Abstract:
A cable tie mounting base having a plate, a plurality of legs, and a table The legs space the table from the plate such that a pair of slots are formed between a bottom surface of the table, the top surface of the plate, and the legs. The slots are adapted to receive cable ties to permit lashing of cables to the table. A top surface of the table includes first and second depressions that are aligned with the slots and adapted to at least partially receive cables therein The plate is adapted for adhesive securement to a support surface, and is continuous and uninterrupted

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention generally relates to cable ties and, more particularly, to mounting bases used to secure cable ties to a support surface.  
           [0003]    2. Description of Related Art  
           [0004]    In many situations, it is necessary or desirable for manufacturing or assembly purposes to secure cables so that they traverse a predetermined course. Many times a cable tie may be used to lash the cable or bundle of cables to a support surface. Other times, conventional fasteners such as clamps can be used to secure cables to the support surface. However, lashing and conventional fasteners are not always suitable. For example, when the cables are to be secured to an inner surface of a body panel of an automobile, motorcycle, personal watercraft, or other vehicle, provision of one or more lashing holes or deformation of the outer body panel is unacceptable Cable tie mounting bases have been developed to permit attachment of the cables to the body panel in a non-damaging manner.  
           [0005]    The mounting base permits cables to be secured at any location along the body panel without providing holes in the body panel. Cable tie mounting bases conventionally include a bottom plate, which is secured to the support surface or body panel, and a raised table-like portion. The table-like portion includes legs that space at least some of the table-like portion from the plate and thereby define either one or two slots between the plate and table. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,454,249; 3,913,876; 4,488,333; and Des.  376 , 531  are illustrative of single-slot mounting bases while U.S. Pat. Nos. Des.  309 , 250 ; Des.  316 , 511 ; Des.  347 , 782 ; and Des.  401 , 498  are exemplary of two-slot mounting bases. With either type of mounting base, a conventional cable tie may be inserted through the slot and used to secure the cable(s) to the mounting base.  
           [0006]    Mounting bases having two slots are considered to be more desirable than the single-slot type. Placement of two-slot mounting bases requires less care and precision, as compared to single-slot mounting bases, because either slot is available to the cable tie installer. On the other hand, if only one slot is present, the person installing the base must exercise more care and caution because the cable tie installer will only have the one slot available.  
           [0007]    Mounting bases are formed by injection molding. Unfortunately, molding a two-slot mounting base is much more difficult than molding a single-slot mounting base. The injection molds for two-slot mounting bases include a four-sided insert or projection that extends from the bottom of the mold When the plastic material to be molded is injected, it flows around the projection. When the base is removed from the mold, there is a hole in the bottom of the mounting base or plate due to the projection. Therefore, all of the known two-slot mounting bases have a hole through the plate.  
           [0008]    Since the plate is normally secured to a support surface by means of liquid adhesive, the hole in the plate creates a problem. The liquid adhesive tends to flow into the hole and, because the hole is directly under the table portion, the adhesive tends to build up in the area under the table portion. The built-up adhesive may obstruct the slots and, therefore, prevent or complicate insertion of the cable tie therethrough.  
           [0009]    Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for a two-slot cable tie mounting base that avoids or minimizes the deficiencies of the known devices. More specifically, there exists a need in the art for a cable tie mounting base having two transverse slots for receipt of a cable tie, wherein problems associated with adhesive build up in the slots are eliminated  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0010]    The present invention is directed toward a cable tie down that reduces or eliminates the deficiencies in the art. The present invention is further directed toward an improved two slot cable tie mounting base that prevents or minimizes adhesive build up within the slots.  
           [0011]    In accordance with the present invention, a cable tie mounting base includes a plate, a plurality of legs, and a table. The legs extend from an upper surface of the plate to the table and support the table over the plate upper surface such that first and second slots are defined between the table lower surface, the plate upper surface, and the legs. The table overlies a center portion of the plate generally at an intersection of the first and second slots. The plate is continuous and uninterrupted at least in the center portion.  
           [0012]    In further accordance with the present invention, the table upper surface has a first curved depression and a second curved depression. The first curved depression is generally aligned with the first slot and the second curved depression is generally aligned with the second slot. The first and second slots are adapted to receive a cable tie and the first and second curved depressions are adapted to at least partially accommodate a cable to facilitate lashing of the cable to the table with the cable tie. Moreover, the table is wedge-shaped such that first and second sides of the table are at an angle to one another and third and fourth sides of the table are parallel to each other and parallel to one of the first and second slots. The first and second sides of the table are at a non-ninety degree angle to the first and second ends.  
           [0013]    In further accordance with the present invention, the plurality of legs comprise first, second, third, and fourth legs. The first and second legs merge with the first or top side of the table adjacent corners thereof and the third and fourth legs merge with the second or bottom side of the table adjacent corners thereof 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]    These and further features of the invention will be apparent with reference to the following description and drawings, wherein:  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the cable tie mounting base according to the present invention;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 2 is a top plan view thereof;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 3 is a front elevational view thereof;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 4 is a right-side elevational view thereof.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0019]    With reference to the drawing figures, the cable tie mounting base  10  according to the present invention is shown to generally include a plate  12 , a table  14 , and four legs  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22  connecting the plate  12  to the table  14 . The plate  12  is generally square in shape and includes an upper surface  12   a  and a lower surface  12   b . The plate lower surface  12   b  is adapted to be adhesively secured to a support surface (not shown), such as an inner surface of an automobile body panel. Accordingly, the plate lower surface  12   b  is preferably generally planar, but may include surface contours or texture (i.e., grooves, dimples, rough surface) to facilitate or encourage adhesive securement. The plate upper surface  12   a  faces the table  14  and the legs  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22  extend upwardly therefrom. The plate  12  defines a first axis  24  and a second axis  26 , the first and second axes being perpendicular to each other and intersecting at a center of the plate  12 .  
         [0020]    The table  14  has a curved upper surface  14   a  and a generally planar lower surface  14   b . The table  14  is generally centered over the plate  12 , and the lower surface  14   b  of the table faces toward the upper surface  12   a  of the plate. The table has a first or top side  14   c , a second or bottom side  14   d , a third or left side  14   e , and a fourth or right side  14   f  Near each corner, the top side  14   c  or bottom side  14   d  of the table  14  is secured to an upper end of an associated leg ( 16 ,  18  or  20 ,  22 , respectively), as illustrated. The upper surface  14   a  of the table  14  defines a saddle portion that is generally adapted to receive cables and, for that purpose, defines first and second depressions  28 ,  30 .  
         [0021]    The first and second depressions  28 ,  30  are relatively perpendicular to one another and are slightly interrupted or discontinuous at an area of intersection. The first depression  28  is aligned with the first plate axis  24  and the second depression  30  is aligned with the second plate axis  26 . The first and second depressions  28 ,  30  preferably have the same depth, but slightly different diameters, which accounts for the slight discontinuity at the intersection area.  
         [0022]    The table  14  is not rectangular, but rather is wedge-shaped or frusto-triangular in shape. As such, the right side  14   f  and left side  14   e  of the table  14 , as seen in FIG. 2, are generally parallel to one another, parallel to the second first plate axis  26  and perpendicular to the first plate axis  24 . The top side  14   c  and bottom side  14   d , as seen in FIG. 2, are each at an acute angle to the first plate axis  24 , preferably at least about 5° and most preferably 5°, and are thus angled toward one another as one moves from the right to the left in FIG. 2. Accordingly, the left side  14   e  of the table  14  has a length dimension that is relatively less than a length dimension of the right side  14   f  of the table  14 .  
         [0023]    The legs  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22  extend between the plate upper surface  12   a  and the table  14  such that the table  14  is raised above the plate  12 , as illustrated. More specifically, each of the legs  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22  extend from one of the plate corners to an area on the top/bottom side  14   c ,  14   d  of the table  14  adjacent one of the table corners such that first and second slots  32 ,  34  are formed between the table bottom surface  14   b , the plate upper surface  12   a , and the legs  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22 . Even more specifically, the first leg  16  merges with the top side  14   c  of the table  14  adjacent the corner between the top side  14   c  and the left side  14   e . The second leg  18  merges with the top side  14   c  of the table  14  adjacent the corner between the top side  14   c  and the right side  14   f  Similarly, the third leg  20  merges with the bottom side  14   d  of the table  14  adjacent the corner between the bottom side  14   d  and the left side  14   e , and the fourth leg  22  merges with the bottom side  14   d  of the table  14  adjacent the corner between the bottom side  14   d  and the right side  14   f    
         [0024]    With the exemplary and preferred embodiment shown in the drawing figures, the plate  12  is generally square in shape and the legs  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22  extend essentially diagonally from each of the four corners of the plate toward the middle or center of the plate. More specifically, and as will be apparent to one skilled in the art from the discussion to follow, each of the legs  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22  are at a slight angle to the diagonal. The slots  32 ,  34 , on the other hand, extend along the axes  24 ,  26  of the plate  12  and transverse to one another. More specifically, and with reference to FIG. 2, the first slot  32  extends under the table from left to right in alignment with the first axis  24  and the first depression  28 , whereas the second slot  34  extends from top to bottom in alignment with the second axis  26  and the second depression  30 .  
         [0025]    As shown in the drawings and, specifically, FIG. 4, the second slot is generally bigger at the right side  14   f  of the table than it is at the left side  14   e  of the table  14 . It is noted that the minimum width of the slots  32 ,  34  must be selected so as to comfortably and slidably receive a cable tie therein. Naturally, it is considered apparent that the specific structural features described hereinbefore and illustrated in the drawings are exemplary in nature, and that the present invention is not limited thereto. Rather, it is contemplated that the shape of the plate and table, and the orientation of the legs relative to the table and/or plate, may be changed or altered to match the environment in which the mounting base is used. Also, although the portions of the mounting base are described separately herein, it is considered apparent that they are integrally formed portions of the same part, and define a single unitary structure.  
         [0026]    The structural features of the mounting base described hereinbefore and illustrated in the drawings are important, on the one hand, to permit securement of a cable tie thereto and, on the other hand, to facilitate injection molding of the mounting base. During the molding process, on order to form the base without a central hole in the plate, a slide is used instead of an insert. The slide is tapered to allow simplified removal of the part from the mold following the molding process.  
         [0027]    As noted hereinbefore, the legs are located such that they only touch the top and bottom sides of the table to facilitate formation of the second slot. It is noted in this regard that, if the legs merged with the table at the corners, it would be necessary to have a retractable portion to properly make the two side slots. Such a configuration would be extremely expensive and economically impractical. However, with the legs aligned as noted hereinbefore, when a slide is used no insert need be placed in the mold. Accordingly, the plate of the present invention is create in a solid sheet with no holes or recesses.  
         [0028]    The present invention has been described herein with particularity, and it is noted that the scope of the invention is not limited thereto. Rather, the present invention is considered to be possible of numerous modifications, alterations, and combinations of parts and, therefore, is only defined by the claims appended hereto.