Tie-down wrap device for securing articles for shipment

• US 7,322,780 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2006
• Issued: 01/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jerry R. Hill Innovations, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Jerry R. Hill
• Inventors: Hill, Jerry R.
• Primary Examiner(s): GORDON, STEPHEN T
• Application Number:
  US11/355,367
• Publication Number:
  US 20070196193A1
• Time in Patent Office: 711 Days
• Field of Search: 410/4, 410/7, 410 10- 12, 410/23, 410/97, 410/100, 242/65.CD, 24/16.R, 243/06, 244/42, 248/499
• US Class Current: 410/97
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/079 Tie-down retainers B60P3/075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 7/0823 Straps; Tighteners

Abstract

A wrap device that can be used for tying down articles which are to be shipped or to provide a secure connection to an article comprises a flexible sheet of strong base stock material such as leather, heavy canvas, rubber, plastic, etc. The base stock has a pair of ends and an opening or slot through it that is spaced apart from one end. In use, the stock material is wrapped around an article to be shipped or secured in place. An optional fastener assembly that is connected to the base stock includes a cooperating pair of fastener elements, e.g., Velcro® proximate the ends of the base stock for securing the ends of the base stock together when wrapped around the article that is being shipped. A rigid connector is provided on the base stock that has a metal loop with a central eye opening and a foot that is attached near one end of the base stock such that when the base stock is coiled around an article, the connector extends through the opening in the base stock with the loop projecting outwardly whereby tension exerted by a cord or other tie-down element passed through the eye of the connector tends to draw overlapping portions of the base stock into tight contact with one another to provide a secure overlap. The wrap device can therefore be held in a wrapped condition in two ways; by tension applied to the eye of the connector as well as by the fastener assembly to provide a secure connection.

Claims

1. A tie-down wrap device comprising, a flexible sheet of strong base stock material having a first end and an opening through the base stock material that is spaced from the first end, said base stock being adapted to be wrapped around an article to be shipped or secured in place, a connector comprising a loop with a central eye opening and a foot portion that is attached to the first end of the base stock material such that during use the connector extends through the opening in the base stock material with the loop projecting outwardly therefrom whereby tension exerted by a cord or other tie-down element that is passed through the eye opening of the loop pulls the connector outwardly so as to apply tension through the opening upon a subsurface lap of the base stock material and thereby draw overlapped portions of the device into tight contact with one another.

2. The device of claim 1 including a fastener assembly comprising a first fastener element proximate the first end of the base stock material and a second fastener element on an opposite surface thereof proximate a second end of the base stock material with the opening located centrally of the second fastener element and the fastener elements are connectable to one another for securing the ends of the base stock material together when wrapped around the article that is being shipped.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the fastener assembly comprises a hook and loop fastener in which one of said fastener elements comprises hook elements and the other fastener element comprises loop elements.

4. The device of claim 1 including a resilient pad element attached to an inner surface of the base stock material for being placed in contact with the article to cushion the article.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the connector comprises a metal loop with a stem having the foot portion at a lower end thereof, a sheet of anchor material having a hole therein is secured to an outer surface of the base stock material with the stem of the connector passing through the hole in the anchor material.

6. The device of claim 1 that includes a fastening strap connected to the base stock material and extending outwardly therefrom for connecting the wrap device to an object.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the foot portion of the connector comprises a metal plate.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the foot portion comprises a rod at right angles to the connector to provide a T structure at the lower end thereof for enabling the connector to pivot with respect to the base stock material.

9. The device of claim 2 including a fastening strap element connected to the base stock material and extending outwardly therefrom for connecting the wrap device to an object.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein the foot portion comprises a rod at right angles to the connector to provide a T structure at the lower end thereof for enabling the connector to pivot with respect to the base stock material.

11. The device of claim 1 including at least one elongated tie-down element secured to the connector loop at one end and adapted to be secured to a foundation element at another end.

12. The device of claim 6 including an elongated tie element secured to the loop of the connector such that the wrap device is adapted to be secured by at least a pair of elongated elements.

13. The device of claim 2 wherein the fastener assembly includes a band of strap material having a hook or loop fastener thereon for securing an outer coil of the wrap device to an underlying layer thereof.

14. The device of claim 1 wherein the connector is removably connected to the base stock material.

15. The device of claim 1 including a strap, cord, chain, or cable connected to the loop of the connector for attaching the device to an object by applying tension to the connector.