Tie down elements

Abstract

A tie down element comprises a length of elasticated cord and one or more non-spherical looped elements, one of which typically has a hook. The cord is fastenable to the loop by passing a first end of the cord through the looped element and then back again to form a hoop and then feeding the first end of the cord through the hoop thus formed and pulling the other end of the cord to trap the portion of the cord between the hoop and the looped element, to form a closed loop. This enables a user to cushion-make “stretches” to his or her required dimensions.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a tie down element

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Tie down elements, commonly known as “stretchies”, are elastic cords having a hook at each end. They are typically used to secure loads on trailers, roof-racks and the like.

In the prior art form the hooks usually comprises steel and at its base, is turned into a tapering coil with a free end of cord being fed through the narrow end of the coil and then knotted or looped to prevent it from being extracted from the coil.

These stretchies are typically sold in standard lengths which are not universally suitable.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a tie down or stretchie which does not suffer this disadvantage. It is a further object of the invention to provide a kit to enable a user to assemble various tie down arrangement according to his or her personal preferences.

It is a further object of this invention to provide tie downs of substantially reduced cost.

THE INVENTION

According to the invention, a tie down element comprises a length of cord and one or more non-spherical looped elements, the cord being releasably fastenable to the looped element by passing a first end of the cord through the looped element and then back again to form a hoop and then feeding the first end of the cord through the hoop thus formed and pulling the other end of the cord to trap the portion of the cord between the hoop and the looped element, to form a closed loop.

In the preferred form the invention, a tie down element comprises a length of cord and one or more non-spherical looped elements, the looped elements having an internal diameter in one plane being less than or equal to the external diameter of the cord, and in the other plane, the internal diameter of the loop being less than or equal to twice the external diameter of the cord, the cord being passed through the loop and back to form a knot which tightens as more pulling force is applied to the free end of the cord.

In the preferred form of the invention, the cord is elasticated.

In one form of the invention, one looped element may comprise the eye of a steel or the like hook, the hook being secured near one end of the cord. In this form, the closed loop is formed tightly around the looped element.

The looped elements typically may comprise plastic loops of suitable strength and rigidity.

In one form the plastic loops may include a pair of holes one either side thereof for attachment of a loop of cord for tying or other purposes.

In the preferred form, the knot is formed by passing a free end of the cord through the plastic loop, forming a loop of cord and passing the end of the cord back through the loop in the reverse direction, feeding the free end through the loop of cord formed and pulling the cord to close the cord loop and trap the cord between the closed loop and the plastic loop. If the looped element does not include a hook, the closed loop is formed with a diameter permitting attachment to a remote hook or the like fastener.

As the cord is trapped within itself and the dimensions of the plastic loop are too small to allow passage of the knot therethrough, the greater the pulling force applied to the cord, the tighter the knot becomes.

The tie down of the invention may be provided in kit form with, for example, 12 hooks and 6 metres of elasticated cord.

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

The preferred embodiment of the invention is described below with reference to the accompanying and drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric side view showing the components of a tie down according to the invention; and

FIG. 2 a, b, c illustrate the method of knotting the cord to secure a hook or a loop element.

In FIG. 1, a tie down is shown to comprise an elasticated cord 10, a plastic loop 12 and a steel hook 14.

The hook 14 has an eye 16 in the form of a loop having one internal width dimension W1 being less than or equal to twice the external diameter d of the cord, and a second perpendicular width dimension W2 which is less than or equal to the diameter d of the cord.

Similar dimensions apply to the plastic loop 12.

Turning to FIG. 2, the formation of a knot is illustrated stepwise in FIGS. 2a-c.

In FIG. 2a, one end 18 of the cord is fed through the eye 16 of the hook 14 and then back to form a hoop 20 of cord. In step 2 (FIG. 2b), the short end 18 of the cord is passed through the hoop 20 and then in FIG. 2c, the longer end cord 22 is pulled in the direction of the arrow to tighten the knot and form a closed loop 24. The harder the force applied in the direction of the arrow, the tighter the knot becomes.

This knot and loop method actually may obviate the need for a hook in some cases, as a closed loop 24 may be formed with the cord and the plastic loop 12 as shown in FIG. 1.

Should a stretchie of a particular length be required, the loops 12 or hooks 14 may be easily untied by pushing the cord in the opposite direction to the arrow to open hoop 20 and release the free end 18.

This enables stretchies of any desired length to be easily assembled.

Claims

1. A tie down element comprising a length of cord and one or more non-spherical looped elements, the cord being releasably fastenable to the looped element by passing a first end of the cord through the looped element and then back again to form a hoop and then feeding the first end of the cord through the hoop thus formed and pulling the other end of the cord to trap the portion of the cord between the hoop and the looped element, to form a closed loop.

2. A tie down element according to claim 1 in which a tie down element comprises a length of cord and one or more non-spherical looped elements, the looped elements having an internal diameter in one plane being less than or equal to the external diameter of the cord, and in the other plane, the internal diameter of the loop being less than or equal to twice the external diameter of the cord, the cord being passed through the loop and back to form a knot which tightens as more pulling force is applied to the free end of the cord.

3. A tie down element according to claim 1 in which the cord is elasticated.

4. A tie down element according to claim 1 in which one looped element comprises the eye of a steel or the like hook, the hook being secured near one end of the cord.

5. A tie down element according to claim 4 in which the closed loop is formed tightly around the looped element.

6. A tie down element according to claim 4 in which the looped elements comprise plastic loops of suitable strength and rigidity.

7. A tie down element according to claim 4 in which the loops include a pair of holes one either side thereof for attachment of a loop of cord for tying or other purposes.

8. A tie down element according to claim 2 in which the knot is formed by passing a free end of the card through the plastic loop, forming a loop of cord and passing the end of the cord back through the loop in the reverse direction, feeding the free end through the loop of cord formed and pulling the cord to close the cord loop and trap the cord between the closed loop and the plastic loop.

9. A tie down element according to claim 8 in which, in the even that the looped element does not include a hook, the closed loop is formed with a diameter permitting attachment to a remote hook or the like fastener.

10. A kit of tie down elements according to claim 1 comprising a plurality of hooks and a length of elasticated cord.

11. A tie down element according to claim 2 in which the cord is elasticated.

12. A tie down element according to claim 5 in which the loops include a pair of holes one either side thereof for attachment of a loop of cord for tying or other purposes.

13. A tie down element according to claim 6 in which the loops include a pair of holes one either side thereof for attachment of a loop of cord for tying or other purposes.