Cargo anchor device

Abstract

The present invention is a device and method for preventing cargo in the cargo area of a vehicle from shifting forward in an accident, the vehicle having a horizontally hinged rear door.

Claims

1. A device for securing cargo in a vehicle body having a door horizontally hinged at a top edge, said device comprising: a. a bar comprised of a non-flexible or an essentially non-flexible material, said bar having a first end and a second end and a longitudinal axis and a vertical axis, the first end having a first rigging treaded through the bar and the second end having a second rigging threaded through the bar, both said first and said second rigging having a lateral axis, such that when the bar is secured and tension is placed on the rigging, the longitudinal axis and vertical axis of the bar are caused to be orientated essentially perpendicular to the lateral axis of both the first and the second rigging; b. a vehicle having a door horizontally hinged at the top; c. wherein, both the first rigging and the second rigging comprise a means for securing the cargo and wherein the bar will secure cargo when placed outside of the vehicle door, the door closed such that the bar is outside the vehicle door and the rigging passes between the vehicle door and the vehicle body to the inside of the vehicle and said rigging is attached to said cargo.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein, said first and said second rigging are equivalent.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein said first rigging and said second rigging comprise webbed straps.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein said cargo is selected from the group consisting of a pet crate, a pet box, a crate, a box, a satchel, a duffel, a bag, a pallet, a harnessed animal and a platform.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein said cargo is a device suitable for containing an animal.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein said bar is comprised of essentially of non-flexible material selected from one or more of a group consisting of fiber board, metal, steel, stainless steel, aluminum, plastic and hard rubber.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein said means for securing the cargo are selected from the group consisting of hooks, D-rings, rings, a mounting plate, swivel hooks, S-hooks, clips and ties.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein said rigging is selected from a group consisting of webbed strap, unwebbed strap, bands, belts, rope, cable, plastic strap, chains, steel strapping and aluminum strapping.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the first rigging comprises a length adjustment mechanism and the second rigging comprises a length adjustment mechanism.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein said first rigging is threaded through the bar through two parallel slots and said second rigging is threaded through the bar through two parallel slots.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein said bar is flat.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) FIG. 1 shows a view of the bar of the anchor device of the present invention, i.e., a front view of the device.

(2) FIG. 2 shows a side view of the anchor device of the present invention.

(3) FIG. 3 shows a top view of the anchor device of the present invention.

(4) FIG. 4 shows a bottom view of the device of the present invention. Numbering of device parts is the same as in FIGS. 1-3.

(5) FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the device of the present invention. Numbering of device parts is the same as in FIGS. 1-3.

(6) FIG. 6 shows the device of the present invention located outside of a vehicle with a horizontally hinged door with the door opened. In this view D-rings are attached and visible on the rigging.

(7) FIG. 7 shows the device of the present invention located outside of a vehicle with a horizontally hinged door with the door opened. In this view hooks are attached and visible on the rigging.

(8) FIG. 8 shows the device of the present invention located outside of a vehicle with a horizontally hinged door with the door opened. In this view an attachment bar is attached and visible on the rigging and secured to the cargo.

(9) FIG. 9 shows the device of the present invention attached to a harness on an animal.

(10) FIG. 10 shows the device of the present invention located outside of a vehicle with a horizontally hinged door with the door closed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(11) The invention will now be described in detail with reference to a few preferred embodiments, as illustrated in accompanying drawings. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the invention may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other instances, well-known features and/or process steps have not been described in detail in order to not unnecessarily obscure the invention. The features and advantages of the invention may be better understood with reference to the drawings and discussions that follow.

(12) While the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art, having benefit of this disclosure, will appreciate that other embodiments can be devised which do not depart from the scope of the invention as disclosed herein.

(13) In the present application, a range of value, e.g., less than 50%, between 25% and 50%, etc., refers to all values within the rage given. For example, if the range of between 10% and 25% is given, then the values of 10.2%, 15% and 19.9% are considered described in the specification and understood to be included in the specification by one of ordinary skill in the art. Likewise, if a series of values is given, e.g., about 10%, about 20%, about 30%, etc., then all values between the recited values are considered described in the specification and understood to be included in the specification by one of ordinary skill in the art. For example, in the series presented in the previous sentence, the values of about 12% and of about 26.5% are included and described.

(14) Any US Patents and US Patent publications cited herein are incorporated by reference. All references cited herein, regardless of source, exemplify what is known to one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains.

(15) In the present invention all terms will mean both the singular and plural unless clearly defined to be one or the other. Likewise, direct (the) and indirect (a, an) objects will be considered interchangeable in the present specification excluding the claims.

(16) The term equivalent shall be defined as two items being functionally equivalent or as two or more items being able to perform the same function even though they may not look identical.

(17) The term perpendicular shall be defined as being at right angles. The term essentially perpendicular shall be defined as being within about 5 (degrees) or about 10 of perpendicular.

(18) FIG. 1 shows the cargo anchor device 10 of the present invention with the bar 12, the straps 14, one of the two securing rings 18, and the two pairs of slots on the bar 20 (the right pair is slots is not numbered).

(19) FIG. 2 shows a side view of the cargo anchor device 10 of the present invention with the bar 12, the straps 14, the strap adjustment sliders 16, and one of the two securing rings 18.

(20) FIG. 3 shows a top view of the cargo anchor device 10 of the present invention with the bar 12, the straps 14, the strap adjustment sliders 16, and the two securing rings 18.

(21) FIG. 4 shows a bottom view of the cargo anchor device of the present invention. The numbering of the various elements of the device is the same as in FIGS. 1-3.

(22) FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the cargo anchor device of the present invention. The numbering of the various elements of the device is the same as in FIGS. 1-3.

(23) FIG. 6 shows the cargo anchoring device of the present invention in place on a motor vehicle prior to attachment to cargo and prior to having the horizontally hinged door closed. The cargo anchoring device in this view has rings to secure the cargo.

(24) FIG. 7 shows the same view as FIG. 6 but with hooks for securing the cargo instead of rings.

(25) FIG. 8 shows the same view as FIG. 6 but with an attachment bar for securing the cargo instead of rings.

(26) FIG. 9 shows a side view of the cargo anchor device of the present invention being used to secure an animal wearing a harness.

(27) FIG. 10 shows the cargo anchoring device of the present invention positioned on a motor vehicle with the horizontally hinged door closed.