Abstract:
An adapter which allows a non-releasable cable tie to be releasable or which provides an added feature to the function of a cable tie. The cable tie may be installed within the adapter to provide a temporary use or a continually reusable purpose for the cable tie. The adapter may also include features which provide mounting, labeling, or merging of cable ties by simply installing the cable ties within embodiments of the adapter.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This disclosure relates to a cable tie, and more particularly to an adapter that allows standard cable ties to be releasable, reusable, or to have added functions. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Cable ties are used by consumers and throughout industry as a means of securing cables or other objects for a variety of applications. Cable ties provide a secure grip to hold goods together in shipment, within enclosures, and for securing such things as bicycle tires upon the roof of a family vacation vehicle. Their potential uses are countless as they provide simple, yet secure attachment. Releasable cable ties have been available for many years, however single-use cable ties are still used significantly, creating unnecessary waste and inconvenience. There is a need to convert single-use cable ties to releasable ties so that they may be released easily or reused or so the cable ties may be used temporarily while designs are being finalized, at which point the permanence of the non-releasable cable tie may be preferred. Also, there is a need to provide a means of identifying the contents secured within a cable tie or a means to secure a cable tie in a particular position within its function so that the gathered materials remain stationary, if desired by a user. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    This disclosure relates to an adapter which may be used with existing cable ties in order to provide additional features beyond the simple securing of materials within an engaged cable tie. A cable tie is installed within the subject adapter, allowing the cable tie to be reusable or so that it may assume another function in addition to its typical function of securing materials. The adapter provides a cavity in which the head of a cable tie may be installed, and a means of securing the cable tie so that the cable tie/adapter combination is as reliable as the cable tie itself. The adapter provides a reliable attachment by securing a cable tie within the adapter by installing the cable tie head in a specific holding configuration while maintaining its holding configuration with a securing mechanism. The securing mechanism may be one of multiple possibilities such as brackets which hold the cable tie strap immediately adjacent and connected to the cable tie head within the cavity, therefore maintaining the integrity of the head&#39;s position within the cavity, while also offering a simple means of releasing the head from the adapter cavity. Securing mechanisms could also be ridges or clips or fasteners within the body of the adapter which would releasably embrace the head of the installed cable tie, providing at least the same strength and reliability of the cable tie, as manufactured, while also providing added features and/or reusability the adapter has to offer. An installed cable tie may be easily removed from the adapter by simply reversing the installation procedure. Also, the adapter may be produced in a variety of sizes in order to equip the variety of cable ties available in commerce, such as tensile strengths 18, 30, 40, 50, 75, 100, 120, 150, 175, and 250 lbs. 
         [0004]    Embodiments may include one of the following features, or any combination thereof. In one aspect of the adapter, the adapter essentially allows the installation of a commercially available cable tie so that the cable tie may utilize an alternate, releasable securing head through which the strap of the cable tie may be fed and secured, therefore providing a reusable attachment, if desired. The commercially available cable tie may be easily installed within the adapter which comprises a securing head much like the head of the installed cable tie, except that its grip on the cable tie strap is releasable. The adapter also includes a securing mechanism in order to assure the reliable retention of the installed cable tie. This embodiment provides a releasable and reusable equivalent alternate securing head in order that the strap of a cable tie may engage with the adapter rather than itself, providing an increase its number and its variety of uses. The adapter may therefore be used with a cable tie so that its uses may be temporary, allowing changes with regard to the materials it has gathered. This situation would be possible or even likely during a design process. 
         [0005]    Another embodiment of the adapter may include an alternate securing head with two securing slots, each with a releasable pawl through which the strap of an installed cable tie may be fed and secured. This configuration provides a second point of connection to the adapter for the strap of the installed cable tie to be secured, thereby creating a second securing loop with a single cable tie strap, if desired. 
         [0006]    In yet another aspect, the adapter may include a mounting hole through which a nail or screw or some other fastening device may be installed in order to secure that which is gathered by the cable tie at a desired location. In this embodiment the cable tie is used in the same manner as when it is not installed in the adapter. The adapter simply provides a method of attaching the engaged cable tie, and hence the material gathered within it, to a desired location with the use of a fastening device such as a nail or screw, for example. 
         [0007]    Another embodiment of the adapter is much like the previous embodiment except that it allows the installation of at least two cable ties along with a mounting hole so that the goods being secured by the installed cable ties may be kept together and fastened to a desired location. In this embodiment the cable ties are used in the same manner as when they are not installed in the adapter. The adapter simply provides a method of keeping the installed cable ties together while also allowing the attachment of the cable ties, and hence the material gathered within them, to a desired location with the use of a fastening device such as a nail or screw, for example. 
         [0008]    An additional embodiment of the adapter may include an identification plate on which relevant information may be entered so the gathered goods being held by the cable tie and adapter may be determined. In this case the adapter head may include a generally flat surface on which one may write information such as that which may be relevant to the goods that are gathered by the cable. The identification plate may be any variety of sizes and/or shapes. In this embodiment the cable tie is used in the same manner as when it is not installed in the adapter. The adapter simply provides a surface on which to enter information on an engaged cable tie without affecting its function. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a front, bottom, side perspective view of a cable tie adapter. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a side view of a cable tie adapter. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a front, bottom, side perspective view of cross-section A-A from  FIG. 1  with a cross section of a cable tie installed within the adapter. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a bottom, side perspective view of an embodiment of the adapter with a cable tie installed within the adapter. The adapter cavity has an additional brace or stop against which the cable tie head may rest. 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a top, side perspective view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 . This view reveals the releasable pawl and the lever with which one may separate the releasable pawl from the strap of a cable tie. 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a front, bottom, side perspective view of another embodiment of the adapter with a mounting hole through which a fastening device of some sort may be inserted. 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is the same view as  FIG. 6  with the addition of an installed cable tie. 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  is a front, bottom, side perspective view of cross-section B-B from  FIG. 7  with a cross section of a mounting hole and an installed cable tie within the adapter. 
           [0017]      FIG. 9  is a front, bottom, side perspective view of another embodiment of the adapter with two cavities and a mounting hole through which a fastening device of some sort may be inserted. 
           [0018]      FIG. 10  is the same view as  FIG. 9  with the addition of an installed cable tie. 
           [0019]      FIG. 11  is a front, bottom, side perspective view of cross-section C-C from  FIG. 10  with a cross section of a mounting hole and two cable ties installed within the adapter. 
           [0020]      FIG. 12  is a front, bottom, side perspective view of another embodiment of the adapter with an identification plate on which one may label the adapter. 
           [0021]      FIG. 13  is the same view as  FIG. 12  with the addition of an installed cable tie. 
           [0022]      FIG. 14  is a front, bottom, side perspective view of cross-section D-D from  FIG. 13  with a cross section of a cable tie installed within the adapter. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0023]    This disclosure relates to an adapter in which a cable tie may be installed in order to provide added and/or reusable functions.  FIG. 1  illustrates the preferred embodiment of the cable tie adapter  10  which essentially provides an added or alternative securing head  12  with which one may tighten and secure materials. The front of the adapter  10  consists of a head  12  with a securing slot  14 . The rear of the adapter  10  consists of a cavity  16  and a securing mechanism  18 .  FIG. 2  shows a side view of the preferred embodiment of the adapter  10  with head  12  and pawl release lever  20  which is employed when pushed upward toward the adapter  10 . 
         [0024]      FIG. 3  depicts cross-section A-A of the length of the adapter embodiment  10  shown in  FIG. 1  with a cable tie head  22  in the cavity  16  and the cable tie strap  24  fed under the securing mechanism  18  so that the head  22  remains in position within the cavity  16 . This configuration of the adapter allows an existing cable tie pawl  26  to be augmented with a releasable pawl  28 . Cable tie strap  24  may be fed into securing slot  14  and secured via the engagement of the releasable pawl  28  with the cable tie strap  24 . The strap  24  may be disengaged and released by pushing the release lever  20  toward the body of the adapter  10 , therefore separating the releasable pawl  28  from the strap  24  so that it may be withdrawn from the securing slot  14 . Therefore a user may choose to permanently employ the adapter  10  in the field with its releasable pawl  28  or the adapter  10  may be used temporarily. For example, upon the proofing of a design, the adapter  10  may removed by pulling the cable tie head  22  from the cavity  16  and the strap  24  from under the securing mechanism  18 . Then the cable tie head  22  and strap  24  may be used as originally designed. This temporary use of the adapter  10  provides flexibility for the user when design changes are likely or possible, for example. 
         [0025]      FIG. 4  shows the top, side perspective of an embodiment of an adapter  10  with the head  12 , the securing slot  14  in which the releasable pawl  28  resides, and an additional cavity bracket  30 , against which the cable tie head  22  may rest in the cavity  16 .  FIG. 5  shows the bottom, side perspective of this embodiment with the cavity bracket  30  which supports the cable tie head  22  in the cavity  16 . This view of the embodiment reveals the release lever  20  which, when pushed toward the body of the adapter  10 , moves the releasable pawl  28  such that the securing slot  14  enlarges, therefore releasing a cable tie strap  29  from the securing slot in the head  12  of the adapter  10 . The releasable pawl  28  within the adapter head  12  essentially functions as a replacement for the cable tie head  22  which is secured within the cavity  16  of the adapter  10 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 6  depicts an alternate embodiment of an adapter  34  with a head  36  and a mounting hole  38  through which some sort of fastening device may be inserted if desired. This allows the user to utilize a cable tie in its typical fashion by securely wrapping its strap around material of interest. However the adapter  34  provides the addition of a mounting hole  38  so any gathered material may be secured to a location preferred by the user.  FIG. 7  depicts the adapter  34  with a cable tie head  46  and strap  48  installed within the cavity  40  and securing mechanism  44 , respectively.  FIG. 8  shows cross section B-B from  FIG. 7 , revealing the mounting hole  38  which provides an attachment point through which a user may fasten the adapter  34  to a desired location. This embodiment of the adapter  34  has the same manner of securing the cable tie head  46  and strap  48 , however the adapter  34  provides a means of attaching the cable tie head  36  and strap  48  to a certain location, as selected by the user. 
         [0027]      FIG. 9  depicts another embodiment of the adapter  50  with a head  51 , two cavities  52 ,  54  and a mounting hole  56 .  FIG. 10  shows the adapter  50  with a head  51  and two cable tie heads  58 ,  60  installed within the two cavities  52 ,  54  and two straps  62 ,  64  installed within the securing mechanisms  66 ,  68 . This embodiment is similar to that which is shown in  FIGS. 6-8 , however it allows the user to essentially connect two groups of gathered materials, and attach them both through the mounting hole  56  to a location chosen by the user. The mounting hole  56  may be utilized with the use of a fastener of some sort, to attach the adapter  50  to a location, therefore keeping the materials gathered by the installed cable tie heads  58 ,  60  and straps  62 ,  64  together and secured to a specific selected location.  FIG. 11  shows cross section C-C of the adapter  50  from  FIG. 10 , revealing the mounting hole  56  through the head  51  which provides the attachment point through which a user may fasten the adapter  50  to a desired location. This embodiment may be constructed and arranged to allow the installation of any number of cable ties, each requiring a means of securing a cable tie head  51  and strap  62  in each additional cavity  52  and securing mechanism  66 ,  68 . 
         [0028]      FIG. 12  depicts another embodiment of an adapter  70  with a cavity  72  and an identification plate  74  on which a user may include relevant information. This embodiment allows the user to utilize a cable tie in its typical fashion, however it provides a surface on which one may enter information such as identifying data regarding the gathered contents, while not affecting the function of the cable tie.  FIG. 13  depicts the adapter  70  with a cable tie head  76  and strap  78  installed within the cavity  72  and securing mechanism  80 , respectively.  FIG. 14  shows cross section D-D of adapter  70  from  FIG. 13 , revealing the nature of the connection between the identification plate  74  when a cable tie head  76  and strap  78  are installed. 
         [0029]    A number of implementations have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that additional modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the inventive concepts described herein, and, accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.