Patent Description:
In such known systems, one of the carrier ribs, or rather the ends of one of such carrier ribs, is/are connected to a controllable drive system for moving the covering assembly between a retracted position, in which the covering assembly is folded and leaves the underlying loading compartment uncovered, and an extended position, in which the covering assembly completely covers and hence closes the underlying loading compartment.

In the covering assemblies of the type set out at the beginning, the flexible connecting elements (straps) connect the various carrier ribs to each other and, when the covering assembly is hauled between its extended position and its retracted position, ensure correct packing of the sheet, preventing it from collecting untidily so as to prevent movement as well as to prevent premature deterioration.

It has been found that the connecting straps are subject to wear and may break up into multiple portions. Since such straps are inserted into sleeves provided in the tarpaulin, it may prove very difficult to extract the broken portions from the tarpaulin to enable replacement of the straps.

<CIT> discloses a device for covering road vehicles characterized by side elements called straps arranged at least along the sides of the vehicle, which support movable cross-members attached to a tarpaulin connected to at least one longitudinally deformable batten. The straps are made of an elastic and flexible material, for example synthetic material like polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamide, an elastomer or the like, and are reinforced with one or more cores made of metal or other plastic materials according to the material/sused for the manufacture thereof.

<CIT> discloses a process for preparing a ribbon of reinforcement strands or filaments associated on each of its faces with a polymeric binder, said ribbon having a given width substantially constant over its entire length, in which the strands or filaments extend in a direction parallel to the length of the ribbon.

The ribbons I have a length I and a width L. These ribbons consist of an assembly of filaments or of an assembly of strands <NUM> which extends parallel to the width of the ribbon. A ribbon has a rectangular shape and is associated on each of its large faces to a polymeric binder.

<CIT> discloses a flexible connecting element for a covering assembly for vehicles, trailers, semi-trailers and containers, said connecting element comprising a strap of plastic material configured to connect a plurality of carrier ribs to each other, said carrier ribs being adapted to support a tarpaulin (T), wherein said connecting element comprises at least one reinforcement cable embedded in the strap.

One object of the present invention is that of providing a solution capable of overcoming the drawback described above, connected with extraction of the broken portions from the tarpaulin, to enable replacement of the straps. This operation is difficult, entails disassembly of the carrier ribs and sliding out of each strap portion.

In the light of this object, the invention provides a covering assembly for vehicles, trailers, semi-trailers and containers, comprising a plurality of carrier ribs configured to support a tarpaulin (T) and to be arranged for sliding along a loading compartment (A), each carrier rib comprising opposite ends configured to be arranged on respective side edges (A1, A2) of the loading compartment (A), and a pair of flexible connecting elements, each of said connecting elements comprising a strap of plastic material connecting a plurality of respective ends of said carrier ribs to each other and wherein the reinforcing material of said assembly consists of a fiber of a plastic material equal to or compatible with the plastic material of the strap, which reinforcing material is of a material that has a greater tensile strength than the plastic material of the strap and of non-woven fabric is bonded to the plastic material of the strap.

A further subject of the invention is a kit-of-parts according to claim <NUM> for use in a covering assembly for vehicles, trailers, semi-trailers and containers, according to any claim <NUM>-<NUM>, said kit-of-parts comprising one or more fixation means of an end of the carrier ribs to the respective connecting element and a couple of flexible connecting elements. Said connecting element comprising a strap of plastic material configured to connect a plurality of carrier ribs to each other, said carrier ribs being adapted to support a tarpaulin (T).

According to a preferred embodiment said kit-of-parts has fixation is made by way of a bolt which fixes the connecting element to the end of the carrier rib.

The connecting element is made by a reinforcing material consisting of a fiber of a plastic material equal to or compatible with the plastic material of the strap and of non-woven fabric of a material that has a greater tensile strength than the plastic material of the strap and bonded to the outer surface of the plastic material of the strap.

The non-woven fabric is formed from fibers made of viscose, polyester, also partially recycled up to <NUM>%, low flammability polyester, polyamide, polypropylene, thermoregulating polyester with functional particles, copolymers of polyester/polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene/polyethylene terephthalate, unbleached or mixtures thereof: needle-punched, hydro-entangled, thermoregulated, with aqueous dispersion rendering. The non-woven fabrics used in the straps according to the invention have the capacity to bond to white polyester, cotton/polyester and polypropylene substrates. The non-woven fabrics are also made from fibers with flame-retardant and biologically active properties.

The reinforcing non-woven fabric ensures that the integrity of the connecting element is maintained even if the strap of plastic material breaks. In this manner, it is possible to withdraw the connecting element from the tarpaulin for replacement, without there being any risk of portions thereof being left behind inside the sheet.

Preferably, the non-woven fabric is made of a material that has a greater maximum longitudinal and transverse load, a greater longitudinal and transverse tensile strength, greater longitudinal and transverse tear strength, and greater longitudinal and transverse stability with respect to the plastic material of the strap.

The table below shows the values of the technical characteristics of the non-woven fabric based on <NUM>% polyester bonded to the strap according to the invention.

The analysis methods indicated by the initials IDL have the standards according to the table as their reference standards.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become clearer from the following detailed description of an embodiment of the invention, with reference to the attached drawings, provided purely for non-limiting illustrative purposes, in which:.

<FIG> shows a covering assembly, installed on a loading compartment of a vehicle, trailer or container, which is depicted in simplified manner with a dashed line and indicated overall by A.

The covering assembly essentially comprises a support structure for a tarpaulin T (represented, in part, only in <FIG>), and a drive system (not shown).

The support structure allows the tarpaulin to be closed (loading compartment covered by the sheet - <FIG>) or open (sheet packed at one end of the loading compartment - <FIG>). The drive system is configured to move the support structure between an extended position and a retracted position, respectively corresponding to the closed and the open position of the sheet. The drive system may comprise a cord, as in the example shown. Said cord is selectively windable around or unwindable from a reel (not shown), which may be controlled by a motor or by a manually operable handle. The drive system may, however, be of a different type.

The support structure comprises a plurality of carrier ribs <NUM> configured to support the tarpaulin T. Each carrier rib <NUM> comprises opposing ends <NUM>, <NUM> arranged on respective side edges A1, A2 of the loading compartment A. The drive system (not shown) is connected to the ends <NUM>, <NUM> of one of the carrier ribs <NUM> arranged terminally in relation to the others.

The support structure furthermore comprises a pair of flexible connecting elements <NUM>, <NUM>. Each of the connecting elements <NUM>, <NUM> comprises a strap 18a, 19a of plastic material connecting the respective ends <NUM> and <NUM> of the carrier ribs <NUM> to each other.

<FIG> shows a detail of the fixation of the end <NUM> of one of the carrier ribs <NUM> to the respective connecting element <NUM>. In particular, said fixation is made by way of a bolt <NUM> which fixes the connecting element <NUM> to the end <NUM> of the carrier rib <NUM>. It is understood that the fixation method is identical for all the carrier ribs <NUM> and for both connecting elements <NUM>, <NUM>.

The kit-of-parts, not shown, contains a fixation means of the end <NUM> of one of the carrier ribs <NUM> to the respective connecting element <NUM> and couple of flexible connecting elements (<NUM>, <NUM>) each consisting essentially of a strap (18a, 19a) of plastic material configured to connect a plurality of carrier ribs (<NUM>) to each other, said carrier ribs being adapted to support a tarpaulin (T). In particular, said fixation in the Kit-of-parts is made by way of a bolt <NUM> which fixes the connecting element <NUM> to the end <NUM> of the carrier rib <NUM>.

With reference to <FIG>, each connecting element <NUM>, <NUM> is inserted inside a sleeve <NUM>', <NUM>' formed along a respective side edge of the tarpaulin T. The above-described bolt <NUM> secures the end of the carrier rib <NUM> both to the connecting element <NUM>, <NUM> and to the tarpaulin T (which was not shown in <FIG>).

Each of the connecting elements <NUM>, <NUM> comprises, at least on one of the upper or lower surfaces of said connecting element, a reinforcement material <NUM> formed of a fiber of a plastic material, equal to or compatible with the plastic material of the strap (18a, 19a), and non-woven fabric. Said non-woven fabric is bonded on the outer surface of the plastic material of the strap. According to a preferred embodiment, said non-woven fabric is bonded to the lower surface of the strap (18a, 19a).

<FIG> show only the connecting element <NUM>, <NUM>.

<FIG> shows the lower surface <NUM> of the strap 18a, 19a in which the terminal part folded upwards is flecked. The flecked surface <NUM> indicates the presence in the lower part of the strap of the reinforcement material formed of a fiber of a plastic material according to the invention, equal to or compatible with the plastic material of the strap, and non-woven fabric bonded to the plastic material of the strap 18a, 19a. When the covering assembly is in the retracted position (<FIG>), the connecting element <NUM>, <NUM> (like the tarpaulin T in which it is inserted) creates folds <NUM>", <NUM>'' in the areas located between the connection points with the carrier ribs <NUM>; <FIG> can be compared with <FIG> in this respect. In the inner parts of the folds <NUM>", <NUM>'' are the flecked areas <NUM> formed of the non-woven fabric according to the invention bonded to the lower surface of the strap 18a, 18a. The areas of the connecting elements <NUM>, <NUM> located between the connection points with the carrier ribs <NUM> can be shaped or otherwise configured to facilitate formation of the folds when the covering assembly is moved to the retracted position.

<FIG> shows the upper (a) and lower (b) perspective views of the flexible connecting element <NUM>, <NUM> inserted in a sleeve obtained in a tarpaulin in normal operating conditions. In Figure <NUM>(a) the strap 18a, 19a is seen in perspective from above, while in Figure <NUM>(b) the strap 18a, 19a is seen in perspective from below and the flecked surface <NUM> formed of non-woven fabric bonded to the lower surface of the strap 18a, 19a is highlighted. <FIG> shows the upper perspective view of the flexible connecting element <NUM>, <NUM> inserted in a sleeve obtained in a tarpaulin T in the case of breakage in section B of the connecting element <NUM>, <NUM>.

The reinforcement material <NUM> made of non-woven fabric bonded to the strap 18a, 19a of plastic material of the connecting element <NUM>, <NUM> extends throughout the length of the respective connecting element <NUM>, <NUM>. According to a preferred embodiment said non-woven fabric is bonded on the outer surface of the plastic material of the strap by heat-sealing. Said non-woven fabric is preferably formed of fibers of viscose, polyester, also partially recycled up to <NUM>%, low flammability polyester, polyamide, polypropylene, thermoregulating polyester with functional particles, copolymers of polyester/polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene/polyethylene terephthalate, unbleached or mixtures thereof: needle-punched, hydro-entangled, thermoregulated, with aqueous dispersion rendering. According to preferred embodiments, the non-woven fabrics used in the straps according to the invention have the capacity to bond to white polyester, cotton/polyester and polypropylene substrates and/or are also made from fibers with flame-retardant and biologically active properties.

<FIG> shows a similar detail to that of <FIG>. In particular, <FIG> shows the situation in which a break B occurs which interrupts the continuity of the strap 18a, 19a of plastic material. Since the non-woven fabric bonded on the outer surface of the plastic material of the strap maintains the continuity of the connecting element <NUM>, <NUM>, it is possible to withdraw the latter from the respective sleeve <NUM>', <NUM>' (once the bolts <NUM> have been undone, obviously) without there being any risk of portions of strap being left behind inside the sleeve, which would make it impracticable to slide out the strap and would require costly replacement of the tarpaulin T. This operation is difficult, entails disassembly of the carrier ribs and sliding out of each strap portion.

According to a preferred embodiment of the connecting element, the areas of the connecting elements <NUM>, <NUM> located between the connection points with the carrier ribs <NUM> are shaped and configured to facilitate formation of the folds when the covering assembly is moved to the retracted position. This embodiment is shown in <FIG> and <FIG>.

In said figures, the shaping of the connecting element <NUM>, <NUM> is symmetrical, relative to the axis of said connecting element, trapezoidal (not shown) or connected with concave and convex lines to the side edges of said connecting element. According to a preferred embodiment, the thickness S of the connecting elements <NUM>, <NUM> is between <NUM> - <NUM> and in the median areas between the connection points with the carrier ribs <NUM> they are shaped with a reduction in the thickness S from <NUM> to <NUM>%.

Claim 1:
A covering assembly for vehicles, trailers, semi-trailers and containers, comprising a plurality of carrier ribs (<NUM>) configured to support a tarpaulin (T) and to be arranged for sliding along a loading compartment (A), each carrier rib (<NUM>) comprising opposite ends (<NUM>, <NUM>) configured to be arranged on respective side edges (A1, A2) of the loading compartment (A), and a pair of flexible connecting elements (<NUM>, <NUM>), each of said connecting elements comprising a strap (18a, 19a) of plastic material connecting a plurality of respective ends (<NUM>, <NUM>) of said carrier ribs to each other and wherein said assembly is
characterized in that
a reinforcing material consisting of a fiber
• of a plastic material equal to or compatible with the plastic material of the strap (18a, 19a),
• and of non-woven fabric of a material that has a greater tensile strength than the plastic material of the strap,
bonded to the plastic material of the strap (18a, 19a).