LOCKING DEVICE

Abstract: The invention relates to a device in a bundle tie. This comprises an elongated tie part (2) of a certain width and thickness, which at one end has an elongated insertion part (3) of lesser width than the tie part (2) and at its other end has a locking head (1) with a through-opening (6) for the tie part (2). The opening has essentially the same width as the tie part (2), but a height greater than the thickness of the tie part (2). In one transverse wall of the opening is a slit (7), the width of which is such that it allows the insertion part (3) to be inserted into the opening (6) via the slit (7), forming a tie loop, interacting elements designed to lock the tie part (2) in relation to the locking head (1) being provided on the tie part (2) and in the locking head (1). The said locking elements take the form of a tongue (8) which, emerging from the bottom of the opening (6) at one end of the opening (6), extends approximately diagonally towards the other end of the opening (6) and towards the slit (7). The locking elements are designed to positively and detachably interlock in one another.

Description: Locking device Device in a bundle tie comprising an elongated tie part of a certain width and thickness, which at one end has an elongated insertion part of lesser width than the tie part and at its other end has a locking head with a through-opening for the tie part, which has essentially the same width as the tie part but a height greater than the thickness of the tie part, and a slit in one transverse wall of the opening, the width of which is such that it allows the insertion part to be inserted into the opening via the slit, forming a tie loop, interacting elements designed to lock the tie part detachably in relation to the locking head being provided on the tie part and in the opening of the locking head. The application of the design defined above in order to produce a bundle tie is exemplified in Swedish patent No. 9404328-8, publication No. 503217. This known design, however, has inherent disadvantages, which to a large extent limit the use thereof, because of inadequate technical characteristics and for cost reasons, especially on the manufacturing side, due to high tooling costs and other time-consuming manufacturing problems that increase costs. In addition to lower costs, there is also a desire to achieve better technical characteristics, especially greater ease of use, without having to sacrifice the locking efficiency. Moreover, new technical characteristics are sought, such as easy release and opening of the lock of a fitted bundle tie which is applied by placing it around a cable bundle, for example, and tightened in order to reduce the space required for the cable bundle. Tightening intensifies the locking action, making easy release or opening of the tie fundamentally impossible. When wishing to release or open known bundle ties, this generally leads to the tie being destroyed by cutting it open. The object of the present invention is to effect these desired improvements and remove the above-mentioned disadvantages in the device defined in the introductory part. The present invention achieves this object in the device specified in the introductory part in that the said locking elements take the form of a tongue, extending approximately diagonally from the bottom of the opening at one end of the opening towards the other end of the opening and towards the slit, and that the said elements are designed to positively interlock in one another. According to a particular characteristic, the tongue extends out through the hole to form a release part. The locking elements on the tongue and on the tie take the form of locking teeth, or alternatively the locking elements on the tongue take the form of at least one locking projection and the locking elements on the tie take the form of a number of locking recesses designed to interact with the locking projection. The locking elements can also be a combination of locking teeth, locking projections and locking recesses. The tie has an insertion part of essentially the same width as the groove-shaped recess. At the free end of the insertion part there is also a gripper strip, the width of which is greater than the width of the opening. By means of the present invention a bundle tie is obtained with very many different possible applications wherever it is desirable to effect locking or catching between the tie part and the lock head. The device according to the present invention with a tongue- shaped locking element extending approximately diagonally through the through-hole in the housing from the bottom is extremely effective and can be used in many contexts. This permits free rotation of the locking element in the hole passing through the housing independently of the walls surrounding it, which permits a more effective engagement with a tie inserted into the housing via the groove-shaped recess. The combination of the so-called open housing and the tongue arranged therein and extending diagonally from the bottom confers many advantages compared to previously known designs. Embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the drawings attached, in which figure 1 shows a top view of a bundle tie with an embodiment of a device according to the present invention. Figure 2 shows a longitudinal section through the tie in figure 1. Figure 3 shows a view of a part of a bundle tie with a device according to another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 shows a section through the device in figure 3. Figure 5 shows a section through a part of a bundle tie with a device according to a further embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 shows a side view of the bundle tie in figure 5, partially in section. The embodiments of a bundle tie according to the present invention shown in figures 1 and 2 comprises a housing part 1, a tie part 2, an insertion part 3 of smaller width than the tie part 2, and an end part 4 serving as gripper strip. The length of the tie part 2 is in principle arbitrary, like the length of the insertion part 3, which should, however, be at least as long as the housing 1. The end part 4 has a width greater than the tie part 2 and on at least one side is provided with ridges 5 to facilitate gripping of the part when tightening the tie, for example around a cable bundle or the like. The end part 4 has a further important function. Because its width prevents it running through the hole 6, it is easily possible, by bringing the insertion part 3 down in the recess 7, to produce a loop that loosely surrounds a bunch of cables, for example. Where necessary, further cables can be fed in through this loop before the bundle tie is tightened. The housing 1 is provided with a through-hole 6, which extends in the longitudinal direction of the housing and across the tie parts 2-4. A groove-shaped recess 7 extends through the upper wall of the housing and has a width matched to the insertion part 3 and outwardly bevelled edges, which can also be regarded as guide edges for guiding the insertion part 3 down into the through-hole 6. A locking element in the form of a tongue 8 is arranged in the through-hole 6. The tongue 8 emerges from the bottom of the through-hole 6 and extends essentially diagonally towards the opposite end of the hole 6 and towards the groove-shaped recess 7. On the side facing the groove-shaped recess 7 the tongue 8 is provided with a number of locking teeth 9, which are intended to interact with corresponding locking teeth 10 on the tie part 2. The locking teeth 10 extend between edge sections 11 and 12 and are, as it were, sunk in the tie section 2. The edge sections 11 and 12 extend out past the opposite surface of the tie part 2 for the purpose of reinforcing the tie and prevent release of the engagement between the locking teeth 10 and the locking teeth 9. The edge sections may, if necessary, be provided with friction elements for interaction with suitable friction elements on the inside of the through-hole 6 on both sides of the groove-shaped recess 7. After inserting the tie part 3 into the through-hole 6 on top of the tongue 8, the latter will be pressed down towards the bottom 6 and thereafter rebound in order to secure the interlocking engagement between the teeth 9 and 10. It must be noted in particular that the form and fastening position of the tongue in the hole 6 mean that the interlocking engagement between the locking teeth 9 and 10 increases with increasing tensile force in the bundle tie 2. It will be clearly seen from figure 1 that the tongue 8 is altogether freely resilient inside the through-hole 6, which largely facilitates and ensures the engagement between the locking teeth 9 and 10. The edge sections 11 and 12 also ensure guiding of the tie part 2 inside the through-hole 6 on either side of the tongue 8, which relieves the pressure on the walls of the housing 1 on each side of the tongue 8. The embodiment shown in figure 3 and 4 of the present invention essentially corresponds to the embodiment shown in figure 1 and 2, except that the tongue is provided with a release part 13, which allows the tongue 8 to be easily bent down, thereby freeing the locking teeth 9 from engagement with the locking teeth 10 on the tie part 2. Figure 3 further illustrates that the walls in the through-opening 6 may slope down towards the bottom, which thereby becomes somewhat narrower, advantageously creating somewhat thicker walls on each side of the through hole 6. The embodiment shown in figure 5 and 6 corresponds, broadly speaking, to the previous embodiments, except that the release part 13 is somewhat smaller and the tongue 8 is provided with a locking projection 14, which is provided for engagement in a recess 15 in the tie part 2. The locking projection 14 in conjunction with the recesses 15 provides a significantly more secure interlocking engagement The embodiments of the present invention described above can preferably be made of any plastic material. Many modifications of the embodiments described above are obviously possible within the framework of the idea of the invention defined in the following claims.

Claims: Claims 1. Device in a bundle tie comprising an elongated tie part (2) of a certain width and thickness, which at one end has an elongated insertion part (3) of lesser width than the tie part (2) and at its other end has a locking head (1) with a through-opening (6) for the tie part (2), that has essentially the same width as the tie part (2) but a height greater than the thickness of the tie part (2), and a slit (7) in one transverse wall of the opening, the width of which is such that it allows the insertion part (3) to be inserted into the opening (6) via the slit (7), forming a tie loop, interacting elements designed to lock the tie part (2) in relation to the locking head (1) being provided on the tie part (2) and in the locking head (1), characterised in that the said locking elements take the form of a tongue (8) which, emerging from the bottom of the opening (6) at one end of the opening (6) extends approximately diagonally towards the other end of the opening (6) and towards the slit (7), and that the said elements are designed to positively and detachably interlock in one another. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the tongue (8) extends out through the opening 6 to form a release part (13). 3. Device according to any of claims 1 - 2, characterised in that the said elements (9) on the tongue (8) and on the tie part take the form of interlocking teeth. 4. Device according to any of claims 1 - 2, characterised in that the said elements on the tongue (8) take the form of at least one locking projection (14) and that the friction elements on the tie (2) take the form of a number of locking recesses (15) for interaction with the locking projection (14) 5. Device according to claims 3 and 4, characterised in that the said elements are a combination of both locking teeth (9, 10), locking projection (14) and locking recess ( 15 ) 6. Device according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that a gripper strip(4), the width of which is greater than the width of the opening (6), is provided in the free end of the insertion part (3).

Inventors: AHLGREN OVE, AHLGREN, OVE
Applicants: AHLGREN OVE, BIWEX AB, AB BIWEX, AHLGREN, OVE
Application year: 1998
Main classification: B65D63
IPC codes: B65D63