Abstract:
A cable tie is disclosed. The cable tie has a band and a fastening slot. The band is provided with a plurality of ribs, and the fastening slot is formed with an engaging portion for engaging the ribs when the band passes through the fastening slot so as to bind articles. The engaging portion is provided with at least one engaging tooth. A distance between a tip of the engaging tooth and the fixed end of the engaging portion and along a lengthwise direction of the band is smaller than a distance between the free end and the fixed end of the engaging portion and along the lengthwise direction of the band, and which prevents the engaging portion from being broken due to shearing effect applied by the ribs when the cable tie is operated in a low-temperature environment such as minus 40 degrees Celsius.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to cable ties, and more particularly, to a cable tie having engaging teeth with an improved structural configuration. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Cable ties commercially available may be divided into non-releasable cable ties and releasable cable ties. Both of them use one or more engaging teeth in a fastening slot to engage ribs on a band so that the looped band embraces and binds the articles to be bundled. They are convenient tools for put things in order. 
         [0005]    A releasable cable tie has a design for allowing the band engaged in the fastening slot to be released so that the cable tie can be repeatedly used. It is commonly used for binding, for example, power cords. 
         [0006]    On the other hand, a non-releasable cable tie is not designed for releasing the band engaged in the fastening slot. Thus, once the band of a non-releasable cable tie is engaged in the fastening slot, the loop formed by the band can only be narrowed, and its binding can only be dismissed by unrecoverable means like cutting and breaking. In other words, a non-releasable cable tie is only for single-time use and usually used in occasions where the bundle of articles are supposed not to be released easily. For an example, non-releasable cable ties are often seen in retailers for binding articles to be sold in batches. For another example, some countries use non-releasable cable ties as temporary handcuffs. 
         [0007]    However, both releasable and non-releasable cable ties face the same problem that they tend to have the fixed end of the engaging portion broken in the fastening slot when they are operated in a low-temperature environment, and which causes the cable ties to be unable to bind anymore. The reason is that when the band passes through the fastening slot, the ribs on the band successively contact the engaging teeth in the fastening slot. In this way, each of the ribs necessarily impacts the engaging tooth located closest to the fixed end of the engaging portion. As more passing ribs contact the engaging tooth located closest to the fixed end of the engaging portion, the shearing forces applied to the engaging tooth located closest to the fixed end of the engaging portion by the ribs increases such that an accumulated torque acts on the fixed end of the engaging portion and is likely to break the fixed end of the engaging portion in a low-temperature environment. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    Therefore, it is provided in this invention a novel cable tie which overcomes the above-mentioned shortcomings that a typical cable tie is easily broken at the fixed end of the engaging portion formed in the fastening slot due to the shearing forces applied by the ribs of the band of the cable tie when it is operated in a low-temperature environment such as minus 40 degrees Celsius. 
         [0009]    According to the present invention, a cable tie includes a strip-like flexible body and a fastening slot. The flexible body has a first surface and a second surface that are opposite to each other. The first surface is provided with a plurality of equidistantly arranged ribs. The fastening slot is located at one end of the flexible body, and has a third surface and a fourth surface that are opposite to each other. The third surface is adjacent to the first surface, while the fourth surface is distant from the second surface. Openings are formed respectively at the third surface and the fourth surface so that the other end of the flexible body is allowed to pass through the fastening slot. The fastening slot has an engaging portion for engaging the ribs of the flexible body when the flexible body passes through the fastening slot. The engaging portion is located between the third surface and the fourth surface and extends toward the opening of the fourth surface. The engaging portion includes a fixed end adjoining the third surface and a free end facing the opening of the fourth surface. The engaging portion has at least one engaging tooth. A distance between a tip of a first engaging tooth and the fixed end and along a lengthwise direction of the flexible body is smaller than a distance between the free end and the fixed end and along the lengthwise direction of the flexible body. 
         [0010]    A first objective of the present invention is to provide a structural configuration of the engaging teeth for the cable tie with that a distance between a tip of the engaging tooth closest to the fixed end of the engaging portion and the fixed end and along a lengthwise direction of the flexible body is smaller than a distance between the free end and the fixed end and along the lengthwise direction of the flexible body Thereby, the ribs of the flexible body contact only partial of the upper engaging tooth when the flexible body passes through the fastening slot so that the fixed end of the engaging portion is prevented from being excessively sheared by the ribs of the flexible body . Therefore, it is unlikely that the cable tie has its engaging portion broken and loses its binding function when operated in a low-temperature environment such as minus 40 degrees Celsius. 
         [0011]    A second objective of the present invention is to provide a structural configuration of the engaging tooth for the cable tie, which is formed in the fastening slot of the cable tie. When the flexible body passes through the fastening slot, the engaging tooth of the engaging portion in the fastening slot and each of the ribs of the flexible body are partially engaged with each other. The partial engagement between the engaging tooth and the ribs is firm enough to retain the flexible body within the fastening slot and which provides a resistance to pull out the cable tie. 
         [0012]    A cable tie according to a first embodiment of the present invention includes a strip-like flexible body and a fastening slot. The flexible body has a first surface and a second surface that are opposite to each other. The first surface is provided with a plurality of equidistantly arranged ribs. The fastening slot is located at one end of the flexible body, and has a third surface and a fourth surface that are opposite to each other. The third surface is adjacent to the first surface, while the fourth surface is depart from the second surface. Openings are respectively formed at the third surface and the fourth surface so that the other end of the flexible body is allowed to pass through the fastening slot. The fastening slot has an engaging portion for engaging the ribs of the flexible body when the flexible body passes through the fastening slot. The engaging portion is located between the third surface and the fourth surface and extends toward the opening of the fourth surface. The engaging portion includes a fixed end adjoining the third surface and a free end facing the opening of the fourth surface. The engaging portion has at least three engaging teeth. The tips of the engaging teeth are progressively distant from the fixed end along a lengthwise direction of the flexible body. 
         [0013]    Hence, a third objective of the present invention is to provide a structural configuration of the engaging teeth for the cable tie with tips of the engaging teeth being progressively distant from the fixed end along a lengthwise direction of the flexible body. Thus, the engaging tooth located closest to the fixed end only has a small part or even no part contact the ribs of the flexible body when the flexible body passes through the fastening slot so that the fixed end of the engaging portion is prevented from receiving excessive shearing force. Therefore, the cable tie is unlikely to have its engaging portion broken and lose its function of binding when operated in a low-temperature environment such as minus 40 degrees Celsius. 
         [0014]    A fourth objective of the present invention is to provide a structural configuration of at least three engaging teeth for the cable tie that are formed in the engaging portion in the fastening slot. When the flexible body passes through the fastening slot, at least one of the engaging teeth of the engaging portion in the fastening slot is in partial engagement with the corresponding rib of the flexible body, and the engaging tooth of the engaging portion closest to the free end is in complete engagement with the corresponding rib. The partial and complete engagement between the engaging teeth and the ribs are firm enough to retain the flexible body within the fastening slot, and which thereby provides a resistance against pulling of the cable tie. 
         [0015]    Comparing with the typical cable ties, the cable tie of the present invention is not easily to be broken when operated in a low-temperature environment such as minus 40 degrees Celsius, and meanwhile has enough resistance against pulling of the cable tie. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]    The invention as well as a preferred mode of use, further objectives and advantages thereof will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0017]      FIG. 1  is a top view of a cable tie according to the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is a cutaway view of a cable tie according to a first embodiment of the present invention wherein the cable tie is cut away along Line B-B of  FIG. 1  for showing its band and fastening slot; 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a cross-section view of the cable tie according to the first embodiment of the present invention made along Line B-B of  FIG. 1  for showing the band and the fastening slot; 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is a cross-section view of the cable tie according to the first embodiment of the present invention made along Line B-B of  FIG. 1  for further illustrating the cross-section of the fastening slot; 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  is a cross-section view of the cable tie according to the first embodiment of the present invention made along Line B-B of  FIG. 1  for showing the engagement between the ribs of the band and the engaging teeth of the fastening slot when the band passes through the fastening slot; 
           [0022]      FIG. 6  is a cross-section view of a cable tie according to a second embodiment of the present invention made along Line B-B of  FIG. 1  for showing its fastening slot; and 
           [0023]      FIG. 7  is a cross-section view of a cable tie according to a third embodiment of the present invention made along Line B-B of  FIG. 1  for showing its fastening slot. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0024]    The present invention discloses a cable tie and a structural configuration of engaging teeth formed on the cable tie. The principles for a cable tie to provide fastening effects via these engaging teeth have been known to people of ordinary skill in the art and would not be discussed hereafter. The accompanying drawings referred by the following description are intended to show the technical features of the present invention and are not taken as limitation. 
         [0025]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , a cable tie  1  according to the present invention has a strip-like flexible band  11  and a fastening slot  12 . The band  11  can be any flexible body that has two ends  11   a  and  11   b.  The band  11  is provided with a plurality of ribs  113 , and the fastening slot  12  is provided at the end  11   a  of the band  11 . Referring to  FIG. 2 , the strip-like band  11  of the cable tie  1  in a first embodiment of the present invention has an upper surface  111  and a lower surface  112  with both being opposite to each other. The upper surface  111  has a fillister  114  extending lengthwise along the band  11 , and the plurality of ribs  113  are equidistantly arranged in the fillister  114 . These ribs  113  jut out the upper surface  111  while inclining in the same direction. 
         [0026]    Referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , in the first embodiment of the present invention, the cable tie  1  is provided with the fastening slot  12  at the end  11   a  of the band  11 . The fastening slot  12  has an upper surface  121  and a lower surface  122  that are opposite to each other. The upper surface  121  of the fastening slot  12  and the upper surface  111  of the band  11  are at the same side and adjacent to each other. The lower surface  122  of the fastening slot  12  and the lower surface  112  of the band  11  are at the same other side but distant from each other. Since the band  11  and the fastening slot  12  have different thicknesses, there exists a thickness difference between the lower surface  122  of the fastening slot  12  and the lower surface  112  of the band  11 . In addition, the fastening slot  12  is formed with an opening extending through the fastening slot  12 , and therefore an opening  121   a  is formed at the upper surface  121  while an opening  122   a  is formed at the lower surface  122 . The other end  11   b  of the band  11  is allowed to pass through the fastening slot  12  via the opening  121   a  and the opening  122   a.  Moreover, both of the openings  121   a  and  122   a  of the fastening slot  12  have their widths greater than a distance between the base of the ribs  113  of the band  11  and the lower surface  112  of the band  11 . 
         [0027]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , in the first embodiment of the present invention, the fastening slot  12  of the cable tie  1  is formed with an engaging portion  13 . The engaging portion  13  within the fastening slot  12  is close to the end  11   a  of the band  11 . The engaging portion  13  is located between the upper surface  121  and the lower surface  122  of the fastening slot  12  while extending toward the opening  122   a  at the lower surface  122 . 
         [0028]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , in the first embodiment of the present invention, the engaging portion  13  inside the fastening slot  12  of the cable tie  1  has a fixed end  131  that is adjacent to the upper surface  121  of the fastening slot  12  and fixed inside the fastening slot  12 . The engaging portion  13  further has a free end  133  facing toward the opening  122   a  at the lower surface  122  of the fastening slot  12 . The free end  133  is not fixed and is slightly sway when receiving external force. The engaging portion  13  inside the fastening slot  12  has one side which is distant from the band  11  formed as an inclined surface provided with three engaging teeth  132   a,    132   b  and  132   c.  The engaging portion  13  inside the fastening slot  12  has the other side which is close to the band  11  and opposite to the teeth  132   a,    132   b,  and  132   c  formed as an inclined plane  134 . 
         [0029]    Moreover, as shown in  FIG. 4 , in the first embodiment, a distance between a tip of the engaging tooth  132   a  located closest to the fixed end  131  of the engaging portion  13  and the fixed end  131  and along the lengthwise direction of the band  11  is defined as d 1 . A distance between a tip of the engaging tooth  132   b  located secondarily closest to the fixed end  131  of the engaging portion  13  and the fixed end  131  and along the lengthwise direction of the band  11  is defined as d 2 . A distance along the lengthwise direction of the band  11  and between a tip of the engaging tooth  132   c  which is the most distant from the fixed end  131  of the engaging portion  13 , or which is closest to the free end  133 , and the fixed end  131  is defined as d 3 . A distance along the lengthwise direction of the band  11  and between a tip of the free end  133  and the fixed end  131  is defined as d 4 . A relationship between d 1 , d 2 , d 3  and d 4  is that d 1 &lt;d 2 &lt;d 3 =d 4 . Particularly, the distances between the tips of the engaging teeth  132   a,    132   b,    132   c  of the engaging portion  13  and the free end  133  along the lengthwise direction of the band  11  are progressively reduced. In other words, the components along the length of the band  11  of the distances between the tips of the engaging teeth  132   a,    132   b,    132   c  and the fixed end  131  are progressively increased when a measurement is taken toward the free end  133  of the engaging portion  13 . In addition, the component along the length of the band  11  of the distance between the engaging tooth  132   c  that is located closest to the free end  133  and the fixed end  131  is equal to the component along the length of the band  11  of the distance between the tip of the free end  133  and the fixed end  131 . However, in another embodiment, the component along the length of the band  11  of the distance between the tip of the engaging tooth  132   c  that is located closest to the free end  133  and the fixed end  131  can be different from the component along the length of the band  11  of the distance between the tip of the free end  133  and the fixed end  131 . Also, the component along the length of the band  11  of the distance between the tip of the engaging tooth  132   a  that is located closest to the fixed end  131  and the tip of the engaging tooth  132   c  that is located closest to the free end  133  is preferably 0.1˜0.25 mm. Moreover, the component along the length of the band  11  of the distance between the tip of the engaging tooth  132   a  that is located closest to the fixed end  131  and the tip of the free end  133  is preferably 0.1˜0.25 mm. 
         [0030]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , in the first embodiment of the present invention, the ribs  113  on the upper surface  111  of the band  11  contact the engaging teeth  132   a,    132   b,    132   c  of the engaging portion  13  inside the fastening slot  12  in turn and thereby engage with these engaging teeth  132   a,    132   b,    132   c  when the band  11  of the cable tie  1  passes through the fastening slot  12 . Herein, the distances between each of the tips of the engaging teeth  132   a,    132   b,  and  132   c  and the fixed end  131  are progressively increased when the measurement is taken along the direction toward the free end  133  of the engaging portion  13 , and the distance between the base of the ribs  113  and the lower surface  112  of the band  11  is smaller than the width of the openings  121   a  and  122   a  of the fastening slot  12 . In this way, the ribs  113  contact merely a small part at the tip of the engaging tooth  132   a  which is located closest to the fixed end  131  of the engaging portion  13  when the band  11  is inserted into the fastening slot  12 . In other words, the engaging tooth  132   a  located closest to the fixed end  131  of the engaging portion  13  and each of the ribs  13  are partially engaged with each other. As each of the ribs  113  advances toward the free end  133  of the engaging portion  13 , the engagement between each of the ribs  13  and the following engaging teeth becomes more complete. In other words, at least one of the engaging teeth  132   a,    132   b  and  132   c,  especially the engaging tooth  132   a  located closest to the fixed end  131  of the engaging portion  13 , is partially engaged with each of the ribs  113 . When the band  11  passes through the fastening slot  12  and arrives at a desired position, the partial and complete engagement between the ribs  113  of the band  11  and the engaging teeth of the engaging portion  13  are firm enough to retain the band  11  in position, and which thereby provides a resistance against pulling of the cable tie. 
         [0031]    Referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 6 , a cable tie  1  according to a second embodiment of the present invention has a strip-like flexible band  11  and a fastening slot  12  provided at one end  11   a  of the band  11 . The fastening slot  12  is formed with an engaging portion  13 . The band  11 , the fastening slot  12  and the engaging portion  13  of the cable tie  1  are arranged in a way similar to the counterparts in the first embodiment as described above and the detailed description therefore is omitted herein. What makes the present embodiment different from the first embodiment is that, the engaging portion  13  according to the second embodiment has only one engaging tooth  132   a.  A distance between the tip of the engaging tooth  132   a  of the engaging portion  13  and the fixed end  131  and along the lengthwise direction of the band  11  is defined as d 5 . A distance between the tip of the free end  133  and the fixed end  131  and along the lengthwise direction of the band  11  is defined as d 6 . A relationship between d 5  and d 6  is that d 6 &gt;d 5 . In other words, there is a distance difference between the tip of the engaging tooth  132   a  of the engaging portion  13  and the free end  133  along the lengthwise direction of the band  11 . Preferably, the distance difference between the tip of the engaging tooth  132   a  and the free end  133  along the lengthwise direction of the band  11  is 0.1˜0.25 mm. 
         [0032]    Still referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 6 , in the second embodiment of the present invention, the ribs  113  contact merely a small part of the tip of the engaging tooth  132   a  when the band  11  of the cable tie  1  passes through the fastening slot  12 . In other words, the engaging tooth  132   a  and each of the ribs  113  are partially engaged with each other. When the band  11  passes through the fastening slot  12  and arrives at a desired position, the partial engagement between the ribs  113  of the band  11  and the engaging tooth  132   a  of the engaging portion  13  is firm enough to retain the band  11  in position, and which provides a resistance against pulling of the cable tie. 
         [0033]    Referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 7 , a cable tie  1  according to a third embodiment of the present invention has a strip-like flexible band  11  and a fastening slot  12  provided at one end  11   a  of the band  11 . The fastening slot  12  is formed with an engaging portion  13 . The band  11 , the fastening slot  12  and the engaging portion  13  of the cable tie  1  are arranged in a way similar to the counterparts in the first embodiment as described above and the detailed description therefore is omitted herein. What makes the present embodiment different from the first and second embodiments is that, engaging portion  13  according to the third embodiment has two engaging teeth  132   a  and  132   b  in addition to fixed end  131  and free end  133 . A distance between the tip of the engaging tooth  132   a  located closest to the fixed end  131  and the fixed end  131  and along the lengthwise direction of the band  11  is defined as d 7 . A distance between the tip of the other engaging tooth  132   b  located closest to the free end  133  and the fixed end  131  and along the lengthwise direction of the band  11  is defined as d 8 . A distance between the tip of the free end  133  and the fixed end  131  and along the lengthwise direction of the band  11  is defined as d 9 . A relationship between d 7 , d 8  and d 9  is that d 7 &lt;d 8 &lt;d 9 . Specifically, there are distance differences between the tips of the engaging teeth  132   a  and  132   b  of the engaging portion  13  and between the tip of the engaging teeth  132   b  of the engaging portion  13  and the free end  133  along the lengthwise direction of the band  11 , and the distance differences are progressively reduced when measurement is taken toward the free end  133  of the band  11 . In other words, the distance between the tip of the engaging teeth  132   a  and the fixed end  131  and the distance between the tip of the engaging teeth  132   b  and the fixed end  131  are progressively increased when measurement is taken toward the free end  133 . In addition, the distance between the tip of the engaging tooth  132   b  located closest to the free end  133  and the fixed end  131  and along the lengthwise direction of the band  11  is different from the distance between the tip of the free end  133  and the fixed end  131 . However, in another embodiment, the distance between the tip of the engaging tooth  132   b  located closest to the free end  133  and the fixed end  131  and along the lengthwise direction of the band  11  can be equal to the distance between the tip of the free end  133  and the fixed end  131 . In all embodiments as described in the above, the distance between the tip of the engaging tooth  132   a  that located closest to the fixed end  131  and the tip of the free end  133  and along the lengthwise direction of the band  11  is preferably 0.1˜0.25 mm. 
         [0034]    Still referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 7 , in the third embodiment of the present invention, the ribs  113  contact merely a small part of the tip of the engaging tooth  132   a  located closest to the fixed end  131  of the engaging portion  13  when the band  11  of the cable tie  1  passes through the fastening slot  12 . In other words, the engaging tooth  132   a  and each of the ribs  113  are partially engaged with each other. As each of the ribs  113  advances toward the free end  133  of the engaging portion  13 , the engagement between each of the ribs  13  and the other engaging teeth becomes more complete. In other words, at least one of the engaging teeth  132   a  and  132   b,  especially the engaging tooth  132   a  located closest to the fixed end  131  of the engaging portion  13 , is partially engaged with each of the ribs  113 . When the band  11  passes through the fastening slot  12  and arrives at a desired position, the partial and complete engagement between the ribs  113  of the band  11  and the engaging teeth of the engaging portion  13  are firm enough to retain the band  11  in position, and which provides a resistance against pulling of the cable tie. 
         [0035]    In summary, the cable tie  1  according to the present invention is designed to have engaging teeth with different structural configuration from those of the prior art. The disclosed cable tie  1  is characterized in that the distances between each of the tips of the engaging teeth of the engaging portion  13  and the free end  133  and along the lengthwise direction of the band  11  are progressively reduced. Therefore, the band  11  contacts only a small part of the tip of the engaging tooth  132   a  closest to the fixed end  131  of the engaging portion  13  when the band  11  passes through the fastening slot  12 , and which prevents excessive shearing impact from being applied on the tip of the engaging teeth  132   a  and in turn causing torque effect on the fixed end  131  such as to break the fixed end  131  and render the cable tie unusable for tying and binding. Moreover, the structural configuration of the engaging teeth of engaging portion  13  according to the present invention allows the engaging teeth closer to the free end  133  to be firmly engaged with the ribs  113  of the incoming band  11 . In addition, the partial and complete engagement between the engaging teeth and the ribs  113  retain the band  11  in position within the fastening slot  12 , and which provides a resistance against pulling of the cable tie  1  and in turn ensures appropriate binding function of the cable tie  1 . 
         [0036]    The present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments and it is understood that the embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Moreover, as the contents disclosed herein should be readily understood and can be implemented by a person skilled in the art, all equivalent changes or modifications which do not depart from the concept of the present invention should be encompassed by the appended claims.