Thomas & Betts Corporation

Thomas & Betts International LLC

Other

Peter M Wells, Jr

Wasim Khokhar

John J Students

Salvatore J Abbruzzese

Mark A Bordwell

Vladimiro Teagno

Mark A Bailey

Paul J Bartholomew

George Braxton Robertson

Gary L Lowery

Derek Woods

Michael A Bridgman

William T O'Neill

John D Dorian

John A Sehlmeyer

Andrew Nelson

George Robertson

The cable tie strap, having elongate strap body and a locking head provides for receipt of the cable tie strap in the head in either direction. The cable tie strap includes a hollow locking head and an elongate strap having toothing on each side of the strap. A locking bar is positioned within the hollow head. The strap body may be inserted into the hollow head in either direction. The locking bar is lockingly engagable with the toothing on either side of the strap upon insertion of the strap into the head in either direction.

Self-locking cable tie strap with a symmetrical structure

A one-piece bi-directional cable tie for bundling articles having a tail at one end, a locking head at the other end and an elongate strap body therebetween may feature one or more fixed locking teeth opposite a deflectable locking pawl so as to provide ratcheting locking engagement with the two major surfaces of its strap body. The fixed teeth may provide symmetrical performance characteristics or may provide selectable performance characteristics depending on the direction of strap body insertion through the locking head. The locking head may facilitate wedging the strap body against the deflectable pawl. The deflectable pawl may include a chevron-shaped upper surface so as to provide an undercut surface for improved engagement with the locking teeth of the strap body.

Bi-directional self-locking cable tie

An ultrasonic tying tool for installation of a tape about a bundle of elongate articles. The tool includes an ultrasonic horn wherein the welding tip is moveable between a first position for welding of a tape to secure the tensioned loop about the plurality of articles and a second position wherein the welding tip is translated a distance from the first position to effect cutting of the tensioned loop from the stock of tape and to tack weld the loose cut end to the underlying tape of the loop to eliminate any protruding sharp edges. The tool additionally includes a belt drive mechanism for advancing the tape to the jaw assembly and for tensioning the tape following looping of the tape about the outside.

Ultrasonic tying tool

A cable tie includes an elongate generally planar strap and a head. The head includes a tapering entrance into a passageway therethrough for inserting the strap and a flexibly hinged locking pawl adjacent the passageway. The head also includes a fixed locking tooth adjacent the entry end of the passageway for engaging the strap after full securing an article or articles to be bundled. The fixed locking tooth of the present invention is desirably positioned to allow unobstructed insertion of the tail through the head. The present invention is able to minimize the stretching of the strap body when adjacent to the locking pawl by providing an edge which frictionally engages the strap body as the strap body egresses from the passageway of the head. Furthermore, the present invention may include a pair of counter-rotatable locking elements positioned to one side of the passageway through the head. One of the counter-rotatable locking elements may deflect into engagement with a surface of an article being bundled so as to provide greater slip resistance of the cable tie with respect to the article and to further allow an even smaller bundling radius for the cable tie. Additionally, the present invention provides a cable tie having a tamper-resistant locking pawl. Furthermore, the cable tie of the present invention may include a deflectable locking element which may be integrally formed with the head or separately provided within the head.

In-line cable tie

Extruded plastic band for use in an ultrasonic tensioning, welding and

Co-extruded plastic band for use in an ultrasonic tensioning, welding

A cable tie bandolier for use with automatic tools. The bandolier includes a plurality of interconnected cable ties. The ties are interconnected by a single web positioned between adjacent ties and located closer to the head of the tie than to the tail of the tie.

Cable tie bandoliers for use with automatic tools

A cable spacer provides for the spacing of an article such as a cable, wire or conduit from a mounting panel such as a wall or ceiling. The mounting panel accommodates a cable tie for securing the spacer thereto. The spacer includes a spacer body having an article support surface for securely supporting the article thereagainst. The spacer body further includes plural non-coplanar mounting surfaces where each of the mounting surfaces is capable of being supported against the mounting panel. Tie spacer body further includes a cable tie attachment element which permits the accommodation of a cable tie where the spacer element is supported against the mounting panel with any of the non-coplanar mounting surfaces being positioned thereagainst. The spacer also provides for stackability of two or more similar spacers.

Multi-positionable cable spacer

A cable tie bandolier for use with automatic tools. A continuous length of cable ties may be formed utilizing a non-continuous molding operation by molding discrete shots of cable ties, such discrete shots having connection capability therebetween allowing the connection of one discrete shot of cable ties to a second discrete shot of cable ties thereby providing one continuous strip of cable ties.

A cable tie includes an elongate generally planar strap and a head. The head of the cable tie includes an aperture therethrough for insertably accommodating the strap. The head of the cable tie also includes a barb embedding surface adjacent the aperture through the head. A metallic locking barb is embedded in the embedding surface in a direction substantially parallel to the aperture in the head. The metallic locking barb is bent to form an obtuse angle so that the metallic locking barb extends into the aperture in the head to permit movement of the strap in an insertion direction and to prevent substantial movement of the strap in a withdrawal direction.

Cable tie with bent barb

A bundling tie having a head at one end, a tail at the other end, and a central strap body therebetween. The head includes a strap ingress face for receiving the strap and a strap egress face from which the inserted strap exits the head. The head further includes a central passageway in communication with the strap ingress face and the strap egress face for receipt of the tail. A metallic locking barb is embedded into a flexible foundation in the head. The flexible foundation is partially defined by a channel around the foundation. The channel provides increased barb rotation upon strap insertion into the head while also providing a stop surface that requires greater barb deflection upon attempt to withdraw the strap from the head.

Flexible platform for cable tie barb

The cable tie includes an elongate strap and a head having an aperture therethrough for insertably accommodating the strap. A locking barb is movably supported in the head and is engagable with the strap in a manner which permits insertion of the strap thereinto and prevents withdrawal of the strap therefrom. The strap includes a strap body and plural protrusions extending from the strap body. The barb is engagable with the protrusions of the strap upon insertion. Upon an attempt to withdraw the strap, the barb digs into the strap body to prevent withdrawal of the strap from the head.

Cable tie having an improved strap body

A cable tie includes an elongate generally planar strap and a cable tie head. The head of the cable tie includes an aperture therethrough for insertably accommodating the strap. A locking device is supported by the head and extends into the aperture. The locking device permits movement of the strap in an insertion direction and prevents substantial movement of the strap in a withdrawal direction. The locking device includes a hingedly mounted support member extending into the aperture and a barb supported adjacent the support member. The barb and the support member are movable into locking engagement with the strap to prevent withdrawal of the strap from the head aperture.

Growing community of inventors

Germantown, TN, United States of America

Peter M Wells, Jr