Cutting Tool and Method for Single-Handed Destructive Release of a Cable Tie

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a cutting tool for destructively releasing a cable tie, comprising a cutting unit for cutting into the cable tie to be released; a housing unit having a handle element for holding the cutting tool and an end face to be placed on the cable tie to be loosened during intended use with a path limiting unit, which is designed to limit a path covered by a blade element of the cutting unit when cutting the cable tie to be released in such a way that the cable tie is cut but not cut through by the cutting unit when the cutting tool is used as intended in order to provide an improved cutting tool which overcomes the problems known from the prior art, in particular eliminates injury to the bundling good and simplifies the destructive release of a cable tie closed around a cable bundling good.

Claims

1. A cutting tool for destructively releasing a cable tie, comprising: a cutting unit for cutting into the cable tie to be released; a housing unit having a handle element for holding the cutting tool and an end face to be placed on the cable tie to be loosened during intended use; and a path-limiting unit, the path-limiting unit limiting a path covered by a blade element of the cutting unit when cutting the cable tie to be released such that the cable tie is partially cut but not entirely cut through by the cutting unit.

2. The cutting tool according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the blade element or a further blade element has an end face which is arranged offset from the end face of the housing inwardly with a predetermined distance from the end face, so that the end face of the housing is the path-limiting unit, comprises the path-limiting unit, or is part of the path-limiting unit.

3. The cutting tool according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined distance is at least 0.5 mm.

4. The cutting tool according to claim 3, wherein the predetermined distance is at least 0.8 mm.

5. The cutting tool according to claim 1, wherein the end face has a receiving region for a cable tie head of the cable tie to be released, the receiving region designed to receive the cable tie head completely.

6. The cutting tool according to claim 5, wherein the receiving region is oriented in such a way that the path covered by the blade element runs transversely to at least one of a plane in which a closed cable tie strap of the cable tie to be released runs, or a plane in which an inner side of the cable tie head runs.

7. The cutting tool according to claim 1, wherein the cutting unit has the further blade element which is designed to be moved counter to the blade element during cutting, the path-limiting unit also being designed to limit a path covered by the further blade element of the cutting unit during cutting of the cable tie to be released.

8. The cutting tool according to claim 1, wherein the housing unit comprises an adapter element, which specifies a relative position of blade element to end face.

9. The cutting tool according to claim 8, wherein the relative position of the blade element to end face is a predetermined distance from end face of the housing to end face of the blade element.

10. The cutting tool according to claim 8, wherein the adapter element can be exchanged without tools with at least a part of the end face.

11. The cutting tool according to claim 8, wherein the end face has a receiving region for a cable tie head of the cable tie to be released, the receiving region designed to receive the cable tie head completely, and wherein the adapter element predetermines at least a first subregion of a geometry of the receiving region.

12. The cutting tool according to claim 11, wherein the adapter element predetermines at least the geometry of the receiving region as a whole.

13. The cutting tool according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the blade element or a further blade element has an end face which is arranged offset from the end face of the housing inwardly with a predetermined distance from the end face, so that the end face of the housing is the path-limiting unit, comprises the path-limiting unit, or is part of the path-limiting unit, and wherein the end face has a receiving region for a cable tie head of the cable tie to be released, the receiving region designed to receive the cable tie head completely.

14. The cutting tool according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the blade element or a further blade element has an end face which is arranged offset from the end face of the housing inwardly with a predetermined distance from the end face, so that the end face of the housing is the path-limiting unit, comprises the path-limiting unit, or is part of the path-limiting unit, and wherein the cutting unit has the further blade element which is designed to be moved counter to the blade element during cutting, the path-limiting unit also being designed to limit a path covered by the further blade element of the cutting unit during cutting of the cable tie to be released.

15. The cutting tool according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the blade element or a further blade element has an end face which is arranged offset from the end face of the housing inwardly with a predetermined distance from the end face, so that the end face of the housing is the path-limiting unit, comprises the path-limiting unit, or is part of the path-limiting unit, and wherein the housing unit comprises an adapter element, which specifies a relative position of blade element to end face.

16. A cutting tool system comprising: a cutting tool for destructively releasing a cable tie, comprising: a cutting unit for cutting into the cable tie to be released, the cutting unit including a blade element; a housing unit comprising: a handle element for holding the cutting tool; an end face to be placed on the cable tie to be loosened during intended use; and a plurality of different interchangeable adapter elements, which each interchangeable adapter element at least one of specifies a different relative position of blade element to end face or forms a different geometry of a receiving region, wherein the interchangeable adapter elements predetermine at least a first subregion of a geometry of the receiving region; and a path-limiting unit, the path-limiting unit limiting a path covered by the blade element of the cutting unit when cutting the cable tie to be released such that the cable tie is partially cut but not entirely cut through by the cutting unit.

17. The cutting tool system according to claim 16, wherein at least one of the interchangeable adapter elements forms a geometry of the receiving region alone.

18. The cutting tool system according to claim 17, wherein at least one of the interchangeable adapter element is configured as a cap for the remaining housing unit, while forming the path-limiting unit.

19. The cutting tool system according to claim 17, wherein forming the path-limiting unit comprises forming the end face.

20. The cutting tool system according to claim 16, wherein the adapter element can be exchanged without tools with at least a part of the end face.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Example aspects are described in more detail below with reference to schematic drawings. Thereby,

[0029] FIG. 1 shows an example aspect of a cutting tool in neutral position as a sectional view;

[0030] FIG. 2 shows the end face of the aspect shown in FIG. 1 as a top view;

[0031] FIG. 3 shows the cutting tool from FIG. 1 during its operation as a sectional view;

[0032] FIG. 4 shows a detail from FIG. 3;

[0033] FIG. 5 shows an example tool-free exchangeable adapter element for the example aspect shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 as a perspective view;

[0034] FIG. 6 shows the exchangeable adapter element of FIG. 5 while being mounted and having received a cable tie in its receiving region as a perspective view; and

[0035] FIG. 7 shows a cable tie head cut with a path limitation as a perspective view.

[0036] In the various figures, identical or functionally identical elements are provided with the same reference signs.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] FIG. 1 shows an example aspect of a cutting tool 1 for destructively releasing, e.g., destructively undoing a cable tie. The cutting tool 1 has a cutting unit 2 for cutting into the cable tie 6 (illustrated in FIG. 3) to be released. The cutting unit 2 comprises at least one, in this case two blade elements 2a, 2b. The cutting tool 1 also has a housing unit 3 with a handle element 3a for holding the cutting tool 1 and with an end face 3b to be placed on the cable tie to be released during intended use. The cutting tool 1 also has a path-limiting unit 4, which is designed to limit a path through the cable tie covered, here in the z-direction, by a blade element 2a, 2b of the cutting unit 2 when cutting the cable tie 6 to be released in such a way that the cable tie is cut, but not cut through, by the cutting unit 2 when the cutting tool 1 is used as intended.

[0038] In the aspect shown, an actuating component 5 for the cutting unit 2, respectively the cutting tool 1, is movable relative to the handle element 3a. Actuation of the movement component 5 towards the handle element 3a, e.g., presently in the z-direction, causes, in a known manner via a mechanism M with here two axes of rotation R1, R2, an opposing movement of the two blade elements 2a, 2b presently in y-direction and thus, with the cable tie head 6a (illustrated in FIG. 6) located at the end face 3b, here in a receiving region 3c, a cutting of the cable tie head 6a.

[0039] In the shown aspect, the end face 3b protrudes over end faces 2a*, 2b* of the blade elements 2a, 2b. Thus the end faces 2a*, 2b* are offset inwardly, e.g., in the z-direction here. The distance d between is measured in that direction inwards into the cutting tool 1, perpendicular to a main extension plane (e.g., y-z-plane here) of the end face 3b. Thus the end face 3b in the present case is part of the path limiting unit 4. The predetermined distance d may at least essentially be determined by a material thickness of the path limiting unit 4 in the area of the end face 3b. In the present example, with the end faces 2a*, 2b* essentially abutting an inner side 3b (illustrated in FIG. 4) of the path limiting unit 4 opposed to the end face 3b.

[0040] In FIG. 2, the cutting tool 1 is shown in a frontal view of the end face 3b, with components of the cutting tool 1 lying further in the drawing plane being hidden for reasons of clarity. The dimensions of the receiving region 3c are adapted to cable tie heads 6a of a predetermined type, for example a type T18, so that the cable tie heads 6aof the respective types can be received by the receiving region 3c. In the present aspect, this is done to such an extent that an inner side 6a* (illustrated in FIG. 4) of the cable tie head 6a to be cut, which faces the bundling good, runs in a plane with the end face 3b when used as intended. Accordingly, by applying the end face 3b to the respective bundling good held by the cable tie 6, the cable tie head 6a can be received in the receptacle, e.g., the receiving region 3c. In the present case, the receptacle is also formed for receiving the cable tie strap in corresponding areas 3c, so that in the present case of intended use the cable tie strap 6b (illustrated in FIG. 6) runs in the x-direction.

[0041] The path through the cable tie 6 covered here by the blade elements 2a, 2b in each case runs in the y-z-plane, the receiving region 3c is thus oriented in the present case in such a way that the path through the cable tie 6 covered by the blade elements 2a, 2b runs transversely to a plane in which the closed cable tie strap of the cable tie to be released runs, here the xz-plane, and to the plane in which the inside 6a* of the cable tie head 6aruns, here the xy-plane.

[0042] Presently, the geometry of the receiving region for the cable tie head 6a consists of two sets of opposing limiting surfaces 3x, 3y. Therein, one pair of limiting surfaces 3x limit movement of the cable tie head 6a along the plane of the end face 3b (e.g., x-y-plane here) in one dimension (e.g., x-direction here), the other pair of limiting surfaces 3y in another dimension (e.g., y-direction here). Alternatively or in addition, the areas 3c may also be configured for receiving a cable tie strap 6b, with a corresponding set of opposing limiting surfaces 3y (illustrated in FIG. 5) limiting the movement of a cable tie band 6b received in the areas 3c along the plane of the end face 3b in one dimension (e.g., y-direction here).

[0043] Accordingly, in FIG. 3, the cutting tool 1 from FIG. 1 is shown when the actuating component 5 is actuated. The path-limiting unit 4, here arranged the handle element 3alike a cap, comes into contact with the bundling good (not shown, running along the y-direction) and thus limits a path of the blade units 2a, 2b through the cable tie head 6a, here in the negative z-direction, since the end face 3b is flush with an inner side 6a* of the cable tie head 6. Since the path-limiting unit 4 can be removed from the handle element 3b in a non-destructive manner in the present case, it can, for example be replaced by an adapter element 3d as alternative path-limiting unit 4.

[0044] FIG. 4 shows enlarged the area of the end face 3b from FIG. 3. Since the distance d is greater than 0 as shown, the cable tie head 6a is also not completely separated into two loose parts when cut, but into two parts which are still partially connected. However, due to the cutting, the cable tie head 6a loses its stability, which leads to the loosening of the latching of the cable tie strap 6b in the cable tie head 6a. Accordingly, the cable tie 6 is released under its destruction. In this case, however, the cable tie head 6a can be jammed in the cutting unit 2, so that the cable tie 6 can be removed from the bundling good by the cutting tool 1.

[0045] FIG. 5 shows an adapter element 3d of the housing unit 3 as path-limiting unit 4 which can be replaced without tools and which, when used with the rest of the housing unit 3, defines at least a first subregion in the geometry of the receiving region 3c, in the present case the geometry of the receiving region 3c as a whole. If only the first subregion in the geometry of the receiving region is defined by the adapter element, a second subregion of the geometry of the receiving region 3c may be predetermined by the remaining part of the housing unit 3. Then the geometry as a whole is defined by adapter element 3d in interplay with the rest of the housing unit 3.

[0046] In the shown example, the geometry of the receiving region 3c and the distance d between end face 3b and blade elements 2a, 2b is depending solely on the adapter element 3d. Thus, a set of different adapter elements 3d being configured for differently shaped and/or sized cable tie heads 6a (e.g., via different receiving regions 3c) and/or predetermining different distances d (e.g., via different material thicknesses of the path-limiting unit 4 in the region of the end face 3b) can be used to achieve optimized removal of cable ties 6 in various different applications.

[0047] In the simplified illustration of FIG. 2, the geometry of the receiving region 3ccorresponds to a rectangle with rounded corners whose dimensions are adapted to the cable tie head 6a of the respective design.

[0048] FIG. 6 shows the exchangeable adapter element 3d of FIG. 5 while being mounted on the rest of the housing unit 3, in particular the handling element 3a, and having received a cable tie head 6a in its receiving region 3c. The blade elements 2a, 2b have respective end faces 2a*, 2b*, which run in another plane than the end face 3b of the housing 3, they are offset inwardly into the housing unit 3 (e.g., in the positive z-direction here).

[0049] When the cutting tool 1 is placed on the cable tie 6 and/or the cable tie head 6a as well as the not shown bundling good, the end face 3b of the housing 3 and an inner side 6a* of the cable tie head 6a are flush, thus run in one plane, which prevents injuries of the bundling good and still causes a reliable cutting of the cable tie head 6a. In the present case, the bundling good runs in the y-direction, so that the cutting path through the cable tie 6 runs parallel to the main extension direction of the bundling good with the cutting path of the blade elements 2a, 2b limited by the path limiting unit 4.

[0050] FIG. 7 shows a cable tie head 6a cut with a path limitation. The cable tie head is cut into two parts 6a1, 6a2 which are still partially connected by a third part 6a3 which forms a bridge between the other two parts 6a1, 6a2. The thickness of the third part 6a3 (e.g., in the z-direction) corresponds to the predetermined distance d.

[0051] Unless context dictates otherwise, use herein of the word or maybe considered use of an inclusive or, or a term that permits inclusion or application of one or more items that are linked by the word or (e.g., a phrase A or B maybe interpreted as permitting just A, as permitting just B, or as permitting both A and B). Also, as used herein, a phrase referring to at least one of a list of items refers to any combination of those items, including single members. For instance, at least one of a, b, or c can cover a, b, c, a-b, a-c, b-c, and a-b-c, as well as any combination with multiples of the same element (e.g., a-a, a-a-a, a-a-b, a-a-c, a-b-b, a-c-c, b-b, b-b-b, b-b-c, c-c, and c-c-c, or any other ordering of a, b, and c). Further, items represented in the accompanying figures and terms discussed herein may be indicative of one or more items or terms, and thus reference may be made interchangeably to single or plural forms of the items and terms in this written description.