Buoyant Detectable Cable Tie Composition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cable ties are not buoyant due to their high specific gravity, making them difficult to detect in product or process streams, and adding metal particles to reduce density compromises their strength.
Innovation Solution
A buoyant cable tie composition with a plastic material and metal particles, where the combined density is less than 1.25 g/cm3, allowing it to float and be easily detected using various devices, without compromising strength or integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If cable ties are made from solid no-void construction to maximize strength, then strength is improved, but buoyancy deteriorates (specific gravity greater than water)
Solution Approach 1:
The cable tie incorporates closed-cell foam structure within its construction, creating a porous material that provides buoyancy while maintaining structural integrity. The foam cells are sealed and distributed throughout the cable tie body, allowing it to float on water while retaining sufficient strength for cable binding applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable tie uses a composite material system combining a polymer matrix with closed-cell foam structure. This composite approach allows the material to exhibit both mechanical strength from the polymer framework and buoyancy from the trapped air cells, resolving the contradiction between strength and floating capability.
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If metal particles are added to cable tie material to improve detectability, then detection capability is improved, but strength deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the cable tie material by incorporating specific types and concentrations of metal particles (such as ferrous, aluminum, or copper particles) within controlled ranges. This allows optimization of detectability parameters while maintaining strength parameters through careful selection of particle size, shape, and distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
Metal particles are distributed locally throughout the cable tie material rather than uniformly concentrated in one area. This local distribution ensures detectability is achieved across the entire cable tie structure while preventing localized weakness that would occur with concentrated metal additions.
3Stability of the object's composition
If air pockets are introduced to make cable tie buoyant, then buoyancy is improved, but strength deteriorates due to areas of weakness
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses controlled closed-cell foam structure instead of random air pockets. The foam cells are uniformly distributed and sealed within the polymer matrix, providing consistent buoyancy while the cellular structure maintains structural integrity and prevents the formation of weak points that would occur with voids.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent controls the parameters of the foam structure including cell size, cell wall thickness, and foam density to optimize the balance between buoyancy and strength. By adjusting these parameters, the cable tie achieves sufficient floating capability while maintaining the mechanical strength required for cable binding applications.
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 cable ties float and can be easily detected by metal, X-ray, or visual means, reducing manufacturing costs and assembly time, while maintaining strength and usability.
Implementation Method 1
a buoyant cable tie formed from a composition that includes a plastic material which makes up a first weight percent of the composition and has a first density; and metal particles which make up a second weight percent of the composition and have a second density. The sum of the product of the first weight percent and the first density and the product of the second weight percent and the second density is less than 1.25 g/cm3
Implementation Method 2
a small quantity of metal flakes or bits can be added to the cable tie material to make it even easier for the cable tie or portions of the cable tie to be detected using detection devices
Data Source
AI summary
A buoyant cable tie formed from a composition that includes a plastic material and metal particles. The average density of the composition is less than 1.25 g/cm3, preferably less than 1.15 g/cm3, and the cable tie floats. In one embodiment, the plastic material has a first melting point and the plastic carrier material has a second melting point. The first melting point is lower than the second melting point so that the plastic material can be melted without melting the plastic carrier material. The cable tie floats and the metal particles allow the cable ties to be easily detected by metal detection devices. Some embodiments can also be detected by X-ray, sonar, optical or visual detection devices.