Strap for securing cargo on a vehicle
AssigneeYakima Innovation Development Corporation
InventorChris Sautter
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A strap device and method of use thereof for securing cargo on a vehicle. The strap device includes a tension device for receiving a first end portion of a strap, and a quick connect device having a first member connected to the tension device and a second member connected to a second end portion of the strap. The members of the quick connect device being selectively connectable to create a circuit in the strap for binding cargo, wherein tension in the circuit prevents the members of the quick connect device from being disconnected.
Claims20
A strap device for securing cargo on a vehicle rack comprising:
- a strap having a first end portion and a second end portion,
- a buckle device including a first strap retainer having a first aperture for receiving the first end portion of the strap,
- a lever with teeth biased toward pinching a portion of the strap in the aperture, permitting the strap to slide through the aperture in a tightening direction but not in a loosening direction when the teeth contact the strap, and
- a second strap retainer non-adjustably fastened to the second end portion of the strap, wherein each of the retainers has a control plane and a tensioning axis passing through the retainer and through the connected strap portion in a tensioned configuration, one of the retainers having a post member orthogonally projecting from the control plane, the post member having a head piece, the other retainer having a hole dimensioned to permit passing of the head piece through the hole when the tensioning axes of the retainers are not substantially aligned, and to prevent passing of the head piece through the hole when the tensioning axes of the retainers are substantially aligned.
The strap device of clam 1, wherein each retainer has a tapered thickness which decreases along the tensioning axis from an end portion connected to the strap toward an opposite end portion configured to engage the other retainer.
A strap device for securing cargo on a vehicle rack comprising:
- a strap having a first end portion and a second end portion,
- a buckle device including a first strap retainer having a first aperture for receiving the first end portion of the strap,
- a lever with teeth biased toward pinching a portion of the strap in the aperture, permitting the strap to slide through the aperture in a tightening direction but not in a loosening direction when the teeth contact the strap, and
- a second strap retainer non-adjustably fastened to the second end portion of the strap, wherein each of the retainers has a control plane and a tensioning axis passing through the retainer and through the connected strap portion in a tensioned configuration, one of the retainers having a post member orthogonally projecting from the control plane, the post member having a head piece, the other retainer having a hole dimensioned not to permit passing of the head piece through the hole when the strap and retainers are in a tensioned circuit, and to permit passing of the head piece through the hole when the strap and retainers are not in a tensioned circuit.
A method of securing cargo on a vehicle rack comprising:
- providing a strap having first and second end portions,
- a first retainer connected to the first end portion of the strap,
- a second retainer connected to the second end portion of the strap, wherein each of the retainers has a control plane and a tensioning axis passing through the retainer and through the connected strap portion in a tensioned configuration, the first retainer having a post member orthoganally projecting from the control plane, the post member having a head piece, the second retainer having an oval shaped hole with a long axis substantially aligned with the tensioning axis of the second retainer and dimensioned to receive the head piece of the post member, the hole and the head piece each having the same general oval shape,
- inserting the head piece into the hole with the tensioning axis of the first retainer substantially perpendicular to the tensioning axis of the second retainer,
- sliding the post member along the long axis of the hole in a direction away from the second end portion of the strap, and
- rotating the first retainer relative to the second retainer until the tensioning axes are substantially aligned, the structure of the post member, head piece, and hole being configured to prevent the rotating step from being carried out prior to the sliding step.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.