Abstract:
A snap assembly has a strap and a shank traversing the strap and provided with male and female snaps facing in opposite directions and engaging the strap therebetween.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The invention relates to an attachment assembly, and more particularly, to an attachment assembly including a plurality of spaced shanks, each of which is provided each with a respective set of snaps of opposite types for removably securing a variety of items to a watercraft.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    The use of the snap attachment assembly is universal, which is attributed to a simple structure that can be easily assembled and operated. In general, the snap attachment assembly includes a fastener having male and female snaps, which are attached to separate items to be secured to one another upon pressing the snaps against each other.  
           [0005]    In use, a snap attachment can be particularly advantageous within a confounded area, such as an automobile or a watercraft, which is often provided with either a female or male snap fixedly mounted to a support structure. For example, a watercraft can be equipped with an array of boat snaps of either a male type or a female type utilized for a variety of purposes such as attaching a canvas, when it is desirable to cover the interior of the boat. Typically, once the canvas has been attached, the snaps cannot be used further for any additional attachment.  
           [0006]    Furthermore, it may be desirable to use the boat snaps for fastening them to a variety of items so as to provide efficient use of a limited space associated with any relatively small vehicle. However, such items should be provided with respective snaps capable of mating with the boat snaps. Currently, even if an item, such as a bag, has a snap, it cannot mate to the boat snaps.  
           [0007]    An illustrative example of inefficient use of the boat snaps can be experienced by a boat owner using boat fenders used to prevent damage to the boat upon docking. Once the canvas is attached to the boat snaps, the boat owner has to use additional means for mounting the boat fenders. Typically, the boat fenders have flanges projecting from each end with eyelids threaded by a rope to secure the boat fenders the boat, as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,628,850.  
           [0008]    Other types of fenders employ rope loops at each end instead of eyes, which ropes double as hand holders, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,885,989. The typical rope-type securing arrangement is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,956,530.  
           [0009]    Typically, boat fenders are secured to docks or mooring poles. This practice requires quite an effort from the crew because the fenders are not light, particularly old rubber tires often used both on boats and docks.  
           [0010]    Thus, securing a boat fender with the known methods amounts to a cumbersome, complex process, which requires a fastening means in addition to the existing boat snaps. Applicant is not aware of a device utilizing the boat snaps to secure fenders to a boat.  
           [0011]    Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an attachment assembly used primarily in conjunction with watercrafts for securing a variety of items in a simple, efficient manner. Also, it is desirable to provide a variety of items, which, though not directly related to a nautical technology, are typically used by a crew, with an attachment assembly matable with the existing fastening boat means.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0012]    According to the invention, an attachment assembly is provided with a shank that has both male and female snaps integrated in a single unit providing a simple, reliable attachment of multiple items to boat snaps.  
           [0013]    In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the inventive attachment assembly has a strap provided with spaced shanks traversing the strap and each having male and female snaps which squeeze the strap therebetween. Such a construction allows the snaps of one type of the strap mate with existing boat snaps so as to support an object, for example a boat fender, suspended between the strap&#39;s opposite ends and still have available snaps of the opposite type capable of mating with snaps of such boat-related items as, for example, a canvas.  
           [0014]    Typically, crew members and/or passengers bring hand and beach bags, accessory pouches and even clothing items on the board. While cruising, many of these items are arbitrarily piled on the boat&#39;s bottom creating, thus, unnecessary obstacles, which, in the worst possible scenario, can create a dangerous situation. Accordingly, still another aspect of the invention is concerned with the boat directly unrelated objects that can be provided with handles or simply with fasteners having both types of snaps capable of mating with existing boat snaps and with the boat related items, such as a canvas. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]    The above and other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the description of the preferred embodiments accompanied by the following drawings, in which:  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 1 is a top view of a snap assembly of the present invention;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 2 is a side view of the snap assembly shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic view of the inventive snap assembly utilized for attaching a boat fender to existing boat snaps;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 4 is a detailed view of the snap assembly illustrated in FIG. 3;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 5 is a view of the inventive snap assembly utilized for attaching a bag to the boat snaps;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 6 and is a view of an exemplary object manufactured in accordance with the inventive concept; and.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 7 illustrates another application of the inventive snap assembly. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0023]    Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a snap assembly manufactured in accordance with the present invention includes a strap  10  provided with a pair of shanks  12 . The shanks  12  traverse the strap  10  and each provided with a respective set of snaps including female  14  and male  16  snaps.  
         [0024]    The shanks  12  traverse the strap  10  in such a manner that the strap&#39;s opposite sides  11 ,  13  are squeezed between the female  14  and male  16  snaps. The inventive snap assembly can have a row of the female snaps  14  located along the side  11  of the strap, whereas the male snaps  16  extend from the opposite side  13  of the strap  10 . Alternatively, each of the sides  11  and  13  of the strap  10  can be provided with the alternating female  14  and male  16  connections.  
         [0025]    A particular arrangement of the male  16  and female  14  snaps can be selected in accordance with a particular need. Depending on the particular arrangement and connection type of the snaps provided on an existing structure, such as a boat that typically has only male snaps, the inventive snap assembly would be preferably provided with the same type of snaps arranged along the same side of the strap  10 .  
         [0026]    Although only two shanks  12  are shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, it is foreseen to provide a number of sets of snaps varying from a single set to multiple sets. Again, a choice of the number of the sets of snaps is dictated by a concrete situation.  
         [0027]    Thus, for example, referring to FIG. 3, each of the straps  10  is provided with two sets of the snaps to secure a boat fender  20  to a boat  21 , which, as mentioned above, is customarily equipped with male snaps  18 . The boat fender  20  is suspended on the strap  10  between its opposite ends, which are attached to the male snaps  18  by means of the female snaps  14  located on the strap  10 . The male snaps  16  of the strap  10  facing away from the male snaps  18  of the boat  21  can be mated to the female-type snaps of the canvas  19  creating, thus, a compact fastening assembly capable of accommodating multiple items.  
         [0028]    As shown in FIG. 4, the strap  10  is threaded through a hook portion  22  of the boat fender  20 , which is shifted substantially midway between the opposite ends of the strap  10  after it has been attached to the boat male snaps  18 . Instead of the hook portion  22 , it is possible to manufacture the boat fender  20  with either male or female snaps which can mate to the snaps of the opposite type that can be provided on the strap substantially midway between its opposite ends.  
         [0029]    Referring to FIG. 5, the inventive snap assembly can be used for securing a limitless variety of portable items that are not directly associated with a boat. For example, a beach bag  24  can be secured to the male snaps  18  of the boat  21 , by simply extending the strap  10  through a handle portion  26 . In fact any item having an eyelet structure traversed by the strap  10  can be secured to the boat  21  using the inventive snap assembly.  
         [0030]    As shown in FIG. 6, instead of utilizing the strap  10  with a plurality of snap sets, any item can be provided with multiple, separate straps  34 , each of which has one end attached to bag  32  and an opposite free end  38  provided with the inventive set of the male  16  and female  14  snaps. This structure allows each of the free ends  38  of the straps  34  to be secured to the snaps  18  of the boat  21  by mating the latter to the snaps of opposite type provided on the straps. When, however, the bag  32  is carried by the user, the free ends  38  of the straps  34  can be attached to one another to form a handle by mating the snaps of the opposite types. In accordance with the inventive concept, items like beach bags, purses, surf boards, accessory poaches storing a variety of items having small and large sizes, can be easily and reliably secured to the boat  21  or any other vehicle. Note that the above mentioned items, of course, are not limited by the disclosed items and van include other numerous portable and stationary objects.  
         [0031]    Still another application of the inventive snap assembly is illustrated in FIG. 7 and provides for securing two boats  28  and  30  to one another. The straps  50  and  60  can be attached to one another to form an X type formation by having additional sets of snaps provided between opposite ends of each strap. In this case, the strap  50  has a flat side  40  provided two male snaps  16  on the opposite ends of the strap  10  and at least one female snap  14  positioned between the male snaps  16  and mating to the male snap  16  of the strap  60 .  
         [0032]    The present invention is not restricted to the specific embodiments of the specification and drawings, but also encompasses any modifications within the scope of the appended claims.