Vehicle, securement device and safety port
A personal property securement device mountable to a vehicle may comprise a cable housing with a safety port that defines a passage extending from internal to external the housing. A cable may be threaded through the passage with one end fixed to a cable retention knob external the housing and the other end fixed to a reel that may be disposed for rotation within the housing. A power spring may present a torque on the reel to enable retrievable winding and tensioned unwinding of the cable. The property securement device may further comprise a ratchet mechanism in cooperation with the reel to release tensioning of the cable at given incremental extractions.
1. Property securement device, comprising:
a housing;
a safety port defining a passage of given diameter and length extending from internal to external the housing;
a cable threaded through the safety port comprising a cross-sectional diameter less than the diameter of the passage;
a cable retention knob fixed to a first end of the cable;
a reel within the housing, the second end of the cable secured to the reel and the reel operable to wind a length of the cable for storage;
a power spring to apply a rotational force on the reel to enable tensioned winding and unwinding of the cable;
the safety port of the given diameter and length for the passage operatively configured to be operable upon and cooperatively with the cable to apply a frictional braking force and slow retraction of the cable when at least a given length thereof is external the housing and freed while under the influence of the power spring for tensioned rewind; and
a ratchet mechanism operable in cooperation with the reel to release tensioning of the cable at given incremental extractions of the cable from the housing;
the ratchet mechanism further operable in cooperation with the reel to define neutral zones along substantially periodic intervals of the cable extension, wherein a periodic interval of the periodic intervals is defined by multiple of said given incremental extractions, the ratchet mechanism further operable collectively with the wheel when within a given neutral zone of the neutral zones to enable freeing of the reel for permitting reversal of reel rotation and restored tension for cable retraction under the influence of the power spring.