00100] While the sliding center piece 40 is advantageous for dissipating slack in the tightening process while keeping the tab 12 centered between the skis A1 , A2, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the guard 16 can also be secured statically to the strap 14 using stitching 23 or other fastening mechanisms. One advantage of a static strap 14 is that the strap 14 could not be separated from the guard 16 and thus avoiding misplacement of one of the pieces.

[00101] The sliding center piece 40 shown in FIG. 3A is also only one illustrative example of a configuration that enables the loop 18 and guard 16 to move relative to the strap 14. For example, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a slotted center piece 50 can be used to permit the strap 14 to be fed behind a pair of cross members 52a, 52b akin to a shoulder pad on a carrying strap. Similar to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3A, 4A, and 4B, the slotted center piece 50 can be formed from a separate piece of material and affixed to the guard 16 or can be made integral therewith. The tab 12 can also be affixed as a separate portion or formed into an integral piece of material with either or both the guard 16, and the slotted center piece 50.

[00102] FIG. 7 provides an overhead view of the device 10 in a closed or secured position in which the strap 14 has been fed through the ring 20 and secured to itself using the Velcro strips 24, 26. The length of the strap 14 and where the Velcro connection is made can vary between what is shown in FIG. 7 depending on the width of the skis and thus having the female strip(s) 24 along a greater portion of the strap 14 facilitates such adjustability. From this view it can be seen that the tab 12 protects the skis A1 , A2 from each other, while the guard 16 protects the skis A1 , A2 from the loop 18 and the hook 30. FIGS. 8 and 9 provide front views of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 3B and 5 respectively and FIG. 10 illustrates the static embodiment shown in FIG. 4B, in which the guard 16 is statically affixed to the strap 14. For example, as shown in FIG. 10, the guard 16 is stitched to the strap 14, which is illustrated using dashed lines. The three embodiments shown in FIGS. 8-10 can each be secured around a pair of skis A1 , A2 in the manner shown in FIG. 7, by having a ring 20 attached to the end of the strap 14 that is opposite the Velcro strips 24, 26. When compared to each other, the configurations shown in FIG. 8 and 9 permit movement of the center pieces 40, 50 along the strap 14 whereas the configuration shown in FIG. 10 does not. However, it can be appreciated that by positioning the loop 18 above the width of the strap 14, the strap 14 can wrap around the skis A1 , A2 to an extent permitted by the length of the strap 14 and the width of the skis A1 , A2 being secured together.

[00103] The ring 20 is, however, an optional mechanism for tightening the strap 14 around the skis A1 , A2. For example, as shown in FIGS. 1 1 A, 1 1 B, and 12A and 12B, the strap 14 can be secured to itself by locating the male Velcro strip 26 on the opposite side of the strap 14 without using a cinching mechanism. That is, the strap 14 is folded over itself and secured using the strips 24, 26 on opposite sides of the strap 14. In this embodiment, the loop 18 is again positioned above the width of the strap 14 to permit the strap 14 to pass underneath the loop 18 when it is secured to itself. It can also be appreciated that while the embodiment shown in FIG. 12 includes a static guard 16, this embodiment could also be adapted to include a sliding center piece 40. As shown in FIGS. 1 1 A and 12A, the strap 14 can extend from only one side of the guard 16, or can extend partially from one side (where the ring 20 would be in FIG. 10), and the remaining part of the strap 14 from the other side as shown in FIGS. 1 1 B and 12B.

[00104] Various other configurations can be used to secure the skis A1 , A2 to each other, as illustrated in FIGS. 13-17, in those examples, when the loop 18 is positioned below the top of the strap 14 and thus would interfere with the strap 14 being wrapped around itself. In FIG. 13, an overhead view is shown wherein it can be seen that variations in configurations for the strap 14 can be used to wrap around themselves and the loop 18 while enabling the loop 18 to protrude therethrough. For example, a notched strap 14 can be used as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15. The notched strap 70 includes a notch 72 that is sized and positioned along the strap 14 to align substantially with the loop 18 as illustrated in FIG. 15.

[00105] In another example, shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, an opening 82 is formed in a slotted strap 80. Similar to the notch 72, the opening 82 is sized and positioned along the strap 80 to align substantially with the loop 18 as illustrated in FIG. 17 to accommodate passage of the loop 18 therethrough when securing the strap 80 to itself.

[00106] As can be appreciated from FIGS. 8 through 17, there are various configurations that enable the strap 14, 70, 80 to contain and secure the skis A1 , A2 within the device 10, while maintaining the tab 12 between the skis A1 , A2.

[00107] While the loop 18 is illustrated as a D-ring or similar structure in FIGS. 1 -17, as illustrated in FIGS. 18-21 , the loop 18 can also be formed in various other ways. For example, in FIG. 18, an embodiment is shown wherein the strap 14 is folded and secured to the guard 16 in a folded state, while passing the folded portion through an opening 92, to create a loop of material 94 having a passage 96 that can accommodate passage of a substantially vertical portion or "post" of the hook 30 in order to hang the skis A1 , A2. FIG. 19 shows a variation to the configuration in FIG. 18 in which the strap 14 is folded and affixed to the guard 16 (e.g., by way of stitching) instead of passing through an opening 92 in the guard 16.

[00108] Another configuration is shown in FIG. 20 in which a roll 100 of fabric or other material is secured to the guard 16 and/or strap 14 at each end 102, 104 creating a loop of material 106. It can be appreciated that the roll 100 can also be formed from a string, rope, or other elongated member that when secured to the guard 16 and/or strap 14 as shown in FIG. 20 creates a loop 106 that is oriented to permit the hook 30 to pass therethrough to support skis A1 , A2 in a hanging position as illustrated in FIG. 2.

[00109] FIGS. 21 A and 21 B illustrate further configurations in which a strip of fabric or other web of material 1 10 is secured at each end 1 14a, 1 14b to the strap 14 (or guard 16) and a central portion is gathered in a manner similar to a fabric handle to create a loop of material 1 16. In FIG. 21 A, the strip of fabric is stitched at one end 1 10 along its width 1 14a in alignment with the width of the strap 14, and at the other end 1 12 along that width 1 14b with the central portion gathered, rolled, or bunched to create a loop 18 protruding from the guard 16. In FIG. 21 B, the strip of fabric is stitched along its length at each end 1 14a, 1 14b but in this example along the length of the strap 14 to create a basket handle when the central portion 1 16' is gathered or rolled. In either case, the strip of fabric is manipulated to create a loop 1 16 that can be hung on the hook 30.

[00110] The central tab 12 used to separate the skis A1 , A2 from each other can also be configured in various ways. For example, as shown in FIG. 22, the strap 14 can be folded against itself and the folded portion affixed together to create a tab portion 120 of the strap 14. In FIG. 22, the tab portion 120 is formed by stitching 122 through the strap 14 at the appropriate location.

[00111] FIG. 23 illustrates another configuration in which the strap 14 is folded in a way that creates both a fabric loop 134 having a passage 16 for the hook 30, and a central tab 130 from a single piece of material such as a nylon strap. The central tab 30 is formed by stitching 132 through the strap 14 at the appropriate locations. In this configuration, the strap 14 is folded at a first turn to define the length of the tab 130 and folded back in a second turn beyond that length with a wider third turn in the center to create the loop 136. The strap 14 then continues along the length of the tab 130 and into a fourth turn back towards the loop 136 and makes a fifth turn to continue again as the strap 14.

[00112] As such, it can be appreciated that the tab 12, loop 18, and strap 14 can be created using any one or more pieces of material. In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 22 and 23, the guard 16 can be added using a separate piece of material, or can be made integral to the strap 14, e.g., by including additional material near the locations where the stitching 122, 138 will occur.

[00113] FIG. 24 illustrates an embodiment in which a strap 140, a guard 142, and a tab 144 are formed from the same piece of material with a D-ring-type loop 18 affixed thereto. FIG. 25 illustrates an overhead view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 18 to illustrate the relative positioning of the pieces of material to create passage 96 that permits the hook 30 to pass through the loop 94.

[00114] FIGS. 26 and 27 illustrate yet another configuration wherein the tab 12 and a strap 150 are formed from a single piece of material. It can be appreciated that the portion of the material that is designated as the tab 12 can be reinforced or otherwise strengthened. In this example, a strip of Velcro 24 that is either male or female is affixed to the lower portion of the guard 16 below the fold 42 to allow a portion of the strap 150 to be detachably secured thereto and to avoid slippage of the strap 150 relative to the guard 16 and tab 12 when the skis A1 , A2 are hung. As best seen in FIG. 27, the strap 150 extends from the tab 12 and beyond the skis A1 , A2 such that it can wrap around the skis A1 , A2 with a portion of mating Velcro strips 24, 26 being secured along the front of the guard 16 under the loop 18 and the end of the strap 150 being detachably secured to itself along another portion of the strap 150. As also shown in FIG. 27, the Velcro strips 24, 26 can be affixed to both sides of the strap 150 to permit both clockwise and counterclockwise configurations. However, it can be appreciated that one-sided Velcro configurations are also possible. It can also be appreciated that the proportions and contouring shown in FIG. 27 have been exaggerated for ease of illustration and that in use the strap 150 would be tightly wrapped around the skis A1 , A2 with the Velcro strips 24, 26 aligning in the manner shown in FIG. 27.

[00115] As indicated above, the loop 18 and hook 30, while advantageous in simplifying the hanging process (for example using a D-ring for the loop 18 and a relatively narrow upstanding portion for the hook 30), other hanging mechanisms that utilize other coupling systems 220 are possible, as shown schematically in FIG. 28A. For example, magnetic or mechanical fasteners, clips, as well as Velcro could be used to enable the hanging device 10 to be secured to the wall 32 in a removable fashion. As also illustrated in FIG. 28A, the coupling system 220 can also be incorporated into a hanger system 200' that includes a version of the bumper 206 (secured to the wall 32 in any suitable manner, without limitation).

[00116] The bumper 206, while preferable for maintaining the gap 208 between the skis A1 , A2 and the wall 32, as shown in FIG. 28B, other configurations are possible. In the example shown in FIG 28B, a hooked bracket 230 with an end portion 232 that partially wraps around the skis A1 , A2 to counteract against the tendency of the skis A1 , A2 to rotate towards the wall 32. As discussed above, the device 10 can also be used with hooks 30 (or other upstanding members functionally equivalent to a hook 30) that are incorporated into ski racks or other free-standing structures and therefore the alternative coupling systems 220 can also be adapted for use with such structures.

[00117] Also, while the bumper shown in FIG. 2A is coupled to or otherwise is integral to the lower portion 204 of the hanger system 200, as shown in FIG. 28C, a separate "floating" bumper 234 can be independently affixed to the wall 32 at an appropriate distance from the hook 30, according to the skis being hung. In another configuration shown in FIG. 28D, a floating bumper 236 can be affixed to the skis using a strap 238 or other suitable

mechanism. As such, it can be appreciated that various implementations are possible within the principles described herein.

[00118] The combined ski strap and hanging device 10 can be configured for different types and sizes of skis, particularly, for both Alpine skis and Nordic skis. Turning now to FIGS. 29A and 29B, in FIG. 29A, a pair of Alpine skis A1 , A2 is shown hanging on the wall 32 using the hanger system 200, and the device 10 described above, which is adapted in size and configuration to accommodate a range of typical Alpine ski widths. It can be appreciated from this schematic view that the Alpine skis A1 , A2 are secured to each other using the device 10 at an upper end thereof, and would typically be secured to each other at a lower end thereof using brakes on the bindings (not shown) as is known in the art.

However, a second strap (not shown) can also be used at the bottom portion of a pair of Alpine skits A1 , A2, e.g., similar to that shown in FIG. 29B for Nordic skis). FIG. 29A also provides a zoomed out view similar to that shown in FIG. 2A, illustrating the separation 208 maintained between the skis A1 , A2 and the wall 32 due to the bumper 206. In FIG. 29B, a pair of Nordic (i.e. cross-country) skis N1 , N2 is shown hanging on the wall 32 using the same hanger system 200 as that for the Alpine skis A1 , A2. However, since Nordic skis N1 , N2 are typically dimensioned differently than Alpine skis A1 , A2 (e.g., with different widths), an adapted device 10' is used, which has some dimensions shortened to accommodate a range of typical Nordic ski sizes. Since Nordic skis N1 , N2 do not include the same type of binding mechanisms that include brakes, like Alpine skis A1 , A2, it has been recognized that the device 10' is advantageously used in conjunction with a typical ski strap 300 (or a second device 10') that does not include a hanging device. As is known in the art, such a ski strap 300 would normally include a portion that is inserted between the skis N1 , N2 and a strap that wraps around the skis N1 , N2 which is securable by male and female Velcro pieces attached on opposite sides of the strap 300.

[00119] FIGS. 30A and 30B provide views similar to that shown in FIG. 3F with FIG. 30A being an Alpine version of the device 10, and FIG. 30B being a Nordic version of the device 10'. While the depictions shown in FIGS. 30A and 30B are not to scale, a comparison of these figures shows that the strap 14 of the Alpine version, dimension S1 , is longer than the strap 14 of the Nordic version, dimension S2. Similarly, the tab 18 of the Alpine version, dimension T1 , is longer than the tab 18 of the Nordic version, dimension T2.

[00120] While various dimensions are possible, is has been found that the following dimensions suitably accommodate a range of known widths of Alpine and Nordic skis: S1 = approximately 17.25 inches (plus any additional material required for the fold 22), T1 = approximately 3.25 inches, S2 = approximately 9.5 inches (plus any additional material required for the fold 22), and T2 = approximately 1 .5 inches. As discussed above, the strap 14 includes male Velcro and female Velcro along the length thereof. In this example, the proportions of male and female Velcro in the Alpine and Nordic version can be respectively: M1 = approximately 6 inches, F1 = approximately 1 1 inches, M2 = approximately 4 inches, and F2 = approximately 5.25 inches. It can be appreciated that to avoid catching on the ring 20, an overlap between the male and female Velcro portions can be utilized.

[00121] Turning now to FIGS. 31 through 34, further detail regarding the hanger system 200 is provided. As indicated above, the same or a similarly configured hanger system 200 can be used with either or both the Alpine and Nordic versions of the device 10, 10' described herein. Referring first to FIG. 31 A, a perspective view of the hanger system 200 is shown. In this example configuration, the lower portion 204 and the bumper 206 are part of a single piece of material, such as a plastic, and the upper portion 202 is a separate piece made from metal. The upper portion 202 is attached to, and extends from an upper end of the lower portion 204, i.e. opposite that of the bumper 206. While the upper and lower portions 202, 204 could instead be formed from a single piece of material, in this example they are separate pieces so as to facilitate packaging and shipment of a kit comprising the hanger system 200 as discussed in greater detail below. The bumper 206 in this example forms a base for the upstanding lower portion 204 and is wider than the lower portion 204 with a broad curved face 207 to engage the skis A1 , A2. This curved face 207 encourages the hanging skis A1/A2, N1/N2 to slide therealong to a plumb position, by following the gradual arc towards the center of the curved face 207. It can also be appreciated that the look and feel of the hanger system 200 can vary considerably, as desired, for aesthetic and personalized design considerations.

[00122] The lower portion 204 includes a lower aperture 250, which in this example is a circular passage to accommodate a screw 262 (see FIG. 32). The upper portion 202 includes an upper aperture 252, to accommodate another screw 260. The screws 260, 262 are used to secure the hanger system 200 to the wall 32 using the wall anchors 210, 212 in this example, however, other anchoring mechanisms can be used, e.g., for different wall types such as wood wherein the anchors 210, 212 may not be required. A particularly suitable type of wall anchor 210, 212 is a self-tapping drywall anchor that can be installed by hand. Other anchoring or affixing mechanisms can also be used, for example, adhesive layers that bond the upper portion 202 and/or lower portion 204 to the wall 32.

[00123] Referring also to FIG. 31 B, the upper end of the upper portion 202 includes a tapered extension 256 that is substantially perpendicular to the generally vertically-oriented upper portion 202. The tapered extension 256 can be formed from a bent portion of the material used to form the upper portion 202 and is tapered to a form a post that when upturned forms the hook 30. It has been found that a 1/8 inch thick post is particularly suitable when coupled with a D-ring of approximately 1 inch diameter in order to provide a small target area for the D-ring and intersecting the arc of the D-ring. The tapered extension 256 can advantageously be approximately ¾ inches long (dimension H6 in FIG. 31 B).

Various dimensions are labeled in FIGS. 31 A and 31 B, which while not required, have been found to be particularly suitable to balance functionality and practical considerations such as packaging, shipping, and aesthetics. In this example, the bumper's length H1 a =

approximately 1 .5 inches at the center of the curved surface 207, with the outer points of that arc H1 b = approximately 1 5/8 inches measured from the wall 32. The lower portion's height H2 = approximately 5.5 inches (measured from its underside surface to the top of the upstanding portion); the upper portion's length that extends above the lower portion to where the tapered extension 256 extends, namely H3 = approximately 2.5 inches (see also FIG. 33); the width of the bumper, H4 = approximately 2 inches; and the height of the hook 30 measured from the tapered extension 256, namely H5 = approximately 0.25 inches. As such, the total height of the upper portion 202 would be 5.25 inches (when accounting for the portion that overlaps the lower portion 204 as shown in FIG. 33). In this example, the width of the lower portion 204 is approximately 1 inch with a 0.5 inch portion of the bumper 206 extending outwardly from each side (for a total of 2 inches (H4). The portions along H1 and H2 can be of a suitable thickness (e.g., 0.25 inches) in order to provide the necessary strength to support a pair of skis depending on the material being used.

[00124] As shown in FIG. 33, the lower portion 204 includes a slot 270 with a length H7 of approximately 2.5 inches with the lower aperture 250 being centered in the slot, namely such that H8 = approximately 1 .25 inches. Therefore in this example, the total length of the upper portion 202 is approximately 5 inches (i.e. H3 + H7). The width of the slot 270, namely H9 = approximately 0.75 inches in this example, to accommodate the width of the upper portion 202. In this way, the total height of the hanger system 200 is approximately 8 inches measured from the upper surface of the tapered extension 256 to the underside of the bumper 206 (or 8.25 inches when including the height of the hook 30 (being 0.25 inches as noted above). It has been found that the combination of this height (i.e. 8 inches) with a 0.75 inch extension 256 (i.e. such that the hook 30 is offset from the upper portion 202 by 0.75 inches), and a bumper that is 1.5 inches at the center of the curved surface 207;

accommodates most if not all skis, both Alpine and Nordic types. It can be appreciated that these relative dimensions can vary, for example, a longer slot H6 and similarly longer upper portion 202 can be used. As can be appreciated from FIG. 33, the lower aperture 250 on the lower portion 204 aligns with a lower aperture 258 on the upper portion 202 (i.e. not visible in the view shown in FIG. 31 A). In this way, the screw 262 secures both the lower end of the upper portion 202, and the lower portion 204 of the hanger system 200 to the wall 32 at the same time.

[00125] As noted above, the two-piece hanger system 200 is particularly advantageous for reducing packaging size and costs and consequently shipping and storage/inventory costs. FIG. 34 illustrates a disassembled hanger system 200 with the upper portion 202 nested with the lower portion 204. Since the overall height of the upper portion 202 is roughly the same as the height of the upstanding part of the lower portion 204 that extends from the base 206 (i.e. 5.25 inches), when packages the hook 30 does not extend above the lower portion 204 when nested as shown in Fig. 34. A package (shown invisibly using dashed lines) having a kit can therefore be made, which includes the hanger system 200 and either the Alpine device 10 or the Nordic device 10'. It can be appreciated that for the Nordic device 10' a second, regular ski strap 300 can also be included in the same kit. While not shown in FIG. 34, the installation hardware, including anchors 210, 212 and screws 260, 260 can also be included, along with suitable instructions or promotional material as desired. It can be appreciated that the components nested in the way shown in FIG. 34 also lend themselves to being attached together (e.g. using a tie strap) to avoid the need for a box or other packaging. In this example, the planar shape of the bumper 206 enables the bundle of components to rest upright on a shelf or other surface, enabling the customer to touch and feel and otherwise interact with the product without having to open a package.

[00126] The examples described herein demonstrate a multitude of configurations to provide a tab 12, strap 14, guard 16, and loop 18 that enable a pair of skis A1 , A2 to be strapped together and hung on a protrusion such as a hook, while protecting the skis A1 , A2 from each other and from the loop 18 and wall against which they are supported.

[00127] Although not shown in the figures, it can be appreciated that the loop 18 can also be used as an anchor point for a carrying strap that is secured to, for example, the ski's bindings at the other end. To accommodate the forces imparted by such a lifting strap, the tab 12 can be affixed to the guard 16 such that a portion of slack is present allowing the guard 16 to partially pull away from the tab 12 and inhibit the secured device 10 from sliding along the skis A1 , A2.

[00128] Another configuration for implementing a hanging device 300 is shown in FIGS. 35A through 35E. In the configuration shown in FIG. 35A, a unitary construction is utilized with a tab 302 extending rearwardly from a sliding center piece 304. The sliding center piece 304 includes a protruding lip 306 that provides a front locking mechanism to enable the loop 18 to be stored against the front of the center piece 304 as illustrated using dashed lines in FIG. 35B. The tab 302 also includes a notch 308 that similarly provides an upper (rear) locking mechanism that enables the loop 18 to be stored, as illustrated using dashed lines in FIG. 35B. In this way, the loop 18 can be secured when not in use, for example, when a skier wishes to carry the device 300 in a pocket or bag. The loop 18 is secured to the center piece 300 via holes 310 on either side of the sliding center piece 304. The center piece 304 has a slot 312 passing therethrough transverse to the direction of the tab 18 to enable the strap 14 to be fed through the device 300 similar to the configurations described above. FIGS. 35C, 35D, and 35E further illustrate the configuration of the device 300.

[00129] It can be appreciated that the configuration shown in FIG. 35 can be adapted for use with either Alpine or Nordic skis by varying the length of the tab 12 as detailed above (e.g., 3¼" for Alpine and 1 ½" for Nordic).

[00130] Another configuration for implementing a secondary lower hanging device 350 is shown in FIGS. 36A through 36D. As noted above, the secondary device 350 can be used to secure the lower portion of a pair of Nordic skis (N1 , N2). It can be appreciated that while not required because of the binding brakes being present, one could also use a secondary strap 350 with Alpine skis. As shown in FIG. 36A, a sliding center piece 354 has a tab 352 protruding rearwardly, with the center piece 354 having a slot 356 passing therethrough as shown in FIG. 36B. FIGS. 36C and 36D further illustrate the unitary construction that is similar to that shown in FIG. 35. For the versions shown in both FIGS. 35 and 36, it can be appreciated that while various materials can be used, a particularly advantageous implementation is to create the unitary construction using rubber.

[00131] FIGS. 37A through 37C illustrate an implementation for a loop shaped as a flexible D-ring 370, and constructed of nylon to withstand temperature variations while providing strength and flexibility. For example, the D-ring 370 can be constructed to include a discontinuity 372 as seen in FIG. 37B that allows a pair of arms 374a, 374b to be pulled apart and fed into the holes 310 (see FIG. 35A) in the center piece (40, 300, etc.). This facilitates assembly of the device 10, 300 by enabling the parts to be manufactured separately while permitting convenient interconnection.

[00132] Another configuration for the ring 20 is shown in FIGS. 38A through 38D, identified using numeral 380. In this implementation, the ring 380 can also be constructed using nylon to provide the same benefits as the D-ring 370 shown in FIG. 37. As with the configurations described above, the ring 380 is generally rectangular shaped with a first post

381 connected to a second post 382 via upper and lower arms 384. The fold 22 in the strap 14 would be stitched or fused around the first post 381 , and the free end of the strap 14 would loop around the second post 383 in this configuration. However, it has been recognized that by building up the corners with additional material 382, where the second post 383 meets the upper and lower arms 384, the strap 14 is held in a more vertical position by inhibiting the strap 14 from sliding up and down along the second post 383 when being cinched around the ring 380. It can be appreciated that the amount of additional material

382 added in the corners as best seen in FIG. 38B can also extend further along the arms 384 to encourage the strap 14 to maintain this vertical orientation as it is pulled around the ring 380.

[00133] FIGS. 39A through 39E illustrate another configuration for a hanger system 400. The hanger system 400 is similar in functionality to that shown in FIGS. 31 -34, but using a unitary main body 402 and base 406. In this implementation, the main body 402 includes a recessed rear portion 404 that facilitates mounting on a wall, as discussed below. The base 406 includes a forward-facing passage 408 to permit mounting hardware to be installed in a lower hole 414. The rear view shown in FIG. 39D illustrates counter bores 416 and 418 on the backside of the main body 402. The counter bores 416 are sized to accommodate the lip of typical drywall anchors that normally protrude above the drywall's surface. This enables the main body 402 to be flush against the wall when installed.

[00134] As best seen in FIG. 39E, the base 406 also includes a transverse passage 410 to permit a cable 502 for a ski lock 500 to pass therethrough (see also FIG. 40). Referring to FIG. 40, a typical ski lock 500 includes a locking mechanism 506 such as a combination or key lock with the cable 502 fixed at one end with a male portion 504 fixed at the other end to mate with the locking mechanism 506. The transverse passage 510 therefore allows the hanger system 400 to incorporate a security feature by allowing skiers to utilize a lock when mounting their skis for long-term storage in a locker or cabin, or when such hanger systems 400 are used in public facilities as a ski hill.

[00135] The view shown in FIG. 39E also illustrates that the recessed portion 404 includes corner reinforcements. FIG. 39D illustrates a slot 420 formed into the backside of the recessed portion 404 meant to mate with a guide 600, shown in FIG. 41 . The guide 600 can be made as a strip of plastic and would typically be used for marking the holes to be drilled for the mounting hardware as illustrated in FIG. 41 and then discarded. The slots 420 on a plurality of hanger systems 400a, 400b, 400c (three in this example) can align with protrusions on the guide 600 at certain spaced intervals (not shown). For example, it has been found that typical skis require roughly 10" of space between them to accommodate bindings. The guide 600 can therefore be snapped into the recessed portions 404 of the hanger systems 400a, 400b, 400c to vertically align and horizontally space the units as shown in FIG. 41. The recessed portions 404 also enable the systems 400a-c to be flush with the guide 600. In this way, the entire assembly can be leveled on the wall and drill holes marked out as shown in FIG. 41 to facilitate installation. After the drill holes are marked, the guide 600 can be removed and the individual systems 400a-c installed as described above. It can be appreciated that while the guide 600 is discarded in this example, it can also be kept since the recessed portions 404 accommodate the thickness of the guide 600. When kept, the guide 600 can also act as the base portion of a ski rack formed from a plurality of the hanger systems 400. It can also be appreciated that while three systems 400a-c are shown in the example in FIG. 41 , any number of systems 400 can be accommodated by a guide 600 of suitable length.

[00136] The hanger systems 200, 400 described herein can also be adapted to include or otherwise permit attachment of accessories. For example, as shown in FIG. 42, a hanger system 650 can include a modified base 652 that includes side extensions 654a, 654b for hanging poles with the skis. In this example, the side extensions 654a, 654b include respective slots 656a, 656b to permit ski poles to be hung on the system 650. In such a configuration, a pair of passages 658a, 658b can also be formed in the side extensions 654a, 654b, to permit usage of a ski lock 500 as discussed above. The side extensions 654a, 654b can be attached to the base 406 of a hanger system 400 such as that shown in FIG. 39, with the attachment being achieved by a snap-in fitment, fasteners, or any other attachment mechanism. It can be appreciated that while the implementation shown in FIG. 42 includes the side extensions 654a, 654b as being detachably removable and provided as accessories for the hanger system 400, the side extensions 654a, 654b could also be formed integrally with the base 406 to create the modified base 652 shown in FIG. 42.

[00137] For simplicity and clarity of illustration, where considered appropriate, reference numerals may be repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. In addition, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the examples described herein. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the examples described herein may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the examples described herein. Also, the description is not to be considered as limiting the scope of the examples described herein.

[00138] It will be appreciated that the examples and corresponding diagrams used herein are for illustrative purposes only. Different configurations and terminology can be used without departing from the principles expressed herein. For instance, components and modules can be added, deleted, modified, or arranged with differing connections without departing from these principles.

[00139] Although the above principles have been described with reference to certain specific examples, various modifications thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art as outlined in the appended claims.