Strapping roll-up reel

Abstract

A drum for winding strapping around a central hub is turned by an attached disc having a dual circular array of finger recesses for turning the drum to wind and unwind the strapping. Extending slotted flat T-shaped arms retain the extending ends of the strapping.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to tie-down straps and particularly to a strapping roll-up reel that comprises a center spool for manually winding both ends of the strap into a housing for storage, the housing is shaped with hemispherical finger recesses on a first side for effective gripping by the user and for achieving torque and winding force, the housing further comprises side extension slots for securing the loose ends of the strap.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Normally, cargo restraining systems include nylon straps which are tied down or fastened at both ends and tightened with a ratchet device until the cargo is strapped down securely. However, long straps are difficult to work with since they may tangle, and when not in use, they are often thrown in a heap which takes up valuable space and may be a potential safety hazard. Other systems are provided that include a single housing mounted to the inside of the vehicle or along its sides which contain a wound belt that is pulled out when in use and returned to the housing when being used. The mounted restraining systems are limiting because the load must be positioned near the location of the mounted restraining system.

U.S. Patent Application #20020030133, published Mar. 14, 2002 by Ratzlaff, shows a container for a tie down strap, which includes a housing with upper and lower walls and a rotatable shaft extending between the upper and lower walls. The shaft has a slot formed therethrough through which the free end of one strap of the tie down strap is journalled. A handle on the end of the shaft permits rotation of the shaft to wind the strap free end around the shaft. A tensioner member extending inwardly from a side wall of the housing is resilient, and engages the strap wound around the shaft, to frictionally engage the strap and bias against free rotation of the shaft.

U.S. Patent Application #20040094650, published May 20, 2004 by Huang, provides a winding device for a strap fastener. The strap fastener system includes a strap fastener for fastening a belt and a winding device for winding the strap. The winding device includes a housing, a reel, a control device and a torque spring. The reel is put in the housing for winding the strap. The control device is partially and movably installed in the housing between a rotational position and a non-rotational position. A torque spring is arranged between the reel and the control device for automatically rotating the reel in the non-rotational position of the control device.

U.S. Patent Application #20040084558, published May 6, 2004 by Huang, is for an automatic winding device for a strap fastener. The automatic winding device includes a housing, a reel rotationally received in the housing for winding a strap introduced through the strap fastener and a spring connected between the housing and the reel. A shaft is securely received in the housing for supporting the reel. The spring is a coil spring mounted on the shaft and received in the reel. The spring includes an internal end secured to the shaft and an external end secured to the reel. In an aspect, at least one ratchet wheel is formed on the reel, and a detent is movably mounted on the housing for releasable engagement with the reel. The detent is biased by means of a second spring. The housing defines a slot through which the detent is inserted. The housing includes a stem formed thereon within the slot. The detent includes a groove defined therein for receiving the stem and the second spring. Thus, the second spring is compressed between the stem and a portion of the detent.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,520, issued Mar. 18, 1997 to Soderstrom, claims a strap collector which is designed to be attached to the connecting arm of a cargo tightener. The strap collector includes a magazine for the protection and storage of the long tensioning strap of the cargo tightener when wound to the shaft of the strap collector. In this manner the strap will be stored, without affecting or impeding the active parts of the strap tightener and without having the tensile force, applied by the cargo tightener upon lashing the cargo down, loading the strap collector or the end of the strap wound thereto.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,349,893, issued Feb. 26, 2002 to Daoud, depicts a retractable fiber slack storage device for storing a slack length of a fiber optic strand, which comprises a spool having a pair of diametrically-opposed cylindrical barrels, and a cylindrical housing for at least partially enclosing the spool. The spool is disposed in the housing and is rotatable with respect thereto and the minimum radius of curvature of each of the cylindrical barrels is equal to or greater than the minimum bend radius of the fiber optic strand. Preferably, the top end of each barrel is provided with an aperture that is open to permit the user to turn the spool by inserting a finger into the aperture and turning the spool.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,609,275, issued Aug. 26, 2003 to Lin, provides a strap tightener that has an auto-pulling device connected to a seat. The auto-pulling device includes a housing and a reversing device. The reversing device is rotatably received in the housing. The reversing device has a reel received in the housing to connect with one end of a strap. A spiral power spring is connected between the housing and the reel. Consequently, the strap can be automatically wound around the reel after the strap tightener is used. To collect the strap is convenient and the operating time of collecting the strap is saved.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,102,371, issued Aug. 15, 2000 to Wyers, shows a strap tensioning and collecting device that has a variable length strap and a fixed length strap operatively associated with a strap storage section and a strap tensioning section. The strap storage section includes a spool housing and a spool in the housing mounted for rotation about an axis with the spool having exposed serrated edges extending beyond the walls of the housing so that the user holding the device with one hand may use the thumb to rotate the spool. The variable length strap extends through the strap tensioning section and has a lever arm which upon rotation selectively decreases the length of the strap to place a tension on the straps when the straps are connected at free ends to a fixed location. In one embodiment the strap storage section and strap tensioning sections are on a common one-piece frame and in a second embodiment a conventional ratchet-type strap tensioning device having its own second frame releasably fastens to the first frame to enable the strap tensioning device to be quickly removed from the first frame. In this embodiment there is provided means to prevent the strap tensioning device from rotating relative to the strap storage section.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,290,440, issued Sep. 18, 2001 to DiViccaro, discloses a tie down strap container that has a tray with a well and winding spindle. The strap is fed through a slit in the side of the well to engage the winding spindle. A handle is attached to the spindle to allow the user to wind the strap into the container. A lid is pivotally attached to the tray by a hinge pin. The lid is secured in place by an indentation in the lid engaging a post on the tray. To further secure the container in a closed position, a hook may be placed through a pair of apertures: one in the tray and one in the lid. The hook may be attached to the wall of a truck bed for easy storage.

What is needed is a simplified reel for storing and releasing strapping for use in binding objects and containers for storage and transport.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a simplified reel with the turning grip built into one side of the reel in the form of interior full circular finger recesses and edge half circular finger recesses for turning the reel and two side arm strapping retainers for storing and releasing strapping for use in binding objects and containers for storage and transport.

In brief, a simplified reel for winding up strapping for storage and unwinding strapping for use has a smooth case formed by a pair of rounded sides connected by a central winding core for winding the strapping around the core and sandwiching the strapping between the sides. The turning grip is built into one side of the reel in the form of interior full circular finger recesses and edge half circular finger recesses for turning the reel. A pair of outrigger strapping retainer arms each with a radial edge slot and protruding outside flanges retain the two ends of the strapping extending from the case.

An outer hub of the winding core attaches to the outside face of the reel with the finger hole and rotates relative to a center axis of the hub attached to the base of the casing.

An advantage of the present invention is that it provides good leverage in the finger recessed winding side of the reel while maintaining a flat profile.

Another advantage of the present invention is that it retains the extending edges of the strapping.

An additional advantage of the present invention is that it is streamlined and flat for storage.

One more advantage of the present invention is that it is simple and easy to fabricate and assemble.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other details of my invention will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are furnished only by way of illustration and not in limitation of the invention, and in which drawings:

FIG. 1 is an exploded plan view of the three main circular components of the strapping reel of the present invention showing each of their top surfaces;

FIG. 2 is an exploded side elevational view of the components of the invention aligned for assembly.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

In FIGS. 1 and 2, a wind-up reel strapping casing 20 for winding and unwinding a length of strapping comprises a central hub 30 and a cylindrical rotatable hollow drum 22 for retaining coiled strapping within the drum 22 with a disc attached to the drum having dual circular arrays of finger recesses 28A and 28B for turning the drum.

The reel casing 20 comprises a central hollow thin cylindrical drum 22 for retaining coiled strapping inside the drum. The drum thickness is slightly greater than a width of strapping to be coiled up within the drum. The drum 22 has a pair of opposing edge drum slots 19 through which the two ends of the length of strapping extend out of the drum 22.

A pair of discs 21 and 23 sandwich the drum 22 between the pair of discs. A first disc 21 of the pair of discs is attached to one flat side of the drum for turning the drum 22. The first disc 21 comprising a solid circular disc with a first circular array of full circle finger recesses 28A spaced inwardly from a peripheral edge of the first disc and a second circular array of half circle finger recesses 28B positioned around the peripheral edge of the first disc, so that turning the first disc with the fingers of a hand of a user turns the drum with the fingers positioned in one of the arrays of finger recesses. A second disc 23 of the pair of discs is positioned adjacent to an opposite flat side of the drum. The second disc 23 further comprising a pair of strapping end retaining arms 25 extending from the peripheral edge of the second disc with each of the pair of arms extending from an opposite side edge of the second disc. Each of the pair of arms comprises a flat rigid T-shaped arm 25 with a radial slot 24 recessed from and parallel to an edge of the arm and opposing extending flanges from each side of an outer end of the arm.

A hub 30 comprises a central shaft rigidly 32 attached to the second disc 23 and rotatably attached to the drum 22. The hub has a pair of strapping retaining slots 31 along the length of the slot for retaining a central portion of a length of strapping fed through the pair of slots in the second disc with the ends of the strapping extending out of the drum slots 19, so that turning the first disc 21 in one direction winds the length of strapping around the hub and turning the first disc in an opposite direction unwinds the length of strapping from around the hub to any desired length for using the strapping.

The casing is preferably fabricated of assembled injection molded plastic components for a reel which is low in cost and easy to assemble.

In use a desired a central portion of a length of strapping is wound through the hub slots 31 and the ends of the strapping extended out of the drum through the drum slots 19. Using the finger recesses 28A and 28B to turn the drum 22 winds the strapping around the hub 30. Reverse winding unwinds the strapping to a desired length with the extending ends of the strapping engaged in the extending arms 25 for using the strapping to bind and tie down items for storing and shipping.

It is understood that the preceding description is given merely by way of illustration and not in limitation of the invention and that various modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

Claims

1. A wind-up reel device for winding and unwinding a length of strapping, the device comprising:

a casing comprising a central hollow thin cylindrical drum for retaining coiled strapping inside the drum, the drum thickness being slightly greater than a width of strapping to be coiled up within the drum, the drum having a pair of opposing edge drum slots, and a pair of discs sandwiching the drum between the pair of discs, a first disc of the pair of discs attached to one flat side of the drum, the first disc comprising a solid circular disc with a first circular array of full circle finger recesses spaced inwardly from a peripheral edge of the first disc and a second circular array of half circle finger recesses positioned around the peripheral edge of the first disc, so that turning the first disc with the fingers of a hand of a user turns the drum with the fingers positioned in one of the arrays of finger recesses, a second disc of the pair of discs positioned adjacent to an opposite flat side of the drum, the second disc further comprising a pair of strapping end retaining arms extending from the peripheral edge of the second disc with each of the pair of arms extending from an opposite side edge of the second disc, each of the pair of arms comprising a flat rigid T-shaped arm with a radial slot recessed from and parallel to an edge of the arm and opposing extending flanges from each side of an outer end of the arm;

a hub comprising a central shaft rigidly attached to the second disc and rotatably attached to the drum, the hub having at least a pair of strapping retaining slots along the length of the slot for retaining a central portion of a length of strapping fed through the pair of slots in the second disc with the ends of the strapping extending out of the drum slots, so that turning the first disc in one direction winds the length of strapping around the hub and turning the first disc in an opposite direction unwinds the length of strapping from around the hub to any desired length for using the strapping.

2. The device of claim 1 further comprising a hook on each of the two extending ends of the length of strapping for use in attaching the strapping, each of the hooks inserted an a slot of the extending arms for storage.