The present invention relates to restraining devices. In particular, but not exclusively, the invention relates to restraining straps for tying down a load on a vehicle.

Many forms of straps and buckles are known for restraining an item in which the strap is fed lengthwise into the buckle. These include ratchet straps, cable ties, shoe-type buckles and many more. For instance, it is known to use ratchet straps to secure a load to a load carrying platform during transit. The ratchet strap typically comprises a buckle having a winding drum. The user wraps the flexible strap around the load and then feeds a free end of the strap through a slit defined by the drum pin and a retaining pin provided at the buckle. Both the drum pin and retaining pin extend across the width of the buckle and are spaced apart by only a little more than the thickness of the strap to define the length and width of the slit. The tight width dimension of the slit is necessary to frictionally hold the strap during drum rotation; otherwise the strap will simply work free as it is being pulled back by the existing tensile force.

After inserting the free end of the strap into the slit, the user pulls the strap through the buckle until it is relatively tight around the load. The user then operates a lever arm to rotate the drum which causes the strap to wind around the drum pin to further tighten the strap around the load. Each operation of the lever arm causes a degree of rotation, such as a quarter turn, of the drum. A ratchet mechanism provided between the lever arm and drum ensures that the drum is rotated, and thus the strap is linearly moved, only in the tightening direction. After a turn or so of the drum, the strap is wound around both the drum pin and retaining pin and this is continued for three or so turns of the drum. For releasing the strap, the user operates a release latch which releases the drum from the ratchet mechanism, allowing the length of strap to be pulled through and out of the buckle. There are a number of problems and disadvantages with conventional ratchet straps. Firstly, the ends of the strap can become worn, especially as they often hang down and rub against the ground when used on a road vehicle. A frayed strap end, or one that is no longer square to the length of the strap can be difficult to feed into the tight slit. Furthermore, it is time consuming and inconvenient to have to feed a large length of strap through the buckle. Although the straps are available in a number of lengths, the size of the load to be restrained varies and so the user typically selects an excessively long strap. There can also be a safety risk to the user who is often securing the load to a vehicle, say in a car park or by the side of the road. To ensure that the portion of strap being fed into the buckle is both untwisted and normal to the slit, the user may often be working a distance from the vehicle and may be distracted from observing nearby traffic.

.Also, it is well known that, if the strap is not sufficiently fed through before ratcheting, excessive material can be wound around the drum such that the strap snags within the buckle. Often the only solution is to cut the strap to free it from the buckle. Any twisting of the strap along its length during feeding can also result in snagging of the strap within the buckle.

It is desirable to provide a restraining device, and/or method of installing the device, which mitigates or eliminates one or more of the above problems.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a restraining device comprising

a flexible strap member for wrapping around one or more items to be restrained; a buckle member adapted to receive the flexible strap member and including a retaining member for contacting the flexible strap member and selectively retaining the flexible strap member at a desired position along the length of the flexible strap member,

wherein the buckle member is adapted to allow widthwise feeding of the flexible strap member into the buckle member.

The retaining member may be adapted to provide a gap for widthwise insertion of the flexible strap member within the buckle member.

The gap of the retaining member may be provided at a lateral centre of the buckle member. The retaining member may comprise a first portion extending from a first side member of the buckle member towards the lateral centre, and a second portion extending from a second side member of the buckle member towards the lateral centre, to define the gap.

The gap may be less than the width of the flexible strap member. The flexible strap member may be adapted for at least partial folding about the length of the flexible strap member so as to allow insertion within the gap.

The buckle member may be adapted to allow easier insertion of the at least partial folded flexible strap member within the buckle member. The buckle member may include a slot for receiving the flexible strap member, the slot having an orientation which corresponds to the at least partial folded flexible strap member.

One or both of the first and second portions may be tapered such that the thickness of the or each portion reduces along its length from the side member to the lateral centre. This tapering allows the first and second portions to be thicker, and so sustain a greater load, at the connection to the side member where bending moments are greatest. This can also be used to provide an oblique orientation of the slot so that it corresponds to the partial folded flexible strap member.

The flexible strap member may include a first securing member, such as a hook or eye member, provided at a first free end for securing to an article, such as a load platform. The flexible strap member may include a second securing member provided at a second free end for securing to an article. This allows the free end to be wrapped again around the load for additional restraining or to secure the free end so that it does not trail on the ground. The provision of a second securing member is possible since the flexible strap member is fed widthwise into the buckle.

Alternatively, the retaining member may be adapted to extend from a first side member of the buckle member towards but not reach a second side member of the buckle member to provide the gap at a lateral side region of the buckle member.

Alternatively, the retaining member may be movable from a first position in which the retaining member extends between first and second side members of the buckle member to a second position in which the flexible strap member is widthwise insertable within the buckle member. The retaining member may be laterally movable or retractable or removable. Alternatively, the retaining member may be pivotably movable. The restraining device may include a winding member operatively coupled to a winding drum for winding the portion of the flexible strap member received within the buckle member. The restraining device may include ratcheting means interposing the winding member and winding drum so that the winding member only rotates the winding drum in a first direction. The gap defined by first and second portions of the retaining member may be suitable dimensioned such that the wound portion of the flexible strap member bridges the gap. The restraining device may be adapted such that the wound portion inhibits flexural bending of the first and second portions.

The restraining device may be adapted for securing a load to a load carrying platform.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of restraining one or more items using a device according to the first aspect of the invention.

The method may include at least partially folding a portion of the flexible strap member about the length of the flexible strap member before feeding into the gap provided at the buckle member.

The method may include feeding the flexible strap member widthwise into the buckle and then securing the free end of the flexible strap member using a securing member provided at the free end. The method may include feeding the flexible strap member widthwise into the buckle and then wrapping the flexible strap member again around the load before securing the free end of the flexible strap member using the securing member.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a prior art restraining device;

Figure 2 is a detailed sectional side view of a portion of a restraining device according to a first embodiment of the invention with a flexible strap member being inserted into a buckle member of the restraining device; Figure 3 is a detailed sectional side view of the portion of the restraining device of Figure 2 with the flexible strap member fully inserted and wound within the buckle member;

Figure 4 is a detailed sectional side view of a portion of a restraining device according to a second embodiment of the invention with a flexible strap member being inserted into a buckle member of the restraining device; and Figure 5 is a perspective view of the strap of a restraining device according to a third embodiment of the invention.

Figure 1 shows a known restraining device 100 which comprises a flexible strap 120 for wrapping around items to be restrained, such as a load on the platform of a vehicle, and a buckle 130. The buckle 130 has a slot 132 for receiving a free end of the strap 120 which is then pulled though the buckle 130, in other words the strap 120 is fed lengthwise into the buckle 130. Following this, a retaining pin 134 retains the strap 1 20 at a desired position along it's length. Figure 2 shows a restraining device 10 according to the invention which again comprises a flexible strap 20 and a buckle 30 which includes a drum pin 31 and retaining pin 32. However, the buckle 30, in particular the retaining pin 32, is adapted to allow widthwise feeding of the strap 20 into the buckle 30. The retaining pin 32 is adapted to provide a gap 34 for widthwise insertion of the strap 20. In this embodiment, the gap 34 is provided at a lateral centre of the buckle 30. The retaining pin 32 comprises a first portion 36 extending from a first side of the buckle 30 towards the centre, and a second portion 38 extending from the other side member of the buckle 30 towards the lateral centre. The two portions do not meet and so define the gap 34. The gap 34 is less than the width of the strap 20. To insert the strap 20, the user can pinch the flexible strap 20 to partially fold the strap 20 about its length. This reduces the width of the strap 20 so as to allow insertion within the gap 34. The strap 20 will naturally unfold once within the buckle 30 so that it is parallel with the axis of the retaining pin 32 and drum pin 31 .

In an alternative embodiment, one or both of the drum pin 31 and the retaining pin 32 can be bowed or arcuate to increase strength. Either the upper or under surface or both of either the drum pin 31 or retaining pin 32 or both can be arcuate.

In the embodiment of Figure 4, the buckle 30 is adapted to allow easier insertion of the partially folded strap 20 within the buckle 30. This is achieved by forming the slot with an oblique orientation extending away from the central region of the buckle 30 so that it corresponds to the partially folded strap 20. In this embodiment, the retaining pin 32 and drum pin 31 can be integral as shown in Figure 4. A greater diameter of drum pin 31 is used and a slot formed in the drum pin 31 so that an upper portion of the drum pin 31 provides the retaining pin function.

It is also to be noted that the first and second portions are tapered and reduce in thickness along their length from the side to the lateral centre. This tapering allows the first and second portions to sustain greater loads where bending moments are greatest.

The restraining device 10 includes a winding member (not shown) which is operatively coupled to the winding pin 31 for winding the portion of the strap 20 received within the buckle 30. Ratcheting means is provided between the winding member and winding pin 31 so that the winding member only rotates the winding drum in a tightening direction. The provision of the gap 34 is somewhat counterintuitive as is likely to be considered to be weakening the retaining pin 32. With two portions of the retaining pin 32 extending from each lateral side of the buckle 30, each portion is effectively a cantilever and subject to bending. Significantly increasing the diameter of the portions would take up room within the buckle 30 and cause snagging of the strap 20 to occur earlier as the strap 20 is being wound around the drum pin 31 .

However, the inventor has realised that, with suitable dimensioning of the gap 34, a retaining pin 32 of conventional diameter may be used. When the strap 20 is first fed into the buckle 30, the load on the retaining pin 32 is virtually zero. The load rises as the strap is wound but, by the time that the strap 20 has been wound by one turn or so, the wound portion of the strap 20 is wound around both the drum pin 31 and retaining pin 32 and so bridges the gap 34. Therefore, the wound portion inhibits flexural bending of the first and second portions of the retaining pin 32.

The provision of the gap 34 may also be considered impractical if the strap 20 can move laterally while restraining the load since the strap 20 may move out of the buckle 30 thereby unintentionally releasing the load. However, the inventor has also realised that, following winding of the strap 20 within the buckle 30, the wound portion is too large to escape from the buckle 30.

As shown in Figure 5, the strap 20 of the invention can include a securing member 22, such as a hook or eye, at both free ends. This allows the free end to be wrapped again around a load for additional restraining or to secure the free end so that it does not trail on the ground. The provision of a securing member 22 at both ends is possible because the flexible strap member is fed widthwise into the buckle. Whilst specific embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it will be appreciated that departures from the described embodiments may still fall within the scope of the present invention.