EP1218223A1

EP1218223A1 - A device for securing one or more load units in a vehicle stowage compartment

Info

Publication number: EP1218223A1
Application number: EP00909842A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Dick Holmén
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-02-18
Filing date: 2000-02-09
Publication date: 2002-07-03
Also published as: SE9900556D0; WO2000048865A1; SE512502C2; SE9900556L; AU3202200A

Abstract

A device for securing one or more load units (6) that include a loop or an eye (16), for instance carrier bags, in the baggage stowage space (2) of a vehicle, such as a car, said space having an opening (3) and coaming (4) that extends around at least a part of the perimeter of said opening (3), and a hatch cover or boot lid (5) that seals against the coaming when closed. The device is comprised of at least one springy elastic body (20) that has two legs (21) and a through-passing recess (22) defined by said legs. The body is intended to be fitted to the coaming with the coaming received in said recess, and the device further includes an elongate flexible load securing element which is intended to be threaded through the loop or eye (16) of said load unit, wherewith at least one end part (18) of the load securing element is connected to a body (20) or can releasably be anchored thereto by being clamped in or against said body when the lid or hatch (5) is closed.

Description

A DEVICE FOR SECURING ONE OR MORE LOAD UNITS IN A VEHICLE

STOWAGE COMPARTMENT

The present invention relates to a device of the kind defined in the preamble of Claim 1, for securing one or more load units, such as carrier bags, in the stowage compartment or boot of a vehicle.

Carrier bags have a low intrinsic stability and when placed freely on the floor of a vehicle stowage compartment are liable to topple as the vehicle moves, causing items to fall out of the bags. The problem is that it is necessary to right the bags at the end of the journey and to collect together the items that have fallen from the bags and return them to the bags prior to being able to carry the bags into the home.

It is well known that this kind of problem can be alleviated by fitting into the stowage compartment supporting and securing devices by means of which different forms of lateral supports prevent shopping bags and other load units from falling over or being displaced during transportation. These known devices, however, are complex, and therewith expensive, and also space-demanding.

Prior publications SE 507 379, SE 502 318, EP 0 507 161 and WO 93/22161 teach means for preventing displacement of loads.

GB-A-2 306 143 teaches a stand arrangement that is fitted into the stowage compartment of a vehicle and that includes a rod which is provided with hooks on which carrier bags can be hung by means of their looped handles, with the bottoms of the bags resting on the floor of the compartment. The rod 2 extends across the upper part of the stowage compartment. The stand prevents the bags from tipping over.

One drawback with this known stand arrangement is that it is complex, and thus expensive, and also requires a relatively large amount of space. It is also relatively difficult to install for use.

The object of the present invention is to provide a device that can be easily mounted and dismounted in the boot or stowage compartment of a vehicle and that is of simple design and thereby relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and that affords flexible use and can thus be used in many different models of vehicle, and also that is particularly well suited for preventing shopping bags that have looped handles from toppling over in a vehicle stowage compartment.

This object is achieved with an arrangement according to the accompanying Claim 1.

Further embodiments of the inventive arrangement will be evident from the accompanying dependent Claims.

The invention is based on the use of a generally U-shaped elastome ic body that can be fitted onto the coaming that surrounds at least parts of the opening of said compartment, which opening can be closed with a hatch cover or boot lid. Because the body is elastomeric and is comprised, e.g., of sponge rubber and has two mutually parallel legs which lie relatively close together in a relaxed state, while the bottom part of the recess defined by the legs is relatively wide, the elastomeric body can be fitted properly to coamings of different widths, wherewith the legs provide a firm clamping function and thereby hold said body firmly to the coaming in a chosen position. The body is also chosen for strong compression between the hatch door or lid of the baggage compartment when the hatch or lid is closed and latched. The body will then be secured to the coaming as a result of this compression and as a result of the friction of the material of said body against the coaming, coupled with the U-shape of said coaming. An elongate, flexible element, preferably a belt, strap, or similar lashing for instance, can be caused to stretch through the looped handles of the carrier bags. One end of the strap can be securely connected to the elastomeric body and the other end inserted through a slit in said body, so as to be anchored by friction therein when the body is compressed as the hatch or lid is closed. Because the size of the strap loop can be adjusted, the looped handle of the carrier bags can readily be secured at a predetermined level.

Other embodiments are possible. For instance, each such strap or lashing may be provided with two elastomeric bodies. One body may then be firmly connected to one end of the strap and fastened to one side of the stowage compartment opening and the strap then passed through the looped handles of a number of carrier bags and thereafter secured to the coaming on the other side of said opening by means of a separate elastomeric body that includes a strap connecting slit.

Several other variants are feasible, as will be apparent from the dependent Claims and from the following examples. The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to exemplifying embodiments thereof and also with reference to the accompanying drawings .

Fig. 1 is a schematic illustration of two devices constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 illustrates schematically and in perspective a body that includes a strap and a strap attachment for a device according to the invention.

Fig. 3 is an end view of the body shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the body shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 illustrates another embodiment of the device.

Fig. 6 illustrates schematically a further embodiment of the device.

Fig. 7 shows yet another embodiment of the device, which includes two bodies and a strap.

Fig. 8 illustrates an example of how the embodiment according to Fig. 7 is used.

Fig. 1 illustrates schematically a car having a baggage stowage compartment 2 whose opening 3 is surrounded by a coaming, which carries a sealing strip. The car also includes a hatch cover that can be dropped down to seal against the coaming 4 and its sealing strip, at least around part of the edge of said opening. Several shopping bags 6 that each have a looped handle 16 are shown placed on the compartment floor. A flexible strap 17 extends through the loop 16 and the ends 18, 19 of the strap are connected to a body 20, which is secured to the coaming 4.

With reference to Figs. 2, 3 and 4, it will be seen that the body 20 has two legs 21 that define therebetween an undercut channel 22 whose bottom part is wider than the opening adjacent the ends of the legs 21.

It will also be seen that the body 2 includes above the through-penetrating recess 22 a pair of slits that receive the ends 18, 19 of the straps. The slits are designed to receive the ends 18, 19 in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the channel or recess 22 and perpendicular to a symmetry plane through said channel.

As shown in Fig. 4, the body 20 can be fitted to the coaming 4, the thickness of which is greater than the smallest distance between the legs 21, the legs 21 thus gripping resiliently against the side surfaces of the coaming 4 and holding the body 20 firmly thereon. The strap 17 can now be threaded through one or more pairs of looped handles 16 on a carrier bag 6 or a group of carrier bags 6. The ends 18, 19 of the strap 17 are connected to a body 20 on the coaming 4 in a position above the bag or group of bags 6, it being ensured that the strap loop 17 is made as small as possible so as to hold the bag/bags 6 in place, for instance upright. The hatch 5 is then closed, resulting in elastic compression of the body 20 between the hatch cover 5 and the coaming 4.

The body 20 is thereby frictionally anchored in the nip _between the hatch cover 5 and the coaming 4. The ends 18, 19 of the strap are also frictionally anchored in respective slits 27 as a result of the clamping force exerted by the body 20 and the coefficient friction of the material from which the body is made. The body 20 may be comprised of sponge rubber, cellular rubber or a similar material.

As an alternative to the embodiment according to Figs. 3-5, the end 18 of said strap may be firmly joined to the body 20, for instance glued or welded thereto. Fig. 5 illustrates another embodiment in which one end of the strap 17 may be securely connected to the body while the other end 18 of said strap is anchored by placing said end between the coaming and the channel in the body 20.

Fig. 6 shows a variant in which both end parts of the strap 17 are clamped firmly between the coaming 4 and the walls of said channel.

Fig. 7 shows a variant in which one end part 18 of the strap 17 is securely joined to a body 20 and the other end of the other strap coacts with a body 20 that has a slit 27 corresponding to one of the slits according to Fig. 2. The device illustrated in Fig. 7 can be used in the way illustrated in Fig. 8, wherewith one body 20 is fitted to the coaming 4 on one side of the opening 3 and the strap attached to this body is threaded through the looped handles 16 of the row of carrier bags 6, whereafter the strap is connected to the coaming on the opposite side of the opening 3 by means of the second body 20. After making any necessary adjustments to the attachment of one end of the strap in its associated body 20, the device is secured in accordance with Fig. 8, by closing and latching the hatch cover 5, thereby securely anchoring the ends of the strap 17.

The term loop as used in this document is intended to include any transit, lead-through or hole in the load unit concerned.

Although the slits 27 are shown to be open laterally on one side in Fig. 2, it will be understood that the slits may alternatively be closed laterally.

Claims

1. A device for securing one or more load units (6) that include a loop (16), for instance carrier bags, in the stowage space (2) or boot of a vehicle, such as a car, said stowage space having an opening ( 3 ) , coaming ( 4 ) that extends around at least part of the perimeter of the opening (3), and a hatch cover or lid (5) that is in very close proximity with the coaming when closed, characterised by at least one springy elastic body (20) that has two legs (21) that define therebetween a through-penetrating recess (22), wherein said body is intended to be fitted to the coaming by receiving said coaming in said recess; and is further characterised by an elongate flexible load-securing element which is intended to be threaded through the loop or eye (16) on said load unit, wherein at least one end part (19) of the load-securing element is connected to the body (20) or can be removably anchored thereto by being clamped in or against the body as the hatch cover or lid (5) is closed.

2. A device according to Claim 1 , characterised in that one end part of the elongate element (17) is firmly connected to a body (20) and the other end part of said element is removably connectable to said body or to a further body.

3. A device according to Claim 1, characterised in that the two end parts (18, 19) of the flexible element (17) are firmly secured to one and the same body (20).

4. A device according to Claim 1, characterised in that each of the end parts (18, 19) of the elongate element are firmly connected to a respective body (20).

5. _A device according to Claim 1 or 2 , characterised in that the body (20) includes a slit (27) in which one end part of the elongate flexible element (17) can be placed and firmly clamped.

6. A device according to Claim 1, characterised in that the body has at least one slit in which both end parts of the elongate element can be removably received for firm clamping of said end parts in said slit.

7. A device according to Claim 1, characterised in that the device includes at least one body and one separate flexible elongate element (17), wherein one or both end parts of said elongate element (17) is/are placed between the coaming (4) and the walls of the recess in said body, so that said end part or parts will be clamped firmly between said walls when the hatch cover or lid (5) is closed.

8. A device according to Claim 7, characterised in that the flexible elongate strap (17) is extended transversely to the longitudinal direction of the recess.

9. A device according to Claim 2 , characterised in that the other end part of the elongate flexible element (17) is intended to be inserted in a slit in said body.

10. A device according to any one of Claims 1-9, characterised in that the body is comprised of a rubber foam material.