#534: Bungee blunter

A friend of mine recently had a bungee cord detach itself unexpectedly and whip the metal hook into his eye. Fortunately no serious damage was done, but these items are capable of storing enough elastic energy for a fatal impact, so it was a lucky break.

Today’s invention is a spring-loaded rubber cap for bungee hooks. This would be easily attached to both hooks on every such cord. When putting a bungee in place, the rubber helmet would be grabbed and used to stretch its internal spring, so that the bungee hook was exposed. This would allow the hook to engage with whatever it was being used to secure.

If at any time the hook were to become suddenly freed, with the bungee stretched, the spring in the helmet would pull it down over the hook very rapidly. This would ensure at least that anyone being hit by the free end would encounter only the protective rubber shield and not the hook inside.