CABLE TIE, FASTENING SET AND METHOD FOR MOUNTING THE CABLE TIE

Description

Area

[0001] The invention relates to an easily installed cable tie and a mounting kit comprising such a cable tie. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for producing the cable tie. background

[0002] Cable ties are used in the production of numerous products. A typical application is the bundling of individual wires into a cable harness and / or the fastening of wires and cables to another component in a product. This type of use gives cable ties their name, but cable ties are also frequently used to secure hoses or similar. Cable ties owe their success in production to their simple but effective function: They usually consist of a flexible plastic strip with a head or lock with an opening at the end. The strip is provided with teeth, and the head is equipped with a slanted locking tongue that engages with the teeth. When the plastic strip is inserted, the slanted locking tongue is deflected perpendicular to its length and clicks into recesses in the teeth one after the other.Subsequent removal of the strip from the head is not possible, however, because this would impose a force on the locking tab along its length. The locking tab is designed to transfer this force to the head without deforming the locking tab. As a result, the removal of the strip from the head is blocked.

[0003] The design and function of common cable ties inevitably mean that in order to secure one object to another, the cable must be looped around both the object and the other component. In some installation situations, this can be difficult or even completely impossible. Furthermore, the tension with which the cable tie holds the object to the other component depends primarily on the force with which a worker pulls the strip into the head of the cable tie. It is obvious that there are individual differences in this, which can have a detrimental effect on consistent production quality. This can only be counteracted by using a special tool.

[0004] US 10,337,541 B2 shows a cable tie suitable for securing an element to a pipe. The cable tie has an expandable elastic section that contracts when the pipe shrinks, thus keeping the cable tie taut. The cable tie has a band with a toothed section.

[0005] US 2020 / 0224797 A1 discloses another cable tie, which is constructed very similarly to the cable tie in US 10,337,541 B2 and also has an elastic section. The cable tie comprises two locking heads, each of which holds a band provided with a toothing.

[0006] DE 20 2004 017 224 U1 relates to a cable tie with two locking heads designed to hold a strap. The locking heads contain locking elements that interact with a profile in the strap.

[0007] US Pat. No. 5,970,585 relates to a buckle that can be used with a respirator. The buckle 14 consists of two buckle parts 16 and 18, each located at the end of two strap parts. The buckle parts 16 and 18 have wing parts 22 and flange parts 24. The buckle 14 is closed by sliding the wing parts 22 into the flange parts 24.

[0008] Based on this, the present invention has the object of creating a cable tie in order to overcome or at least improve one or more of the problems mentioned above. Description of the invention

[0009] To achieve this object, the invention proposes, according to a first aspect, a cable tie with a band and a tensioning device integrated in the band, which divides the band into a first and a second region, each of which has a toothed section. The tensioning device is pivotable and comprises a locking head and two tensioning hooks. The locking head comprises two resilient tabs, one of which is provided with a locking projection. Once tensioned, the locking head fixes the tensioning device in the tensioned position so that the tensioning device can no longer release on its own. The two resilient tabs ensure that the locking hook is elastically deformable and can therefore be inserted into a corresponding opening in the first band and locked there. The first and second regions of the band are also referred to below as the first and second band.

[0010] The cable tie according to the invention has the advantage that the cable tie itself does not need to be pre-assembled for looping. A cable duct or a component to which an object, such as a cable harness, is to be attached can remain in the installed position because both ends of the cable tie can be inserted into cable locks from one side. No tools are required for installation of the cable tie.

[0011] The free ends of the cable tie can be inserted into cable turnbuckles, allowing an object to be attached to a component without first having to loop the cable tie around the component and the object. There are installation situations or manufacturing processes in which it is very difficult to even form such a loop. Such difficult, confined installation situations are frequently encountered in automotive engineering, for example. The tensioning device tensions the cable tie and secures the object to the component with a predetermined force.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment, the tensioning device is connected to the two sections of the strap by means of film hinges. For assembly, the cable tie is available as a single component, which offers production-related advantages, for example, because only a single part needs to be kept on hand. Furthermore, a single part is easier for a worker to handle in production than multiple parts. The hinge function of the film hinges also predetermines a defined direction of movement for the individual parts.

[0013] In an advantageous embodiment, the first area has a locking opening for receiving the locking head and the second area has projecting clamping pins, each of which fits into a receptacle of the two clamping hooks.

[0014] Advantageously, the first or second region of the band has an elastic section which is stretchable in a longitudinal direction of the band.

[0015] The clamping force with which the object is held to the component is essentially defined by the elastic section, so that deviations in the insertion depth of the cable tie ends into the cable locks are compensated for by a greater or lesser stretching of the elastic section. The greater or lesser stretching of the elastic section has little or no significant effect on the clamping force, thus ensuring consistent quality throughout the manufacturing process.

[0016] The clamping hooks can be provided with a locking projection on the side facing the clamping pin. When the clamping device is in the tensioned position, the locking projections engage behind the second band and ensure that the clamping device also locks onto the second band and is fixed in the tensioned position. This makes the clamping device more stable in the tensioned position than if only the locking head provided the fixation. This positive connection of the individual components eliminates the need for the film hinge function, which is advantageous if the film hinges become damaged, for example, due to aging or hardening.

[0017] In a practical development, the locking projections are provided with chamfered edges. These chamfers ensure that the clamping hooks are pushed apart shortly before they lock onto the second strap, facilitating the locking process.

[0018] The cable tie is a simple injection-molded part that requires only simple tools to produce.

[0019] According to a second aspect, the invention proposes a fastening kit for fastening objects to a component, comprising two cable strap locks and a cable tie according to the first aspect of the invention. The fastening kit provides all the components necessary for fastening an object to a structural component, for example, in a vehicle or other product. The fastening kit realizes all the advantages explained in connection with the cable ties according to the invention.

[0020] A method not belonging to the invention for assembling a cable tie according to the invention to fasten an object to a component comprises: Inserting and locking cable tie locks into openings in the component; inserting the ends of the cable tie into each of the cable tie locks; and tightening the tensioning device.

[0021] The ends of the cable tie are inserted until the cable tie rests against the object without any play. This ensures that the tensioning device achieves sufficient clamping force to secure the object to the component.

[0022] In practice, it has proven to be useful if the clamping device is tightened by pivoting the clamping device. Short description of the drawing

[0023] The invention will be explained in more detail below using an exemplary embodiment with reference to the accompanying figures. All figures are purely schematic and not to scale. They show: Fig. 1A, 1B cable ties according to the prior art; Fig. 2A-2D views from the side and from above of a cable tie according to the invention; Fig. 3A an enlarged section of a cable tie according to the invention in the untensioned state; Fig. 3B an opened tensioning device of the cable tie from Figure 3A ; Fig. 4A an enlarged section of a cable tie according to the invention in the tensioned state; Fig. 4B a closed tensioning device of the cable tie from Figure 4A ; Fig. 5A, 5B Views of a cable tie lock; Fig. 6A an assembly situation with an opened cable tie; Fig. 6B an assembly situation with a closed cable tie; and Fig. 7 schematic flow diagram for a method for fastening an object with a cable tie according to the invention.

[0024] Identical or similar elements are provided with identical or similar reference symbols in the figures. Example

[0025] Figure 1Ashows a cable tie as is known from the prior art. The cable tie 100 has an elongated, flat band 101 and a head 102. A window 103 is formed in the head 102, providing a passage through the head 102. The elongated band 101 has a first end 104 and an opposite second end 106. The first end 104 is connected to the head 102. The band 101 is provided with a toothing 107 on a main surface. The second end 106 of the band 101 can be passed through the window 103. The toothing 107 engages a free end 108 of a locking tongue 109. The locking tongue 109 interacts with the toothing 107 in such a way that the second end 106 of the band 101 can be inserted into the head 102, but can no longer be pulled out, as described above.In this way, the cable tie 100 can be looped around a component and an object to be attached to it, or it can combine multiple electrical wires and / or fluid lines (all not shown) into a bundle. This requires that the cable tie 100 be wrapped around the objects to be combined, which can be difficult in some installation situations.

[0026] Figure 1B illustrates a loop formed by the cable tie 100 when the second end 106 is inserted into the head 102.

[0027] The Figures 2A and 2Bshow a cable tie 200 according to the invention in a side view and in a top view. The cable tie 200 comprises two cable straps 201, 202, which are connected to one another by means of a tensioning device 203. The cable straps are referred to below as "strap" for short. The first strap 201 is connected to the tensioning device 203 by means of a film hinge 204, and the second strap 202 is connected to the tensioning device 203 by means of a film hinge 206. The first and second straps 201, 202 were also referred to above as the first and second regions of a unitary cable tie. The straps 201, 202 each have a toothing 208 on a main surface 207. The ends 209 of the straps 201, 202 are tapered, thereby facilitating insertion into a cable strap lock 500 ( Figure 5A). The second band 202 further comprises a corrugated portion 211 which is elastically stretchable in a longitudinal direction 212 of the cable tie 200. The cable tie 200 is in the Figures 2A and 2B shown in an untensioned state.

[0028] The tensioning device 203 has a locking head 213 and two tensioning hooks 214. When the cable tie 203 is tensioned, the locking head 213 interacts with a locking opening 216 in the first band 201, and the tensioning hooks 214 interact with tensioning pins 217 arranged on the second band 202. To tension the cable tie, the tensioning device 203 is pivoted counterclockwise, as indicated by arrow 218 in Figure 2A is indicated.

[0029] The Figures 2C and 2D show the cable tie 200 in a tensioned state with the tensioning device 203 closed. In the tensioned state, the cable tie 200 is in comparison to the Figures 2A and 2Bshown unstressed state is shortened by a length L. In the installed state of the cable tie 200, when the bands 201, 202 are each locked in a cable lock, the shortening of the cable tie 200 by the length L is compensated by a corresponding stretching of the elastic section 211.

[0030] Figure 3A shows a perspective and enlarged view of a section of Figure 2A with open clamping device 203. Figure 3B shows the open clamping device 203 as a single component. The locking head 213 is constructed from two resilient tabs 301a, 301b, whose free ends 302a, 302b are chamfered so that the locking head 213 can more easily fit into the opening 216 ( Figure 2C ). On the resilient tab 301b, a locking projection 303 is formed which, when the clamping device 203 is tensioned, ie when the locking head 213 is seated in the opening 216 ( Figure 2C), engages behind an underside of the first band 201, so that the locking head 213 can no longer be easily removed from the opening 216. The locking head 213 is arranged at one end of a web 304, which at its other end carries a cross member 306, at the ends of which the two clamping hooks 214 are arranged. The clamping hooks 214 each have a receptacle 307, which is dimensioned such that the clamping pins 217 fit into it. On the inner sides 308 of the clamping hooks 214, projections 309 are formed, the function of which with reference to the Figures 4A and 4B described below. To prevent the projections 309 from hooking onto the first band 201, an end region of the first band is narrower. Finally, Figures 3A and 3B Parts of the film hinges 204,206 are visible, around which the clamping device 203 can be pivoted for clamping. The pivoting movement for clamping the clamping device 203 takes place counterclockwise as indicated by the arrow 218 ( Figure 2A) is indicated.

[0031] In Figure 4A the tensioning device 203 is tensioned and the cable tie 200 is shown in a tensioned state, which is achieved by pivoting the tensioning device 203 counterclockwise. At the end of the pivoting movement of the tensioning device 203, the locking head 213 sits in the opening 216 and the clamping pins 217 are received in the receptacles 307 of the clamping hooks 214. As in Figure 4A As can be seen, when the tensioning device 203 is tensioned, the projections 309 engage behind an underside of the cable band 202, whereby the tensioning device 203 engages on the second cable band 202. To facilitate the engagement of the tensioning device 203, the projections 309 are each provided with a run-on bevel 401, which ensures that the tensioning hooks 214 are each pushed outwards by the narrow sides of the cable band 202 and then snap back when the projections 309 have passed the cable band 202.

[0032] To attach an object to a component using the cable tie 200, the free ends 209 of the cable tie 200 are fixed to the component using cable tie locks, as described below with reference to the Figures 6A and 6B is explained.

[0033] The Figures 5A, 5Bshow a cable strap lock 500 in a side view and in a perspective view. The cable strap lock 500 has an insertion pin 501 with a rectangular cross-section, which carries a support plate 502 at an upper end. The support plate 502 projects beyond the circumference of the insertion pin 501 on all sides, creating a support flange 503. Locking hooks 504 are formed on the insertion pins at a distance d from the support plate 502. The distance d corresponds approximately to the wall thickness of a component 505 into which the cable strap lock 500 is to be mounted. A channel 506, into which a cable strap 200 can be inserted, leads through the insertion pin 501 and the support plate 502. A locking tongue 507 is arranged in the channel 506, which engages with the toothing 208 on the cable strap 200 in such a way that the cable strap can be inserted into the cable strap lock 500, but can no longer be pulled out.

[0034] In other embodiments of the cable strap lock 500, the cross section of the insertion pin 501 is and / or has fewer or more than four corners. Furthermore, in other embodiments of the cable strap lock, more or fewer than two locking hooks 504 are provided. Figures 6A and 6B show a concrete installation situation, whereby Figure 6A the cable tie 200 is not taut, while it is taut in the illustration Course 6B. The Figures 6A, 6B illustrate how a cable harness 601 is fastened to the component 505 with a cable tie 200. Two cable tie locks are mounted in the component 505 in openings provided for this purpose.

[0035] The cable strap lock can also be an integrated component of a cable duct, thus eliminating the need for an assembly process for this lock.

[0036] The method for attaching the wiring harness 601 to the component 505 is shown in Figure 7illustrated as a flow chart. In a first step S1, cable tie locks 500 are inserted into matching openings in component 505 and locked. In a next step S2, the ends of cable tie 200 are each inserted into one of the cable tie locks 500 until cable tie 200 rests against cable harness 601 without any play. Finally, in a step S3, tensioning device 203 on cable tie 200 is tensioned by pivoting.

[0037] In this way, the cable tie 200 fastens the cable harness 601 to the component 505 without requiring the cable tie to be looped around both the cable harness 601 and the component 505. This represents a significant advantage in installation situations where workers have limited space. Furthermore, the elastic section 211 ensures that the cable harness is always fastened to the component with uniform tension, because the tensile force in the cable tie 200 is essentially constant as a function of the elongation of the selected section 211. Therefore, for consistent manufacturing quality, it is not absolutely necessary for the workers to always insert the cable tie 200 into the cable tie locks 500 with the same pretension.

[0038] The cable ties are manufactured using an injection molding process. Typically, granular raw material is heated to a specified temperature and liquefied. The molten material is then pressed into an injection mold at high pressure.

[0039] In the claims, the words "comprising" and "including" do not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article "a" does not exclude a plurality.

Claims

1. Cable tie having a band (201, 202) and having a tensioning device (203) which is integrated in the band and which divides the band into a first and a second region, each of which regions has a toothed portion (208), wherein the tensioning device (203) is designed to be pivotable and comprises a latching head (213) and two tensioning hooks (214), characterized in that the latching head comprises two resilient tabs (301a, 301b), one of which is provided with a latching projection (303).

2. Cable tie according to Claim 1, characterized in that the tensioning device (213) is connected to the two regions (201, 202) of the band by means of film hinges (204, 206) .

3. Cable tie according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the first region (201) has a latching opening (216) for receiving the latching head (213), and the second region (202) has projecting tensioning pegs (217) which fit into in each case one receiving part (307) of the two tensioning hooks (214).

4. Cable tie according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first or second region (201, 202) of the band has an elastic portion (211) which can be extended in a longitudinal direction of the band.

5. Cable tie according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tensioning hooks (214) are provided on the side facing towards the tensioning pegs (217) with a latching projection (309).

6. Cable tie according to Claim 5, characterized in that run-on bevels (401) are formed on the latching projections (309).

7. Fastening set for fastening objects to a component, comprising two cable-band locks (500) and a cable tie (200) according to one of the preceding claims.