Abstract:
A safety device for a tow handle such as might be used for waterskiing, wakeboarding, kite-boarding, etc. One embodiment of the safety device provides a thin, flat panel ( 30 ) made of semi-rigid material and having pressure relief holes ( 32 ) and attachment holes ( 31 ). In addition, a handle attachment link ( 34 ) attaches said panel to the cross bar ( 41 ) of the tow handle providing additional support. Other embodiments are described and shown.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/127,187, filed 2008 May 9 by the present inventor. 
    
    
     FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH  
     Not Applicable 
     SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM  
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND  
     1. Field of Invention 
     This invention relates to tow rope handles used in various sporting activities in which a person is pulled at the end of a rope. 
     2. Prior Art 
     In various sports in which a person is towed behind a watercraft, such as water skiing, wakeboarding, knee boarding and similar sports, the person must typically hold onto a special handle attached to the end of a rope, cable, or other such flexible connection to the tow vehicle. Similar handles are used for sports in which a participant is towed over snow or dry land, or when a participant is towed by a wind-borne kite or parachute-like device. The tow handles used for all of these types of sports bear a striking similarity, in that they are usually comprised of a rigid bar attached to a main towline by means of a V-shaped bridle. A typical towed-sports handle assembly  40  is comprised of a tow handle cross bar  41  attached to two side ropes  42  which converge to a splice knot  43  joining them to a single mainline  44  ( FIG. 2 ). This common configuration allows an opening for the participant to grip the tow handle with one or both hands while maintaining a direct, in-line link to the towing force. 
     Unfortunately this common V-shaped bridle presents a constant danger to the participant, in that it creates an easy opening into which the participant can accidentally engage a limb during a fall. Historically, the forward momentum of the towing force combined with the trapping nature of such accidental engagement has often resulted in serious injury or death to the participant. Annual safety reports worldwide suggest that such accidents occur as frequently as several dozen times per year, resulting in injuries serious enough to require a visit to an Emergency Room. 
     Prior to the present invention there has been no device patented that resolves or successfully addresses this danger. There have been some homemade, non-patented attempts that are known to have been tried, and there have been various informal suggestions proposed among waterskiers and participants in other towed sports. 
     Chief among these is the addition of a piece of fabric being used to cover some portion of the opening of towed-sports handle assemblies. For example, one skier in California reportedly fabricated a triangular canvas sleeve  10  ( FIG. 1 ) designed to fit over the V-shaped area of the handle assembly, thereby enclosing a portion of the dangerous opening. Another skier reportedly sewed a fabric panel directly to the side ropes of the bridle, accomplishing a similar result. There are also apocryphal accounts of skiers wrapping duct tape across the handle opening, or attaching vinyl sheeting material in place. All of these solutions, while seeming adequate in theory, fail in actual use. Commonly, the broad surface-like nature of such devices becomes, effectively, a rudder in the water and a sail in the air. Typically the forces involved in the towed sport result in a premature failure of such homespun devices, rendering them useless. Additionally, when involved in the types of falls that can result in body-part-through-handle injuries, such soft flexible sheets can act as a sort of funnel, guiding the skier&#39;s arm (for example) directly into the dangerous opening. 
     Another device proposed by a skiers is a standard V-shaped handle assembly with an additional spliced-in cross rope  21  ( FIG. 2 ) permanently connected between the two side ropes, parallel to handle cross bar  41 , leaving enough space for the skier&#39;s hands to grasp the handle. The purpose of this additional rope piece is to prevent a participant&#39;s head from entering the handle opening, but it does nothing to address the more common danger of accidentally engaging other body parts, such as the participant&#39;s arm. Indeed, this device may well be more dangerous than no safety device at all, in that the additional rope piece can easily create a more serious entanglement when the skier does engage a hand or arm into the opening during a fall. 
     SUMMARY 
     In accordance with one embodiment my tow handle safety device comprises an improved safety panel and method by which it can be attached to a tow handle assembly, thereby reducing the opening through which an arm of other body part can be accidentally inserted during a fall. 
    
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows prior art comprised of a triangular canvas sleeve encasing a traditional V-shaped tow handle bridle. 
         FIG. 2  shows prior art comprised of a typical V-shaped tow handle bridle having an additional rope section spliced across the opening. 
         FIG. 3  shows one embodiment of the safety panel with the handle attachment link in place. 
         FIG. 4  shows a typical V-shaped tow handle bridle with the attached safety panel in accordance with one embodiment of my device. 
         FIG. 5  shows a close view of one method of attaching the safety panel to a standard water sports handle using commercially available plastic wire ties. 
         FIG. 6  shows a different method of attaching the safety panel to a standard water sports handle by means of hook-and-loop fastener material. 
         FIG. 7  shows a different method of attaching the safety panel to a standard water sports handle by means of permanently affixed tubular guides. 
         FIG. 8  shows one embodiment as it is used for towed sports. 
     
    
    
     REFERENCE NUMERALS 
     
         
         
           
               10  triangular fabric sleeve 
               21  spliced-in cross rope 
               30  safety panel 
               31  side rope attachment hole 
               32  pressure relief hole 
               33  handle attachment link hole 
               34  handle attachment link 
               35  plastic cable tie 
               40  towed-sports handle assembly 
               41  tow handle cross bar 
               42  tow handle side rope 
               43  tow handle splice knot 
               44  tow handle mainline 
               51  fabric hook-and-loop attachment strips 
               61  tubular attachment members 
           
         
       
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     First Embodiment—FIGS.  3 ,  4  and  5   
     One embodiment of the towed-sports handle safety device is illustrated in  FIG. 1  ,  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 . This device has a safety panel  30  of uniform cross section made of semi-rigid material which can be repeatedly flexed without fracturing. In one contemplated embodiment the panel is a semi-rigid plastic, such as polycarbonate. However, the panel can be made of any other semi-rigid material that can be flexed repeatedly without fracturing, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, vinyl, nylon, rubber, various impregnated or laminated fibrous materials, various plasticized materials, etc. 
     In  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 5  an elastic center tie member  34  is attached to safety panel  30  through one or more of handle attachment link attachments holes  33 . In one embodiment handle attachment link  34  is a cylindrically endless ring of elastic material, such as a copolymer of butadiene and acrylonitrile (commonly know as Buna-N) as can be found in a typical O-ring. However, this member can be made of any other elastic material that can be repeatedly stretched and relaxed without suffering permanent distortion, such as vinyl, rubber, latex, etc. Attachment holes  33  can be whatever size or shape is appropriate for a specific handle attachment link. 
     In  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 , one embodiment of safety panel  30  has a plurality of side rope attachment holes  31  spaced adjacent to and aligned with the side edges of the safety panel  30 . These side attachment holes  31  can be whatever size or shape is appropriate for a specific attachment method. 
     In  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 , one embodiment of safety panel  30  also has a plurality of pressure relief holes  32 . These pressure relief holes can be arranged in whatever configuration, size and shape is most effective for their intended purpose. 
     OPERATION 
     First Embodiment—FIGS.  4 ,  5  and  8   
     The manner of using the towed-sports handle safety device is illustrated in  FIG. 4 ,  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 8 . Safety panel  30  is attached to a commonly available to towed-sports handle assembly  40  in such a way that the panel blocks a large portion of the opening framed by tow handle side ropes  42  and tow handle cross bar  41 . Safety panel  30  reduces the likelihood of the towed participant unintentionally thrusting a body part through this opening during an accidental fall. 
     Because the material that safety panel  30  is constructed from is semi-rigid it is less able to fold into a funnel-like shape during use. This has been a common failing of previous panels made of fabric or other soft materials. 
     Handle attachment link  34  creates additional blockage of the tow handle assembly&#39;s opening, and also provides a supportive connection between safety panel  30  and cross bar  41 . In addition to further reducing the tow handle assembly&#39;s opening, this supportive connection also limits the amount that safety panel  30  can flex away from cross bar  41 . By limiting this flex, safety panel  30  is further prevented from forming into a funnel-like shape that could unintentionally guide the towed sports participant&#39;s hand, arm or other body part into the tow handle opening. 
     In one embodiment of the handle safety device, a method for attaching safety panel  30  to side ropes  42  is illustrated in  FIGS. 4 ,  5 , and  8 . This attachment method utilizes commonly known commercially available plastic cable ties  35  to bind safety panel  30  to side ropes  42  of handle assembly  40 .  FIG. 5  shows a closer view of cable ties  35 . In practice cable ties  35  would be put in place and then cinched to grip side ropes  42  securely. Alternately safety panel  30  could be attached to side ropes  42  using cord, elastic bands, hook-and-loop straps or mechanical fasteners made of plastic, metal or other similarly appropriate materials. I contemplate the attachment method being somewhat permanent in nature, but able to allow safety panel  30  to break away from handle assembly  40  in the unexpected presence of enough force that such separation would be desirable. 
     In one embodiment of the handle safety device illustrated in  FIGS. 3 ,  4 , and  8 , a method for attaching handle attachment link  34  is shown, in which the tie member is simply bound or tied around cross bar  41 . This method of attachment is simple and direct but I contemplate other methods, such as utilizing a connecting fastener. Such a fastener can be a commercially available plastic cable tie  35 , cord, elastic bands, hook-and-loop straps or mechanical fasteners made of plastic, metal or other similarly appropriate materials. 
     Because of the features detailed in the above embodiment this tow handle safety device it is superior to all the known tow handle safety devices that preceded it. 
     DESCRIPTION 
     Alternate Embodiment—FIG.  6   
     One embodiment of the handle safety device is illustrated in  FIG. 6 , wherein the method of attaching safety panel  30  to handle assembly  40  ( FIG. 4 ) is two sets of fabric hook-and-loop attachment strips  51 . These attachment strips are paired, with one strip having a surfaced faced with male hook-and-loop material and the adjacent strip having a surface faced with male hook-and-loop material. One pair of these male/female strips is permanently bonded to each of the two side edges of safety panel  30 , such that they can encompass each side rope  42  ( FIG. 4 ) of handle assembly  40  ( FIG. 4 ). This embodiment is otherwise similar to the device detailed in the first embodiment above, having a safety panel  30  of uniform cross section made of semi-rigid sheet material which can be repeatedly flexed without fracturing. This embodiment also has handle attachment link  34  attached to safety panel  30  through one or more attachments hole  33 . Furthermore, this embodiment also has a plurality of pressure relief holes  32  formed into safety panel  30 . These holes can be arranged in whatever configuration, size and shape is most effective for their intended purpose. 
     OPERATION 
     Alternate Embodiment—FIG.  6   
     This embodiment exhibits all of the qualities and advantages explained in the first embodiment above and also enjoys the characteristic of being easily removed and reattached at will. I contemplate that this feature would allow a towed sports participant to move the handle safety device from one handle assembly to another as he or she see fit. 
     DESCRIPTION  
     Alternate Embodiment—FIG.  7   
     In another embodiment, illustrated in  FIG. 7 , safety panel  30  is attached to handle assembly  40  ( FIG. 4 ) with a pair of tubular attachment members  61 . I contemplate these tubular members being made of a flexible tubing material, such as vinyl. However, the tubular members can be made of any other weather-proof material that can be flexed repeatedly without fracturing, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, vinyl, nylon, rubber, leather, various impregnated or laminated fibrous materials, various plasticized materials, etc. These tubular members are permanently bonded to each of the two side edges of safety panel  30 , such that side ropes  42  ( FIG. 4 ) of handle assembly  40  ( FIG. 4 ) can be inserted through the tubular members during the initial manufacturing process of the handle assembly, thus making safety panel  30  an integral part of the entire towed-sports handle. 
     This embodiment is other wise similar to the device detailed in the first embodiment above, having safety panel  30  of uniform cross section made of semi-rigid sheet material which can be repeatedly flexed without fracturing. This embodiment also has handle attachment link  34  attached to safety panel  30  through one or more attachment holes  33 . Furthermore, this embodiment also has a plurality of pressure relief holes  32  formed into safety panel  30 . These holes can be arranged in whatever configuration, size and shape is most effective for their intended purpose. 
     OPERATION 
     Alternate Embodiment—FIG.  7   
     This embodiment exhibits all of the qualities and advantages explained in the first embodiment above but is also suitable for Original Equipment Manufacturers (“OEM”). I contemplate that this feature would allow towed-sports handle manufacturing the ability to offer a complete tow handle assembly that would include all of the safety features this embodiment of my handle safety device provides. 
     CONCLUSION, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPE OF INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the reader will see that towed-sports handle safety device of the various embodiments is a vast improvement over previous devices, and will provide an increased level of safety to the participant in any towed sport. Furthermore, at least one embodiment of the handle safety device offers additional advantages in that
         it is easily attached to existing tow handle assemblies;   it is durable and able to withstand the forces and conditions common to towed sports;   it does not interfere with the normal operation of the towed-sport handle, allowing the participant to engage in towed sport without undue encumbrance.       

     While the description above contains many specifications, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiment but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments. For example, the safety panel and handle attachment link can be fabricated from other material not listed; the safety panel can have other shapes, such as circular, oval, etc.; the safety panel can be used without a handle attachment link, or with multiple handle attachment links; the safety panel can be comprised of multiple smaller panels articulated together or independent from one another; etc. 
     Thus the scope of the invention should be determined not by the embodiment(s) illustrated, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.