AU2007100322A4 - Lashing assembly - Google Patents

Description

Our Ref: 20201842 P/00/011 Regulation 3:2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATION PATENT Applicant(s): Address for Service: Invention Title: The following statement is a performing it known to me:- Uni-Lock Pty Ltd 19-23 Taragala Street, Cowra, New South Wales 2794, Australia DAVIES COLLISON CAVE Patent Trade Mark Attorneys 255 Elizabeth Street SYDNEY NSW 2000 "Lashing assembly" full description of this invention, including the best method of 1- Lashing Assembly Technical Field [001] The present invention generally relates to a lashing assembly, for example a lashing ring assembly for securing lashing, rope, cord, strap or the like.

Background Art [002] It is common to use lashing, rope, cord, strap or the like to secure or tie various types of body to another object. For example, lashing is used to secure, either directly or indirectly, various types of load carried on the back of a truck, vehicle, trailer, ship or aeroplane. Lashing needs to be secured to some form of anchor point to enable a load or other type of body to be secured against unwanted movement, for example during transport. A lashing assembly is an example of a type of anchor point for securing lashing, rope, cord, strap or the like.

[003] It is not presently known to provide a lashing assembly for securing lashing, rope, cord, strap or the like, where a component resilient member, for example a spring, has an end or other such protruding or exposed portion located so as not to catch lashing, be bent or otherwise deformed during repeated use of the lashing assembly. However, any such resilient member, for example a spring, is still required to be operable as part of the lashing assembly, for example by being able to apply a force to a moveable component of the lashing assembly.

Disclosure Of Invention [004] A lashing assembly is provided for securing lashing, rope, cord, strap or the like.

The lashing assembly may be attached or fixed to a wide variety of objects, for example a truck, vehicle, trailer, ship or aeroplane. In use, one or more lashing assemblies can be used to each secure one or more lashings, where the lashings assist in securing or tying a body to another object, for example for securing a load in a truck, vehicle, trailer, ship or aeroplane.

[005] According to a first broad form, the present invention provides a lashing assembly including an extension, the extension moveably or rotatably attached to a body and the -2extension having a cavity for receiving part of a resilient member that applies a force to the extension when the extension is rotated.

[006] In an example form, the resilient member is a spring.

[007] In another example form, a distal arm of the spring is received in a bore of the extension.

[008] In yet another example form, the extension has a hole through which the lashing can be passed such that the lashing does not contact the distal arm of the spring.

[009] According to a second broad form, the present invention provides a lashing assembly including an extension, the extension moveably or rotatably attached to a body and the extension integrated with part of a resilient member that applies a force to the extension when the extension is rotated.

Brief Description Of Figures [010] An example embodiment of the present invention should become apparent from the following description, which is given by way of example only, of a preferred but nonlimiting embodiment, described in connection with the accompanying figures.

[011] Fig. 1A illustrates a plan view of a lashing assembly; [012] Fig. I B illustrates a rear plan view of the lashing assembly; [013] Fig. 1C illustrates a left side plan view of the lashing assembly; [014] Fig. 1D illustrates a right side plan view of the lashing assembly; [015] Fig. 1E illustrates an end plan view of the lashing assembly; 1016] Fig. I F illustrates a cross-sectional view of the lashing assembly; -3- [017] Fig. 2A illustrates a cross-sectional view of a ring of a lashing assembly; [018] Fig. 2B illustrates a top plan view of the ring; [019] Fig. 2C illustrates an orthogonal cross-sectional view of the ring; [020] Fig. 2D illustrates a left side plan view of the ring; [021] Fig. 2E illustrates a right side plan view of the ring; [022] Fig. 2F illustrates an end plan view of the ring; [023] Fig. 3A illustrates a side plan view of a spring of a lashing assembly; and, [024] Fig. 3B illustrates an alternate side plan view of the spring.

Modes for Carrying Out The Invention [025] The following modes, given by way of example only, are described in order to provide a more precise understanding of the subject matter of a preferred embodiment or embodiments.

[026] Referring to Fig. 1A, there is illustrated a lashing assembly 10 including an extension 12 to which lashing, rope, cord, strap or the like (not illustrated) is able to be attached or wound about or through. Lashing may be attached indirectly, for example using a type of clip, clasp or clamp. Extension 12 is rotatably attached to a body 14. Extension 12 is provided with a cavity 16 (most clearly illustrated in Fig. 2A) for receiving a distal part 18 (most clearly illustrated in Fig. 3A) or end region of a resilient member 20. At least part of resilient member 20 is held relative to body 14, for example region or part 22 can abut body 14 so that part 22 is held relative to body 14. This prevents resilient member 20 from fully rotating when extension 12 is rotated. Thus, resilient member applies a force to extension 12 when extension 12 is rotated, as part 22 of resilient member is held relative to body 14 and end part 18 of resilient member 20 engages with extension 12 by being received or held in cavity 16 of extension 12.

-4- [027] In use, lashing assembly 10 is fixed to an object, for example part of a truck or other vehicle, although many other types of object can be used. Referring to Figs. I B to (IF, body 14 includes body plate 24 and body recess 26. Body plate 24 is provided with holes 28 so that lashing assembly 10 can be fixed to the object. For example, holes 28 may receive bolts or other attachment means such as rivets.

_[028] A user lifts extension 12 away from body 14 so that one or more lashings can be passed through hole 30 formed by extension 12. Alternatively, one or more lashings can be attached to extension 12 via some type of clip, clasp or clamp. By tightening the one or more lashings extension 12 can be forced into position 32 as illustrated in Fig. IF. When the one or more lashings are released from extension 12, or otherwise loosened without being released, resilient member 20 acts to return extension 12 to rest position 34 as illustrated in Fig. IF.

[029] Extension 12 can be rotatably attached to body 14 by use of a pin, rivet, bolt, shaft, protrusion/receptacle on opposing sections of extension 12, or any other type of attachment mechanism allowing for extension 12 to be moved or rotated relative to body 14. For example, as illustrated, rotatable attachment of extension 12 can be provided by threaded bolt 36 engaging with threaded nut 38. In other forms, bolt 36 and nut 38 may be replaced by a rivet, pin or shaft that is secured in place by being riveted, folded or peened. It should be appreciated that other types of pivot mechanism can be provided. Alternatively, extension 12 could be provided with opposing protrusions that engage with opposing recesses provided as part of body 14, for example in body recess 26. Similarly, an alternate arrangement could be provided whereby extension 12 is provided with opposing recesses that engage with cylindrical protrusions extending from one or more parts of body 14.

[030] Lashing assembly 10 may or may not be provided with drain hole 40 to allow any water or other liquids collecting in body recess 26 to drain away. Drain hole 40 may or may not be provided with a corresponding drain plug 42. Lashing assembly 10 also may be provided with reinforcing ribs, indents, or cut outs 44 in body plate 24.

[031] In a particular non-limiting example as illustrated in the figures, resilient member may be a form of spring having spring coils 46. Figs. 3A and 3B illustrate an example form of spring configuration.

[032] A wide variety of other types of resilient member 20 could be utilised. For example, various materials having resilient properties could be used to apply a suitable force to extension 12 when extension 12 is rotated or moved. This could take the form of an extendable tendon(s) having resilient properties, other forms of coil(s), resilient angle made of a suitably flexible or deformable material, or other types of biasing means.

[033] Cavity 16 of extension 12 may be a bore, recess, cut, depression, groove, indent or slot for receiving an end part of resilient member 20. A wide variety of different configurations of cavity 16 engaging with or receiving end part 18 of resilient member can be used.

[034] Referring to Figs. 2A-2F, a non-limiting example of extension 12 is illustrated.

Extension 12 may take the form of a ring having a central hole region 30. This enables the one or more lashings to be secured to ring 12. Other configurations or geometries of extension 12 could be used. For example, extension 12 can take any shape or form that allows at least one lashing to be attached, tied or otherwise secured to extension 12. Thus, extension 12 could be, in various forms, provided as a block, bracket, arm, handle, rectangle, square, or other type of projection or protrusion.

[035] In an alternate form (not illustrated), a different means of associating resilient member 20 with extension 12 can be provided. For example, extension 12 can be integrated with a distal part or end part or region of resilient member 20. In one particular example, resilient member 20 could be welded to or otherwise fixedly attached to part of extension 12 and the connecting region smoothed to avoid catching of lashing or clamps.

In another example, such as if extension 12 and/or resilient member 20 were formed of a polymer or plastic material, extension 12 could be integrally formed with resilient member In this example, resilient member 20 might not be formed as a spring but could be, for example, a resilient projection or tab protruding from part of extension 12.

-6- O [036] The following example provides a more detailed discussion of a particular Sembodiment. The example is intended to be merely illustrative and not limiting to the scope of the present invention.

[037] Body plate 24 may be provided with indicia, for example a load rating. Bolt 36 (or N, rivet, pin or shaft) could be a M8 high tensile button head hex socket and may be zinc Cc plated. Nut 38 may be a M8 zinc plated nut. The bolt, rivet, pin, shaft or nut (or any other _component of the lashing assembly) might alternatively be made of stainless steel. Cavity 16 could be a blind hole in ring 12 or pass completely through ring 12.

[038] In a specific example form, ring 12 could have an outer diameter of 61.6 mm, and a variable diameter of the annular portion of the ring ranging from 10.7 mm to 17.2 mm, and blind hole 16 may have a diameter of 1.2 mm. These dimensions are provided by way of example only and significantly different dimensions for lashing assembly 10 could be used. Ring 16 may be a forged ring made of cold forged steel with a zinc plating or ring 16 may be made from stainless steel. Many other types of materials, such as other metals, composites or plastics, could be used to make ring 16 (or any other component of the lashing assembly).

[039] Optional embodiments of the present invention may also be said to broadly consist in the parts, elements and features referred to or indicated herein, individually or collectively, in any or all combinations of two or more of the parts, elements or features, and wherein specific integers are mentioned herein which have known equivalents in the art to which the invention relates, such known equivalents are deemed to be incorporated herein as if individually set forth.

[040] Although a preferred embodiment has been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions, and alterations can be made by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims (4)

1. A lashing assembly including an extension to which a lashing is able to be attached, N the extension rotatably attached to a body and the extension having a cavity for receiving a distal part of a resilient member, at least part of the resilient member held relative to the N body, and the resilient member applying a force to the extension when the extension is rotated.

2. The lashing assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resilient member is a N 10 spring.

3. The lashing assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein a distal arm of the spring is received in a bore of the extension.

4. The lashing assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the extension has a hole through which the lashing can be passed such that the lashing does not contact the distal arm of the spring. A lashing assembly including an extension to which a lashing is able to be attached, the extension rotatably attached to a body and the extension integrated with a distal part of a resilient member, at least part of the resilient member held relative to the body, and the resilient member applying a force to the extension when the extension is rotated.