GB2296900A - Vehicle load anchoring system - Google Patents

Abstract

A rail 10 is attached vertically to a cant rail 14, a mid-height rail 15 and a seat-belt anchoring point 16 at the base of a vehicle. An anchoring point 12 can be slid along the rail whilst being loosely attached to the rail to the required position. A bolt 19 can be tightened to clamp a plate 20 against the opposite internal surface of flanges 22 to clamp the anchoring point 12 firmly in position. A strap 24 is then attached at one end to the eye bolt 19 by means of a clip ring 25 and the other end of the strap is then connected to the load and the strap is then tightened to exert a pull on the load. The load may be a motorcycle.

Description

ANCHORING SYSTEM This invention relates to an anchoring system, and a method of anchoring.

Previous anchoring systems employ a series of rails with fixed anchoring points enabling a load to be secured by means of straps attached to the fixed anchoring points.

Problems arise with previous systems as it is not possible to adjust the position of the anchoring points.

Furthermore the points are limited in number.

It is an aim of the present invention to attempt to overcome at least some of the above described disadvantages.

According to one aspect of the present invention, an anchoring system includes a guide and an anchor, the anchor being slidable along the guide between a number of different relative positions, the anchor including attachment means arranged, in use, to extend from the anchor to an article that the attachment means is connected to to assist in retaining that article in position.

The anchor may be removable from the guide, for instance by being slid out of an end of the guide.

The anchor may be movable between a first configuration in which the anchor can slide along the guide and a second configuration in which the anchor is retained in position relative to the guide, for instance by being clamped to the guide.

The guide may comprise a rail that may be attached to a vehicle. The guide may be attached to a seat belt anchorage point of a vehicle.

A plurality of guides may be provided. Guides may be provided on either side of a region that an article is arranged to be located in.

The guide may extend upwardly, for instance vertically.

The attachment means may be detachably connected to the anchor.

According to a further aspect of the present invention a method of anchoring an article comprises sliding an anchor remote from the article along a guide to the required position and connecting the article to the anchor.

The method may comprise first sliding the anchor and then connecting the article to the anchor.

The method may comprise fixing the anchor in position after the anchor has been slid, for instance by clamping the anchor to the guide.

The method may comprise adding an additional anchor to the guide.

The present invention also includes a method of anchoring an article using an anchoring system as herein referred to.

The present invention includes any combination of the herein referred to features or limitations.

The invention may be carried into practice in various ways but one embodiment will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which : Figure 1 is a rear view of the anchoring system installed in a van; Figure 2 is a perspective view showing a fitted rail with an anchoring point in position; Figure 3 is a perspective view showing a section of the rail with an anchoring point and strap; and Figure 4 is a perspective view showing a rear cutaway section of the rail showing the fixed-nut slide-plate.

In Figure 1, the rails 10 are attached vertically to the internal wall of a van 11. Anchoring points 12 are arranged at different heights on the rails 10 so that the load 13 can be safely secured in the required position.

Straps 14 are attached at one end to the anchoring points 12 and at the other end to the load 13.

In Figure 2 a rail 10 is attached vertically to the cant rail 14 at the top, a mid-height rail 15 and to the seat-belt anchoring point 16 at the base. The rail is attached to rails 14 and 15 by brackets 17 and 18 bolted to the rails 14 and 15.

The anchoring point 12 shown attached to the section of rail 10 in Figure 3 comprises a large eye bolt 19 and a fixed-nut slide-plate 20. The large eye bolt 19 is screwed into the fixed-nut slide-plate 20. A plate 21 that is constrained to rotate with the bolt 19 clamps against the outer surface of two flanges 22 of the rail, as the bolt is tightened, with the plate 20 being brought to bear against the opposite internal surface of the flanges 22 to clamp the anchoring point 12 firmly in position.

The flanges 22 define, between them, an elongate slot 23. With the eye bolt 19 loosely attached to the slideplate 20 the anchoring point 12 can be slid along the rail whilst being loosely attached to the rail. Furthermore, a space is provided at the top of the rail that is sufficient for the slide plate to be located behind the flanges 22 or for that plate to be removed from the rail.

Accordingly more attachment points 12 can be provided, as desired, or such points can be removed.

A strap 24 is attached at one end to the eye bolt 19 by means of a clip ring 25. The other end of the strap is connected to the load, with the strap then being tightened in the conventional way to exert a pull on the load.

Claims (20)

1. An anchoring system including a guide and an anchor, the anchor being slidable along the guide between a number of different relative positions, the anchor including attachment means arranged, in use, to extend from the anchor to an article that the attachment means is connected to to assist in retaining that article in position.

2. A system as claimed in Claim 1 in which the anchor is removable from the guide.

3. A system as claimed in Claim 2 in which the anchor is removable from the guide by being able to be slid out of an end of the guide.

4. A system as claimed in any preceding claim in which the anchor is movable between a first configuration in which the anchor can slide along the guide and a second configuration in which the anchor is retained in position relative to the guide.

5. A system as claimed in Claim 4 in which the anchor is retained in position relative to the guide by being clamped to the guide.

6. A system as claimed in any preceding claim in which the guide comprises a rail.

7. A system as claimed in Claim 6 in which the rail is arranged to be attached to a seat belt anchorage point of a vehicle.

8. A system as claimed in any preceding claim in which a plurality of guides are provided.

9. A system as claimed in Claim 8 in which guides are arranged to be provided on either side of a region that an article is arranged to be located in.

10. A system as claimed in any preceding claim in which the guide extends upwardly.

11. A system as claimed in Claim 10 in which the guide extends vertically.

12. A system as claimed in any preceding claim in which the attachment means are detachably connected to the anchor.

13. An anchoring system substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in any of the accompanying drawings.

14. A method of anchoring an article comprising sliding an anchor remote from the article along a guide to the required position and connecting the article to the anchor.

15. A method as claimed in Claim 14 comprising first sliding the anchor and then connecting the article to the anchor.

16. A method as claimed in Claim 15 or 16 comprising fixing the anchor in position after the anchor has been slid.

17. A method as claimed in Claim 17 comprising fixing the anchor in position by clamping the anchor to the guide.

18. A method as claimed in any of Claims 15 to 18 comprising adding an additional anchor to the guide.

19. A method of anchoring an article substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in any of the accompanying drawings.

20. A method of anchoring an article with an anchoring system as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 13.