US20150107066A1

US20150107066A1 - Strap set with a retractable strap

Info

Publication number: US20150107066A1
Application number: US14/497,423
Authority: US
Inventors: Jung Wen Lu
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2013-10-23
Filing date: 2014-09-26
Publication date: 2015-04-23
Also published as: TWM476754U

Abstract

A strap set with a retractable strap has a first axle and a second axle between two sideboards. Both ends of the first axle are pivotally mounted on the two sideboards. A tightening element is assembled near the second axle. The first end of the strap is connected to the first axle. The second end of the strap goes through the tightening element to form a loop space. The winch is mounted on one end of the first axle on the outer side of one of the sideboards. The winch is used to drive the first axle so that the strap retracts from the first end toward the second end.

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION

The invention relates to an article strapping tool and, in particular, to a strap set with a retractable strap.

RELATED ART

A strap set in the prior art, as shown in FIG. 8. has a body 9 that includes two sideboards 91 on both sides. Two axles 92 are disposed between the two sideboards 91 and on two ends thereof. A pinch block 93 is provided between the two axles 92. The pinch block 93 has a pressing part 931 and a pinching part 932 with a rough surface. The pinching part 932 of the pinch block 93 is tightly adjacent to one of the axles 92. The other axle 92 is for one end of the strap 94 to be fixed. The pressing part 931 is under the action of a torsion spring. When the pressing part 931 is pressed, a gap is formed between the pinching part 932 and the adjacent axle 92. When used to strap an article, the strap 94 wraps around the article 95, goes through the gap, and is tightened on the article 95. Afterwards. the pressing part 931 is released so that the strap is pinched and fixed between the pinching part and the axle 92, thereby tightening and fixing the strap around the article.
However, when the above-mentioned strap set is not used to strap around an article 95, one may want to roll up the long strap 94 in a way similar to FIG. 9. Although this achieves the goal of a smaller size, the user has to manually and carefully roll the strap 94. This is rather time-consuming. If the user does not roll up the strap 94, it will become a trouble in storage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing, an objective of the invention is to provide a strap set with a retractable strap. The strap set has a structure to roll up the strap so that the strap can be readily retracted for the convenience of storage.
To achieve the above-mentioned objective, the invention has a body with two sideboards on both sides. A first axle and a second axle are disposed between the two sideboards and one two ends thereof. Both sides of the first axle are pivotally installed on the two sideboards. A tightening element is provided near the second axle. A strap connects to the first axle on a first end thereof. A second end of the strap goes through the tightening element to form a loop space that can be tightened after wrapping around an article. A winch is mounted on one end of the first axle on the outer side of one of the sideboards. The winch drives the first axle so that the strap rolls up from the first end toward the second end.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent by reference to the following description and accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the invention, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a three-dimensional view of the first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing how the first embodiment of the invention straps an article;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing how the strap is retracted according to the first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing that the strap is completely retracted according to the first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a three-dimensional view of the second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing that the strap is completely retracted according to the second embodiment of the invention, wherein one sideboard of the body is removed to show that the second end of the strap is urged by the protruding block;

FIG. 8 is a schematic view showing how a conventional strap set is used to strap an article; and

FIG. 9 is a schematic view showing that the strap is completely retracted in a conventional strap set.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Please refer to FIGS. 1 to 7 for embodiments of the invention. The present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein the same references relate to the same elements.
A first embodiment of the invention is a strap set with a retractable strap. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the invention has a body 1 having two sideboards 11 on both sides. A first axle 12 and a second axle 13 are disposed between the two sideboards 11 and on both ends thereof. Both ends of the first axle 12 are pivotally installed on the two sideboards 11. A tightening element is provided near the second axle 13. A strap 2 connects to the first axle 21 on a first end 21 thereof. A second end 22 of the strap 2 goes through the tightening element to form a loop space for winding around an article. A winch 3 is connected to one end of the first axle 12 on the outer side of one of the sideboards 11. The winch 3 drives the first axle 12 to rotate so that the strap 2 retracts from the first end 21 toward the second end 22. The tightening element has a blocking part, which is used to press against the strap 2 on the second end 22 after the strap 2 is completely retracted. In this embodiment, the winch 3 and the first axle 12 are integrally formed. In a different embodiment, the winch 3 and the first axle 12 can be two independent components to be assembled together.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the tightening element in this embodiment is a pinch block 4. The pinch block 4 has a pressing part 41 and a pinching part 42 with a rough surface. The pinching part 42 of the pinch block 4 is closely adjacent to the second axle 13. When the pressing part 41 is pressed, a gap is formed between the pinch part 42 and the second axle 13 for the strap to go through. The pressing part 41 is under the action of a torsion spring 43 to bounce back when it is released, so that the pinching part 42 tightly pinches the strap 2 on the second axle 13. After the strap 2 is completely retracted, the pressing part 41 is the blocking part to urges against the strap 2 on the second end 22.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, there is a head part 31 protruding outward from the end of the winch 13 that is farther away from the second axle 13. A radial groove 121 is formed on the first axle 12 between the two sideboards 11. The first axle 12 is divided by the radial groove 121 into two halves 122. The first end 21 of the strap 2 is connected to one of the halves 122. The direction of the strap out of the radial groove 121 is perpendicular to the extended direction of the winch 3, so that when the strap 2 is tightened the winch 3 swings to the position coinciding with the sideboard 11. In this embodiment, both ends of the radial groove 121 do not reach both ends of the first axle 12. In this case, the two halves 122 are still connected on the first axle 12. In a different embodiment of the invention, the two ends of the radial groove 121 can reach the two ends of the first axle 12. In this case, the two halves 122 are two separate components.
As shown in FIG. 3, to strap an article, the user lets the second end 22 of the strap 2 go around the article 5 and press the pressing part 41 of the pinch block 4, so that a gap is formed between the pinching part 42 and the second axle 13. After the second end 22 goes through the gap, a loop space (i.e., the space formed after the strap 2 goes around the article 5) is formed. The user pulls the second end for the strap to tightly hold the article 5. As the direction of the strap out of the radial groove 121 is perpendicular to the extended direction of the winch 3, when the first end 21 of the strap 2 is pulled to tighten, the angle of the second axle 13 is just right for the winch 3 and the sideboard 11 on the some side to coincide. This prevents the winch 3 from protruding from the sideboard 11 to hinder user's operation of the strap set.
As shown in FIG. 4, when the strap set is used to strap an article, the user can hold the head part 31 and wind around the first axle 12, so that the long strap 2 rolls up from the first end 21 toward the second end 22. After the strap is completely retracted, as shown in FIG. 5, the pressing part 41 presses against the second end 22 of the strap 2 to prevent the retracted strap 2 from escaping from the first axle 12.
From the above description, it is not difficult to discover the following advantages of the invention. The winch 3 is mounted on the first axle 12 of the body 1 on the outer side of the sideboard 11. When the strap set is used to strap an article 5, the user does not need to manually and laboriously roll up the strap 2. Instead, the user simply rotates the winch 3 to wind the strap 2 around the first axle 12. After the strap is completely retracted, the blocking part (the pressing part 41 in this embodiment) urges against the second end 22 of the strap 2. Therefore, the strap can be readily rolled up, and the strap set can be conveniently put away. Moreover, the retracted strap set has a better appearance.
Of course, the invention has many other embodiments that vary only in details. Please refer to FIG. 6 for a second embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, there are also a body 1, a strap 2, and a winch 3. It differs from the first embodiment mainly in that the tightening element is an ratchet buckleratchet buckle 4A. The ratchet buckleratchet buckle 4A has a lifting part 41A whose one end is mounted on the second axle 13. A ratchet assembly 42A is interposed between the lifting part 41A and the second axle 13. The second end 22 of the strap 2 goes through the second axle 13 to form the loop space. The lifting part 41A drives the ratchet assembly 42A to control the second axle 13 to rotate in one direction, thereby tightening the strap 2 around the article. Such a mechanism achieves the same effect as the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 7, the blocking part of this embodiment is a protruding block 14. The protruding block 14 protrudes from the body 1 between the two sideboards 11. Such a protruding block 14 allows the installation of the ratchet assembly 42A, also achieving the same effect as the blocking part in the first embodiment.
Although the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, this description is not meant to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, as well as alternative embodiments, will be apparent to people skilled in the art. Therefore, it is contemplated that the appended claims will cover all modifications that fall within the true scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A strap set with a retractable strap, comprising:

a body having two sideboards on both sides thereof;

a first axle and a second axle between the two sideboards and on both ends thereof, with both ends of the first axle pivotally installed on the two sideboards and a tightening element provided near the second axle;

a strap with a first end thereof connecting to the first axle and a second end thereof going through the tightening element to form a loop space for strapping and tightening on an article; and

a winch installed on one end of the first axle on the outer side of one of the sideboards to drive the first axle so that the strap rolls up from the first end toward the second end.

2. The strap set with a retractable strap of claim 1 further comprising a blocking part that urges against the second end of the strap when the strap is completely retracted.

3. The strap set with a retractable strap of claim 2, wherein the tightening element is a pinch block having a pressing part and a pinching part with a rough surface; the pinching part of the pinch block is closely adjacent to the second axle; a gap is formed between the pinching part and the second axle for the strap to go through when the pressing part is pressed; and the pressing part is under the action of a torsion spring to bounce back when being released so that the pinching part tightly urges the strap against the second axle.

4. The strap set with a retractable strap of claim 3, wherein the pressing part is the blocking part to urge the second end of the strap against the strap after the strap is completely retracted.

5. The strap set with a retractable strap of claim 2, wherein the tightening element is an ratchet buckle that has a lifting part mounting on the second axle on one end and a ratchet assembly interposed between the lifting part and the second axle; the second end of the strap goes through the second axle to form the loop space; and the lifting part drives the ratchet assembly to rotate the second axle in one direction, thereby tightening the strap around the article.

6. The strap set with a retractable strap of claim 5, wherein the blocking part is a protruding block protruding from the body between the two sideboards for the ratchet assembly to be installed.

7. The strap set with a retractable strap of claim 1, wherein the first axle has a radial groove between the two sideboards, with the radial groove dividing the first axle into two halves; the first end of the strap winds around the connects to one of the halves; the direction of the strap out of the radial groove is perpendicular to the extended direction of the winch, so that the winch swings to the position coinciding with the sideboard when the strap is tightened.

8. The strap set with a retractable strap of claim 1, wherein a head part protrudes outward from the end of winch that is farther away from the second axle.