Banding apparatus providing reduced banding material buckling

Abstract

A banding material gripping mechanism and band tightening tool using the same are disclosed, wherein there is a reduced likelihood of the banding material buckling in the tool. The gripping mechanism includes gripping body and a banding material gripper component (“gripper”) that reciprocates within the gripping body for iteratively: (i) gripping the banding material so that a band being formed from the banding material can be tightened, and (ii) releasing the banding material so that the gripper can slide along the banding material as the gripping body moves forwardly over a further length of excess banding material in preparation for performing (i) again. The gripper has a banding material contacting portion with a shape that cooperatives with a slot provided within a banding material support platform of the gripping body such that during (i) above, the banding material is deformed into the slot thereby reducing a likelihood that (i) results in a hump in the banding material forwardly of the gripper that could prevent the gripper from effectively sliding over the banding material in (ii).

1 . A method for holding a banding material, comprising: 
 providing a band tightening tool including a gripping mechanism having a gripper and a slot with a slot proximal end; and    gripping, adjacent to said slot proximal end, contacted portions of said banding material.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  further including, after said gripping, releasing said banding material by relative movement of said gripper.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said gripper moves relative to a gripping body of said gripping mechanism.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said gripper includes a banding material contacting portion that engages said contacted portions of said banding material, and in which said gripper contacting portion has an extent of movement that substantially includes said slot proximal end.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said gripping step includes deforming at least some of said contacted portions of said banding material into said slot adjacent to said proximal end thereof.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said banding material has a thickness and said slot has a depth that is at least equal to said banding material thickness.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 3  wherein said gripping body has a distal end that is more adjacent to a distal end of said slot than to the slot proximal end.  
   
   
       8 . An apparatus for holding a banding material, comprising: 
 a gripping mechanism including:    a gripping body having at least a first opening and a platform surface with a slot formed therein, said gripping body having a proximal end and a distal end and said slot having a proximal end and a distal end; and    a gripper that is relatively movable in at least said first opening;    wherein said gripper has a gripping state and a released state and when said gripper is in said gripping state, said gripper is adjacent to said slot proximal end.    
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein said gripper includes a banding material contacting portion that substantially overlies said slot proximal end when said gripper is in said gripping state.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein said slot distal end is closer to said gripping body distal end than said slot proximal end is to said gripping body proximal end.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein a first distance is defined between said slot proximal end and said gripping body proximal end and a second distance is defined between a proximal end of said first opening and said gripping body proximal end and in which said first distance is greater than said second distance.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein said slot distal end extends through an end of said platform surface.  
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 8  further including a depth of said slot, wherein said depth is at least equal to a thickness of said banding material.  
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein said slot has an aspect ratio defined by depth to width and in which said aspect ratio is less than about 0.2.  
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein said banding material has contacted portions are wherein when one of said contacted portions is engaged by said gripper when said gripper is in said gripping state: (i) a relative movement between said gripper and said banding material is prevented, and (ii) said one contacted portion substantially overlies said slot proximal end.  
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein said gripping body includes a first wing and a second wing with said slot located therebetween and in which said first opening is formed in said first wing and a second opening is formed in said second wing, said gripper being held in said first and second openings.  
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein said gripper includes a first gripper end element, a second gripper end element and an intermediate gripping element therebetween, said intermediate gripping element having a periphery and in which contacting portions are part thereof.