Tie

Abstract: A one-piece tie of plastics material, comprises an elongate flexible strap 10 provided with a series of ratchet serrations 11 along its length, a head 12 at one end of the strap 10, an aperture 17 extending through the head 12, and a pawl 18 disposed in the head aperture 17 and arranged to engage the strap serrations 11 when the strap 10 is formed into a loop and inserted into the head aperture 17. When the tie is tied, the aperture 17 is disposed laterally of the strap 10, such that the length of strap 10 inside the head aperture 17 lies generally parallel to and alongside the opposite end of the strap 10. In this manner, the head lies flat against the surface of the object or objects about which it is tied and thus does not form a significant protuberance, which can rub and chafe against an adjacent object or objects.

Description: This invention relates to a method of forming a one-piece tie of plastics material, the tie comprising an elongate flexible flat strap provided with a series of ratchet serrations thereon, a head at a first end of the strap, an aperture extending through the head, perpendicular to the plane of the strap in the as-moulded condition of the tie, and a pawl disposed in the head aperture and arranged to engage the strap serrations when the strap is formed into a loop and its second end inserted through the head aperture. US 4 462 141 and US 5 601 261 disclose ties of the above-mentioned type. Another known type of tie comprises an elongate strap having a series of ratchet serrations on one surface and a head at one end thereof. The head projects from the opposite surface of the strap and defines an aperture which extends perpendicular to the strap. A pawl is disposed in the head aperture for engaging the strap serrations when the strap is formed into a loop and inserted into the head aperture. These so-called cable ties are widely used in industry for tying cables in bundles, in order to form harnesses. A disadvantage of these conventional cable ties is that their heads are not flat. Thus, when a tie is fastened around a bundle of cables, its head does not lie sufficiently flat against the cables, and protrudes considerably even when the excess length of the strap projecting beyond the head is cut off. This protuberance can rub and chafe against cables in adjacent bundles, and in some instances this can cause the cables to break or short-circuit. It has been proposed to overcome this problem by providing a tie in which the head aperture extends generally parallel to the plane of the strap. Accordingly, when the tie is tied, the length of strap engaged by the head lies flat against the portion of the strap which underlies the head. It will be appreciated that these so-called parallel entry ties are much flatter than conventional ties, because the thickness of the tie at the head is equal to the height of the head aperture plus the thickness of the floor and roof of the aperture. The thickness of the floor of the aperture is the same as the thickness of the strap, and the height of the aperture must be greater than the thickness of the strap which it receives. However, despite the head being much flatter, it is still at least twice as thick as the strap, and thus there remains a danger that the head can rub and chafe against cables, say in applications where bundles of cables are packed tightly together. US 5 224 244 discloses a two-piece fastener for bundling cables etc., the fastener comprising a buckle having a pair of side-by-side apertures for respectively receiving opposite ends of a separate elongate strap. We have now devised a method of moulding a tie of the type disclosed in US 4 462 141 and US 5 601 261 and which is characterised in that the tie is injection moulded from plastics material using two mould dies defining a mould cavity and separable in a straight line perpendicular to the plane of the strap and axially of the head aperture, the aperture being disposed outwardly of one lateral side edge of the flat strap, such that, when tied, the length of strap inside said head aperture lies generally parallel to and co-planar with said first end of the strap. Again, the height of the head is equal to the height of the aperture plus the thickness of the floor and roof thereof. However, the present invention enables a much flatter head than conventional parallel entry ties, because the thickness of the floor can be reduced well below the thickness of the strap. The opposite ends of the strap effectively tie side-by-side against the surface of the article(s) about which it is fastened. The head aperture extends perpendicular to the plane of the strap in its as-moulded condition and thus the tie is straightforward to injection mould from a plastics material such as nylon or polypropylene, using two dies defining a mould cavity and having projecting mould parts which co-operate to form the aperture, since the two dies can be separated in a straight line, perpendicular to the plane of the strap. In one embodiment, the strap serrations are moulded on at least one surface of the flat strap, a pawl being moulded on the floor and/or roof of the aperture for engaging the strap serrations. It will be appreciated that the floor and/or roof of the aperture have to be sufficiently thick to support the pawl. Thus, preferably in a second embodiment, the strap serrations are moulded on at least one side edge of the strap, a pawl being moulded on the or each side wall of the aperture. The side wall(s) can be made sufficiently thick to support the pawl(s), and it will be appreciated that the thickness of the side walls does not affect the height of the head. Preferably, the head of the moulded tie is pivotable to a position in which the aperture extends generally parallel to the plane of the strap. Embodiments of this invention will now be described by way of examples only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGURE 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of tie moulded in accordance with this invention; FIGURE 2 is a sectional view along the line A-A of Figure 1; FIGURE 3 is a sectional view along the line C-C of Figure 1; FIGURE 4 is a side view of the tie of Figure 1; FIGURE 5 is an end view of the tie of Figure 1; FIGURE 6 is a bottom view of the tie of Figure 1; FIGURE 7 is a sectional view along the line B-B of Figure 6; FIGURE 8 is a plan view of an alternative embodiment of tie moulded in accordance with this invention; FIGURE 9 is a sectional view along the line A-A of Figure 8; FIGURE 10 is a sectional view along the line C-C of Figure 8; FIGURE 11 is a side view of the tie of Figure 8; FIGURE 12 is an end view of the tie of Figure 8; FIGURE 13 is a bottom view of the tie of Figure 8; and FIGURE 14 is a sectional view along the line B-B of Figure 13. Referring to Figures 1 to 7 of the drawings, there is shown a one-piece tie of plastics material comprising a flat, elongate, flexible strap 10 provided with a series of transverse ratchet serrations 11 on its upper surface and a generally rectangular head 12 at one end thereof, the head projecting perpendicularly outwardly from one side edge of the strap 10. In the as-moulded condition of the tie, the strap 10 curves downwardly through 90° adjacent the point at which it meets the head 12. The head 12 comprises a pair of parallel side walls 13,14 and front and rear walls 15,16, which define an aperture 17 that extends through the head 12, perpendicular to the plane of the flat portion of the strap 10. The strap 10 is connected to the upper surface of the side wall 13, and thus the aperture 17 is disposed to one side of the strap 10. A pawl 18 is pivotally mounted to the front wall 15 of the head, the pawl 18 projecting into the head aperture 17. The width of the head aperture 17 between the opposite side walls 13,14 is slightly greater than the width of the strap 10: the height of the aperture 17, between the front and rear walls 15,16, is slightly greater than the overall thickness of the strap 10. The rearwardly facing surface of the rear wall 16 of the head 12 lies in the same plane as the lower surface of the strap 10 at the point where the strap 10 meets the head 12. In use of the tie, the strap 10 is looped around a bundle of cables, with the serrated surface of the strap facing radially outwards. The free end of the strap 10 is passed through the head aperture 17 and then tension is applied to the projecting portion of the strap, to pull the strap 10 through the head aperture 17 and tight around the bundle of cables. As the strap 10 is pulled through the head 12, to form a loop around the bundle of cables, the curved end of the strap straightens and thus follows the same path as the straight portion of the tie. In this position, the former rearwardly facing surface of the rear wall 16 of the head 12 is pressed against the bundle of cables. It will be appreciated that as the strap 10 is pulled through the head 12, the successive strap serrations 11 ride over the pawl 18 in the head aperture 17 in the conventional manner. The pawl 18 is inclined so as to allow the strap to be pulled through the head aperture in the tightening direction, but so as to prevent the strap from subsequently loosening. The pawl 18 thus serves to permanently lock the strap 10 in a loop around the cables. Once the tie has been fully tightened, the projecting end of the strap can be cut off. The rear wall 16 of the head 12 is thin and thus the opposite ends of the strap effectively lie side-by-side against the surface of the bundle of cables. The strap 10 follows a convoluted path around the bundle of cables, and the head 12 extends axially of the loop defined by the strap, between opposite ends of the strap thereof. The tie has a low profile because the ends of the strap do not overlap each other as in conventional parallel-entry ties; instead the ends of the strap lie side-by-side against the surface of the bundle of cables. The head of the tie does slightly raise the overall profile of the head, but this is minimised by making the front and rear walls 15,16 of the head as thin as possible. It can be seen that the front wall 15 of the head 12 is thicker than the rear wall to ensure that the wall has sufficient strength to withstand the forces that are applied to the pawl under conditions of excessive back-tension in the strap. Referring to Figures 8 to 14 of the drawings, there is shown an alternative embodiment of tie in accordance with this invention, and like parts are given like reference numerals. In this embodiment, a pawl 19 is provided on each side wall 13,14 of the head, instead of being provided on the front wall 15. The strap 10 comprises a series of serrations 22 along its opposite side edges, which ride over the pawls 19,19 on opposite side walls 13,14 of the head, when the strap 10 is inserted into and pulled through the head aperture. The profile of the head of the embodiment of Figures 8 to 14 can be made less than that of the embodiment of Figures 1 to 7, because the thickness of the front wall 15 can be reduced to correspond with that of the rear wall 16, owing to it not having to support a pawl. Preferably the front and rear walls comprise co-extending slots 20,21, which extend parallel to the aperture, and which enable the pawls 19 on opposite side walls 13,14 to repeatedly move apart, thereby increasing the width of the head aperture, as the strap is pulled through the head aperture. The ties are manufactured by injection moulding from plastics material, using two dies defining a mould cavity and being separable in a straight line perpendicular to the line of the strap 10. In the as-moulded condition of the tie, the head 12 is disposed substantially perpendicular to its position in use, in order to allow the head aperture to be formed by cooperating mould parts. However in use, the curved end of the strap straightens, so that the head aperture lies generally parallel to the plane of the strap.

Claims: A method of forming a one-piece tie of plastics material, the tie comprising an elongate flexible flat strap (10) provided with a series of ratchet serrations (11) thereon, a head (12) at a first end of the strap (10), an aperture (17) extending through the head (12), perpendicular to the plane of the strap (10) in the as-moulded condition of the tie, and a pawl (18) disposed in the head aperture (17) and arranged to engage the strap serrations (11/22) when the strap (10) is formed into a loop and its second end inserted through the head aperture (17), the method being characterised in that the tie is injection moulded from plastics material using two mould dies defining a mould cavity and separable in a straight line perpendicular to the plane of the strap (10) and axially of the head aperture (17), the aperture (17) being disposed outwardly of one lateral side edge of the flat strap (10), such that, when tied, the length of strap (10) inside said head (12) aperture (17) lies generally parallel to and co-planar with said first end of the strap (10). A method as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the tie is moulded with strap serrations (11) on at least one surface of the flat strap (10) and in that a pawl (18) is moulded on the floor and/or roof (15,16) of the aperture (17) for engaging the strap serrations (11). A method as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the tie is moulded with strap serrations (22) on at least one side edge of the flat strap (10) and in that a pawl (18) is moulded on the or each side wall (13,14) of the aperture (17). A method as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the head (12) of the tie is pivotable to a position in which the aperture (17) therethrough extends generally parallel to the plane of the strap (10).

Inventors: BLANKS STEVEN JOHN, BLANKS, STEVEN JOHN
Applicants: SPIRENT PLC
Application year: 1998
Main classification: F16L3
IPC codes: H02G3, B65D63, F16L3