DESC:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[001] The present invention relates to fastening devices and more particularly, to cable ties used for bundling together a plurality of cables, wires, pipes etc.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[002] Cable ties, also known as bundling ties are harnessing devices, are commonly used in the art to bundle together a plurality of elongated objects, such as wires, cables or pipes etc. Cable ties of conventional construction are elongate members having a flexible elongated substantially flat strap having an apertured head at one end and a tail at the other end. The tail end of the strap is of narrowed width adapted for insertion through the apertured head to form a closed loop thereby locking the strap.

[003] The head is attached to one end of the strap using welding or riveting, and the free end of the strap is tail end. During use of cable tie, the strap is wrapped around bundles of wires or hydraulic tubing and the tail is inserted through the apeture in the head. The head(also referred hereafter as buckle) of the cable tie further includes a locking element which engages with the strap so that when the tail is pulled through the aperture in the head, the locking element secures the strap to bundle the objects.

[004] Several types of cable ties available in the market have similar construction which includes a buckle and a strap, however they differ mainly on the type of locking mechanisms used. Some commonly available locking mechanisms used in cable ties are ladder type, saw tooth type, ball or roller type, punch type, etc. For example, in the ladder type cable tie, the buckle includes a locking element which engages with the strap so that when the tail is pulled through the aperture in the buckle, the locking element secures against transverse teeth provided along the width of the strap. The ball type cable tie includes a ball in an enclosed groove on the buckle and when the strap is passed through the buckle the ball moves inside the groove and strap gets locked. The friction between the strap, ball and enclosed groove provides the necessary force to hold the strap locked in position.

[005] Another cable tie is punch type cable tie, in which external tool is used to form a dent on the strap located inside the buckle to lock the strap in position.

[006] Different locking mechanisms provide different functionality, however such types of cable ties have certain drawbacks. One such drawback is slip back during installation. In the ball type cable tie, the ball travels a distance in the enclosed groove to lock the strap. Similarly in case of ladder or saw tooth type cable ties, the steps of the ladder or tooth of saw tooth respectively keep scope of locking only at certain points with significant distance between them. In case of applications where this slip back may be crucial and strictly not needed, above mentioned cable ties do not effectively serve the purpose.

[007] Another drawback is slippage issue after installation over a period of time. The locked cable ties are continuously under the tensile force exerted by the weight of the objects being bundled. After a period of time, the locking arrangement of ball or ladder type may gradually lead to slippage of the strap thereby making the joint loose. In such cases the strap needs to be tightened again by using external tools.

[008] Presently zero slipping of the strap is achieved by using the punch type locking mechanism in buckle which makes a deformation using heavy tools on strap. Further tools are employed to tighten the wrapping of the strap around the bundle of objects, secure or lock the free end of the strap relative to the buckle and cut any excess portion of the strip. These tools further perform the tightening, locking and cutting functions that are primarily manual, pneumatic or electric in nature. In the case of pneumatic or electric tools, limited or reduced physical effort is required by the operator as compared to most manual tools.

[008] The punch type cable ties though provide effective prevention of slip back during installation and no slippage over the period of time, however the dependency on heavy, complex and expensive tools is a major drawback. Using the said tool requires proper training for the operator, thereby increasing the installation cost and also causing fatigue to the operators.

[0009] In view of the limitations inherent in the available cable ties, there exists a need for an cable tie locking mechanism which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art and which can be used in a simple, cost effective, reliable, secure and environmental friendly manner.

[009] The present invention fulfils this need and provides further advantages as described.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the prior arts, the general purpose of the present invention is to provide an improved combination of convenience and utility, to include the advantages of the prior art, and to overcome the drawbacks inherent therein.

[0011] A primary objective of the present invention is to provide a feeder pillar box with horizontal fuse arrangement which is compact in size, modular, contemporary, simple and cost effective.

[0012] In one aspect, the present invention provides a cable tie that comprises a strap having a first end and a tail end, a buckle having an aperture to allow passing of the tail end of the strap and the first end of the strap is anchored to the buckle and a locking mechanism including a wedge pin, a pin opening and a pin guiding groove on the buckle.

[0013] In another aspect of the present invention, the buckle is a hollow box shaped structure with a top wall, a bottom wall, a first side wall, a second side wall and two faces of the box removed to form the aperture.

[0014] In yet another aspect of the present invention, the pin opening is a through hole perpendicular to the aperture, such that the pin opening extends from the first side wall to the second side wall of the buckle.

[0015] In one aspect of the present invention, the pin guiding groove is located on the top wall of the buckle and is perpendicular to the aperture.

[0016] In another aspect of the present invention, the inner surface of the bottom wall includes at least two ridges and a valley, such that the at least two ridges and the valley extend from the first side to the second side of the buckle and are perpendicular to the axis of the aperture.

[0017] In yet another aspect of the present invention, the valley is formed between the two ridges and provides a passage to the wedge pin in the pin opening.
[0018] In one aspect of the present invention, the shape and size of the valley and the at least two ridges is adapted to correspond with a shape of the wedge pin.

[0019] In another aspect of the present invention, the tail end of the strap is passed from the aperture and the wedge pin is inserted in the pin opening over the strap to lock the cable tie.

[0020] In yet another aspect of the present invention, the wedge pin includes a tapered stud that comprises a front portion, a rear portion, such that a cross sectional area of the wedge pin decreases from the rear portion to the front portion to form the taper, a push member attached to the rear portion, such that the push member is adapted to push the wedge pin in the pin opening and a guide protruding perpendicular to the axis of the wedge pin, such that the guide is adapted to slide in the pin guiding groove of the buckle.

[0021] In one aspect of the present invention, the guide further includes a clamping arrangement to hold the wedge pin in the buckle.

[0022] In one aspect of the present invention, the clamping arrangement is a cotter pin hole in the wedge pin for receiving a cotter pin and the cotter pin.

[0023] In another aspect of the present invention, the wedge pin further includes a pair of ear pads located perpendicularly on the sides of the front portion, such that the ear pads provide a snap fit locking to the wedge pin on the buckle.

[0024] These together with other aspects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty that characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the description annexed hereto and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated exemplary embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] The advantages and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following more detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

[0026] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a cable tie, according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic view of the buckle, according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] FIG. 3 illustrates a cross sectional view showing ridges and valley in the buckle, according to one embodiment of the present invention; and

[0029] FIG. 4 illustrates a schematic view of wedge pin, according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Like reference names refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details.

[0032] As used herein, the term ‘plurality’ refers to the presence of more than one of the referenced item and the terms ‘a’, ‘an’, and ‘at least’ do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced item.

[0033] Reference herein to “one embodiment” or “another embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment can be included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, nor are separate or alternative embodiments mutually exclusive of other embodiments. Further, the diagrams representing one or more embodiments of the invention do not inherently indicate any particular order nor imply any limitations in the invention.

[0034] Referring to FIG. 1, that illustrates a perspective view of a cable tie 10, according to one embodiment of the present invention. The cable 10 tie includes a strap 12 having a first end 12F and a tail end 12T, a buckle 14 having an aperture 16 to allow passing of the tail end 12T of the strap 12 and the first end 12F of the strap is anchored to the buckle 14 and a locking mechanism including a wedge pin 18, a pin opening 20 and a pin guiding groove 22 on the buckle.

[0035] The first end 12F of the strap is anchored to the buckle 14 by rivet, welding or any other mechanism such that it is attached to the buckle 14 and will not come out even on application of large force. The strap 12 is wrapped around the objects to be bundled by the cable tie 10 and its tail end 12T is then passed through the aperture 16 and after achieving the required tightening, the strap 12 is locked in position using the locking mechanism. The buckle 14 is like a rectangular box with two open faces forming the aperture 16 for the strap 12 to allow the tail end 12T of strap to pass through it after wrapping the bundle of objects.

[0036] Referring to FIG. 2, that illustrates a schematic view of the buckle 14, according to one embodiment of the present invention. The buckle 14 is a hollow box shaped structure with a top wall 14T, a bottom wall 14B, a first side wall 14FS, a second side wall 14SS and two faces of the box removed to form the aperture 16. The four walls form a hollow rectangular box 14 as shown. The two faces of the box shape are not present and form the aperture 16 providing a passage to the strap 12 to pass through the buckle 14. It is to be noted that the buckle 14 described in this description is rectangular in shape, however it may be made in any shape which serves the purpose as per the requirements of the present invention.

[0037] The pin opening 20 is a through hole perpendicular to the aperture 16, such that the pin opening 20 extends from the first side wall 14FS to the second side wall 14SS of the buckle. The pin opening 20 is adapted to receive and retain the wedge pin 18 position on fastening of the cable tie 10. The pin opening 20 allows the wedge pin 18 to be inserted in the buckle 14. The pin opening 20 also holds the wedge pin 18 to the cable tie 10 when not installed, such that the wedge pin 18 does not fall off from the buckle. The shape and dimensions of the pin opening 20 are designed as per the shape and dimension of the wedge pin 18.

[0038] In one embodiment of the present invention, the pin guiding groove 22 is located on the top wall of the buckle and is perpendicular to the aperture 16. The groove 22 guides the wedge pin 18 movement while locking the cable tie 10. The groove 22 maintains the straight path for the wedge pin 18 and clasps the pin before installation. The strap 12 is rigidly anchored to the bottom wall 14B of the buckle by spot welding, riveting or a notch type mechanism.

[0039] In one embodiment of the present invention, wherein an inner surface of the bottom wall 14B of the buckle includes at least two ridges 30 and a valley 32, such that the at least two ridges 30 and the valley 32 extend from the first side wall 14FS to the second side wall 14SS of the buckle and are perpendicular to the axis of the aperture 16.

[0040] Referring to FIG. 3, that illustrates the cross sectional view of buckle showing ridges and valleys, according to one embodiment of the present invention. The valley 32 is formed between the two ridges 30 and provides a passage to the wedge pin 18 in the pin opening 20.The valley 32 is created by the ridges providing a passage for the wedge pin to slide, at the inner side of the bottom wall 14B of the buckle. The ridges and valley extend from the first side wall to the second side wall of the buckle along the pin opening. In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the shape and size of the valley 32 and the two ridges 30 is adapted to correspond with the shape of the wedge pin 18. The shape of the valley 32 is like a tray and the ridges 30 are separated by a distance equivalent to maximum width of the wedge pin 18.

[0041] During installation of the cable tie 10, the tail end 12T of the strap after being wrapped over the objects to be bundled passes through the aperture 16 over the ridges 30 and the valley 32, and then the wedge pin 18 is inserted to finally lock the cable tie 10. In one embodiment of the present invention, the at least two ridges 30 and the valley 32 helps in creating a notch or linear deformation on the strap 12 by movement of the wedge pin 18 in the pin opening 20. The frictional force between the valley 32, the ridges 30, the strap 12 and the wedge pin 18 holds the strap 12 in locking position. The combination of valley 32 and ridges 30 helps in creating a discrete profile on the strap 12 in the buckle, which prevents slip back of the strap 12 after installation.

[0042] Now referring to FIG. 4, that illustrates a wedge pin 18, according to one embodiment of the present invention. The wedge pin 18 includes a tapered stud 36 that comprises a front portion 36F, a rear portion 36R, a push member 38 attached to the rear portion 36R, and a guide 40 protruding perpendicular to the axis of the wedge pin.

[0043] The cross sectional area of the tapered stud 36 decreases from the rear portion 36R to the front portion 36F to form the taper. The cross section may be of any shape such as circular, semi-circular, square, rectangle etc. The shape and dimension of the stud 36 are such that it can slide in the pin opening 20 of the buckle over the strap 12 and lock the strap 12 in position. The front portion 36F of the stud is free end and its rear portion 36F is attached to the push member 38.

[0044] The push member 38 is adapted to push the wedge pin 18 in the pin opening 20 for locking the cable tie 10. The dimensions of the push member 38 are significantly more than the dimensions of the rear portion 36F of the stud. The push member 38 serves dual purpose of providing a space to push the wedge pin 18 in the buckle 14 during installation and preventing the wedge pin 18 to slip out from second side wall 14SS of the buckle. It is to be noted that the push member 38 is shown in rectangular shape, however it may be made in circular, hexagonal or any shape which serves the purpose of the push member 38 of the present invention.

[0045] The dimensions and shape of the rear portion 36R are designed to fit in the pin opening 20 of the buckle. The front 36F and rear portion 36R of the stud of the wedge pin respectively gets positioned along the second side 14SS and the first side wall 14FS of the buckle after installation.

[0046] The guide 40 is a protrusion perpendicular to the axis of the stud 36, such that the guide 40 is adapted to slide in the pin guiding groove 22 of the buckle when the wedge pin 18 is inserted in the pin opening 20. In one embodiment of the present invention, the guide 40 further includes the guide further includes a clamping arrangement to hold the wedge pin 18 in the buckle 14. In one preferred embodiment o fthe present invention, the clamping arrangement is a cotter pin hole 42 in the wedge pin for receiving a cotter pin and the cotter pin 44 (shown in FIG. 1).

[0047] The wedge pin 18 is mounted in the pin opening 20 by inserting and aligning the guide 40 in the pin guiding groove 22. Now the cotter pin 44 is inserted in the cotter pin hole 42, thereby anchoring the wedge pin 18 with the buckle 14. The cotter pin 44 prevents falling of the wedge pin from the buckle, when the cable tie 10 is not in use.

[0048] In one embodiment of the present invention, the wedge pin 18 further includes a pair of ear pads 46 located perpendicularly on the sides of the front portion 36F, such that the ear pads 46 provide a snap fit locking to the wedge pin 18 on the buckle 14. Each of the ear pad 46 is a small protrusion from one side of the wedge pin 18 located at the front portion 36F of the stud. When the wedge pin 18 is inserted in the buckle from the pin opening 20, the ear pads 46 move with the front portion 36F and slightly shear off and come out from the other side located on second side wall 14SS of the pin opening. The ear pads 46 provide a snap fit kind of locking arrangement that prevents any backward movement of the wedge pin 18.

[0049] For installing the cable tie 10 to bundle objects, the tail end 12T of the strap is wrapped around the objects and then inserted in the aperture 16 of the buckle. After tightly wrapping and finalizing the position of strap 12, a force is applied to the wedge pin 18 in longitudinal direction by using a hammer to hit on the push member 38 of the wedge pin, thereby sliding the wedge pin 18 in the pin opening 20 and creating an indentation on the strap and deforming the strap 12 at the valley 32 of the buckle. The guide 40 movement is restricted along the pin guiding groove 22, which helps to guide the movement of the wedge pin 18 only along the pin opening 20 of the buckle. The push member 38 is hit with a hammer or any tools, till the ear pads 46 located on the front portion of the wedge pin come out from the second wall side 14SS of the buckle. This completes the installation of the cable tie 10. The wedge pin 18 holds and presses the strap 12 against the valley 32. The tapered shape of the wedge pin improves the ability to grip the strap 12 over the ridges and evenly distributes stress over the strap 12.

[0050] The deformation formed on the strap 12 by insertion of the wedge pin 18 is generally located above the ridges 30 and prevents any slip back movement of the strap 12 from the buckle 14 during installation. A simple hammer or a plier type tool which is generally available, may be used for installation. This eliminates the use of any expensive and complex tools. Sufficient pressure is created due to the frictional force between the wedge pin 18 and the strap 12 to retain the locking, preventing any slippage during use over a period of time.

[0051] In one embodiment of the invention the push member 38 may be eliminated and the rear portion 36R of the stud of wedge pin 18 may be provided with a set of protrusions to prevent slipping of wedge pin from other side of the buckle 14.

[0052] The ear pads 46 in addition to holding the wedge pin 18 in the buckle, further provides a visual indication that the cable tie 10 is installed properly. This helps the operator in knowing when to stop hitting the wedge pin 18 during installation. So when the operator sees the ear pads 46 coming out from the second wall side of buckle, he knows that the locking is properly achieved.

[0053] The cable tie 10 of the present invention may be made of any material, such as plastic, nylon or any metal more preferably, stainless steel, aluminum, copper, etc.

[0054] The cable tie 10 of the present invention may provide advantages as below:
- No Slip Back: Unique wedge pin locking mechanism gives zero slip back during installation
- Reliability: Max holding strength because of uniform pressure causing deformation over the strap 12 prevents any slippage during use over a period of time
- Ease of installation: Need of simple tools and manual installation of cable tie 10 makes it fast with minimum effort
- Tools: No expensive or complex tools needed for installing the cable tie 10

[0055] Although a particular exemplary embodiment of the invention has been disclosed in detail for illustrative purposes, it will be recognized to those skilled in the art that variations or modifications of the disclosed invention, including the rearrangement in the configurations of the parts, changes in steps and their sequences may be possible. Accordingly, the invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations as may fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0056] The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching.

[0057] The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments herein have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

,CLAIMS:WE CLAIM:

1. A cable tie comprising:
- a strap having a first end and a tail end;
- a buckle having an aperture to allow passing of the tail end of the strap, the first end of the strap is anchored to the buckle; and
- a locking mechanism including a wedge pin, a pin opening and a pin guiding groove on the buckle.
.

2. The cable tie according to claim 1, wherein the buckle is a hollow box shaped structure with a top wall, a bottom wall, a first side wall, a second side wall and two faces of the box removed to form the aperture.

3. The cable tie according to claim 1, wherein the pin opening is a through hole perpendicular to the aperture, such that the pin opening extends from the first side wall to the second side wall of the buckle.

4. The cable tie according to claim 1, wherein the pin opening is adapted to receive and retain the wedge pin position on fastening of the cable tie.

5. The cable tie according to claim 1, wherein the pin guiding groove is located on the top wall of the buckle and is perpendicular to the aperture.

6. The cable tie according to claim 2, wherein an inner surface of the bottom wall includes at least two ridges and a valley, such that the at least two ridges and the valley extend from the first side wall to the second side wall of the buckle and are perpendicular to the axis of the aperture.

7. The cable tie according to claim 6, wherein the valley is formed between the two ridges and provides a passage to the wedge pin in the pin opening.

8. The cable tie according to claim 6, wherein the shape and size of the valley and the at least two ridges is adapted to correspond with a shape of the wedge pin.

9. The cable tie according to claim 1, wherein the tail end of the strap is passed from the aperture and the wedge pin is inserted in the pin opening over the strap to lock the cable tie.

10. The cable tie according to claim 6, wherein the at least two ridges and the valley helps in creating a notch on the strap by a movement of the wedge pin in the pin opening.

11. The cable tie according to claim 6, wherein the frictional force between the valley, the ridges, the strap and the wedge pin holds the strap in locking position.

12. The cable tie according to claim 1, wherein the wedge pin includes a tapered stud comprising:
- a front portion;
- a rear portion, such that a cross sectional area of the tapered cylinder decreases from the rear portion to the front portion to form the taper;
- a push member attached to the rear portion, such that the push member is adapted to push the wedge pin in the pin opening; and
- a guide protruding perpendicular to the axis of the wedge pin, such that the guide is adapted to slide in the pin guiding groove of the buckle.

13. The cable tie according to claim 12, wherein the guide further includes a clamping arrangement to hold the wedge pin in the buckle.

14. The cable tie according to claim 13, wherein the clamping arrangement is a cotter pin hole in the wedge pin for receiving a cotter pin and the cotter pin.

15. The cable tie according to claim 12, wherein the wedge pin further includes a pair of ear pads located perpendicularly on the sides of the front portion, such that the ear pads provide a snap fit locking to the wedge pin on the buckle.