ASSEMBLY AND METHOD FOR RESTRAINING CARGO

Description

The present disclosure relates generally to an assembly and method for restraining cargo within a container.

BACKGROUND

There are many commercially-available systems utilizing cargo restraining devices and straps for restraining cargo in a truck, rail car or other shipping container. The cargo restraining devices are secured to opposed walls inside the shipping container, and straps are secured to the cargo restraining devices, extended around the cargo and secured together to restrain the cargo. Examples of cargo restraining devices are disclosed in U.S. Patents No. 8,696,273, D7212004 and D907555.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure relates to a method for securing cargo within a container comprising securing to a first wall of the container a first cargo restraining device having a first inwardly-facing arcuate wall with a radius defining a first opening; securing to the first cargo restraining device a first hook coupled to an end of a first strap by inserting a bend of the first hook having a first outwardly-facing arcuate wall having a radius the same as the radius of the inwardly-facing arcuate wall into the opening and engaging the outwardly-facing arcuate wall and the inwardly-facing arcuate wall. The method may include inserting a support arm of the first hook extending from the bend between the first cargo restraining device and the first wall to deflect a portion of the cargo restraining device away from the first wall. The support arm may include a beveled portion and the method may include inserting the beveled portion between the first cargo restraining device and the first wall. The method may also include securing to a second wall of the container a second cargo restraining device having a second inwardly-facing arcuate wall with a radius defining a second opening; and securing to the second cargo restraining device a second hook coupled to an end of a second strap by inserting a bend of the second hook having a second outwardly-facing arcuate wall having a radius the same as the radius of the second inwardly-facing wall into the second opening and engaging the second outwardly-facing arcuate wall and the second inwardly-facing arcuate wall.

The method may include coupling the first and second straps together adjacent the other ends of the straps with a ratchet buckle. The ratchet buckle may include a magnet so that the ratchet buckle can be temporarily secured to one of the walls during installation.

The present disclosure is also directed to an assembly for securing cargo inside a container comprising: a first cargo restraining device securable to a first wall of the container having a first inwardly-facing arcuate wall with a radius defining an opening; a first strap having two ends; a first hook having a shank coupled to the first strap adjacent one end of the first strap, a bend extending from the shank, and a support arm extending upward from the arcuate bend opposite the shank, the arcuate bend having an outwardly-facing arcuate wall with a radius receivable by the opening and engageable with the end of the inwardly-facing arcuate wall of the cargo restraining device, the radius of the outwardly-facing arcuate wall being the same as the radius of the inwardly-facing arcuate wall.

Features and advantages of the disclosure will be set forth in part in the description which follows and the accompanying drawings described below, wherein an embodiment of the disclosure is described and shown, and in part will become apparent upon examination of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1(a) and 1(b) are perspective views of examples of prior art cargo restraining devices that can be used with the assembly and method for restraining cargo in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a broken perspective view of the assembly for restraining cargo in accordance with an illustrated embodiment of the present disclosure during installation of the assembly;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the assembly of FIG. 2 illustrating the assembly installed on the container and illustrating in dashed lines the cargo being restrained by the assembly;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the assembly of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a side view of one of the hooks of the assembly of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 6 is a partial exploded view of the ratchet buckle of the assembly of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Set forth below is a description of an assembly and method for restraining cargo in a container with cargo restraining devices, such as, for example, the cargo restraining devices 2 and 4 illustrated in FIG. 1. The cargo restraining devices 2 and 4 illustrated in FIG. 1 are cargo restraining devices that are commercially available from the assignee of this patent application. The illustrated cargo restraining devices 2 and 4, and other cargo restraining devices commercially available from the assignee of this patent application, include respective internally-facing internal arcuate walls 6a, defining respective openings 8a. The illustrated openings 8a are not entirely circular. The internally-facing arcuate walls 6a of such devices each has a radius of 0.88 inches. The illustrated cargo restraining device 2 comprises a generally elongated strip constructed of any suitable plastic or plastic resin or any other suitable material. Cargo restraining devices 2 and 4 each includes a respective wall-engaging bottom surface 12a and 12b, a respective adhesive 14a and 14b and a respective release liner 16a and 16b disposed on the wall-engaging bottom surface. Other cargo restraining devices with openings having the same radius or different shape or having any other suitable construction or configuration may be used with or as part of the assembly and method in accordance with other embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 2-6 illustrate an assembly 110 in accordance with an illustrated embodiment of the present disclosure for securing cargo in a container 112 comprising a pair of straps 114 and 116; a pair of hooks 120, each secured to a respective strap 114 or 116; a ratchet buckle 122 secured to strap 114 for securing straps 114 and 116 together; and a pair of the cargo restraining devices 2 secureable to opposed walls 126 and 128 of the container 112. Each strap 114 and 116 has a pair of ends, and is coupled to a respective hook 120 at or otherwise adjacent one of the ends. The ratchet buckle 122 secures together the other ends of the straps 114 and 116 at or otherwise adjacent the other ends.

Each hook 120 comprises a shank 140, a bend 142 extending from the shank, and a support arm 144 extending from the bend 142 such that the cross section of the hook adjacent the bend has a generally U-shaped cross section. The bend 142 includes an outwardly-facing arcuate wall 146 having a radius the same as the radius of the inwardly-facing arcuate wall 6a of one of the cargo restraining devices 2 and 4. The support arm 144 terminates in a beveled portion 148. The beveled portion 148 may be disposed at any other location on the support arm 144 in accordance with other embodiments of the present disclosure.

Each hook 120 also defines a slot 150 for receiving a respective strap 114 or 116 for engaging the respective strap. An end portion of each of the respective straps 114 and 116 extends through the slot 150 of the respective hook 120 and is double backed and secured to another portion of the strap by stitching or any other suitable manner to secure the respective strap to the respective hook 120. Each strap 114 and 116 may be secured to a respective hook 120 in any other suitable manner in accordance with other embodiments of the present disclosure.

During installation of the assembly 110, after a pair of cargo restraining devices 2 are secured to the opposed walls 126 and 128, each hook 120 is inserted into the opening 8a of the respective cargo restraining device to engage the cargo restraining device. When the hook 120 is engaged with the cargo restraining device 2, the inwardly-facing arcuate wall 6a and the outwardly-facing arcuate wall 146 are engaged. Because the radiuses of arcuate walls 6a and 146 are the same, the engagement provides a snug engagement of the hook 120 and cargo restraining device 2 when suitable tension is applied to the respective strap 114 or 116. Further, during installation of the assembly 110, when full tension is not yet applied to the respective strap 114 or 116, the hook 120 can slidably rotate along the inwardly-facing arcuate wall 6a without disengaging from the cargo restraining device 2. The radius of each of the inwardly-facing arcuate wall 6a and the outwardly-facing arcuate wall 146 may be of any suitable magnitude. In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, each such radius is 0.88 inches. The cargo restraining device may have any other suitable construction or configuration and have any other suitable dimensions in accordance with other embodiments of the present disclosure.

To engage the cargo restraining device 2 with the respective hook 120, the support arm 144 is inserted between a respective wall 126 or 128 of the container 112 and a portion of the cargo restraining device 2 adjacent the inwardly-facing arcuate wall 6a. During such installation, the support arm 144 slightly deflects the cargo restraint device 2 adjacent the inwardly-facing arcuate wall 6a relative to the respective wall 126 or 128. The beveled portion 148 assists in facilitating such deflection.

The ratchet buckle 122 is used to couple the straps 114 and 116 together adjacent the other ends of the straps and to apply tension to the straps so that they restrain the cargo inside the container 112. The ratchet buckle 122 may include any suitable structure for engaging the straps 114 and 116.

The illustrated ratchet buckle 122 includes a magnet 160, a magnet receptacle 162 and a fastener 164 for coupling the magnet to a surface 166 of the ratchet buckle. The fastener 164 may be a pop rivet or may be any other type of fastener. During installation of the assembly 110, the magnet 160 can be used to temporarily secure the ratchet buckle 122 to wall 126 of the container 112 so that the ratchet buckle does not interfere with other installation steps. Once the cargo restraining devices 2 and respective straps 114 and 116 are secured together and the cargo is in place, the ratchet buckle 122 is disengaged from the wall 126 or 128 and then used to secure the straps together.

Some non-limiting examples of the above-described assembly and method can include the following:

1. A method for securing cargo within a container comprising:

• • (a) securing to a first wall of the container a first cargo restraining device having a first inwardly-facing arcuate wall with a radius defining a first opening;
  • (b) securing to the first cargo restraining device a first hook coupled to an end of a first strap by inserting a bend of the first hook having a first outwardly-facing arcuate wall having a radius the same as the radius of the inwardly-facing arcuate wall into the opening and engaging the outwardly-facing arcuate wall and the inwardly-facing arcuate wall.

2. The method of 1 wherein (b) includes inserting a support arm of the first hook extending from the bend between the first cargo restraining device and the first wall to deflect a portion of the cargo restraining device away from the first wall.

3. The method of 2 wherein the support arm includes a beveled portion and (b) includes inserting the beveled portion between the first cargo restraining device and the first wall.

4. the Method of 1 Further Comprising:

• • (c) securing to a second wall of the container a second cargo restraining device having a second inwardly-facing arcuate wall with a radius defining a second opening;
  • (d) securing to the second cargo restraining device a second hook coupled to an end of a second strap by inserting a bend of the second hook having a second outwardly-facing arcuate wall having a radius the same as the radius of the second inwardly-facing wall into the second opening and engaging the second outwardly-facing arcuate wall and the second inwardly-facing arcuate wall.

5. The method of 4 wherein (d) includes inserting a support arm of the second hook between the second cargo restraining device and the second wall to deflect a portion of the cargo restraining device away from the second wall.

6. The method of 5 wherein the support arm of the second hook includes a beveled portion and (d) includes inserting the beveled portion of the second hook between the second cargo restraining device and the second wall.

7. The method of 4 further comprising (e) coupling the first and second straps adjacent the other ends of the strap.

8. The method of 7 wherein (e) includes coupling the first and second straps together adjacent the other ends of the straps with a ratchet buckle.

9. The method of 8 further including:

• • (f) temporarily securing the ratchet buckle to one of the first or second walls by a magnet coupled to the ratchet bucket prior to (e).

10. An assembly for securing cargo inside a container comprising:

• • a first cargo restraining device securable to a first wall of the container having a first inwardly-facing arcuate wall with a radius defining an opening;
  • a first strap having two ends;
  • a first hook having a shank coupled to the first strap adjacent one end of the first strap, a bend extending from the shank, and a support arm extending upward from the arcuate bend opposite the shank, the arcuate bend having an outwardly-facing arcuate wall with a radius receivable by the opening and engageable with the end of the inwardly-facing arcuate wall of the cargo restraining device, the radius of the outwardly-facing arcuate wall being the same as the radius of the inwardly-facing arcuate wall.

11. The assembly of 10 wherein the support arm includes a beveled portion for deflecting the cargo restraining device during installation of the assembly.

12. The assembly of 10 further including a ratchet buckle secured to the strap adjacent an other end of the strap for securing the strap to another strap, the ratchet buckle including a magnet for securing to a wall of the container during installation of the assembly.

13. The assembly of 12 wherein the ratchet buckle includes a face, the magnet coupled to the face.

14. The assembly of 13 wherein the ratchet buckle further includes a receptacle coupled to the face, the magnet received by the receptacle.

15. The assembly of 14 wherein the ratchet buckle further includes a fastener securing the receptacle to the face.

16. The assembly of 15 wherein the fastener is a pop rivet.

17. The assembly of 10 comprising:

• • a second cargo restraining device securable to a second wall of the container having a second inwardly-facing arcuate wall with a radius defining an opening;
  • a second strap having two ends;
  • a second hook having a shank secured to the second strap adjacent one end of the second strap, a bend extending from the shank, and a support arm extending upward from the bend opposite the shank, the bend having a second outwardly-facing arcuate wall with a radius receivable by the opening of the second cargo restraining device and engageable with the end of the second inwardly-facing arcuate wall of the cargo restraining device, the radius of the second outwardly-facing arcuate wall being the same as the radius of the second inwardly-facing arcuate wall.

18. The assembly of 17 wherein the support arm includes in a beveled portion for deflecting the cargo restraining device during securement of the cargo restraining device.

19. An assembly for securing cargo inside a container with a cargo restraining device secured to a wall of the container, the cargo restraining device having an inwardly-facing arcuate wall with a radius of 0.88 defining an opening, the assembly comprising:

• • a strap having two ends;
  • a hook having a shank secured to one end of the strap, a bend extending from the shank and, a support arm extending upward from the arcuate bend opposite the shank, the bend having an outwardly-facing arcuate wall with a radius receivable by the opening and engageable with the inwardly-facing arcuate wall, the radius being 0.88 inches.

20. The assembly of 19 further including a ratchet buckle secured to the strap adjacent an other end of the strap for securing the strap to another strap, the ratchet buckle including a magnet for securing to a wall of the container during installation of the assembly.

• • References in the specification to any “embodiment” indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may or may not necessarily include that particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such term is not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the knowledge of one skilled in the art to effect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described. Further, as used in the following description, the term “upward” simply refers to the orientation of the illustrated structure and is not intended to be limiting to the scope of the disclosure.
  • While embodiments have been illustrated and described in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustrations and descriptions are considered to be exemplary and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only illustrative embodiments have been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the disclosure are desired to be protected. The description and figures are intended as illustrations of embodiments of the disclosure, and are not intended to be construed as having or implying limitation of the disclosure to those embodiments. There are a plurality of advantages of the present disclosure arising from various features set forth in the description. It will be noted that alternative embodiments of the disclosure may not include all of the features described yet still benefit from at least some of the advantages of such features. Those of ordinary skill in the art may readily devise their own implementations of the disclosure and associated methods, without undue experimentation, that incorporate one or more of the features of the disclosure and fall within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure and the appended claims.