Patent Application
20100031477
Straps and other materials have various uses in today's world. For example, straps can be used in conjunction with a ratchet to hold down objects in the bed of a truck. In this instance, the straps can be of varying length but generally an excess amount of strap is left over after the strap is cinched to hold down the desired object. This excess is not contained in any manner. Other types of straps or materials in various applications also may not be contained and/or may hang freely from the application.
Certain terminology is used herein for convenience only and is not to be taken as a limitation on the invention. For example, words such as “upper,” “lower,” “left,” “right,” “horizontal,” “vertical,” “upward,” “transverse,” and “downward” merely describe the configuration shown in the Figures. Indeed, the individual components may be oriented in any direction and the terminology, therefore, should be understood as encompassing such variations unless specified otherwise.
Referring now to the Figures, wherein like reference numbers refer to like elements in each of the several views,
The body 41 of the connector 12 has at least one sidewall, a first passageway 44, a second passageway 45, a first end 46, and a second end 47. A first sidewall of the body 41 defines the first passageway 44 in the body 41. A second sidewall may define the second passageway 45 in the body 41. In one embodiment, the first sidewall may also define the second passageway 45. The first and second passageways 44, 45 may extend through at least a portion of the body 41 of the connector 12 so as to allow the connecting member 14 to pass therethrough. In one embodiment, the first passageway 44 is located at the first end 46 of the connector 12, while the second passageway 45 is located at the second end 47 of the connector 12. In another embodiment, the first and second passageways 44, 45 are located adjacent to the edges of the of the first end 46 and the second end 47, respectively such that the first and second passageways are separated from each other. Although the body heretofore has been described with passageways 44, 45, however, the body may not include any passageways but instead, may include other means that will allow the connector 12 to attach to the body 41. The crosssection of the body 41 may be of any shape at any location on the connector 12, such as substantially circular, square, triangular, pentagon-shape, hexagon-shaped, any combination thereof.
The connector 12 also includes two holding members 42, 43. The holding members 42, 43 may be located at any point on the connector, such as at each end 46, 47 of the body 41, at each passageway 44, 45, or at any other position on the connector 12. The holding members 42, 43 may be any device or item configured to engage, or to hold and release the connecting member 14 to the body 41 of the connector 12 via, e.g., the passageways 44, 45. For example, a holding member 42, 43 may be a spring-loaded button, clamp, buckle, pin, screw, crimping device, an adjustable passageway, adhesive, or any other device where the connecting member 14 will be held to the connector body 41.
In one embodiment, as shown in
As previously mentioned, the first and second release buttons 42, 43 may be located or releaseably connected to the interior cavity of the first and second ends 46, 47 of the connector body 41, respectively. In one embodiment, the buttons 50 may mate with the interior cavity of the connector body 41 so that the button body 54 is substantially flush with an internal surface of the interior cavity. The head 52 of each button 50 may be located outside of the interior cavity of the connector body 41 and each button head 52 may be located apart from the connector body 41. Although
In one embodiment, as illustrated in
The connector 12 may be spring-loaded by any device applying a force onto the holding member 42, 43, which in turn applies force to the connecting member 14, or the holding member may itself generate a force to apply to the connecting member 14. In one embodiment, a compression spring 48 may be inserted into the interior cavity of the connector body 41 to spring-load the connector 12. The compression spring 48 may be housed in the connector body 41. For example, as shown in
In one embodiment, two or more springs may be employed where each spring contacts a single holding member 42, 43, as shown in
In another embodiment, the connector 12 may include at least one stiffening collar. A two-collar embodiment is shown in
The connector 12 may be connected to the connecting member 14 such that the connector 12 makes a loop with the connecting member 14, forming a passageway therethrough such that a belt, strap and the like may pass therethough. Although, the connector is describe heretofore as making a loop, the connector need not form a loop to function, and instead only one end of the connecting member may be connected to the connector. Further, only one end of the connecting member may be moveable along the connector so that the other end of the connecting member may be fixed to the connector.
In one embodiment, the connecting member 14 may be any type of material capable of connecting to the connector 12, such as a line, rope, metal strip, plastic, any elastomeric material, wire, wood, leather, or any other material capable of forming a loop with the connector 12. In one embodiment, a line such as an elastic cord, rope, bungie line, and the like may be employed. Such an elastic line may be single or multi-stranded and may further include external shielding. The connecting member 14 may have a diameter capable of fitting through the holes of the connector 12. The connecting member 14 may be substantially conformable.
The ends 46, 47 of the connecting member 14 may be attached together in one embodiment by a terminator 18. By way of example, the ends 46, 47 may be manually tied together or may be held together using the terminator 18, such as a ball-tie, pin, clamp, glue, adhesive material, magnets, or any other means for attaching the ends 46, 47 together. In one embodiment, the ends 46, 47 of the connecting member 14 may be integral with each other 46, 47 such that the connecting member 14 is one intergral piece forming a loop with itself.
As shown in
In some embodiments, the strap core 16 includes a means for adhering 84 the end of the strap or belt to the strap core 16, such as double sided core adhesive, a mechanical pin, a locking pin, a recess in the connector body, and the like, as shown in
The strap core 16, connector body 41, and holding members 42, 43 may be made out of one or more plastics, composites, epoxies, metal, wood, polymers, any combination thereof or any other material possessing sufficient mechanical strength. In one embodiment, the material of the connector 12, including the connector body 41, holding members 42, 43, other possible elements of the connector 12, and the strap core 16, may be made of one or more materials, such as any thermoplastic material, including acetal copolymer, capable of withstanding high temperatures, including temperatures up to 160 degrees F., so that the connector will substantially not deform after being exposed to such temperatures. It is to be understood that the scope of the invention is not intended to be limited by the materials listed here, but may be carried out using any material which allows the construction and operation of the connector described herein.
Embodiments of the present invention may be used to retain, secure and/or store at least a portion of a belt, a strap or any other item, as previously mentioned. For example, a user may adhere the end of a belt to the core 16, or the connecting member 14. As previously mentioned, a means for facilitating the strap to adhere or connect to the strap core 16 or the connecting member 14 may be employed. The user may then roll or wrap the belt onto the strap core 16 or the connecting member 14. In one embodiment, as the user wraps the belt or strap around the strap core 16, the strap core may freely rotate about the connecting member 14. The strap is connected to the strap core 16 and the strap core 16 operates as an axis about which the strap rotates on. Continual rotation of the strap core 16 or the connecting member 14 so that the strap is accorded onto the strap core 16 and/or the connecting member 14 results in the strap being contained by the adjustable retainer 10. The amount of strap wrapped onto the retainer 10 may be variable as desired by the user.
Once the belt is rolled onto the core 16 to a desired amount, the user may hold the belt or strap in place with one hand, while actuating or compressing the holding members 42, 43 from a relaxed state to a compressed state, compressing the spring 48 inside the interior cavity of the connector body 41. Keeping the holding members 42, 43 in the compressed position, the user may slide and/or cinch the connector 12 via the connector body passageways 44, 45 along the connecting member 14 until the connector 12 rests snuggly against the rolled belt, or to a desired position. The user then releases the holding members 42, 43 from the compressed state back to the relaxed state to hold the connecting member 14 by compressing the connecting member 14 between an edge of the passageway openings with an edge of the button holes. Such compression temporarily deforms the material therebetween causing the connecting member 14 to remain in its held position (as shown in
To initially assemble the adjustable retainer 10, a machine or user depresses the buttons 50 so that the passageways 44, 45 align with the button holes. In the case that a holding member 42, 43 other than a button 50 is employed, the force being applied by the holding members 42, 43 is deactivated, such as by opening a clamp, disconnecting a clip, and the like. Once a passageway 44 is created, an end of the connecting member 14 is inserted therethrough and force of the holding member 42 is then reapplied, such as closing a clamp, connecting a clip, releasing the buttons so that the springs force compression of the connecting member 14 between the button 50 and the connector body 41, and any other way to active application of force by the holding member 42. This connects the one end of the connecting member 14 to the connector 12. The other end of the connecting member 14 is attached into the other holding member 43 in a similar manner to connect the other end of the connecting member 14 to the connector 12. Since two ends of the connecting member 14 are attached to the connector 12, a loop, which a strap, belt, and the like may pass therethrough, is created. The ends of the connecting member 14 may optionally, be attached together via the terminator 18.
It should be understood that the method of using embodiments of the present invention is offered by way of illustration and by no means is meant to limit the use of the adjustable retainer described herein. It should be understood by one of skill in the art that the method described in this example may be modified, including additions and omissions, without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the invention.
Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described in considerable detail with respect to only a few/particular exemplary embodiments thereof, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that it is not intended to limit embodiments of the invention to the disclosed embodiments since various modifications, omissions, and additions may be made to the disclosed embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the invention, particularly in light of the foregoing teachings.
