Cargo Strap Fastener with Elongated Slot for Loose End Retention
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cargo straps often leave excess length that can whip around in the wind, damage adjacent items, or become a trip hazard, as users typically leave the strap end loose or tie it in sloppy knots, lacking an efficient method to secure the loose end.
Innovation Solution
A cargo strap fastener with elongated slots and a central opening that allows the excess strap to be wrapped around and secured using the tensioned portion, providing a neat and secure method to retain the loose end, utilizing materials like metals, plastics, or composites for durability and weight reduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the excess strap length is left loose or tied in sloppy knots, then the strap can be quickly deployed, but the loose end may whip around in the wind, damage adjacent items, or become a trip hazard
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the problematic loose end of the strap from the system by providing a dedicated fastening mechanism. The excess strap length is separated from the functional portion and secured independently using the fastener device, eliminating the harmful whipping effect while maintaining quick deployment capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastener device acts as an intermediary component between the tensioned portion of the strap and the excess loose end. It provides a structured interface that allows the loose end to be securely attached to the main strap body through slots and wrapping mechanisms, preventing harmful effects without complicating the overall system.
2Reliability
If a conventional knot is used to secure the strap end, then the loose end can be restrained, but the knotting process is time-consuming and may create sloppy, unreliable fastening
Solution Approach 1:
The fastener device is pre-configured with slots and structural features that guide the strap end through a predetermined path. This preliminary preparation of the fastening mechanism eliminates the need for complex knot-tying operations, allowing users to quickly secure the strap end by simply wrapping and inserting it into the pre-designed slot structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastening function is segmented into distinct structural elements: the body portion, the slot, and the wrapping section. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently - the body provides structure, the slot guides and secures the strap end, and the wrapping section creates the fastening action - resulting in both speed and reliability.
3Strength
If more material is used to create a bulky fastener, then the structural integrity and strength increase, but the weight and storage difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The fastener device utilizes a thin, planar webbing structure that functions as a flexible shell. This thin-film approach provides sufficient structural integrity for securing the strap end while minimizing material usage, weight, and bulk. The flexibility of the thin webbing allows it to conform to the strap and maintain secure fastening without requiring thick or rigid materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastener transitions from a three-dimensional bulky structure to a two-dimensional planar form. By utilizing the width and length dimensions of a thin webbing structure rather than building up thickness, the device achieves necessary strength through geometric configuration and tension distribution rather than material volume, significantly reducing weight and storage requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A fastener operable to fasten to a strap having a tensioned segment and a loose segment includes a planar profile having at least two sides defining an elongated wrap section configured for having the loose segment of the strap wrapped around it, and at least one slot configured to clip onto the tensioned segment of the strap, and retain the loose segment of the strap wrapped around the elongated wrap section against the tensioned segment of the strap.