GB2168896A

GB2168896A - Straps

Info

Publication number: GB2168896A
Application number: GB08530742A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Tore Eklund
Original assignee: EK TORE AB
Current assignee: EK TORE AB
Priority date: 1984-12-21
Filing date: 1985-12-13
Publication date: 1986-07-02
Also published as: DK575585D0; SE450560B; SE8406584L; SE8406584D0; DK575585A; GB8530742D0

Abstract

The invention concerns a securing strap, for example for securing items to vehicle top carriers, incorporating at least one reinforcing cord extending in the longitudinal direction of the strap, the cord or cords being of a generally zigzag or wave form, whereby the cord or cords, on stretching the strap to its breaking strain, remain minimally tensed. The presence of the cord(s), which may be of steel, makes it difficult for a thief to cut the strap without special tools.

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to securing straps This invention relates to securing straps, and more particularly, to a theft-deterring strap for strapping items to different types of carriers and the like.

The securing strap, according to the present invention, was developed for use in conjunction with the vehicle top carriers for the theft-deterring securement of differing types of loads, such as skis, sailboards, suitcases and the like, to such carriers.

It will be understood, however, from the following description that the theft-preventing strap according to this invention, can be useful in many areas.

Strapping items to vehicle top carriers has always provided difficulties. Thus, there are many types of straps, elastic or otherwise - even rigid ones - to be used when strapping loads of different kinds. Such straps have the drawback that they are easy to release, and even if they were difficult to release, they are usually easy to cut with a knife or a pair of scissors.

In order to provide a theft-deterrent for certain types of loads, in particular for skis and sailboards, there is special equipment available, usually clamp yokes, which in one way or the other can be securely locked to the top carrier. Since these designs are only suitable for certain types of loads, they are manufactured in small volumes and are, furthermore, rather complicated in use having securing means, flanges, support shoulders and the like. They, therefore, turn out to be relatively expensive, and at the same time their use is limited.

For all purposes, the preferred form of strap would be a common conventional strap made of synthetic material. However, they do have the drawback, as mentioned above, that they can easily be cut off and the load removed. The advantage is that such straps have a relatively broad engaging surface with the item that is to be strapped, so that the item does not become demaged by the strap, the strap showing, at the same time, at least some flexibility, that allows it to be wound about or over items of differing shapes, additionally retaining a certain pre-stressing, so that the strapped item is constrained even if it were to move a little, which is, of course, common place for items strapped on vehicle top carriers.

In order to make such a conventional strap nearly impossible to cut off at least with such common tools as a knife or a pair of scissors, steel wires or the like could be laid into the warp of the strap. Such attempts have also been made without success. The result is that when stretching the strap, that is, when the strap is being given the earlier mentioned pre-stressing, the metal wires are the portions which in the first place are stretched since they have less extensibility than the woven strap. On strapping the load, the metal wires will therefore both rub apart the weft yarn of the strap against the strapped load, and will also cut into the load. Such straps are of use in practice.

The purpose of the present invention is to eliminate, or at least mitigate, the above problems.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a securing strap incorporating at least one reinforcing cord extending in the longitudinal direction of the strap, and in that the cord or cords are of a generally zigzag or wave form, whereby the cord or cords, on stretching the strap to its breaking strain, remain minimally tensed.

Desirably the, or at least one, reinforcing cord may be formed of steel and according to another aspect of this invention there is provided a securing strap of synthetic material incorporating at least one steel cord extending in the longitudinal direction of the strap, and in that the cord or cords are of a generally zigzag or wave form, whereby the cord or cords, on stretching the strap to its breaking strain, remain minimally tensed.

In one embodiment the strap may include warp and weft yarn of synthetic material. As substitute for one or some of the warp threads or between the warp threads there may be one or several inlaid steel cords.

In another embodiment the strap may be a "tube" strap where the strap when viewed in section has one or several tunnels. In these tunnels the steel cords extend. The tunnels of the strap are woven together.

It will be appreciated, however, that in order for the steel cord not to be part of the pre-stressing of the strap, but for the woven strap to adopt this pre-stressing as well as any other load, which is the case when strapping items, the steel cord(s), in the two mentioned embodiments of strap, has a zigzag or wave form. The zigzag or wave form is such that when the strap is being stretched, the pre-stressing takes place in the strap itself with only the cord becoming stretched but with the cord waves becoming less pronounced. The strap is preferably designed in such a way that not until the strap has reached its breaking strain, does part of the stress begin to transfer to the cord or the cords.

One realizes that also other forms of straps may be considered to fall within the invention and in order that the invention may be more readily understood various alternative embodiments will now be referred to by way of example only. The strap can be in the form of an extruded plastics material tape, where the cord or the cords are introduced into tunnels of the strap.

To choose a steel cord as a theft-deterring means has the advantage that it is rather difficult to cut without special tools. It is flexible and will thus follow the configurations of the strap without being damaged. Due to its flexibility it is also easily applicable in a strap.

Depending on the breadth of the strap and the security requirements against theft, the strap may include more than one zigzag or wave-formed steel cord.

In its practical structure the above strap is provided, at one of its ends, with a loop, which preferably is designed as an extension of the actual strap to which a cord is securely locked, for instance by a welded locking part or similar. The other end of the strap preferably has a reinforced edge which prevents the strap from being unravelled and which makes it easier to position the strap.

When a strap according to the invention is being used on a vehicle top carrier, the loop is threaded over a solid part of the top carrier, preferably the bar that extends between two opposite top carrier feet. On this bar, or equivalent, the tightening device is placed, on to which the strap is wound for stretching, and which is directly or indirectly lockable. Due to the flexibility of the cord or the cords, there is no problem in winding and unwinding the strap from the roll that is present in such tightening devices. The strap is thus laid around or over the load which is placed on to the top carrier. The free end of the strap is threaded into the tightening device, the strap being stretched to a desired prestressing, after which the tightening device is locked. As need arises, depending mostly on the size of the load, several equivalent straps and tightening devices are applied. Since modern top carriers are securely locked to the vehicle, the load according to the invention will also be securely locked to the vehicle.

From the above, one realizes that the securing strap according to the invention is an essential piece of progress as far as load securing to vehicle top carriers is concerned. This is in particular due to its universal nature, since the strap will fit all types of loads, such as canoes, sailboards, skis, boxes and, strictly speaking, any load. Besides making the straps theft-deterring, the cords also have the function that in case of an accident or a powerful deceleration from high speed, they strengthen the straps, so that they do not burst is such a situation. Even if the straps incidentally become ruined, the load can be expected to remain in its place.

Claims

1. A securing strap incorporating at least one reinforcing cord extending in the longitudinal direction of the strap, and in that the cord or cords are of a generally zigzag or wave form, whereby the cord or cords, on stretching the strap to its breaking strain, remain minimally tensed.

2. A securing strap according to claim 1, wherein the, or at least one, reinforcing cord is formed of steel.

3. A securing strap of synthetic material incorporating at least one steel cord extending in the longitudinal direction of the strap, and in that the cord or cords are of a generally zigzag or wave form, whereby the cord or cords, on stretching the strap to its breaking strain, remain minimally tensed.

4. A securing strap according to claim 1 or 2 is largely formed of a synthetic material.

5. A securing strap according to any one of the preceding claims, which is of a flattened cross section.

6. A securing strap according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the strap is of tubular form with a tunnel for each cord.

7. Any novel feature and any novel combination of features disclosed herein.