Buckles – buttons – clasps – etc. – Plural fasteners having intermediate flaccid connector
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-26
2001-07-10
Sakran, Victor N. (Department: 3626)
Buckles, buttons, clasps, etc.
Plural fasteners having intermediate flaccid connector
C024S003130, C024S03050P, C024S0160PB, C024S306000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06256845
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
Adjustable straps for securing, storing, and transporting loads.
BACKGROUND
Many homes and businesses are cluttered with household, garden, and industrial items including hoses, extension cords, ropes, cables, etc. Often, these items can be both cumbersome to transport and difficult to store. It is not uncommon, for instance, for one to find such items in a tangled mess in the corner of a garage, a tool shed, or a serviceman's truck.
Even when tightly coiled, transportation and storage can be problematic. Often, no matter how well these items are bound, they unwind and become tangled.
To prevent such items from tangling, many people use straps or ties. A strap can be any length of material that a user can wind around a coiled item and then tie to prevent the item from unwinding. Although there are various load-securing straps on the market, many of these straps suffer from various drawbacks. For instance, depending on the size of the load to be secured, the individual securing the load must cut or select a strap that is long enough to reach around the load. In addition, the individual must take time to secure the strap, making various knots, so that the strap remains tight around the load. Also, when the individual wants to use an item secured by such a strap, the individual must remove the knots in the strap to release the item. All these factors make existing straps inconvenient and inefficient for securing household, garden, and industrial items.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
I have developed a re-useable, closable loop keeper strap for securing and storing household, garden, and industrial items. My strap includes features that make it a convenient, low-cost alternative to existing load-securing straps.
I can make my strap from a variety of materials. Moreover, I can make the strap in a single or two-piece construction. The strap includes a flexible length of material and an openable and closable flexible keeper attached to one end of the length of material. The keeper is formed so that a user can wrap the keeper around the flexible length of material to form a closed keeper loop. Once formed, the keeper loop can slide longitudinally along the length of material.
Although many configurations of the strap are possible, the strap functions the same regardless of the configuration chosen. First, a user places the load to be secured in contact with the flexible length of material. The user then folds the end of the length of material that includes the attached keeper around the load. By wrapping the keeper around the unfolded portion of the length of material, the user can create a closed keeper loop around the length of material to form an adjustable and releasable noose around the load. The user can then tighten the noose around the load. Moreover, if the strap and the load are appropriately lifted, the force of the load held within the noose tightens the noose around the load, securing the load within the strap. Once the load is secured, the strap can be hung, on a hook or nail, using a hanger element positioned at the end of the length of material opposite the end folded to form the noose.
My strap offers several advantages over conventional load securing straps. First, my strap offers enhanced versatility. The strap can be used to secure loads of varying size; no additional adjustments are required to make the strap accommodate an unusually large or small load. Second, the strap can easily handle relatively heavy loads since the fastener is designed to be isolated from the direct force of the load held by the strap. Also, my strap ensures that no matter how heavy or how large the load being held by it, the load will be held securely within the strap. Moreover, because of the strap's simple construction, a user can secure a load within the strap without having to use any application tools. Finally, the openable and closable keeper allows the user to easily release a secured load.
REFERENCES:
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patent: 5075932 (1991-12-01), Hunt et al.
patent: 5075933 (1991-12-01), Kemper
patent: 5104076 (1992-04-01), Goodall, Jr.
patent: 5131118 (1992-07-01), Breeher
patent: 5271127 (1993-12-01), Christensen
patent: 5577698 (1996-11-01), Liu et al.
patent: 5881436 (1999-03-01), Lyons
patent: 5896623 (1999-04-01), Martin
patent: 5901416 (1999-05-01), Mears
Eugene Stephens & Associates
Sakran Victor N.
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