Ratcheted lashing strap assembly

• US 6,711,786 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2002
• Issued: 03/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Spanset Inter AG
• Original Assignee: Spanset Inter AG
• Inventors: Ehnimb, David, Mamié, André
• Primary Examiner(s): SAKRAN, VICTOR N
• Application Number:
  US10/170,291
• Publication Number:
  US 20030000047A1
• Time in Patent Office: 656 Days
• Field of Search: 24/68.CD, 24/69.CT, 241/96, 242/65.AL, 246/16, 249/09, 182/116, 410/105, 410/110, 254/218
• US Class Current: 24/68.0CD
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 7/0823 Straps; Tighteners
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 24/909 Winders for flexible material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/2121 Cargo tie down
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/2175 Cargo tie down
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/4084 Looped strap
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/4764 Ring-loop

Abstract

A ratcheted lashing strap assembly is described. The assembly is formed of a lashing strap and a tightening device. The tightening device has a frame and a winding drum, rotatable in the frame, for winding up the lashing strap. A fixation end of the lashing strap, in the form of a loop, grips a retention strut that is parallel to the winding drum and is firmly attached to the frame. An eye of the loop is penetrated by a support strut, extending approximately parallel to the retention strut, that as a separate component from the tightening device protrudes by both ends from the loop eyelet and on the side opposite the winding drum from the cinching side is braced on the frame on the retention strut and assumes a variable distance from the retention strut. An end run, adjoining a loop foot, of the lashing strap is fixed in clamping fashion by the support strut between the loop and the lashing strap to be cinched.

Claims

1. A ratcheted lashing strap assembly, comprising:

a lashing strap for wrapping around goods to be cinched;

a tightening device engaging said lashing strap, said tightening device having a frame, a rotatable winding drum for winding up said lashing strap and supported in said frame, and a retention strut firmly attached to said frame and oriented parallel to an axis of said rotatable winding drum; and

a support strut extending substantially parallel to said retention strut;

said lashing strap having a fixation end in a form of a loop gripping said retention strut and disposed remote from said rotatable winding drum, said loop having a loop base and an eye penetrated by said support strut;

said support strut protrudes as a separate component from said tightening device, said support strut having ends protruding from said eye of said loop and braced on said frame, said support strut disposed on a side of said retention strut opposite said rotatable winding drum, and said support strut assumes a variable distance from said retention strut;

said lashing strap having an end run adjoining said loop base, said end run fixed between said loop and said lashing strap by clamping by said support strut.

2. The ratcheted lashing strap assembly according to claim 1, wherein said support strut has a circumference and rests on said circumference with a loose clearance fit in said eye of said loop and during a cinching tension assumes a position that is determined by a thickness of said lashing strap and thereby brings about the clamping of said lashing strap.

3. The ratcheted lashing strap assembly according to claim 1, further comprising an encasing sleeve surrounding said retention strut with a loose clearance fit, said encasing sleeve having a substantially hollow-cylindrical shape.

4. The ratcheted lashing strap assembly according to claim 3, wherein:

said loop forms a double region of said lashing strap; and

said encasing sleeve has a cross-sectional shape that is variable by said doubled region of said lashing strap under an influence of a circumferential pressure exerted.

5. The ratcheted lashing strap assembly according to claim 4, wherein said cross-sectional shape of said encasing sleeve, under a cinching tension, has an outline of a teardrop.

6. The ratcheted lashing strap assembly according to claim 3, wherein said encasing sleeve is a steel sleeve.

7. The ratcheted lashing strap assembly according to claim 6, wherein said encasing sleeve has an outer circumference coated with at least one material selected from the group consisting of zinc and chromium.

8. The ratcheted lashing strap assembly according to claim 3, wherein said frame has a U-shape with vertical legs supporting said rotatable winding drum and fixing said retention strut, said vertical legs having end edges and said ends of said support strut, protruding from both sides of said eye of said loop, rest on said end edges, remote from said rotatable winding drum.

9. The ratcheted lashing strap assembly according to claim 8, wherein said end edges each have a recess formed therein for receiving and fixing said ends of said support strut.

10. The ratcheted lashing strap assembly according to claim 9, wherein said support strut has a middle section with a first cross-sectional dimension and said ends extend from said middle section, said ends of said support strut are formed by bearing pegs having a second cross-sectional dimension being smaller than said first cross-sectional dimension of said middle section.

11. The ratcheted lashing strap assembly according to claim 10, wherein at least one of said ends of said support strut and one of said end edges of said vertical legs form a form-locking connection.

12. The ratcheted lashing strap assembly according to claim 8, wherein said encasing sleeve surrounding said retention strut has axial ends resting on said vertical legs of said frame, said axial ends fixing said retention strut in such a way that said axial ends keep said vertical legs of said frame spaced apart from one another under a cinching tension.

13. The ratcheted lashing strap assembly according to claim 12, further comprising a retaining element supported by said retention strut, said retaining element supporting at least one of said ends of said support strut.

14. The ratcheted lashing strap assembly according to claim 13, wherein said retaining element rests between one of said axial ends of said encasing sleeve and one of said vertical legs of said frame that fixes said retention strut.

15. The ratcheted lashing strap assembly according to claim 13, wherein said retaining element has a recess formed therein in a direction radial to said retention strut for fixing one of said ends of said support strut.

16. The ratcheted lashing strap assembly according to 15, wherein said recess is part of a snap connection.

17. The ratcheted lashing strap assembly according to claim 1, wherein said support strut has a circumference coated with plastic.

18. The ratcheted lashing strap assembly according to claim 13, wherein said retaining element is a retention disk having a circumference and said support strut is fixed to said circumference of said retention disk.

19. The ratcheted lashing strap assembly according to claim 10, wherein at least one of said ends of said support strut and one of said end edges of said legs form a force-locking connection.

20. The ratcheted lashing strap assembly according to claim 11, wherein said form-locking connection is a snap connection.

21. The ratcheted lashing strap assembly according to claim 1, wherein said rotatable winding drum is driven manually.

22. The ratcheted lashing strap assembly according to claim 3, wherein said frame is a sheet-metal part bent into said U-shape.