Accordion Strap Waves Prevent Retrograde Movement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Metal tie straps often experience retrograde movement and slack issues due to excessive play, leading to loose securing of articles, especially in harsh environments.
Innovation Solution
A ball-lock tie strap with a deformable strap body featuring a plurality of formed waves that provide a spring-like effect, enhancing resilient retention and maintaining tension by forming angles with each other, preventing the tail from dislodging the locking head.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a ball-lock mechanism is used to secure the strap, then the locking reliability is improved, but the strap may still experience retrograde movement and slack due to excessive play in the tie strap
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces formed waves (curved structures) into the strap body that provide a spring-like effect. These curved formations allow the strap to flex and absorb movement while maintaining tension, preventing retrograde movement and slack without compromising the ball-lock mechanism's reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the physical parameters of the strap body by adding formed waves that change the strap's mechanical properties. These waves provide elasticity and resilience, allowing the strap to maintain optimal tension and prevent excessive play while working with the ball-lock mechanism.
2Strength
If the strap body is made rigid for strength, then the strength is improved, but the strap loses elasticity and cannot compensate for slack in non-deformable articles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the strap body into segments with different properties: the overall strap maintains high strength through its material composition, while specific sections contain formed waves that provide localized elasticity. This segmentation allows the strap to exhibit both strength and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by introducing formed waves at specific locations within the strap body. These localized curved structures provide elasticity where needed while the rest of the strap maintains its rigid, high-strength characteristics for overall structural integrity.
3Reliability
If the locking head is designed to lock the tail in place, then the locking function is improved, but the tail may still work its way out through movements in different directions
Solution Approach 1:
The formed waves in the strap body create a spring-like effect that absorbs directional movements and maintains constant tension on the tail. This curvature-based elasticity prevents the tail from working its way out through movements in different directions while the ball-lock mechanism maintains its locking function.
Solution Approach 2:
The formed waves provide preliminary anti-action by pre-tensioning the strap and creating resistance against retrograde movement before the tail can work its way out. This proactive elastic resistance works in conjunction with the ball-lock mechanism to enhance tail retention stability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The tie strap effectively prevents retrograde movement and maintains tension, ensuring secure bundling of articles across various conditions, including harsh environments, with improved elasticity and resistance to corrosion.
Implementation Method 1
The plurality of waves provide a spring-like effect for providing resilient retention of the strap body about the article or articles upon locking engagement of the tail with the head
Data Source
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AI summary
A tie strap tie for holding an article or group of articles together includes an elongate strap having a locking head at one end and a tail at the other end and an elongate strap body therebetween. The tail is insertable into the locking head for locking the strap around the article or articles. The locking head contains a ball positioned for lockingly engaging said tail upon insertion via a first direction and for locking engagement therewith upon movement of the tail in a second direction opposite said first direction, thereby retaining said tail associated with said locking head. The strap body further defines a major plane and a diametrically opposite minor plane. A plurality of formed waves extends from the major plane opposite the minor plane of the strap body for providing resilient retention of the strap body about said articles or articles.