Strap seal and system

Abstract

A plastic seal and system is configured for sealing to first and second confronting courses of plastic strap material. The seal includes a body having first and second opposing walls. The first wall has a sealing element formed therein that is bounded by a first wall opening, and the second wall has a sealing element formed therein that is bounded by a second wall opening. The sealing element is connected to the body by one or more frangible connectors. The body defines a central opening for receiving the first and second confronting courses of strap material generally parallel and adjacent to their respective opposing walls. The first sealing element is sealed to the first course of strap material and the second seal element is sealed to the second course of strap material to form a strap seal. A tool and a method for positioning and tensioning a plastic strap around a load are also disclosed.

1 . A plastic strap seal configured for sealing to first and second confronting courses of plastic strap material, comprising: a body having first and second opposing, walls, the first wall having a first sealing element formed therein and bounded by a first wall opening, and the second wall having a second sealing element formed therein and bounded by a second wall opening, the sealing elements connected to their respective walls by one or more frangible connections, the body defining a central opening therein for receiving the first and second confronting courses of strap material generally parallel and adjacent to their respective opposing walls, wherein the first sealing element is sealed to the first course of strap material and the second seal element is sealed to the second course of strap material to effect a strap seal.  
   
   
       2 . The seal in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the first and second sealing elements are sealing disks formed in the first and second opposing walls.  
   
   
       3 . The seal in accordance with  claim 2  wherein the first and second walls include circular opening to accommodate the sealing disks.  
   
   
       4 . The seal in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the frangible connections are frangible connectors extending between the sealing elements and their respective walls.  
   
   
       5 . The seal in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the first and second opposing walls define a single longitudinal opening through the seal for receiving the first and second courses of strap material in adjacent, confronting relation to one another.  
   
   
       6 . The seal in accordance with  claim 1  including opposing side edges between and connecting the first and second opposing walls to one another.  
   
   
       7 . The seal in accordance with  claim 6  including longitudinal securing flanges extending along the seal.  
   
   
       8 . The seal in accordance with  claim 7  wherein the securing flanges are disposed on the side edges.  
   
   
       9 . The seal in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the sealing elements are in opposing, aligned relation to one another.  
   
   
       10 . The seal in accordance with  claim 1  including a dividing wall extending through the central opening, generally parallel to the first and second opposing walls, wherein the first course of strap material is disposed between dividing wall and the first wall and the second course of strap material is disposed between the dividing wall and the second wall.  
   
   
       11 . A tool for sealing a plastic strap seal to first and second confronting courses of plastic strap material, the plastic seal having opposing walls spaced apart walls each wall having an opening and having a sealing element formed therein, each strap course lying adjacent one of the sealing elements, the tool comprising: 
 a body;    a holding member for securely holding the plastic seal;    a sealing head configured to engage one of the sealing elements and to move the sealing element relative to its respective adjacent course of strap seal to fuse the sealing element to the strap material.    
   
   
       12 . The tool in accordance with  claim 11  including a rotating drive operably connected to the sealing head to rotate the sealing head and the sealing element to seal the sealing element to its respective course of strap material.  
   
   
       13 . The tool in accordance with  claim 11  wherein the holding member is a jaw.  
   
   
       14 . The tool in accordance with  claim 13  wherein the jaw is a stationary jaw.  
   
   
       15 . The tool in accordance with  claim 13  wherein the jaw is a movable jaw.  
   
   
       16 . The tool in accordance with  claim 15  wherein the jaw includes a pair of jaw elements pivotable toward and away from one another to secure and release the seal.  
   
   
       17 . The tool in accordance with  claim 15  including a trigger to actuate the tool, and including a linkage linked to the trigger to movable the jaw into engagement with the seal.  
   
   
       18 . The tool in accordance with  claim 11  wherein the tool is powered locally.  
   
   
       19 . The tool in accordance with  claim 18  wherein the tool is powered by a battery.  
   
   
       20 . The tool in accordance with  claim 11  including a tensioner for drawing tension in the strap prior to forming a seal between the second course of strap and the seal.  
   
   
       21 . A plastic strap seal configured for sealing to first and second confronting courses of plastic strap material, comprising: 
 a body having first and second opposing walls, each having an opening therein;    first sealing means fusible with the first course of strap material and interfering with the opening in the first wall; and    second sealing means fusible with the second course of strap material and interfering with the opening in the second wall.    
   
   
       22 . The seal in accordance with  claim 21  wherein the first sealing means is fused to the first course of strap material by frictional energy.  
   
   
       23 . The seal in accordance with  claim 21  wherein the second sealing means is fused to the second course of strap material by frictional energy.  
   
   
       24 . A method for positioning and tensioning a plastic strap around a load, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a length of strap material;    inserting the strap material into a seal to form a first course of strap material;    sealing the first course of strap material to the seal;    positioning the strap around the load;    inserting the strap material into the seal to form a second course of strap material;    tensioning the strap around the load; and    sealing the second course of strap material to the seal.    
   
   
       25 . The method in accordance with  claim 24  wherein the step of positioning the strap around the load is carried out prior to the step of inserting the strap material into the seal to form a second course of strap material.  
   
   
       26 . The method in accordance with  claim 24  wherein the step of inserting the strap material into the seal to form a second course of strap material is carried out prior to the step of positioning the strap around the load.  
   
   
       27 . The method in accordance with  claim 24  wherein the steps of sealing the first and second courses of strap material to the seal include fusing the strap and seal to one another.  
   
   
       28 . The method in accordance with  claim 27  wherein the seal includes first and second sealing elements and wherein the first and second sealing element are fused to the first and second courses of strap material, respectively.  
   
   
       29 . A plastic strap seal for sealing first and second courses of plastic strap in confront relation to one another, comprising: 
 a body;    a first fusible element for fusing to the first course of strap material;    a second fusible element for fusing to the second course of strap material;    means cooperating with the first and second fusible elements for maintaining the first fusible element and the first course of strap material in positional relation to the second fusible element and the second course of strap material.    
   
   
       30 . The plastic strap seal in accordance with  claim 29  wherein the first and second fusible elements are bounded by portions of the body.  
   
   
       31 . The plastic strap seal in accordance with  claim 29  wherein the means for maintaining includes respective first and second openings in the body for cooperating with the first and second fusible elements that interfere with removing the first and second fusible elements, when fused to their respective strap courses, from the body.