Adjustable-Head Cable Tie for Secure Wire Routing Under Tension
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing low-profile cable ties with small contact points and serrations fail to consistently secure elongate articles like insulated electrical wires due to insufficient tension and prone to disengagement under high force, leading to potential strap failure and longitudinal migration or rotation.
Innovation Solution
A cable tie with a deformable zone in the head that flares outwardly when tension is applied, providing a tight circumferential wrapping and engaging serrations to secure elongate articles, ensuring nearly 360-degree contact and preventing migration or rotation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a low-profile head design with small contact points is used, then the cable tie packaging requirements are met, but the cable tie cannot generate sufficient tension to securely bind the wire
Solution Approach 1:
The head incorporates a deformable zone that dynamically changes shape during installation. When the strap is pulled tight, the deformable zone collapses inward, causing the head walls to move closer together and increase the contact force between the pawl and serrations, thereby generating sufficient tension force despite the low-profile design
Solution Approach 2:
The thickness of the deformable zone varies along its length, with the thinnest portion positioned to collapse first under tension. This parameter variation allows the head to transition from a relaxed state to a tightened state, where the collapsing deformable zone increases the effective contact area and force between binding elements
2Volume of moving object
If tight bending angles are used in the cable tie strap, then the head profile is reduced, but stress concentration occurs leading to strap failure
Solution Approach 1:
The deformable zone is designed with a specific thickness gradient that changes along its length. The thinnest portion is strategically positioned to collapse first, which redistributes the bending stresses and prevents stress concentration at fixed tight angles, thereby maintaining strap strength while achieving a low-profile head
3Volume of moving object
If small contact points are used between the cable tie and wire, then the head size is reduced, but the wire can migrate longitudinally or rotate within the cable tie
Solution Approach 1:
The deformable zone creates a dynamic clamping action where the head walls move closer together under tension, increasing the contact pressure between the pawl and serrations. This dynamic increase in contact area and pressure prevents wire migration and rotation while maintaining a compact head size in the unactivated state
Solution Approach 2:
The varying thickness of the deformable zone creates a progressive collapse sequence that increases contact force at critical binding points. This parameter change ensures sufficient friction and mechanical interlocking to prevent wire movement while keeping the overall head volume small
4Reliability
If the cable tie is designed to maintain secure routing with deformable zone, then force distribution is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The deformable zone is integrally molded as part of the head structure, combining the functions of structural support, force distribution, and dynamic adjustment into a single monolithic component. This merging approach improves routing security through better force distribution while avoiding the complexity of multiple separate parts
Solution Approach 2:
The deformable zone acts as a flexible structural element within the head that can deform under load to distribute forces more evenly. This flexible region is integrated into the rigid head structure, creating a hybrid design that enhances reliability without requiring complex external mechanisms
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 deformable zone design enhances the cable tie's ability to maintain secure routing of elongate articles by distributing force effectively, preventing contact with adjacent elements and ensuring consistent tension, particularly beneficial in applications requiring precise routing like the aerospace industry.
Implementation Method 1
The deformable zone is flexible and configured to deform in response to an application of a force on the strap when securing the cable tie to the elongate article
Implementation Method 2
The first wall comprises a pawl with a plurality of teeth configured to engage the plurality of serrations of the strap
Data Source
Figure 1~3b
Figure 4~6
Figure 7~9A
AI summary
A cable tie (10) includes a cable tie (10) head (12); and a strap (16). The head (12) is configured to receive the strap (16). A least a part of the head (12) comprises a deformable zone (32) configured to deform when the strap (16) is received in the cable tie head (12) to secure the cable tie (10) to an elongate article (52).