GB2454543A

GB2454543A - Cargo net

Info

Publication number: GB2454543A
Application number: GB0806140A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Andrew Alexander Davies; K W M Achala Madhar Mapitigama; Stephen Mark Trafford; Paul Kentfield
Original assignee: Amsafe Bridport Ltd
Current assignee: Amsafe Bridport Ltd
Priority date: 2007-11-08
Filing date: 2008-04-04
Publication date: 2009-05-13
Anticipated expiration: 2028-04-04
Also published as: GB2454543B; GB0806140D0

Abstract

A cargo net comprising a plurality of interconnected netting strands (4, 32, 104, 204, 304) providing a mesh and having a main panel (8, 36, 108, 208, 308) and a plurality of wing panels (10, 12, 38, 40, 110, 112, 210, 212, 310, 312) extending therefrom. A bottom edge of each wing panel is provided with a plurality of attachments (22, 44, 122, 222, 322) for attaching the net to a platform or pallet. The net is constructed from at least a first load-bearing material (24, 54, 104b, 124, 224, 324) and a second material performing the basic shape of the net differing in their relative properties. The attachments are attached to the first net material. The net strands of the first net material run between attachments on opposite wing panels and are attached to the second net material. The first net material may be of higher strength than the second net material and may have a lower elongation at break. The net have reduced weight and still meet the safety standards in strength of pallet nets.

Description

CARGO NET

The present invention relates to a cargo net, and more particularly to a cargo net for securing cargo on a platform or pallet, e.g. in the hold of an aircraft.

It is well known to secure cargo on a platform or pallet by means of a net lying over the cargo and secured to the platform or pallet. Conventionally, such nets comprise a main panel, having a plurality of wing panels extending therefrom. The net typically has a generally rectangular main panel and four generally rectangular wing panels, thus forming a generally cruciform shape.

To secure the cargo on the platform or pallet, the main panel of the net is lain on top of the cargo and the wing panels arranged to hang down against the sides of the cargo to surround the cargo. The meeting edges of adjacent wing panels are releasably secured together to form a corner by means of a so-called "lashing line" or "corner tie". The lashing line or corner tie is a cord which extends from the main panel of the net between the wing panels.

To form the corner between adjacent wing panels, the lashing line or corner tie is threaded to and fro between the wing panels at the meeting edges in a downwards direction away from the main panel, to lace the meeting edges together, before being tied off with a knot, or secured by a hook, near the platform or pallet.

An alternative to the conventional "lashing line" is disclosed in EP 1365940. Instead of using cords to lace together the meeting edges, the net is provided with a plurality of corner securement devices spaced apart along one of the meeting edges at each net corner. Each securement device comprises a loop of material extending from the meeting edge, the arrangement being such that a first securement device can be engaged with a portion of net mesh on the adjacent meeting edge and can then receive a second securement device which passes therethrough and engages a further portion of net mesh on the adjacent meeting edge, thereby holding the meeting edges mutually together at the net corner. Each subsequent securement device passes through the loop of the preceding securement device and engages with a portion of the net mesh on the adjacent meeting edge. The final securement device is then secured to the pallet or back to the net by means of a double stud fitting, hook or other device.

The bottom edges of the wing panels are provided with securement devices, e.g. floor fittings, which are adapted to engage with complementary devices of the platform or pallet, whereby the net is secured to the platform or pallet.

A wide variety of pallet nets are in use today. One of the most common nets in use at present is the NAS 3610 configuration 2A1 N/2M2N 118" (approximately 3m) high pallet net.

Depending on the material the nets are constructed from they typically weigh in the region of 15-21 kg. Amongst other factors, transportation costs are dictated by the total weight of goods transported, which includes the weight of any pallets and pallet nets. It would therefore be desirable to make pallet nets as light as possible. However, this desire to reduce the weight of the net must be balanced against a corresponding reduction in the strength of the net. It is the object of the present invention to provide a pallet net which is lighter than currently available nets, but still meets the safety standards set down by the various International Standards and aviation authorities.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cargo net comprising a plurality of interconnected netting strands providing a mesh and having a main panel and a plurality of wing panels extending therefrom, the main panel being adapted to overlie the cargo in use and the wing panels being adapted to hang down against sides of the cargo to surround the cargo, a bottom edge of each wing panel being provided with a plurality of attachment means for attaching the net to a platform or pallet, wherein the net is constructed from at least two materials differing in their relative properties and the attachment means are attached to a first one of the net materials.

In a net constructed according to the present invention the different net materials enable the properties of the net to be varied as required. In an embodiment of the invention the net is constructed from at least two materials differing in their relative strengths and the attachment means are attached to the stronger net material. The stronger material is provided where it is required and other material, which will usually be lighter, forms the remainder of the net. It has been found that the locations where the net is attached to the attachment means are loaded more intensely than other parts of the net and it is therefore beneficial to provide a net in which the higher strength material is provided in the locations where the attachment means are attached to the net.

In an embodiment of the invention the net is constructed from at least two materials differing in their relative elongation at break and the attachment means are attached to the lower elongation net material. The lower elongation material may be of the same or higher strength as the other net material.

In an embodiment of the invention the first net material in each wing panel is arranged perpendicular to the bottom edge of the wing panel. This configuration has been found to offer advantages over known constructions, e.g. where a stronger material is arranged parallel to the bottom edge of the wing panel, commonly known as a border cord. It is believed that when a higher strength material is parallel to the bottom edge, i.e. a net with a marginal row of higher strength net mesh, that the majority of the load is simply transferred to the next row of lower strength net mesh. When a higher strength material is perpendicular to the bottom edge the load is taken up by the higher strength material, rather than passing it on to the lower strength material. In a net according to the present invention it is preferred that the first net material is only arranged perpendicular to the bottom edge in each wing panel, and not parallel to it.

In addition, the bottom edge of the net, which is at floor level, i.e. the level of the pallet, is generally considered to be one of the areas of highest vulnerability in the net. Since the first net material is believed to be primarily responsible for the structural integrity of the net it is advantageous to limit its exposure to the bottom edge. This is achieved by virtue of the fact that the first material is attached to the attachment means at the bottom edge and runs away from the bottom edge, rather than parallel to it.

In an embodiment of the invention at least some of the attachment means are directly connected to a corresponding attachment means on an opposite wing panel by the first net material. As discussed above, this means that the load is taken up by the first net material and is not simply transferred to the other material. The term "directly connected", as used herein, requires that the first material extends between the two attachment means along the shortest possible path, i.e. across the main panel, rather than around the perimeter of the wing panels.

In an embodiment of the invention each attachment means is directly connected to a corresponding attachment means on the opposing wing panel by the first net material. The first net material takes the shortest, most direct path between the attachment means, i.e. straight across the main panel.

In an embodiment of the invention the main panel and the wing panels are constructed predominantly from a second net material and net strands of the first net material run between attachment means on opposite wing panels and are attached to the second net material. In this case the second net material forms the basic shape of the net and ensures that none of the items of the load are able to fall out, and the first net material performs a structural role by taking up the majority of the load. In an embodiment of the invention the main panel and the wing panels are constructed entirely from the second net material, with the first net material being attached thereto.

The first net material may be of a higher strength than the second net material or it may have a lower elongation at break. Alternatively, the first and second net materials may have any different properties as required for the net to function.

In an embodiment of the invention the net strands of the first net material are provided with reefing members. A reefing member may be a hook, or other suitable member as is known in the art, which can be used to "reef" the net to take up any slack. In conventional cargo nets the reefing member is a hook which is engaged with a portion of the net mesh to take up the slack in the net.

In an embodiment of the invention each net strand of the first net material is provided with at least one engagement member which is capable of receiving a reefing member. In an embodiment of the invention each net strand is provided with a plurality of spaced apart engagement members. In an embodiment of the invention the engagement members comprise loops of the first net material.

In an embodiment of the invention the intersections between the different net materials are knotted. Other attachment means as are well know in the art, such as knotless intersections, may also be used.

In an embodiment of the invention each panel of the net comprises a plurality of rows of net mesh of a first material and a plurality of rows of net mesh of a second material, the arrangement being such that the attachment means are attached to the rows of net mesh of the first material. In an embodiment of the invention the rows of net mesh in each wing panel extend in a direction perpendicular to the bottom edge of the wing panels.

In an embodiment of the invention the net comprises alternating rows of the net mesh made from the first and second net mesh material.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of forming a cargo net comprising: i) constructing a cruciform shaped net comprising a main body and four wing panels; ii) attaching further net members of a different net material to the cruciform structure, wherein the further net members have different properties to the net material forming the main body and wing panels and the further net members run from the bottom edge of one wing panel to the bottom edge of an opposite wing panel; iii) attaching attachment means to each end of the further attachment members.

In an embodiment of the invention each of the main body and four wing panels are formed separately and are then joined together to form a cruciform shape.

In an embodiment of the invention the further net members are stronger than the net material forming the main body and wing panels.

In an embodiment of the invention the further net members have a lower elongation at break than the net material forming the main body and wing panels.

The invention will now be described in greater detail, purely by way of example and without limitation, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1A is a plan view of a first embodiment of a cargo net; Fig. 1 B is a close up view of a reefing hook of the net of Fig. 1A; Fig. 1 C is a close up view of a reefing loop of the net of Fig. 1 A; Fig. 2A is a plan view of a second embodiment of a cargo net; Fig. 2B is a close up view of a wing panel of the net of Fig. 2A; Fig. 3 is a plan view of a third embodiment of a cargo net; Fig. 4 shows a plan view of a fourth embodiment of a cargo net; Fig. 5 shows a plan view of a fifth embodiment of a cargo net; and Fig. 6 shows a plan view of a sixth embodiment of a cargo net.

Referring now to Fig. 1 A, thts shows a plan view of a first embodiment of a cargo net 2 according to the present invention. The net 2 comprises a plurality of interconnected netting strands 4 of a first net material providing a diamond mesh 6. The net 2 is constructed in a generally cruciform shape, with a rectangular main body 8 and four rectangular wing panels 10, 12 extending therefrom. The wing panels 10, 12 can be divided into two pairs with the wing panels 10 which extend from the short sides (short side wing panels) of the main body 8 being the same size and shape, and the wing panels 12 which extend from the long sides (long side wing panels) of the main body 8 also being the same size and shape.

The bottom edges 20 of the wing panels 10, 12 are provided with floor securement devices 22 which are adapted to engage with complimentary devices of a platform or pallet, whereby the net 2 is secured to the platform or pallet. The floor securement devices 22 are in the form of double stud fittings, but other suitable attachment means may also be utilised as will be appreciated by the skilled person.

In use of the net 2 the main body 8 is laid on top of a load which has been built up on a pallet. The main body 8 is approximately the same size and shape as the pallet with which it is intended to be used, such that the main body 8 covers the load and the wing panels 10, 12 hang down the sides. Adjacent wing panels 10, 12 have edges 14, 16 which come together to define a net corner when the net 2 is laid on top of a load. Lashing lines 18 extend from the corners of the main body 8, between the wing panels 10, 12, and are used to lace the wing panels 10, 12 together as is well known in the art. In an alternative embodiment, the edges 14, 16 may be provided with a plurality of corner securement devices as disclosed in EP 1365940.

The net strands 4 which form the diamond mesh 6 of the main body 8 and the wing panels 10, 12 are constructed from the same material. The net strands 4 help to define the shape of the net 2, but are considered to be "non-load-bearing" elements. The term "non-load-bearing", as used herein, does not mean that the net strands 4 do not play any part in the overall strength of the net 2, but that this is not their primary function. The primary function of the net strands 4 is to define the shape of the net 2 and to prevent items from falling out of the load during transportation.

In addition to the net strands 4 the net 2 is also provided with a plurality of "load-bearing" net members 24, which extend from the bottom edge 20 of each wing panel 10, 12, across the main panel 8, to the bottom edge of the opposite wing panel 10, 12. The term "load-bearing", as used herein, does not mean that these net members 24 are the only members responsible for the strength of the net 2, but that this is their primary function. As will be discussed in more detail below, the load-bearing net members 24 are believed to take the majority of the load during transportation of a load.

The load-bearing net members 24 are formed from a material which is stronger than the first net material used to form the non-load-bearing net strands 4. The load-bearing members 24 are formed from 2OkN polyester braid and the non-load-bearing net strands 4 are formed from 6kN polyester braid. The net strands 4 and the net members 24 may be formed from braid or webbing and they may be made from natural or synthetic materials. Suitable materials include strands of twisted, braided, woven or plaited polypropylene, polyester or nylon. Other suitable materials include ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (such as Dyneema� or Spectra�) and aramid fibres (such as Kevlar�). The total weight of the net 2, including the floor securement devices 22, is approximately 12kg. This is a substantial reduction of weight in comparison to prior art nets and represents a significant reduction when the total number of pallet nets is taken into account over a period of time.

As can be seen in Fig. 1A, there are nine load bearing net members 24 in the net 2. Four load-bearing net members 24 run across the main body 8 from the bottom edge 20 of one short side wing panel 10 to the bottom edge 20 of the opposite short side wing panel 10. The remaining five load-bearing net members 24 run across the main body 8 from the bottom edge 20 of one long side wing panel 12 to the bottom edge 20 of the opposite long side wing panel 12. The load bearing net members 24 are attached to the non-load-bearing net strands 4 at their intersections 5 by means of knots (not shown) which are spaced along the length of the net members 24 and are spaced apart by a distance equivalent to the diagonal dimension of the diamond mesh 6.

The load-bearing net members 24 are attached directly to the floor securement devices 22 at each end. The load-bearing net members 24 pass through an opening in the floor securement devices and are doubled back on themselves and stitched using a conventional stitching pattern. In total the net 2 is provided with 18 floor securement devices 22 in the form of double stud fittings which may be attached to a corresponding seat track on the pallet. It will be clear to the person skilled in the art that the number of load-bearing net members 24 will depend on the size of the pallet and therefore the size of the net 2. The key feature of the net 2 according to the present invention is that each of the floor securement devices 22 in the net is attached to a load-bearing net member 24. This ensures that the majority of the load which is experienced by the net 2 is taken up by the load-bearing net members 24. It is believed that the non-load-bearing net strands 4 will experience some loading during use, but it is believed that this will only be a small portion of the total load.

Conventional nets are generally provided with a plurality of reefing hooks attached to a portion of the net mesh of each wing panel. When the net is used to transport a load of less than maximum height the reefing hooks are used to "reef' in any excess material. This is achieved by engaging the reefing hooks with a portion of the net mesh above the position of the reefing hook to make the wing panel taut. The concept of reefing hooks is well known.

In the net 2 of Fig. 1A the net strands 4 are non-load-bearing and not particularly suitable for carrying reefing hooks. In view of this each load-bearing net member 24 is provided with a reefing hook 25 and a plurality of reefing loops 27. As can be seen in more detail in Figs. 1 B and 1 C, the reefing hooks 25 are attached to the load-bearing net member 24 by means of an attachment member 24a in the form of a length of the stronger net material. The attachment member 24a passes through an opening in the reefing hook 25 and is doubled back on itself and stitched to the load-bearing net member 24 using a conventional double box and cross stitching pattern 29.

The reefing loops 27 are spaced apart along the length of the load-bearing net members 24 in the region of the wing panels 10, 12 and provide a convenient location for engagement of the reefing hooks 25, as will be discussed in more detail below. The reefing loops 27 are spaced apart by a distance equivalent to the diagonal dimension of the diamond mesh 6.

This ensures that the net 2 has the same reefing options as a conventional net. The reefing loops 27 consist of a length of the stronger net material which is doubled back on itself to form a loop of material and is then stitched to the load-bearing net member 24 using a conventional double box and cross stitching pattern 29.

The operation of the reefing hooks 25 and reefing loops 27 is very similar to the operation of a conventional reefirig hook on a standard cargo net. The net 2 is placed over the load as normal and the floor securement devices 22 are attached to the pallet. The lashing lines 18 are then used to secure the adjacent wing panels 10, 12. If there is any slack in the wing panels 10, 12 this can be taken up by the reefing hooks 25. A first reefing hook 25 is engaged with a corresponding reefing loop 27 on the same load-bearing net member 24.

The reefing loops 27 will typically be located above the reefing hooks 25 and the reefing hook 25 is extended upwards and engaged with the highest possible reefing loop 27, such that the wing panel 10, 12 is held taut in the region of the first reefing hook 25. This process is then repeated with each of the subsequent reefing hooks 25 and reefing loops 27 until all of the slack in the wing panels 10, 12 has been taken up and the net 2 is taut.

The main body 8 and the wing panels 10, 12 of the net 2 are formed separately and are then connected together by means of knots or other suitable means. By constructing each off the panels 8, 10, 12 separately it facilitates easier and quicker repair of the net 2 when it is in service. If the net mesh in any one of the panels 8, 10, 12 gets damaged then itis a simple matter to remove and replace that panel, rather than taking the whole net 2 out of service for repair. It is also possible to construct the net 2 as a single integral unit, as is known in the art. Once the basic cruciform shape of the net 2 has been created the load-bearing net members 24 are attached to the net by means of a suitable knot and the floor securement devices 22 are attached to each end of the load-bearing net members 24. This can be achieved by a splice back of the braid, as is well know in the art.

A net 2 according to the first embodiment of the invention offers a number of advantages over currently known prior art nets. As discussed above, the main body 8 and wing panels 10, 12 are constructed separately and can therefore be removed and replaced if necessary.

Similarly, if one of the load-bearing net members 24 is damaged during use then it can simply be removed and replaced. The load-bearing net members 24 are not integrated with each other and this means that they can be replaced individually. It also means that if one of the load-bearing members 24 does break it does not automatically transmit the load onto one of the other load-bearing net members. In existing nets if one net member breaks then the net tends to "explode". This means that the load which caused the net member to break is transmitted onto adjacent net members, resulting in multiple breakages. It is believed that the structure of the nets according to the present invention avoids this happening.

In prior art pallet nets the floor securement devices are usually provided in-board from the edges of sides of the wing panels. However, in the net 2 the floor securement devices 22 are attached directly to load-bearing net members 24, and this means that the outermost floor securement devices 22 are provided on the edges 14, 16 of the wing panels 10, 12. Due to the construction of the standard pallets, which will be used with the net, the edges 14, 16 will not meet at the net corner, but there will be a gap between them. This means that longer than normal lashing lines 18 will be required to secure the meeting edges 14, 16. Similarly, in the case where the net 2 is provided with attachment means according to EP 1365940 the loops of material will need to be longer than for standard pallet nets. Broken line 31 illustrates the footprint of a standard pallet and it can be seen that there will be a gap between the meeting edges 14, 16.

A second embodiment of a net 2 is shown in Figs. 2A and 2B. The net 2 is constructed in substantially the same manner as the net of Fig. 1A and like parts will be numbered the same.

The present inventors have observed that in conventional nets it is common for the floor securement devices 22 to become tangled in the netting strands 4 of the first net material.

This can be time consuming for operatives to correct and can also result in damage to the net.

In order to prevent the floor securement devices 22 from becoming tangled in the netting strands 4, or at least to limit the possibility of this happening, each wing panel 10, 12 of the net 2 is provided with an anti-tangle panel 23 which runs along the bottom edge 20 of the wing panel 10, 12. Each anti-tangle panels 23 comprises a panel of flexible material, e.g. a suitable plastics material, which is attached to the netting strands 4 and each of the load-bearing net members 24 of the wing panel 10, 12. I0

The bottom row of netting strands 4 on each wing panel 10, 12 is attached to the anti-tangle panel 23 by means of a short length of material which wraps around the netting strand 4 and is secured by a simple press stud fastening 21. The anti-tangle panel 23 is provided with a plurality of sleeves 23a which are aligned with the load-bearing net members 24. Each of the load-bearing net members 24 passes through a corresponding one of the sleeves 23a.The load-bearing members 24 are provided with simple press stud fastenings 21 which engage with corresponding members on the anti-tangle panel 23 by means of a simple press stud fastening 21. The anti-tangle 23 is approximately 10cm long and serves to separate the floor securement devices from the netting strands 4 and prevent the floor securement devices from becoming tangled up in the netting strands 4.

A third embodiment of a net 30 according to the present invention is shown in Fig. 3. The net comprises a plurality of interconnected netting strands 32 providing a diamond mesh 34.

The net 30 is constructed in a generally cruciform shape, with a rectangular main body 36 and four rectangular wing panels 38, 40 extending therefrom. The wing panels 38, 40 can be divided into two pairs with the wing panels 38 which extend from the short sides (short side wing panels) of the main body 36 being the same size and shape, and the wing panels which extend from the long sides (long side wing panels) of the main body 36 also being the same size and shape.

The bottom edges 42 of the wing panels 38, 40 are provided with floor securement devices 44 which are adapted to engage with complimentary devices of a platform or pallet, whereby the net 30 is secured to the platform or pallet. The floor securement devices 44 are in the form of double stud fittings, but other suitable attachment means may also be utilised as will be appreciated by the skilled person.

In use of the net 30 the main body 36 is laid on top of a load which has been built up on a pallet. The main body 36 is approximately the same size and shape as the pallet with which it is intended to be used, such that the it covers the load and the wing panels 38, 40 hang down the sides. Adjacent wing panels 38, 40 have edges 46, 48 which come together to define a net corner when the net 30 is laid on top of a load. Lashing lines 50 extend from the corners of the main body 36, between the wing panels 38, 40 and are used to lace the wing panels 38, 40 together as is well known in the art. In an alternative embodiment, the edges 46, 48 may be provided with a plurality of corner securement devices as disclosed in EP 1365940.

As with the net shown in Figs. 1A and 2A, the cruciform shape of the net 30 is formed by a plurality of interconnected netting strands 32. However, unlike the nets of Figs. 1A and 2A, the netting strands 32 are not all formed from the same material. The net 30 comprises a plurality of "non-load-bearing" net meshes 52 and a plurality of stronger "load-bearing" net meshes 54 (which are shown in bold). The terms "non-load-bearing" and "load-bearing" have the same meaning as defined in reference to Fig. 1A. The load-bearing net meshes 54 may be a contrasting colour to the non-load-bearing net members 52 to aid reefing of the net 30, as will be described below.

The net 30 comprises 18 floor securement devices, each of which is provided at the bottom edge of a wing panel 38, 40 and is attached to a load-bearing net mesh 54. The load bearing net meshes 54 are constructed such that they run perpendicular to the bottom edges of their respective wing panels 38, 40.

The net 30 comprises alternating rows of load-bearing net meshes 54 and non-load-bearing net meshes 52, although the precise configuration will depend on the size of the net 30 and the number of floor securement devices 44. Differently sized nets may comprise one row of load-bearing net meshes 54, then multiple rows of non-load-bearing net meshes 52 and then a further row of load-bearing net meshes. The key feature of the net 30 is that each floor securement device 44 is attached to a load-bearing net mesh 54.

Due to the manner in which the net is constructed the net meshes 52, 54 on the short side wing panels 38 run continuously from one wing panel 38 to the opposite wing panel 38, across the main panel 36. The net meshes 52, 54 on the long side wing panels 40 run perpendicular to the bottom edges 42 of the wing panels, as described above, and intersect with the main panel 36. The net is formed in a generally conventional manner, with the short side wing panels 38 and the main panel 36 being formed as a integral unit. The long side wing panels 40 can then be constructed as is known in the art. An important feature of the net 30 is that the load-bearing net mesh 54 runs perpendicular to the bottom edge 42 in each wing panel 38, 40.

The load-bearing net mesh 54 is formed from 2OkN polyester braid and the non-load-bearing net mesh 52 is formed from 6kN polyester braid. The net meshes 52, 54 may be formed from braid or webbing and they may be made from natural or synthetic materials. Suitable materials include strands of twisted, braided, woven or plaited polypropylene, polyester or nylon. Other suitable materials include ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (such as Dyneema� or Spectra�) and aramid fibres (such as Kevlar�).

The net 30 of Fig. 3 may include conventional tensioning devices as is known in the art.

Such devices may comprise hooks, for example reefing hooks, secured to strands of the netting material 54. As is well known, such reefing hooks can be used to tension the net 30 and take up slack in the net 30, by hooking the reefing hooks around strands of other parts of the netting to make a tuck and thereby tension the net 30 over the cargo. In the case of the net of Fig. 3 the tensioning devices are preferably attached to the load-bearing net meshes 54 and when they are in the form of reefing hooks, for example, they are preferably engaged with a further portion of the load-bearing net meshes 54 when tensioning the net 30.

In a further embodiment the net 30 may also comprise an anti-tangle panel as described in relation to Figs. 2A and 2B.

Turning now to Fig. 4, this shows a fourth embodiment of a cargo net 102 according to the present invention. The net 102 comprises a plurality of interconnected netting strands 104 providing a diamond mesh 106. The net 102 is constructed in a generally cruciform shape, with a main body 108 and four wing panels 110, 112 extending therefrom. The wing panels 110, 112 can be divided into two pairs, with the wing panels 110 which extend from the short sides (short side wing panels) of the main body 108 being the same size and shape, and the wing panels 112 which extend from the long sides (long side wing panels) of the main body 108 also being the same size and shape. The net 102 is used in the same way as the net 2 of Fig. 1A.

The bottom edges 120 of the wing panels 110, 112 are provided with floor securement devices 122 which are adapted to engage with complimentary devices of a platform or pallet, whereby the net 102 is secured to the platform or pallet. The floor securement devices 122 are in the form of double stud fittings, but other suitable attachment means may also be utilised as will be appreciated by the skilled person.

The net 102 combines features from the nets 2, 30 of Figs. 1A and 3. The netting strands 104 are formed from a combination of a plurality of non-load-bearing net meshes 104a and a plurality of load-bearing net meshes 104b. The non-load-bearing net meshes 104a make up the majority of the netting strands 104 and the load-bearing net meshes 104b are provided in the locations where they are most required.

The load-bearing net meshes 104b are shown in bold and may be a contrasting colour to the non-load-bearing net meshes 104a and they are only provided in the wing panels 110, 112.

In the short side wing panels 110 there are four rows of load-bearing net meshes 1 04b, each row comprising five mesh elements. In the long side wing panels 112 there are five rows of load-bearing net meshes 104b, each row comprising six net mesh elements. The load bearing net meshes 104b run perpendicular to the bottom edge of the wing panels 110, 112 and are aligned with corresponding floor securement devices 122 on the wing panel 110, 112.

A length of load-bearing net material 124 extends from the bottom net mesh element 125 of each row, the one nearest the bottom edge 120 of the wing panel 110, 112, and is attached directly to a corresponding floor securement device 122 at the bottom edge 120 of the wing panel 110, 112. A further length of load-bearing net material 126 extends from the top net mesh element 127 of each row, the one furthest from the bottom edge 120 of the wing panel 110, 112, and is attached directly to the top net mesh element 127 of the corresponding row on the opposite wing panel 110, 112. The further load-bearing net material 126 is attached to the non-load-bearing net meshes 104a at a plurality of points along its length by means of a knot or other suitable attachment.

The load-bearing net meshes 104b and the load-bearing net material 124, 126 are formed from 2OkN polyester braid and the non-load-bearing net meshes 104a are formed from 6kN polyester braid. The non-load-bearing net meshes 104a, the load-bearing net meshes 104b and load-bearing net material 124, 126 may be formed from braid or webbing and they may be made from natural or synthetic materials. Suitable materials include strands of twisted, braided, woven or plaited polypropylene, polyester or nylon. Other suitable materials include ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (such as Dyneema� or Spectra�) and aramid fibres (such as Kevlar�).

A reefing hook 128 is attached to the bottom net mesh element 125 of each row of load-bearing net meshes 104b. The reefing hooks 128 are used to reef in the net to take up slack as described in relation to the net of Fig. 3. As with the net of Fig. 3, the reefing hooks 128 must be engaged with the load-bearing net mesh 1 04b, rather than the non-load-bearing net mesh 104a.

It will be appreciated that the net 102 combines elements from the nets 2, 30 shown in Figs. 1A and 3. Load-bearing net mesh 104b is provided in the wing panels 110, 112 to facilitate reefing of the net 102. However, the remainder of the net meshes 104 are non-load-bearing and the net uses less load-bearing material than the net of Fig. 3. The load-bearing material is typically heavier than the non-load-bearing material, so this will result in a lighter net. The lengths of load-bearing net material 124, 126 ensure that each floor securement device 122 is directly attached to a corresponding floor securement device 122 on the opposite wing panel 110, 112.

As a further modification, the net 102 also comprises additional panels 130 of non-load-bearing net mesh 104, which are located between adjacent wing panels 110, 112 in the area where the adjacent wing panels 110, 112 join to the main wing panel 108. The additional panels 130 form part of the corner of the net 102 when in use and this means that this part of the net 102 does not require to be secured by the lashing line 118. Lashing lines 118 extend from the short side wing panels 110, although they could equally be attached to the long side wing panels 112. The lashing lines 118 are attached to the top net mesh element 127 of the outermost rows of load-bearing net mesh 104b and are used to secure the meeting edges 114, 116 of the wing panels 110, 112 in the conventional manner. The lashing lines 118 are formed from load-bearing material.

In use of the net 102 the main body 108 is laid on top of a load which has been built up on a pallet. The main body 108 covers the load and the wing panels 110, 112 hang down the sides. Adjacent wing panels 110, 112 have edges 114, 116 which come together to define a net corner when the net 102 is laid on top of a load. The lashing lines 118 extend from the short side wing panels 110 and are used to lace the wing panels 110, 112 together as will be discussed in more detail below. In an alternative embodiment, the edges 114, 116 may be provided with a plurality of corner securement devices as disclosed in EP 1365940.

In a further embodiment the net 102 may also comprise an anti-tangle panel as described in relation to Figs. 2A and 2B.

Turning now to Fig. 5, this shows a fifth embodiment of a cargo net 202 according to the present invention. The net 202 comprises a plurality of interconnected netting strands 204 of a non-load-bearing net material providing a diamond mesh 206. The net 202 is constructed in a generally cruciform shape, with a main body 208 and four wing panels 210, 212 extending therefrom. The wing panels 210, 212 can be divided into two pairs with the wing panels 210 which extend from the short sides (short side wing panels) of the main body 208 being the same size and shape, and the wing panels 212 which extend from the long sides (long side wing panels) of the main body 208 also being the same size and shape.

The bottom edges 220 of the wing panels 210, 212 are provided with floor securement devices 222 which are adapted to engage with complimentary devices of a platform or pallet, JO whereby the net 202 is secured to the platform or pallet. The floor securement devices 222 are in the form of double stud fittings, but other suitable attachment means may also be utilised as will be appreciated by the skilled person.

In use of the net 202 the main body 208 is laid on top of a load which has been built up on a pallet. The main body 208 is approximately the same size and shape as the pallet with which it is intended to be used, such that the main body 208 covers the load and the wing panels 210, 212 hang down the sides. Adjacent wing panels 210, 212 have edges 214, 216 which come together to define a net corner when the net 202 is laid on top of a load. Lashing lines 218 extend from the wing panels 210, and are used to lace the wing panels 210, 212 together as is well known in the art. In an alternative embodiment, the edges 214, 216 may be provided with a plurality of corner securement devices as disclosed in EP 1365940.

As discussed above, the net strands 204 which form the diamond mesh 206 of the main body 208 and the wing panels 210, 212 are non-load-bearing. The net 202 is also provided with a plurality of load-bearing net members 224, which extend from the bottom edge 220 of each wino panel 210, 212, across the main panel 208, to the bottom edge of the opposite wing panel 210, 212, in the same manner as the load-bearing net members 24 of the net 2 of Fig. IA.

The load-bearing net members 224 are formed from a second net material which is stronger than the first net material used to form the non-load-bearing net strands 204. The load-bearing members 224 are formed from 2OkN polyester braid and the non-load-bearing net strands 204 are formed from 6kN polyester braid. The net strands 204 and the net members 224 may be formed from braid or webbing and they may be made from natural or synthetic materials. Suitable materials include strands of twisted, braided, woven or plaited polypropylene, polyester or nylon. Other suitable materials include ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (such as Dyneema� or Spectra�) and aramid fibres (such as Keviar�).

There are nine load bearing net members 224 in the net 202. Four load-bearing net members 224 run across the main body 208 from the bottom edge 220 of one short side wing panel 210 to the bottom edge 220 of the opposite short side wing panel 210. The remaining five load-bearing net members 224 run across the main body 208 from the bottom edge 220 of one long side wing panel 212 to the bottom edge 220 of the opposite long side wing panel 212. The load bearing net members 224 are attached to the non-load-bearing net strands 204 at their intersections 205 by means of knots (not shown) which are spaced along the length of the net members 224 by a distance equivalent to the diagonal dimension of the diamond mesh 206.

The load-bearing net members 224 are attached directly to the floor securement devices 222 at each end. In total the net 202 is provided with 18 floor securement devices 222 in the form of double stud fittings which may be attached to a corresponding seat track on the pallet. It will be clear to the person skilled in the art that the number of load-bearing net members 224 will depend on the size of the pallet and therefore the size of the net 202. The key feature of the net 202 according to the present invention is that each of the floor securement devices 222 in the net is attached to a load-bearing net member 224. This ensures that the majority of the load which is experienced by the net 202 is taken up by the load-bearing net members 224. It is believed that the non-load- bearing net strands 204 will experience some loading during use, but it is believed that this will only be a small portion of the total load.

Each of the load-bearing net members 224 has a further length of load-bearing net material 250 attached to it in the region of the wing panels 210, 212. The further load bearing net material 250 is attached to the load-bearing net members 224 by means of a plurality of conventional knots, or knotless intersections, and it is arranged such that it forms a plurality of reefing loops 252, or half meshes, along the length of the load-bearing net member in the region of the wing panel 210, 212. Five reefing loops 252 are provided on each load-bearing net member 224 in the short side wing panels 210 and six reefing loops 252 are provided on each load-bearing net member in the long side wing panels 212. These reefing loops 252 are approximately the same size as the diamond net mesh 206 and they provide engagement points for a reefing hook 254 as will be described in more detail below.

A reeling hook 254 is attached to the bottommost reefing loop 252a on each load-bearing net member 224. The reefing hooks 254 may be used to take up slack in the net 202 when it is in use, as described above in relation to the nets of Figs. 3 and 4. The reeling hooks 254 can be engaged with a corresponding reefing loop 252 which is located above it on the same wing panel 210, 212. It is preferred that the reefing hooks 254 are only engaged with designated reefing loops 252 and not with the non-load-bearing netting strands 204. The reefing loops 252 may conveniently be of a contrasting colour to the non-load-bearing netting strands 204 to aid a user in identifying them when reefing the net 202.

As with the net of Fig. 4, the net 202 also comprises additional panels 230 of non-load-bearing net mesh 204, which are located between adjacent wing panels 210, 212 in the area where the adjacent wing panels 210, 212 join to the main wing panel 208. The additional panels 230 form part of the corner of the net 202 when in use and this means that this part of the net 202 does not require to be secured by the lashing line 218. As mentioned above, the lashing lines 218 extend from the short side wing panels 210, although they could equally be attached to the long side wing panels 212. The lashing lines 218 are attached to the outermost load-bearing net member 224, in the region of the top reefing loop 252, and are used to secure the meeting edges 214, 216 of the wing panels 210, 212 in the conventional manner. The lashing lines 218 are formed from load-bearing material.

In a further embodiment the net 202 may also comprise an anti-tangle panel as described in relation to Figs. 2A and 2B.

Turning now to Fig. 6, this shows a sixth embodiment of a cargo net 302 according to the present invention. The net 302 comprises a plurality of interconnected netting strands 304 of a non-load-bearing net material providing a diamond mesh 306. The net 302 is constructed in a generally cruciform shape, with a main body 308 and four wing panels 310, 312 extending therefrom. The wing panels 310, 312 can be divided into two pairs with the wing panels 310 which extend from the short sides (short side wing panels) of the main body 308 being the same size and shape, and the wing panels 312 which extend from the long sides (long side wing panels) of the main body 308 also being the same size and shape.

The bottom edges 320 of the wing panels 310, 312 are provided with floor securement devices 322 which are adapted to engage with complimentary devices of a platform or pallet, whereby the net 302 is secured to the platform or pallet. The floor securement devices 322 are in the form of double stud fittings, but other suitable attachment means may also be utilised as will be appreciated by the skilled person.

In use of the net 302 the main body 308 is laid on top of a load which has been built up on a pallet. The main body 308 is approximately the same size and shape as the pallet with which it is intended to be used, such that the main body 308 covers the load and the wing panels 310, 312 hang down the sides. Adjacent wing panels 310, 312 have edges 314, 316 which come together to define a net corner when the net 302 is laid on top of a load. Lashing lines 318 extend from the main panel 308, between the wing panels 310, 312, and are used to lace the wing panels 310, 312 together as is well known in the art. The lashing lines 318 are formed from l2kN polyester braid, but th.ey could be made from strands of twisted, braided, woven or plaited polypropylene, polyester or nylon. Other suitable materials include ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (such as Dyneema� or Spectra�) and aramid fibres (such as Kevlar�). In an alternative embodiment, the edges 314, 316 may be provided with a plurality of corner securement devices as disclosed in EP 1365940.

As discussed above, the net strands 304 which form the diamond mesh 306 of the main body 308 and the wing panels 310, 312 are non-load-bearing. The net 302 is also provided with a plurality of load-bearing net members 324, which extend from the bottom edge 320 of each wing panel 310, 312, across the main panel 308, to the bottom edge of the opposite wing panel 310, 312, in the same manner as the load-bearing net members 24 of the net2 of Fig. 1A.

The load-bearing net members 324 are formed from a stronger net material than the net material used to form the non-load-bearing net strands 304. The load-bearing members 324 are formed from 2OkN Dyneema� braid and the non-load-bearing net strands 304 are formed from 6kN polyester braid. The net strands 304 and the net members 324 may be formed from braid or webbing and they may be made from natural or synthetic materials.

Suitable materials include strands of twisted, braided, woven or plaited polypropylene, polyester or nylon. Other suitable materials include ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (such as Dyneema� or Spectra�) and aramid fibres (such as Kevlar�).

There are nine load bearing net members 324 in the net 302. Four load-bearing net members 324 run across the main body 308 from the bottom edge 320 of one short side wing panel 310 to the bottom edge 320 of the opposite short side wing panel 310. The remaining five load-bearing net members 324 run across the main body 308 from the bottom edge 320 of one long side wing panel 312 to the bottom edge 320 of the opposite long side wing panel 312. The load bearing net members 324 are attached to the non-load-bearing net strands 304 at their intersections 305 by means of knots (not shown) which are spaced along the length of the net members 324 by a distance equivalent to the diagonal dimension of the diamond mesh 306.

The load-bearing net members 324 are attached directly to the floor securement devices 322 at each end. In total the net 302 is provided with 18 floor securement devices 322 in the form of double stud fittings which may be attached to a corresponding seat track on the pallet. It will be clear to the person skilled in the art that the number of load-bearing net members 324 will depend on the size of the pallet and therefore the size of the net 302. The key feature of the net 302 according to the present invention is that each of the floor securement devices 322 in the net is attached to a load-bearing net member 324. This ensures that the majority of the load which is experienced by the net 302 is taken up by the load-bearing net members 324. It is believed that the non-load- bearing net strands 304 will experience some loading during use, but it is believed that this will only be a small portion of the total load.

The load-bearing net members 324 in each wing panel 310, 312 are connected together by means of a non-load-bearing support member 360 which runs across the wing panels 310, 312 perpendicular to the load-bearing net members 324. The support members 360 space the load-beacing net members 324 and keep them in place during use of the net 302. The support members are formed from l2kN polyester braid, although they may be formed from stronger or weaker polyester braid as required, but they are preferably as light as possible.

The support members 360 may be formed from strands of twisted, braided, woven or plaited polypropylene, polyester or nylon. Other suitable materials include ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (such as Dyneema� or Spectra�) and aramid fibres (such as Kevlar�).

Each of the load-bearing net members 324 has a further length of non-load-bearing net material 350 attached to it in the region of the wing panels 310, 312. The further lengths of non-load-bearing net material form a plurality of reefing loops 352. The further non-load-bearing net material 350 is attached to the load-bearing net members 324 by means of a plurality knotless intersections and the ends are spliced back into the braid of the load- bearing net members 324. The reefing loops 352 are formed along the length of the load-bearing net members 324 in the region of the wing panel 310, 312. Eight reefing loops 352 are provided on each load-bearing net member 324 in the short side wing panels 310 and nine reefing loops 352 are provided on each load-bearing net member in the long side wing panels 312. These reefing loops 352 are approximately the same size as the diamond net mesh 306 and they provide engagement points for a reefing hook 354 as will be described in more detail below. The reefing loops are formed from the same material as the support members 360, e.g 12 kN polyester braid.

A reefing hook 354 is attached to the bottommost reefing loop 352a on each load-bearing net member 324. The reefing hooks 354 may be used to take up slack in the net 302 when it is in use, as described above in relation to the nets of Figs. 3 and 4. The reefing hooks 354 can be engaged with a corresponding reefing loop 352 which is located above it on the same wing panel 310, 312. It is preferred that the reefing hooks 354 are only engaged with designated reefing loops 352 and not with the non-load-bearing netting strands 304. The reefing loops 352 may conveniently be of a contrasting colour to the non-load-bearing netting strands 304 to aid a user in identifying them when reefing the net 302.

Although the lashing lines 318, support members 360 and reefing loops 352 are formed from a stronger polyester braid than the non-load-bearing net members 304 they are also considered to be "non-load-bearing" within the context of the net 302 as a whole. These members must be strong enough top perform their function, e.g. reefing the net and lashing the side panels 310, 312 together, but they are not subjected to the loads experienced by the load-bearing net members 324 during use of the net 302.

In a further embodiment the net 302 may also comprise an anti-tangle panel as described in relation to Figs. 2A and 2B.

The nets described in relation to Figs. 1A-6 utilise a combination of two materials with different relative strengths. However, the invention is not limited to materials with different strengths and these are merely one example of nets with materials having different relative properties. It will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in this art that nets constructed of materials which differ in other properties are also included with in the scope of this application and subsequent patent(s). By way of example only, it is also envisaged that nets could be made of materials which differ in their relative elongation at break or their weight.

The present invention has been broadly described, without limitation. Variations and modifications as will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in this art are intended to be included within the scope of this application and subsequent patent(s).

Claims

Claims 1. A cargo net comprising a plurality of interconnected netting strands providing a mesh and having a main panel and a plurality of wing panels extending therefrom, the main panel being adapted to overlie the cargo in use and the wing panels being adapted to hang down against sides of the cargo to surround the cargo, a bottom edge of each wing panel being provided with a plurality of attachment means for attaching the net to a platform or pallet, wherein the net is constructed from at least two materials differing in their relative properties and the attachment means are attached to a first one of the net materials.
2. A cargo net according to claim 1, wherein the net is constructed from at least two materials differing in their relative strengths and the attachment means are attached to the stronger net material.
3. A cargo net according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the net is constructed from at least two materials differing in their relative elongation at break and the attachment means are attached to the lower elongation net material.
4. A cargo net according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the net is constructed from at least two materials differing in their relative elongation at break and the attachment means are attached to the higher elongation net material.
5. A cargo net according to any preceding claim, wherein the first net material in each wing panel is arranged perpendicular to the bottom edge of the wing panel.
6. A cargo net according to any preceding claim, wherein at least some of the attachment means are directly connected to a corresponding attachment means on an opposite wing panel by the first net material.
7. A cargo net according to claim 6, wherein each attachment means is directly connected to a corresponding attachment means on the opposing wing panel by the first net material.
8. A cargo net according to any preceding claim, wherein the main panel and the wing panels are constructed predominantly from a second net material and net strands of the first net material run between attachment means on opposite wing panels and are attached to the second net material.
9. A cargo net according to claim 8, wherein the net strands of the first net material are provided with reefing members.
10. A cargo net according to claim 8 or claim 9, wherein each net strand of the first net material is provided with at least one engagement member which is capable of receiving a reefing member.
11. A cargo net according to claim 10, wherein each net strand is provided with a plurality of spaced apart engagement members.
12. A cargo net according to claim 10 or claim 11, wherein the engagement members comprise loops of the first net material.
13. A cargo net according to any preceding claim, wherein the intersections between the different net materials are knotted.
14. A cargo net according to any one of claims 1-12, wherein the intersections between the different net materials comprise knotless intersections.
15. A cargo net according to any one of claims 1-7, wherein the net comprises a plurality of rows of net mesh of the first material and a plurality of rows of net mesh of a second material.
16. A cargo net according to claim 15, wherein the net comprises alternating rows of the net mesh made from the first and second net mesh material.
17. A cargo net according to any preceding claim, wherein each wing panel is provided with a solid panel of flexible material which extends along the bottom edge of the wing panel.
18. A method of forming a cargo net comprising:

I

i) constructing a cruciform shaped net comprising a main body and four wing panels; ii) attaching further net members of a different net material to the cruciform structure, wherein the further net members have different properties to the net material forming the main body and wing panels and the further net members run from the bottom edge of one wing panel to the bottom edge of an opposite wing panel; iii) attaching attachment means to each end of the further attachment members.
19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the further net members are stronger than the net material forming the main body and wing panels.
20. A method according to claim 18 or claim 19, wherein the further net members have a lower elongation at break than the net material forming the main body and wing panels.
21. A method according to claim 18 or claim 19, wherein the further net members have a higher elongation at break than the net material forming the main body and wing panels.
22. A method according to any one of claims 18-20, wherein the main body and four wing panels are constructed separately and are then joined together to form a cruciform shape.
23. A cargo net substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
24. A method of forming a cargo net substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.