Tie-wrap assembly and method for using the same

Abstract

A tie-wrap assembly having a locking head, an elongated strap body spaced apart from the locking head, and a coupling member, wherein the coupling member is connected to and disposed between the locking head and the elongated strap body, and wherein the coupling member is fabricated from an elastomeric material.

Claims

1. A tie-wrap assembly, comprising: a locking head, wherein the locking head includes an arrow-shaped head, and a recessed region positioned adjacent to the arrow-shaped head; an elongated strap body spaced apart from the locking head, wherein the elongated strap body includes an arrow-shaped head, and a recessed region positioned adjacent to the arrow-shaped head; and a coupling member, wherein the coupling member is connected to and disposed between the locking head and the elongated strap body, and wherein the coupling member comprises an elastomer, and wherein the coupling member contacts the recessed region of the locking head and the recessed region of the elongated strap body and is secured to both the locking head and the elongated strap body via a pair of securement bands.

2. The tie-wrap assembly according to claim 1, wherein the locking head and the elongated strap body comprise a thermoplastic.

3. The tie-wrap assembly according to claim 1, wherein the locking head and the elongated strap body comprise at least one of the group consisting of an aliphatic polyamide, a semi-aromatic polyamide, and combinations thereof.

4. The tie-wrap assembly according to claim 1, wherein the locking head and the elongated strap body comprise at least one of the group consisting of nylon PA 6, nylon PA 66, nylon PA 6/66, nylon PA 66/610, and combinations thereof.

5. The tie-wrap assembly according to claim 1, wherein the locking head and the elongated strap body comprise at least one of the group consisting of a polycarbonate, an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, a nylon, a copolyester, a polystyrene, a high impact polystyrene, a polyphenylene oxide, and combinations thereof.

6. The tie-wrap assembly according to claim 1, wherein the coupling member comprises a thermoplastic elastomer.

7. The tie-wrap assembly according to claim 6, wherein the coupling member comprises a thermoplastic elastomer selected from the group consisting of a styrenic block copolymer, a thermoplastic olefin, an elastomeric alloy, a thermoplastic polyurethane, a thermoplastic copolyester, a thermoplastic polyamide, and combinations thereof.

8. The tie-wrap assembly according to claim 1, wherein the coupling member comprises at least one of the group consisting of a natural polyisoprene, a synthetic polyisoprene, a polybutadiene, a chloroprene rubber, a butyl rubber, a halogenated butyl rubber, a styrene-butadiene rubber, a nitrile rubber, a hydrogenated nitrile rubber, an ethylene propylene rubber, an ethylene propylene diene rubber, an epichlorohydrin rubber, a polyacrylic rubber, a silicone rubber, a fluorosilicone rubber, a fluoroelastomer, a perfluoroelastomer, a polyether block amide, a chlorosulfonated, ethylene-vinyl acetate, a resilin, an elastin, a polysulfide rubber, an elastolefin, and combinations thereof.

9. A tie-wrap assembly, comprising: a locking head, an elongated strap body, and a coupling member; wherein the locking head comprises an end wall, an inner wall, and a pair of sidewalls that define a channel that extends from an entrance end to an exit end of the locking head, and wherein the locking head further comprises a deflectable pawl and a tab; wherein the elongated strap body comprises a first end, a second end, a top surface and a bottom surface; and wherein the coupling member comprises a first end, a second end, a top surface, and a bottom surface, and wherein the first end of the coupling member is associated with the first end of the elongated strap body and the second end of the coupling member is associated with the tab of the locking head, and wherein the coupling member contacts a recessed region of the locking head and a recessed region of the elongated strap body and is secured to both the locking head and the elongated strap body via a pair of securement bands.

10. The tie-wrap assembly according to claim 9, wherein the deflectable pawl extends from the inner wall of the locking head into the channel for engaging the elongated strap body.

11. The tie-wrap assembly according to claim 10, wherein the tab emanates from an outer surface of the inner wall of the locking head.

12. The tie-wrap assembly according to claim 11, wherein the bottom surface of the elongated strap body includes a plurality of ratchet teeth.

13. The tie-wrap assembly according to claim 12, wherein the locking head and the elongated strap body are fabricated from nylon and the coupling member is fabricated from a thermoplastic elastomer.

14. The tie-wrap assembly according to claim 13, wherein the coupling member comprises a thermoplastic elastomer selected from the group consisting of a styrenic block copolymer, a thermoplastic olefin, an elastomeric alloy, a thermoplastic polyurethane, a thermoplastic copolyester, a thermoplastic polyamide, and combinations thereof.

15. The tie-wrap assembly according to claim 14, wherein the top surface of the coupling member further comprises a pair of longitudinal recessed slots.

16. The tie-wrap assembly according to claim 15, wherein the bottom surface of the coupling member further comprises a pair of longitudinal recessed slots.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Certain embodiments of the present invention are illustrated by the accompanying figures. It will be understood that the figures are not necessarily to scale and that details not necessary for an understanding of the invention or that render other details difficult to perceive may be omitted. It will be further understood that the invention is not necessarily limited to the particular embodiments illustrated herein.

(2) The invention will now be described with reference to the drawings wherein:

(3) FIG. 1 of the drawings is an isometric view of a tie-wrap assembly manufactured in accordance with the present invention;

(4) FIG. 2 of the drawings is a top view of a tie-wrap assembly manufactured in accordance with the present invention;

(5) FIG. 3 of the drawings is a bottom view of a tie-wrap assembly manufactured in accordance with the present invention;

(6) FIG. 4 of the drawings is a side view of a tie-wrap assembly manufactured in accordance with the present invention;

(7) FIG. 5 of the drawings is a top view of an alternative embodiment of a tie-wrap assembly manufactured in accordance with the present invention;

(8) FIG. 6 of the drawings is a bottom view of an alternative embodiment of a tie-wrap assembly manufactured in accordance with the present invention; and

(9) FIG. 7 of the drawings is an exploded isometric view of an alternative embodiment of a tie-wrap assembly manufactured in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(10) While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is disclosed and described herein in detail several specific embodiments with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiments illustrated.

(11) It will be understood that like or analogous elements and/or components, referred to herein, may be identified throughout the drawings by like reference characters. In addition, it will be understood that the drawings are merely schematic representations of one or more embodiments of the invention, and some of the components may have been distorted from their actual scale for purposes of pictorial clarity.

(12) Referring now to the drawings and collectively to FIGS. 1-6, tie-wrap assembly 10 is shown, which generally comprises locking head 12, elongated strap body 14, which is preferably spaced apart from locking head 12, and coupling member 16. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, coupling member 16 is connected to and disposed between locking head 12 and elongated strap body 14, and preferably comprises an elastomer and/or elastomeric material so that tie-wrap assembly 10 can positively engage a banded object (e.g., the scrotum of an animal during castration/elastration, the limb of a human when used as a tourniquet, etcetera) with both constant and sufficient tension relative to conventional tie-wraps.

(13) Locking head 12 of tie-wrap assembly 10 preferably includes end wall 18, inner wall 20, and a pair of sidewalls 22 and 22 that define channel 24 which extends from entrance end 26 to exit end 28 of locking head 12. Locking head 12 preferably further includes deflectable pawl and/or hingeless wedge 30. Deflectable pawl 30 preferably extends from inner wall 20 of locking head 12 into channel 24 for lockably engaging elongated strap body 14.

(14) Locking head 12 of tie-wrap assembly 10 also preferably includes tab/connecting strap 32. Tab 32 preferably emanates from an outer surface of inner wall 20 of locking head 12.

(15) Elongated strap body 14 preferably includes first end 34, second end or tail 36, top surface 38 and bottom surface 40. In one embodiment of the present invention, bottom surface 40 of elongated strap body 14 includes a plurality of ratchet teeth 42.

(16) Coupling member 16 of tie-wrap assembly 10 preferably includes first end 44, second end 46, top surface 48, and bottom surface 50. First end 44 of coupling member 16 is preferably associated (e.g., secured, fixed, attached, fastened, etcetera) with first end 34 of elongated strap body 14, and second end 46 of coupling member 16 is preferably associated (e.g., secured, fixed, attached, fastened, etcetera) with tab 32 of locking head 12. As is shown in FIGS. 1-4, coupling member 16 may substantially cover end wall 18, inner wall 20, sidewalls 22 and 22, and tab 32 of locking head 12, or, alternatively, as is shown in FIGS. 5-6, coupling member 16 may engage/cover only tab 32 of locking head 12.

(17) In one embodiment of the present invention, coupling member 16 includes elongated or longitudinal recessed slots 52 on one or more of top and bottom surfaces 48 and 50, respectively. Without being bound to any one particular theory, it is believed that slots 52 provide coupling member 16 with superior elasticity and malleability for elastration and/or tourniquet applications.

(18) In accordance with the present invention, locking head 12 and elongated strap body 14 are preferably fabricated from a thermoplastic substrate, such as, for example, an aliphatic polyamide and/or a semi-aromatic polyamide. Specific examples include nylon, such as nylon PA 6, nylon PA 66, nylon PA 6/66, and/or nylon PA 66/610.5.

(19) Locking head 12 and elongated strap body 14 may also be fabricated from other materials, such as, polycarbonates, acrylonitrile butadiene styrenes, copolyesters, polystyrenes, high impact polystyrenes, polyphenylene oxidesjust to name a few. It will be understood that elongated strap body 14 should not be fabricated from an elastomeric material because such elastomeric material can compromise the sufficiency and consistency of engagement of a banded object.

(20) In accordance with the present invention, coupling member 16 is preferably fabricated from a thermoplastic elastomer, including, but not limited to, a styrenic block copolymer, a thermoplastic olefin, an elastomeric alloy, a thermoplastic polyurethane, a thermoplastic copolyester, a thermoplastic polyamide, etcetera.

(21) Coupling member 16 may also be fabricated from one or more elastomeric materials, including, but not limited to, natural polyisoprenes, synthetic polyisoprenes, polybutadienes, chloroprene rubbers, butyl rubbers, halogenated butyl rubbers, styrene-butadiene rubbers, nitrile rubbers, hydrogenated nitrile rubbers, ethylene propylene rubbers, ethylene propylene diene rubbers, epichlorohydrin rubbers, polyacrylic rubbers, silicone rubbers, fluorosilicone rubbers, fluoroelastomers, perfluoroelastomers, polyether block amides, chlorosulfonated, ethylene-vinyl acetates, resilins, elastins, a polysulfide rubbers, elastolefins, and combinations thereof.

(22) In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, locking head 12 and elongated strap body 14 are overmolded with coupling member 16. It will be understood that coupling member 16 may also be associated with locking head 12 and/or elongated strap body 14 via etch coating, dip coating, spin coating, brush coating and/or spray coatingincluding, but not limited to, cold spraying, thermal spraying, high velocity spraying (e.g., supersonic), low velocity spraying (e.g., subsonic), triboelectric discharge kinetic spraying and other similar processes.

(23) Referring once again to the drawings and to FIG. 7 in particular, an alternative embodiment of tie-wrap assembly 10 is shown in an exploded, isometric view, which generally comprises locking head 12, elongated strap body 14, which is preferably spaced apart from locking head 12, and coupling member 16. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, coupling member 16 is connected to and disposed between locking head 12 and elongated strap body 14, and preferably comprises an elastomer and/or elastomeric material so that tie-wrap assembly 10 can positively engage a banded object (e.g., the scrotum of an animal during castration/elastration, the limb of a human when used as a tourniquet, etcetera) with both constant and sufficient tension relative to conventional tie-wraps.

(24) In this embodiment, locking head 12 of tie-wrap assembly 10 preferably includes an end wall, an inner wall, and a pair of sidewalls that define a channel which extends from an entrance end to an exit end of locking head 12in an analogous manner to the locking head disclosed in FIGS. 4-5. Locking head 12 preferably further includes a deflectable pawl and/or a hingeless wedge. The deflectable pawl preferably extends from the inner wall of locking head 12 into the channel for lockably engaging elongated strap body 14in an analogous manner to the locking head disclosed in FIG. 5.

(25) As is shown in FIG. 7, locking head 12 of tie-wrap assembly 10 also preferably includes tab/connecting strap 32. Tab 32 preferably emanates from an outer surface of the inner wall of locking head 12. Connecting strap 32 preferably includes terminal, substantially arrow-shaped head and/or arrow-shaped head 33. It will be understood that arrow-shaped head 33 enhances the ease of which connecting strap 32 is inserted and secured into coupling member 16. Connecting strap 32 further preferably includes recessed region 35 for enhanced securement of coupling member 16 in cooperation with fastener/band 37.

(26) Elongated strap body 14 preferably includes a first end, a second end or tail, a top surface and a bottom surface. In one embodiment of the present invention, the bottom surface of elongated strap body 14 includes a plurality of ratchet teeth. As is best shown in FIG. 7, the first end of elongated strap body 14 preferably terminates with a substantially arrow-shaped head and/or arrow-shaped head 33. It will be understood that arrow-shaped head 33 enhances the ease of which the end of elongated strap body 14 is inserted and secured into coupling member 16. The first end of elongated strap body 14 further preferably includes recessed region 35 for enhanced securement of coupling member 16 in cooperation with fastener/band 37.

(27) It will be understood that coupling member 16 of tie-wrap assembly 10 is preferably inserted over arrow-shaped heads 33 and recessed regions 35 of locking head 12 and elongated strap body 14. Coupling member 16 is preferably secured to both locking head 12 and elongated strap body 14 via conventional fasteners and/or securement bands 37. Fasteners 37 may optionally comprise string, rope, cord, rubber and/or plastic bands, metal wire, staples, crimp bands, etcetera. It will be further understood that, in this embodiment, coupling member 16 is preferably fabricated from a thermoplastic elastomer and/or an elastomeric materialas is disclosed herein above.

(28) Tie-wrap assembly 10 of the present invention may be utilized for conventional applications where tie-wraps, cable ties, hose ties, zip ties, zap straps, and/or panduit straps are utilized and/or for specialized applications, such as for elastration and/or tourniquet applications.

(29) In one application of the present invention, a male animal is provided. Next, tie-wrap assembly 10 is secured (e.g., banded) around the scrotum of the male animal. Once secured, the tie-wrap provides sufficient and constant tension such that necrosis caused by insufficient blood supply to the scrotum and testicles of the animal occurs. Notably, the necrosis occurs with no or minimal pain to the animal and/or utilization of banding tools. After necrosis sets in, the scrotum and testicles of the animal naturally disassociate from the animal, thereby steering the animal in a humane manner.

(30) The foregoing description merely explains and illustrates the invention and the invention is not limited thereto except insofar as the appended claims are so limited, as those skilled in the art who have the disclosure before them will be able to make modifications without departing from the scope of the invention.