Abstract:
Equipment carriers are described, including a carrier with an elongated body designed to be placed substantially near an upper torso of a human, the elongated body comprises three coupling points, each coupling points configured to couple to the equipment. In some example implementations, the elongated body may only use two of the three coupling points to connect to the equipment.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/012,072, filed Jun. 13, 2014. 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0002]    The subject matter discussed herein relates generally to transporting, organizing, and storing equipment and, more particularly, to equipment carriers. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Equipment, such skateboards, snowboards, surfboards, skis, skates, scooters, etc. often do not come with any carriers. Equipment purchasers or users typically have to improvise when carrying, transporting, and storing this equipment. For example, the users use their hands to carry the equipment. 
         [0004]    For some equipment, after-market organizing devices (e.g., bags, boxes, containers, etc.) may be available. Separately, after-market carriers may also be available. However, a user of the equipment (e.g., snowboard) would need to purchase and use an organizing device (e.g., snowboard bag) to organize or store the equipment, and purchase and use a carrier (e.g., snowboard strap) to carry and transport the equipment. 
         [0005]    Some after-market carriers may be made to organize and carry certain equipment. However, these after-market devices may be bulky themselves and require supervision, management, or storage when they are not being used. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    The subject matter described herein includes a carrier with an elongate body designed to be placed substantially near an upper torso of a human, the elongated body comprises three coupling points configured to couple to the equipment. In some example implementations, the elongated body may only use two of the three coupling points to connect to the equipment. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    Various example features of the subject matter are described with reference to the drawings. The drawings and the associated descriptions are provided to illustrate example designs or implementations of the subject matter and not to limit the scope of the subject matter. Throughout the drawings, similar reference numbers may be used to indicate correspondence between referenced elements 
           [0008]      FIG. 1A  shows a rear view of an example equipment carrier in use with example equipment. 
           [0009]      FIG. 1B  shows a photo of an example equipment carrier in use with example equipment. 
           [0010]      FIG. 1C  shows a front view of the example equipment carrier in  FIG. 1A . 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  shows a schematic view of a three-point attachment of an example carrier to example equipment. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3A  shows a perspective view of an example equipment carrier. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3B  shows an photo of an example equipment carrier. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3C  shows an photo of additional example equipment carriers. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  shows photos of example components that may be used with equipment carriers described herein. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5A  shows a perspective view of an example equipment carrier in use. 
           [0017]      FIG. 5B  shows a photo of an example equipment carrier in use. 
           [0018]      FIG. 6A  shows a perspective view of an example equipment carrier in use hung from a support member. 
           [0019]      FIG. 6B  shows an illustration of an example equipment carrier in use hung from a support member. 
           [0020]      FIG. 6C  shows a side view of an example equipment carrier in use hung from a support member. 
           [0021]      FIG. 6D  shows a photo of an example equipment carrier in use hung from a support member. 
           [0022]      FIG. 7A  shows a perspective of an example equipment carrier in a compact form. 
           [0023]      FIG. 7B  shows a photo of example equipment carriers in compact forms. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0024]    The subject matter described herein is taught by way of example implementations. Various details have been omitted for the sake of clarity and to avoid obscuring the subject matter. The examples shown below are directed to structures and functions for implementing or making equipment carriers. 
         [0025]      FIG. 1A  shows a rear view of an example equipment carrier  100  in use with example equipment  180 . Carrier  100  includes segments or sections  110 ,  120 , and  130  and attachment points or coupling points  10 ,  20 , and  30 . Carrier  100  may be a strap, sling, holster, handle, device, or any apparatus that is capable of attaching or coupling to the equipment to carry, transport, organize, and/or store the equipment. The equipment may be any equipment, such as sporting equipment, recreational equipment, etc. Examples of equipment include, but are not limited to, wheeled boards (e.g., skateboards, mini boards, caster boards, T-boards cruising boards, longboards, etc.), non-wheeled boards (e.g., snowboards, surfboards, etc.), skates (inline skates, roller skates, ice skates, etc.), scooters (e.g., Razor® scooters, foldable scooters, etc.), skis, and the like. 
         [0026]      FIG. 1B  shows a photo of an example equipment carrier  100  in use with example equipment  180 . Coupling points  10 ,  20 , and  30  are designed for attaching to the equipment. For example, some or all of coupling points  10 ,  20 , and  30  may be loops designed to loop around and attach to the wheels of a skateboard. One of the three sections (e.g., section  110 ) may be longer than the other two sections (e.g., sections  120  and  130 ) designed for wrapping over the shoulder (e.g., upper torso) of a person carrying the equipment or for hanging the equipment in storage. 
         [0027]      FIG. 1C  shows a front view of the example equipment carrier  100  in  FIG. 1A . The longer section (e.g., section  110 ) is shown wrapping to the front of a person using the carrier  100 . 
         [0028]      FIG. 2  shows a schematic view of a three-point attachment of an example carrier to example equipment  100 . Carrier  100  may have at least three points  10 ,  20 , and  30  to attach to, for example, a sport board (e.g., a skateboard). For example, point  10  may be coupled or attached to one of the wheels of a wheeled sport board. Point  20  may be attached to another wheel on another axle of the sport board. Point  30  may be attached to one of the remaining wheels (if there are more than two wheels) or to another point (not shown) on the sport board. A three-point carrier may be structured as a T-shaped carrier having a T-shape, a Y-shaped carrier having a Y-shape, a J-shape carrier having a J-shape, or having any other carrier shape that may be apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art. 
         [0029]      FIG. 3A  shows a perspective view of an example equipment carrier  300 .  FIG. 3B  shows an photo of an example equipment carrier  300 .  FIG. 3C  shows an photo of additional example equipment carriers  300  with adjustable lengths. As illustrated, the carrier  300  includes segments or sections  310 ,  320 , and  330  and attachment points or coupling points  10 ,  20 , and  30 . Point  40  shows substantially or approximately where sections  310 ,  320 , and  330  meet or join. In implementations where carrier  300  is one integral unit (e.g., sections  310 ,  320 , and  330  cannot be disjoined or detached), point  40  is a theoretical point that approximates a conceptual meeting point because there may not be an actual meeting point  40 . In implementations where at least one of sections  310 ,  320 , and  330  (e.g., section  330 ) can be disjoined or detached, point  40  represents where section  330  can be attached to or detach from carrier  330 . 
         [0030]    The carrier  300  may be made adjustable at various locations, such as at or near one or more of the three points and/or along the T handle (e.g., section  310 ). For example, a component  340  (e.g., a slide, buckle, etc.) may be used to adjust or change the length of section  310  as illustrated in  FIG. 3C . The length of section  320  and/or  332  may also be made adjustable, such as by using one or more components (not shown), such as slides, buckles, etc. 
         [0031]    Coupling points  10 ,  20 , and  30  as shown as loops, but some or all of coupling points  10 ,  20 , and  30  may be configured or designed differently, such as using hooks, buckles, rings, D-rings, clips, wire loops, etc. as discussed below with respect to  FIG. 4 . 
         [0032]    A carrier can be made using any material or combination of materials, such as nylon, cotton, plastic, silicon, rubber, metal, wood, etc. A carrier may be made that is flexible or with flexible portions. Carriers or portions of carriers may be made with any visual designs or colors. Additionally 
         [0033]      FIG. 4  shows photos of example components that may be used with equipment carriers described herein. The example components may include one of more of Flat Hooks  405 , D-wings with clips  410 , O-rings  415 , Slides  420 , D-rings  425 , Nylon loops  430 , Nylon Wire Hooks  435 , Nylon S-Hooks  440 , S-Hooks with clips  445 , Wire loops  450 , Wire hooks  455 , and S-hooks  460 . These are example components or parts that may be used with a carrier as may be apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art. Example implementations of the carriers may be designed or configured to use other components or parts not shown in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0034]      FIG. 5A  shows a perspective view of another example equipment carrier  500  in use. The carrier  500  includes segments or sections  510 ,  520 , and  530 . The three sections  510 ,  520 , and  530  are joined or meet at Point  40 . As illustrated, each of the segments  510 ,  520 , and  530  connects to portion of a piece of equipment  580  (such as a wheel of a skateboard.  FIG. 5B  shows a photo of an example equipment carrier  500  in use. The carrier shown (e.g., carrier  100 ) is attached to the equipment  580  (such as a skateboard), for example, and is ready to be used to carrier the skateboard or store the skateboard, as shown in  FIGS. 6A-D . 
         [0035]      FIG. 6A  shows a perspective view of an example equipment carrier  600  in use hung from a support member  690 .  FIG. 6B  shows an illustration of an example equipment carrier  600  in use hung from a support member  690 .  FIG. 6C  shows a side view of an example equipment carrier  600  in use hung from a support member  690 .  FIG. 6D  shows a photo of an example equipment carrier  600  in use hung from a support member  690 . As illustrated the carrier  600  includes three segments  610 ,  620  and  630 . Each of the segments is connected to the equipment  680  (such as a skateboard) at an attachment point or a coupling point  10 ,  20 ,  30 . The carrier shown (e.g., carrier  600 ) with attached equipment (e.g., a skateboard  680 ) is ready to be hung on a support member  690  such as a hook, wall, doorknob, etc. for storage or organization. 
         [0036]      FIG. 7A  shows a perspective of an example equipment carrier  700  in a compact form. 
         [0037]      FIG. 7B  shows a photo of example equipment carriers  700  in compact forms. Equipment carriers can be made to be folded up or rolled up (e.g., for easy storage, such as in a pocket of a user). 
         [0038]    Although a few example designs and implementations have been shown and described, these example implementations are provided to convey the subject matter described herein to people who are familiar with this field. It should be understood that the subject matter described herein may be implemented in various forms without being limited to the described example implementations. The subject matter described herein can be practiced without those specifically defined or described elements and/or components or with other or different elements and/or matters not described. It will be appreciated by those familiar with this field that changes may be made in these example implementations without departing from the subject matter described herein as defined in the appended claims and their equivalents.