U.S. patent number 3,731,347 [Application Number 05/124,724] was granted by the patent office on 1973-05-08 for cable tie.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Panduit Corp.. Invention is credited to John Jean Bulanda, Jack Edward Caveney, Roy A. Moody.
United States Patent |
3,731,347 |
Caveney , et al. |
May 8, 1973 |
CABLE TIE
Abstract
A cable tie and several embodiments thereof are disclosed herein
and include generally an elongated strap having a retaining head
and a tongue portion. The retaining head is provided with first and
second strap receiving means to respectively retain the strap in a
looped condition and to position the tongue end portion of the
strap adjacent the looped portion thereof.
Inventors: |
Caveney; Jack Edward (Chicago,
IL), Moody; Roy A. (Flossmoor, IL), Bulanda; John
Jean (New Lenox, IL) |
Assignee: |
Panduit Corp. (Tinley Park,
IL)
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Family
ID: |
22416488 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/124,724 |
Filed: |
March 16, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
24/16PB |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D
63/1072 (20130101); Y10T 24/1498 (20150115); B65D
2563/107 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65D
63/10 (20060101); B65d 063/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;248/74PB
;24/26A,73PB,3.5PB,16PB,17A,16R,245A,74A,23B |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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|
|
|
|
|
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1,288,128 |
|
Feb 1962 |
|
FR |
|
643,835 |
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Aug 1962 |
|
IT |
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Primary Examiner: Griffin; Donald A.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A cable tie to be tensioned around a bundle of wires or the like
comprising an elongated strap having a retaining head at one end
and a tongue portion at the other end, said retaining head having a
strap receiving locking means for normally receiving and positively
retaining said tongue portion against movement in one direction to
form said cable tie in a loop around the bundle of wires or the
like, said strap receiving locking means comprising a single
passage through said retaining head and means for engaging said
tongue portion to permit only unidirectional movement of said
tongue portion through said passage, said retaining head having a
strap receiving and positioning means spaced from said strap
receiving locking means for receiving and positively positioning
the end of said tongue portion in said direction whereby said end
is substantially bent double and thereby positioned parallel and
generally adjacent to a portion of said strap, said portion of said
strap being positioned between said end and said bundle of wires or
the like.
2. A cable tie as defined in claim 1 wherein said strap locking
means comprises a pawl pivotally mounted in said passage.
3. A cable tie as defined in claim 2 wherein a tab is provided on
said pawl opposite said pivot and extending beyond said retaining
head whereby said tab is engageable to cause said pawl to pivot out
of locking engagement with said strap to release said strap.
4. A cable tie as defined in claim 2 wherein said means for
engaging said tongue comprises unidirectional abutments on said
pawl and said tongue has cooperating complemental unidirectional
abutments.
5. A cable tie to be tensioned around a bundle of wires or the like
comprising an elongated strap having a retaining head at one end
and a tongue portion at the other end, said retaining head having a
strap receiving locking means for normally receiving and positively
retaining said tongue portion against movement in one direction to
form said cable tie in a loop around the bundle of wires or the
like, said strap receiving locking means comprising a single
passage through said retaining head and means for engaging said
tongue portion to permit only unidirectional movement of said
tongue portion through said passage, said retaining head having a
strap receiving and positioning means for receiving and positively
positioning the end of said tongue portion in said direction
whereby said end is substantially bent double and thereby
positioned parallel and generally adjacent to a portion of said
strap, said portion of said strap being positioned between said end
and said bundle of wires or the like, said strap positioning means
comprising a pair of longitudinal projections adapted to receive
said tongue therebetween, and a lateral portion laterally bridging
said pair of projections and spaced from said locking means to
provide a passage for receiving and positioning said tongue between
said strap locking means and said lateral bridge portion.
6. A cable tie to be tensioned around a bundle of wires or the like
comprising an elongated strap having a retaining head at one end
and a tongue portion at the other end, said retaining head having a
strap receiving locking means for normally receiving and positively
retaining said tongue portion against movement in one direction to
form said cable tie in a loop around the bundle of wires or the
like, said strap receiving locking means comprising a single
passage through said retaining head and means for engaging said
tongue portion to permit only unidirectional movement of said
tongue portion through said passage, said retaining head having a
strap receiving and positioning means for receiving and positively
positioning the end of said tongue portion in said direction
whereby said end is substantially bent double and thereby
positioned parallel and generally adjacent to a portion of said
strap, said portion of said strap being positioned between said end
and said bundle of wires or the like, said strap receiving and
positioning means comprising a pair of longitudinal projections
each having a lateral projection extending inwardly therefrom to
define a space between said strap locking means and said lateral
projections, said lateral projections defining an opening
therebetween adapted to permit entry of said tongue portion, said
opening being larger than the thickness of said tongue portion and
smaller than the width of said tongue portion whereby said tongue
portion is laterally insertable directly into said space by
twisting and inserting said tongue portion on a lateral diagonal
between said lateral projections.
7. A cable tie as defined in claim 6 wherein said inner ends of
said lateral projections comprise surfaces which converge generally
inwardly toward said locking means of said head whereby said
lateral projections provide an entry space therebetween which is
larger than the exit space therebetween to respectively augment
entry and retention of said tongue end within said lateral and
longitudinal projections.
8. A cable tie as defined in claim 6 wherein said strap positioning
means comprises a pair of longitudinal projections laterally spaced
to receive said tongue therebetween, and one of said lateral
projections extends further laterally inwardly than the other of
said projections to provide a laterally offset opening in said
positioning means for receiving said tongue end.
9. A cable tie as defined in claim 8 wherein said longitudinal and
lateral projections are positioned to provide a restricted tongue
end retaining space requiring resilient deflection of said
projections upon insertion of said tongue end therebetween whereby
said tongue end will be retained in a restricted space.
Description
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention provides a flexible flat and generally normally
straight cable tie which is readily securable about a bundle of
wires or the like to retain the wires, and which is further
provided with a second strap receiving means as a part of said
retaining head to provide means whereby the tongue end portion of
the cable tie may be readily retained adjacent the looped portion
thereof.
In particular, the cable tie of this invention is adapted to be
permanently secured around a bundle of wires or the like by placing
the strap around the wires to be bundled and by insertion of the
tongue end of the strap through a strap locking means in the strap
retaining head. The locking means normally permits only
unidirectional movement of the strap tongue through the head, but
is selectively releasable for withdrawal of the strap. The strap
can thereby be normally permanently retained around the bundle of
wires or the like and yet selectively releasable.
However, the normally straight tongue end portion of the strap
extending through the retaining head and therebeyond presents an
obstacle which interferes with the movement of workmen and the like
in the area of the retaining head of a cable tie as thus applied.
This interfering situation becomes a great irritant when many cable
ties are utilized in a given installation as is quite often the
case.
The retaining head of the cable tie of this invention is provided
with a strap receiving and positioning means to position the tongue
end out of the way of workmen, and is adapted to readily and
releasably receive the otherwise extended tongue end of the strap
to bend the tongue end double without causing the release of the
locking portion. The strap will thereby be doubled back on itself
with the tongue end adjacent the portion of the strap looped about
a bundle of wires or the like and thereby releasably position the
tongue end away from the undesirable extended position.
Thus, the present invention provides a cable tie which is
releasably securable to a bundle of wires or the like, and yet has
the normally protruding tongue end thereof readily and releasably
positionable adjacent the bundle of wires to retain the bundle and
to position the tongue out of the way of workmen or other persons
operating in the area of the cable tie.
It is a primary object of this invention to provide an improved
cable tie having a retaining and locking means in conjunction with
a tongue receiving and positioning means wherein the tongue or
strap thereof is releasably retainable in a retaining head to form
the cable tie into a retaining loop about a bundle of wires or the
like with the normally extending tongue end further retained by the
retaining head to bend the tongue end in a sharply doubled back
position to position the tongue end adjacent the looped portion of
the strap.
A further object of this invention is to provide an improved cable
tie having a retaining and locking means in conjunction with a
tongue receiving and positioning means wherein a releasable pawl
arrangement is provided in the locking means thereof which will
normally retain the tongue against withdrawal therefrom, and yet
which will also releasably retain the tongue against withdrawal
when the tongue end is bent double and positioned along the looped
portion of the strap.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved cable
tie having a retaining and locking means in conjunction with a
tongue receiving and positioning means wherein the straight tongue
end thereof normally extending beyond the secured looped portion
thereof, is readily insertable in a positioning means in the
retaining head to position the normally extended tongue end
adjacent the looped portion of the cable tie.
A further object of this invention is to provide an improved cable
tie having a retaining and locking means in conjunction with a
resilient tongue receiving and positioning means with an offset
tongue receiving opening within the general lateral limits of the
tongue wherein the positioning portion is resiliently deflected
from its normal configuration by the insertion of the tongue end of
the cable tie in the offset opening thereof to cause confined
retention of the tongue end upon complete entry of the tongue into
a position in the positioning means as determined by the normal
configuration of the positioning means.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved cable
tie having retaining and locking means in conjunction with a tongue
receiving and positioning means, wherein the tongue end is readily
insertable in the positioning means by a slight twisting and
lateral insertion of the tongue end with respect to the positioning
means and generally within the lateral limits of the cable tie, and
yet which is readily selectively releasable therefrom in a similar
manner of movement.
Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved
cable tie having a retaining and locking means in conjunction with
a tongue receiving and positioning means wherein the tongue
receiving and positioning means is provided with a readily
accessible opening with converging guide surfaces for ready
insertability of the tongue end therein while providing the maximum
retaining surface for preventing inadvertent removal of the tongue
from the positioning portion.
Other objects, advantages and novel aspects of the invention will
become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed
description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings
wherein:
FIG. 1 is a partial top plan view of a first preferred illustrative
embodiment of the cable tie of this invention illustrating the
general configuration thereof and the relative position of the
strap receiving portions of the retaining head;
FIG. 2 is a side view of the first illustrative embodiment of the
cable tie illustrated in FIG. 1 showing the general configuration
thereof;
FIG. 3 is a side view of the first illustrative embodiment of the
cable tie of this invention showing the cable tie assembled about a
bundle of wires or the like with the tongue thereof normally
extending through and beyond the retaining head;
FIG. 4 is a partial view of the first illustrative embodiment of
the cable tie of this invention showing the normally extended
tongue portion illustrated in FIG. 3 being bent double or
substantially 180.degree., twisted, and partially inserted in the
strap receiving and positioning means of the retaining head
thereof;
FIG. 5 is a partial view of the preferred illustrative embodiment
of the cable tie of this invention showing the cable tie completely
installed on a bundle of wires with the tongue end positioned
laterally parallel and adjacent to the looped portion of the cable
tie;
FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view of the first illustrative
embodiment of this invention taken along line 6--6 of FIG. 1
showing the interrelationship of the tongue and the retaining head
in the fully installed condition of the strap as illustrated in
FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is a partial plan view of the first illustrative embodiment
of the cable tie of this invention showing the tongue inserted in
the receiving and locking means and in position as it is partially
inserted in a centrally opening strap receiving and positioning
means of the retaining head;
FIG. 8 is a partial plan view of the first illustrative embodiment
of the cable tie of this invention showing the relationship of the
tongue and retaining head when the cable tie is installed as
generally illustrated in FIG. 5;
FIG. 9 is a partial plan view of a second illustrative embodiment
of the cable tie of this invention showing the tongue inserted in
the receiving and locking means and in position as it is partially
inserted in an offset opening strap receiving and positioning means
of the retaining head;
FIG. 10 is a partial plan view of the second illustrative
embodiment of the cable tie of this invention showing the
relationship of the tongue and retaining head when the cable tie is
installed as generally illustrated in FIG. 5; and
FIG. 11 is a partial plan view of the third illustrative embodiment
of the cable tie of this invention showing the tongue inserted in
the receiving and locking means and as it is inserted in a
completely enclosed centrally opening strap receiving and
positioning means of the retaining head adapted to receive the
tongue end insertably therethrough.
Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated (FIGS. 1-8) a first
preferred illustrative embodiment 10 of the cable tie of this
invention which includes generally a retaining head 11 and a strap
or tongue portion 12.
Retaining head 11 includes generally a strap or tongue locking
portion or means 13, and a strap positioning portion or means 14
having common entry and exit surfaces 15 and 16. Tongue portion 12
includes generally a normally straight but flexible flat ribbon or
strap tongue 20 attached at one end to retaining head 11, and
terminating at the other end in a tongue end portion 21 extending
in the opposite direction.
Locking portion 13 (FIGS. 1 and 6-8) of retaining head 11 is
provided with a passage 24 formed by the intersection of a back
wall surface 25, two side wall surfaces 26 and a bearing wall
surface 27 having guide rails 36 (FIGS. 6-11). A locking pawl 30 is
pivotally secured to a ledge 31 extending longitudinally from back
wall 25 adjacent entry surface 15, and is provided with a
frictional surface such as teeth or abutments 32. Pawl teeth 32
(FIG. 6) each have one surface 33 substantially inclined with
respect to entry surface 15, and another surface 34 substantially
parallel with exit surface 16 of head 11. A release tab 35 is
illustrated on exit side 16 of pawl 30 to allow manual clockwise
(FIG. 6) rotation of pawl 30 on ledge 31 to release pawl 30 from
tongue 21 to in turn, release cable tie 10. Rails 36 are provided
on side walls 26 to guide tongue 21 through passage 24.
Strap positioning portion 14 (FIGS. 1-8) of retaining head 11
includes, generally, two longitudinal projections 40 with partially
bridging lateral projections 41 extending inwardly therefrom and
terminating in surfaces 42 to form a retaining or positioning space
or passage 43. Surfaces 42 are tapered or inclined so as to
converge toward locking portion 13 whereby an opening or space 45
therebetween is larger away from locking portion 13 and provides
larger retaining and positioning surfaces 44.
Tongue 12 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 6) is provided with top surface 50,
bottom surface 51, side surfaces 52 and abutments or teeth 53
positioned laterally in bottom surface 51. Tongue teeth 53 are
substantially formed to be complemental to teeth 32 of said pawl
30, when tongue end portion 21 is inserted in passage 24 (FIG. 6)
by having surface 54 inclined away from retaining head 11 and
another surface 55 substantially perpendicular to the normal
as-molded longitudinal axis of tongue 12.
In assembly operation, first embodiment 10 of the cable tie of this
invention is first looped around bundle of wires or the like 56
(FIGS. 3-6) and tongue end 21 of cable tie 10 is inserted through
passage 24 of locking portion 13 to extend therebeyond. Tongue end
21 is thereafter pulled through locking portion 13 until cable tie
10 is tightly looped about bundle 56 (FIG. 3). Tongue end 21 is
then released so that teeth 32 (FIG. 6) of the pawl will
complementally engage teeth 53 of tongue 12 causing pawl 30 to
pivot on ledge 31 into firm engagement with tongue teeth 53 to lock
tongue 12 against withdrawal from passage 24 of locking portion 13,
resulting in the retention locking of cable tie 10 about bundle
56.
With first embodiment 10 of the cable tie thus locked about bundle
56 (FIG. 3), tongue end 21 will tend to extend outwardly from
bundle 56 and tend to present an obstruction to movement adjacent
the bundle. Tongue end 21 is thereafter simultaneously gripped by
the hand (FIG. 4), bent clockwise (FIG. 3) so as to be
substantially doubled upon itself, twisted slightly to a diagonal
position with respect to locking portion 13 of tongue 12 (FIGS. 4
and 7), and inserted between partially bridging lateral projections
41 to initiate insertion of tongue end 21 into space 43 within
positioning portion 14 of retaining head 11.
Tongue end 21 is thereafter untwisted by being released within
passage or space 43 of positioning portion 14, whereby the normal
tendency of tongue 12 to extend straight (FIGS. 1-3) will cause
tongue end 21 to tend to rotate generally counterclockwise (FIG.
5). This will bring top surface 50 of tongue end 21 into engagement
with retaining surfaces 44 of lateral projections 41 of positioning
portion 14 (FIG. 8) to position tongue end 21 laterally parallel
and adjacent to the looped portion of cable tie 10 (FIG. 5).
Thus, cable tie 10 may be assembled about a bundle of wires 56 and
normally extending tongue end 21 thereof is retainable in a
position adjacent bundle 56 to prevent obstruction of movement in
the area of bundle 56, while cable tie 10 is maintained assembled
around bundle of wires 56.
A second illustrative embodiment 60 of the cable tie of this
invention is illustrated specifically (FIGS. 9 and 10), and
generally (FIGS. 3-6). Second embodiment 60 includes a retaining
head 61 (FIGS. 9 and 10), and a strap or tongue portion 62.
Retaining head 61, in turn, includes a locking means 63 and a
positioning means 64. Strap or tongue means 62, as well as locking
means 63, are identical with tongue 12 and locking means 13 set
forth in detail above with respect to first embodiment 10 of the
cable tie of this invention, and accordingly, the same numerals and
description are applied thereto.
However, strap positioning means 64 (FIGS. 9 and 10) of second
embodiment 60 differs somewhat from positioning means 14 of first
embodiment 10, and includes generally, two longitudinal projections
70 with a partially bridging short lateral projection 71 and a
partially bridging longer lateral projection 72. Both projections
71 and 72 extend inwardly and terminate in surfaces 77 to form a
retaining or positioning space or passage 73 with an offset opening
74 therebetween and within the lateral limits of tongue 62.
It should be particularly noted that longitudinal projections 70
(FIGS. 9 and 10) are substantially shorter than longitudinal
projections 40 of first embodiment 10 (FIGS. 7 and 8), and that
lateral projections 71 and 72 are proportionately closer to
positioning means 64 with respective short and long retaining or
positioning surfaces 75 and 76 accordingly closer to locking means
63. This particular positioning means configuration 64 thereby
provides a more restricted passage 73, and one that is closer to
positioning means 64, which in conjunction with the resilient
longitudinal and lateral projections 70-72, the size and
configuration of tongue 12 and offset opening 74 provide
positioning means 64 with resilient tongue receiving and
positioning characteristics. Projections 70 and 71 are resiliently
deflected from a normal configuration when tongue end 21 is
forceably inserted through opening 74 and into passage 73 (FIGS. 4
and 9). Thus, the second embodiment 60, with modified positioning
means 64, provides a confined and stronger retention and
positioning of tongue end 21 upon complete entry of tongue end 21
into positioning means 64, as determined by the normal resilient
configuration of the modified positioning portion 64 of second
embodiment 60.
In operation, second embodiment 60 of the cable tie of this
invention is first looped around bundle of wires or the like 56
(FIGS. 3-6), and is locked thereon in the same manner as that
referred to above with respect to first embodiment 10. With second
embodiment 60 of the cable tie thus locked about bundle of wires
(FIG. 3), tongue end 21 will tend to extend outwardly from bundle
56 and tend to present an obstruction to movement adjacent bundle
56. Tongue end 21 is thereafter simultaneously bent clockwise (FIG.
3) so as to be substantially doubled upon itself, twisted slightly
to a diagonal position with respect to the locked portion of the
tongue 12 (FIGS. 4 and 9), and forceably inserted through opening
74 against the resilient normal restrictive configuration of
partially bridging lateral projections 71 and 72 and longitudinal
projections 70 (FIGS. 4 and 9) to accomplish insertion of tongue
end 21 into passage space 73 within positioning means 64 of
retaining head 11.
Tongue end 21 of second embodiment 60 is thereafter untwisted by
being released within passage or space 73 of positioning means 64,
whereby the normal tendency of tongue 12 to extend straight (FIGS.
1-3) will cause tongue end 21 to tend to rotate generally
counterclockwise (FIG. 5). This will bring top surface 50 of tongue
end 21 into engagement with retaining surfaces 75 and 76 of lateral
projections 71 and 72 of positioning means 64 (FIG. 8) to position
tongue end 21 laterally parallel and adjacent to the looped portion
of cable tie 10 (FIG. 5).
Thus, second embodiment 60 may be assembled about a bundle of wires
56 and normally extending tongue end 21 thereof is resiliently
retainable in a restricted position adjacent bundle 56 to prevent
obstruction of movement in the area of bundle 56, while maintaining
retention of cable tie 60 around wires 56.
A third illustrative embodiment 80 of the cable tie of this
invention is illustrated specifically (FIG. 11), and generally
(FIGS. 3-6). Third embodiment 80 includes a retaining head 81 (FIG.
11), and a strap or tongue portion 82. Retaining head 81, in turn,
includes a locking means 83 and a positioning means 84. Strap or
tongue means 82, as well as locking means 83, are identical with
tongue 12, and locking means 13 set forth in detail above with
respect to first embodiment 10 of the cable tie of this invention,
and accordingly, the same numerals and description are applied
thereto.
However, strap positioning means 84 (FIG. 11) of third embodiment
80 differs from positioning means 14 of first embodiment 10, and
includes generally, two longitudinal projections 90 with a bridging
lateral projection portion 91 extending therebetween to form a
retaining or positioning space or passage 92 within the lateral
limits of tongue 82. It should be noted that longitudinal
projections 90 and lateral projection 91 completely enclose passage
92, and lateral projection 91 is provided with a retaining or
positioning surface 93 in passage 92.
In operation, third embodiment 80 of the cable tie of this
invention is first looped around wires or the like 56 (FIGS. 3-6),
and is locked thereon in the same manner as that referred to above
with respect to first embodiment 10. With third embodiment 80 of
the cable tie thus locked about bundle of wires (FIG. 3), tongue
end 21 will tend to extend outwardly from bundle 56 and tend to
present an objection to movement adjacent bundle 56. Tongue end 21
is thereafter threadably inserted through passage 92, whereby the
normal tendency of tongue 12 to extend straight (FIGS. 1-3) will
cause tongue end 21 to tend to rotate generally counterclockwise
(FIG. 5) bringing top surface 50 of tongue end 21 into engagement
with retaining surface 93 of lateral projection 91 of positioning
means 84 (FIG. 11) to position tongue end 21 laterally parallel and
adjacent to the looped portion of cable tie 10 (FIG. 5).
Thus, third embodiment 80 may be assembled about a bundle of wires
56 and normally extending tongue end 21 thereof is resiliently and
releasably retainable in a position adjacent bundle 56 to prevent
obstruction of movement in the area of bundle 56, while maintaining
retention of cable tie 60 around wires 56.
It is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to
the specific constructions and arrangements shown and described, as
it will be understood to those skilled in the art that certain
changes may be made without departing from the principles of the
invention.
* * * * *