FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention lies in the field of tie straps and cable ties, clamps, cable clamps, bundling ties or straps. An example of this general kind of device is described in US patents 2,969,216 dated January 24, 1961 and, for example, 3,186,047 dated June 1, 1965.

BACKGROUND

Cable ties of this kind have that have become widely used are effective in tying a bundle of conductors, wires, tubes or similar, for example used in wiring harnesses in machines. Usually such bundles held by the ties also must be secured to some surface, such as a bulkhead, base or structural component, best practice is to have a separate holding means, such as a harness, bracket or some such means. Sometimes the stratagem is resorted to of looping the cable tie that holds the bundle also over some structure, this is seldom really satisfactory. The cable tie described in patent 2,969,216 has not been found by the present inventor on the market.

THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a tie device comprising a buckle head having an aperture through it and a pawl mounted in the aperture of the head, an elongate tie portion extending from a region proximal to the head to a distal tongue, having ratchet formations extending along at least one surface of the tie portion between the distal and proximal regions, adapted to pass through said aperture in the head and in so doing the ratchet formations engaging with the pawl, characterized by the inclusion of a hole with surrounding material with a washer-like shape in the proximal region of the tie portion.

The pawl may be a mere bump or prominence or ridge, or it may be a pawl that is carefully shaped to be directed to ease motion of the tie portion through the head in a direction from distal towards proximal regions, which can secure a bundle, but to

strongly resist motion in the opposite direction, which would allow a bundle that has been secured to come loose. The pawl may even be a separate component inserted in the hole in the head during manufacture, for example made of metal or other suitable material to execute the pawl-like action, e.g. in a generally floatable condition.

The ratchet formations on the tie portion may be mere bumps or prominences or ridges, or they may have a directional shape adapted to ease motion of the tie portion through the head in a direction from distal towards proximal regions, which can secure a bundle, but to strongly resist motion in the opposite direction, which would allow a bundle that has been secured to come loose.

The hole is for use of a bolt, crew or nail to fasten the tie device to a supporting surface such a bulkhead, floor, base overhead surface or whatever is required in an installation.

Preferably the hole is located so as to be centered on a longitudinal center line of the tie portion of the tie device, as this avoids eccentric stresses resulting in the tie device if it is subject to forces during use. The washer-like material is conveniently circular in shape, although in principle it may have a polygonal shape, or have one side flat or have a projection or projections; these special shapes can have application in preventing rotation of the tie device around the hole, when it is secured to a surface.

Preferably the material of the tie portion is thicker at the hole location, that is, the washer-like material around the hole is thicker than the material along the remaining length of the tie portion.

THE DRAWINGS

The invention is more fully described by way of an example, with reference to the drawings, in which : -

Figure 1 is a top view of the tie device,

Figure 2 is a side view f the tie device, and

Figure 3 is a bottom view of the tie device.

THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As shown in the drawings, the tie device 1 comprising a buckle head 2 having an aperture 3 through it and a pawl 4 mounted in the aperture of the head, an elongate tie portion 5 extending from a region 6 proximal to the head to a distal tongue 7, having ratchet formations 8 extending along at least one surface of the tie portion between the distal and proximal regions. The tongue and tie portion are adapted to pass through the aperture in the head and in so doing the ratchet formations engage with the pawl. The tie device has a hole 9 with surrounding material 10 with a washer-like shape in the proximal region of the tie portion.

The pawl in this example is injection die moulded integrally with the whole tie device, carefully shaped to be directed to ease motion of the tie portion through the head in a direction from distal towards proximal regions, which can secure a bundle, but to strongly resist motion in the opposite direction, which would allow a bundle that has been secured to come loose. The pawl thus has a wedge-like shape, the incline of the wedge facing towards the bottom of the tie device (i.e. the view of figure 3) and the sharp or abrupt part of the wedge facing towards the top of the device (i.e. the view of figure 1).

The ratchet formations on the tie portion are very small ridges, which have a Sawtooth type shape, with the inclines of the shape of each "tooth" facing towards the tongue and the sharp or abrupt part of each tooth facing towards the head. This eases motion of the tie portion through the head in a direction from distal towards proximal regions, which can secure a bundle, but strongly resists motion in the opposite direction.

The hole is located so as to be centered on a longitudinal center line 11 of the tie portion of the tie device. The washer-like material is circular in shape and the material

of the washer-like material around the hole is thicker than the material along the remaining length of the tie portion.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

1 TIE DEVICE

2 BUCKLE HEAD

3 HOLE

4 PAWL

5 TIE PORTION

6 PROXIMAL END

7 DISTAL END

8 RATCHET FORMATIONS

9 HOLE

10 WASHER-LIKE SURROUND

11 CENTRE LINE

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