Implement for tying up and suspending objects

• US 9,840,357 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2015
• Issued: 12/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Richard Kierstead
• Original Assignee: Richard Kierstead
• Inventors: Kierstead, Richard Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): UPCHURCH, DAVID M
• Application Number:
  US14/999,983
• Publication Number:
  US 20170066578A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,051 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 11/10 sliding wedge
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2563/103 details of the male locking member, e.g. locking teeth on the strap
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 63/14 Joints produced by application of separate securing members
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 63/16 Joints using buckles, wedges, or like locking members attached to the end of the element
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 63/18 Elements provided with handles or other suspension means
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/366 with stored package of material loosely hanging on a support, e.g. a hose hanger
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2/08 using bands
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/32 using mounting clamps

Abstract

The implement includes an elongated strap and a buckle intended to interlock with the elongated strap that includes a) first end and a second end which incorporates a suspending fixture, and b) an inner and outer sides. The elongated strap incorporates in inner side a plurality of teeth alternating with a plurality of grooves. The plurality of teeth extends from the first end up to a first no teeth zone located in proximity of the second end. A group of several teeth follows after the first no teeth zone. When wrapping the elongated strap, the buckle is kept in an indented retaining portion of the elongated strap with its several teeth projecting upwardly. After an adjustment of the elongated strap is completed, the buckle is so displaced that the several teeth penetrate corresponding grooves of the multiplicity of teeth.

Claims

1. An implement for tying up and suspending objects comprising an elongate strap, made of semi-rigid plastic material, and a buckle, made of rigid plastic material, and used to interlock with said elongated strap that includes a first end and a second end that incorporates a suspending fixture, and an inner side and an outer side, said elongated strap further including in said inner side a plurality of teeth, equally spaced and transversely disposed with respect to a longitudinal direction of said elongated strap, a plurality of grooves alternating with said plurality of teeth, each tooth of said plurality of teeth has in cross-section a triangular shape and each groove of said plurality of grooves has such a shape and size as to correspond with each tooth of said plurality of teeth;

said elongated strap, laterally, at each side of said plurality of teeth and said plurality of grooves, starting from bottoms of said plurality of teeth and said plurality of grooves, being provided with an ascending slanted zone, followed by a flat zone, parallel to said elongated strap, then by an externally directed, descending slanted zone and, finally, terminates into a straight zone perpendicular to said elongated strap;

said plurality of teeth extending from said first end up to a first recessed zone located in proximity of said second end, a group of several teeth alternating with a group of several grooves following after said first recessed zone, said inner side further incorporating a second recessed zone, located after said group of several teeth and after said group of several grooves;

said outer side incorporating an internal stop projecting outwardly beyond an overall thickness of said elongated strap and ending into a first contact surface perpendicular to said elongated strap;

said first contact surface being so positioned on said outer side as to correspond to the beginning of said group of teeth situated on said inner side;

said outer side incorporating as well an external stop disposed close to an extremity of said second end and projecting outwardly, beyond said overall thickness of said elongated strap and ending into a second contact surface perpendicular to said elongated strap, first and second contact surfaces being parallel;

a first indented retaining zone starting from said first contact surface of said internal stop and, lengthwise, having such a dimension that enables said buckle to be lodged there, said implement being in a final closed position;

a second indented retaining zone starting from said second contact surface of said external stop and, lengthwise, having such a dimension that enables said buckle to be lodged there during a tying up of said implement;

an indented transition-intermediary zone, slightly wider than said first and second indented retaining zones being interposed between the former and the latter, so that said buckle is kept in place, either in said first indented retaining portion or in said second indented retaining portion, no hand being necessary therefor;

for moving said buckle from said first indented retaining portion to said second indented retaining portion or vice verso, a slight manual effort to move said buckle along said indented transition-intermediary is needed; and

said buckle having a shape of a rectangular parallelepiped that incorporates a cavity delimited by a top, a bottom, lateral sides, an entrance and an exit for a passage of said first end or said second end, or both.

2. The implement as defined in claim 1, further comprising

a ridge engaging tooth, projecting out along said cavity, at midway of each of said lateral sides, is provided with intersecting sides for contacting said descending slanted zones, so that said buckle allows an easy passage of said elongated strap;

each tooth of said plurality of teeth has in cross-section a triangular shape which is defined by an isosceles triangle; and

each said suspending fixture for said implement is directly adaptable to an intended use.