CABLE TIE

Abstract

A cable tie (100) comprising: a cord (101) having a first end (202) and a second end (103), and a locking head (104) fixedly attached to the first end (102), said locking head (104) being adapted to receive the second end (103) and retain the cable tie (100) in a closed loop configuration, wherein the locking head (104) defines (a) wall(s) (105) that encircles a passage (106) having an inlet (107) and an outlet (108), and comprises a protrusion (109) that extends into the passage (106) for engaging the cord (101) and which is arranged to allow displacement of the cord (101) in a first direction towards the outlet (108) while preventing displacement of the cord (101) in a second direction towards the inlet (107), and wherein the cord (101) comprises a paper strip (10) twisted along its length, the number of turns per meter of the twisted paper strip being 55-75.

Claims

1. A cable tie (100) comprising: a cord (101) having a first end (102) and a second end (103), and a locking head (104) fixedly attached to the first end (102), said locking head (104) being adapted to receive the second end (103) and retain the cable tie (100) in a closed loop configuration, wherein the locking head (104) defines (a) wall(s) (105) that encircles a passage (106) having an inlet (107) and an outlet (108), and comprises a protrusion (109) that extends into the passage (106) for engaging the cord (101) and which is arranged to allow displacement of the cord (101) in a first direction towards the outlet (108) while preventing displacement of the cord (101) in a second direction towards the inlet (107), and wherein the cord (101) comprises a paper strip (10) twisted along its length, the number of turns per meter of the twisted paper strip being 55-75.

2. The cable tie (100) according to claim 1, wherein the number of turns per meter of the twisted paper strip is 60-70.

3. The cable tie (100) according to claim 1, wherein the number of turns per meter of the twisted paper strip is 63-68.

4. The cable tie (100) according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion (109) is a blade, such as a metal blade.

5. The cable tie (100) of claim 4, wherein the passage (106) has a central axis (110) an angle () between the direction of the extension of the blade and the central axis (110) being 47-62, such as 50-59, such as 52-57.

6. The cable tie (100) according to claim 1, preceding claims, wherein a diameter (d) of the cord (101) is 1.0-8.0 mm, such as 1.5-5.0 mm, such as 1.75-2.10 mm, such as 1.80-2.00 mm.

7. The cable tie (100) according to claim 1, wherein the stretch at break of the cord (101) is 2.0%-6.0%, such as 2.5%-4.0% when measured according to ISO 2062:1993.

8. The cable tie (100) according to claim 1, preceding claims, wherein the stretch at break of the paper strip (10) after untwisting is 1.5%-3.5%, such as 2.0%-2.9%, when measured according to ISO 1924-3:2005.

9. The cable tie (100) according to claim 1, wherein the paper strip (10) is a waxed paper strip.

10. The cable tie (100) according to claim 1, wherein the paper strip (10) is made of kraft paper.

11. The cable tie (100) according to claim 1, wherein the paper strip (10) is made of a paper having a grammage measured according to ISO 536:2019 of 55-85 g/m.sup.2, preferably 60-80 g/m.sup.2, such as 65-75 g/m.sup.2.

12. The cable tie (100) according to claim 1, wherein the locking head (104) comprises a body of a biodegradable material, such as a bio composite of a biodegradable and/or renewable polymer and an organic fiber material.

13. The cable tie (100) according to claim 1, wherein the inlet (107) of the passage (106) is funnel-shaped, such as trumpet-shaped.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0046] FIGS. 1 is a cross-sectional side view of an embodiment of a cable tie according to the present disclosure.

[0047] FIGS. 2a-b schematically illustrates an non-twisted paper strip and a twisted paper strip respectively.

[0048] FIG. 3 is a front view from the of a cable tie according to the present disclosure, as seen from the inlet of the passage.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0049] With reference to FIG. 1, an embodiment of a cable tie 100 of the present disclosure is described.

[0050] The cable tie 100 comprises a cord 101 having a first end 102 and a second end 103. The cord 101 comprises a paper strip 10 twisted along its length. A typical diameter d of the cord 101 may be 2 mm. As will be described in more detail below, the locking head 104 is adapted to receive the second end 103 and retain the cable tie 100 in a closed loop configuration.

[0051] The locking head 104 defines a wall 105 that encircles a passage 106. Alternatively, the locking head defines a plurality of walls that jointly encircles a passage 106. In either case, the wall(s) prevent(s) substantial lateral movement of the cord 101 when received in the passage 106.

[0052] The passage 106 has an inlet 107 and an outlet 108. The inlet 107 is preferably funnel-shaped, such as trumpet-shaped, to facilitate manual insertion of the second end 103 into the passage 106. To further facilitate the manual insertion, the second end 103 may be flattened.

[0053] The locking head 104 further comprises a protrusion 109 that extends into the passage 106 for engaging the cord 101 after receival thereof. In FIG. 1, the protrusion 109 is illustrated as a metal blade attached to the wall 105 of the passage 106. However, in other embodiments the protrusion may comprise other shapes or materials, such as a plastic tooth integrated in the locking head 104.

[0054] The arrangement of the protrusion 109 is such that displacement of the received cord 101 in a first direction towards the outlet 108 is allowed (meaning that the loop formed when the second end 103 is received can be tightened) while displacement of the cord 101 in the opposite direction, i.e. a second direction towards the inlet 107, is prevented (meaning that the tie cannot be released without excessive force or destruction). The protrusion 109 may be arranged at an angle between the direction of the extension of the blade 109 and a central axis 110 of the passage 106, For example, said angle a may preferably be 47-62, more preferably 50-59, most preferably 52-57.

[0055] FIG. 2a-2b schematically illustrates a paper strip 10 of the present disclosure. The paper of the paper strip 10 is preferably selected such that a cord with high tensile strength and a certain stretchability is obtained in the cord, e.g. a cord with a stretch at break value of 2%-5%.

[0056] The paper strip 10 may be made of a kraft paper. The grammage of the paper in the paper strip may be between 60 and 80 g/m.sup.2 such as 70 g/m.sup.2. The stretch of break value of the paper strip 10 after untwisting may be 1.5%-3.5%, such as 2.0%-2.9%, when measured according to ISO 1924-3:2005 in its length direction. The length direction of the strip corresponds to the machine direction (MD) of the paper from which the strip was cut. The tensile strength of the paper strip 10 after untwisting may be 6.0-9-5 in the length direction.

[0057] In FIG. 2a, the paper strip 10 is illustrated in a non-twisted state. The paper strip 10 has a width w and a length L. The width w of the paper strip 10 may vary depending on the desired diameter of the cord 101. For example, the width w may be 25 mm-40 mm, such as 31 mm-36 mm.

[0058] The paper strip 10 may be processed before twisting. For example, the paper strip may be wrinkled and/or folded any number of times. Wrinkling or folding of the cord prior to twisting may increase the strength of the cord 101 and/or provide a cord 101 with less surface deviations. Furthermore, a coating, such as a wax, may be applied to the non-twisted paper strip 10.

[0059] FIG. 2b illustrates the paper strip having been twisted along its length L to form the cord 101, or at part of the cord 101. The twisted paper strip in FIG. 2b has been produced by twisting the paper strip 10 55-75 turns along its length L. One turn is provided by turning a first end of the paper strip 10 in relation to a second end of the paper strip 360 around an axis parallel to the extension of the length L of the paper strip 10. A way of determining the number of turns per meter of the cord 101 may be to provide one meter of the cord 101 and twist it at its ends in a direction opposite to the twisting direction, while counting the number of whole turns required to revert to a non-twisted paper strip.

[0060] The cord 101 in FIG. 2 has further been flattened at the second end 103 to facilitate insertion of the second end 103 into the inlet 106 of the passage 107. In cases where the paper strip 10 has been coated with wax, such that the cord 101 is formed from waxed paper, no heating is necessary in a pressing operation used to form a flattened second end 103. The tool used for such a pressing operation may have (a) contact surface(s) provided with ridges to form grooves in the flattened second end. Furthermore, the waxing the paper may protect the machines used for producing the cable tie, by preventing abrasion.

[0061] A method for manufacturing the cord 101 for the cable tie 100 may thus comprise providing a paper strip 10 and twisting the paper strip 10 55-75 turns per meter, such as 60-70 turns per meter, along its length.

[0062] In an optional step, the method may further comprise applying a coating onto the paper strip 10 before the twisting.

[0063] FIG. 3 is a front view of the cable tie 100 as seen from the side of the inlet 107 of the passage 106. The cross-section of the passage in FIG. 3 has the shape of a discorectangle, that is, a rectangle with semicircles at a pair of opposite sides. The protrusion 109 extends into the passage 106 from a first wall portion 105a being arranged at a long end of the discorectangle. The gap between the free end of the protrusion 109 and a second wall portion, opposite to the first wall portion, defines the opening through which the cord 101 is to be pulled through. In other embodiments, the cross-section may have other shapes, such an oval shape, a rectangular shape with rounded corners, a circular shape or a completely rectangular shape.