The present invention relates to a guide device for a strap of the kind provided with a strap hook and a method of using the guide device .

By strap is in this document meant a rope, a band or a chain that at least in one end portion is provided with a fastening hook, and is used for lifting of an item or for fastening of one or more items to another body.

When one or more items of goods are to be moved, it may be appropriate to place the goods on a pallet such that the goods may be moved in a simple manner by means of such as a fork truck or be lifted by means of a crane.

To safeguard the goods from falling off the pallet when it is lifted, the goods have to be secured. Such securing may be undertaken by means of a strap, typically, but not

exclusively, a so-called jacking strap, connecting the goods to the pallet.

To prevent relative movement between the pallet and a

transport means such as a vehicle or a ship, demands for the goods to be "strapped" to the transport means may be made. For this a strap of the above mentioned kind may be used.

A hook allocated to a strap of the kind mentioned here, may simply be pulled from one place to another by means of the strap, but it may not be pushed, as the strap is relatively flexible so that the pushing force cannot be transferred from the strap to the strap hook. It is thus cumbersome and time- consuming to lead the strap with the strap hook under such as a pallet, or to lead the strap or the strap hook to connect with a fastening element arranged in the transport means . In practice the operator is often forced to climb on to the goods to be able to fasten the strap at a suitable place, involving a risk to damage the goods and not least a danger for personal injury.

From the publication US 20080314372 is known a strap or rope sling arranged to throw a fastening means such as a strap, a rope or a chain over a load to be secured. The fastening means is freed from the sling in the course of the throwing movement . The fastening means is then fastened to a suitable place without the use of the sling.

From the publication CA 2530319 is known a device for being able to throw a strap spool over a cargo. The strap spool is freed from the throwing device in the course of the throwing movement. The strap is rolled off the strap spool and

subsequently handled without the use of the throwing device.

The object of the invention is to remedy or reduce at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art, or at least to provide a useful alternative to the prior art.

The object is achieved by the features disclosed in the below description and in the subsequent claims.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a guide device for a strap of the kind that is provided with a strap hook having an external portion and an internal portion, wherein the internal portion of the strap hook faces the strap hook opening, wherein the guide device comprises: a rod having a first end portion and a second end portion; and a gripping element allocated to at least the first end portion of the rod, wherein the gripping element is arranged for releasably gripping the strap hook, and wherein the gripping element in an operating position is arranged to be able to be led to abut the at least one portion of the external portion of the strap hook and at least one portion of the internal portion of the strap hook such that the strap hook is fixed relative to the gripping element.

The rod is sufficiently rigid and long to that the strap hook and thereby the strap may be led to the desired place, for example along a floor from one side of a pallet to an

opposing side of the pallet.

The gripping element has a length, a width and a thickness, and may in a longitudinal direction be defined by a rod fastening portion and of a lead portion, wherein the lead portion is arranged to be able to be led through an opening at the strap stud of the strap hook. The lead portion is the portion of the gripping element constituting one of the guide device end portions. By strap stud is meant that portion of the strap hook around which the strap is fastened.

In an embodiment the gripping element is narrower at the lead portion than at a middle portion located between the rod- fastening portion and the lead portion. This has the

advantage the lead portion may be formed such that it does not protrude outside the side portions of the fastening hook. Thereby the risk of the lead portion snagging in adjacent obstacles will be reduced.

A plate-shaped body may constitute the gripping element.

Alternatively one or more peaks may constitute the gripping element . To facilitate interconnection between the gripping element and the strap hook, the gripping element may, along a

longitudinal axis be gently graded such that the gripping element along a longitudinal axis may be provided with a first dogleg and at a distance from this a second dogleg directed opposite to the first dogleg. With such a design, it will be easier to lead the lead portion in and out through the opening at the strap stud of the strap hook, at the same time as such a design may enable improved bearing between the gripping element and the body of the strap hook.

In one embodiment the lead portion is in each of its side edges provided with a shoulder arranged to be able to carry a portion of the strap hook. This has the advantage that relative sideways movement between the gripping element and the strap hook may be reduced, at the same time as the shoulders may render a stopping device for the location of the lead portion in the strap hook.

In an alternative embodiment the gripping element includes at least one upper peak and at least one lower peak such that the peaks define a slit arranged to be able to receive a portion of the body of the strap hook.

There may be a need to be able to lead the strap itself into gripping a strap guiding element allocated to the transport means . An angular body arranged to be able to hold the strap in a desired position relative to the transport means may for example constitute such a strap leading element .

In one embodiment the guiding device therefore comprises an added strap-steering device arranged in the other end portion of the rod. The strap-steering device may include a

supporting body arranged to be able to be led to bear against a portion of the strap, and at least one hook rising from an end portion of the support element to be able to prevent the strap from sliding sideways out of bearing against the support body. In a preferred embodiment a hook rises from each of the two end portions of the support element.

In a second aspect of the present invention a method for placing a strap along a portion of a body, where the strap is connected to a strap hook, wherein the method includes the steps :

- to lead a gripping element according to the first aspect of the invention into gripping the strap hook;

- to lead the strap hook by means of the guiding device to a desired position; and

- to free the gripping element from the strap hook.

According to the present invention there is also provided a method for placing a strap along a portion of a body, wherein the method includes the following steps being executed in connection with the second aspect of the invention:

- to lead a strap-steering device against a portion of the strap;

- to lead the strap by means of the strap-steering device to a desired place; and

- to free the strap-steering device from the strap.

In the following is described an example of a preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. la shows a perspective view of a guide device

according to the present invention, where the guide device is constituted by a telescopic rod, which in a first end portion is provided with a gripping element, and which in a second end portion is provided with a strap steering device;

Fig. lb shows a top view of the guiding device in Fig. la; shows a side view of the guiding device in Fig. la; shows the gripping element in Fig. la to a larger scale ; shows the strap steering device in Fig. la to a larger scale; shows the same as in Fig. la, but where the gripping element is gripping a strap hook fastened in the end of a strap, and where the strap steering device is gripping a strap (only a portion of the strap is shown) ; shows a top view of the guiding device in Fig. 4a; shows a side view of the guiding device in Fig. 4a; shows a view of a first end portion of the guiding device and the strap hook in Fig. 4b to a larger scale ; shows a view of a first end portion of the guiding device and the strap hook in Fig. 4c to a larger scale ; shows an alternative embodiment of a gripping element constituted by two peaks; shows a further alternative embodiment of a

gripping element constituted by one peak; shows an embodiment of a gripping element

constituted by a Y-shaped body, where the gripping element is viewed from top; and shows the gripping element of Fig. 8a viewed from the side. In the figures the reference numeral 1 indicates a guide device according to the present invention. The guide device 1 comprises a rod 3 in the first end portion provided with a gripping element 5. In a second end portion the guide device 1 is provided with a strap steering device 7.

The rod 3 is in the embodiment shown a telescopic rod of per se known kind.

In the figures la, lb and lc, only the guide device 1 is shown, while in the Figures 4a, 4b, and 4c the guide device 1 is shown after the gripping element 5 is gripping a strap hook 9 fastened to a first strap 11, and after the strap steering device 7 is in engagement with a portion of a second strap 11' .

The first strap 11 may be another strap than the second strap 11' . In use the gripping element 5 and the strap steering device 7 will normally not be used simultaneously, but the first strap 11 and the second strap 11' are for practical reasons shown in the same figure .

In Fig. 2 is shown in a larger scale a view of the gripping element 5 shown in Fig. 1. In the embodiment shown a doubly curved, plate-shaped body constitutes the gripping element 5.

The gripping element 5 is constituted by three portions; a rod fastening portion 51, a mid portion 53 and a lead portion 55.

The rod fastening portion 51 forms a fixed connection between the rod 3 and the gripping element 5. The connection may be provided in a per se known way such as by means of a threaded connection, by gluing, riveting or welding. The mid portion 53 is in the embodiment shown provided with a hole 57. The object of the hole 57 is first of all to be able to provide a possibility of hanging the guide device 1 on a hook (not shown) when not in use.

The lead portion 55 is designed tapering from its transition portion to the mid portion 53 and toward the end portion. In addition the lead portion 55 is deviated from the main plane of the mid portion 53 such that the mid portion 53 and the lead portion 55 together provide said double curve most clearly shown in Fig. lc and Fig. 5b. The object of this shape is to be able to facilitate guiding the gripping element 5 to engagement with the strap hook 9 as shown in Fig. 5a and Fig. 5b, to be able to avoid the lead portion 55 protruding outside the strap hook 9 body with the appurtenant risk to be hooked in bodies it is led past, and to provide a best possible engagement between the gripping element 5 and the strap hook 9.

The lead portion 55 is in the embodiment shown designed with a shoulder 59 in each of its two side portions. The shoulders 59 are designed to fit complementary to a portion of the strap hook 9 body, which in its position of use abuts the shoulders 59. This comes up most clearly in Fig. 5a. A further improved sideways stability is thereby ensured between the strap hook 9 and the gripping element 5.

In the usage situation a tensile force in strap 11 of the strap hook 9 will further increase the engagement between the gripping element 5 and the strap hook 9. Such a tensile force may easily be applied by the operator and is sustained by forcing the strap 11 against a portion of the handle by the use of one hand. The strap steering device 7 is in the figures shown designed as a U-like element being constituted by a support body 71 and in each end portion of this, two mainly perpendicularly extending support hooks 73. The primary function of the support hooks 73 is to prevent the strap 11' from sliding sideways out of engagement with the strap steering device 7 as shown for example in Fig. 4a. In one embodiment (not shown) the strap steering device 7 is provided with only one support hook 73.

Fig. 6 shows an alternative embodiment of a gripping element 5 where it is constituted by two peaks 5' instead of a plate- shaped body as shown for example in Fig. 5a.

The peaks 5' protrude out from a rod fastening portion 51 and are bent in toward each other in a lead portion 55. A side view of the gripping element 5 is not shown, but may for example be like the side view of the gripping element 5 shown in Fig. 5b.

The peaks 5' in the embodiment shown are provided with shoulders 59 of the kind that are shown arranged in the lead portion 55 shown in fig. 5a, and have the same purpose as those .

Fig. 7 shows an alternative embodiment of a gripping element constituted by one peak 5 instead of a plate-shaped body as shown for example in Fig. 5a.

To provide a larger bearing surface against the strap hook 9 strap stud 10, the peak 5' may in a mid portion 53 be wider than a lead portion 55 or a rod fastening portion 51. The peak 5 shown in Fig. 7 has the same width along its entirety lengthwise . A side view of the gripping element 5 is not shown, but may for example be like the side view of the gripping element 5 shown in Fig. 5b.

Figs. 8a and 8b show an alternative embodiment of the

gripping element 5 viewed from above and from the side respectively .

In the alternative embodiment the gripping element 5 is designed to be able to hold a portion of the strap hook 9 in slits defined by a set of upper peaks 5' and lower peaks 5'' .

As opposed to the preceding embodiment examples where a portion of the gripping element 9 is led into the gripping element 9 opening at the strap stud 10, a portion of the strap hook 9 external portion is held by the alternative embodiment in Figs . 8a and 8b and without being in engagement with a central portion of the strap stud 10. This embodiment is particularly suitable when the strap is constituted by such as a rope 11 as shown and not a band as shown in the preceding examples .