GB2447489A

GB2447489A - A retaining device using a cable tie having a secondary anchorage

Info

Publication number: GB2447489A
Application number: GB0704945A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Israel Garcia Sanchez
Original assignee: Nissan Motor Manufacturing UK Ltd
Current assignee: Nissan Motor Manufacturing UK Ltd
Priority date: 2007-03-15
Filing date: 2007-03-15
Publication date: 2008-09-17
Anticipated expiration: 2027-03-15
Also published as: GB0704945D0; GB2447489B

Abstract

A retaining device 10 is provided for anchoring a body member 40 to a mounting body 30. The retaining device 10 comprises a primary and secondary anchorage means 20. The primary anchorage means comprises a cable tie: a strap portion 15 having a ratchet engagement surface 16 provided along at least pan of the strap portion 15, a free end 18, an integral open ended enclosure 11 distal from the free end 18 housing a ratchet means 13 to engage the surface 16. The secondary anchorage means 20 is provided by an over-moulded preferably metallic insert 22 for securing the body member 40 to the mounting body 30. The insert has an aperture or a projecting formation such as a post, clip, hook or cleat for engaging further means such as the band 41 and may also provide a formation which forms the ratchet means 13.

Description

RETAINING DEVICE

The invention relates to a retaining device and, more specifically, to a retaining device for retaining a wire, cable, wiring harness or similar object.

It is well known to fit a bracket onto a rigid mounting body to which a cable, or harness bundle of cables, is secured to hold the cable or cables in a desired position. A bracket is typically unique to a particular application and, as such, tends not to be interchangeable if the user wishes to add or delete features after production has started on the original design. The use of brackets to retain wires and similar objects has the additional disadvantage that the bracket usually requires additional attachment means to secure the bracket to the rigid mounting body. Such a method for securing cables or harness bundles tends to require additional, often unique parts that are relatively costly and time consuming to fit.

Dedicated harness brackets permit the designer to route the wires in any orientation relative to the mounting body, but have several disadvantages One disadvantage of harness brackets is that their shape is dictated by the location in which they are mounted and the desired routing of the wires secured to the bracket. These design constraints tend to limit the interchangeability of a bracket for use in different locations around a vehicle. Another disadvantage of using harness brackets is the time and cost implications for assembly of the bracket to the vehicle can be significant, and can dictate the order in which the vehicle is assembled prior to securing the wire.

It is also well known in the art to secure a wire or wiring harness bundle to a rigid mounting body by means of a cable-tie or zip-tie'. Compared to using specific mounting brackets to secure cables and similar items, the cable-tie is comparatively low cost, light-weight and easy to use by the operator. The cable-tie fixes one object to another (e.g. wires to a rigid mounting body), by forming a single, substantially circular loop around the objects. This has the disadvantage that the objects to be secured together must be parallel to one another, which may cause the secured wires to be routed closer to surrounding features such as sharp edges or hot surfaces than may be desirable.

Items secured to a rigid mounting body by a cable-tie or similar fixing means will be exposed to the same environmental conditions as the mounting body to which they are attached. If the mounting body is vibrating, any wire or bundle of wires secured to the vibrating mounting body will also be caused to vibrate. The friction between the outer surface of the wire and the mounting body experienced during such vibrations may be potentially damaging to the wires. Such issues relating to cable-ties are well documented, especially where cable-ties are used in motor vehicles and other mechanical devices where vibration is an issue.

Vibration can also cause some wire retaining devices to work loose over time, and increasing the initial clamping force to overcome this problem can result in damage to the wires being retained by the cable-tie.

The present invention seeks to provide a retaining device that improves upon the current means for securing wires such as cable-ties and wire retaining brackets to a rigid mounting body.

According to the present invention there is provided a retaining device for anchoring a body member to a mounting body, the retaining device comprising a primary and secondary anchorage means, the primary anchorage means comprising: a strap portion having a ratchet engagement surface provided along at least part of the strap portion, a free end, an integral open ended enclosure distal from the free end, housing a ratchet means, that is arranged to co-operate with the ratchet engagement surface to form the strap portion into a loop, and wherein the secondary anchorage means is provided by an over-moulded insert for securing the body member to the mounting body.

The present invention increases the functionality of known cable-ties described above by adding a feature that provides an integral secondary anchorage portion by means of a suitably robust attachment means. It is intended to provide the user with a means for attaching and securing multiple wires or similar objects to a rigid body or to one another.

In one example, the secondary anchorage means, provided by the insert, may be ectended into the open ended enclosure, to provide at least part of a ratchet pawl which is configured to engage the ratchet engagement surface.

In another example of the present invention the over-moulded insert may be metallic.

In the case where the insert may be metallic it may be further advantageous to configure the insert so as to provide an electrical connection between the mounting body and the secondary anchorage means.

Alternatively, the insert may provide an electrically non-conductive connection between the body member and the mounting member.

In another example of the present invention, the secondary anchorage means provided by the insert is provided with at least one feature to facilitate the anchoring of the body member to the mounting body. This feature may take the form of a through-hole which may be threaded. Alternatively, the feature may take the form of a post or protrusion extending from the insert. The protrusion may be configured to engage with a separate fastener. Such configuration may require the protrusion to be serrated, threaded or barbed Alternatively, the protrusion may take the form of a clip, hook or cleat.

Depending on the particular application for the retaining device, the insert may be used to provide the primary anchorage means for the anchoring of the retaining device to a mounting body, and use the strap portion as the secondary anchorage means (i.e. not the primary means by which the device is secured to the mounting body).

Typically the insert is positioned to extend substantially from the open ended enclosure, but it may alternatively be positioned to extend substantially from the strap portion of the retaining device.

The present invention uses a strap portion with at least one ratchet engagement surface to co-operate with a suitable feature housed within the open ended enclosure to provide the ratchet means. The ratchet engagement surface may include a gear rack, formed along at least a portion of the surface of the strap portion. Alternatively, the ratchet means may include a ratchet pawl, housed within the open ended enclosure.

In an alternative embodiment, the ratchet means engages with the ratchet engagement surface by means of friction.

In a further embodiment, the ratchet engagement surface may be provided with at least one barb formed along at least part of the strap portion. The barb permits the strap portion to pass through the open ended enclosure in a first direction, but resists the motion of the strap portion through the open ended enclosure in the opposite direction.

This configuration aUows the user to form a loop by passing the tail end of the strap portion through the open ended enclosure.

In a further embodiment the ratchet means may be provided by a cleat housed within the open ended enclosure.

In a further embodiment the ratchet means may include a roller bearing or ball bearing ratchet housed within the open ended enclosure for engaging at least part of the ratchet engagement surface of the strap portion.

In a further embodiment the ratchet engagement surface may be plastically deformed or swaged by a swaging tool housed within the open ended enclosure. The swaged profile of the strap portion is sufficient substantiaNy to resist the movement of the strap portion in a direction other than the first direction. A ball bearing may be used to perform the function of the swaging tool housed within the open ended enclosure.

In each of the examples described above the first and second apertures that form a through hole between the opposing faces of the open ended enclosure may have the same cross section.

Alternatively, where the ratchet engagement surface is plastically deformed, the first and second apertures may be shaped to correspond respectively with the cross-section of a first undeformed region of the strap portion, and a second deformed region of the strap portion formed by the swaging tool. The difference in cross sectional area of the apertures serves to facilitate the formation of the loop by insertion of the tail end of the strap portion into the enclosure.

With any method for providing the retaining device with a ratchet means, it may be advantageous to use the insert to provide support for the ratchet means.

The present invention provides a retaining device that comprises a primary and secondary anchorage means. The primary anchorage means is provided by looping the tail end of the strap portion through the integral open ended enclosure which houses the ratchet means. The secondary anchorage means is provided by the over-moulded insert retained by a plastic region formed by an extension from the open ended enclosure and I or the strap portion. The retaining device is typically manufactured by plastics moulding.

The secondary anchorage means is incorporated into the moulding tool such that, when the plastic is injected into the tool to produce the form of the strap portion and the open ended enclosure, the molten plastic fills a further cavity in the tool containing the insert.

The plastic surrounds the insert to form a plastic region around the insert. When the finished component is released from the moulding tool the insert is suspended in the plastic of the retaining device. The positioning of the over-moulded insert is such that any protrusions, holes or other features in the insert are held at pre-determined angles and distances from the open ended enclosure of the retaining device.

It will be understood by one skilled in the art that the shape, size, number and positioning of the over-moulded insert or inserts may be adjusted to suit the particular application in which the retaining device is to be used.

Typically, the area that could offer the greatest support to the over-moulded component is the area of greatest cross-sectional thickness of plastics material. The area of the retaining device with the greatest cross-sectional thickness of plastics material is in the vicinity of the open-ended enclosure which houses the ratchet means If the design of the retaining device requires a particularly rigid attachment point, then it may be advantageously located in the area of the open-ended enclosure. If greater flexibility is required between the insert and the main body of the retaining device, then the insert may be advantageously located at some point along the strap portion, where the cross section of the plastic is thinner. A hinge-like feature linking the secondary anchorage means with the main body of the retaining device may be provided by a localised reduction of the cross sectional area of the plastic linking the over-moulded insert to the cable-tie portion.

In use, the retaining device is fastened around a mounting body such as a pipe or hose, a structural part or another cable, in such a way as to leave the secondary anchorage means in an orientation and position desirable for securing another object.

The present invention provides the user with the benefit of a universal' retaining device, whereby the same component may be used in multiple locations without requiring a dedicated mounting body formed specifically for securing wires and such.

The present invention provides an improvement in assembly time and cost over a typical wire retaining bracket, whilst maintaining the level of design flexibility for cable routing.

The present invention may also mitigate the transmission of vibration from the mounting body to the wires or similar items In order that the invention may be more readily understood, reference is made, by way of example only, to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure la is a perspective view of a known cable-tie; Figure lb is a perspective view of a known cable-tie formed into a loop; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a retaining device of one embodiment of the present invention incorporating an over-moulded insert; Figure 3 is a detailed perspective plan view of the retaining device of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a sectional view through the embodiment shown in Figure 3; Figure 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment in use; Figure 6 is a perspective view of a metal insert used within an alternative embodiment of the retaining device to that shown in Figures 2 to 4; Figure 7 is a plan view of the metal insert of Figure 6, prior to it being formed into its final shape; Figure 8a is a sectional end view of a metal insert used in a further alternative embodiment of the present invention to that shown in the previous Figures; and Figure 8b is a sectional side view of the metal insert in Figure 8a.

Figures 1 a and 1 b show an example of a known cable-tie 1 for use in securing wires or similar objects (not shown), to a mounting body (also not shown), or to one another.

The cable-tie I comprises a parallel-sided elongate strap portion 15 extending from an open ended enclosure 11 and terminating in pointed tip, tail or free end 18. The open ended enclosure 11 has a suitably sized through-hole 12 to pass the tail end 18 (shown ifl Figure ib) of the strap portion 15 when the user wishes to form a loop around a suitable mounting body in use. The tail end 18 is pointed to guide the strap portion 15 into the enclosure 11. The strap portion 15 comprises a gear rack 16 along at least one side. The gear rack 16 may typically be recessed below parallel raised edges 17 of the strap portion 15. These raised edges 17 provide additional axial strength to the strap portion 15 in use.

The strap portion 15 is moulded from a resilient plastic such as nylon and is suitably flexible to permit the user to form a loop with the strap portion around the mounting body to which the wires are to be secured. The open ended enclosure 11 houses a ratchet pawl 13 designed to co-operate with the gear rack 16 along one face of the strap portion 15. Once the tail end 18 of the strap portion 15 has been inserted into the enclosure 11 and pulled past the ratchet pawl 13 in a first direction, it is prevented from being pulled back in the opposite direction by the ratchet pawl 13. Together the ratchet pawl 13 and the gear rack 16 form a ratchet mechanism so that, once these parts are engaged, it is only possible to tighten the loop formed by the strap portion 15 by reducing its diameter.

The gear rack 16 of the strap portion 15 may form the outer surface of the loop, with the inner surface of the strap portion 15 being flat and smooth to reduce friction between the strap portion 15 and the mounting body to which the loop is to be secured or clamped.

This reduction in friction results in a reduction of the pull force required on the tail end 18 of the strap portion 15 to reliably secure the retaining device to the mounting body.

Alternatively, it is also known for some cable-ties (not shown) to use the rough surface formed by the gear rack on the inner surface of the loop to better grip objects that are uneven or pliable in structure. In this case the smooth side of the loop is the outer surface of the strap portion.

Figures 2, 3 and 4 show an example of the present invention which uses features of the known cable-tie 1 in Figure 1, with the addition of a secondary anchorage means 20 provided by an over-moulded insert 22, to which the user may attach appropriate items, such as cabling and hoses (not shown). The cable-tie retaining device 10 is secured around a suitable mounting body (not shown), in the same way as the known cable-tie 1, so that the loop formed by the strap portion 15 being engaged within the enclosure 11 forms a primary anchorage means for the device. In this example of the present invention, the insert 22 may be of any suitable material that provides the secondary anchorage means with the necessary properties to secure desired items such as wires.

Ideally, the enclosure 11 and the secondary anchorage means 20 are conveniently accessible to the operator during the assembly to a mounting body. The secondary anchorage means 20 is held at a convenient distance and attitude from the open-ended enclosure 11 by means of a linking structure 26.

The linking structure 26 is formed during the moulding process. When a polymeric material such as nylon, is injected into the moulding tool, the molten material flows between two mould cavities linked by at least one through-hole. The first tool cavity is formed to produce the open-ended enclosure 11 and the strap portion 15, the second tool cavity is formed to produce a plastic region 28 around the secondary anchorage means. The through-hole(s) providing fluid communication between the two mould cavities produces the linking structure 26 between the secondary anchorage means and the strap portion 15 and the open-ended enclosure 11. The over-moulded insert 22 is surrounded with the same polymeric material as forms the strap portion 15 and the enclosure 11. The linking structure 26 is extended to join the plastic region 28 to either the strap portion 15 or the open-ended enclosure 11 or both The insert 22 is provided with suitable means such as a through-hole 24 or post (not shown), to secure the cable via an additional component such as a threaded fastener or clip (not shown).

In a variation of the embodiment shown in Figures 2 to 4, the plastic region 28 which surrounds the insert 22, need not extend around the entire periphery of the insert 22. It may be preferable in some applications to provide the insert with at least one free edge, with the over-moulded linking structure 26 to the cable-tie portion covering only a limited part of the periphery of the insert 22.

In this embodiment, the over-moulded insert 22 is intended solely to provide the user with a suitably resilient anchorage for additional items to be attached once the looped strap portion has been secured around a suitably rigid structure. In this example, the upper surface of the strap portion is provided with the gear rack feature 16, which engages with the ratchet-pawl 13, within the open-ended enclosure 11.

The secondary anchorage means 20 is either rigidly located a pre-determined distance from the strap portion or may be designed with a degree of flexibility. The degree of flexibility between the secondary anchorage means and the main strap portion may be tuned by varying the thickness of the linking structure 26 or the extent to which the insert 22 extends up to and, indeed, within the open-ended enclosure 11.

Figure 5 is an alternative embodiment of the example shown in Figures 3 and 4 wherein the secondary anchorage means is adjacent to the open-ended enclosure. Referring to Figure 5, a suitably positioned hose provides the mounting body 30, to which the retaining device is secured. The strap portion 15, open-ended enclosure 11 and the secondary anchorage means provided by the insert 22 are all clearly shown. In the example shown in Figure 5, a wiring harness forms a body member 40 which is secured a to the insert 22 via a band 41 secured by a threaded fastener. It will be noted from Figure 5 that the wiring harness routing is not parallel to the mounting body 30, but is not at risk from concentrated loads or abrasion cause by contact with the retaining device as the band 41 in contact with the wires may run parallel to the wires The orientation of the band 41 is not dictated by the orientation of the mounting body.

Figures 6 and 7 show an insert 22 for an atternative embodiment to that shown in Figures 2 to 4, prior to the over-moulding process.

The metal insert takes the form of a metallic strip 52 which acts as both a ratchet pawl 13 and the secondary anchorage means 20. The embodiment in Figure 6 provides the user with a more robust secondary anchorage means by extending the metal insert 22 into the main body of the open-ended enclosure 11. The metal insert 22 is shaped to form both the through-hole 12 through which the strap portion 15 is passed to form a loop and the ratchet-pawl 13 itself. In the example shown in Figures 6 and 7, the secondary anchorage means 20 projects substantially upwards from the open-ended enclosure 11, rather than to the side of the enclosure as in the example shown in Figures 2 to 4.

Using the metal insert 22 to provide the function of both secondary anchorage means 20 and the ratchet-pawl 13 presents the advantage that the ratchet-pawl is considerably stronger than it would be, had it been formed from the plastic material of the strap portion 15.

Providing the retaining device with a metal insert to which other items may be attached by means of threaded fasteners provides the user with an additional benefit. The coefficient of expansion for the metal insert and the metal threaded fastener will be very similar which will tend to resist creep and loss of torque caused by thermal cycling. Such a benefit could not be realised by providing a typical cable-tie with a lug or boss formed from the same material as the cable-tie body. In this case it would not be possible to maintain the necessary fastener torque in an environment where the ambient temperature cycles, such as in a motor vehicle.

Furthermore, the rigidity of the secondary anchorage means 20 is greatly reinforced by being supported by a greater proportion of the material of the strap portion.

The embodiment shown in Figure 6 is formed from a single strip of suitably resilient metal sheet such as spring steel. In an alternative embodiment (not shown), the insert is formed by an assembly of components, the form and material of which are chosen specifically for their suitability for their intended function.

Figure 7 shows a plan view of the metallic strip 52 shown in Figure 6 before it is formed into its final shape and over-moulded. It will be appreciated that the size and shape of the metal insert 22 may be adjusted to suit the purpose for which the retaining device is intended. The planes required to form the insert shown in Figure 6 are labelled in Figure 7 with letters (a) through (h), separated by folding lines. The folding lines are represented by dashed lines substantially perpendicular to the main axis to the metallic strip 52. The folding lines are labelled (ab) through (gh), denoting the two planes that the folding lines join. In this embodiment C1 is an opening that provides the insert, once folded, with a suitable through-hole through which to pass the strap portion 15 through the enclosure 11. Planes (e) and (g) are separated in this embodiment in order to provide the design with sufficient spare material to be folded with a radiussed bend rather than a knife-edge' or crease-fold. It will be appreciated that plane (f) may be deleted, if required, and associated folds (ef) and (fg) could be replaced with a single fold. Planes (e) and (g) are folded to bring their faces together such that through-holes (e1) and (g1) are aligned to provide the through-hole 24 of the secondary anchorage means 20.

In an another example (not shown), multiple through-holes, or even the deletion of the through-hole, may be achieved with a change in the tooling used to form the metal insert.

Figures 8a and 8b show two views of the metal insert 22 in an alternative embodiment to that of Figures 6 and 7. The insert 22 is shown prior to the over-moulding process in a similar manner to that of Figures 6 and 7. Like parts to those shown in previous embodiments are identified with like reference numerals. The embodiment shown in Figures 8a and 8b has the secondary anchorage means 20 located at the side of the strap portion 15 as shown in Figure 2, but has the additional feature of the reinforced ratchet pawl 13 formed by an extension of the metal insert 22 into the open-ended enclosure 11.

Figure 8a is a view of the metal insert 22 from the secondary anchorage means 20 looking along the length of the strap portion 15 (not shown), towards the open-ended enclosure 11. In this view, the open-ended enclosure 11 is on the left of the Figure and the secondary anchorage means 20 is on the right. In this example a single folded piece of metallic strip is formed to provide a side piece of the open-ended enclosure by a flange or plane 72. In this case a single piece of folded metallic strip is formed to provide a through-hole 24 at one end of the metal insert 22 and the ratchet pawl 13 at the other end. The metal insert 22 is substantially flat until it is folded upwards to form the plane 72. The metallic strip is further folded to form the upper surface of the enclosure 11, distal from the strap portion 15, referred to as the pawl support plane 71, which provides the ratchet-pawl 13.

Figure 8b is a view of the metal insert from the secondary anchorage means 20 looking towards the open-ended enclosure 11 from behind The formation of the ratchet pawl 13 in the pawl support plane 71 is clearly visible in Figure 8b.

A typical application for the retaining device is securing wiring within a vehicle body.

Care must be taken that the secured wire is not permitted into areas where the local environment may cause damage to the wires.

The engine bay of a motor vehicle has many areas that could potentially cause damage to the wires, either due to hot surfaces, sharp edges, vibration or friction. In cases such as these, the designer must control the routing of the wiring to keep the wires away from such areas. This is commonly achieved by employing dedicated harness brackets, cable-ties or cable-wraps, which are used, either alone or in combination, to secure the wires to a suitably rigid mounting body.

Cable-ties and cable-wraps are low cost but are usually limited to secure a wire in parallel with the rigid mounting. When using cable-ties and cable-wraps, any attempt to route the wire perpendicular to the mounting body will result in localised stress concentrations where the wire is in contact with the edge of the securing means. This localised stress concentration is undesirable as it can lead to failure of the protective sheath or even the conductor of the secured wires.

Another advantage of the present invention is that is does not require parallel routing of the body member relative to the mounting body, which is a known limitation of cable-ties and cable-wraps.

The present invention provides the user with the advantages of flexible cable routing offered by the harness mounting bracket, whilst providing a low cost universal anchorage for wires and similar objects that cable-ties are used for currently.

It will be understood from the accompanying description that the present invention may be adapted to suit a wide variety of applications. For example, the secondary anchorage means provided by the insert may be provided with a threaded hole so as to permit the user to secure a body via an appropriate threaded fastener. In this way the present invention may be used to replace a bracket in some applications, which may be attractive in terms of cost, assembly time, complexity and weight.

The form of the metal insert may be readily adapted to fulfil the particular requirements of the application. For example, the metal insert may take the form of a clip, a hook, a cleat, a threaded, serrated or barbed protrusion in isolation or in any combination. The metal insert may indeed form the primary anchorage means to a mounting body, leaving the strap portion to provide the user with a secondary anchorage means.

The cooperation between the strap portion and the open-ended enclosure is not limited to the engagement of a ratchet pawl with a gear rack feature on the strap portion. For example, a ball bearing may be housed within the open-ended enclosure in place of the ratchet paw!. The ball bearing would then engage the ratchet engagement surface of the strap portion when the free end of the strap portion is passed into the open-ended enclosure. The ball bearing may impinge upon the ratchetengagement surface with sufficient force to deform the ratchet engagement surface plastically. The action of the ball bearing deforming the ratchet engagement surface is effectively a swaging process.

The cross-section of the ratchet engagement surface my be sufficiently deformed by the action of the ball bearing that the strap portion may only move through the open-ended enclosure in one direction. The action of the ball bearing deforming the ratchet engagement surface effectively prevents the loosening of the loop produced by the cooperation between the strap portion and the open-ended enclosure. In a further refinement of the present invention, the metal insert may be extended along the strap portion to further enhance the effect of plastic deformation of the ratchet engagement means by the ball bearing.

The present invention may be further adapted to provide a plurality of over-moulded inserts to provide additional anchorage means. Alternatively, where the item to be secured requires additional support, a plurality of strap portions may support a shared over-moulded insert between them to provide additional support to the secondary anchorage means.

The retaining device may further be adapted to include means to resist unwanted rotation of the loop formed by the strap portion about the mounting body. Such means may be provided by serrations, ridges, or another surface formed along at least part of the inner surface of the loop, formed by the strap portion passing through the open-ended enclosure, to interface with a cooperating surface of the mounting means.

Alternatively, this means may be provided by increased friction between the inner face of the loop and the mounting body.

The retaining device may further be adapted to provide the user with an electrical connection between the mounting body and the secondary anchorage means. This may be achieved by allowing the over-moulded metallic insert to be at least partially exposed in the proximity of the inner face of the loop such that when the retaining device is secured to the mounting body, by tightening the loop formed by the strap portion around the mounting body, the exposed portion of the metallic insert is brought into direct contact with the mounting body.

In a further refinement of the present invention, the object to be secured via the secondary anchorage means may be isolated from vibration that would otherwise be transmitted via the retaining device from the mounting body. Such isolation may be achieved by tuning the stiffness of the insert and / or the stiffness of the linking structure.

Alternatively, the inner face of the loop formed by the strap portion may be provided with an additional compliant feature, suitably resilient to allow for reliable securing of the retaining device to the mounting body, whilst compliant enough to attenuate the transmission of vibrations from the mounting body to the secondary anchorage means.

Such an attenuation means may be provided by at least one finger, spring or pin shaped feature, projecting from the inner surface of the loop, that may be deformed elastically or plastically between the mounting body and the retaining device when the loop formed by the strap portion is tightened.

Claims

1. A retaining device (10) for anchoring a body member (40) to a mounting body (30), the retaining device (10) comprising a primary and secondary anchorage means (20), the primary anchorage means comprising: a strap portion (15) having a ratchet engagement surface (16) provided along at least part of the strap portion (15), a free end (18), an integral open-ended enclosure (11) distal from the free end (18), housing a ratchet means (13), that is arranged to co-operate with the ratchet engagement surface (16)to form the strap portion (15) into a loop, and wherein the secondary anchorage means (20) is provided by an over-moulded insert (22) for securing the body member (40) to the mounting body (30).

2. A retaining device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the ratchet means is supported by the insert (22).

3. A retaining device (10) as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the ratchet means includes a ratchet pawl (13) defined by an extension of the insert (22), into the open-ended enclosure (11).

4. A retaining device (10) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the over-moulded insert (22) is metallic.

5. A retaining device (10) according to claim 4, wherein the over-moulded insert (22) is configured to provide an electrical connection between the mounting body and the secondary anchorage means (20).

6. A retaining device (10) according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the over-moulded insert is electrically non-conductive.

7. A retaining device (10) according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising at least one of: a flexible link between primary and secondary anchorage means, a compliant finger, spring or pin-shaped feature extending from the inner surface of the loop formed when the strap portion is tightened for attenuating vibration transferred from the mounting body to the body member via the insert (22).

8. A retaining device (10) according to any of the preceding claims wherein the insert (22) is provided with an anchoring feature to facilitate the anchoring of the body member to the mounting body via the secondary anchorage means (20).

9 A retaining device (10) according claim 8, wherein the anchoring feature of the insert (22) is a through-hole (24).

10. A retaining device (10) according to c'aim 9, wherein the through-hole (24) of the insert (22) is threaded.

11. A retaining device (10) according claim 8, wherein the anchoring feature is in the form of a post extending from the insert (22).

12 A retaining device (10) according claim 11, wherein the post extending from the insert (22) is at least one of: serrated, threaded or barbed.

13. A retaining device (10) according claim 8, wherein the anchoring feature is at least one of: a clip, a hook or a cleat extending from the insert (22).

14. A retaining device (10) according to any of the preceding claims wherein the insert (22) is positioned to extend substantially from at least one of the open-ended enclosure (11) or strap portion (15) of the device.

15. A retaining device (10) according to any of the preceding claims wherein the ratchet engagement surface (16) includes at least one of: a gear rack (16), barbs or friction surface. -

16. A retaining device (10) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the ratchet means includes at least one of: a ratchet pawl (13), a cleat, a roller bearing or a ball bearing housed within the open-ended enclosure (11).

17. A retaining device (10) according to any of the preceding claims wherein the ratchet means is configured to deform plastically the ratchet engagement surface (16).

18. A vehicle having A retaining device (10) as claimed in any of the preceding claims