Abstract:
Herein is disclosed an improvement for a tie-down and attach-point anchor device for pickup truck beds that clamps to the downward protruding flange of a pickup truck&#39;s inner side rail or other similar available surface having an exposed edge. The anchor incorporating a slotted head capable of swiveling to accommodate different angles at which straps, bungees, ropes, and rigid members may be placed to secure or support cargo.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application is a continuation-in-part of the patent application entitled “Cargo Restraint Anchor Device for Pick-Up Trucks”, having application Ser. No. 11/365,425, filed on Mar. 1, 2006 and claims priority from this application. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a cargo anchor device designed to allow the restraint of articles that are loaded into the cargo bed of a pick-up truck, and specifically addresses a novel device that attaches anywhere along the downward protruding flange of the inner side rail of the cargo box and functions as an anchor for a cargo restraining strap, bungees, ropes, leashes, solid members, and the like. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Pickup trucks are typically purchased to provide a means for transporting cargo. Cargo can be anything loaded into the truck&#39;s bed from large commercial palleted loads, building supplies purchased at the local lumber yard, and everything in between. Ideally, to be safe, when cargo is carried in a pickup truck&#39;s bed it should be restrained from movement. Restraint is often accomplished by tying the cargo down with a strap or rope utilizing a conveniently located tie-point or accomplished by tying the cargo down with a strap or rope utilizing a conveniently located tie-point or attach-point. However, most manufactures of pickup trucks do not incorporate convenient tie-points or attach-points within the bed or along the bed&#39;s side rails to aid in the securing cargo from movement within the bed. In addition, the advent of bed liners used to protect the surface of the bed, side panels, and rails from damage by cargo have further complicated the addition or availability of tie-points if factory installed. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The present invention solves these problems by providing an aftermarket, easily installable tie-point that can be positioned anywhere along the pickup truck bed&#39;s downward protruding flange portion of the inner bed side rail. The present invention can be installed in minutes, and incorporates a swiveling, slotted head for attaching a strap, rope, leash, bungee cord, solid member, and the like. By allowing the head to swivel, a strap or straps threaded through the head can cross at any angle thus providing optimal restraint without bunching or twisting the strapping material. 
         [0005]    The present invention is directed at anchoring cargo to the side rail(s) of a pickup truck&#39;s bed. The present invention may also be mounted on any a sheet surface similar to that available on the downward protruding flange of the inner side rail of a pickup truck&#39;s bed. The invention consists of a combination of an L-body portion, a C-body portion, and a slotted, swivel head. The inventive cargo anchor&#39;s L-body portion and a C-body are tied together with a threaded bolt and nut that nut that cooperate to form a compression clamp, clamping the anchor device on opposing sides of a downward protruding flange of a pickup trucks inner side rail or similar solid sheet surface with an exposed edge. Typically, one or more of the inventive cargo anchors would be mounted to one or both bed side rails. The inventive anchors would then be used to secure cargo within the bed. The inventions unique swiveling head allows optimal stress relief when straps are strung at acute angles to the bed rails. 
         [0006]    The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more clear from the detailed description of a specific illustrative embodiment thereof, presented below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a top right perspective view of a universal tie down in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a partially exploded top perspective view of a universal tie down in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a cut away perspective view of a universal tie down attached to a vehicle in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a top right perspective view of a universal tie down in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a top right perspective view of a universal tie down in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a top right perspective view of a universal tie down in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a top right perspective view of a universal tie down in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is a top right perspective view of a universal tie down in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a universal tie down in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0016]    The following discussion focuses on the preferred and other inventive embodiments of the Cargo Restraint Anchor Device for Pick-up Trucks. However, as will be recognized by those skilled in the art, the disclosed Cargo Restraint Anchor Device for Pick-up Trucks is applicable to a wide variety of situations beyond those discussed. It will be readily apparent that this device will mount on any flat surface with an exposed edge and can be used as a cargo restraint, tie-point for pets, attach point for solid members, as well as many other single-point and multi-point tie-down applications. 
       Preferred Embodiment 
       [0017]    The preferred embodiment is illustrated in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  3 .  FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of anchor device  100 A assembled but not attached to the bed rail of a pickup truck.  FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective view of  100 A exploded, illustrating individual components.  10 A is constructed of three major components consisting of swivel head  20 , L-body  30 , and C-body  40 . Head  20  is fastened to L-body  30  by flat head bold  54  which passes through bore  34  of L-body  30  and bore  24  of head  20 . Flat washers  56  and  57  on the top and bottom sides of head  20  act as spacers and to reduce friction when head  20  swivels. Typically, nut  58  would be lightly torqued but not torqued fully on bolt  54  allowing head  20  to swivel around bolt  54 &#39;s longitudinal axis. Slot  22  is cut in head  24  to facilitate the insertion of a tie-down strap or hook when used with strapping materials or a through-bolt when used with solid a solid member,  FIGS. 6 ,  7 , and  8  solid member  60 . C-body  40  contains tapped bore  44  to receive the treads of bolt  50 . treads of bolt  50 . Washer  52  provides an buffer interface between slot  32  and the head of bolt  50 .  FIG. 3  illustrates a perspective view of  100 A attached to the downward protruding flange portion  86  of the left inner bed side rail  84  of pickup truck  80 . It can be seen in the cut of the left pickup truck bed side wall  82 , rail top  84 , and flange  86 , that C-body  40  and L-body  30  are being drawn together by tightening bolt  50 , thus clamping anchor  100 A to flange  86 . The higher the torque applied to bolt  50 , the tighter the clamping action. When bolt  50  is loosened, the entire  100 A assembly can be moved anywhere along flange  86 . When installed on a pickup truck&#39;s side rail, the horizontal portion of L-body  30  is essentially parallel to top rail  84 . The bottom of the horizontal portion of L-body  30  is typically contiguous to top rail  84 ; however, if a bed liner, not illustrated, were installed in the pickup truck&#39;s bed, the bottom of the horizontal portion of L-body  30  would be contiguous to top of the bed liner. Slot  32  allows for an adjustable fit based on different height flange rails  86  and bed liner thicknesses. Tab  42  fits into slot  32  and cooperates with bolt  50  to prevent C-body  30  from rotating when bolt  50  is torqued. When one or more anchor  100 A&#39;s are installed on opposing side rails of a pickup truck&#39;s bed, tie-down strapping or solid members may be attached between them. Strapping can then act to apply bias force against cargo being carried thus reducing the chance of the cargo shifting. In the case of solid members,  FIG. 8-60 , the members may be bolted through slot  22  to provide a strong, stable mounting. Anchor  100 A can also be used on only one side rail to restrain such articles as ladders, bicycles, and the like. Swivel head  20  allows straps installed through slot  22  to always be optimally stress loaded no matter what angle the always be optimally stress loaded no matter what angle the straps are strung at across the truck&#39;s bed. 
         [0018]      FIG. 4  illustrates a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of  100 A, labeled  100 B.  100 B is identical to the preferred embodiment  100 A with the exception that it contains a plurality of swivel head  20 s. 
         [0019]      FIG. 5  illustrates a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of  100 A, labeled  100 C.  100 C is identical to the preferred embodiment  100 A with the exception that Horizontal support portion of L-body  30  is folded back on itself, thus limiting head  20  from swiveling through 360 degrees as in embodiments  100 A and  100 B. In embodiment  100 C, friction or spring bias may be used to automatically move head  20  to the side when not in use, thus preventing or reducing head  20 &#39;s encroachment into the pickup truck&#39;s bed, thus reducing the risk of scratching or catching while loading and unloading cargo.  FIG. 5  also illustrates that a camlock  53  or a common nut could be used in place of threaded bore  44  to allow easy adjustment and clamping of any of the disclosed embodiments herein. 
         [0020]      FIGS. 6 through 8  illustrate how rigid members  60  could be used in conjunction with embodiments  100 A,  100 B, or  100 C. In  FIG. 6 , swiveling head  20  is installed and a bolt is used to secure rigid member  60 . In  FIG. 7 , head  20  is removed and rigid member  60  is bolted in place using the bores used to attach head  20 . 
       Embodiments  100 A,  100 B, or  100 C may be used with swivel head  20  installed on L-body  30  or removed, as in FIG. 7, to facilitate attachment of rigid members  60  or other bolt-on devices. 
       [0021]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a universal tie down  200  in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. This embodiment is similar to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 6  except the camlock  53  or lever has a slot  202  and the lever  53  is on the L-body  30 . The slot  202  allows a padlock to be placed through slot  32  and slot  202  to lock the clamp  200  in place. 
         [0022]    Thus there has been described universal tie-down that is easily an installable tie-point that can be positioned anywhere along the pickup truck bed&#39;s downward protruding flange portion of the inner bed side rail. The present invention can be installed in minutes, and incorporates a swiveling, slotted head for attaching a strap, rope, leash, bungee cord, solid member, and the like. By allowing the head to swivel, a strap or straps threaded through the head can cross at any angle thus providing optimal restraint without bunching or twisting the strapping material. 
         [0023]    While the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alterations, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications, and variations in the appended claims.