GB2500403A

GB2500403A - Strip of cable clips

Info

Publication number: GB2500403A
Application number: GB201204859A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stephen Raymond Woollams
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-03-20
Filing date: 2012-03-20
Publication date: 2013-09-25
Also published as: GB201204859D0

Abstract

A plurality of cable clips 10 are secured together in a line by a breakable means (e.g. integrally moulded webs 19). Each cable clip 10 comprises a main body 12 integrally moulded with a flexible wire channel section 16, the body having a bore 14, through which a fastening means 15 (e.g. pin, nail) passes. Each clip 10 may be placed in a desired position on a supporting surface and a fastener 15 may be driven through the bore 14 then the clip 10 may be detached from the strip by breaking the web 19 leaving the clip 10 holding a section of cable 30. The clips bodies 12, channels 16 and connecting webs 19 may be integrally moulded from resilient plastics material (e.g. polypropylene). The clips 10 may be in a side by side formation with their respective channels 16 aligned coaxially.

Description

WIRE OR CABLE CLIP

This invention relates to a clip for securing a wire or cable in position on a support, for example a wall, floor or door frame.

A typical cable clip is made from a resilient insulating material such as polypropylene, and comprises a main body with a bore therethrough for a fastener such as a nail and a channel section shaped to retain a wire or cable.

The wire or cable can be retained by a series of clips spaced at intervals from one another and secured in position by driving a nail or other fastener through the bore in the main body and into the support surface, typically a wall or floor.

Cable clips can be very small, often 5mm or less in width, and can therefore be difficult to hold in position when securing them, for example when the position requires that they be held at arms length or in a confined space.

Because they are small, there is also a risk that they may be dropped out of reach, for example behind a piece of fitted furniture such as a wardrobe or bookcase. There is therefore a need for an improved way of holding such clips when securing them in position.

The present invention provides a strip of clips for elongate members such as wires or cables, made up of a plurality of clips each comprising a clip body with a through hole for a fastener and a channel to receive the elongate member, said clips being secured together in line by breakable means.

The clips and the means securing them are preferably integrally moulded, preferably from a flexible plastics material and more especially a thermoplastic polymer such as polypropylene. The means securing them together is preferably in the form of a web extending between each pair of adjacent clips, the web being breakable by cutting or tearing.

The individual clips are preferably spaced from one another by at least 2mm, and preferably at least 5mm, to enable each web, and hence the strip, to bend. The preferred maximum spacing is 10mm. The connections between the clips of a strip are preferably coplanar. They preferably connect relatively rigid parts of the clips, so that cutting or tearing of the webs to separate clips does not distort the clips themselves.

Each clip is preferably provided with a fastener such as a nail, extending through a bore in the main body of the clip and retained there by friction, so that the array of clips is ready for immediate use.

To position and secure the clips, the strip can be held by curling the fingers of one had around it, exposing the clip to be secured, placing the clip in position and holding it with the thumb of the same hand while the nail or other fastener is driven in. This can be done with a wire or cable already passing through the channel of the clip. With the clip in position, the rest of the array can be detached from it by tearing or twisting, if the web or other connecting means is sufficiently thin, or otherwise by cutting.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cable clip in accordance with the invention, detached from the array of which it originally formed pad; Figure 2 is a side elevation of an array or strip of clips in accordance with the invention; and Figure 3 shows how the array of clips of the invention can be used to secure a cable in position.

Referring first to Figure 1, a cable clip 10 has a main body 12 integrally moulded with a flexible channel section 16 having a cable channel 18 therethrough. Through the main body 12 is formed a bore 14 having a longitudinal axis spaced from and at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the cable channel 18. The top surface 13 of the main body surrounding the bore is countersunk.

A fastener 15, in the form of a pin or nail, passes through the bore 14. The fastener is preferably in place in the product as sold, held there by friction.

Figure 2 shows an array of fasteners similar to that of Figure 1, held together by webs 19, integrally moulded with the fastener bodies. The webs can be of rectangular cross-section and thin enough to be broken by tearing or twisting. They should on the other hand be strong enough not to break prematurely. In Figure 1 a section of web 19 is shown as having been broken.

In Figure 2 the fastener 15 of the middle clip is shown as having been partly driven through the clip body, but in the other four the fasteners have their tips just protruding from the bottom of the bore. The strip is preferably supplied in this latter configuration, so that each clip can in turn be placed in position, the fastener tip gaining sufficient purchase to prevent sideways slippage until the fastener is driven in.

Figure 3 shows a cable 30 held by two clips 10 in accordance with the invention, one of which is shown as still being attached to a strip of such clips, prior to cutting or breaking of the web 19. The two clips through which the cable 30 passes are secured by nails 15 to a floor 32, against a wall 35. In the clips that are yet to be fitted, the nails 15 are removed to show the bore 14 and surrounding countersunk portion 13.

An alternative way of fixing the clips would be to pass the cable through the aligned channels of the whole array of clips, and holding the strip and cable together, fixing a first clip, detaching the strip from the fitted clip and sliding the strip along the cable to the position at which the next clip is to be secured.

Variations on the described embodiment are envisaged. For example the webs connecting the clips could be moulded to the front and back of each clip so that the clips are aligned one behind the other rather than side by side. This arrangement might be preferable for example for the purposes of automatic application using a "gun". The clips can be secured to any suitable surface such as wood, masonry or plaster board.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A strip of cable clips made up of a plurality of clips each comprising a clip body with a through hole for a fastener and a channel to receive one or more wires or cables, said clips being secured together in a line by breakable means.
2. A strip according to claim I wherein the breakable means comprises integrally moulded webs connecting the clips.
3. A strip according to claim 2 wherein the clip bodies, channels and connecting webs are integrally moulded from resilient plastics material.
4. A strip according to claim 3 wherein the plastics material is polypropylene.
5. A strip according to any preceding claim wherein a fastener in the form of a pin or nail is retained by friction in each said bore.
6. A strip according to any preceding claim wherein the clips are in a side by side formation with their respective channels aligned coaxially.
7. A strip of cable clips substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
8. A method of fitting a cable clip which comprises placing a clip of a strip in accordance with any preceding claim in a desired position on a supporting surface, driving a fastener through the bore of the clip body and detaching the clip from the strip by breaking said breakable means.