Abstract:
A family of anchor devices that include a back plate mounted behind a mounting surface with a flange mounted in front of the mounting surface and generally a ring or hook carrier member that engages an anchor ring or a hook. In several embodiments the carrier can rotate without axles pins or the like allowing the load to align the device in a direction of maximum convenience and strength. A first embodiment provides a rotating ring in a recessed retaining cup that provides for maximum flexibility. A second embodiment provides a rotating ring in a clip carrier in a raised mounting flange. A third embodiment provides a swivel insert hook carrier that can rotate. A fourth embodiment includes a ring that engages a notch in a raised carrier. Fifth and sixth embodiments provide attachments for one or multiple hooks in a fixed-mounted, non-rotating flange.

Description:
This application is a divisional of application Ser. No. 12/714,815 filed Mar. 1, 2010, U.S. Pat. No. 8,414,237 issuing Apr. 9, 2013. Application Ser. No. 12/714,815 was a continuation of application Ser. No. 11/788,664 filed Apr. 18, 2007, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,686,551 issued Mar. 30, 2010. Application Ser. Nos. 12/714,815 and 11/788,664 are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to the field of tie-down anchors and rings and more particularly to a tie-down anchor system and method that comprises a family of related tie-downs. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Tie-down anchors and anchor rings are used to secure loads to solid structures such as tying down a motorcycle in a truck or securing any type of movable object or cargo so it cannot move especially when it is being hauled in a moving vehicle. 
     Several different tie-down anchors have been used in the art. For example, McDaid in U.S. Pat. No. 6,138,975 teaches an anchored tie-down that mounts in concrete. Lewis in U.S. Pat. No. 3,412,693 teaches a simple ring/plate anchoring device secured to a surface with wood screws. Fenner in U.S. Pat. No. 4,630,982 teaches a receptacle that is incorporated into an aircraft floor. Akright describes a tie-down assembly in U.S. Pat. No. 4,907,921 that houses a tie-down ring in a clamp. Hansen II in U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,869 discloses a mounting plate with a cross-bar or half-ring. Shambeau et al. disclose a rotating tie-down anchor in U.S. Pat. No. 6,065,917. Many of these prior art systems have the disadvantage of being difficult to mount because in general they require recessing in the mounting surface. Recessing necessitates cutting a large hole in the surface which possibly permanently damages the surface and weakens it. Another disadvantage of the prior art systems is that they are complex and difficult to manufacture. Finally, some of the prior art systems cannot carry the loads required of modern tie-down anchors, and many use axles or pins to achieve rotation which can lead to possible failure. 
     It would be advantageous to have a family of anchor tie downs that are simple mechanically, economical to manufacture from modern materials, that allow a choice between recessing into the mounting surface or simply cutting or drilling bolt holes. It would also be advantageous to avoid using any axle or pivot (pin, rivet, etc.) to achieve rotation, as prior art products do. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a family of anchor devices that include a back plate mounted behind a mounting surface with a flange mounted in front of the mounting surface and generally a ring or hook carrier member that engages an anchor ring or a hook. In several embodiments of the present invention, the carrier can rotate without the use of axles or pins allowing the load to align the device in a direction of maximum convenience and strength. The lack of axles or pins as a means to achieve rotation between two objects also leads to minimal failures and maximum longevity. A first embodiment provides a rotating ring in a recessed retaining cup that provides for maximum flexibility and is intended to be relatively flush with the mounting surface. A second embodiment provides a rotating ring in a clip carrier in a raised mounting flange. A third embodiment provides a swivel insert hook carrier that can rotate. A fourth embodiment includes a ring that engages a notch in a raised carrier. Fifth and sixth embodiments provide attachments for one or multiple hooks in a fixed-mounted, non-rotating flange. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
       The following illustrations show major features of particular embodiments of the present invention: 
         FIG. 1A  shows a perspective view of a recessed first embodiment of the invention that contains a rotating tie-down ring. 
         FIG. 1B  shows a section of the first embodiment mounted to a surface. 
         FIG. 1C  shows an exploded perspective view of the first embodiment. 
         FIG. 1D  is a top view of the first embodiment. 
         FIG. 1E  shows a side view of the first embodiment. 
         FIG. 2A  shows a perspective view of a non-recessed second embodiment of the invention that contains a rotating tie-down ring. 
         FIG. 2B  shows a section of the second embodiment mounted to a surface. 
         FIG. 2C  shows an exploded perspective view of the second embodiment. 
         FIG. 2D  shows a top view of the second embodiment. 
         FIG. 2E  shows a side view of the second embodiment. 
         FIG. 3A  shows a perspective view of a non-recessed, non-ring third embodiment of the invention that contains a rotating hook engagement. 
         FIG. 3B  shows a section of the third embodiment mounted to a surface. 
         FIG. 3C  shows an exploded perspective view of the third embodiment. 
         FIG. 3D  shows a top view of the third embodiment. 
         FIG. 3E  shows a side view of the third embodiment. 
         FIG. 3F  shows a top perspective view of the third embodiment. 
         FIG. 4A  shows a perspective view of a non-recessed fourth embodiment of 
         FIG. 4B  shows a section of the fourth embodiment mounted to a surface. 
         FIG. 4C  shows a top view of the fourth embodiment. 
         FIG. 4D  shows an exploded perspective view of the fourth embodiment. 
         FIG. 4E  shows a plan view of the backing plate. 
         FIG. 4F  shows a plan view of the top plate. 
         FIG. 4G  shows a perspective view of the ring clip. 
         FIG. 5A  shows an exploded perspective view of a fifth embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 5B  shows a section of the fifth embodiment mounted to a surface. 
         FIG. 5C  shows a different perspective view of the top member of the fifth embodiment. 
         FIG. 6A  shows an exploded perspective view of a sixth embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 6B  shows a section of the sixth embodiment mounted to a surface. 
         FIG. 6C  shows a different perspective view of the top member of the sixth embodiment. 
     
    
    
     Several drawings and illustrations have been presented to aid in understanding the present invention. The scope of the present invention is not limited to what is shown in the figures. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a family of tie-down anchors that are strong, economical to manufacture and easy to mount. Several embodiments of the present invention are presented. The scope of the present invention is not limited to only these embodiments. 
     Turning to  FIGS. 1A-1E , a first embodiment of the invention can be seen.  FIG. 1A  shows a perspective view of this embodiment. This particular embodiment requires a recess in the mounting surface  7  for the anchor device. The recess must be large enough to allow the retaining cup  9  shown in  FIG. 1C  to pass through. A backing plate  1  that is normally mounted behind the mounting surface cooperates with a top mounting flange  2  that is secured through the surface to the plate  1  with three bolts  3  to tightly mount the device. The preferred bolt is a 5/16-18 carriage bolt; however, any bolt is within the scope of the present invention. The mounting flange  2  contains square holes  6  that receive the carriage bolts and prevent rotation when securing fasteners/hex nuts.  3 . The “double-square” shaped holes accept and reveal the tabs of the retaining cup and the heads of the carriage bolts function to fasten and clamp the retaining cup. These holes  6  can be adapted to allow space for attachment flanges  10  ( FIG. 1C ) on a retaining cup  9  when the piece is secured to the mounting surface  7 . 
     An anchor ring  4  fits around the upper part of a ring clamp  5  so that the ring  4  and ring clamp  5  are trapped by the top mounting flange  2  and can rotate while being aligned by tabs  5 B, around top mounting flange  2  in an axis perpendicular to the mounting surface  7 , and the ring  4  is free to move in the ring clamp  5 . A preferred ring is a 5/16 inch stainless steel ring; however, any ring is within the scope of the present invention.  FIG. 1B  shows a sectional view of this embodiment mounted to a surface  7 . The bolts  3  generally pass through the mounting flange  2  and the surface  7 , and are held against the backing plate  1  with nuts  8 . The preferred nut is a 5/16-18 hex nut; however any nut that fits the bolt may be used including a locking nut. It is also recommended that a washer by used under the nut as is known in the art. The length of the bolts  3  should be sufficient to pass completely through the flange, surface and plate with enough length to tighten the nuts  8  securely. Different length bolts  6  can be chosen for mounting surfaces of different thicknesses. 
       FIG. 1C  shows an exploded perspective view of the embodiment of  FIGS. 1A-1B . The backing plate  1  is designed to be mounted behind the surface  7  ( FIG. 1B ) with a retaining cup  9  passing through the surface  7  and held in place with attachment flanges  10 . The retaining cup  9  contains the ring clamp  5 . The ring clamp  5  holds the anchor ring  4  in place. The top mounting flange  2  traps the ring clamp  5  and the anchor ring  4 . The combined assembly of the ring  4  and ring clamp  5  are free to rotate in the retaining cup  9  aligned by the tabs/legs of  5 B and rotating around the edge of top mounting flange  2 . Top mounting flange  2  retains the combined assembly of the ring  4  and ring clamp  5 . This rotation allows the device to adjust the ring orientation to the direction of the load (usually secured with a rope or strap). The ring clamp  5  has a flat top portion  5   a  and several legs  5   b  with three legs  5   b  being preferred ( FIG. 1C ). The ring clamp  5  also contains a protruding nose  5   c  ( FIG. 1A ) with a descending lip  5   d  that holds the ring  4  so that the ring  4  is free to move but cannot escape. Optionally, the retaining cup  9  can contain a drain hole (weep hole)  10  in its base to allow water or accumulated moisture to escape.  FIG. 1E  shows a side view of this embodiment (without the mounting surface). In normal use, the backing plate  1  and mounting flange  2  would sandwich the mounting surface  7  (as shown in  FIG. 1B ) and thus be separated by it. The retaining cup  9  would pass through a pre-cut recessing hole and extend through a large cutout  11  in the mounting plate ( FIG. 1C ). In this way, the plate  1  and flange  2  can tightly sandwich surfaces of different thicknesses. The preferred size of this embodiment is around 5×5 inches; however, the device may be provided in any convenient size. 
     Turning to  FIGS. 2A-2E , a second embodiment of the invention can be seen. This embodiment also provides a rotating ring without the use of axles or pins; however, this embodiment does not require recessing. A flat backing plate  1 , with normally no holes other than the bolt holes  6 , in cooperation with a top mounting flange  2  sandwiches a surface  7  using bolts  3  and nuts  8 . The flange  2  has a raised area  2   a  with lower supports  2   b  that transition through steps  2   c . The raised area  2   a  provides space for a rotating mount  5  to be held in place but still free to rotate. 
     The rotating mount  5  has a flat top area  5   a  with descending sides  5   f  and at least two flat feet  5   b  ( FIG. 2C ). One end of this rotating mount  5  can contain a protruding nose  5   c  with a descending lip  5   d  and notch  5   e . The legs  5   b  hold the rotating mount  5  under the mounting flange  2 , while the particular shape of the mounting flange  2  allows the mount  5  to rotate by not pinching it. The notch  5   e  and descending lip  5   d  receive an anchor ring  4  in the position shown in  FIG. 2A . The ring  4  is free to both rotate and swivel in the notch  5   e . This second embodiment of the present invention allows the advantages of a swiveling and rotating ring mount without the use of axles or pins and the necessity of providing a recess in the mounting surface. 
     Turning to  FIGS. 3A-3F , a third embodiment of the invention can be seen. This embodiment also provides a rotating swivel mount  5 , without the use of axles or pins and this embodiment does not require recessing. A flat backing plate  1 , with normally no holes other than the bolt holes  6 , in cooperation with a mounting flange  2  sandwiches a surface  7  using bolts  3  and nuts  8 . Similar to the second embodiment, the flange  2  has a raised area  2   a  with lower supports  2   b  that transition through steps  2   c . The raised area  2   a  provides space for a rotating swivel mount piece  5  to be held in place but still free to rotate. The preferred bolt is a 5/16-18 carriage bolt with a washer and 5/16 nut. Any type of bolts and nuts are within the scope of the present invention. 
     The swivel mount  5  (as best seen in  FIG. 3C ) has a flat top  5   a , a pair of descending walls  5   b  with two feet or supports  5   c . It a closed flat bottom  5   f  that structures the swivel mount. The top of the swivel mount  5  can have an indentation  5   d  to receive and locate a hook. A smaller (or similarly sized) second indentation  5   e  can be provided on the opposite side. This particular embodiment of the present invention is designed to receive tie down hooks (such as those commonly found on the end of tie-down straps). The mounting flange  2  generally contains a large hole  2   d  that traps/retains the swivel mount  5  and allows the swivel mount  5  to protrude. The feet  5   c  of the swivel mount  5  are trapped under the higher flat surface  2   a  of the mounting flange  2  in such a way that the swivel mount  5  is free to rotate. This rotation allows the tie-down straps attached to the load to align the device in a direction of maximum engagement of a hook, convenience and strength. 
     A fourth embodiment of the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 4A-4G  and includes a pair of flat plates, namely a front plate  2  and a back plate  1  that engage and sandwich a mounting surface  7 . A ring clip  5  mounts above the front plate  2  trapping/retaining an anchor ring  4  with a pair of bolts  3  passing through the ring clip  5 , the top plate  2  and the back plate  1 . These bolts  3  receive nuts  8  to mount the arrangement. An anchor ring  4  passes through a notch  5   e  in the ring clip  5 . The ring  4  is free to rotate forward and backward in this notch  5   e . The preferred bolt is a 5/16-18 carriage bolt with a washer and a 5/16-18 nut. Any type of bolts and nuts are within the scope of the present invention. 
     Turning to  FIGS. 5A-5C  and  6 A- 6 C, a fifth and sixth embodiment of the present invention can be seen. In these embodiments, a back plate  1  and front plate  2  sandwich a mounting surface  7 . The front plates have holes in a raised center section to receive hooks. In the fifth embodiment ( FIGS. 5A-5C ), the center section of the front plate  2  is generally U-shaped with a flat top  5   a  and receives a hook through holes  14  in side surfaces  5   b . The front plate  5  also has flat lower flange areas  5   c  for support and bolting. The sixth embodiment ( FIGS. 6A-6C ) is similar to the fifth embodiment except that the front plate is generally triangular with a multi-way hole  15  in a raised flat surface  5   a . By 3-way hole, I mean a hole that can receive more than one hook. In this embodiment, the raised flat surface descends  5   b  into lower flanges  5   c  for mounting and bolting. The multi-way hole  15  can take up to three or more hooks. The preferred number of hooks is two to three with the multi-way hole being a 2-way or 3-way hole. 
     All of the embodiments of the present invention can be made from steel, or other rigid materials. The preferred material for the rings is stainless steel. The choice of material is governed by the final load bearing strength desired and the cost and ease of manufacturing. 
     Several descriptions and illustrations of the present invention have been presented to aid in understanding the invention. One of skill in the art will recognize that numerous changes and variations are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. Each of these changes and variations is within the scope of the present invention.