Patent Publication Number: US-2021188505-A1

Title: Cable tie wrapping device

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Field 
     The present general inventive concept relates generally to a wrapping device, and particularly, to a cable tie wrapping device. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     High voltage cable management is important to ensure safety in a public environment. High voltage cables can pose a danger to the public if left unmanaged and unorganized because a loose cable can cause serious injury to a passerby that touches it. 
     Traditional methods of tying high voltage cables requires a worker to carry a large ladder for set up, safety tools, sturdy boots, and possibly enlist an assistant to hold the ladder steady, which costs time and energy. Additionally, the possibility of falling off the ladder adds an unnecessary degree of difficulty to an already challenging task. 
     Specifically, a portion of a body of the worker is exposed to electrocution by being in close proximity to the high voltage cables. 
     Therefore, there is a need for cable tie wrapping device that protects the worker from exposure to the high voltage cables by allowing the high voltage cables to be tied at a distance. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present general inventive concept provides a cable tie wrapping device. 
     Additional features and utilities of the present general inventive concept will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the general inventive concept. 
     The foregoing and/or other features and utilities of the present general inventive concept may be achieved by providing a cable tie wrapping device, including a pole, a tie wrapping assembly disposed on a first end of the pole to wrap a cable tie around a cable, and to cut the cable tie in response to the cable tie being tied, and a handle assembly disposed on a second end of the pole to control the tie wrapping assembly in response to manipulation of the handle assembly. 
     The tie wrapping assembly may include a tie connecting member to receive the cable tie on an interior surface thereof, a retractable blade disposed on at least a portion of the tie connecting member to extend in response to the tie connecting member being closed around the cable, a tie wrapping motor connected to the tie connecting member to close the tie connecting member in a first rotation, and to open the tie connecting member in a second rotation opposite with respect to the first rotation, and an illumination unit disposed on at least a portion of the tie wrapping assembly to illuminate a surrounding area. 
     The handle assembly may include a handle to facilitate gripping thereof, and a lever pivotally disposed on at least a portion of the handle to activate the tie wrapping assembly in response to moving the lever. 
     The handle assembly may further include a battery level indicator to indicate a level of charge of a battery, an input connector disposed on at least a portion of the handle to receive an external power source, such that the input connector receives external power to charge the battery, and an output connector disposed on at least a portion of the handle to connect to an external device, such that the output connector charges the external device. 
     The cable tie wrapping device may further include a tie wrap compartment disposed on at least a portion of the pole to store at least one other cable tie therein. 
     The cable tie wrapping device may further include an electromagnetic shielding unit disposed on at least a portion of the tie wrapping assembly to impede a current from the cable from being transferred to at least one of the pole, the tie wrapping assembly, and the handle assembly. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and/or other features and utilities of the present generally inventive concept will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a side view of a cable tie wrapping device, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Various example embodiments (a.k.a., exemplary embodiments) will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings in which some example embodiments are illustrated. In the FIGURES, the thicknesses of lines, layers and/or regions may be exaggerated for clarity. 
     Accordingly, while example embodiments are capable of various modifications and alternative forms, embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the figures and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intent to limit example embodiments to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, example embodiments are to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the disclosure. Like numbers refer to like/similar elements throughout the detailed description. 
     It is understood that when an element is referred to as being “connected” or “coupled” to another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other element or intervening elements may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly connected” or “directly coupled” to another element, there are no intervening elements present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.). 
     The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of example embodiments. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes” and/or “including,” when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and/or groups thereof. 
     Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which example embodiments belong. It will be further understood that terms, e.g., those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art. However, should the present disclosure give a specific meaning to a term deviating from a meaning commonly understood by one of ordinary skill, this meaning is to be taken into account in the specific context this definition is given herein. 
     LIST OF COMPONENTS 
     
         
         
           
             Cable Tie Wrapping Device  100   
             Pole  110   
             Tie Wrapping Assembly  120   
             Tie Connecting Member  121   
             First Section  121   a    
             Second Section  121   b    
             Hinge  121   c    
             Gap  121   d    
             Retractable Blade  122   
             Tie Wrapping Motor  123   
             Illumination Unit  124   
             Tie Loader  125   
             Handle Assembly  130   
             Handle  131   
             Lever  132   
             Battery  133   
             Battery Level Indicator  134   
             Input Connector  135   
             Output Connector  136   
             Light Button  137   
             Tie Wrap Compartment  140   
             Electromagnetic Shielding Unit  150   
           
         
       
    
       FIG. 1  illustrates a side view of a cable tie wrapping device  100 , according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept. 
     The cable tie wrapping device  100  may be constructed from at least one of metal, plastic, wood, glass, and rubber, etc., but is not limited thereto. 
     The cable tie wrapping device  100  may include a pole  110 , a tie wrapping assembly  120 , a handle assembly  130 , a tie wrap compartment  140 , and an electromagnetic shielding unit  150 , but is not limited thereto. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the pole  110  may have a cylindrical shape. However, the pole  110  may be a rectangular prism, pentagonal, hexagonal, octagonal, or any other shape known to one of ordinary skill in the art, but is not limited thereto. 
     The pole  110  may have a predetermined length and width based on a preference of a user. For example, the pole  110  may have a length of eight feet and a diameter of three-fourths of a foot. Also, the pole  110  may be constructed of aluminum and/or steel, but any strong and durable material may be used. Alternatively, a non-electricity conducting material (e.g., wood, plastic, glass) may be used. 
     The tie wrapping assembly  120  may include a tie connecting member  121 , a retractable blade  122 , a tie wrapping motor  123 , an illumination unit  124 , and a tie loader  125 , but is not limited thereto. 
     The tie wrapping assembly  120  may be disposed on a first end of the pole  110 . 
     The tie connecting member  121  may include a first section  121   a , a second section  121   b , a hinge  121   c , and a gap  121   d , but is not limited thereto. 
     The tie connecting member  121  may have a cable tie  10  connected therein. More specifically, the tie connecting member  121  may receive the cable tie  10  on an interior surface of the first section  121   a  and the second section  121   b , in an open loop formation. 
     Referring again to  FIG. 1 , the first section  121   a  may be hingedly disposed on at least a portion of a first end of the second section  121   b  at the hinge  121   c , such that the first section  121   a  may pivot from open in a first position to at least partially closed in a second position. As such, the first section  121   a  may pivot towards a center point between the first section  121   a  and the second section  121   b , such that the first section  121   a  moves a first end of the cable tie  10  towards a second end of the cable tie  10 , such that the first end and the second end are connected via a cable connector disposed on the cable tie  10 . It is well known in the art that cable ties have a cable connector disposed on an end of the cable ties, such that the cable ties may be closed in a closed loop. 
     Alternatively, the first section  121   a  may pivot away from the center point between the first section  121   a  and the second section  121   b , such that the first section  121   a  resets to its original position to receive another cable tie  10 . 
     The gap  121   d  may receive at least a portion of at least one high voltage cable  20  therethrough. Although, a high voltage cable  20  is discussed, the cable tie wrapping device  100  may be used on any type of cable  20 . As such, the cable tie  10  may receive at least a portion of the at least one high voltage cable  20  due to being in the open loop formation, as discussed above. Subsequently, the first section  121   a  may close to tie the cable tie  10  around the at least one high voltage cable  20 . 
     Furthermore, the retractable blade  122  may be disposed on at least a portion of the tie wrapping assembly  120 , such as on the tie connecting member  121 . The retractable blade  122  may be spring activated to extend to cut the cable tie  10  in response to the first section  121   a  being closed around the at least one high voltage cable  20 , such that the cable tie  10  may be tied. Also, the retractable blade  122  may retract within the tie wrapping assembly  120 . 
     The tie wrapping motor  123  may be mechanically and/or electrically connected to the tie connecting member  121 . The tie wrapping motor  123  may be any kind of motor. For example, the tie wrapping motor  123  may be a twelve-volt direct current (DC) motor. The first section  121   a  may pivot in response to a rotation of the tie wrapping motor  123 . In other words, the tie wrapping motor  123  may open the first section  121   a  with respect to the second section  121   b  in a first rotation, and close the first section  121   a  with respect to the second section  121   b  in a second rotation opposite with respect to the first rotation. 
     Also, the retractable blade  122  may be extracted to cut the cable tie  10  in response to another rotation of the tie wrapping motor  123 , different with respect to the first rotation and the second rotation, after the first section  121   a  is closed, such that the cable tie  10  is tied around the at least one high voltage cable  20 . 
     The illumination unit  124  may include an incandescent light and a light-emitting diode (LED), but is not limited thereto. 
     The illumination unit  124  may be disposed on at least a portion of the tie wrapping assembly  120 . The illumination unit  124  may illuminate a surrounding area to facilitate visibility by the user. More specifically, the illumination unit  124  may illuminate a dark area, such that the user may see where the at least one high voltage cable  20  is located. Also, the illumination unit  124  may have three different levels of brightness, such as a low luminosity level, an intermediate luminosity level, and a high luminosity level. In other words, the low luminosity level may have the lowest luminosity, the high luminosity level may have the brightest luminosity, and the intermediate luminosity level may have a luminosity level between the low luminosity level and the high luminosity level. 
     The tie loader  125  may be disposed on at least a portion of the tie wrapping assembly  120 . The tie loader  125  may include a compartment to store at least one cable tie  10  therein. For example, the tie loader  125  may store twenty cable ties, but is not limited thereto. 
     Moreover, the tie loader  125  may springingly load the another cable tie  10  within the tie connecting member  121  after the first section  121   a  has opened to its original position, such that a new cable tie  10  may be installed at another portion of the at least one high voltage cable  20  and/or at least one other high voltage cable  20 . 
     The handle assembly  130  may include a handle  131 , a lever  132 , a battery  133 , a battery level indicator  134 , an input connector  135 , an output connector  136 , and a light button  137 , but is not limited thereto. 
     The handle assembly  130  may be disposed on a second end of the pole  110 . 
     The handle  131  may include a rubber surface and/or a textured surface (e.g., a knurled surface) to facilitate gripping thereof. 
     The lever  132  may be disposed on at least a portion of the handle  131 . The handle assembly  130  may control the tie wrapping assembly  120  in response to a manipulation of the handle assembly  130 . More specifically, the lever  132  may be moved (i.e. pivot) by being squeezed by the user to activate the tie wrapping motor  123 . In other words, the tie wrapping motor  123  may rotate in response to squeezing the lever  132  by the user, such that the first section  121   a  may close with respect to the second section  121   b , such that the cable tie  10  may be tied, and subsequently, cut by the blade  122 . 
     The battery  133  may include lithium-ion, nickel cadmium, nickel metal hydride, alkaline, etc., but is not limited thereto. For example, the battery  133  may be a twelve-volt lithium battery. 
     The battery  133  may provide power to the tie wrapping assembly  120 , but is not limited thereto. 
     The battery level indicator  134  may have different levels to indicate a current battery level, such as fully charged, half charge, low charge, and/or no energy. 
     The input connector  135  may be disposed on at least a portion of the handle assembly  130 . The input connector  135  may receive an external power source to recharge the battery  133  and/or provide direct power to the tie wrapping assembly  120 . 
     The output connector  136  may be disposed on at least a portion of the handle assembly  130 . The output connector  136  may connect to an external device, such as a mobile device (e.g., a cell phone, a tablet) to charge the external device. 
     The light button  137  may be disposed on at least a portion of the handle assembly  130 . The light button  137  may be depressed a first time and/or for a first predetermined duration of time to illuminate the illumination unit  124  at the low luminosity level. The light button  137  may be depressed a second time and/or for a second predetermined duration of time to illuminate the illumination unit  124  at the intermediate luminosity level. The light button  137  may be depressed a third time and/or for a third predetermined duration of time to illuminate the illumination unit  124  at the high luminosity level. The light button  137  may be depressed a fourth time and/or for a fourth predetermined duration of time to turn off the illumination unit  124 . 
     The tie wrap compartment  140  may be disposed on at least a portion of the pole  110 . The tie wrap compartment  140  may store a plurality of cable ties  10  therein. For example, the tie wrap compartment  140  may store one hundred cable ties, such that the user may transfer some of the cable ties to the tie loader  125  for more immediate use. 
     The electromagnetic shielding unit  150  may include a sheet metal, a metal screen, and/or a metal foam. 
     The electromagnetic shielding unit  150  may be disposed on at least a portion of the tie wrapping assembly  120 . The electromagnetic shielding unit  150  may prevent electric shock to the user by impeding a current from the at least one high voltage cable  20  from being transferred to at least one of the pole  110 , the tie wrapping assembly  120 , and the handle assembly  130 . As such, the electromagnetic shielding unit  150  may prevent the user from injury. 
     Therefore, the cable tie wrapping device  100  may prevent injury to the user by increasing a range from which the cable tie  10  is wrapped on the at least one high voltage cable  20 . As such, the cable tie wrapping device  100  may reach the at least one high voltage cable  20  without the user climbing a ladder. 
     The present general inventive concept may include a cable tie wrapping device  100 , including a pole  110 , a tie wrapping assembly  120  disposed on a first end of the pole  110  to wrap a cable tie  10  around a cable  20 , and to cut the cable tie  10  in response to the cable tie  10  being tied, and a handle assembly  130  disposed on a second end of the pole  110  to control the tie wrapping assembly  120  in response to manipulation of the handle assembly  130 . 
     The tie wrapping assembly  120  may include a tie connecting member  121  to receive the cable tie  10  on an interior surface thereof, a retractable blade  122  disposed on at least a portion of the tie connecting member  121  to extend in response to the tie connecting member  121  being closed around the cable  20 , a tie wrapping motor  123  connected to the tie connecting member  121  to close the tie connecting member  121  in a first rotation, and to open the tie connecting member  121  in a second rotation opposite with respect to the first rotation, and an illumination unit  124  disposed on at least a portion of the tie wrapping assembly  120  to illuminate a surrounding area. 
     The handle assembly  130  may include a handle  131  to facilitate gripping thereof, and a lever  132  pivotally disposed on at least a portion of the handle  131  to activate the tie wrapping assembly  120  in response to moving the lever  132 . 
     The handle assembly  130  may further include a battery level indicator  134  to indicate a level of charge of a battery  133 , an input connector  135  disposed on at least a portion of the handle  131  to receive an external power source, such that the input connector  135  receives external power to charge the battery  133 , and an output connector  136  disposed on at least a portion of the handle  131  to connect to an external device, such that the output connector  136  charges the external device. 
     The cable tie wrapping device  100  may further include a tie wrap compartment  140  disposed on at least a portion of the pole  110  to store at least one other cable tie  10  therein. 
     The cable tie wrapping device  100  may further include an electromagnetic shielding unit  150  disposed on at least a portion of the tie wrapping assembly  120  to impede a current from the cable  20  from being transferred to at least one of the pole  110 , the tie wrapping assembly  120 , and the handle assembly  130 . 
     Although a few embodiments of the present general inventive concept have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the general inventive concept, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims and their equivalents.