| WO/1989/006613 | DEVICE FOR SECURING LOADS ON VEHICLES |
| WO/2006/045157 | A HOOK DEVICE FOR A STRAP ASSEMBLY |
| JP2001315581 | VEHICULAR CARGO HOLDING DEVICE |
LAAKSONEN, Aulis (Pumppaamontie 82, Hyvinkää, FI-05800, FI)
| CLAIMS 1. Fastening device for fastening a load, which fastening device (9, 9a) comprises at least a fastening means (1) pro- vided with a fastening ring (3) , a retainer means (2) and a screw (5), as well as a separate tightening means (10, 17) that is independent of the attitude of the fastening ring (3) and is fitted to the thread of the screw (5) for fixing the fastening device (9, 9a) to its base, characterized in that the retainer means (2) comprises a bend (2b) formed by a hollow inside space (2e) , in the center of which is a hole (2f) that is larger than the diameter of the screw (5) . 2. Fastening device according to claim 1, characterized in that the hollow inside space (2e) of the retainer means (2), which inside space is essentially the width of the whole retainer means (2), opens toward the rear surface of the retainer means (2) and in that the free ends (3a) of the fastening ring (3) are disposed in the inside space (2e) . 3. Fastening device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a screw (5) is disposed in the hole (2f) in the bend (2b) so that the head (5a) of the screw (5) is fitted against the outer surface of the bend (2b) , and in that a counterpart (4) is fixed onto the free end of the screw (5), the distance of which counterpart from the head (5a) of the screw in each different type of fastening device is essentially a constant specific to the fastening device. 4. Fastening device according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the length of the screw (5) is dimensioned so that when the fastening means (9, 9a) is fixed in its position, there is a clearance (6, 13) between the head (5a) of the screw (5) and the bend (2b) of the retainer means (2) , or correspondingly between the retainer means (2) and the tightening means (10, 17), which enables rotation of the fastening ring (3) and the retainer means (2) around the center axis of the screw (5) . 5. Fastening device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tightening means (10, 17) is between the fastening ring (3) and the counterpart (4) and is fitted to recede from the fastening ring (3) when fixing the fastening device (9, 9a) into its position. 6. Arrangement for fastening a load, which arrangement comprises at least fastening bases (7, 8, 14-16) that are intended for transporting a load and are arranged in a cargo space, and also fastening devices (9, 9a) provided with tightening means (10, 17), a screw (5), a counterpart (4) fixed to the free end of the screw (5) , and a fastening ring (3) , which fastening devices are arranged to be fastened to their fastening bases (7, 8, 14-16) so that after tightening the fastening devices (9, 9a) into their position the fastening ring (3) can be rotated and turned into a more advan- tageous attitude with respect to the pulling direction of the fastening strap, characterized in that the distance of the counterpart (4) from the head (5a) of the screw in each different type of fastening device (9, 9a) is essentially a constant specific to the fastening device. 7. Arrangement according to claim 6, characterized in that the distance between the head (5a) of the screw (5) and the counterpart (4) is fitted to be such that when the fastening means (9, 9a) is fixed in its position, there is a clearance (6, 13) between the head (5a) of the screw (5) and the bend (2b) of the retainer means (2) in the fastening device (9, 9a) or correspondingly between the retainer means (2) and the tightening means (10, 17), which enables rotation of the fastening ring (3) and the retainer means (2) around the center axis of the screw (5) . 8. Arrangement according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the fastening devices (9) are arranged to be fastened to guide rails (8) in the cargo space in any desired position whatsoever in the longitudinal direction of the guide rails (8) so that after tightening the fastening devices (9) into their position the fastening ring (3) can be rotated around the center axis of the screw (5) and can be turned around its bent free ends (3a) into a more advantageous attitude with respect to the pulling direction of the fasten- ing strap. 9. Arrangement according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the fastening devices (9a) are arranged to be fastened to fixing points in the floor (14), walls or roof of the cargo space by the aid of a tightening means (17) rotated on the thread of the screw (5) towards the floor (14) in the tightening phase. 10. Arrangement according to claim 9, characterized in that the tightening means (17) is arranged to be fitted into a hole (16) in a board (15) disposed on top of the floor (14) and to press the board (15) against the floor (14) when rotating the tightening means (17) on the threads of the screw (5) towards the counterpart (4) disposed below floor (14). 11. Method for fastening a load by the aid of fastening devices (9, 9a) provided with at least a fastening means (10, 17), a screw (5), a counterpart (4) fixed to the free end of the screw (5), and a fastening ring (3), which fastening devices (9, 9a) are fastened to their fastening bases (7, 8, 14-16) so that after tightening the fastening devices (9, 9a) into their position the fastening ring (3) can be rotated and turned into a more advantageous attitude with respect to the pulling direction of the fastening strap, char- acterized in that when fixing the fastening device (9, 9a) the tightening means (10, 17) is turned on the screw thread of the screw (5) towards the counterpart (4) until the fas- tening base is pressed between the tightening means (10, 17) and the counterpart (4). 12. Method according to claim 11, characterized in that in connection with rotating the tightening means (10, 17) a clearance enabling free rotation of the retainer means (2) and of the fastening ring (3) is formed between the rear surface (2d) of the retainer means (2) of the fastening device (9, 9a) and the tightening means (10, 17), such as a clearance (13) which essentially corresponds to the clearance (6) between the screw head (5a) of the screw (5) and the bend (2b) of the retainer means (2) . |
There are also prior-art solutions in which rings are fixed into rails on the walls of a cargo space so that their location in the rails can be adjusted in .steps or steplessly. One such stepless solution is presented in British patent publication no. GB2296900A. As can be seen from Fig. 3 of the aforementioned patent application, in this solution the fastening ring is a bolt, at the end of which is a fixed ring for a fastening strap. The bolt and its ring are fas- tened to a guide rail that is C-shaped in its profile such that the bolt is screwed closed into a counterpart provided with threads that is inside the rail. When the tightening is loosened, the ring and counterpiece can move in the guide rail in the longitudinal direction of the rail. A problem in this solution, as in many other prior-art solutions, is however that the attitude of the ring cannot be adjusted when it is fastened, but instead it remains in some previously undetermined attitude when the bolt is tightened into the counterpart sufficiently tightly. If the ring is in this case in a bad attitude with respect to the fastening strap, the pull exerted by the strap can loosen the tightening of the ring, in which case the ring no longer stays in its position and the strap loosens. This causes problems for the fastening of the load and the load can even detach completely from its fastening during transportation.
The object of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks and achieve an inexpensive, opera- tionally dependable and reliable fastening device as well as an arrangement for fastening a load. Additionally, an object of the solution according to the invention is to achieve a fastening device, the fastening ring of which always settles into the best possible attitude with respect to the fasten- ing strap and the position in the cargo space of the fastening ring of which fastening device can be placed in the desired location both steplessly and also with steps and into different fixed locations. The fastening device of the invention is characterized by what is disclosed in the charac- terizing part of claim 1. Correspondingly, the arrangement according to the invention is characterized by what is disclosed in the characterization part of claim 6 and the method according to the invention is characterized by what is disclosed in the characterization part of claim 11. Other embodiments of the invention are characterized by what is disclosed in the other claims.
A further advantage of the solution according to the invention is that it is simple and inexpensive, and also works reliably, in which case the load remains well fixed during transportation. Another advantage is that with the solution according to the invention it is easy to fasten different loads quickly and safely, because the location of the fastening devices can, if so desired, be selected steplessly and because the ring of the fastening devices always settles by itself into the best possible attitude with respect to the pulling direction of the fastening strap or fastening belt.
In the following, the invention will be described in more detail by the aid of an embodiment example with reference to the attached drawings, wherein
Fig. 1 presents a side view of one fastening means of a fastening device according to the invention in one position,
Fig. 2 presents a side view of the fastening means according to Fig. 1 in a second position,
Fig. 3 presents a front view of a fastening means according to Fig. 1,
Fig. 4 presents a side view of a fastening means ac- cording to Fig. 1, directly fixed to its base,
Fig. 5 presents a van and its cargo space, in which an arrangement according to the invention and fastening devices according to the invention are used,
Fig. 6 presents a front view of one fastening device according to the invention,
Fig. 7 presents a rear view of one fastening device according to the invention,
Fig. 8 presents a side view of one fastening device according to the invention in the open position,
Fig. 9 presents a side view of one fastening device according to the invention, tightened against a guide rail,
Fig. 10 presents a side view of a second fastening de- vice according to the invention, cross-sectioned and tightened against the floor of the cargo space, and Fig. 11 presents a top view of a fastening device according to Fig. 10.
Figs. 1-3 present one preferred fastening means 1 used in the fastening device of the invention, detached and in different attitudes. The fastening means 1 comprises at least a retainer means 2 forming an essentially flat rear surface 2d, manufactured e.g. from metal plate, which retainer means comprises a plate-like part 2a and a straight bend 2b that forms a hollow inside space 2e, which bend is in the center of the plate-like part and is the whole width of the platelike part 2a and rises in a curve outwards from the front surface of the plate-like part 2a. The inside space 2e opens towards the rear surface of the retainer means 2 and the base of the inside space 2e is essentially semicircular in its cross-sectional shape. As viewed from the top the platelike part 2a is essentially circular in shape, from which circle segment-shaped parts have been symmetrically cut from two sides, i.e. at both ends of the bend 2b.
In the center of the retainer means 2 is a through-hole 2f in the bend 2b, the circle on the outer surface of which bend 2b is formed to be an essentially flat base 2c provided with a screw thread, for the head 5a of the fixing means, such as of a screw 5. The diameter of the through-hole 2f is suitably larger than the diameter of the screw 5 such that the retainer means 2 is able to freely rotate on the screw 5. The free end of the screw 5 comprises a counterpart 4 provided with an internal thread, which counterpart can be e.g. an ordinary nut, as is presented in Fig. 1, or a plate of suitable shape and thickness, as is presented in Fig. 2, or a piece of some other shape.
The free ends 3a of the fastening ring 3 are disposed in the inside space 2e of the bend 2b, the diameter of which free ends is dimensioned suitably and which free ends are bent into an angle so that they fit easily into the inside space 2e formed by the bend 2b. The dimensioning is done so that the fastening ring 3 can be turned easily approx. 180° around the shared center axis of its bent ends 3a that are in the inside space 2e.
Fig. 4 presents one fastening means 1 according to the invention fastened directly to its base 7. Any base whatsoever, in connection with which is an essentially flat coun- tersurface the size of the rear surface 2d of the retainer means 2 of the fastening means 1, can function as the base 7. What is essential for the fixing means 1 according to the invention is, among other things, that the length of the screw 5 is dimensioned with respect to the thickness of the base 7 or to other important dimensions so that when the fastening means 1 is fixed in its position, there is a clearance 6 between the head 5a of the screw 5 and the rising bend 2b of the retainer means 2, which enables rotation of the fastening ring 3 and the retainer means 2 around the center axis of the screw 5. If the clearance 6 between the head 5a and the bend 2b of the retainer means 2 is used up, a gap essentially the size of the clearance 6 correspondingly forms between the rear surface 2d of the retainer means 2 and the base 7. Fig. 5 shows a van viewed obliquely from the rear. For the sake of clarity the rear hatch or rear door of the vehicle is not presented in the figure. The desired amount of guide rails 8 that function as the base of the fastening device 9 of the invention are fixed to the side walls of the cargo space in an essentially horizontal attitude and at a vertical distance from each other. In the solution presented in Fig. 5, the side wall comprises two guide rails 8 that are one above the other. Only one wall of the cargo space is seen in the figure, but also the second wall has the corre- sponding desired number of guide rails 8. The desired amount of fastening devices 9 provided with fastening means 1 is fitted to the guide rails 8, which fastening devices com- prise fastening rings 3 for fastening straps or fastening belts. The guide rails 8 are essentially C-shaped in their cross-sectional profile and that are fixed to the cargo space so that the continuous rear part of the guide rail 8 is against the wall of the cargo space and the front part, which is provided with a longitudinal gap, faces directly away from the wall towards the inside part of the cargo space . The fastening devices 9 are arranged to be moved along the guide rails 8 in their longitudinal direction and to be tightened closed to the guide rails 8 steplessly in any position whatsoever. The ends of the guide rails 8 at the back of the vehicle are open and the fastening devices 9 are ar- ranged t be pushed into the rails 8 e.g. from this end. When fastening loads in the cargo space, the fastening devices 9 needed are moved in the guide rail 8 to the desired positions and tightened closed to the guide rail 8 so that the fastening devices 9 are no longer able to move in the guide rail 8. The load disposed in the cargo space is arranged to be fastened into its position e.g. with fasting straps by means of the fastening rings 3 in the fastening devices 9 by threading the fastening straps through the fastening rings 3. The structure and operation of one fastening device 9 according to the invention is described in more detail in Figs. 6-9.
Fig. 6 presents a front view and Fig. 7 a rear view of one fastening device 9 according to the invention provided with a fastening means 1. In Fig. 6 the fastening device 9 is fastened to a guide rail 8 and in Fig. 7 it is detached. Compared to just the fastening means 1, the fastening device 9 comprises, as an addition, a tightening means 10 fitted to move on the thread of a screw 5, which tightening means is essentially a circular plate-type piece comprising on its rim three prongs 10a extending outwards at 120° intervals and in the center of which tightening means is a hole comprising an internal thread suited to the screw 5.
A counterpart 4 is fitted inside the guide rail 8, which counterpart is a plate, e.g. of metal, and essentially rectangular in shape. The counterpart 4 is in its shape and dimensions such that it can be threaded into a guide rail 8 from an end of the guide rail 8 and it can be moved inside the guide rail 8 in the lateral direction of the rail, but it cannot be pulled directly out of the guide rail 8 in the longitudinal direction of the guide rail 8. The center of the counterpart 4 comprises a hole provided with a screw thread, into which a screw 5 is screwed so that the free end of the screw 5 is essentially level with the rear surface of the counterpart 4. The screw 5 is fixed to the counterpart 4 e.g. with a thread-locking compound, such as with glue, so that after its fixing it no longer rotates on the threads of the hole in the counterpart 4, in which case the distance between the head 5a of the screw and the counterpart 4 re- mains constant. In this case the distance between the head 5a of the screw and the counterpart 4 is essentially constant in all the fastening devices 9 of the same type and intended for guide rails of the same size. More generally, it can be stated that the distance of the head 5a of the screw and the counterpart 4 in each different type of fastening device is essentially a constant that is specific to the fastening device.
The head 5a of the screw 5 and the counterpart 4 on the free end of the screw part are fitted to form an enclosed space between them, into which the fastening means 1 of the fastening strap and the tightening means 10 are fitted on a screw 5 so that they cannot be taken off the screw 5. The fastening device 9 is arranged to be fastened into a guide rail 8 so that by rotating the tightening means 10 the flanges 8a of the guide rail 8 on the side of the cargo space are pressed between the tightening means 10 and the counterpart 4. The prongs 10a of the tightening means 10 are intended to facilitate the tightening of the tightening means 10. A good grip by is obtained on the prongs 10a with the hand, and sufficient force is obtained from them for tightening. The tightening force can be further increased by fitting e.g. a pipe to one of the prongs 10a, by means of which the tightening means 10 is rotated.
Fig. 8 presents one fastening device 9 according to the in- vention as viewed from the side. In the situation presented in Fig. 9 the fastening device 9 is opened, in which case there is a clearance 11 between the flange 8a of the guide rail 8 and the counterpart 4, and correspondingly a clearance 12 between the tightening means 10 and the flange 8a. The fastening device 9 is not in this case tight in the guide rail, in which case it can be moved on the guide rail 8 in the longitudinal direction of the rail. The prongs 10a of the tightening means 10 are slightly bent away from the guide rail 8, which assists getting a good grip of the tightening means 10. If the prongs 10a were straight, the wall to which the guide rail 8 is fixed could hamper rotating the tightening means 10.
Fig. 9 presents one fastening device 9 according to the in- vention as viewed from the side when fastened to a guide rail 8. The fastening device 9 is fixed into the guide rail
8 so that the tightening means 10 is rotated towards being closed, i.e. towards the counterpart 4, until the flanges 8a of the guide rail 8 are pressed between the tightening means 10 and the counterpart 4. In this case the fastening device
9 is locked into its position and is not able to move on the guide rail 8. The fastening device 9 is dimensioned with the guide rail 8 so that when the fastening device 9 is locked to the guide rail 8, there is a clearance 13 between the retainer means 2 of the fastening means 1 and the guide rail 8, owing to which the retainer means 2 of the fastening means 1 and with it the fastening ring 3 are able to freely rotate. This makes it possible for the ring 3 always to settle into a suitable attitude when a fastening strap is led through it and the strap is tightened. In this case the fastening device 9 stays securely closed in the guide rail 8 and its tightening is not able to loosen as could happen if the ring 3 was in such an attitude that the tension exerted by the fastening strap was able to loosen the tightening of the fastening device 9, as can occur in the prior-art solutions mentioned above.
Figures 10 and 11 present a second fastening device 9a according to the invention provided with a fastening means 1. This type of fastening device is easy to dispose e.g. in a suitably sized circular hole 16 made in a plywood board 15 or corresponding board placed on top of the floor 14 of the cargo space, one of which holes is made for each fastening device 9a. In this case the fastening base is a plywood board 15 together with the floor 14 of the cargo space. A hole of larger diameter than the screw 5 is made in the center of the hole 16 in the floor of the cargo space for the lead-through of the screw 5 and a counterpart 4 is disposed on the bottom side of the floor 14. The fastening device 9a comprises at least e.g. a dish-type tightening means 17 manufactured from metal plate, which functions as a frame part, a reinforcing plate 18, and also the aforementioned fastening means 1.
The tightening means 17 comprises an essentially flat circular base part 17a, a wall part 17b that extends at an angle or in a curve upwards and outwards from the outer edge of the base part, and a topmost ring-like flange part 17c extending outwards. Below the base part 17a is a reinforcing plate 18 that is slightly thicker than the thickness of the base part, which reinforcing plate is securely fixed to the base part 17a. In the center of the base part 17a and of the reinforcing part 18 is a hole provided with an internal thread, the thread of which suits the screw 5 of the fastening means. The purpose of the reinforcing part 18 is to lengthen the section of inner thread so that the tightening means 17 can be tightened into its position. The fastening device 9a is fixed into the floor 14 of the cargo space by means of the screw 5 and the counterpart 4 such that the tightening means 17 is rotated on the screw thread of the screw 5 towards being closed, i.e. towards the counterpart 4, until the plywood board 15 is pressed suffi- ciently tightly between the flange part 17c of the tightening means 17 and the floor 14 compressed by the counterpart 4. In this case the fastening device 9a is locked into its position and is not able to detach itself. Rotation of the tightening means 17 can be done at first by hand and in the final phase with a special tool, which suits the holes 17d that are in the flange part of the tightening means 17.
The fastening device 9a and the length of the screw 5 of the fastening means 1 are dimensioned so that when the fastening device 9a is fixed in its position, there is a clearance between the retainer means 2 of the fastening means 1 and the base part 17a of the fastening device 9a, owing to which the retainer means 2 of the fastening means 1 and with it the fastening ring 3 are able to freely rotate around the center axis of the screw 5. This makes it possible for the fastening ring 3 always to settle into a suitable attitude when a fastening strap is led through it and the strap is tightened. Since the retainer means 2 of the fastening means 1 rests under the effect of gravity against the base part 17a, the aforementioned clearance is not presented in Fig. 10, but instead the aforementioned clearance corresponds to the clearance 6 presented in Fig. 6, which forms between the head 5a of the screw 5 and the top surface of the bend 2b of the retainer part 2 when the retainer part 2 rests against the base part 17a. With the method according to the invention, the fastening device 9, 9a is fastened into its position in its base e.g. as follows. When the fastening device 9, 9a is in the desired position, the tightening means 10, 17 is turned on the screw thread of the screw 5 of the fastening means 1 towards the counterpart 4 until the base structure is pressed tightly between the tightening means 10,17 and the counterpart 4. In connection with rotating the tightening means 10, 17 a clearance enabling free rotation of the re- tainer means 2 of the fastening means 1 and the. fastening ring 3 is formed between the rear surface 2d of the retainer means 2 of the fastening means 1 and the tightening means 10, 17, such as the clearance 13 which essentially corresponds to the clearance 6 between the screw head 5a of the screw 5 and the bend 2b of the retainer means 2. The load is fastened into its position e.g. with fastening straps, fastening belts or with corresponding means and by means of the fastening rings 3 that freely rotate around the center axis of the screw 5.
It is obvious to the person skilled in the art that the invention is not limited solely to the embodiment example presented above, but that it may vary within the scope of the claims to be presented below. Thus, for example, the structure of the fastening device can be different to what is presented above.
It is also obvious to the skilled person that instead of horizontal guide, the guide rails can also be in some other position, e.g. in an essentially vertical position.
Likewise it is obvious to the person skilled in the art that the bases of the fastening device and also the fastening means can be different to what is described above.
Next Patent: METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CROSS MODE MOBILITY OPTIMIZATION