Clamp tie

• US 7,437,804 B1
• Filed: 05/25/2007
• Issued: 10/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hellermanntyton Corporation (Aptiv PLC)
• Original Assignee: Hellermanntyton Corporation (Aptiv PLC)
• Inventors: Geiger, Gerard G., Puncochar, Michael E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez; Ramon O
• Application Number:
  US11/807,059
• Time in Patent Office: 515 Days
• Field of Search: 248/74.3, 248/74.1, 248/74.2, 248/68.1, 248/69, 24/16.PB, 24/17.A, 24/17.PB
• US Class Current: 24/16.0PB
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 63/1072 the barb having a plurality of serrations
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 37/0857 with the threaded portions of the nut engaging the thread of the bolt by the action of one or more springs or resilient retaining members F16B37/0821 and F16B37/0835 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 3/237 for two pipes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/1498 Plastic band

Abstract

A clamp tie includes a locking head and flexible straps extending therefrom. The straps are insertable through the locking head to form spaced loops, which may secure items in a spaced relationship. Pawl mechanisms in the locking head secure the straps in looped configuration. An aperture through the locking head is provided for securing the tie to a mounting structure such as a shouldered mounting stud. An additional pawl mechanism may be provided within the aperture to secure the tie to the stud. Arcuate surfaces extend from the locking head, spaced from the straps, to further engage secured items. The upper and lower surfaces of the locking head have counterbores to receive mounting hardware and provide minimal variance of wall thickness throughout the locking head to reduce cure time and materials required for manufacture.

Claims

1. A clamp tie comprising:

a locking head including first and second spaced apertures, a third aperture for receiving a mounting element therethrough and an upper surface, a lower surface comprising a lower surface counterbore surrounding said third aperture and a plurality of channels, a plurality of side surfaces coupled to and disposed between said upper surface and said lower surface,

a first strap extending from said locking head, said first strap having a first strap thickness and a first strap width, said first strap width disposed between first strap first and second sides,

a second strap extending from said locking head, said second strap having a second strap thickness and a second strap width, said second strap width disposed between second strap first and second sides,

a first arcuate rail extending from said locking head substantially parallel to and spaced from said first strap first side,

a second arcuate rail extending from said locking head substantially parallel to and spaced from said first strap second side,

a first pawl mechanism cooperating with said first aperture for engaging and retaining said first strap,

a second pawl mechanism cooperating with said second aperture for engaging and retaining said second strap, and

said first strap and said first and second arcuate rails extending from a first side surface and said second strap extending from a second side surface.

2. A clamp tie according to claim 1 wherein said first and second apertures each have an entrance and an exit, each entrance aperture having a strap side and a body side, said first pawl mechanism further comprising a first reinforcement rib disposed at least partially along said first aperture entrance strap side, said second pawl mechanism further comprising a second reinforcement rib disposed at least partially along said second aperture entrance strap side.

3. A clamp tie according to claim 1, said clamp tie comprising a unitary member.

4. A clamp tie according to claim 1 wherein the first strap width and second strap width are equal.

5. A clamp tie according to claim 1 wherein said first strap thickness and second strap thickness are equal.

6. A clamp tie according to claim 1 further comprising:

a third arcuate rail extending from said locking head substantially parallel to and spaced from said second strap first side, and

a fourth arcuate rail extending from said locking head substantially parallel to and spaced from said second strap second side.

7. A clamp tie according to claim 1 wherein said first arcuate rail has a radius and said upper surface and said lower surface are spaced a distance, said distance being greater than said radius of said first arcuate rail.

8. A clamp tie according to claim 7 wherein said distance is greater than twice said radius of said first arcuate rail.

9. A clamp tie according to claim 1 wherein said first and second side surfaces are disposed substantially 180 angular degrees about said locking head.

10. A clamp tie according to claim 1 wherein said upper surface comprises an upper surface counterbore surrounding said third aperture.

11. A clamp tie according to claim 10 wherein said upper surface counterbore comprises a plurality of channels.

12. A clamp tie according to claim 1 wherein one of said channels is mateable with a surface on or near said mounting element to prevent rotation of the tie about said mounting element.

13. A clamp tie according to claim 1 further comprising a third pawl mechanism, said third pawl mechanism located within said third aperture.

14. A clamp tie comprising

a unitary member including;

a single locking head including a pair of laterally spaced apertures, a third aperture for receiving a mounting element therethrough, said third aperture located between said pair of laterally spaced apertures, an upper surface, a lower surface comprising a lower surface counterbore surrounding said third aperture and a plurality of channels, a plurality of side surfaces coupled to and disposed between said upper surface and said lower surface,

a pair of straps extending in opposite directions from the locking head,

a first saddle structure coupled to and extending from said locking head adjacent one of the straps,

a second saddle structure coupled to and extending from said locking head adjacent the other of the straps, said first and second saddle structures each comprising two arcuate rail members, one disposed on each side of said first and second straps, respectively,

a first pawl mechanism contained within one of said locking head apertures for engaging and retaining one of the straps,

a second pawl mechanism contained within the other of said locking head apertures for engaging and retaining the other of the straps, and

said first strap and said first and second arcuate rails extending from a first side surface and said second strap extending from a second side surface.

15. A clamp tie according to claim 14 further comprising a third pawl mechanism, said third pawl mechanism located within said third aperture.

16. A clamp tie according to claim 15 wherein said third pawl mechanism includes a pair of opposed pawls located substantially opposite one another within said aperture.

17. A clamp tie according to claim 14 wherein the diameter of the third aperture is smaller than the diameter of a predetermined mounting element.

18. A clamp tie for securing elongate items adjacent a mounting surface in spaced, substantially parallel relationship to each other, comprising:

a locking head having an aperture for receiving therethrough a mounting element and an upper surface, a lower surface comprising a lower surface counterbore surrounding said third aperture and a plurality of channels, a plurality of side surfaces coupled to and disposed between said upper surface and said lower surface,

a pair of straps extending in opposite directions from said locking head and insertable through said locking head to form a loop,

two pairs of arcuate rails extending from said locking head, one pair being adjacent to but separate from each of said straps,

a first pawl mechanism within said locking head for engaging and retaining one of said straps in looped relationship with said locking head and one said pair of arcuate rails,

a second pawl mechanism within said locking head for engaging and retaining the other of said straps in looped relationship with said locking head and the other of said pair of arcuate rails,

a third pawl mechanism within said aperture for engaging and retaining said locking head proximate said mounting surface, and

said first strap and said first and second arcuate rails extending from a first side surface and said second strap extending from a second side surface.

19. A clamp tie according to claim 18 wherein said third pawl mechanism permits movement of said mounting element through said aperture in a first direction but resists movement of said mounting element through said aperture in a second direction.

20. A clamp tie according to claim 19 wherein said third pawl mechanism includes a pair of substantially diametrically opposed pawls, each pawl carried by an elongate hinge within said aperture.

21. A clamp tie according to claim 20 wherein said tie comprises a single unitary structure.