MXPA06002517A - Bungee cord hook - Google Patents

Abstract

A bungee cord hook including one or more hook (10) in a reversed hook orientation, a protection overmolded plastic coating, an angled base, a protective bumper (70), an angled hook portion and a size indication plate.

Description

ZW), Eurasian (AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, MD, UK, TJ, TM), Publishcd: European (AT, BE, BG, CH, CY, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, Fl, - wilh inlernalional search repon FR, GB, GR, HU DE, IT, LU, MC, NL, PL, PT, RO, SE, SI, SK, TR), OAPI (BF, BJ, CF, CG, Cl, CM, GA, GN, GQ, (88) Date of publication or 'the international search report: GW, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG). 30 June 2005 For two-leiler codes and other abbrevialions. refer to the "Guid¬ Declaratio under Rule 4.17: ance Notes on Codes and Abbrevialions "appearing at the beginning of invention" (Rule 4.17 { Iv)) or US only no regular issue of the PCT Gazette.

ELASTIC STRING HOOK This application claims the benefit in accordance with 35 USC §119 (e) of United States Provisional Patent 60/481, 334, filed on September 4, 2003, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an improved hook for an elastic cord. Specifically, the improved hook for an elastic rope provides easy hooking or anchoring of the hook. Elastic cords usually comprise a stretchable rope and a hook attached at either end. Elastic cords are used to secure a variety of items. Typically, one of the hooks is secured to a secure object, or anchor point, and the stretchable rope is subsequently secured on or around the object to be secured. The other hook is then connected to a secure object, or anchor point, to hold the rope in a tense position across or around the object that will be secured. Typical hooks for elastic rope include a base portion and a curved hook portion. An object, or anchor point, is secured between the base portion and the curved hook portion. If the object to which the elastic rope hook will be secured is relatively large, a user may have difficulty in taking the object between the base portion and the curved hook portion. In addition, the elastic cords need to be adaptable to a variety of environmental conditions and easily identifiable for a user to use the correct length of cord.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an improved elastic rope hook for an elastic rope that allows easy anchoring or fixing of the hook to an object. In some embodiments, the improved elastic rope hook provides a protective coating at the environmental level, a shock absorber that prevents damage to the anchor object, or an indicator plate that provides information about the rope to which the hook is attached.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute part of this specification, embodiments of the invention are illustrated, which together with a general description of the invention given above, and the detailed description provided below serve to illustrate the principles of this invention.

Figure 1 illustrates an elastic cord that includes two elastic cord hooks of the present invention; Figure 2 is a front view of an elastic cord hook of the present invention; Figure 3 is a side view of an elastic rope hook of the present invention; and Figure 4 is a rear view of an elastic cord hook of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an improved hook for elastic rope, generally referred to as 10, which includes an inverted hook orientation, an outer protective coating, a skewed base, a protective cushion and a size indicator plate. Although the preferred embodiment includes each of these features, as discussed below, one skilled in the art should recognize that such features can be used individually or in combinations thereof to provide an improved elastic cord hook. As such, embodiments that include the individual characteristics and sub-combinations of these features are contemplated by this invention and are encompassed within the scope of this application.

As shown in Figure 1, the elastic rope hook 10 includes a base portion 20 and a hook portion 30. The base portion includes an opening 40 or other securing mechanism that secures an elastic cord 45. The portion of base 20 of the elastic rope hook 10 has an upper end 50, a lower end 52 and a circumferential surface 53 connecting the upper and lower ends. The upper surface 52 has a first end 54 and a second end 56 and a generally biased surface 58 therebetween. The slanted surface 58 allows more space and a smoother design. Extending from the first end 54, is the hook portion 30 which is oriented so that the end of the hook 60 extends outwardly away from the base portion 20. This provides much more space than if the hook were extended toward, and by therefore, on the base portion. The hook portion 30 may include a number of features that improve strength and performance. The illustrative example includes, but is not limited to, an enlarged base portion 62 that provides rigid strength as the hook portion 30 is fixed to the base portion 20, and a skewed rear side portion 64 of the hook portion 30. which provides more space to secure the hook to an object, and a skewed surface 66 that helps prevent the hook from slipping off an object to which it is secured. The base portion 20 may include a protective cushion 70 that is located along a portion of the circumferential surface 53 that is aligned with the first end 54 of the upper end 50. The protective cushion 70 is aligned with the hook portion 30. and can be partially bent around the circumferential surface 53. As such, when the hook portion 30 is secured to an object and the base portion 20 makes contact with the object, contact will occur along the protective cushion 70. Al folding the protective shock absorber 70 onto a portion of the circumferential surface 53, the protective shock absorber 70 will contact the object when the elastic rope hook 10 rotates on its side. The protective cushion 70 can be any material that will not generally scrape or otherwise damage the object with which it contacts, such as rubber, soft plastic, or other elastomeric composition. In addition, the protective cushion 70 may include a set of grooves 75 that act as a fastening surface. The protective cushion 70 can be secured to the base portion 20 by any conventional means. The elastic rope hook 10 is generally made of an inner portion of rigid metal and a protective plastic coating applied to the upper portion of the metal portion. Usually, the elastic rope hooks are made of metal, and may or may not include a thin elastomeric coating. Said lining is susceptible to tearing or fissuring and does not provide protection for the metal portion against all the environmental elements that the elastic cord faces. The protective plastic coating applied to the present invention is a thick hardened overmolded plastic that is less susceptible to tearing, cracking, or exposing the metal portion contained therein. The base of the elastic rope hook 20 may additionally include an indicator plate 80, preferably located opposite to the hook portion 30. The indicator plate 80 is preferably recessed from the circumferential surface 53. In some embodiments, the indicator plate 80 includes a protective clear plastic cover. The indicator plate 80 generally provides information about the elastic cord 10, such as, for example, the length of the cord. The invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiment. Clearly, modifications and alterations will arise after reading and understanding this specification. It is intended to include all such modifications and alterations as long as they are within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.

Claims (24)

NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION CLAIMS

1. - An elastic rope hook comprising: a base portion including a first and a second end; and a hook portion extending outward and away from said base portion.

2. The hook for elastic rope according to claim 1, further characterized in that said hook portion includes a hook end and a biased portion, wherein said biased portion connects said hook portion with said base portion.

3. The elastic rope hook according to claim 2, further characterized in that said biased portion is biased back toward the base portion of the elastic rope hook.

4. The hook for elastic rope according to claim 1, further characterized in that said base portion and said hook portion are formed of overmolded plastic.

5. The elastic rope hook according to claim 1, further characterized in that it additionally comprises an indicator plate located in said base portion.

6. The hook for elastic rope according to claim 5, further characterized in that said indicator plate is recessed inside said base portion.

7. - The hook for elastic rope according to claim 5, further characterized in that said indicator plate is covered by a transparent protective window.

8. The hook for elastic rope according to claim 1, further characterized in that it additionally comprises a protective shock absorber.

9. The hook for elastic rope according to claim 8, further characterized in that said protective cushion is located along a circumferential surface of said base portion.

10. The hook for elastic rope according to claim 9, further characterized in that said protective cushion is aligned with said hook portion.

11. The elastic rope hook according to claim 8, further characterized in that said protective damper includes a set of slots.

12. An elastic cord comprising: (a) a stretchable rope; and (b) an elastic rope hook secured to either end of said stretchable rope, wherein each of said elastic rope hooks comprises: (i) a base portion including a first and a second end; and (ii) and a hook portion extending outward and away from said base portion.

13. - The elastic cord according to claim 12, further characterized in that said hook portion includes a hook end and a biased portion, wherein said biased portion connects said hook portion with said base portion.

14. The elastic cord according to claim 13, further characterized in that said biased portion is biased back toward the base portion of the elastic cord hook.

15. The elastic cord according to claim 12, further characterized in that said base portion and said hook portion are formed of overmolded plastic.

16. The elastic cord according to claim 12, further characterized in that it additionally comprises an indicator plate located on said base portion.

17. The elastic cord according to claim 16, further characterized in that said indicator plate is recessed inside said base portion.

18. The elastic cord according to claim 16, further characterized in that said indicator plate is covered by a transparent protective window.

19. The elastic cord according to claim 12, further characterized in that it additionally comprises a protective cushion located along a circumferential surface of said base portion.

20. - The elastic cord according to claim 19, further characterized in that said protective cushion is aligned with said hook portion.

21. The elastic cord according to claim 19, further characterized in that said protective damper includes a set of grooves.

22. An elastic rope hook comprising: (a) a base portion including a first and a second end and a circumferential surface; (b) a hook portion extending from said first end of said base portion; and (c) an indicator plate formed in a recess in said circumferential surface of said base portion.

23. The elastic rope hook according to claim 22, further characterized in that said indicator plate provides information with respect to the length of a rope attached to said elastic rope hook.

24. An elastic cord comprising: (a) a stretchable cord: and (b) an elastic cord hook secured to either end of said stretchable cord, wherein each of said elastic cord hooks comprises: (i) a base portion including a first and a second end and a circumferential surface; (ii) a hook portion extending outward and away from said base portion; (iii) an indicator plate formed in a recess in said circumferential surface of said base portion.