Tie-Down Strap End Fitting Assembly With Pivot Coupling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional tie-down straps often require a fixed loop that can break due to wear or excessive tension, rendering the end fitting unusable, and necessitate specialized equipment or separate fasteners for replacement.
Innovation Solution
An end fitting assembly with a coupling mechanism that allows secure attachment to a tie-down strap without forming a fixed loop, utilizing a pivot connection between the end fitting and coupling, enabling easy installation and replacement without specialized tools.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a fixed loop is formed in the tie-down strap to secure the end fitting, then the end fitting can be attached to the strap, but the fixed loop can break due to wear or excessive tension, rendering the end fitting unusable
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the attachment system into separate components: a movable coupling mechanism and the end fitting, eliminating the need for a fixed loop in the strap. The coupling can move independently along the strap while maintaining secure attachment, distributing stress away from any single weak point.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling is designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing it to adjust its position along the strap dynamically. This movement capability enables the coupling to accommodate tension variations and wear without compromising the integrity of the attachment, as the coupling can shift to distribute loads differently.
2Ease of repair
If specialized equipment or separate fasteners are used to replace the end fitting, then the end fitting can be replaced when damaged, but the replacement process becomes complex and requires additional tools
Solution Approach 1:
The end fitting and coupling are designed as separable components that can be independently replaced. The coupling remains attached to the strap while the end fitting can be detached and replaced without requiring specialized tools, simplifying the repair process.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling mechanism is designed to automatically maintain attachment through its movable nature, eliminating the need for additional fasteners or complex locking mechanisms. Replacement involves simple attachment/detachment actions that can be performed without specialized equipment.
3Reliability
If a fixed loop is formed in the tie-down strap, then the end fitting can be securely attached, but the strap requires additional manufacturing steps and cannot be easily replaced
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment function is separated from the strap itself, with the coupling serving as an independent component that attaches to the strap without requiring permanent modifications. This allows the strap to be manufactured as a simple webbing strip without additional looping or forming steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling acts as an intermediary component between the strap and the end fitting, providing the attachment function without requiring the strap itself to be modified. The coupling can be attached to the strap through simple methods such as stitching or adhesive, avoiding complex manufacturing steps.
Data Source
AI summary
An end fitting assembly for installation on a tie-down strap includes an end fitting including a proximal extremity, a distal extremity configured to secure an anchor point, and a first opening between the proximal extremity and the distal extremity, and a coupling including an inner end, an outer end, and a second opening between the inner end and the outer end, the inner end being connected to the end fitting for movement of the coupling into and out of a closed position in which the outer end is in juxtaposition with the first opening and the second opening is in juxtaposition with the end fitting between the distal extremity and both the first opening and the outer end.