Patent Publication Number: US-9850049-B2

Title: Flexible wire tie

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/789,833, filed Mar. 15, 2013. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to a twist tie device and more particularly to a flexible wire tie having at least one end cap component configured to secure the wire tie in a base or other support structure. 
     BACKGROUND 
     This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art. 
     Twist ties are generally known in the art for enclosing bags and/or bundling objects together. Recent developments in this art provide a coated flexible wire tie or twist tie device as shown in  FIG. 11A  that is suitable for supporting weight or bundling large objects. Examples various twist tie devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,256,812 entitled Wrap For Bundling Objects and U.S. Pat. No. 8,387,216 Tie Wrap For Bundling Objects which describe flexible wire ties having an elongated piece of shape-retaining deformable core with a rubber or foam cover. 
     Such twist tie devices have been used in assorted applications some of which are described in US Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0026316 entitled Tie Wrap For Bundling Objects and U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/724,814 entitled Organizing Device With Flexible Ties. In these applications, the twist tie device either terminates with a free end or is covered by a small cap. The only function of the end cap is to terminate the twist tie device which would other leave the core exposed. The bundling, organizing and securing function are carried out by the elongated, bendable, shape-retaining body. The disclosure of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/724,814 is expressly incorporated by reference herein. 
     A mountable twist tie product recently introduced by Nite Ize LLC of Boulder, Colo. is shown in  FIGS. 11B and 11C . This product has a round molded base backed with 3M® Acrylic Plus Tape™ that may be attached to a variety of surfaces. A twist tie extends from the base and terminates with a simple end cap. The twist tie can be bent to form a hanger for objects such as keys or leashes or to wrap around objects such as cords or sunglasses. 
     The nature and variety of uses for such twist tie devices could be significantly increased if additional functional features were incorporated into an end cap component. Thus, there remains a need for a flexible wire tie with a functional end cap component that can be used in combination with a base or support structure. 
     SUMMARY 
     This section provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features. 
     In accordance with the present teachings, a twist tie assembly is disclosed that has a functional end cap component including various means for releasably securing the flexible wire tie to a base or support structure. 
     In one aspect, the twist tie device includes a base having a hole formed therethrough, a flexible wire tie having an elongated body sized to pass through the hole formed in the base, and an end cap component disposed on an end of the elongated body, wherein the end cap component is oversized with respect to the hole to support the flexible wire tie on the base. The end cap may be added to an existing flexible wire tie or integrally formed on an end thereof. 
     In another aspect, the twist tie device includes a base having a male interlocking element formed on a face thereof and a flexible wire tie having elongated body extending from the base. The male interlocking element is configured to releasably secure with a female interlocking element disposed on a support surface. 
     In yet another aspect, the twist tie device includes a flexible wire tie having elongated body and an end cap component in the form of a ring disposed on a first end of the elongated body. The ring has an opening sized to allow a second end of the elongated body to pass through the ring to form a running noose. In this way, the flexible wire tie may be lassoed around a support structure. 
     Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. 
    
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
       The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. 
         FIGS. 1A-1B  illustrate an embodiment of a twist tie device having an spherical end cap component integrally formed on an end of a flexible wire tie and configured to support the tie in a base; 
         FIGS. 2A-2B  illustrate an auxiliary end cap component which covers an existing end cap on a flexible wire tie; 
         FIG. 2C  illustrates various means for securing an end cap component on to a flexible wire tie; 
         FIGS. 3A-3B  illustrate an end cap component similar to that shown in  FIGS. 2A-2B ; 
         FIGS. 4A-4D  illustrate an end cap component which cooperates with an existing end cap on a flexible wire tie so that the tie may be supported in a base; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates an embodiment of a twist tie device having a base with a flexible wire tie and a male interlocking element which is configured to releasably secure with a female interlocking element disposed on a support surface; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates an embodiment of a twist tie device similar to that shown in  FIGS. 1A-1B  with a tapered longitudinal face; 
         FIGS. 7A-7B  illustrate an embodiment of a twist tie device similar to that shown in  FIG. 6  with a tapered longitudinal face; 
         FIG. 8A-8B  illustrate an embodiment of a twist tie device having an end cap component formed on an end of a flexible wire tie and configured to support the tie in a base; 
         FIG. 9A-9   c  illustrates an embodiment of a twist tie device having a resilient end cap component formed on an end of a flexible wire tie, wherein the end cap component is capable of passing through a hole and configured to support the tie in a base; 
         FIG. 10  illustrates an embodiment of a twist tie device having a flexible wire tie with a ring at one end to allow the other end to pass through the ring to form a running noose; and 
         FIGS. 11A-11C  illustrate a conventional twist tie and the mountable product as described in the background above. 
     
    
    
     Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     With reference now to  FIGS. 1A-1B , a twist tie device  10  is shown having a flexible wire  12  defining an elongated body  14  with a spherical end cap  16  formed thereon. A base  18  has a hole  20  formed therethrough and a slot  22  extending from an edge into the hole. The spherical end cap  16  is oversized with respect to hole  20  to retain and support the flexible wire tie  12  in the base  18 . In particular, elongated body  14  is inserted through slot  22  such that spherical end caps  16  nests in hole  20  and prevents removal of the flexible wire  12  from the base  18 . One skilled in the art will readily recognize that the base  18  does not require a slot  22  but may include a hole circumscribed by the base, provided the end of the flexible wire  12  opposite spherical end cap  16  is small enough to pass through hole  20 . Spherical end cap  16  is integrally formed on an end of flexible wire  12  by any suitable forming and molding process. 
     With reference now to  FIGS. 2A-2B , an end cap component is shown which may be used to reconfigure an existing gear tie to provide an oversized end cap component. Specifically, a flexible wire tie  22  includes an elongated body  24  having an existing end cap  26  disposed thereon. An auxiliary end cap component  28  includes a pair of cap halves  28 . 1 ,  28 . 2  which may be secured over the existing end cap  26  to provide an enlarged end cap component. As seen in  FIG. 2C , the auxiliary cap component  28  may be secured to the end of the flexible wire tie  22  by any suitable means including press fit, glue, snap fit or ultrasonic welding. 
     With reference now to  FIGS. 3A-3B , an auxiliary end cap component  38  is shown. Similar to auxiliary end cap component  28 , auxiliary end cap component  38  includes a pair of cup shaped elements  38 . 1 ,  38 . 2  having a living hinge  38 . 3  formed therebetween. In this manner, auxiliary end cap component  38  may be a snap fit over an end of a flexible wire tie to provide an oversized end cap component. 
     With reference now to  FIGS. 4A-4B , a twist tie device  40  is illustrated having a flexible wire tie  42  with an elongated body  44 . The existing end cap  46  is secured to an end of the flexible wire tie  42 . An auxiliary end cap component  48  in the form of a C/E clip is located on the medial side of end cap  46  to provide an oversized or enlarged end cap component. The C/E configuration of the auxiliary end cap component  48  allows the elongated body to pass through the opening while the clip abuts the bottom of end cap  46 . 
     With reference now to  FIGS. 4C-4D , a similar configuration is provided in which the twist tie device  40 ′ includes a flexible wire tie  42 ′ having an elongated body  44 ′ and an existing end cap  46 ′ secured to the end of the elongated body  44 ′. An auxiliary end cap component  48 ′ in the form of a flexible ring is located on a medial side of the end cap  46 ′ to provide an oversized or enlarged end cap component. The flexible ring component may be constructed of a resilient material such that it may be stretched over the end cap  46 ′ and retained on the elongated body  44 ′. Alternately, the flexible ring  48 ′ may be a two-part component which snaps together about the elongated body  44 ′. 
     With reference now to  FIG. 5 , a twist tie device  50  is illustrated having a flexible wire tie  52  extending from base  54 . A male interlocking element  56  extends from a face of the base  54  and is configured to releasably secure the twist device  50  with a complimentary female interlocking element disposed on an adjacent support surface (not shown closed). The male interlocking  56  may take one of several forms including a T-shape extension  56 . 1  projecting from the face  58  of base  54  which would engage a complementary T-shape slot formed in an adjacent support surface. Alternately, the male interlocking element  56  may take the form of a circular button  56 . 2  extending from the face  58  of the base  54  which would be received in a T-shaped slot formed in the adjacent supporting structure. In yet another form, the male interlocking element  56  may take the form of a hook type fastener  56 . 3  used in conventional hook and loop fastening mechanisms such as Velcro®. The male interlocking elements  56  may be formed integral on the base  54  or may be an auxiliary component which is secured to the face  58  of base  54  by an adhesive or other suitable means. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 6 , a twist tie device  60  is illustrated having a flexible wire tie  62 , a conventional end cap  64  is disposed on one end of the flexible wire tire  62  and an enlarged end cap component  66  formed on the opposite end of the flexible wire tie  62 . The auxiliary end cap component  66  has a generally conical or tapered longitudinal face  68  extending from a major diameter D of the end cap component  66  to the elongated body of the flexible wire tire  62 . As presently preferred, the tapered longitudinal face  68  forms an angle α of approximately 7-10 degrees. Twist tie device  60  would be used in conjunction with a base or support structure having a tapered bore formed therethrough such that the tapered longitudinal face  68  engages a complimentary surface on the tapered bore to firmly seat the twist tie device in the base (not shown). 
     With reference now to  FIGS. 7A-7B , a twist tie device  70  is illustrated having a flexible wire tie  72 . The auxiliary end cap component  74  includes a tapered face  76  similar to that previously described with reference to  FIG. 6 . As illustrated in these figures, the tapered face  76  has an angle approaching 45 degrees. As seen in  FIG. 7A , the auxiliary end cap component  74  would be suitable for seating within a conventional counter sink hole  78 . With reference to  FIG. 7B , the tapered face  76  has a series of flat regions ( 76 . 1 - 76 . 4 ) which correspond with flats ( 78 . 1 - 78 . 4 ) formed in the counter sink hole  78  to prevent rotation of the flexible wire tie. 
     With reference now to  FIGS. 8A-8B , a twist tie  80  is illustrated having a flexible wire tie  82  and an elongated end cap component  84 . The base  86  has an elongated hole  88  formed therethrough which allows the elongated end cap component  84  to be passed therethrough. Once the elongated end cap  84  is passed through the hole  88 , it may be rotated 90 degrees as shown in sequence ( FIG. 8B ) such that it cannot be withdrawn through the hole  88 . An indent  89  may be formed in the top surface of the base to provide a locking position for the elongated end cap component  84 . 
     With reference now to  FIGS. 9A-9C , a twist tie device  90  is illustrated having a flexible wire tie  92  and a resilient end cap component  94 . In particular, the resilient end cap component  94  has a mushroom configuration and is resilient such that the cap may deform (see  FIG. 9B ) when it is inserted through a hole  96  in base  98 . Once the end cap component  94  extends past the upper surface of base  98  it expands back to its original shape and provides an enlarged end cap component to support the flexible wire tie  92  in the base  98 . 
     With reference now to  FIG. 10 , a twist tie device  100  is illustrated having a flexible wire tie  102  with a conventional end cap  104  formed on an end thereof. The opposite end of the flexible wire tie  102  has an end cap component  106  in the form of a ring  108  disposed on an end of the flexible wire tie  102 . The ring  108  has opening formed therethrough which allows the end cap  104  to pass through the ring  108  to form a running noose. In this way, the twist tie device  100  may be lassoed around a support structure. 
     The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.