Patent Publication Number: US-2006012199-A1

Title: Cable tie for transporting articles

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates generally to cable ties and, more particularly, to cable ties adapted for carrying articles.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Cable ties for binding cables, wires and the like are well known in the art. Such ties can be purchased in many materials and designs. Some cable tie configurations include screw mounts for supporting the cables on walls, cabinets, and the like. It would be of value to enable an article bound by a cable tie to be readily carried in order that the article can be transported.  
      Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cable tie adapted for carrying or transporting articles bound thereby.  
      Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth, in part, in the description that follows, and, in part, will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      To achieve the foregoing and other objects, and in accordance with its purposes of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the cable tie carrier hereof includes an elongated shackle; a locking socket located at one end of the shackle and adapted to receive and lock the shackle at selected positions along the length thereof, thereby forming a loop capable of binding a chosen article; and a handle attached to the locking socket adapted for carrying the cable tie carrier and the chosen article bound thereby.  
      In another aspect of the invention and in accordance with its objects and purposes, the cable tie carrier hereof includes: an elongated shackle; a locking socket located at one end of the shackle and adapted to receive and lock the shackle at selected positions along the length thereof forming a loop capable of binding a chosen article; handle attachment means; and a handle for carrying the cable tie and the chosen article bound thereby attached to said handle attachment means.  
      Benefits and advantages of the present invention include, but are not limited to, the use of cable tie technology for transporting items enclosed by the shackle of the cable tie. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:  
       FIG. 1A  is a schematic representation of an embodiment of the present invention showing the attachment of a handle to a screw-mounted cable tie, wherein the plane of the shackle, when securing an article is coplanar with that of the handle;  FIG. 1B  is a schematic representation of an exploded view of the parts of the handle shown in  FIG. 1A  which include a hollow or solid bar and tubing adapted for attaching to the bar;  FIG. 1C  is a schematic representation of the parts of the handle shown in  FIG. 1B  hereof assembled in accordance with the teachings of the present invention to produce the handle for transporting articles captured by the cable tie hereof;  FIG. 1D  is a schematic representation of an embodiment of the invention wherein the attachment locations of the tubing are formed from projections on the cable tie;  FIG. 1E  is a schematic representation of an embodiment of the invention wherein a screw mounted cable tie is attached to a T-shaped handle having projections adapted to receive a hollow or solid bar which is passed through the screw mount of the cable tie; and  FIG. 1F  is a schematic representation of an embodiment of the invention wherein the cable tie is attached to a handle through a swivel device.  
       FIG. 2A  is a schematic representation of a molded embodiment of the cable tie carrier of the present invention shown in  FIG. 1A  hereof, and like  FIG. 1A , has the plane of the loop formed by the shackle, when securing an article, coplanar with the plane of the handle;  FIG. 2B  is a schematic representation of the cable tie carrier of the present invention shown in  FIG. 2A  hereof, except that unlike  FIG. 2A  the plane of the loop of the formed by the shackle when securing an article is perpendicular to the plane of the handle;  FIG. 2C  is a schematic representation of another molded embodiment of the invention illustrating a plurality of ball-shaped latching elements disposed along an elongated shackle; and  FIG. 2D  is a schematic representation of yet another molded embodiment of the cable tie carrier of the present invention illustrating a plurality of conical-shaped latching elements are disposed along an elongated shackle.  
       FIG. 3A  is a schematic representation of the molded embodiment of the present invention shown in  FIG. 2A  hereof, but having a rectangular handle, wherein the plane of the loop formed by the shackle when securing an article is also perpendicular to the plane of the handle, except in a plane perpendicular to that shown in  FIG. 2b , while  FIG. 3B  is a schematic representation of the molded embodiment shown in  FIG. 3A , hereof, wherein the rectangular handle has finger indentations.  
       FIG. 4A  is a schematic representation of the molded embodiment of the present invention shown in  FIG. 2A  hereof, but having a triangular handle, while  FIG. 4B  is a schematic representation of the molded embodiment shown in  FIG. 4A  hereof, wherein the triangular handle includes a label. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
      Briefly, the present invention includes cable ties having handles for carrying articles secured by the cable tie. A typical cable tie includes a shackle and a shackle lock, wherein the shackle is inserted into the shackle lock where it may be engaged thereby and held fixed reversibly or releasably, thereby being capable of holding an article encircled by the shackle. The plane of the handle can be perpendicular or parallel to the plane formed by the shackle when engaged by the shackle lock, or somewhere in between, depending on the desired use. Means for attaching the handle are varied. The cable ties and handles may be molded or assembled from parts, or a combination thereof, and can be made from a multitude of materials depending on the purpose. The handles can be formed in many shapes, including circular, rectangular and triangular, and may have finger indentations for ease of carrying. Identification flags can be formed onto the handles or elsewhere on the cable ties for providing a location to identify the user, the article, etc. Cooperation between the shackle lock and the shackle to achieve a useful grasp on an article to be transported, may be achieve in several ways known in the art; this may be a one time use or releasable for repeated usage.  
      More than one locking socket and shackle may be attached or molded onto a single handle, and more than one handle may be attached to or molded onto a single locking socket.  
      Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the invention examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In what follows, identical callouts will be used for similar or identical structure. Turning now to  FIG. 1A  hereof, shown is a schematic representation of an embodiment of the present invention illustrating the attachment of handle,  10 , to a screw-mounted cable tie,  12 , the cable tie including shackle,  14 , shackle locking socket,  16 , and screw mount,  18 . In this embodiment, solid or hollow bar,  20 , is inserted into screw mount  18  of a commercial, screw-mounted cable tie as is illustrated in  FIGS. 1   b  and  1   c  hereof, and ends,  22   a  and  22   b , of tubing,  24 , are attached to the ends of bar  20  extending beyond the dimensions of screw mount  18 . This may be achieved by locally heating tube ends  22   a  and  22   b  and forcing them onto the ends of bar  20 , or by a number of other methods for securing tubing to a rod. Clamps, for example, may be used, as can adhesive compositions. It should be mentioned that solid or hollow bar  20  can be threaded in some situations. As stated, the cable tie may be fabricated from materials such as Nylon 6/6, Tefzel, Nylon 12, Deltec, Halar, polypropylene, and metals depending on their intended use. Metals may include stainless steel. In the situation where the handle is not integrally molded with the cable tie, the handle may be fabricated from other materials than that of the cable tie. Such materials may include polypropylene, polyethylene, Tygon, and the like. In the embodiment of  FIG. 1A-1C , the plane of handle  10  is coplanar with the plane formed when shackle  14  is inserted into locking socket  16 .  
       FIG. 1D  is a schematic representation of another embodiment of the invention, wherein cable tie,  26 , is formed with projections,  28   a  and  28   b , extending in substantially opposite directions from a portion,  30 , of cable tie  26  located on the side of locking socket  16  away from shackle  14  to which ends  22   a  and  22   b  are attached in a similar manner to that described hereinabove. Projections  28   a  and  28   b  may extend in a direction perpendicular or parallel to the plane formed when shackle  14  is inserted into locking socket  16 , and in directions in between these directions.  
       FIG. 1E  is a schematic representation of an embodiment of the invention, wherein a screw mounted cable tie  12  is attached to a T-shaped handle  10  having projections,  31   a  and  31   b , adapted to receive a hollow or solid bar  20  which is passed through screw mount  18  of cable tie  12 , thereby securing cable tie  12  to handle  10 . T-shaped handle  10  can be formed with finger indentations,  42 , to assist in effectively holding handle  10 .  
       FIG. 1F  is a schematic representation of an embodiment of the invention wherein cable tie  12  is attached to handle  10  through swivel device,  29 . This permits the plane of the loop formed when shackle  14  is inserted into shackle locking socket  16  to be rotated relative to the plane of handle  10 . Swivel device  29  can be made of any materials that permit swivel  29  to be attached to cable tie  12  and to handle  10 . Set screws, not shown, provide one means for such attachment. Clearly, if a cable tie mounted onto a handle as described in  FIG. 1G  hereof, also includes swivel  29 , the plane formed when shackle  14  is inserted into shackle locking socket  16  can be rotated in yet another direction relative to the plane of handle  10 . T-shaped handle  10  can be formed with finger indentations,  42 , to assist in effectively holding handle  10 .  
       FIG. 2A  is a schematic representation of a molded embodiment of the present invention shown in  FIG. 1   a  hereof, and like  FIG. 1A , has the plane of the loop formed by the shackle, when securing an article, coplanar with that of the handle. Shackle locking socket  16  is integrally formed with handle  10 .  FIG. 2B  is a schematic representation of the cable tie carrier of the present invention shown in  FIG. 2A  hereof, except that unlike  FIG. 2A  the plane of the loop of the formed by shackle  14  in cooperation with locking socket  16 , when securing an article is perpendicular to the plane of handle  10 . This embodiment is effective for securing and carrying bottles and plastic bags, as examples, since the plane of the shackle permits a bottle to be secured around its neck and carried in a vertical orientation.  
       FIG. 2C  is a schematic representation of the invention showing a molded cable tie carrier wherein a plurality of ball-shaped latching elements,  32   a - 32   e , are disposed along an elongated shackle,  34 . Shackle locking socket  16  is adapted to receive and reversibly lock shackle  34 .  FIG. 2D  is a schematic representation of the invention showing a molded cable tie carrier wherein a plurality of conical-shaped latching elements,  36   a - 36   d , are disposed along an elongated shackle,  38 . Shackle locking socket  16  is adapted to receive and reversibly lock shackle  34 .  
       FIGS. 2C and 2D  are included to illustrate that there are many shackle and shackle locking sockets that are available to be used in accordance with the present invention.  
       FIG. 3A  is a schematic representation of another embodiment of the molded embodiment shown in  FIG. 2A  hereof, but having rectangular handle,  40 , wherein the plane of the loop formed by the shackle when securing an article is perpendicular to that of handle  40 . It should be mentioned that the perpendicularity of planes in this embodiment of the present invention is different from that described in  FIG. 2B  hereof.  FIG. 3B  is a schematic representation another embodiment of the molded embodiment shown in  FIG. 3A , hereof, wherein handle  40  has finger indentations,  42 , to assist in effectively grasping handle  40 . Also shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3B  are the teeth,  44 , formed in shackle  14  adapted to be engaged by shackle locking socket  16 .  
       FIG. 4A  is a schematic representation of the molded embodiment of the present invention shown in  FIG. 2A  hereof, but having triangular handle,  46 , while  FIG. 4B  is a schematic representation of the molded embodiment shown in  FIG. 4A  hereof, wherein the triangular handle includes label,  48 , suitable for being written upon, stamped or otherwise marked for identification of the articles or other identification. Label  48  may also be attached to the shackle or formed in the handle itself. Clearly, the triangular handle can be adapted to include finger indentations similar to those illustrated in  FIG. 3B  hereinabove.  
      The foregoing description of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching.  
      The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto.