Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to a pull tight seal or cable tie with a predetermined break-away position for removal of a tail. In one example, the invention relates to a pull tight seal including a tag or label for marking devices such as fire extinguishers or other containers. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     In conventional pull tight seals that are installed on devices, for example, fire extinguishers, the user wraps the pull tight seal around the device, and the user pulls a tail portion through a locking portion of the pull tight that locks barbs via a ratchet effect. The tail cannot be pulled backward through the lock due to the shape of the barbs, which allow motion through the lock in only one direction. A similar arrangement is provided for so-called “cable ties,” and the term “tie” will be used to identify a group including both pull tight seals and cable ties. 
     In conventional ties, after fastening, part of the tail often protrudes from the end of the locking portion and can interfere with inspection of the tie after installation. Additionally, this unwieldy portion of the tail can get caught in other devices or seals when moving or using the device. This protruding portion of the tail is particularly problematic when the tie is installed in fire a extinguisher, which is often used in emergency situations. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention provides a flexible tie including a head having a first cross-sectional geometry and a tail extending from the head in a longitudinal direction and having a second cross-sectional geometry different from the first cross-sectional geometry. The tie includes a lock disposed on the head and including a passage configured to receive the tail and a plurality of barbs disposed on the tail and configured to pass through the passage in the lock in a first direction, and configured to be restricted from retreating through the passage in a second direction opposite to the first direction. The tie also includes a tail break-point disposed on the tail and including a first cross-sectional area, as viewed along the longitudinal direction, smaller than any other cross-sectional area of the tail as viewed along the longitudinal direction. In some configurations, the tie includes a visual indicator in the head. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other advantages of the invention will become more apparent and more readily appreciated from the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings where: 
         FIG. 1  is a top view of one example of the inventive tie; 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of the tie shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a bottom view of the tie shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of another example of the inventive tie; 
         FIG. 5  is a front view of the tie shown in  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a bottom view of the tie shown in  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a top view of one example of the inventive tie; 
         FIG. 8  is a front view of the tie shown in  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a bottom view of the tie shown in  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a top view of another example of the inventive tie; 
         FIG. 11  is a front view of the tie shown in  FIG. 10 ; 
         FIG. 12  is a front view of the tie shown in  FIG. 10 ; and 
         FIG. 13  is a view of a conventional tie. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Embodiments of the present invention will be described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, the constituent elements having substantially the same function and arrangement are denoted by the same reference numerals, and repetitive descriptions will be made only when necessary. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1-3 , one example of the inventive tie  1  is shown in which a head  5  including a front side  6  and a back side  7  is connected to a tail  60  that has at least one different cross-sectional geometry from the cross-sectional geometry of the head  5 . At least one of the front side  6  and back side  7  of the head  5  is typically configured to display or receive an informational visual indicator such as a writing, stamping, or sticker. In the example shown, a neck  65  occupies a portion of the tail  60  and serves to strengthen the connection between the head  5  and the tail  60 . For example, as measured in the radial direction, the neck  65  can have larger dimensions than the tail  60 . In some examples, the tail does not include the neck  65 . The tie  1  can be formed of any of a variety of flexible materials, but plastics such as polypropylene are typically used. In some embodiments, the tie  1  is color-coded for a particular use. As would be familiar to a person of ordinary skill in the art, the tail  60  extends away from the head  5  in a longitudinal direction (to the right in  FIG. 1 ) and is configured to bend around an object in order to be secured to the object when the tail is in a locked position. 
     The head  5  further includes a lock protrusion  75 . The lock protrusion  75  includes a lock  70  and typically includes one or more tab  72  disposed on or near the lock  70 . As shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , the lock protrusion  75  may be generally conical in shape. However, other shapes are possible. 
     As further shown in  FIGS. 1-3  a series of barbs  10  are disposed on the tail  60 . The barbs  10  are separated from each other by a series of core portions  20 . As shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , the barbs  10  may be conical or shaped as a truncated cone. In one embodiment, the barbs  10  have a maximum (major) diameter of 0.085 inches and a cone angle of 15 degrees. In one example, there is a 0.07 inch distance from a perpendicular face corresponding to the major diameter of one of the barbs  10  and the conical portion of the next closest of the barbs  10 . As the barbs  10  are made to slide into the lock  70 , the conical or frustoconical shape assists in a ratcheting effect in which the barbs  10  pass through the lock  70  and are locked in place by the tab  72  so as to resist passing through the lock  70  in a direction opposite to that of entry. The core portions  20  typically have a major (outermost) diameter of approximately 0.06 inches, where “approximately” means plus or minus 0.01 inch. In some applications, the barbs  10  and/or core portions  20  are not round, but are instead oval, polygonal, or some other shape. In these cases, the minimum cross-sectional dimension is preferably 0.06 inches. However, with all of the above-noted dimensions, variations are available depending upon the need of the user. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , an optional intermediate grip  30  may be disposed on the tail  60  and serves to allow a user to comfortably grip the tail  60  without touching the barbs  10 . In some embodiments, the intermediate grip  30  is omitted in order to simplify manufacture. In some embodiments, the intermediate grip  30  has a flattened cross-section ( FIGS. 10-12 ) in order to allow a strong, but still flexible tie  1 . In other words, the flattened intermediate grip  30  allows a preferred direction of bending, which can make inspection of the front side  6  and back side  7  of the head  5  easier. The intermediate grip  30  may be incorporated into any of the embodiments of the present invention disclosed herein. 
       FIGS. 1-3  also depict an optional stopper  40 , which may be used to stop movement of the tail  60  at a predetermined position and/or to prevent over-tightening. In some instances, it is preferable not to tighten the tail  60  to the extent that the loop formed by the tail  60  after the tail  60  passes through the lock  70  grabs the object around which the tail  60  is wrapped. For example, if the tie  1  is used to identify an inspection date for a fire extinguisher, it is generally preferable to allow easy inspection of the front side  6  and back side  7  by providing a loose connection between the tail  60  and the connection loop or orifice on the fire extinguisher. The loose connection allows the front side  6  and back side  7  to be examined without putting strain on the tail  60 , and therefore assists in allowing the tail  60  to avoid wear and tear while it is attached to the fire extinguisher.  FIGS. 4-5  depict examples without the optional stopper  40  or intermediate grip  30 .  FIGS. 7-9  depict examples without the stopper  40  and with grips  63  disposed on the disposable portion  62 . The grips  63  typically have a diameter smaller than the diameter of the barbs  10  in order to allow smooth passage of the tail  60  through the lock  70 . The grip  63  may be incorporated into any of the embodiments of the invention disclosed herein. 
     If the optional stopper  40  is disposed on the tail  60 , then the barbs  10  disposed between the head  5  and the stopper  40  will typically be unused inasmuch as these barbs will not pass through the lock  70  during attachment.  FIGS. 1-3  depict barbs between the stopper  40  and head  5  in order to show that the same tail  60  may be made to include or not include the stopper  40  depending on the needs of the user. 
     The barbs  10  disposed between the stopper  40  and the end of the tie  1  opposite the head  5  are used to secure the tie  1  in the lock  70 . As shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , a predetermined break-away  50  is disposed on the tail  60 . The predetermined break-away  50  is typically the physically weakest point on the tail  60  and allows a user to cleanly snap off the disposable portion  62  after the tail  60  is looped through the lock  70  and the item to which the tie  1  is attached. Preferably, the tensile force required to break the tail via the predetermined break-away  50 , as measured by pulling straight down the length of the tie  1 , is between four and eight pounds, while the force required to break the tail  60  without the predetermined break-away  50  is between seven and eleven pounds. Preferably, the force required to break the tail  60  at the predetermined break-away  50  is less than the force required to break the tail  60  without the predetermined break-away  50 . Thus, the predetermined break-away  50  provides a convenient predetermined failure section allowing the user to know in advance of breaking exactly where the tail  60  of the tie  1  will break once sufficient tensile force is applied to the tie  1 . 
     Preferably, the ratio of diameter of the predetermined break-away  50  to the diameter or largest dimension of the core portions  20  is 2/3 in order to allow a significant difference in tensile strength between these two components and to ensure that the predetermined break-away  50  breaks before any of the core portions  20  or other parts of the tail  60  break. Preferably, the outermost dimension or diameter of the predetermined break-away  50  is approximately 0.04 inches. Additionally, it is preferable that the predetermined break-away  50  be approximately 0.10 inches long in order to provide a visible indication of the break point to a user prior to breaking. It should be noted that in some embodiments, the cross-section of the tail is not circular. Similarly, in some embodiments, the cross-section of the predetermined break-away  50  is not circular. In examples where the cross-section of one or both of the tail  60  and predetermined break-away  50  is not circular, it is preferred that similar breakage characteristics are provided by the tail  60  and predetermined break-away  50  to those noted above regarding the 2/3 diameter. In other words, the ratio of cross-sectional area of the tail  60 , in the direction the tail  60  extends from the head  5 , is larger than the cross-sectional area of the predetermined break-away  50 . Preferably, when one or more of the predetermined break-away  50  and tail  60  is non-circular, the ratio of the cross-sectional area of the predetermined break-away  50  to the minimum cross-sectional area of the tail  60  other than the predetermined break-away  50  is 4/9, just as it would be for circular cross-sections when the ratio of the diameters is 2/3. 
     As further shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , the tail  60  may include a disposable portion  62 , which can be gripped by the user and inserted into the lock  70 . In other embodiments, the barbs  10  extend across the area occupied by the disposable portion  62  in  FIGS. 1-3 . 
     In practice, the user wraps the tie  1  around an object to be secured or tagged, and the user pulls the tail  60  through the lock  70  until at least one of the barbs  10  are locked by the tab  72 . Due to the shape of the barbs  10 , the barbs  10  cannot be easily pulled back through the lock  70 , and the tie  1  is permanently wrapped around the object until the tie  1  is cut or otherwise damaged. If the optional stopper  40  is present, the user will typically pull the tail  60  until it “bottoms out” on the stopper  40 . At this point, or when the tie grips the object if no stopper is present, the user pulls with greater force, and the tail  60  will break at the predetermined break-away  50  while leaving no portion, or only a short stub, of the tail  60  protruding from the lock  70 . Thus, the predetermined break-away  50  allows a clean break to be formed without an unwieldy portion of the tail  60  dangling from the lock  70 , which could get caught or tangled on other objects. This clean break is particularly helpful when tagging fire extinguishers as these are often handled during emergency situations. 
     Although only certain embodiments of this invention have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the exemplary embodiment without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention.

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