Patent Publication Number: US-2019184887-A1

Title: Inventory safety restraint

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/607,014, entitled “INVENTORY SAFETY RESTRAINT,” filed Dec. 18, 2017, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The present disclosure relates to safety restraints for use with merchandise. More particularly the present disclosure relates to safety restraints for use within truck storage compartments and store shelving. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     Transporting inventory in trucks is difficult as merchandise tends to shift during travel. For example, boxes of items may be neatly stacked on top of one another when loaded into a truck storage compartment, but begin to shift as a truck turns or hits bumps along the road. It is then difficult to unload these boxes or items without damage. Additionally, certain items may break or become contaminated during shipping. The movement of items also presents a danger to employees during unloading, as items may become unstable and fall on the employees, or fall to the ground and become a tripping hazard. 
     Similar problems are also prevalent in the retail industry where items are often stacked on shelving. In certain instances, items tend to fall from the shelves and injure customers or employees. For example, stacked items may become unstable when one item is removed, and the remaining stack may fall on a customer or employee at a later time. 
     Ropes and other solutions have been used but they can become entangled. Additionally, it is often too cumbersome and too time-consuming to secure items with rope and to untie knots each time to release the merchandise. Rope is also often too thin and flimsy to properly secure large items. Thus, it would be beneficial to provide a safety restraint system to be used during shipping and storage to keep merchandise secured, and reduce the risk of harm to employees and the public. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     In some embodiments, a safety restraint device includes an inner core, a spring disposed around the inner core and having a relaxed condition and an stretched condition, an outer shaft disposed around the spring, a housing disposed around the outer shaft, the outer shaft being rotatable within the housing, a moveable member translatable relative to the housing, and a body coupled to the outer shaft at a first end, and to the moveable member at a second end, the body having a length from the first end to the second end, and a width perpendicular to its length, the width of the body being approximately equal to a height of the housing, the body being wrapped around the outer shaft when the spring is in the relaxed condition. 
     In some embodiments, a transportation system includes a storage compartment, and a safety restraint device including an inner core, a spring disposed around the core and having a relaxed condition and an stretched condition, an outer shaft disposed around the spring, a housing disposed around the outer shaft, the outer shaft being rotatable within the housing, a moveable member translatable relative to the housing, and a body coupled to the outer shaft at a first end, and to the moveable member at a second end, the body having a length from the first end to the second end, and a width perpendicular to its length, the width of the body being approximately equal to a height of the housing, the body being wrapped around the outer shaft when the spring is in the relaxed condition. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       Various embodiments of the presently disclosed connectors are disclosed herein with reference to the drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic side view of a safety restraint system in a partially extended condition; 
         FIG. 2A  is schematic side view of a retractable safety restraint system in a fully closed and retracted condition; 
         FIG. 2B  is a schematic side view of another variation of a retractable safety restraint system; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic top view showing a net coiled around an outer shaft; 
         FIGS. 4-6  are schematic top views of trucks having a storage compartments utilizing the safety restraint systems in various configurations; 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic side view showing a truck having tracks for use with one embodiment of a safety restraint system; and 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic front view of a store shelving area that utilizes one embodiment of the safety restraint system according to the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     Various embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the appended drawings. It is to be appreciated that these drawings depict only some embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Despite the various improvements that have been made to shipping and storage solutions, conventional methods suffer from some shortcomings as discussed above. 
     There therefore is a need for further improvements to the devices and methods of safely shipping, storing and displaying inventory items, merchandise, products, boxes, tools and other items that would benefit from being more safely handled. Among other advantages, the present disclosure may address one or more of these needs. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a retractable safety restraint device  100  that is useful for securing inventory items. As seen in  FIG. 1 , safety restraint device  100  includes an elongated substantially cylindrical housing  102  extending between an upper end cap  101 U and a lower end cap  101 L. Housing  102  may be formed of a material having a metal, a plastic and/or wood. For example, housing  102  may be formed of a PVC pipe. Inside the housing, and extending from one end of the housing to the other (e.g., between the two end caps  101 U, 101 L) is an inner core  103 . Upper and lower end caps  101 U, 101 L may include recesses for receiving portions of inner core  103 . A spring  104  is disposed around inner core  103  and disposed in a concentric arrangement therewith. Spring  104  may extend along a longitudinal axis “Y” that is parallel with the longitudinal axis of the housing  102  and may have a relaxed condition when no force is applied thereto and a stretched condition when a force is applied thereto. An elongated hollow outer shaft  105  may be disposed over and around both spring  104  and inner core  103  to house the two components therein. Moreover, outer shaft  105  may be coupled at one or both ends to gears  109 , and may be rotatable relative to the inner core. In some examples, spring  104  may also be directly coupled to gears  109  or to a portion of outer shaft  105 . Briefly, when gears  109  are rotated in a first direction, outer shaft  105  turns with it as well as spring  104 , the turning of the spring causing it to go from the relaxed condition to a stretched condition. In the stretched condition, potential energy is stored within spring  104  so that when no force is applied thereto, spring  104  will turn in a second direction, opposite the first direction. 
     Two clamps  106  are attached to L-shaped brackets  107 , which in turn are attached to housing  102 . In some examples, each clamp  106  is in the form of an E-clip to be used with an E-track system that is attached to a truck&#39;s inner walls. It will be understood that in some examples, only one clamp  106  may be used, and that clamps  106  may be directly coupled to housing  102  instead of being attached via brackets  107 . Clamps  106  may serve to fix housing  102  in a certain location within the storage compartment (e.g., maintain housing  102  in a position against a wall). 
     A rotatable wheel  108  may be disposed adjacent lower cap  101 L and operatively coupled to one of gears  109 , which in turn is coupled to outer shaft  105 . Wheel  108  may include indentations so that it is easily manipulated by a user. On the opposite side of housing  102 , adjacent upper cap  101 U and across from wheel  108  is locking pin  111 . In some embodiments, one of gears  109  includes one or more holes disposed around its circumference and locking pin  111  may be pressed into a hole of the gear to prevent any rotation of outer shaft  105  relative to housing  102 . As shown in this example, locking pin  111  is disposed above the upper cap  101 U and extends in the vertical direction (Y-direction). Alternatively, locking pin  111 ′ may be disposed horizontally and extend in the X-direction through an opening in housing  102 . Such a locking pin  111 ′ may be disposed anywhere on the circumference of housing  102  (e.g., on one side as shown in phantom lines, or on the opposite side, closer to clamps  106 . 
     An extendable and retractable body  110  is coupled at one end to outer shaft  105  and at an opposing end to moveable member  112 . Body  110  may be formed of netting and may include rope, thread, twine, nylon strands or other strings that are interwoven together to form a body having a plurality of apertures as shown. Suitable materials for body  110  may include yarn, fabric, nylon, rope, metal wire, or any suitable combination thereof. Alternatively, body  110  may be formed of a canvas or other sheet including or not including apertures, instead of a conventional netting. Body  110  may also be translucent so that merchandise is clearly visible when secured behind the body. Body  110  may be capable of wrapping around outer shaft  105  and being retracted and entirely disposed within housing  102  when the device  100  is in the entirely closed or retracted configuration. Additionally, as shown, body  110  may include a first group of filaments traveling in a first direction, and a second group of filaments that cross the first group of filaments. In at least some embodiments, the first group and the second group of filaments are perpendicular. Alternatively, the groupings may cross one another to form diamond-shaped apertures as shown. 
     Moveable member  112  may be formed of a metal, plastic or other suitable material (e.g., any material similar to that of housing  102 , such as a pvc pipe) and as discussed above, is coupled to one end of the body  110  so that body  110  is stretchable between moveable member  112  and housing  102  and is extendable in the direction “X”. Two connectors  120  are coupled near opposing ends of moveable members, and a handle  130  is disposed approximately halfway between the two connectors  120 . It will be understood that any number of connectors  120  may be disposed on moveable member  112 , including a single connector or three or more connectors. In some examples, connectors  120  are in the form of E-clips as shown to be used with an E-track system. In this example, connector  120  includes a first end  121  that falls into an aperture of the track system, a second end  122  opposite the first end, and a pivoting locking arm  123 . Each connector  120  may be aligned with a top and a bottom of the housing and may be equally spaced from handle  130 . 
     In one variation ( FIG. 2B ), device  100 B is substantially similar to device  100  except that it includes a quick-connect system in the form of connectors  120  being affixed or otherwise coupled to an elongated receiving track  250  having an elongated slot  251 . Body  110  may be coupled to an elongated hooking member  255  in the shape of either an S-shaped member, a C-shaped member or other shape that is suitable for coupling to elongated slot  251  of receiving track  250 . Hooking member  255  may include one or more handles  256  for pulling the body out of the housing. In this embodiment, receiving track  250  may be coupled to the track system of the truck, and the hook-shaped member  255  may be coupled to or released from the elongated slot  251  of receiving track  250  as needed. Thus, instead of repeatedly coupling and decoupling connectors  120  (e.g., E-clips) from the track system of the truck, the user may keep the connectors  120  affixed to the track at all times and quickly couple/decouple hooking member  255  from elongated slot  251 , which is easier to use. 
     Safety restraint device  100  may include a fully retracted condition, a fully expanded condition, and a number of partially expanded conditions between the fully expanded and the fully retracted conditions. A partially expanded condition is shown in  FIG. 1 . In the fully expanded condition of the device, spring  104  may be in its stretched condition, and body  110  may span a distance between the housing and the moveable member of approximately 2 feet to 60 feet (in the x-direction of  FIG. 1 ) depending on the length of the body  110  and/or the length of the truck in which the device will be used, and may be between 12 inches to 36 inches in width (the y-direction of  FIG. 1 ). As shown in the partially expanded condition of  FIG. 1 , body  110  spans a distance between the housing and the moveable member of approximately 2 feet, while the width of the body remains at 3 feet, or approximately equal to the height of the housing. In at least some examples, the span of the body is approximately equal to the length of a truck storage compartment and the width of the body is approximately equal to the height of a storage compartment. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2A, 2B and 3 , body  110  may be rolled onto outer shaft  105  so that, when retracted, the body is almost entirely disposed within housing  102 , the spring  104  now being in the relaxed condition. When the user pulls on handle  130  of moveable member  112 , body  110  may be continuously pulled out of elongated slit “S” of housing  102  so that body unravels from the outer shaft until the appropriate amount of body (e.g., netting) is available to secure the merchandise ( FIG. 3 ). When the user has obtained enough length of body  110  from the housing, he may actuate wheel  108  to provide additional tension in body  110  by rolling more of body  110  onto outer shaft  105  (i.e., to provide a fine adjustment to the length of body  110  so that body  110  firmly presses against the merchandise). The user may then depress locking pin  111  into housing  102  to lock this length. With locking pin  111  depressed, rotation of outer shaft  105  is not possible so that the span of body  110  (e.g., the distance between the housing and the moveable member) is fixed until the locking pin is released. 
     When the user wishes to remove the device, he may simply release locking pin  111  to allow the gears to turn. With no external force applied to the system, spring  104  will return to its relaxed state, pulling body  110  into housing  102  to wrap around outer shaft  105  as the user guides the body gently into the housing by holding handle  130 . It will be understood that the diameter of housing  102  will be proportional to the length of the body. For example, a 60-foot body will require a relatively larger housing, while a 3-foot body will require a relatively smaller housing. In at least some examples, housing  102  has a diameter of between 6 inches and 18 inches. In at least some examples, housing  102  has a diameter of approximately 12 inches. 
       FIGS. 4-6  illustrate various configurations in which safety restraint device may be arranged to secure products or goods in a truck storage compartment  400 . For example, in  FIG. 4 , two safety restraint devices  100  extend substantially longitudinally from one end of the storage compartment  400  to the other. Clamps  106  couple housing  102  to one end of the storage compartment. Additionally, connector receiving apertures  402  are disposed along the walls of the storage compartment and are configured to mate with connectors  120  of device  100  so that body  110  stretches between the clamp  106  and the connector  120 . In an alternative embodiment, safety restraint devices  100  are diagonally disposed within storage compartment  400  as shown in  FIG. 5 . In an additional embodiment, one, two, three, four or more safety restraint devices  100  are disposed across storage compartment  400  (e.g., extending between the sidewalls) as shown in  FIG. 6 . 
       FIG. 7  illustrates another embodiment, wherein a storage compartment  400  includes a number of tracks  710  coupled to the sidewalls of the compartment, each track having a number of apertures  712 . In this example, four safety restraint devices are disposed within the storage compartment, each safety restraint device being aligned with a pair of tracks  710  so that connectors  120  and clamps  106  of device  100  are coupleable to the apertures of the track. Upper and lower pairs of tracks are provided so that two levels of safety restraint devices may be used. Additionally, in this example, each level includes two safety restraint devices. It will be understood that each level may instead include a single safety restraint device extending along the entire length of the storage compartment, or each level may include more than two devices (e.g., three or four devices on each level). In this illustration a single safety restraint device is fully extended over goods “G”, while two safety restraint devices are partially extended, and one safety restraint device is fully retracted. With the body  110  of safety restraint device  100  covering goods “G” and holding the goods against the wall of the storage compartment, the items may be secured against the wall of the storage compartment and prevented from sliding or falling during transportation. This reduces the risk of damage to the goods, and the risk of injury to employees. When the goods arrive at their intended location, the user may release the locking pin and decouple connectors  120  from the apertures  712  of track  710 . The spring  104  will then be capable of returning to its relaxed configuration, rotating outer shaft  105 , and pulling body  110  within housing  102  and wrapping it around outer shaft  105 . Goods may then be removed from the storage compartment. 
     The safety restraint device may also be used in warehouses and retail stores to ensure that items do not become damaged or injure customers and/or employees.  FIG. 8  illustrates one embodiment of the present disclosure in which a store aisle  800  includes two levels of shelving  802 . As shown, each level of shelving includes upper and lower tracks  810 , each track having a plurality of apertures  812  for coupling to clamps and/or connectors of safety restraining device  100 . Thus, merchandise may be secured with body  110  of safety restraint device  100 . Additionally, because body  110  may be formed of a netting or translucent material, customers may easily see the items behind the body. When the customer or employee desires to remove an item, they may simply retract the body into the housing in a manner similar to that described above, and retrieve the desired product(s). This embodiment may be especially useful for retail stores where heavy, fragile or otherwise dangerous items are stored and prone to falling from the shelves (e.g., hardware retail stores). 
     Although the invention herein has been described with reference to particular embodiments, it is to be understood that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and applications of the present invention. It is therefore to be understood that numerous modifications may be made to the illustrative embodiments and that other arrangements may be devised without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. 
     It will be appreciated that the various dependent claims and the features set forth therein can be combined in different ways than presented in the initial claims. It, will also be appreciated that the features described in connection with individual embodiments may be shared with others of the described embodiments.