Patent ID: 8572815

Claim:
A universal tie down assembly, comprising: first and second longitudinal belts comprising reinforced webbing made from a flexible fabric material, each belt having a same width, a buckle end and an anchor end wherein each anchor end is a loop of the reinforced webbing; at least one longitudinal slot woven into an edge of at least one of the first and second belts, the length of the at least one slot being at least as great as the width of the belts; and an open under load buckle including an insertion part having a central longitudinal axis, a belt opening for guiding a belt, and an insertion appendage extending in a direction of insertion with holding catches protruding from both sides of the insertion appendage in a direction perpendicular to the direction of insertion, a receiving part having at least one belt opening for guiding a belt and a basic body, the basic body including an insertion opening beginning at an inserting side of the basic body for inserting the insertion appendage of the insertion part in the direction of insertion, latches pivotally mounted to the basic body wherein, in a locking position with the insertion part inserted in the receiving part, the latches cooperate with the holding catches of the insertion appendage of the insertion part and retain the insertion appendage in the insertion opening of the receiving part, the insertion opening beginning at the inserting side of the basic body and forming a penetrating opening into the basic body to the belt opening, and guiding surfaces in the basic body for the holding catches of the insertion appendage of the insertion part, which limit the penetrating opening of the basic body at both sides in the perpendicular direction in an area where the penetrating opening opens into the belt opening, each holding catch including a surface for engaging a respective one of the latches, the surface including a planar portion that extends from a portion of the holding catch most distant from the central longitudinal axis inwardly towards the central longitudinal axis, the planar portion forming an acute angle with the central longitudinal axis, the surface including a rounded portion that connects the planar portion with a side of the insertion appendage, the acute angle being in a range of 55 to 62 degrees, wherein the buckle end of one of the belts is adjustably disposed in the at least one belt opening of one of the insertion part and the receiving part and the buckle end of the other of the belts forms a sewn loop that loops through the at least one belt opening of the other of the insertion part and the receiving part.