Abstract:
A carrying device configured to a person to comfortably and easily carry one or more articles such as beach chair, folding chair, bag, cooler, table, blanket, toy and floating device. The carrying device includes a shoulder strap connected to a substantially rigid support, which is connected to at least one carrying strap for releasably and selectively connecting and disconnecting one or more articles to the carrying device.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to a carrying device configured for carrying an article such as a beach chair, folding chair, bag, cooler, table, blanket, toy, floating device, etc. The carrying device is configured to be worn by a user desiring to carry such articles. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     There exists many devices for transporting articles by a person. Many of these devices are worn by a user so that the articles can be connected to and carried by the user. 
     Carrying articles in a comfortable and easy manner is desirable. One particular use involves the carrying of beach accessories, including beach chairs, folding chairs, bags, coolers, tables, blankets, toys, floating devices and other articles normally associated with enjoyment of a day at the beach. The larger articles such as beach chairs are heavier, more cumbersome and difficult for a person to carry to and from the beach. It is desirable to have a carrying device that can be releasably connected to one or more such articles in a manner that these articles can be comfortably and easily transported to and from a beach. More specifically, it is desirable to have a carrying device that can stabilize the load (i.e. prevent article from tilting and/or moving around too much relative to the user) and to spread the weight of the article being carried comfortably to the user. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide an improved carrying device configured for a user to carry an article such as a beach chair, folding chair, bag, cooler, table, blanket, toy, floating device, etc. 
     A second object of the present invention is to provide a carrying device comprising a shoulder strap connected to a substantially rigid support provided with at least carrying strap. 
     A third object of the present invention is to provide a shoulder strap having a portion stiffened by a substantially rigid support, which portion supports a carrying strap. 
     A fourth object of the present invention is to provide a carrying device having an adjustable length shoulder strap and at least one adjustable length carrying strap. 
     A fifth object of the present invention is to provide a carrying device including a shoulder strap connected to a substantially rigid support with at least one carrying strap connected to an oriented transversely relative to the substantially rigid support. 
     The carrying device according to the present invention is configured for a person to carry one or more articles such as a beach chair, folding chair, bag, cooler, table, blanket, toy, floating device, etc. easily and comfortably. The carrying device is configured to stabilize the article so there is not substantial tilting and /or excessive movement of the article relative to the person. Further, the carrying device according to the present invention is configured to be comfortable to wear when carrying one or more such articles. 
     The carrying device according to the present invention is worn by a person using the carrying device. The carrying device according to the present invention includes a shoulder strap to be worn over a shoulder of the person, which shoulder device is connected to a substantially rigid support. Preferably, the shoulder strap is connected to opposite ends of the substantially rigid support to stabilize the support. Preferably, the support and shoulder strap are configured so that the substantially rigid support is oriented substantially horizontally during use. In a preferred embodiment, the shoulder strap and substantially rigid support are a single or integrated unit. For example, the shoulder strap can be made of two separate layers of fabric material (e.g. nylon fabric) connected together (e.g. fabric tube, two layers sewn together) with at least one stiffener such as a rod, tube, plate or other suitable configuration disposed between the two separate layers at one or more portions of the shoulder belt. Preferably, an end of the rod, tube or plate is rounded or shaped so as to prevent wear between the ends of the substantially rigid support and the flexible fabric shoulder strap. Further, preferably, the substantially rigid support is captured between the separate layers of fabric to prevent relative movement along the length of the shoulder strap and/or movement along the width of the shoulder strap. In this manner, the substantially rigid support is fixed relative to the shoulder strap, and the shoulder strap can be properly sized or selected in length so that the substantially rigid support is suspended from the person&#39;s shoulder, and preferably is oriented substantially horizontally approximately waist high or higher. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the shoulder strap is adjustable in length and is provided with a shoulder pad to spread and distribute the weight on the person&#39;s shoulder wearing the carrying device according to the present invention. The adjustable length shoulder strap allows different users to utilize the same carrying device according to the present invention, and/or a particular user can adjust the length of the carrying device for a particular sized or shaped article, and/or adjustable to provide carrying comfort of the article for the user. 
     The carrying device according to the present invention is provided with at least one carrying strap configured for releasably connecting one or more articles to the carrying device. For example, a carrying strap can be an adjustable length strap (e.g. nylon fabric) configured for releasably connecting to one or more articles. In one embodiment, the carrying strap is provided with a snap-type buckle configured to allow adjustment of the length of the carrying strap. The snap-type buckle can be opened and closed to connect and disconnect an article as desired. In a preferred embodiment, the carrying device according to the present invention is provided with plural carrying straps, again preferably adjustable in length. In a more preferred embodiment, three (3) separate adjustable length carrying straps equally spaced along a length of the substantially rigid support are provided to securely connect to an article such as a beach chair and securely stabilize the beach chair from rotating and/or excessive movement relative to the person carrying the beach chair. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a carrying device according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a carrying device according to the present invention shown in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a carrying device according to the present invention, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 as being worn by a person. 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional broken away view through the substantially rigid support of the carrying device according to the present invention, and shown in FIGS. 1-3. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     A carrying device  10  according to the present invention as shown in FIGS. 1-4. 
     The carrying device  10  includes a shoulder strap  12 , provided with a shoulder pad  14 , connected to a substantially rigid support  16 . The shoulder strap  12 , for example, can be made of leather or fabric (e.g. nylon web fabric) selected to be suitably strong for carrying the weight of one or more articles such as a beach chair. In a preferred embodiment, the shoulder strap  12  is constructed of two (2) separate layers of fabric web connected together (e.g. fabric tube, or two separate layers stitched along one or both edges of the shoulder strap). The shoulder pad  14  can be one or more additional layers of material (e.g. fabric, foam, composite, leather strip, plastic strip, or other suitable load distributing material) permanently connected and/or releasably connected at one or more positions along the length of the shoulder strap  12 . In one embodiment, the shoulder pad  14  is provided with velcro fastener so that the shoulder pad can be easily replaced and/or washed and then replaced. 
     The shoulder strap  12  is preferably connected on either side of the substantially rigid support  16 . In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1-4, the shoulder strap is connected to opposite ends of the support  16 . In this manner, the support  16  is suspended in a stable manner from the shoulder strap  12 . Alternatively, different and/or additional connections between the shoulder strap and the support  16  can be made for particular applications of the carrying device according to the present invention. Further, preferably the shoulder strap  12  is adjustable in length to accommodate different size persons using the carrying device  10 , and/or a particular person being able to adjust the length of the shoulder strap  12  for carrying different articles or adjustable for comfort. The shoulder strap  12  can be made adjustable in length in various manners. For example, the adjustable length shoulder strap  12  is connected at one end to loop  18 , and wraps around the loop  18  and connects to buckle  20 . The buckle  20  is configured to be slidable with resistance along the length of the shoulder strap  12  folding one end of the shoulder strap over the main portion of the shoulder strap  12 . 
     In a preferred embodiment, the support  16  is defined by a stiffened portion of the shoulder strap  12 . Specifically, a stiffener such as a rod, tube, plate, or other suitable configuration is connected externally and/or internally to a portion of the shoulder strap to stiffen this particular portion of the shoulder strap  12 . In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1-4, a tube  22  (e.g. plastic tube, metal tube, ceramic tube, plastic rod, metal rod, wood dowel, board, etc.) is disposed between the two (2) separate fabric layers  12   a  and  12   b , shown in FIG.  4 . The tube  22  is provided with a plug  22   a  or a cap shaped (e.g. rounded) to prevent wear between the ends of the tube  22  and the shoulder strap  12 . The tube  22  is captured between the two (2) separate fabric layers  12   a  and  12   b  in the width direction, shown in FIG. 4, and preferably is captured in the length direction of the shoulder strap  12  by sewing the shoulder strap transversely at  12   c  and  12   d , shown in FIG.  2 . The shoulder strap  12  can be constructed of a single fabric web folded in half along its length and sewed together along one edge of the shoulder strap. Alternatively, the shoulder strap  12  can be made of two separate fabric webs sewn together at the edges along both edges of the shoulder strap such as at  12   e  and  12   f , shown in FIG.  4 . To further prevent the movement of the tube  22  from moving off center along the width of the shoulder strap  12 , shown in FIG. 4, additional sewing of the shoulder strap together closer on either side of the tube  22  can be provided to further capture the tube  22  at the center of the width of the shoulder strap  12 . 
     The carrying device  10  is provided with at least one carrying strap. In a preferred embodiment, the carrying device  10  is provided with three (3) carrying straps  24 ,  26  and  28 . Preferably, the carrying straps  24 ,  26 ,  28  are equally spaced along the length of the support  16  to distribute the load along the length thereof and to stabilize the connection with the one or more articles to be carried by the carrying device  10 . The carrying straps  24 ,  26 ,  28  are configured to be connected to one or more articles. For example, the carrying straps  24 ,  26 ,  28  can be provided with snap-type buckles  24   a ,  26   a ,  28   a  to allow the carrying straps  24 ,  26 ,  28  to be opened and closed repeatedly to connect and disconnect the one or more articles to and from the carrying device  10 . Further, preferably, the buckles  24   a ,  26   a ,  28   a  are configured to allow the length of the carrying straps  24 ,  26 ,  28  to be adjusted. 
     The carrying straps  24 ,  26 ,  28  are connected to the support  16 . The carrying straps  24 ,  26 ,  28  can be connected in various manners. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-4, the carrying straps  24 ,  26 ,  28  are oriented transversely relative to the support  16 . Further, the carrying straps  24 ,  26 ,  28  are sewn at  24   b  and  c ,  26   b  and  c ,  28   c  and  d . Further, the carrying straps  24 ,  26 ,  28  are disposed on top of the support  16  to take advantage of the strength of the carrying straps  24 ,  26 ,  28  being suspended by the support  16 . 
     In use, an article such as beach chair C shown in FIG. 3, can be connected to the carrying device  10  as shown. Specifically, the carrying straps  24 ,  26 ,  28  are opened via the buckles  24   a ,  26   a ,  28   a , respectively. In this manner, the beach chair C is stably carried underneath the left arm and shoulder of the person using the carrying device  10 . In this manner, the beach chair C cannot tilt nor move excessively relative to the person using the carrying device  10 . To unload the beach chair C, the buckles  24   a ,  26   a ,  28   a  are opened to release the beach chair C from the carrying device  10 . To again load the carrying device  10  with the beach chair C the reverse steps occur.