AU2022100058A4

AU2022100058A4 - Strap Winder

Info

Publication number: AU2022100058A4
Application number: AU2022100058A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Ian Gibson
Original assignee: Gibson Ian Aldworth
Current assignee: Gibson Ian Aldworth
Priority date: 2019-07-14
Filing date: 2022-04-13
Publication date: 2022-05-19
Anticipated expiration: 2028-07-09
Also published as: AU2020101296A4

Abstract

A winder for winding cargo straps into a coil consisting of an elongate body with a slot for accepting the strap. The winder is fitted to a drill and rotated to coil the strap. The forming coil is held against the ground to form a fat coil without the need for a backing plate. 6/6 20 10 30 Figure 6

Description

6/6

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Figure 6

I

Strap Winder

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a strap winder for winding cargo straps into a roll.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

[0002] Cargo straps are a popular means of securing loads, particularly for trucks, and it is not uncommon for several straps to be used on a truck. When not in use it is preferable to wind the straps into a coil to avoid tangles, minimise storage space and to ease unfurling of the straps. Winding straps by hand is time consuming so various strap winders have been developed.

[0003] Known strap winders are typically quite bulky devices, usually involving some form of stand or vehicle attachment, a backing plate and a winding mechanism, typically a geared hand crank. Consequently, known strap winders are reasonably expensive and require significant storage space.

[0004] The object of this invention is to provide a strap winder to alleviate the above problems, or at least provide the public with a useful alternative.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] In a first aspect the invention provides a strap winder comprising an elongate body with a slot for accepting a strap.

[0006] Preferably the body is round, and the depth of the slot is less than the width of the strap.

[0007] The invention further comprises a method of winding a strap comprising engaging the strap with the slot of a strap winder and rotating the strap winder with a drill.

[0008] In preference the drill is held vertically against a horizontal surface.

[0009] It should be noted that any one of the aspects mentioned above may include any of the features of any of the other aspects mentioned above and may include any of the features of any of the embodiments described below as appropriate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] Preferred features, embodiments and variations of the invention may be discerned from the following Detailed Description which provides sufficient information for those skilled in the art to perform the invention. The Detailed Description is not to be regarded as limiting the scope of the preceding Summary of the Invention in any way. The Detailed Description will make reference to a number of drawings as follows.

[0011] Figure 1A shows a side view of a strap winder according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

[0012] Figure 1B shows an end view of the strap winder.

[0013] Figure 2 shows the strap winder fitted to a hand drill

[0014] Figure 3 shows the strap winder starting to wind a strap.

[0015] Figure 4 shows the strap winder engaged with a partially wound strap.

[0016] Figure 5 shows the strap winder engaged with a fully wound strap.

[0017] Figure 6 shows the strap winder disengaged from a fully wound strap.

DRAWING COMPONENTS

[0018] The drawings include the following integers. strap winder 12 shank 14 arms 16 slot drill 22 chuck strap

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] The following detailed description of the invention refers to the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings and the following description to refer to the same and like parts. Dimensions of certain parts shown in the drawings may have been modified and/or exaggerated for the purposes of clarity or illustration.

[0020] The present provides a compact, simple and convenient tool for winding a cargo strap for securing loads to a truck. Whilst described in relation to a cargo strap for a truck it is to be understood that the invention is suitable for winding a variety of different straps.

[0021] Figure 1A shows a side view of a strap winder 10 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, whilst Figure 1B shows an end view. The strap winder 10 comprises a shank 12 with two parallel arms 14 extending therefrom to define a slot 16 for accepting a cargo strap. The shank 12 is 12mm in diameter, so that it can fit in the chuck of a typical drill (which usually accept bits to %" or 12.7mm in diameter). A total winder length of 55mm with a slot 30mm deep and 4mm wide has been shown to be effective in practise with a typical 50mm cargo strap. At just 55mm in length the winder can be easily stored in a toolbox or carried in a pocket.

[0022] The strap winder 10 is intended for use in conjunction with a drill to provide rotation to wind a strap. Figure 2 shows a strap winder 10 fitted to the chuck 22 of a drill 20.

[0023] Figures 3 to 6 show how the strap winder 10 in conjunction with a drill to wind a strap 30 into a coil. Once coiled the strap won't get tangled with other straps, is easy to store, and easy to unfurl.

[0024] In Figure 3 an end of an unwound strap 30 is placed into the slot (obscured) of the strap winder 10 which is fitted to drill 20. The drill is held vertically with the strap against the ground (or any flat horizontal surface such as a floor or trailer bed), the ground acting as a backing plate to produce a flat coil as the strap is wound by rotation of the drill. Figure 4 shows the strap coil partially wound, whilst Figure 5 shows the strap fully wound into a coil. The user would hold the drill with one hand whilst guiding the strap with the other hand. As the arms 12 of the strap winder are shorter than the strap 30 is wide (30mm c.f. 50mm), the arms do not reach the surface on which the coil is being wound and therefore cannot mark the surface. In Figure 6 the strap winder removed from the coil. This is done simply by lifting the drill with one hand whilst applying pressure to the coiled strap with the other hand. As the shank of the strap winder is round (instead of hexagonal) it is held tightly in the chuck and the strap winder will remain held in the chuck and pull out from the coil, instead of the strap winder being pulled from the chuck and remaining in the coil.

[0025] The strap winder can be made from a variety of rigid materials such as metals, plastics and composites and made by different processes which are known in the art. Preferably the winder is machined from a 12mm stainless steel rod and then deburred and polished.

[0026] The reader will now appreciate the present invention which provides a simple strap winder that is relatively simple and therefore inexpensive and compact in size.

[0027] Further advantages and improvements may very well be made to the present invention without deviating from its scope. Although the invention has been shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus. Any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of the common general knowledge in this field.

[0028] In the present specification and claims (if any), the word "comprising" and its derivatives including "comprises" and "comprise" include each of the stated integers but does not exclude the inclusion of one or more further integers.

Claims

1. A strap winder when used with a drill to wind a strap of a width against a surface, the strap winder comprising an elongate body with a slot for accepting the strap, wherein the depth of the slot is less than the width of the strap.