Bungee cord

Last updated
Bungee cords equipped with metal hooks Bungee Cord PICT6882a.jpg
Bungee cords equipped with metal hooks

A bungee cord (sometimes spelled bungie; also known as a shock cord or an ocky strap) is an elastic cord composed of one or more elastic strands forming a core, usually covered in a woven cotton or polypropylene sheath. The sheath does not materially extend elastically, but it is braided with its strands spiraling around the core so that a longitudinal pull causes it to squeeze the core, transmitting the core's elastic compression to the longitudinal extension of the sheath and cord. Specialized bungees, such as some used in bungee jumping, may be made entirely of elastic strands.[ citation needed ]

Contents

Uses

A child on a bungee cord device in Moscow, Russia Moscow Russia Park Kid on Bungee Cord.jpg
A child on a bungee cord device in Moscow, Russia

Bungee cords have been used to provide a lightweight suspension for aircraft undercarriages from before World War I, and are still used on many small homebuilt aircraft where weight remains critical. [1] Bungee cords were also used in parachuting to assist in opening the old-style parachute container after the ripcord was pulled.[ citation needed ]

Today, bungee cords are most often used to secure objects without tying knots and to absorb shock. Inexpensive bungee cords, with metal or plastic hooks on each end, are marketed as a general utility item. In Australia, this form is known as an octopus, or "occy", strap, or as a jockey strap. These can be an individual strap, or a set of four hooked straps held together by a metal ring allowing the occy strap to secure items around various tie points, for example a suitcase to a car roof rack. Extensions of the concept are available as a coarse net of bungee cords with metal or plastic hooks around the periphery, for securing irregularly shaped loads of luggage and cargo on the backs of pickup trucks, roofs of cars, and so on. [ citation needed ]

Bungee cords have also been used to make bungee chairs [2] and for other purposes.

Etymology

The origin of the name "bungee", "bungie" or "bungy" is uncertain. The Oxford English Dictionary records the use of the phrase in 1938 for launching of gliders using an elasticated cord. [3] [4]

Hazards

Bungee cords are a major source of eye injury, and some doctors suggest not using them. [5] [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fishing line</span> String or line intended for angling

A fishing line is any flexible, high-tensile cord used in angling to tether and pull in fish, in conjunction with at least one hook. Fishing lines are usually pulled by and stored in a reel, but can also be retrieved by hand, with a fixed attachment to the end of a rod, or via a motorized trolling outrigger.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bungee jumping</span> Jumping while connected to an elastic cord

Bungee jumping, also spelled bungy jumping, is an activity that involves a person jumping from a great height while connected to a large elastic cord. The launching pad is usually erected on a tall structure such as a building or crane, a bridge across a deep ravine, or on a natural geographic feature such as a cliff. It is also possible to jump from a type of aircraft that has the ability to hover above the ground, such as a hot-air-balloon or helicopter. The thrill comes from the free-falling and the rebound. When the person jumps, the cord stretches and the jumper flies upwards again as the cord recoils, and continues to oscillate up and down until all the kinetic energy is dissipated.

Elastic is a word often used to describe or identify certain types of elastomer, elastic used in garments or stretchable fabrics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rope</span> Length of braided strands

A rope is a group of yarns, plies, fibres, or strands that are twisted or braided together into a larger and stronger form. Ropes have tensile strength and so can be used for dragging and lifting. Rope is thicker and stronger than similarly constructed cord, string, and twine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aglet</span> Sheath on the end of a shoelace or cord

An aglet or aiglet is a small sheath, often made of plastic or metal, attached at each end of a shoelace, a cord, or a drawstring. An aglet keeps the fibers of the lace or cord from unraveling; its firmness and narrow profile make it easier to hold and easier to feed through eyelets, lugs, or other lacing guides.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spray deck</span> Flexible waterproof cover for a boat

A spraydeck is a flexible waterproof cover for a boat with holes for the passengers' waists. Spraydecks are used to prevent water from entering the boat while allowing passengers to paddle or row.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grommet</span> Ring or edge strip inserted into a hole through thin material

A grommet is a ring or edge strip inserted into a hole through thin material, typically a sheet of textile fabric, sheet metal or composite of carbon fiber, wood or honeycomb. Grommets are generally flared or collared on each side to keep them in place, and are often made of metal, plastic, or rubber. They may be used to prevent tearing or abrasion of the pierced material or protection from abrasion of the insulation on the wire, cable, line being routed through the penetration, and to cover sharp edges of the piercing, or all of the above.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lanyard</span> Necklace used to hold ID cards or other items

A lanyard is a length of cord, webbing, or strap that may serve any of various functions, which include a means of attachment, restraint, retrieval, activation, and deactivation. A lanyard is also a piece of rigging used to secure or lower objects aboard a ship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buckle</span> Mechanical device for fastening two loose ends

A buckle or clasp is a device used for fastening two loose ends, with one end attached to it and the other held by a catch in a secure but adjustable manner. Often taken for granted, the invention of the buckle was indispensable in securing two ends before the invention of the zipper. The basic buckle frame comes in a variety of shapes and sizes depending on the intended use and fashion of the era. Buckles are as much in use today as they have been in the past: used for much more than just securing ones belt, instead they are one of the most dependable devices in securing a range of items.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Banana connector</span> Single-wire electrical connector used for joining wires to equipment

A banana connector is a single-wire electrical connector used for joining wires to equipment. The term 4 mm connector is also used, especially in Europe, although not all banana connectors will mate with 4 mm parts, and 2 mm banana connectors exist. Various styles of banana plug contacts exist, all based on the concept of spring metal applying outward force into the unsprung cylindrical jack to produce a snug fit with good electrical conductivity. Common types include: a solid pin split lengthwise and splayed slightly, a tip of four leaf springs, a cylinder with a single leaf spring on one side, a bundle of stiff wire, a central pin surrounded by a multiple-slit cylinder with a central bulge, or simple sheet spring metal rolled into a nearly complete cylinder. The plugs are frequently used to terminate patch cords for electronic test equipment such as laboratory power supply units, while sheathed banana plugs are common on multimeter probe leads.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Backplate and wing</span> Type of back-mount scuba harness

A backplate and wing is a type of scuba harness with an attached buoyancy compensation device (BCD) which establishes neutral buoyancy underwater and positive buoyancy on the surface. Unlike most other BCDs, the backplate and wing is a modular system, in that it consists of separable components. The core components of this system are:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Surfboard leash</span>

A leg rope or surfboard leash is a urethane cord attached to the deck of a surfboard, down near the tail. It prevents the surfboard from being swept away by waves and stops runaway surfboards from hitting other surfers and swimmers. Modern leashes consist of a urethane cord where one end has a band with a velcro strap attached to the surfer's trailing foot, and the opposite has a velcro strap attached to the tail end of the surfboard. Should the surfer fall while riding a wave, the surfboard will not be swept away, thus allowing the surfer to quickly recover his surfboard and return to the take-off zone.

Kernmantle rope is rope constructed with its interior core protected by a woven exterior sheath designed to optimize strength, durability, and flexibility. The core fibers provide the tensile strength of the rope, while the sheath protects the core from abrasion during use. This is the only construction of rope that is considered to be life safety rope by most fire and rescue services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orthodontic headgear</span> Orthodontic device used to correct bite

Orthodontic headgear is a type of orthodontic appliance typically attached to the patient's head with a strap or number of straps around the patient's head or neck. From this, a force is transferred to the mouth/jaw(s) of the subject.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strapping</span> Fastening a strap around item or bundle

Strapping, also known as bundling and banding, is the process of applying a strap to an item to combine, stabilize, hold, reinforce, or fasten it. A strap may also be referred to as strapping. Strapping is most commonly used in the packaging industry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parachute cord</span> Multi-core rope originally used for parachutes

Parachute cord is a lightweight nylon kernmantle rope originally used in the suspension lines of parachutes. This cord is now used as a general purpose utility cord. This versatile cord was used by astronauts during the 82nd Space Shuttle mission to repair the Hubble Space Telescope.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Girth (tack)</span> Strap used to keep the saddle in place on a horse

A girth, sometimes called a cinch, is a piece of equipment used to keep the saddle in place on a horse or other animal. It passes under the barrel of the equine, attached to the saddle on both sides by two or three leather straps called billets. Girths are used on Australian and English saddles, while western saddles and many pack saddles have a cinch, which is fastened to the saddle by a single wide leather strap on each side, called a latigo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">All-purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment</span> Equipment

The All-purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment (ALICE) is a set of load-carrying equipment adopted as United States Army Standard A on 17 January 1973 to replace the M-1956 individual load-carrying equipment (ILCE) and M-1967 modernized load-carrying equipment (MLCE). Although since superseded by MOLLE, ALICE gear is still in some limited use with the U.S. Army National Guard, State Guard, also some ground units of the Navy and Air Force.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ring, slide and hook</span>

Rings, slides and hooks are the accessories used in intimate apparel/lingerie used for adjustment and decorative functions. Rings, slides and hooks are commonly made of plastic and nylon coated metal and stainless steel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bolt snap</span> Sprung slide gated snap hook

A bolt snap is a type of snap hook with a manually operated bolt action slide gate of medium security used to clip a light load to a ring, eye, loop or bight to temporarily secure or suspend an object. They are used for a wide variety of applications including dog leads and for clipping scuba equipment to the diving harness. A similar but more secure device used to attach sails to a stay is known as a piston hank. It differs from a snap shackle in that the load is not carried by the gate. The bolt snap must be actively operated by the user to clip or unclip, and is not easily snagged or unintentionally clipped or unclipped by pressing or bumping against the surroundings.

References

  1. Currey, Norman S. (1988). Aircraft landing Gear Design: Principles and Practices. Washington, D.C.: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. ISBN   0-930403-41-X.{{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  2. Kang, Julie (January 21, 2015). "Bungee Chair 1.0". Rhode Island School of Design Portfolios. Archived from the original on September 20, 2015. Retrieved December 6, 2015.
  3. "bungee – definition of bungee in English | Oxford Dictionaries". Oxford Dictionaries | English. Archived from the original on September 29, 2016. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
  4. "Bungy launching explained". Archived from the original on 2005-12-30. Retrieved 2006-09-28.
  5. "Bungee Cords Can Cause Severe Eye Damage, Doctor Warns". ScienceDaily . Ohio State University. 24 April 1998. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  6. "Eye warning as occy straps lash out". University of NSW. 20 March 2008. Retrieved 15 December 2018.