Linear object identification tag, and installation instrument and installation method for same, linear object with connector

• US 7,091,421 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2003
• Issued: 08/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NTT Advanced Technology Corporation (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NTT Advanced Technology Corporation (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Inventors: Hanari, Kenichi, Kukita, Shigezo
• Primary Examiner(s): Abrams, Neil
• Application Number:
  US10/501,446
• Publication Number:
  US 20050085121A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,309 Days
• Field of Search: 439/491, 174/112, 403/16, 292/435.6
• US Class Current: 174/112
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2/20 Clips, i.e. with gripping action effected solely by the inherent resistance to deformation of the material of the fastening
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/20 for adjustable, removable, or interchangeable labels
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/205 specially adapted for electric cables, pipes or the like

Abstract

The linear object identification tag 10 can be attached to and detached from a linear object 40. This tag has a clip body having a pair of clip parts 1a, 1b openably joined to a base part 6, and a holding part 8, 9 which holds the linear object 40 inside the linear object identification tag and is formed on an inner face of at least one of the clip parts 1a, 1b. Installation is thus efficiently performed by simply inserting the linear object 40 through an aperture part. 7. An installation tool (FIGS. 12, 13) with guide parts (22c, 22d) for opening the clip parts (1a, 1b) as they are slid along the tool is disclosed. In another embodiment, labels (719, 720) may be applied to plugs (75) and receptacle (72) and an instrument (722) with optical readers (723, 724) used to read codes on the labels.

Claims

1. A linear object identification tag which can be attached to and detached from a linear object, comprising:

a clip body having a base part and a pair of clip parts openably joined to the base part, and

a holding part formed on an inner face of at least one of the clip parts for holding the linear object inside the linear object identification tag;

wherein the linear object identification tag further comprises a band for fixing the linear object identification tag to another linear object, and two or more band holes for passing the band there-through are formed on at least one of the clip parts.

2. A linear object identification tag according to claim 1, wherein the holding part has a presser part which elastically presses a linear object against an inner face of the base part or the clip part.

3. A linear object identification tag according to claim 1, wherein the holding part has an anti-disengagement tongue piece, which is formed to extend from an inner face of the clip part, and which prevents the linear object from falling out from between the clip parts.

4. A linear object identification tag according to claim 1, wherein the holding part has;

a presser part which elastically presses the linear object against an inner face of the base part or the clip part, and

an anti-disengagement tongue piece, which is formed to extend out from an inner face of the clip part, and which prevents the linear object from falling out from between the clip parts.

5. A linear object identification tag according to claim 1, wherein a spacing of an aperture part formed at an end of the pair of clip parts is smaller than a width of the base part.

6. A linear object identification tag according to claim 1, wherein on an inner face of at least one of the clip parts is formed a rough surface having a plurality of protrusions at a position where the linear object contacts.

7. A linear object identification tag according to claim 6, wherein the protrusions of the rough surface are a plurality of ridges extending in parallel with a longitudinal direction of a linear object held by the linear object identification tag.

8. A linear object identification tag according to claim 1, further having a band for fixing the linear object identification tag to the linear object, and two or more band holes for passing a band there-through are formed on at least one of the clip parts.

9. A linear object identification tag according to claim 1, wherein the clip parts have a contour formed with curved lines.

10. A linear object identification tag according to claim 1, wherein each of the pair of clip parts have a wide part which is longer than a length of the base part.

11. A linear object identification tag according to claim 1, wherein the identification label is provided on an outer surface of one of the clip parts.

12. An installation instrument for installing the linear object identification tag of claim 1 on a linear object, comprising:

a slide member which engages slidably with the linear object identification tag;

an opening guide which holds the linear object, contacts with an inner face of the clip part while the linear object identification tag slides along the slide member, and opens the two clip parts; and

wherein the linear object identification tag is made to contact the opening guide, the two clip parts are opened, and then the linear object identification tag is installed on the linear object.

13. An installation method for installing the linear object identification tag of claim 1 onto a linear object, comprising:

a step for slidably engaging a slide member with the linear object identification tag;

a step for making an opening guide hold the linear object, and making the linear object identification tag slide along the slide member, and making the opening guide contact an inner face of the clip part, and opening the two clip parts; and

a step for making the linear object identification tag contact the opening guide, opening the two clip parts, and installing the linear object identification tag on the linear object.

15. A linear object identification tag according to claim 11, wherein the identification label has a bar code or a two-dimensional code.

14. A linear object identification tag which can be attached to and detached from a linear object, comprising:

a clip body having a base part, and a holding part formed on an inner face of at least one of the clip parts for holding the linear object inside the linear object identification tag, wherein one or more guide parts extending in an orthogonal direction to an inner surface of the base part are provided on an outer face of at least one of the clip parts, and the guide parts engage slidably with a slide member provided in an installation instrument which houses the linear object identification tag and installs it on a linear object.