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US 12,715,728 B2Granted
Reel apparatus for winding, storing, and dispensing a length of a tie-down strap, or the like
AssigneeLigon H. Flynn
InventorsLigon Haywood Flynn, Brian Campbell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A reel apparatus configured to wind, store, and dispense a flexible tensile member can include a rotor in a housing. The rotor can include receptacles that can be respectively positioned to receive a portion of a length of the flexible tensile member while the length simultaneously extends through opposite openings in the housing. A crank connected to the rotor can include a handle configured to be releasably locked to the housing in different positions. The flexible tensile member can be a strap of a ratchet strap system.
Claims20
A reel apparatus configured to wind, store, and dispense a strap of a ratchet strap system, the reel apparatus comprising:
- a housing comprising a base, a cover, and at least one sidewall extending at least partially around an interior space of the housing that is positioned between the base and the cover, wherein the at least one sidewall comprises first and second openings to the interior space;
- a rotor at least partially positioned in the interior space and mounted to the housing for rotating about a rotational axis of the rotor, wherein:
- the rotor comprises a receptacle cooperatively configured with the housing to receive a portion of a length of a strap that simultaneously extends through the first and second openings,
- the at least one sidewall extends at least partially around the axis of the rotor,
- the first and second openings are spaced apart from one another around the rotational axis of the rotor,
- the cover comprises first and second cover parts,
- a gap defined between the first and second cover parts is a third opening to the interior space,
- the third opening extends crosswise to and is laterally offset from the rotational axis of the rotor, and
- the third opening extends to and is open to each of the first and second openings, and
- the rotor and the housing are cooperatively configured so that:
- the strap can be pulled into the interior space through the first opening in response to the strap being wound onto the rotor, and
- the strap can be unwound from the rotor in response to the strap being pulled outwardly from the interior space through the first opening.
9 more elements
A reel apparatus configured to wind, store, and dispense a strap of a ratchet strap system, the reel apparatus comprising:
- a housing comprising a base, a cover, and at least one sidewall extending at least partially around an interior space of the housing that is positioned between the base and the cover, wherein the at least one sidewall comprises first and second openings to the interior space;
- a rotor at least partially positioned in the interior space and mounted to the housing for rotating about a rotational axis of the rotor, wherein the rotor comprises a receptacle cooperatively configured with the housing to receive a portion of a length of a strap that simultaneously extends through the first and second openings, the at least one sidewall extends at least partially around the axis of the rotor, the first and second openings are spaced apart from one another around the rotational axis of the rotor, and the rotor and the housing are cooperatively configured so that:
- the strap can be pulled into the interior space through the first opening in response to the strap being wound onto the rotor, and
- the strap can be unwound from the rotor in response to the strap being pulled outwardly from the interior space through the first opening;
- a crank connected to the rotor for rotating with the rotor, wherein at least a portion of the crank is positioned outside of the interior space and configured to be manually engaged for rotating the crank together with the rotor about the rotational axis of the rotor;
- and
- at least one fastening mechanism for releasably securing the crank in a plurality of rotational positions about the rotational axis of the rotor, wherein the rotor, the crank, and the at least one fastening mechanism are cooperatively configured to:
- releasably secure the crank to the housing in a first fastened configuration to releasably secure the rotor in a first rotational position of the plurality of rotational positions, and
- releasably secure the crank to the housing in a second fastened configuration to releasably secure the rotor in a second rotational position of the plurality of rotational positions.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.