RETRACTABLE SELF-CONTAINED TIE-DOWN

• US 20070189873A1
• Filed: 11/15/2006
• Published: 08/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Winston Products LLC
• Original Assignee: Winston Products LLC
• Inventors: Breeden, Winston
• Granted Patent: US 7,874,047 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 410/100
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 7/083 Tensioning by repetetive movement of an actuating member
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/2175 Cargo tie down

Abstract

A ratcheting tie-down device is provided that includes a main body portion, a hub rotatable relative to the main body portion about an axis, a webbing windable about the hub, and means for attaching at least one end of the webbing to an object. The device further includes means for biasing winding of webbing, a ratchet wheel having a plurality of ratchet teeth, a lock member resiliently biased into locking engagement with at least one ratchet tooth to inhibit unwinding of the webbing about the hub, and a lever arm rotatable about the axis for moving the ratchet wheel and wind the webbing. In one example, the device a rotational support element is provided to maintain orientation of the hub such that it can freely rotate. In another example, means for braking is provided to inhibit winding of at least some portion of the webbing about the hub.

Claims

1. A ratcheting tie-down device, including:

a main body portion;

a reel for rotation relative to the main body portion about an axis;

a webbing for winding about the reel;

means for attaching at least one end of the webbing to an object;

means for ratcheting rotation of the reel to wind the webbing onto the reel, the means for ratcheting having an operational condition in which ratcheting rotation can occur and a non-operational condition in which ratcheting rotation cannot occur; and

means for biasing the reel to wind the webbing onto the reel when the means for ratcheting is in the non-operational condition, the means for biasing including a spring that extends about the axis.

2. The ratcheting tie-down device of claim 1, wherein the means for ratcheting includes a lever arm rotatable relative to the main body portion about the axis, the lever being rotatable between a first position and a second position to cause the ratcheting rotation of the reel.

3. The ratcheting tie-down device of claim 2, wherein the lever arm is rotatable to a third position to place the means for ratcheting in the non-operational condition.

4. The ratcheting tie-down device of claim 3, wherein the main body portion includes a stop and the lever arm includes a rotational lock element engagable with the stop for inhibiting rotation of the lever arm to the third position.

5. The ratcheting tie-down device of claim 2, further including a rotational support element having a hole extending there through, the reel including a hub extending through the hole and being rotationally supported by the rotational support element.

6. The ratcheting tie-down device of claim 1, wherein the means for ratcheting further includes a plurality of ratchet teeth rotatable about the axis and the means for ratcheting further includes a lock member that is selectively movable between locking engagement with at least one ratchet tooth of the ratchet wheel and disengagement from the ratchet wheel upon a change between the operational condition and the non-operational condition, respectively, of the means for ratcheting.

7. The ratcheting tie-down device of claim 1, wherein the spring is a spiral spring having a first end and a second end, and the device further including a protective cover arranged in a covering relationship with the spiral spring, the first end of the spiral spring being attached to a hub of the reel and the second end of the spiral spring being attached to the protective cover.

8. The ratcheting tie-down device of claim 1, further including means for braking adapted to inhibit winding of the webbing about the reel for at least some amount of the webbing.

9. The ratcheting tie-down device of claim 8, wherein the means for braking includes a brake element that is resiliently biased into engagement with a portion of wound webbing.

10. The ratcheting tie-down device of claim 8, further including means for releasing engagement of the brake element from the portion of the wound webbing.

11. A ratcheting tie-down device, including:

a main body portion;

a hub rotatable relative to the main body portion about an axis;

a webbing windable about the hub;

means for attaching at least one end of the webbing to an object;

means for biasing winding of webbing;

a ratchet wheel having a plurality of ratchet teeth, the ratchet wheel being rotatable relative to the main body portion about the axis; and

a lever arm rotatable relative to the main body portion about the axis between a first position and a second position.

12. The ratcheting tie-down device of claim 11, further including a lock member that is resiliently biased into locking engagement with at least one ratchet tooth of the plurality of ratchet teeth to inhibit unwinding of the webbing about the hub.

13. The ratcheting tie-down device of claim 12, wherein the lever arm further includes a cam, the lever arm is further rotatable between the second position and a third position, rotation of the lever arm to the third position causing the cam to engage the lock member to thereby disengage the lock member from the at least one ratchet tool to permit unwinding of the webbing about the hub.

14. The ratcheting tie-down device of claim 11, wherein the means for biasing includes a spiral spring having a first end and a second end, the spiral spring extending about the axis and the device further including a protective cover secured to the lever arm, the first end of the spiral spring being attached to the hub and the second end of the spiral spring being attached to the protective cover.

15. The ratcheting tie-down device of claim 11, further including a brake element that is resiliently biased into engagement with at least a portion of the webbing wound about the hub.

16. The ratcheting tie-down device of claim 15, further including a brake release member movable for causing disengagement of the brake element from the webbing.

17. The ratcheting tie-down device of claim 13, further including a rotational support element having a hole extending therethrough, the hub extending through the hole, the rotational support element being adapted to maintain the hub axially orientated for rotation relative to the main body portion.

18. A ratcheting tie-down device, including:

a main body portion;

a hub rotatable relative to the main body portion;

a webbing for winding about the hub;

means for attaching at least one end of the webbing to an object;

means for biasing the reel to wind the webbing about the hub;

a lever arm rotatable relative to the main body portion, the lever being rotatable about a first axis and the hub being rotatable about a second axis; and

a rotational support element having a hole extending therethrough, the hub extending through the hole, the rotational support element being adapted to maintain the first axis generally coaxial with the second axis.

19. The ratcheting tie-down device of claim 18, wherein the rotational support element includes a bushing.

20. The ratcheting tie-down device of claim 19, further including a pair of bushings, each bushing having a hole extending there through, a portion of the hub extending through each of the holes of the bushings.

21. The ratcheting tie-down device of claim 18, wherein the rotational support element includes an outer peripheral edge supporting at least the main body portion and the lever arm.

22. The ratcheting tie-down device of claim 21, wherein the webbing is adapted to support a tension force along a longitudinal axis, the rotational support being adapted to transmit the tension force from the webbing to at least the main body portion and the lever arm.

23. The ratcheting tie-down device of claim 18, further including a ratchet wheel having a plurality of ratchet teeth, the ratchet wheel being rotatable relative to the main body portion about a third axis, the first, second and third axes being generally coaxial, and further including a lock member that is resiliently biased into locking engagement with at least one ratchet tooth of the plurality of ratchet teeth to inhibit unwinding of the webbing about the hub.

24. The ratcheting tie-down device of claim 18, further including means for braking adapted to inhibit the winding of the webbing about the hub.

25. The ratcheting tie-down device of claim 24, further including means for releasing adapted to selectively release the means for braking.

26. A ratcheting tie-down device, including:

a main body portion;

a hub that is rotatable relative to the main body portion about an axis;

a webbing for winding about the hub;

means for attaching at least one end of the webbing to an object;

means for biasing the hub to wind the webbing about the hub;

means for braking being adapted to inhibit winding of at least some portion of the webbing about the hub; and

means for releasing being adapted to selectively release the means for braking to thereby permit the means for biasing to wind the webbing about the hub.

27. The ratcheting tie-down device of claim 26, further including a ratchet wheel being rotationally coupled to the hub and having a plurality of ratchet teeth, the ratchet wheel being rotatable relative to the main body portion about the axis, and a lock member that is resiliently biased into locking engagement with at least one ratchet tooth of the plurality of ratchet teeth to inhibit rotation of the hub, and further including a lever arm pivotally attached to the main body portion and being rotatable relative to the main body portion about the axis, the lever operatively engagable with the ratchet wheel to rotate the ratchet wheel.

28. The ratcheting tie-down device of claim 27, wherein the lever being rotatable to at least a release position whereby the lock member is disengaged from the ratchet wheel such that the hub can freely rotate, the means for biasing being adapted to automatically provide bias to wind at least a portion of the webbing about the hub when the lever arm is rotated to the release position.

29. The ratcheting tie-down device of claim 26, further including a rotational support element having a hole extending there through, the hub extending through the hole, the rotational support element being adapted to maintain the hub oriented for free rotation.

30. The ratcheting tie-down device of claim 26, wherein the means for biasing includes a spiral spring that extends about the axis.

31. The ratcheting tie-down device of claim 26, wherein the means for braking includes a brake element that is resiliently biased into engagement with a portion of the webbing wound about the hub.

32. The ratcheting tie-down device of claim 26, wherein the means for releasing further includes a brake release member movable between a first position and a second position, movement of the brake release member from the first position to the second position causing release of the means for braking.

33. A ratcheting tie-down device, including:

a main body portion;

a hub rotatable relative to the main body portion about an axis;

a webbing for winding about the hub;

means for attaching at least one end of the webbing to an object;

means for biasing the reel to wind the webbing about the hub;

a lever arm rotatable about the axis and operable to cause winding;

means for preventing webbing withdrawal;

means to disable the means for preventing such that the hub may freely rotate; and

a bushing adapted to maintain orientation of the hub such that the ability to freely rotate is maintained.

34. A ratcheting tie-down device, including:

a main body portion;

a hub rotatable relative to the main body portion about an axis;

a webbing for winding about the hub;

means for attaching at least one end of the webbing to an object;

a lever arm rotatable about the axis and operable to cause winding;

means for preventing webbing withdrawal;

means to disable the means for preventing such that the hub may freely rotate; and

means for biasing the reel to wind the webbing about the hub, the means for biasing maintaining a tensioning force on the webbing while at least a portion of the webbing is withdrawn.

35. A ratcheting tie-down device, including:

a main body portion;

a hub rotatable relative to the main body portion about an axis;

a webbing windable about the hub;

means for attaching at least one end of the webbing to an object;

means for biasing winding of webbing;

a ratchet wheel having a plurality of ratchet teeth, the ratchet wheel being rotatable relative to the main body portion about the axis;

a lock member that is resiliently biased into locking engagement with at least one ratchet tooth of the plurality of ratchet teeth to inhibit unwinding of the webbing about the hub;

a lever arm movable between a first position and a second position to move the ratchet wheel and wind the webbing, and the lever arm movable to a third position to disengage the lock member from the at least one ratchet tool to permit unwinding of the webbing about the hub.