MULTIPURPOSE SECURING SYSTEMS, KITS AND METHODOLOGIES

• US 20150377578A1
• Filed: 12/10/2013
• Published: 12/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Evergreen Asset Management, LLC
• Original Assignee: Evergreen Asset Management, LLC
• Inventors: Tucker, David Sumner, Boggess, Jerry Dean
• Granted Patent: US 9,733,036 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 81/005 Devices for storing or displaying rifles, guns, pistols or elongated objects such as fishing rods storing fishing rods or the like in vehicles B60R7/08; storing guns in vehicles B60R7/14; cases for carrying guns F41C33/00
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 23/18 Rests for supporting smallarms in non-shooting position racks for storage A47B81/00; racks in vehicles B60R7/14

Abstract

Securing mechanisms are provided for various applications. As consistent with one or more embodiments, first and second securing mechanisms respectively couple to a surface and an object to be secured. The first securing mechanism includes a device interface that secures a first portion of a device, and includes a rigid protrusion having a concave surface and a flexible structure coupled to the rigid protrusion and configured and arranged to flexibly secure the device via the concave surface. A first surface interface mitigates movement of the first securing mechanism and the first portion of the securable device relative to a surface. The second securing mechanism includes a device interface that secures a second portion of the securable device relative to the second securing mechanism, and a second surface interface that mitigates movement of the second securing mechanism and the second portion of the securable device, relative to the surface.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first securing mechanism including

a first device interface configured and arranged to secure a first portion of a securable device relative to the first securing mechanism, the first device interface having

a rigid protrusion having a concave surface, and

a flexible structure coupled to the rigid protrusion and configured and arranged to flexibly secure the first portion of the securable device to the first securing mechanism via the concave surface, and

a first surface interface connected to the first device interface and configured and arranged with the first device interface to mitigate movement of the first securing mechanism and the first portion of the securable device relative to a surface, by interfacing with the surface; and

a second securing mechanism including

a second device interface configured and arranged to secure a second portion of the securable device relative to the second securing mechanism, and

a second surface interface connected to the second device interface and configured and arranged to mitigate movement of the second securing mechanism and the second portion of the securable device, relative to the surface, by interfacing with the surface.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rigid protrusion is configured and arranged to secure the flexible structure relative to the first device interface in response to forces applied toward and away from the first device interface.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further including a second rigid protrusion, wherein the flexible structure is coupled to the second rigid protrusion and the rigid protrusions are parallel and configured and arranged to secure the flexible structure to the first securing mechanism and to mitigate movement of the first portion of the securable device relative to the first securing mechanism.

4. The apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the rigid protrusion protrudes along a central portion of a surface of the first device interface,

further including second and third rigid protrusions that extend along an edge portion of the surface of the first device interface, wherein the rigid protrusions extend parallel to one another, and

wherein the second and third rigid protrusions are configured and arranged with the flexible structure to secure the flexible structure to the first securing mechanism by applying a force that is about opposite in direction from a force applied to the flexible structure by the rigid protrusion that protrudes along the central portion of the surface of the first device interface.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the rigid protrusion protrudes along a central portion of a surface of the first device interface,

further including second and third rigid protrusions that extend along an edge portion of the surface of the first device interface, the rigid protrusions extending parallel to one another and having latch regions, and

the flexible structure includes

a center portion configured and arranged to engage with the rigid protrusion that protrudes along the central portion of the surface of the first device interface, and

at least two flexible arms that respectively extend, in different directions, from the center portion to an end portion, the end portion of each arm being configured and arranged to elastically engage with the latch regions upon application of a bending force and, via the engagement with the latch regions and upon release of the bending force, apply an elastic force that secures the center portion to the rigid protrusion, thereby flexibly securing the first portion of the securable device to the first securing mechanism.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first device interface has latch regions therein, and

the flexible structure includes a center portion configured and arranged to engage with the rigid protrusion and at least two flexible arms that respectively extend, in different directions, from the center portion to an end portion, the end portion of each arm being configured and arranged to elastically engage with the latch regions upon application of a bending force and, via the engagement with the latch regions and upon release of the bending force, apply an elastic force that secures the center portion to the rigid protrusion, thereby flexibly securing the first portion of the securable device to the first securing mechanism.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rigid protrusion includes a first rigid portion that protrudes from a surface of the first device interface and a second portion having the concave surface, the first and second portions being secured to one another and configured and arranged to provide a securing force to the securable device.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flexible structure has respective surfaces that engage with the rigid protrusion to mitigate relative movement of the flexible structure both toward and away from a surface from which the rigid protrusion extends.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the rigid protrusion protrudes along a central portion of a surface of the first device interface,

further including second and third rigid protrusions that extend along an edge portion of the surface of the first device interface, the rigid protrusions having sidewall surfaces that extend parallel to and face one another,

the flexible structure is configured and arranged with a first set of opposing sidewall surfaces that respectively face and engage with facing sidewall surfaces of the second rigid protrusion and of the rigid protrusion that protrudes along a central portion of the surface of the first device interface, and

the flexible structure is configured and arranged with a second set of opposing sidewall surfaces that respectively face and engage with facing sidewall surfaces of the third rigid protrusion and of the rigid protrusion that protrudes along a central portion of the surface of the first device interface.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first surface interface is configured and arranged to mitigate movement of the first securing mechanism and the securable device, relative to the surface, in response to force applied to one of the first securing mechanism and the securable device.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second surface interface is configured and arranged to mitigate movement of the second securing mechanism and the securable device, relative to the surface, in response to force applied to one of the second securing mechanism and the securable device.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second securing mechanism includes a strap configured and arranged to secure the second portion of the securable device relative to the second securing mechanism.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the second surface interface is configured and arranged to interface with the surface along a first plane, and

the second device interface includes a flexible fastener configured and arranged to

secure the second portion of the securable device to the second device interface by extending around a portion of the securable device and applying a force to a surface of the securable device that faces away from the second device interface, and

inhibit movement of the second portion of the securable device in response to a force applied to the securable device in a direction away from the first plane.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the second surface interface is configured and arranged to interface with the surface along a first plane, and

the second device interface has sidewalls configured and arranged to secure the second portion of the securable device to the second device interface and to inhibit movement of the second portion of the securable device in response to a force applied to the securable device in a direction along the plane.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second device interface has a supporting surface that extends in a direction away from said surface and that is configured and arranged to, when the second surface interface is connected to an about vertical surface, support the securable device while mitigating accumulation of liquid on the surface.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rigid protrusion has at least one threaded insert configured and arranged to engage with a fastener, further including a fastener that secures the flexible structure to the rigid protrusion.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first securing mechanism includes a support piece configured and arranged to physically connect the first device interface and the first surface interface, the support piece being configured to provide space between the first device interface and the first surface interface and to facilitate grasping via a human hand in the space.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second securing mechanisms are configured and arranged to couple to the securable device with the securable device canted relative to the first securing mechanism while the first securing mechanism flexibly secures the first portion of the securable device to the first securing mechanism via the concave surface.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first device interface includes a locking component configured and arranged to engage with and lock the flexible structure.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second surface interfaces include a magnet configured and arranged to couple the surface interface to the surface, the magnet being coupled to the interface via one of a pressure fit and a threaded coupling, the surface interface further having an opening that is exposed upon removal of the magnet and is configured and arranged to secure the surface interface to the surface upon insertion of a fastener through the opening and secured to the surface.

21. The apparatus of claim 1, further including another one of the first securing mechanisms and a connector configured and arranged to affix and connect the securing mechanisms relative to one another by engaging with both of the securing mechanisms via at least one of a pressure fit and a fastener.