Patent Abstract:
A unitary member is molded (preferably from a conductive silicone material) to form a holder or clip for retaining fiber optic wires. Two embodiments are disclosed.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a holder for wires, and more particularly, to a holder for fiber optic wires. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Various holders, clips and other devices have been used in the prior art for retaining wires, cables and other articles. Generally speaking, these prior art devices are not readily adapted for holding fiber optic wires. These fiber optic wires are very thin (basically the diameter of a human hair) and may, for example, run into and out of an epoxy-filled electronic module which is potted and baked. These modules are precision relatively-expensive components. The fiber optic wires emanating therefrom are not readily manipulated into a bundle; as a result, the present commercial practice is to hold these fiber optic wires together with tape (such as “SCOTCH” tape or masking tape) or “VELCRO” fasteners or whatever is readily available to the installer or assembly line worker. 
     To the best of my knowledge and belief, nothing is readily available on the open market or in the prior art for holding these fiber optic wires together; and this is a distinct disadvantage and deficiency in the art. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to alleviate the disadvantages and deficiencies of the prior art by providing a holder for fiber optic wires which is efficient, relatively low cost, and easy and convenient to use. 
     In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a first embodiment thereof is herein illustrated and described, which comprises a unitary molded member having a first portion provided with a recess formed therein, the recess having at least one radially-extending pocket formed therein. A second portion of the unitary molded member has at least one radially-extending protrusion formed thereon, and a substantially-flexible intermediate strap portion connects the first and second portions, respectively, of the unitary molded member. Accordingly, the intermediate strap portion of the unitary molded member may be folded back upon itself to form a loop for retaining the plurality of fiber optic wires therein and transversely thereof In this manner, the second portion of the unitary molded member may be received within the recess formed in the first portion thereof, and the protrusion on the second portion may be received in the pocket on the first portion, such that the second portion is releasably locked to the first portion of the unitary molded member. 
     Preferably, the recess in the first portion of the unitary molded member comprises a semi-circular recess. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the semi-circular recess in the first portion of the unitary molded member has a pair of circumferentially-spaced pockets for receiving a respective pair of circumferentially-spaced protrusions on the second portion of the unitary molded member. 
     Additionally, the first portion of the unitary molded member terminates in a substantially-flat external face provided with an integral protruding flange, thereby facilitating a manual manipulation of the unitary molded member. 
     Preferably, the unitary molded member is molded from a conductive silicone material. 
     A second embodiment of the present invention comprises a unitary molded member including a substantially-cylindrical first portion having a bore formed therein and further having a cut-out sector communicating with the bore. This cut-out sector has at least one inwardly-projecting protrusion adjacent to the bore in the first portion of the unitary molded member. The unitary molded member further has a second portion having a substantially trapezoidal cross-section complementary to the cut-out sector in the first portion of the unitary molded member. The second portion of the unitary molded member further has at least one outwardly-projecting protrusion formed thereon. A flexible intermediate portion joins the first and second portions of the unitary molded member. In this manner, the second portion of the unitary molded member may be folded into the first portion of the unitary molded member, such that the second portion is received in the cut-out sector in the first portion, and such that the outwardly-projecting protrusion on the second portion snaps over the inwardly-projecting protrusion on the first portion. As a result, the unitary molded member has a releasably-locked position, and the plurality of fiber optic wires are retained within the bore of the unitary molded member, transversely thereof, in the releasably-locked position of the unitary molded member. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the cut-out sector of the unitary molded member has a pair of opposed inwardly-projecting protrusions cooperating with a pair of opposed outwardly-projecting protrusions formed on the second portion of the unitary molded member. 
     Preferably, the intermediate portion of the unitary molded member comprises a “living” hinge. 
     Like the first embodiment of the present invention, the second embodiment is also molded from a conductive silicone material. 
     These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification taken in conjunction with the enclosed drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of one embodiment of the unitary molded member of the present invention, the unitary molded member retaining a plurality of fiber optic wires emanating from an electronic module (the latter forming no part of the present invention and hence being shown schematically). 
     FIG. 2 is an end view of the unitary molded member of FIG. 1, drawn to an enlarged scale, and showing the fiber optic wires being retained in the loop formed when the unitary molded member is folded back upon itself. 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the unitary molded member, taken along the lines  3 — 3  of FIG. 1, and drawn to a substantially enlarged scale. 
     FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the unitary molded member of FIG. 1 in its unfolded (“natural”) shape. 
     FIG. 5 is a further side elevational view of the unitary molded member of FIG. 4, but showing the flexible intermediate strap portion of the unitary molded member being partially folded back upon itself (for retaining the fiber optic wires within the loop being formed). 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the unitary molded member of FIG. 1, part of which is broken away and sectioned to show the conductive silicone material. 
     FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of a second embodiment of the unitary molded member of the present invention, this second embodiment being shown in its unfolded (“natural”) shape. 
     FIG. 8 is a further side elevational view of the unitary molded member of FIG. 7, showing the unitary molded member in the process of being folded back upon itself. 
     FIG. 9 is a still further side elevational view of the unitary molded member of FIGS. 7 and 8, but showing the unitary molded member in its releasably-locked position. 
     FIG. 10 is an enlarged portion of FIG. 9, showing the fiber optic wires (in cross-section) being retained within the unitary molded member, transversely thereof. 
     FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the unitary molded member of FIG. 7, with part broken away and sectioned to show its conductive silicone material. 
     FIG. 12 is a pictorial view, showing how the present invention (in this instance, the second embodiment of the invention) may be used to retain the cables of a laptop computer, it being understood that the holder is substantially enlarged in scale. 
     FIG. 13 is a further pictorial view, showing the application of the teachings of the present invention to the cables of a personal computer (PC). 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     With reference to FIG. 1, a first embodiment of the holder of the present invention comprises a unitary molded member  10  retaining a plurality of fiber optic wires  11  connected to an electronic module  12 . 
     With further reference to FIGS. 2-5, the unitary molded member  10  has a first portion  13 , a second portion  14 , and an intermediate strap portion  15  joining the first and second portions  13  and  14 , respectively. The first portion  13  has a substantially semi-circular (semi-cylindrical) recess  16  provided with a pair of circumferentially-spaced pockets  17  and  18 , respectively. The second portion  14  of the unitary molded member  10  is substantially circular (that is, cylindrical) and has a pair of circumferentially-spaced protrusions  19  and  20 , respectively cooperating with the pockets  17  and  18 , respectively, in the recess  16  of the first portion  13 , thereby releasably locking the first portion  13  to the second portion  14  of the unitary molded member  10 . 
     In this locked position of the unitary molded member  10 , the intermediate strap portion  15  forms a loop  21  (see FIGS. 2 and 3) for retaining the fiber optic wires  11 . As shown in FIG. 3, the fiber optic wires  11  (in this instance) are provided with respective jackets  22 . 
     With reference again to FIG.  3  and with further reference to FIG. 6, the unitary molded member  10  is preferably molded from a conductive silicone material for improved anti-static performance which is desirable in the fiber optic industry. 
     The first portion  13  of the unitary molded member  10  has a substantially flat face  23  provided with an extending flange  24 . The flange  24  facilitates manual manipulation of the unitary molded member  10 . 
     It will be understood that the unitary molded member  10  is wrapped around the fiber optic wires  11  transversely thereof; that is, the fiber optic wires  11  may be laid on the intermediate strap portion  15 , and then the unitary molded member  10  is folded back upon itself (forming the loop  21 ) and is then “snapped” into place in its releasably locked position, thereby “trapping” the fiber optic wires  11  in the loop  21 . Conversely, the unitary molded member  10  may be unfolded by manually pulling it apart (or by using a suitable tool, if necessary) so that the loop  21  is unfolded and the fiber optic wires  11  are released. 
     Since the unitary molded member  10  is molded from a material which is somewhat flexible or pliable, the unitary molded member  10  will become somewhat distorted in its releasably locked position. This is shown more clearly in FIG.  2 . 
     The second portion  14  of the unitary molded member  10  may have a bore  14 A to make the second portion more flexible and hence facilitate the “snap fit” of the second portion  14  into the first portion  13  of the unitary molded member  10 . 
     With reference to FIGS. 7-11, a second embodiment of the present invention comprises a unitary molded members  10 ′ having a first portion  25  which is generally cylindrical and has a bore  26  communicating with a cut-out sector portion  27 . The unitary molded member  10 ′ has a second portion  28  which, preferably, is generally trapezoidal in cross-section and is complementary to the cut-out sector  27 ; and the unitary molded member  10 ′ further has an intermediate “living” hinge portion  29  connecting the first and second portions  25  and  28 , respectively. 
     The first portion  25  of the unitary molded member  10 ′ has (at least one) and preferably a pair of inwardly-projecting protrusions (or “bumps”)  30  and  31 , respectively, between the bore  26  and the cut-out portion  27 . The second portion  28  of the unitary molded member  10 ′, in turn, has at least one and preferably a pair of outwardly-projecting protrusions (or “bumps”)  32  and  33 , respectively, which cooperate with the inwardly-projecting protrusions  30  and  31 , respectively, on the first portion  25  of the unitary molded member  10 ′. When the second portion  28  is folded into the first portion  25  (see FIGS. 8 and 9) the protrusions  32  and  33  on the second portion  28  ride over the respective protrusions  30  and  31  on the first portion  25 ; and the second portion  28  is thus “snapped” into the first portion  25  of the unitary molded member  10 ′. This is the removably locked position of the unitary molded member  10 ′ as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. The unitary molded member  10 ′ is relatively flexible and thus may be somewhat distorted as the protrusions  32  and  33  slide over and crimp or deform the protrusions  30  and  31 , respectively. 
     With reference again to FIG. 10, the fiber optic wires  11 ′ are retained in the bore  26  of the first portion  25  of the unitary molded member  10 ′, transversely thereof. In this embodiment, the fiber optic wires  11 ′ may be of the non-jacketed type. 
     With reference to FIG. 11, the unitary molded member  10 ′ (like the unitary molded member  10 ) is also preferably molded from a conductive silicone material. 
     The inherent utility and advantages of the present invention are applicable to other environments (other than fiber optic wires) and the unitary molded members  10  and  10 ′, respectively, may be scaled up (or down) in size for various product applications. 
     Accordingly, in FIG. 12, several unitary molded members  10 ″ (a scaled-up version of the cylindrical unitary molded member  10 ′ of FIGS. 7 and 8) may be used to neatly retain the cables  34  of a laptop computer  35 ; and in FIG. 13, several cylindrical unitary molded members  10 ″ may be used to neatly retain the cables  36  of a personal computer (PC)  37 . Other uses may be made of the unitary molded members of the present invention. 
     Obviously, many modifications may be made without departing from the basic spirit of the present invention. Accordingly, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than has been specifically described herein.

Technology Classification (CPC): 6