Surfboard Cover

Abstract

A divider for positioning between a bottom surfboard and a top surfboard comprising: a divider base placed between a first and a second surfboard, the divider base being a flexible sheet; and a surfboard nose support attached to the divider base, the surfboard nose support being a padded support for providing protection for a nose region of at least one of the top and bottom surfboards.

Claims

1. A divider for positioning between a bottom surfboard and a top surfboard, the divider comprising: a divider base for placing between a first and a second surfboard, the divider base being a flexible sheet; and a surfboard nose support attached to the divider base, the surfboard nose support being a padded support for providing protection for a nose region of at least one of the top and bottom surfboards.

2. The divider according to claim 1, wherein a position of the surfboard nose support is adjustable in a longitudinal direction.

3. The divider according to claim 2, wherein the nose support is adjusted by rolling the nose support in a flexible region of the divider base.

4. The divider according to claim 1, wherein the divider has a plurality of padded supports attached to the divider base and each of the padded supports are located between the bottom and the top surfboard.

5. The divider according to claim 1, further comprising a mid-surfboard support for providing support for a mid-section of the top surfboard.

6. The divider according to claim 5, wherein the mid-surfboard support is at least one longitudinally extended pad attached to the divider base.

7. The divider according to claim 5, wherein the mid-surfboard support is two longitudinally extended pads located either side of a central longitudinal line of the divider.

8. The divider according to claim 1, further comprising: a tail surfboard support, the tail surfboard support being a padded support for providing protection for a tail region of at least one of the first and the second surfboards.

9. The divider according to claim 1, wherein the divider has a plurality of padded supports, including the nose support, the divider holding a first of the plurality of padded supports in a predetermined position relative to a second of the plurality of padded supports in a longitudinal direction along the divider.

10. The divider according to claim 1, wherein the divider is substantially located between the bottom and the top surfboard.

11. A surfboard cover for two or more surfboards, the surfboard cover comprising: a top portion and a bottom portion; and the divider of claim 1.

12. The surfboard cover of claim 11 wherein the divider is hingedly connected to an interior of the surfboard cover.

13. The surfboard cover of claim 11, wherein the divider is removably attached to the interior of the surfboard cover.

14. The surfboard cover of claim 12, wherein a portion of an edge of the flexible sheet is attached to a side of the surfboard cover.

15. The surfboard cover of claim 14, wherein a portion of the divider having the surfboard nose support attached is located outside of the edge of the flexible sheet attached to the interior of the surfboard cover.

16. The surfboard cover of claim 11, wherein the surfboard cover includes a nose bumper to provide protection for the top and the bottom surfboards along an edge of the surfboard cover.

17. The surfboard cover of claim 11, wherein the surfboard cover includes a tail bumper to provide protection for the top and the bottom surfboards along an edge of the surfboard cover.

18. The surfboard cover of claim 11, further comprising at least one internal compression strap running laterally across the top and the bottom surfboards to hold the top and the bottom surfboards in place.

19. The surfboard cover of claim 11, further comprising at least one top portion padding on the upper portion of the surfboard cover, located at a nose end of the surfboard cover and providing support for a nose of the top surfboard.

20. The surfboard cover of claim 11, further comprising: an exterior nose protection region as part of the top and bottom portions; and an exterior tail protection region as part of the top and bottom portions, wherein the exterior nose protection region and the exterior tail protection regions are substantially rigid region of the surfboard cover.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

[0033] At least one embodiment of the present invention is described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying figures.

[0034] FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C and 1D illustrate an exterior of a surfboard cover according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0035] FIG. 2A illustrate an interior base of the surfboard cover of FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C and 1D;

[0036] FIG. 2B illustrates a padded bumper cross section of the surfboard cover of FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C and 1D;

[0037] FIG. 3 illustrates a board divider for the surfboard cover of FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C and 1D;

[0038] FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate a side view of the board divider for the surfboard cover of FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C and 1D;

[0039] FIG. 5 illustrates an interior for a top portion of the surfboard cover of FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C and 1D;

[0040] FIG. 6 illustrates an alternative board divider for the surfboard cover of FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C and 1D;

[0041] FIG. 7A illustrates a section of the interior of the top portion for the surfboard cover of FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C and 1D;

[0042] FIG. 7B illustrates a side view of the interior top portion of FIG. 7A;

[0043] FIG. 8 illustrates a cross section of the surfboard cover of FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C and 1D; and

[0044] FIGS. 9A and 9B illustrate a carry strap suitable for use with the surfboard cover of FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C and 1D.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] The following description, given by way of example only, is described in order to provide a more precise understanding of one or more of the embodiments. In the figures, like reference numerals are used to identify like parts throughout the figures.

[0046] Surfboards are transported together inside one cover with one or more surfboards. Due to the curve of a surfboard, placing weight on top of a surfboard, or placing a surfboard upside down, may place a large amount of force on the tip of the nose and the tail of the surfboard, with the nose of the surfboard having a greater force applied than the tail. This extra force can damage the surfboard, particularly on the nose. The disclosed exterior surfboard cover protection system and the internal surfboard protection system provide raised padded support between surfboards and reduce surfboard movement within the cover to reduce damage to the boards.

[0047] Disclosed is a divider for positioning between a bottom surfboard and a top surfboard. The divider can be used in a surfboard cover and includes a divider base for placing between a first and a second surfboard, the divider base being a flexible sheet. The divider also includes a surfboard nose support attached to the divider base, the surfboard nose support being a padded support for providing protection for a nose region of at least one of the top and bottom surfboards.

Exterior Surfboard Cover Protection

[0048] FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C and 1D show an exterior of a surfboard cover 100, with FIG. 1A showing an exterior of a top portion, FIG. 1B showing an exterior of a bottom portion and FIG. 1C and FIG. 1D showing sides of the surfboard cover 100. The surfboard cover may be used for one or more surfboards and is formed from two parts, the bottom portion, or base, and the top portion, or lid. The bottom and top portions may be joined using a zipper, or other fastener that allows opening and closing, or attachment and detachment between the bottom and top portions. The zipper goes around all, most, or a substantial portion, of a perimeter of the surfboard cover 100 to allow opening. At least one part of the bottom and top portions are connected permanently with a material connection that operates in a hinged manner to allow the top portion to hinge open from the bottom portion. In one embodiment, the zipper extends around the whole perimeter of the surfboard cover 100, allowing the top portion to detach from the bottom portion. The zipper may have one or more zipper pulls 160.

[0049] The surfboard cover top portion exterior 110 has an exterior nose protection region 120 and an exterior tail protection region 125, shown in FIG. 1A while a surfboard cover bottom portion exterior 115 has an exterior nose protection region 122 and an exterior tail protection region 127, shown in FIG. 1B. The exterior nose protection regions of 120 and 122 provide impact resistance as well as forming part of a rigid, substantially rigid, or semi-rigid, protection region at the nose of the surfboard in the surfboard cover 100. The exterior tail protection regions of 125 and 127 provide impact resistance as well as forming part of a rigid, substantially rigid, or semi-rigid, protection region at the tail of the surfboard in the surfboard cover 100. A nose protection region is formed from the exterior nose protection regions 120 and 122, along with rigid, substantially rigid, or semi-rigid, sides between the nose protection regions. Similarly, rigid, substantially rigid, or semi-rigid, sides are located between the exterior tail protection regions 125 and 127 to form a tail protection region.

[0050] The exterior of the exterior nose protection regions 120 and 122, as well as the exterior tail protection regions 125 and 127, are constructed from multi-layered, laminated material. The exterior layer is a tough, impact resistant material, such as moulded EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate). Underneath the impact resistant material of the outer layer is a rigid, substantially rigid, or semi-rigid, polyurethane board to provide padding between the surfboards in the bag and the exterior. Underneath the padding layer is a lining layer that provides a lining for the inside of the surfboard cover, the lining layer may be visible on the interior of the surfboard cover.

[0051] The surfboard cover top portion exterior 110 has two closable ventilation openings 130 that are openable to allow external air inside the surfboard cover and assist with removing moisture inside the surfboard cover 100. The closable ventilation openings 130 may be waterproof zippers or other suitable fasteners that provide waterproof closure. The closable ventilation openings 130 are spaced apart to provide ventilation over the length of the surfboard cover. Also located on the surfboard cover top portion exterior 110 are a handle 140 and a handle 145 that can be used when moving the surfboard cover. Having the handle 140 and the handle 145 located on the surfboard cover top portion exterior 110 provides handles to move the surfboard cover 100 before opening.

[0052] A nose handle 155 is located at the top of the surfboard cover 100. A side handle 150 is attached to a front side 152 of the surfboard cover 100. On either side of the edge handle 150 are a carry a strap attachment point 162 and a carry strap attachment point 164 which provide mounting points for a carry strap for the surfboard cover 100. Also on the front side 152 are opening security straps 170 that can be disconnected straps. When connected, the opening security strap 170 provide redundancy to the zipper for keeping the top and bottom portions closed. A back side 154 has handles 175 to allow carrying of the surfboard cover 100 on the back side 154.

[0053] The front side 152 and the back side 154 may have a multi-layered, laminated construction. In one embodiment, the laminated construction has a 900D nylon exterior that covers a polyurethane board, which provides rigidity, as well as foam padding. The inside of the surfboard cover 100 has a Tarpee lining. The exterior of the front side 152 and the back side 154 provide protection against impacts as well as being abrasive resistant for when the surfboard cover 100 is dragged along the ground. In one embodiment, the laminated construction of the front side 152 and the back side 154 starts in line with an end of the exterior nose protection regions 120 and 122 nose and the tail protection regions 125 and 127.

Internal Surfboard Protection

Surfboard Cover Interior

[0054] An interior of the surfboard cover will now be described in relation to FIGS. 2A to 8. The surfboard cover interior is configured to accommodate two or more surfboards while also providing protection to the surfboards. The surfboards are arranged in a stacked configuration with an underside of the top surfboard sitting on the topside of a bottom surfboard. The surfboard cover provides protection for the nose and tail of the surfboards using the exterior surfboard cover protection, described above. The internal surfboard protection provides protection for the nose and tail of the surfboards, as well as protection between each surfboard in the surfboard cover. As will be described, the internal surfboard protection includes a surfboard divider, a nose protection section attached to the interior of the top portion of the surfboard cover, as well as nose and tail bumpers. The three components of the internal surfboard protection provide protection for the surfboards in the surfboard cover, including protection for the nose of tail of the surfboards.

[0055] FIGS. 2A and 2B show details of the removable nose and tail bumpers that are located in a bottom portion of the surfboard cover. FIG. 2A shows a top down view of a bottom portion interior 200 of the surfboard cover. The bottom portion interior 200 has a bottom surface 210 and internal compression straps 220. Each of the internal compression straps 220 run laterally across the surfboard cover and are used to hold surfboards, such as a top and a bottom surfboard, in place in the surfboard cover and prevent movement. While two internal compression straps 220 are shown, alternative arrangements using more straps, or a single strap, may be used instead. At the nose end of the bottom portion interior 200 is a removable padded nose bumper 230 to provide protection for the nose of the surfboards along an edge of the surfboard cover. The removable padded nose bumper 230 forms part of the nose protection and combines with the exterior nose protection regions 120 and 122 to form a rigid, substantially rigid, or semi-rigid, protection zone for the nose of the surfboards. The removable padded nose bumper 230, the exterior nose protection region 120 and the bottom portion exterior nose protection region 122 meet to form a nose protection structure in which a nose of one or more surfboards may be placed. That is, the exterior nose protection region 120 is a top, the bottom portion exterior nose protection region 122 is the bottom and the removable padded nose bumper 230 is the side, with the top and bottom being supported by the side when the bottom surfboard cover is closed.

[0056] At the tail end of the bottom portion interior 200 is a removable padded tail bumper 240 to provide protection for the tail of the surfboards along an edge of the surfboard cover. The removable padded tail bumper 240 forms part of the tail protection and combines with the exterior tail protection regions 125 and 127 to form a rigid, substantially rigid, or semi-rigid, protection zone for the tail of the surfboards in the surfboard cover. The removable padded tail bumper 240, the exterior tail protection region 125 and the bottom portion exterior tail protection region 127 meet to form a tail protection structure in which a tail end of one or more surfboards may be placed. That is, the exterior tail protection region 125 is a top, the bottom portion exterior tail protection region 127 is the bottom and the removable padded tail bumper 240 is the side, with the top and bottom being supported by the side when the bottom surfboard cover is closed.

[0057] Both the removable padded nose bumper 230 and the removable padded tail bumper 240 can be removed from the bottom portion interior 200 to allow cleaning, replacement or to allow the surfboard cover to flatten when not in use. The removable padded nose bumper 230 and the removable padded tail bumper 240 are attached to the surfboard cover by an attachment mechanism, such as hook and loop fasteners, buckles or by placing them inside pockets sown into the bottom portion interior 200.

[0058] FIG. 2B shows a padded bumper cross section 250. The padded bumper cross section 250 has an outer layer 260 that faces the interior of the surfboard cover. The outer layer 260 is made from a nylon rip stop material and may be stitched. A middle layer is formed from an inner foam layer 270 made from 15 mm polyurethane foam to provide padding between the surfboards in the surfboard cover and impacts on the exterior of the surfboard cover. A base layer 280 provides wear resistance between the padded bumper and the inner lining of the bottom portion interior 200. The base layer 280 may also be made from a nylon rip stop material. The outer layer 260 and the base layer 280 may be made from a colour that provides contrast to the interior of the surfboard cover. The above padded bumper cross section 250 provides one example of the construction for the removable padded nose bumper 230 and the removable padded tail bumper 240. Other materials or thicknesses of materials for the inner foam layer 270 may also be used.

Surfboard Divider

[0059] FIG. 3 shows a surfboard divider 300 for placing between two surfboards. The surfboard divider 300 is placed between two surfboards, on the topside of the bottom surfboard and the underside of the top surfboard. The underside of the top surfboard rests directly on the visible surface of the surfboard divider 300 of FIG. 3. In one embodiment, the surfboard divider 300 includes one or more padded supports on a flexible sheet, or flexible planar surface. The surfboard divider 300 provides protection to the flat surfaces of the surfboards and may be independent of side protection for the surfboards. The surfboard divider 300 provides planar support to the top or bottom surfaces of the surfboards and positions two or more padded regions between the top and bottom surfboards. The surfboard divider 300 holds the two or more padded regions in a predetermined position between the two surfboards. That is, a first of the two or more padded regions is held in a predetermined positions relative to a second of the two or more padded regions. The supports may be held position in a longitudinal direction along the divider, a lateral direction, or both. As shown in FIG. 3, wherein the surfboard divider 300 is substantially located between the bottom and the top surfboard and each of the padded supports may be located between the bottom and top surfboards.

[0060] If the surfboard cover is designed for two surfboards then a surfboard cover has a single divider. If the surfboard cover is designed for three surfboards, then the surfboard cover has two surfboard dividers. The surfboard cover has a divider to be placed between each of the surfboards. The purpose of the surfboard divider 300 is to provide protection and support for the adjacent surfboards to reduce potential damage to the surfboards in the surfboard cover.

[0061] The surfboard divider 300 has a divider base 310, which is a material layer made from a suitably tough and strong material such as a woven polyurethane, like Tarpee. The divider base 310 may be a flexible sheet, or flexible planar surface. The divider base 310 is attached to the surfboard cover at divider attachment 315 and placed between a top and bottom surfboard. Typically the divider attachment 315 is a region where the divider base 310 is sewn to a side of the bottom portion of the surfboard cover and allows the surfboard divider 300 to be fold and provide a hinged, or flexible, connection between the surfboard cover 100 and the surfboard divider 300. The divider attachment 315 provides a hinged connection to an interior of the surfboard cover. Alternatively, the divider attachment 315 may be removably attached using a fastener such as hook and loop fastener, a zipper, snap lock fastener, or buckles. As shown, a portion, or region, of an edge of the divider base 310 is attached to a side of the surfboard cover, shown between forward line 360 and rear line 365, with forward line 360 and rear line 365 being shown for reference only. From the forward line 360 to the nose end of the divider base 310 is a region located outside of the edge of the flexible sheet attached to the interior of the surfboard cover. The surfboard divider 300 may be considered to have three regions. A nose end, not attached to the interior of the surfboard cover, from forward line 360 to the nose. A second region is an attached region between the forward line 360 and the rear line 365. A third region is a tail end, not attached to the interior of the surfboard cover, from the rear line 365 to the tail end.

[0062] The surfboard divider 300 has three padded regions, one for the nose, the middle and the tail of the surfboards, each attached to the divider base 310. The nose region padding is a surfboard nose support 320 that is a padded strip that runs laterally, or substantially laterally, across the surfboard cover and the surfboards. The nose support 320 is a padded support for providing protection for a nose region of at least one of the top or bottom surfboards and is attached to the divider base 310. As will be described in relation FIGS. 4A and 4B, a position of the surfboard nose support 320 can be adjusted in longitudinal direction, towards the nose or tail of the surfboard cover. The surfboard nose support 320 provides support for a nose region of at least one of the top and the bottom surfboards. The adjustment of the position of the surfboard nose support 320 allows the surfboard divider 300 to provide support for surfboards with different lengths.

[0063] For the middle padding, there are two padded mid-surfboard supports 330 that run lengthwise, or longitudinally or substantially longitudinally, on the surfboard divider 300. The mid-surfboard supports 330 are extended in a longitudinal direction and the two longitudinally extended pads are located either side of a central longitudinal line of the divider. The mid-surfboard supports 330 are separated to provide support for shaped undersides of surfboards placed on top of the surfboard divider 300 and provide support for a mid-section of the surfboard placed on top, i.e. the top surfboard.

[0064] At the tail end of the surfboards is a tail surfboard support 340 that provides support for the tail of the top surfboard and padding between the top and the bottom surfboards. The tail surfboard support 340 is a padded support for providing protection for a tail region of at least one of the top or bottom surfboards. A bottom surface 350 shows of the bottom portion of the surfboard cover.

[0065] A side view of the surfboard divider 300 is shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, which show a surfboard nose support 410, a mid-surfboard support 420 and a tail surfboard support 430. The supports are all mounted on a divider base 440. To adjust a position of the surfboard nose support 410, the surfboard nose support 410 can be rolled up in a flexible region 445. FIG. 4B shows a rolled divider side view 450 where the surfboard nose support 410 has been rolled in the flexible region 445, moving the surfboard nose support 410 towards the tail end of the surfboard cover, to move the surfboard nose support 410 longitudinally. Unrolling the flexible region 445 also moves the surfboard nose support 410 longitudinally, but towards a nose of the surfboard cover. Rolling and unrolling of the surfboard nose support 410 provides longitudinal adjustments of the surfboard nose support 410.

[0066] In one embodiment, the surfboard nose support 410 is 40 mm tall with a polyurethane foam core and a rip stop nylon fabric outer layer. Each of the mid-surfboard supports 420 may have the same construction as the surfboard nose support 410 and a height of 5 mm. The tail surfboard support 430 may also have the same construction as the surfboard nose support 410, but a height of 10 mm. The height of the surfboard nose support 410 is taller than the mid-surfboard support 420 to conform to a surfboard shape, where the nose lifts up from the mid-section of the board. The surfboard nose support 410 is also taller than the tail surfboard support 430. The tail surfboard support 430 is also taller than the mid-surfboard support 420, to provide support for the raised section of the tail of the surfboard, when compared to the mid-section of the board. Each of the surfboard nose support 410, mid surfboard support 420 and the tail surfboard support 430 are constructed using a padded material to provide protection, as well as an outer surface that is hard wearing.

[0067] The surfboard nose support 410 of the divider side view 400 is shown as having a rectangular shape. The rolled divider side view 450 shows the surfboard nose support 410 having been rotated 180 degrees so the surfboard nose support 410 is upside down compared to the arrangement of divider side view 400. Rolling the surfboard nose support 410 by 90 or 270 degrees allows the surfboard nose support 410 to be moved towards the tail of the surfboard as well as providing a lowered height for the surfboard nose support 410. The rectangular shape of the surfboard nose support 410 allows height adjustment for the surfboard nose support 410. This may be useful for surfboards with lower nose profiles.

[0068] In one embodiment the surfboard nose support 410 may be square, allowing for a constant height of the surfboard nose support 410 when rolled 90 degrees, such as 90, 180, 270, 360, degrees. Alternatively, the surfboard nose support 410 may be made from a non-rectangular shape, such as a shaped with 5, 6, 7, 8, or more sides. If a shape with more than four sides has equal length sides, the position of the surfboard nose support 410 may have smaller adjustment distances than a rectangular or square shape.

Top Portion Interior

[0069] A top portion interior 500 will now be described in relation to FIG. 5. The top portion interior 500 is the interior of the surfboard cover top portion exterior 110 shown in FIG. 1A. A lining layer 510 covers the top portion interior 500 and may be made from material such as a woven polyurethane, like Tarpee. that provides suitable abrasion resistance and strength. Two top portion nose pads 520 protrude inwards from the lining layer 510, inside the surfboard cover. The top portion nose pads 520 provide protection and padding for the nose of the top most surfboard stored in the surfboard cover. The top portion nose pads 520 will be described in more detail in relation to FIGS. 7A and 7B. The top portion interior 500 has two ventilation meshes 530 that provide ventilation of the interior of the surfboard cover when the surfboard cover is closed. The ventilation meshes 530 are the internal side of the ventilation zippers 130, described in relation to FIG. 1A. Also shown in FIG. 5 is the outline of the surfboard cover exterior 110. A hook 540 is located at the nose or tail end of the surfboard cover. The hook 540 allows the surfboard cover to be hung up, such as when the surfboard cover is not in use.

Surfboard Divider and Straps

[0070] FIG. 6 shows a surfboard divider 600, such as the surfboard divider 300 described in relation to FIG. 3, with additional components of the surfboard cover. The surfboard divider 600 has a divider base 610, a surfboard nose support 620, mid-surfboard supports 630, and a tail surfboard support 650. The surfboard divider 600 is attached to the surfboard cover with a divider attachment 670. The edge of the divider base 610 has an edge finish 660 to reduce the likelihood of ripping or tearing. The edge finish 660 may be a binding stitch with a 10 mm binding.

[0071] The surfboard divider 600 is also shown with compression straps 640. The compression straps 640 are attached to the inside of the surfboard cover. The compression straps 640 extend longitudinally across the top surfboard in the surfboard cover and are used to secure the top and bottom surfboards. The two compression straps 640 can be undone for removal or installation of the surfboards into the surfboard cover. Each of the compression straps 640 allow tightening to provide the compression of the surfboards. One example of a fastening system for the compression straps 640 is the use of hook and loop fasteners to secure the ends of the compression straps 640 together with suitable tension. Alternative fastening systems include buckles with a tightening mechanism or buckles with one or more prongs that inserts into holes in the opposing strap of the compression straps 640. The compression straps 640 may have locations for the storage of small items, such as a Bluetooth tracking device.

Top Portion Interior Nose Portion

[0072] A top portion interior 700 of the nose section of the surfboard cover will be described in relation to FIG. 7A. The top portion interior 700 is similar to a nose section of the top portion interior 500 and shows lining layer 710 with a front top portion padding 720 and a rear top portion padding 730. The top portion padding is located at a nose end of the surfboard cover and provides support for a nose of the top surfboard in the surfboard cover. The front top portion padding 720 is 60 mm wide and has a height of 10 mm above the lining layer 710. The front top portion padding 720 is a rectangular foam block that extends laterally from one side of the top portion interior 700 to the other, with a gap of 50 mm between each edge of the top portion interior 700. The rear top portion padding 730 is also 60 mm wide, but is taller than the front top portion padding 720 with a height of 30 mm above the lining layer 710. The rear top portion padding 730 is a rectangular foam block that extends from one side of the top portion interior 700 to the other, with a gap of 50 mm between each edge of the lining layer 710. Both the front top portion padding 720 and the rear top portion padding 730 are made from polyurethane foam with a nylon rip stop exterior. The width of the padding may be varied based on a type of surfboard the surfboard cover is designed to carry, such as a shortboard, fish, or longboard. In one example, the padding width for a longboard surfboard cover will be wider than the padding for a shortboard surfboard cover.

[0073] FIG. 7B shows a nose padding side view 750 for the top portion interior as described above. The front top portion padding 720 is shown towards a nose end of the surfboard cover, while the rear top portion padding 730 is located further away from the surfboard nose, compared to the front top portion padding 720, towards the tail of the surfboard. Note that both the front top portion padding 720 and the rear top portion padding 730 provide padding to a top surface of the top surfboard carried in the surfboard cover. In FIG. 7B the rear top portion padding 730 is taller than the front top portion padding 720. In one example the rear top portion padding 730 has a height of 30 mm compared to the front top portion padding 720 height of 10 mm.

[0074] While described above as having the same width of 60 mm, the front top portion padding 720 and the rear top portion padding 730 may have different widths, for example, the front top portion padding 720 may be wider than the rear top portion padding 730 or the front top portion padding 720 may be narrower than the rear top portion padding 730. In one embodiment the front top portion padding 720 and the rear top portion padding 730 may be made from one large piece of padding with a varying height, such that the padding furthest from the nose of the surfboard cover if taller than the padding closer to the nose of the surfboard cover.

Interior Side View

[0075] A surfboard cover interior 800 will now be described in relation to FIG. 8. The surfboard cover interior 800 provides a side view through the surfboard cover and shows how the internal surfboard protection works with two surfboards in the surfboard cover. The surfboard cover interior 800 shows how the internal surfboard protection provides protection for the nose and tail of the surfboards, as well as protection between each the bottom and top surfboards in the surfboard cover. The surfboard cover interior 800 also shows how the surfboard divider and the nose section protection attached to the interior of the top portion of surfboard cover provide protection for the nose of the surfboards.

[0076] The surfboard cover interior 800 shows a bottom surfboard 810 and a top surfboard 815. A rear nose top portion padding 825 and a front nose top portion padding 830 provide padding and/or support for a nose section of the top surfboard 815. The taller rear nose top portion padding 825, compared to the front nose top portion padding 830, allows the top portion inner padding to provide support that is shaped, or contoured, based on the shaped of the top surfboard 815.

[0077] A divider 835, similar to dividers described in relation to FIGS. 3, 4A, 4B, and 6 sits between the bottom surfboard 810 and the top surfboard 815. The divider 835 has a divider base 840, a divider nose support 845, a divider mid-surfboard support 850 and a divider tail surfboard support 855. The divider tail surfboard support 855 provides additional support for the tail region of the top surfboard 815, while the divider nose support 845 provides additional support for the nose region of the top surfboard 815. While shown as being flat, the divider 835 can bend longitudinally, as well as laterally, to conform to the shape of a topside 874 of the bottom surfboard 810 and an underside 872 of the top surfboard 815. The divider mid-surfboard support 850 is flexible to allow the divider 835 to bend.

[0078] Also shown in FIG. 8 are a nose bumper 860 and a tail bumper 870, which are the same as the removable padded nose bumper 230 and the removable padded tail bumper 240 described in relation to FIG. 2A. The nose bumper 860 and the tail bumper 870 extend from a surfboard cover bottom 880 to a surfboard cover top 885. The nose bumper 860 is located at a nose end 890 while the tail bumper 870 is located at a tail end 895.

Carry Strap

[0079] A carry strap 925, suitable for use with the surfboard cover described above, will now be described in relation to FIGS. 9A and 9B. FIG. 9A shows a strap exterior side 900 while FIG. 9B shows a strap interior side 950. The interior side is the side that a user rests on their shoulder when carrying the surfboard cover using the carry strap 925. The carry strap 925 is attached to the surfboard cover using attachment points, such as the carry strap attachment point 162 and the carry strap attachment point 164. The length of the carry strap 925 can be adjusted using a buckle 910 and an end fastener 915 to secure a surplus length of the carry strap 925. The strap has a strap portion 905 that connects to shock absorbers 920, located on either side of a shoulder pad, shown as a shoulder pad exterior 930 or a shoulder pad interior 935 which is designed to rest on a shoulder of the surfboard cover carrier. The shock absorbers 920 are elasticated sections of the carry strap 925 that elongate under load to reduce shocks to a person carrying the strap surfboard cover. The strap interior side 950 also has identification tag slots 955 that may be used to provide name tag information for the bag.

Variations

[0080] While the above surfboard cover is described with two surfboards, surfboard carriers may also be configured to carry three, four, five, six or more surfboards. Each surfboard in contact with another surfboard has a divider to separate to the surfboards. The exterior surfboard protection and the nose and tail bumpers, such as the removable padded nose bumper 230 and the removable padded tail bumper 240, may be used for a surfboard cover that carries a single surfboard. The top portion nose pads, such as the top portion nose pads 520, may also be used for a surfboard cover for a single board.

[0081] While zippers have been described above for use with fastening the top portion and the bottom portion of the surfboard cover 100, other fasteners may also be used. In one example hook and loop fastener may be used. Alternatively, other fasteners such as snap fasteners, buttons, or buckles may be used.

[0082] Alternative adjustment mechanisms of a position of the surfboard nose support 320 may also be used. As described above, the surfboard nose support 320 can be rolled or unrolled in the divider base 310 to move the surfboard nose support 320 toward the nose or the tail of the surfboard cover. Alternative embodiments may use a detachable surfboard nose support 320 that is attached to the divider base 310 using a fastener such as hook and loop, zippers, buttons, fastening studs, magnets, or clips. The surfboard nose support 320 can be removed from one attachment point and moved to another attachment point on the divider base 310. One advantage to the use of hook and loop fastener is that the surfboard nose support 320 can be positioned anywhere on along the divider base 310. The divider base 310 may have longitudinal loop strips and the surfboard nose support 320 may have at least one surface with hook material to allow the surfboard nose support 320 to be attached to the loop strips. Such an approach may allow different size surfboard nose supports 320 to be used.

[0083] In one embodiment, the surfboard nose support 320 may be made from multiple layers of padding that are attached together. The height of the surfboard nose support 320 may be varied by removing or adding the layers to the surfboard nose support 320. In one example, the surfboard nose support 320 is made from 4 layers, each 15 mm thick that are connected using hook and loop fasteners. When all combined, the thickness of the surfboard nose support 320 is 60 mm, but can be varied to 15 mm, 30 mm, 45 mm or 60 mm.

[0084] The divider, described in relation to FIGS. 3, 4A, 4B, 6, and 8 has three padded regions, with nose padding, such as divider nose support 845, mid-section padding such as divider mid-surfboard support 850 and tail padding such as divider tail surfboard support 855. In some embodiments some of the padding may not be present. For example, a divider may have only nose padding, a divider may have only mid-section padding or a divider may have only tail padding. In another example, only two of the three padded regions may be used on the divider. For example, nose padding and mid-section padding, nose padding and tail padding, or mid-section padding and tail padding. In one embodiment the mid-section padding may be a single piece of padding, similar to the mid-surfboard support 330, located centrally on the divider. In this embodiment, the mid-section padding is at least one longitudinally extended pad attached to the divider base. In another embodiment the mid-section padding may be three or more pieces, similar to the mid-surfboard support 330.

[0085] Similarly, one or more of the nose padding on the upper portion lining, such as the rear nose top portion padding 825 and the front nose top portion padding 830, may be omitted from the surfboard cover. In one embodiment the rear nose top portion padding 825 is omitted and the front nose top portion padding 830 is used, while in an alternative the front nose top portion padding 830 is omitted and only the rear nose top portion padding 825 is used. While the nose padding on the upper portion lining is attached using stitching, the padding may be attached using alternative means. Example include the use of hook and loop fastener, zippers or press fit studs.

[0086] The surfboard cover described above may be used with or without the divider, as well as with or without the nose padding on the upper portion lining. In one example the divider is used without the nose padding on the upper portion lining. In another example, the nose padding on the upper portion lining is used without the divider. The nose bumper, such as the removable padded nose bumper 230 or the nose bumper 860, or the tail bumper, such as the removable padded tail bumper 240 or the tail bumper 870, may also be included or omitted from the surfboard cover. In one example the surfboard cover has only a nose bumper and no tail bumper. In another example the surfboard cover has only a tail bumper and no nose bumper.

[0087] In a similar manner, the exterior surfboard cover protection provided by an exterior nose protection region, such as the exterior nose protection region 120, and an exterior tail protection region, such as the exterior tail protection region 125 may be omitted from the surfboard cover. One or both of the exterior nose protection region and the exterior tail protection region may be omitted.

[0088] The surfboard cover described above includes specific examples of materials that may be used. The above described materials are intended to provide an example and are not intended to be limiting.

Advantages and Interpretations

[0089] The disclosed surfboard cover provides protection to surfboards carried in the surfboard cover. The internal surfboard protection, described above, provides increased protection to surfboards transported upside down and the extra force such transportation puts on the surfboard nose. The increased protection is provided by the additional support and/or padding provided on either of the divider or the nose padding on the upper portion lining.

[0090] The exterior surfboard cover protection and the internal surfboard protection may provide protection to the nose and tail regions of the surfboards in the surfboard cover. The harder outside shell protects the nose and tail while the softer internal pads separate each surfboard, while the padding near the nose end of the surfboard cover distributes force across a larger area of the surfboard nose.

[0091] While the above surfboards are described in terms of a top and a bottom surfboard, such arrangements do not imply that the surfboards must be in a horizontal stack. Terms such as the top and the bottom surfboard may also be applied when the surfboards are stacked vertically, that is, the underside and topside of the surfboards are vertical.

[0092] The figures included herewith show aspects of non-limiting representative embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure, and particular structural elements shown in the figures may not be shown to scale or precisely to scale relative to each other. The depiction of a given element or consideration or use of a particular element number in a particular figure or a reference thereto in corresponding descriptive material can encompass the same, an equivalent, an analogous, categorically analogous, or similar element or element number identified in another figure or descriptive material associated therewith. The presence of / in a figure or text herein is understood to mean and/or unless otherwise indicated, i.e., A/B is understood to mean A or B or A and B.

[0093] Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word comprise, and variations such as comprises or comprising, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.