Releasable Cable Tie with Wide Thumb Pad
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cable ties cannot be released without damaging electrical power cords or cables when tightly bundled, requiring replacement and leading to costly and inconvenient repairs, especially in large-scale applications like airliner electrical wiring.
Innovation Solution
A releasable cable tie design featuring a strap with a locking head and operating rod, including engaging teeth and a wide release thumb pad, allowing for easy insertion and removal without damaging the cables, with a mechanism that reduces entry resistance and accommodates external forces to prevent loosening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional cable ties are tightened to securely bundle electrical cables, then the bundling strength is improved, but the cable ties cannot be released without damaging the cables
Solution Approach 1:
The cable tie is divided into a strap portion and a locking head portion that can be separated. The locking head contains a release mechanism with disengaging teeth that can independently release from the strap's engaging teeth, allowing the strap to be removed from the bundle without cutting or damaging it.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism transitions from a static locked state to a dynamic release state through the release tab. When the release tab is actuated, it pivots the locking head to disengage the teeth, enabling the strap to be dynamically removed from the bundled cables without damage.
2Device complexity
If conventional cable ties are designed with simple locking mechanisms, then the device complexity is reduced, but the release mechanism requires excessive operational force or damage to cables
Solution Approach 1:
A release tab serves as an intermediary lever between the user's finger and the locking teeth. This intermediary component provides mechanical advantage, allowing a small finger force to generate sufficient torque to disengage the locked teeth without requiring excessive force or cable damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The release mechanism utilizes rotational motion in a different dimensional plane. The locking teeth engage through linear insertion, but release through rotational pivoting of the locking head around a fulcrum point, changing the dimension of the release action from linear pulling to rotational leverage.
3Stability of the object's composition
If cable ties are made tightly secured to hold bundles firmly, then the stability of the bundle is improved, but the ability to adjust or remove cables is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The cable tie system provides self-service functionality where the same device that secures the bundle can also release it. The integrated release mechanism allows the user to maintain bundle stability during operation and easily adjust or remove cables when needed, without requiring external tools or causing damage.
4Ease of manufacture
If conventional cable ties lack release mechanisms, then the manufacturing precision and simplicity are maintained, but the operational flexibility and reusability are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The release mechanism is pre-configured into the locking head during manufacturing. The disengaging teeth and fulcrum geometry are built-in from the start, allowing the cable tie to be manufactured with standard precision while gaining reusable operational capability. This preliminary design enables quick release without requiring complex post-manufacturing assembly.
Data Source
AI summary
A releasable cable tie and method providing a molded one-piece thermoplastic elongated planar strap for binding electrical cables and a plurality of strap teeth formed on one side of the strap for engaging a locking head formed at one end of the strap. A novel releasable latch on the locking head provides a large and wide thumb pad having a width at least 95% of the width of the strap and an index finger back plate positioned below the thumb pad and having a width and length at least as large as the width and height of the thumb pad.