SUSPENSION DEVICE

Background to the invention

The present invention relates to a suspension device for suspending an article from a support, and a suspension kit incorporating such a suspension device.

It is often desirable to suspend objects, such as equipment or game or the like from a raised or overhead support. There are currently many ways of doing this, ranging from simple cable tie arrangements to the popular use of a looped cable and twin bore locking device arrangement. However, cable tie arrangements are not very versatile, are not as strong as metal cable arrangements and are single use only. Further, although the looped cable and twin bore locking device arrangement is more flexible and can be multi-use, the looped cable may be subject to wear and tear during use at the point of contact of the cable at the loop. Such wear and tear is clearly undesirable and may lead to failure of the suspension device, thereby raising concerns over the safety of individuals located beneath the suspended object and the potential for injury from a falling object should the suspension device fail. Furthermore, the fallen device is likely to sustain significant damage as a result of ground impact.

There is therefore a need for an improved suspension device which avoids the existing potential for wear and tear on the cable as a result of the cable lengths rubbing against each other during use.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention seeks to address the problems of the prior art.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a suspension device for suspending an article from a support, the suspension device comprising a strand and a substantially non-resilient body coupled to the strand, the body defining an aperture

therethrough, the aperture dimensioned so as to receive the strand therethrough in use.

The term "strand" is intended to mean any strand or thread or cable or similar cable-like structure whether made of metal or non-metal material and which is suitable for use in suspending an article from an overhead support.

The support may be any suitable structure from which an article may be suspended, such as a beam or ceiling provided with a hook or similar arrangement or a wall provided with a hook or similar arrangement or any other suitable support known to the skilled person.

In one embodiment, the aperture is substantially oval. If the oval is arranged such that a longitudinal axis through the oval extends substantially parallel to the strand, in use the strand once passed through the aperture is guided to the narrow end of the oval distal from the coupling point of the strand and body when suspended from a support. This assists in locating the strand in a position where movement of the strand within the aperture is limited and thus there is reduced wear and tear on the strand from rubbing against the interior of the aperture in use.

It will be appreciated that any other suitable shape of aperture known to the skilled person and suitable for locating the strand in such a position that movement within the aperture is limited in use could be used as an alternative to a substantially oval aperture as discussed above. For example, the aperture could be substantially triangular in shape with one point of the triangular shape positioned substantially opposite the coupling point of the strand and body such that in use, the strand passed through the aperture would be located adjacent that point of the triangular shape so as to limit movement of the strand within the aperture during use.

At least a portion of the edges of the body defining the aperture may be chamfered or bevelled. This provides the advantage that the strand is not able to rub against substantially right-angled edges during use, thus preventing wear and tear on the strand caused by rubbing of the strand on the body at the aperture edges.

Alternatively, least a portion of the edges of the body defining the aperture may be rounded. This will also provide the advantage of avoiding or minimising wear and tear on the strand in use.

In one embodiment, the body is permanently coupled to the strand. The coupling may be by means of swaging, or by forming the strand and body integrally, or by welding or riveting or nailing or powder activated systems or by any other suitable means known to the skilled person.

At least a portion of the strand may be composed of a metal material such as mild steel or marine or aviation grade wire constructed of single or multi-strands.

At least a portion of the body may be composed of a metal material or drawn steel material or non-ferrous material or any other suitable material known to the skilled person.

In one embodiment, the strand is further provided with a securing arrangement for attachment to the article to be suspended.

The securing arrangement may comprise a releasable locking means to retain at least a portion of the strand therein after engagement of the strand with the article to be suspended. For example, the strand may be passed through a portion of the article or may be looped around a hook or eye provided on the article, or the strand may be simply passed around the article and held securely in place.

In one embodiment, the securing arrangement comprises a second body defining an aperture therethrough.

Alternatively, the securing arrangement comprises a loop or hook provided on the end of the strand distal to the body such that the end of the strand may be engaged with corresponding inter-engagement means provided on or as part of the article to be suspended.

A further aspect of the present invention provides a suspension kit comprising a suspension device in accordance with a first aspect of the present invention and a locking device adapted to receive a strand therein in a first direction and prevent withdrawal of the strand in the opposite direction to the direction of insertion.

In one embodiment, the locking device releasably retains the inserted strand therein by means of frictional forces.

The locking device may comprise twin bores at least a first bore of which is associated with frictional engagement means operable to retain the strand in place after insertion through said first bore.

Brief Description of the Drawings

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

Figure 1 is a front view of a first embodiment of a suspension device in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2, is a side view of the embodiment of figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a the embodiment of figure 1 in use with a support and suspended device;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of a suspension device in accordance with the present invention in use with a support and suspended device; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of a suspension device in accordance with the present invention in use with an alternative support fixing.

Detailed Description of the Invention

Figures 1 to 3 show a first embodiment of a suspension device 10 in accordance with the present invention.

Suspension device 10 comprises a body 20 in permanent engagement with a strand 30. Body 20 is a single piece metal body swaged to metal strand 30. Such an engagement method provides a strong and secure attachment thereby allowing articles to be safely suspended using the device without danger that the attachment between body 20 and strand 30 will fail during use.

Body 20 defines an aperture 40 therethrough, dimensioned such that the aperture is sufficiently large to allow the strand 30 to be passed through the aperture 40 in use. Figure 3 shows the device 10 in use with a support 50 from which device 10 is used to suspend an article 60. Strand 30 is passed around support 50, passed through aperture 40 in body 20, then passed through one bore of a twin bore locking device 100 before being passed around article 60 and through the second bore of twin bore locking device 100. Twin bore locking device 100 is a conventional locking device in which the strand, once passed through the bore of the locking device, is held in place by means of applied force, for example from a spring clamp, screw arrangement or any other suitable resiliently biasing means. As can be seen from Figure 3, this arrangement allows the convenience suspension of article 60 from support 50 using device 10.

Although strand 30 of device 10 is passed around article 60, it will equally be appreciated that strand 30 may be passed through an aperture (not shown) in article 60, or may be passed through a loop or alternative fastening provided on or around article 60.

Aperture 40 in body 20 is shown in Figures 1 to 3 as an oval-shaped aperture. When strand 30 is passed through aperture 40, for example as shown in Figure 3, the oval-shape of aperture 40 helps to guide strand 30 towards the end of aperture 40 distal from the attachment of body 20 to strand 30. In this way, in use there is less rubbing of strand 30 against the walls of aperture 40 than would be experienced using, for example, a circular-shaped aperture, as there is less freedom of movement of strand 30 relative to the walls of aperture 40.

Figure 4 shows a further embodiment of a device 10 in accordance with the present invention in which strand 30 is formed into a loop 70 at an end of strand 30 distal to body 20. The loop may be simply formed by looping strand 30 over on itself and held in place by ferrule crushing. In use, device 10 is located around support

50, as previously described, and loop 70 is placed over a hoop 80 provided on or located around article 60. In this way, article 60 may be simply suspended from support 50 by means of device 10.

Figure 5 shows an alternative arrangement by which device 10 may be used to suspend an article (not shown) from a support 50. Support 50 is provided with an anchor fixing 90. Rather than passing strand 30 of device 10 around support 50, strand 30 is simply passed through anchor fixing 90 before being passed through aperture 40 of body 20 of device 10. Such an arrangement allows an alternative way in which to connect device 10 to support 50 in order to suspend an article 60 therefrom.

Anchor fixing 90 may comprise any suitable fixing including, but not limited to an eyelet, pig tail or any other suitable fixing known to the skilled person.

Although aspects of the invention have been described with reference to the embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise embodiment shown and that various changes and modifications may be effected without further inventive skill and effort.