GB2463499A

GB2463499A - Two piece cable tie

Info

Publication number: GB2463499A
Application number: GB0816893A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Anthony John Schellens
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-09-16
Filing date: 2008-09-16
Publication date: 2010-03-17
Also published as: GB0816893D0

Abstract

A cable tie 1 has a cable tie head 20 and a length of cable strap 10. Said cable tie head having a head socket 21 which may engage with a first end 10A of said cable tie and a head aperture 23 which may have therein a one way mechanism 24 to engage with said. Said head aperture may be adapted to receive a second end 10B of said strap and to allow one way movement of said strap through said aperture.. In use the first end 10A of the cable is inserted through the socket 21 and the strap is passed around an object that is to be secured and the second end 10B is passed through and secured within said head aperture 23.

Description

Title: Cable Tie The present invention relates to a cable tie.

Most cable ties have a head connected to one end of a strap. The head has a one way device in a head aperture which engages with teeth on the strap to allow the free end of the strap to be inserted in one direction only through the aperture. In use the strap is wrapped around a bundle of cables and the free end inserted into the head aperture. The strap is pulled through the aperture until the cables are held tight by the strap, and the excess strap emerging from the head aperture is cut away and discarded.

A problem with these cable ties is that much of the strap is wasted when it is discarded. Also many different lengths of cable ties are produced to suit different applications of cable ties.

The invention seeks to provide a solution to this problem.

According to the present invention there is provided a cable tie comprising singly or in combination a length of cable tie strap and a cable tie head, said cable tie strap formed from a length of material, and said cable tie head having a head socket to engage with a first end of the cable tie, and a head aperture with a one way mechanism to engage with the strap, said head aperture being adapted to receive a second end of the strap and allowing one way movement of the strap through the head aperture, in use said first end of the cable tie being inserted through into the socket, with the strap being passed around an object to be secured and the second end passed through and secured in said head aperture.

Preferably the head socket includes a barb to engage with the first end of the strap to prevent removal of the strap from the socket.

Preferably the head aperture one way mechanism is in the form of a barb which engages with the strap. Preferably the head aperture barb moves from a first out of use position to a second in use position in the head aperture to engage with the strap only upon insertion of the first end of the strap into said socket. In one embodiment the barb is pivoted to the head to pivot between the first out of use and second in use position.

Preferably the cable strap and head are moulded from plastics.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a cable tie head and cable tie strap, Figure 2 shows a cross section view of a cable tie head and separate cable tie strap, Figure 3 shows a cross section view of the cable tie strap inserted into the head socket and head aperture, and Figures 4A to 4C show schematic views of various orientations of straps and heads.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3 there is shown a cable tie 1.

Cable tie I is formed from a length of cable tie strap 10 unrolled from a roll "X", and a cable tie head 20. The strap 10 from roll "X" and head 20 may typically be sold singly or in combination.

Cable tie strap 10 (along with the rest of roll "X") comprises a length of plastic material. Strap has a first end IOA and a second end lOB.

Cable tie head 20 of plastic material has a head socket 21 into which can be inserted and which can engage with the first end 1OA of the cable tie 10. Head socket 21 includes a flexible inclined barb 22 of plastic or metal to engage with the first end IOA of the strap 10 to prevent removal of the strap from the socket.

Cable tie head 20 has a head aperture 23 which extends through the head body and through which can be inserted the strap 10. Aperture 23 includes with a one way mechanism in the form of a flexible inclined barb 24 of plastic or metal to engage with the strap and allows, in use, one way movement of the strap through the head aperture 23 (i.e. movement from left to right as shown in Figure 3).

Barb 24 is connected to a trigger member 25 pivoted to the head body by a pivot 26. Barb 24 pivots from a first (see Figure 2) out of use position not engaged with the strap to a second in use position (see Figure 3) where the barb 24 engages with the surface of strap 10 upon insertion of the first end 1 OA of the strap into the socket 21.

In use a length of cable tie strap 10 is unrolled from roll "X". The first end 1OA of the cable tie strap 10 is passed through aperture 23 with barb 24 in the first position (allowing the strap to move from right to left in the drawing through aperture 23). First end 1OA is passed around an object to be secured (e.g. a bundle of cables) and then pushed into socket 21. When first end 1OA is inserted and engaged in socket 21, this causes the trigger member 25 to pivot so moving the barb 24 into engagement with strap 10. The strap 10 is then tightened around the object to the desired tension and then cut from the roll "X" to create a second end lOB to strap 10, and strap 10 can be tensioned and secured around an object by pulling second end 1013 away from head 20 (i.e. pulling strap 10 from left to right in the Figure 3) through aperture 23 (before the strap is cut from the roll) with the barb 24 engaged in strap 10 preventing the strap 10 from moving from right to left. Because strap 10 is fitted to the exact required length, so there is no waste.

It is envisaged that the cable tie would be sold as a kit with a long length of strap, e.g. on a roll, with a plurality of cable tie heads. A tradesman or other user can then make up cable ties as required.

Although preferably formed from plastics material the strap and head could be formed of metal or a combination of metal and plastics.

Although as shown in Figures 1 to 3, the head joins the strap at a right angle (see Figure 4A), the head could be designed to join the strap "in-line" as shown schematically in Figure 4B, or the head could be designed to join the strap in the "same plane" as shown schematically in Figure 4C.

The invention may take a form different to that specifically described above. For example the one way mechanism may be permanently in operation so that it always in the second operable position (i.e. it is not moved from a first to a second position by insertion of the strap end into the head socket). In such an arrangement a required length of strap would be cut from a roll "X", and a strap first end inserted into the head socket. The second end of the strap would be passed around an object to be secured and then inserted into the head aperture. Instead of a roll, various lengths of straps 10 could be sold and one length selected for a desired application. Also the barb could move from a first position to a second position by means other than being attached to a pivoted trigger.

If desired the strap could have on its surface a ratchet engaging means such as teeth, and the one way mechanism on the head could be a one way ratchet mechanism such as a flexible finger which would engage with the ratchet engaging means.

Further modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

CLAIMSI. A cable tie comprising singly or in combination a length of cable tie strap and a cable tie head, said cable tie strap formed from a length of material, said cable tie head having a head socket to engage with a first end of the cable tie, and a head aperture with a one way mechanism to engage with the strap, said head aperture being adapted to receive a second end of the strap and allowing one way movement of the strap through the head aperture, in use said first end of the cable tie being inserted through into the socket, with the strap being passed around an object to be secured and the second end passed through and secured in said head aperture.
2. A cable tie according to claim 1, wherein the head socket includes a barb to engage with the first end of the strap to prevent removal of the strap from the socket.
3. A cable tie according to claim 1 to 2, wherein the head aperture one way mechanism is in the form of a barb which engages with the strap.
4. A cable tie according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the head aperture one way mechanism moves from a first out of use position to a second in use position in the head aperture to engage with the strap only upon insertion of the first end of the strap into said socket.
5. A cable tie according to claim 4, wherein the one way mechanism is pivoted to the head to pivot between the first out of use and second in use position.
6. A cable tie according to any preceding claim, wherein the cable strap and head are moulded from plastics.
7. A cable tie substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.