Patent ID: 7017237

Claim:
A cable tie for bundling elongate articles, said cable tie comprising: an elongate strap having opposing free and base ends, said strap further having a longitudinal central axis and being deformable into a loop such that said central axis is contained in a central plane, said strap having a primary grip surface and a transverse strap tooth which extends therefrom, said strap tooth having a transverse cross-section bounded by an outer periphery having a planar portion which is perpendicular to an adjoining portion of said primary grip surface, said outer periphery of said strap tooth further having a convex portion; and a head having a base extending from said base end of said strap such that said planar portion of said strap tooth faces said head, said head having a passageway with opposed entry and exit ends such that said free end of said strap can be inserted into said passageway through said entry end and exit said passageway through said exit end, said passageway having a longitudinal central axis which is contained in said central plane, said head having a pawl which is flexibly connected to an inner surface of said base such that said pawl is adjacent to said passageway, said pawl being biased to an initial locking position and movable therefrom to an insertion position, said pawl having a grip surface and a pawl tooth which extends therefrom such that said pawl tooth extends into said passageway when said pawl is in said initial locking position, said pawl being removed from said passageway when said pawl is in said insertion position, said pawl tooth having a transverse cross-section bounded by an outer periphery having a planar portion which is perpendicular to said central axis of said passageway when said pawl is in said initial locking position, said outer periphery of said pawl tooth further having a convex portion, said pawl tooth being oriented relative to said passageway such that said planar portion of said pawl tooth faces said exit end when said pawl is in said initial locking position, said pawl being oriented relative to said passageway such that, when said strap is sufficiently inserted therein through said entry end, said convex portion of said strap tooth engages said convex portion of said pawl tooth, sufficient further insertion of said strap into said passageway causing movement of said pawl to said insertion position wherein said planar portion of said strap tooth is longitudinally positioned between said planar portion of said pawl tooth and said exit end of said passageway such that said biasing returns said pawl to said initial locking position wherein said planar portions of said strap tooth and pawl tooth abut one another to obstruct retraction of said strap through said passageway in a direction toward said entry end.