Cable tie

• US 4,896,402 A
• Filed: 12/02/1988
• Issued: 01/30/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Band-It-Idex Incorporated A Subsidiary of Idex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Band-It-Idex Incorporated
• Inventors: Hinnen, Hans R., Jansen, George A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sakran, Victor N.
• Application Number:
  US07/279,576
• Time in Patent Office: 424 Days
• Field of Search: 24/20 R, 24/23 B, 24/17 A, 24/17 AP, 24/16 R, 24/16 PB, 24/20 EE, 24/22, 24/30.5 P, 285/37, 285/254
• US Class Current: 24/20.00R
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 53/36 clips, clamps, or like fastening or attaching devices, e.g. for electric installation
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 63/04 Joints produced by deformation of ends of elements
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 3/137 and consisting of a flexible band
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 33/023 fixed by bending one end of the strap
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/1457 Metal bands
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/1465 Buckle band connection
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/148 End-to-end integral band end connection

Abstract

A clamping device is provided in the form of a one-piece cable tie. The cable tie includes a band section having a free end for positioning about an object to be constrained, such as an electrical cable, and a buckle section through which the free end of the band section is inserted. In a preferred embodiment, the buckle section includes a first portion operatively connected to the band and terminating adjacent a slot. A second, raised portion of the buckle section is longitudinally or horizontally offset from the first portion. The second portion extends from a point adjacent the aforementioned slot to a free end. The width of the slot occupied by the band is greater when the band is loosely wrapped about the object constrained. The greater width of the slot when the band is loosely wrapped facilitates single or multiple wrappings of the object constrained. Any gaps between the band the object constrained are reduced by positioning only the first portion of the buckle section adjacent the object thereby improving clamping. Lips are also provided on the buckle section to accommodate positioning of the buckle section in a grooved area formed in the object being constrained. The cable tie is preferably made by a machining process in which buckle sections are alternately formed on opposing sides of a sheet of metal material to enhance the use of the material and avoid waste.

Claims

1. A clamping device for reducing the size of any gap between the object constrained and band portions adjacent the object, comprising:

a band section for wrapping around an object, said band section having a first free end and extending in a first plane; and

a buckle section integrally formed with said band section, said buckle section including a first portion operatively connected to said band section and extending substantially in said first plane, said buckle section further including a second portion having a second free end, said second free end being located on the opposite end of said buckle section from which said band section extends, substantially all portions of said second portion being longitudinally offset from said first portion and extending in a second plane different from said first plane, said buckle section further including a slot intermediate said first portion and said second portion for receiving said first free end;

wherein said second portion including said second free end thereof is positioned in non-contacting relation with the object being constrained during the tightening of said band section about the object and in which substantially all of said first portion of said buckle section contacts the object after the object has been constrained and with said first free end of said band section being located outwardly of portions of said band section to which it is adjacent after said clamping device is tightened and locked.

2. A clamping device, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said buckle section has a width less than or equal to two times the width of said band section.

3. A clamping device, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said first portion includes a first slot edge adjacent said slot; and

said second portion includes a second slot edge adjacent said slot, wherein the distance between said first and second slot edges is greater than the distance between said first and second planes to facilitate engagement of said band section with said buckle section.

4. A clamping device for reducing the size of any gap between the object constrained and band portions adjacent the object, comprising:

a band section for wrapping around an object, said band section having a first free end and extending in a first plane; and

a buckle section connected to said band section, said buckle section including a first portion operatively connected to said band section and extending substantially in said first plane, said buckle section further including a second portion longitudinally offset from said first portion and extending in a second plane different from said first plane, said second portion having a second free end being located on the opposite end of said buckle section to which said band section is connected, said second portion including said free end thereof being in spaced relationship with the object being constrained during tightening of said band section about the object, said buckle section further including a slot intermediate said first portion and said second portion for receiving said free end, wherein said first portion can be of reduced length to reduce any gap between said band section and the object due to said second portion having a different shape than the object adjacent said first portion;

wherein substantially all of said first portion contacts the constrained object and said first free end of said band section is located outwardly of portions of said band section to which it is adjacent after the clamping device is tightened and locked.

5. A clamping device, as claimed in claim 4, further including:

a foot member connected to said second portion and extending in a plane substantially common with said first plane;

a second slot defined between said foot member and said second portion for receiving a second wrap of said band section; and

a pair of raised lips connected to said foot member.

6. A method for clamping an object to reduce the size of any gap between the object constrained and band portions adjacent the object, comprising:

providing a one-piece cable tie including a band section having a first free end and a buckle section, said buckle section including a first portion connected to said band section, said buckle section further including a second portion longitudinally offset from, raised relative to and separated by a slot from said first portion of said buckle section, said second portion including a second free end with said band section being connected to an end of said buckle section opposite said second free end;

contacting substantially all of said first portion of said buckle section with the object;

positioning said band section about the object a first time;

inserting said first free end of said band section through said slot a first time;

providing a spaced relationship between said second portion and the object constrained during tightening of said band section about the object; and

locking said band section about the object while locating said first free end of said band section outwardly of portions of said band section to which it is adjacent.

7. A method, as claimed in claim 6, further comprising:

positioning said band section about the object a second time; and

inserting said free end of said band section through said slot a second time.

8. A method, as claimed in claim 6, wherein:

said step of locking includes shearing said band section wherein said first free end of said band section becomes a sheared free end extending in a direction away from the object.

9. A method, as claimed in claim 6, wherein:

said step of inserting includes disposing said band section at an oblique angle relative to said slot.

10. A method, as claimed in claim 6, wherein:

said step of locking includes maintaining said second free end of said buckle section facing in a direction away from said first free end during tightening of said one-piece cable tie about the object.