Reusable tie down storage case

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9856075-B2
Application number	US-201615181217-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 13, 2016
Priority date	Jun 12, 2015
Publication date	Jan 2, 2018
Grant date	Jan 2, 2018

Abstract

Provided is a reusable tie down storage case including a housing having a tie down storage area and first and second strap storage areas, at least one tab in the tie down area for engaging a tie down, a first movable flap covering the first strap storage area to prevent removal of a first strap, and a second movable flap covering the second strap storage area to prevent removal of the second strap. The reusable case can be used as a retail package and as a reusable case after purchase to hold the tie downs in the case without an additional fastener.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A reusable tie down storage case including:
a housing having a bottom portion, side walls and end walls projecting from the bottom portion to define a cavity, and first and second inner walls parallel to one another and to the end walls, the cavity having a first space for receiving one or more tie downs, a second space for receiving one or more straps of the tie downs, and a third space for receiving one or more straps of the tie downs;
at least one deflectable tab in the first space, the tab having a catch for engaging one of the one or more tie downs; and
a flap connected to one of the end walls and movable between a first position to close the second space and a second position to allow access to the second space,
wherein the first and second inner walls, the bottom portion, and the side walls form with one another the first space,
wherein the first inner wall, the bottom portion, the side walls, and one of the end walls form with one another the second space, and
wherein the second inner wall, the bottom portion, and the side walls, and the other of the end walls form with one another the third space, and
wherein the first and second inner walls each include a slot for one of the straps of the tie down to pass from the first space into the second or third space respectively.

2. The reusable tie down storage case according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one deflectable tab projects from the bottom portion in the first space.

3. The reusable tie down storage case according to claim 1 , wherein the flap includes one or more tabs each having a catch for engaging a respective slot to hold the flap in the first position.

4. The reusable tie down storage case according to claim 1 , wherein the flap is connected to one of the end walls by a living hinge.

5. The reusable tie down storage case according to claim 1 , wherein the flap includes one or more projections for holding the one or more straps and for reducing shifting of the flap.

6. The reusable tie down storage case according to claim 1 , wherein the flap includes a pair of side projections on opposite sides of the flap that serve as a stop to reduce shifting.

7. The reusable tie down storage case according to claim 1 , wherein the second and third spaces are on opposite ends of the first space.

8. The reusable tie down storage case according to claim 1 , further including another flap movable between a first position to close the third space and a second position to allow access to the third space.

9. The reusable tie down storage case according to claim 8 , wherein the another flap of the third space includes one or more tabs each having a catch for engaging a respective slot to hold the flap in the first position.

10. The reusable tie down storage case according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one deflectable tab includes a plurality of deflectable tabs projecting from the bottom portion in the first space, and wherein the plurality of tabs are spaced from one another widthwise in a first direction and height wise in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction to accommodate oppositely oriented tie downs.

11. The reusable tie down storage case according to claim 1 , further including a handle for carrying the case, wherein the handle includes one or more channels on an underside of the handle for supporting the case on a hook and for preventing shifting of the case.

12. A reusable tie down assembly including:
a tie down having a first strap and a second strap; and
a reusable tie down storage case including:
a housing having a bottom portion, and side walls and end walls projecting from the bottom portion to define a cavity, the cavity having a first space for receiving the tie down, a second space for receiving the first strap, and a third space for receiving the second strap, wherein the second and third spaces are on opposite ends of the first space;
a first flap connected to one of the end walls and movable between a first position to close the second space and a second position to allow access to the second space; and
a second flap connected to the other of the end walls and movable between a first position to close the third space and a second position to allow access to the third space.

13. The reusable tie down storage case according to claim 12 , further including a first deflectable tab projecting from the bottom portion in the first space, the first deflectable tab having a catch for engaging the tie down to secure the tie down in the storage case.

14. The reusable tie down assembly according to claim 13 , further including a second tie down having a first strap and a second strap a second deflectable tab having a catch and projecting from the bottom portion of the first space to secure the second tie down in the storage case, wherein the first and second deflectable tabs are spaced from one another widthwise in a first direction and height wise in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction to oppositely orient the tie downs.

15. The reusable tie down assembly according to claim 14 , wherein the second space receives the first strap of the first tie down and the second strap of the second tie down, and the third space receives the first strap of the second tie down and the second strap of the first tie down.

16. The reusable tie down storage case according to claim 12 , wherein the first and second flaps each include one or more tabs, and wherein each tab has a catch for engaging a respective slot to hold the respective flap in the respective first position.

17. The reusable tie down storage case according to claim 12 , wherein the first and second flaps are each connected to one of the end walls by a living hinge.

18. The reusable tie down storage case according to claim 12 , wherein the first and second flaps each include one or more projections for holding the first and second straps respectively and for reducing shifting of the respective flap.

19. The reusable tie down storage case according to claim 12 , wherein the first and second flaps each include a pair of side projections on opposite sides of the respective flap that serve as a stop to reduce shifting.

20. The reusable tie down storage case according to claim 12 , further including a handle for carrying the case, wherein the handle includes one or more channels on an underside of the handle for supporting the case on a hook and for preventing shifting of the case.

Assignees

• Winston Products Llc

Inventors

• Breeden Iii Winston H
• Taylor Curtis P
• Hanson Matthew G
• Chepla Ryan
• Kurniawan Colleen
• Drabousky David

Classifications

• Y02W30/80

  Packaging reuse or recycling, e.g. of multilayer packaging (bio-packaging Y02W90/10) · CPC title

• B60P7/0846 Primary

  winding up or storing of straps · CPC title

• B65D25/2826

  provided on a local area of the upper (top) wall, e.g. U-shaped · CPC title

• B65D25/106

  Elements projecting into a recess or through a hole in the articles · CPC title

• B65D85/62 Primary

  for stacks of articles; for special arrangements of groups of articles · CPC title