The present invention relates to straps with integrated fasteners for holding items and, more particularly, to a high-strength, reusable strap with an integrated fastener for holding large items.
Conventional cable/zip fasteners (also referred to as cable ties and zip ties) cannot be used in applications where high tensile strength (e.g. greater than 250 pounds) is required because they are typically designed for low load applications, such as tying cables together. Conventional zip fasteners are also not suitable for applications that require the tie/strap portion to extend around a larger object or item(s). They are also not releasable at the buckle portion so as to be reusable, resulting in the creation of unnecessary waste and the need to acquire a replacement zip fastener when it is needed for another application.
As can be seen, there is a need for a high-strength, reusable strap with an integrated fastener for holding large items.
In one aspect of the present invention, a zip fastener for supporting one or more objects includes the following: a strap body comprising a plurality of strap teeth; and a buckle connected to the strap body and including a locking tab configured to releasably and selectively engage a portion of the plurality of strap teeth, the strap body and the buckle comprising a nylon material and having greater than 250 pounds of tensile strength in an engaged position and an unengaged position, wherein, when the portion of the plurality of strap teeth and the locking tab are engaged with one another, the strap body and the buckle are configured to withstand approximately 500 pounds of loading before beginning to deform, wherein the strap body and the buckle are configured to have approximately 500 pounds of tensile strength, wherein, when the portion of the plurality of strap teeth and the locking tab are engaged with one another, the strap body or the buckle is configured to fail or break at approximately 750 pounds of loading, wherein the strap body and the buckle are directly coaxially connected to one another, and a cumulative length of the strap body and the buckle is between 23 and 24 inches, wherein the locking tab is releasable such that the buckle and the strap body are capable of being connected and disconnected a plurality of times without a significant decrease in the greater than 250 pounds of tensile strength, wherein the buckle defines a strap receiving opening for receiving the strap body, and the strap body comprises a first end connected to the buckle, the locking tab extending away from the strap receiving opening and towards the first end of the strap body, wherein the buckle defines a substrate mold opening and the locking tab comprises a plurality of ratcheting locking teeth configured to directly engage the portion of the plurality of strap teeth, the substrate mold opening and the ratcheting locking teeth being disposed adjacent one another, wherein the locking tab comprises at least four ratcheting locking teeth; and a guide comprising a strap guide body and defining two openings, the guide being detachably connected to a lateral side of the buckle.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.
The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the present invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the present invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.
Broadly, one embodiment of the present invention provides a zip fastener that secures, repairs, or connects items in a semi-permanent manner with a high degree of strength. With the embodiment described herein, a user can easily secure items via the zip fastener, with 500-750 pounds of tensile pull/load strength prior to failure occurring, effortlessly and in a short amount of time (e.g. in seconds). Furthermore, the present invention, by its unique buckle design, allows the fastener to be released so that the embodiment of the present invention may be reused, as needed. Because of the ability to withstand high amounts of tensile stress, the present invention may be used as a connector/fastener for a single item or a plurality of items and may also be used as a component in a larger assembly of items/objects where high stress levels exist.
Referring to
In use, as the strap body 10 is pushed through the buckle 12 to the desired position, ratcheting locking teeth 20 on the locking tab 18 engage with respective strap teeth 16, as shown in
As previously described, the present invention is design specifically to support significantly higher tensile loads than previously possible with conventional designs. The embodiment described herein is capable of supporting up to 500 pounds of loading (i.e., it has a tensile pull strength of 500 pounds) before deformation begins to onset and does not fail or otherwise break completely until approximately 750 pounds of loading. No other known zip fastener designs are capable of this high performance and durability. Not only can it support loads 2-3 times the maximum load of other “heavy duty” zip fasteners, it is also releasable, offering a combination of high performance and reusability that does not otherwise exist.
In order to make a high strength and reusable zip fastener in accordance with present invention, the following exemplary dimensions are provided herein. It will be appreciated that the dimensions may be modified (such as enlarged), by one with skill in the art, in accordance with the present invention, such that a zip fastener with comparable tensile load performance (or even greater performance) may be fabricated. It should be noted that “height” may refer to the vertical direction relative to
In accordance with certain aspects of the present invention, the zip fastener may be fabricated out of nylon, via injection molding, as a single piece. In certain embodiments, nylon is the only material used to form the zip fastener. The substrate mold opening 24 is specifically provided to allow the embodiment of the present invention to be manufactured as a single piece with the strength profile herein described. Nylon is a preferable material choice due to, among other things, lower costs associated with manufacturing, and, as described above, nylon still achieves high tensile strength performance when configured in accordance with the present invention. However, any suitable material may be selected provided that the tensile strength of the zip fastener is not negatively impacted. With that being said, using certain materials would increase the strength significantly using the design described herein. However, the costs of production would increase, making embodiments of the present invention less cost-effective for consumers but potentially valuable for specific industrial uses.
Other than looped configurations, the present invention also readily provides the ability to create a linear zip fastener assembly of a plurality of zip fasteners to increase the overall length of the zip fastener assembly, thus adding further utility to the present invention. This would be achieved by connecting a buckle 12 of one zip fastener to a strap body 10 of an adjacent zip fastener in the same fashion as described above. This zip fastener assembly may be used in linear form (to form a longer strap) or may be looped around, where its ends are connected (in the same manner as described above) to retain, support or otherwise secure one or more objects.
Referring now to
As has been previously described, the present invention provides a unique solution for reliability in a zip fastener that is also capable of sustaining very high levels of tensile stress, while further being manufactured in an affordable way. It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the present invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as set forth in the following claims.
This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisional application No. 62/848,015, filed May 15, 2019, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
62848015 | May 2019 | US |