Load carrier system

• US 20010054219A1
• Filed: 03/02/2001
• Published: 12/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yakima Products Incorporated (Kemflo International Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Watermark Paddlesports Incorporated
• Inventors: Hilk, Lyle R., Robins, Duncan G., Settelmayer, Joseph J., Allen, Scott R.
• Granted Patent: US 6,543,096 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 24/170
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 11/12 turnable clamp
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/4016 Pivoted part or lever

Abstract

A strap for securing cargo on a vehicle includes a strap and a buckle. The buckle has a releasable strap gripping device, and a cushioning material at least partially surrounding the buckle without obstructing accessibility to the gripping device.

Claims

1. A strap fastener comprising

a buckle including two rigid lateral supports,

a gripping mechanism secured between the supports, and

each support having an elastomeric cushion member that at least partially encases the support and prevents the support from contacting a surface adjacent the fastener without obstructing accessibility to the gripping mechanism.

2. The fastener of

claim 1

, wherein the gripping mechanism includes a pivot pin spanning the supports, and a spring-biased cam lever that pivots around the pivot pin between gripping and non-gripping positions.

3. The fastener of

claim 1

, wherein the lateral supports are connected by at least two cross members.

4. The fastener of

claim 1

, wherein each lateral support includes a plate member.

5. The fastener of

claim 1

, wherein the lateral supports are connected by at least one cross member, the cross member having two ends, each end extending through a bore in one of the lateral supports, each end of the cross member having an enlarged head portion securing the cross member and the cushion member to the respective support.

6. The fastener of

claim 5

, wherein the enlarged head portions are rivets.

7. The fastener of

claim 5

, wherein each cushion member is molded over an enlarged head portion of one of the cross members.

8. The fastener of

claim 5

, wherein the cushion members have concavities for receiving the head portions of the cross member.

9. The fastener of

claim 1

, wherein lateral supports are connected by at least two cross members, each cross member having two ends, each end extending through a bore in one of the lateral supports, each end of each cross member having an enlarged head portion securing the cross member in the lateral support so that each lateral support has at least two head portions protruding from an external side of the support.

10. The fastener of

claim 9

, wherein each cushion member is molded over at least enlarged head portion on the external side of its respective lateral support.

11. The fastener of

claim 9

, wherein the cushion members have concavities for receiving the head portions of the cross members on the external side of its respective lateral support.

12. The fastener of

claim 1

, wherein the cushion members have a height that prevents the gripping mechanism from contacting an adjacent surface during normal operation of the gripping mechanism.

13. The fastener of

claim 1

, wherein the gripping mechanism includes a cam lever that pivots around a pivot pin spanning the lateral supports.

14. The fastener of

claim 13

, wherein the cam lever has an elastomer-covered end portion.

15. The fastener of

claim 13

, wherein the cam lever has a front face with teeth for gripping a strap.

16. The fastener of

claim 15

, wherein the buckle has a front cross member with teeth that cooperate with the teeth on the front face of the cam lever to bite a strap.

17. The fastener of

claim 15

, wherein the cam lever is spring biased toward engaging the strap.

18. A strap fastener comprising

a buckle having a pair of rigid side supports connected by at least one cross member and a pivot pin, and a spring-biased cam lever that pivots around the pivot pin between gripping and non-gripping positions, and

each side support having a cushion member over-molded on the side support.

19. The fastener of

claim 18

, wherein each side support includes a plate.

20. The fastener of

claim 18

, wherein the cross member has two ends, each end extending through a bore in one of the side supports, each end of the cross member having an enlarged head portion securing the cross member to the side support.

21. The fastener of

claim 18

, wherein the cushion members are connected by a bridge portion.

22. The fastener of

claim 18

, wherein the cushion members prevent rigid portions of the buckle from contacting an adjacent surface without obstructing easy manipulative access to the cam lever.

23. The fastener of

claim 18

, wherein the cam lever has an elastomer-covered end portion.

24. The fastener of

claim 18

, wherein the cam lever has a front face with teeth for gripping the strap.

25. The fastener of

claim 24

, wherein the buckle has a front cross member with teeth that cooperate with the teeth on the front face of the cam lever to bite a strap.

26. The fastener of

claim 18

, wherein each side support has an auxiliary plate member, the respective cushion member being molded over the auxiliary plate member.

27. A strap fastener comprising

a buckle having a pair of rigid side supports connected by at least two cross members, each side support having an auxiliary plate structure, and an elastomeric cushion member molded over the plate structure so that the rigid side supports are prevented from contacting an adjacent contact surface.

28. The fastener of

claim 27

, wherein each side support includes a plate.

30. The fastener of

claim 27

, wherein the buckle includes a gripping mechanism having a pivot pin, and a spring-biased cam lever that pivots around the pivot pin between gripping and non-gripping positions.

31. The fastener of

claim 27

, wherein each cross member has two ends, each end extending through a bore in one of the side supports, each end of the cross member having an enlarged head portion securing the cross member in the side support so that each side support has at least two head portions protruding from an external side of the support.

32. The fastener of

claim 31

, wherein the enlarged head portions are rivets.

33. The fastener of

claim 31

, wherein each cushion member is molded over at least one enlarged head portion on the external side of its respective side support.

34. The fastener of

claim 31

, wherein the cushion members have concavities for receiving the head portions of the cross members.

35. The fastener of

claim 30

, wherein the cushion members have a height that prevents the gripping mechanism from contacting an adjacent surface during normal operation of the gripping mechanism.

29. The fastener of clam 27, wherein the cushion members are connected by a bridge portion.

36. A strap fastener comprising

a buckle having a pair of rigid side members, and a strap gripping mechanism between the side plates, each side plate having an over-molded cushion that prevents the side plates and gripping mechanism from contacting an adjacent surface.

37. The fastener of

claim 36

, wherein the cushions are connected by a bridge portion.

38. The fastener of

claim 36

, wherein the gripping mechanism includes a pivot pin, and a spring-biased cam lever that pivots around the pivot pin between gripping and non-gripping positions.

39. The fastener of

claim 36

wherein the side members are connected by at least two cross members.

40. The fastener of

claim 38

, wherein the cam lever has an elastomer-covered end portion.

41. The fastener of

claim 38

, wherein the cam lever has a front face with teeth for gripping a strap.

42. The fastener of

claim 41

, wherein the buckle has a front cross member with teeth that cooperate with the teeth on the front face of the cam lever to bite a strap.

43. A strap for securing cargo on a surface comprising

a strap,

a buckle including a releasable strap gripping device, and over-molded lateral bumpers on opposite sides of the gripping device.

44. The strap of

claim 43

, wherein the lateral bumpers have a height that prevents the gripping device from contacting an adjacent surface during normal gripping and releasing operation of the gripping device.

45. The strap of

claim 43

, wherein the gripping device is secured between lateral supports, the lateral supports being connected by a pair of cross members, each cross member having two ends, each end extending through a bore in one of the lateral supports, and each end of the cross member having an enlarged head portion securing the cross member in the lateral support so that each lateral support has at least two head portions protruding from an external side of the support.

46. The strap of

claim 45

, wherein each bumper is molded over at least two enlarged head portions on the external side of its respective lateral support.

47. The strap of

claim 45

, wherein the bumpers have concavities for receiving the head portions of the cross members.

48. The strap of

claim 45

, wherein the gripping device includes a pivot pin and a spring-biased cam lever that pivots around the pivot pin between gripping and non-gripping positions.

49. The strap of

claim 48

, wherein the cam lever has a front face with teeth for gripping a strap.

50. The strap of

claim 49

, wherein the buckle has a front cross member with teeth that cooperate with the teeth on the front face of the cam lever to bite a strap.

51. A strap for securing cargo on a surface comprising

a strap,

a buckle including a releasable strap-gripping device, and a cushion material at least partially surrounding the buckle without obstructing accessibility to the gripping device.

52. A strap for securing cargo on a surface comprising

a strap,

a buckle including a pair of rigid side plate members, each side plate member having a perimeter edge and a cushion member extending beyond the perimeter edge.