Band tightening and cutting device

• US 6,546,853 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2001
• Issued: 04/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Watanabe, Kunihiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Ostrager, Allen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Goetz, John S
• Application Number:
  US09/870,738
• Publication Number:
  US 20010052182A1
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• Field of Search: 140/123.6, 140/93.2, 140/93.A, 100/33.PB, 100/29
• US Class Current: 100/29
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 13/027 for applying straps having preformed connecting means, e.g. cable ties
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53252 Means to simultaneously fasten three or more parts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53257 Means comprising hand-manipulatable implement

Abstract

A vertical member having a sliding member and the like is installed on the upper face of a base member which covers a cutting blade in a condition in which the cutting blade can slide in a horizontal plane. An operational lever is provided to extend from the vertical member and a rotational member, having a fixed sandwiching member and a rotational sandwiching member, is installed on the vertical member perpendicular thereto and in a condition in which it can be freely rotated. The band part is fastened by rotating the rotational member in a condition in which the band part of a band is sandwiched by the fixed sandwiching member and the rotational sandwiching member, and the cutting blade is moved by downward movement of the sliding member to cut and remove the band part.

Claims

1. A band tightening and cutting device for fastening and cutting a band that bundles a group of electric wires forming a wire harness, said device comprising:

a base member having a band-retaining portion;

a band pulling mechanism provided on said base member, said band pulling mechanism including a substantially L-shaped member having a vertical member and a horizontal member provided on an upper face of said base member, a rotational member mounted on said vertical member in a freely rotatable manner, and a band holding member provided on said rotational member, said band pulling mechanism rotates said holding member relative to said substantially L-shaped member and to said base member and pulls a band portion to tighten the band; and

a cutting blade provided on said base member, said cutting blade being movable toward said band retaining portion in response to movement of said band pulling mechanism;

wherein a band base portion of the band is retained by said band-retaining portion with the band portion bundled around the electric wires when the band is held by said holding member.

2. The band tightening and cutting device as set forth in claim 1, wherein;

said band-retaining portion includes a notch in an end of said base member.

3. The band tightening and cutting device as set forth in claim 2, said band pulling mechanism further comprising:

a sliding member provided on the horizontal member of said substantially L-shaped member movable in an upward and a downward direction, said sliding member including a pressure member;

said band holding member and said pressure member are provided on said rotational member; and

said cutting blade having a cam part on an upper side and being slidable in a recessed portion in said base member;

wherein the band portion is pulled by rotation of said rotational member, said sliding member is moved downwardly by being pressed by said pressure member in response to the rotation to contact said cam part of said cutting blade so that said cutting blade is moved toward said band-retaining portion to cut an excess portion of the band.

4. The band tightening and cutting device as set forth in claim 2, wherein;

said L-shaped member is rotatably mounted on said base member and biased by a spring in a direction in which said band-retaining portion is closed; and

said L-shaped member being able to rotate against the biased direction to an open position to insert the band base portion of the band in the band-retaining portion.

5. The band tightening and cutting device as set forth in claim 2, further comprising a lever provided on said rotational member, and an adjustable stopper provided on said L-shaped member, wherein said lever contacts said stopper during rotation of said rotational member to control the amount of rotation of said rotational member.

6. The band tightening and cutting device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said band-retaining portion comprises,

a pair of generally triangular shaped protrusions extending from a lower face of said base member;

a notched portion on an end of said base member between said pair of generally triangular shaped protrusions; and

a block provided on the lower face of said base member, said block having a pair of generally triangular shaped protrusions and a notched portion therebetween, said notched portion being coextensive with said notched portion of said base member;

wherein said pair of generally triangular shaped protrusions on said block are spaced from said pair of generally triangular shaped protrusions on said base member so that blade parts of a band are receivable in said space and a band base portion of a band is receivable in said notched portions to hold the band for tightening and cutting.

7. The band tightening and cutting device as set forth in claim 6, wherein said band-retaining portion further comprises;

a detection probe provided on said block and projecting into said notched portion of said block that detects insertion of a band base portion into said band-retaining portion.

8. The band tightening and cutting device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said band holding member comprises:

a fixed holding member provided on said rotational member and including a pressure face;

a rotational holding member rotatably mounted on said fixed holding member and including a pressure face; and

a spring having one end fixed to said rotational member and another end fixed to said rotational holding member, wherein said spring biases said pressure faces together to hold a band portion therebetween.

9. The band tightening and cutting device as set forth in claim 2, wherein said L-shaped member further comprises:

a recessed portion provided on said vertical member and a recessed portion provided on said horizontal member adjacent said notched portions, and

a U-shaped guide member provided on said vertical member in said recessed portion of said vertical member and said recessed portion of said horizontal member, said U-shaped guide member having an insertion guide portion that guides the band portion during the band tightening operation.

10. The band tightening and cutting device as set forth in claim 1, wherein;

said base member is provided on an upper end of a support bar that projects from an assembly board.

11. A method for fastening and cutting a band that bundles a group of electric wires forming a wire harness, said method comprising:

providing a band tightening and cuffing device;

providing a band having a band portion and a band base portion;

inserting said band base portion in a band retaining portion of said band tightening and cutting device;

encircling a group of wires with said band and inserting an end of said band portion into said band base portion;

holding said band portion with a holding member of said band tightening and cutting device, said band tightening and cutting device including a band pulling mechanism including a substantially L-shaped member having a vertical member and a horizontal member provided on an upper face of a base member, a rotational member mounted on said vertical member in a freely rotatable manner, said holding member provided on said rotational member; and

rotating said holding member and said band portion held thereby relative to said substantially L-shaped member and to said base member so that said band portion is pulled away from said band base portion and said band is tightened around said wires.

12. The method for fastening and cutting a band as set forth in claim 11, said method further comprising:

moving a cutting blade on said band tightening and cutting device in response to said rotating and thereby cutting an excess portion of said band;

whereby fastening and cutting of said band takes place in a single operation.