Cable retention system

Abstract

A cable retention system includes a cable tie and a storage and installation tool. The cable tie includes an elongated band having head and tail ends. The inner surface of the band includes spaced grooves offset toward the tail end to render it more flexible than the head end. Teeth along the inner surface of the band adjacent the head end and along the outer surface of the band adjacent the tail end engage in a circumferential direction when the head end overlaps the tail end. The tool has an annular configuration with an elongated longitudinal opening and an inner raceway for receiving cables. The opening enables the tube to be slipped over a group of cables and moved along the cables. As the tube is moved along the cables, the ties are slipped off and onto the cables at selected spaced locations for securing the cables into a bundle.

1 . A tie device for securing about first and second elongated members and comprising: 
 (a) an elongated band formed in an annular configuration of a flexible material with a shape retaining property, having an inner surface and an outer surface, and having a head end and an opposite tail end;    (b) a plurality of lateral grooves spaced along a portion of said inner surface at such locations as to render said tail end relatively more flexible than said head end to enable radially inward yielding of said rail end to receive said elongated members therein to thereby position said band in surrounding relation to said elongated members by a one-handed operation; and    (c) band end engagement structure on said inner surface of said head end and on said outer surface of said tail end, said band end engagement structure on said ends of said band cooperating to releasably and mutually engage to thereby secure said band about said elongated members with a selected degree of tightening.    
   
   
       2 . A tie device as set forth in  claim 1  wherein: 
 (a) said grooves are offset toward said tail end.    
   
   
       3 . A tie device as set forth in  claim 1  wherein: 
 (a) said band includes side edges which are outwardly curled to form side rims of said band.    
   
   
       4 . A tie device as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said band end engagement structure includes: 
 (a) a plurality of outer teeth projecting outwardly from said outer surface of said band at said head end thereof;    (b) a plurality of inner teeth projecting inwardly from said inner surface of said band at said tail end thereof; and    (c) said inner teeth and said outer teeth being configured to releasably and mutually engage in a circumferential direction, with said head end overlapping said tail end and said inner surface engaging said elongated members to thereby secure said band about said elongated members with a selected degree of tightening.    
   
   
       5 . A tie device for securing about first and second elongated members and comprising: 
 (a) an elongated band formed in an annular configuration of a flexible material with a shape retaining property and having a convex inner surface and an outer surface;    (b) said band having a head end and an opposite tail end;    (c) a plurality of spaced grooves formed along a portion of said inner surface and offset toward said tail end, rendering said tail end relatively more flexible than said head end to enable radially inward yielding of said tail end to receive said elongated members therein to thereby position said convex inner surface of said band in surrounding relation thereto by a one-handed operation;    (d) a plurality of inner teeth formed along a portion of said inner surface at said head end and a plurality of outer teeth formed along a portion of said outer surface at said tail end; and    (e) said inner teeth and said outer teeth being configured to releasably and mutually engage in a circumferential direction, with said head end overlapping said tail end and said convex inner surface engaging said elongated members to enable securing said band about said elongated members with a selected degree of tightening.    
   
   
       6 . A tie device as set forth in  claim 5  wherein: 
 (a) said plurality of spaced grooves formed along a portion of said inner surface extends to said tail end.    
   
   
       7 . A tie device as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein: 
 (a) the grooves formed along said inner surface are spaced more closely together as the tail end is approached.    
   
   
       8 . A tie device as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein: 
 (a) the depth of the grooves formed along said inner surface increases as the tail end is approached.    
   
   
       9 . A tie device as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein: 
 (a) said band includes a pair of transversely spaced outwardly curled rims.    
   
   
       10 . A tool for storage and installation of a plurality of tie devices for securing about first and second elongated members, comprising: 
 (a) an elongated tube formed in an annular configuration of a flexible material with a shape retaining property and having a first end, a second end and an elongated opening therebetween;    (b) said tube having a convex inner surface defining a raceway and an outer surface;    (c) said elongated opening enabling reception of said tube about said first and second elongated members within said raceway; and    (d) said outer surface enabling storage of a plurality of said tie devices therein in side-by-side relation whereby as said tube is moved along said elongated members said tie devices may be slipped off said tube onto said elongated members at selected spaced locations therealong.    
   
   
       11 . A tool as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein: 
 (a) each of said tie devices is adapted for one-handed clamping.    
   
   
       12 . A tool as set forth in Clam  10 , wherein: 
 (a) said outer surface includes a groove for receiving teeth formed along a portion of an inner surface of each of said tie devices.    
   
   
       13 . A tool as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein: 
 (a) said first and second ends each include a low rim sized for retaining said tie devices in place while permitting passage of said tie devices over said rims and off said tube for securing about said elongated members.    
   
   
       14 . A tool as set forth in  claim 10 , and further including: 
 (a) a pair of spaced outstanding flanges adjacent the sides of said opening for retaining the ends of the tie devices in place in an open, unfastened position.    
   
   
       15 . A tool as set forth in  claim 10 , further including: 
 (a) an aperture formed in said tube adjacent one of said tube ends for receiving a mounting device.    
   
   
       16 . A tool for storage and installation of a plurality of tie devices about first and second elongated members, each tie device being of an open annular shape with ends adapted for overlapping one end over an opposite end to secure said tie device about said elongated members, said tool comprising: 
 (a) an elongated tube defined by a tube wall having an inner tube surface and an outer tube surface, opposite slot edges, and opposite end edges, said tube wall being circumferentially formed into a partially tubular shape with said slot edges positioned in circumferentially spaced relation to define an elongated tube slot and said end edges forming open tube ends, said inner tube surface defining a raceway communicating with said tube ends and said tube slot;    (b) said tube wall being formed of a flexible material with a shape retaining property;    (c) said tube being sized relative to said tie devices to enable removable storage of a plurality of said tie devices on said outer tube surface in side-by-side relation; and    (d) said elongated slot enabling reception of said elongated members into said raceway to thereby preposition said tie devices stored on said tube in partial surrounding relation to said elongated members thereby enabling said tie devices to be successively slid off said tube onto said elongated members and secured thereabout at selectively spaced locations along said elongated members.    
   
   
       17 . A tool as set forth in  claim 16  wherein each of said tie devices has a set of inner teeth on an inner surface at one end thereof and wherein: 
 (a) said outer tube surface includes a groove for receiving said inner teeth of said tie devices.    
   
   
       18 . A tool as set forth in  claim 16  wherein: 
 (a) each of said tube ends includes a tie retaining rim for retaining said tie devices on said tube while enabling selective passage of said tie devices thereover for securing about said elongated members.    
   
   
       19 . A tool as set forth in  claim 16  and further including: 
 (a) said slot edges of said tube slot being curled outwardly to form flanges to be engaged by said ends of tie devices positioned on said tube to thereby to prevent said tie devices from sliding circumferentially about said tube.    
   
   
       20 . A tool as set forth in  claim 16  wherein: 
 (a) each of said tie devices has a set of inner teeth on an inner surface at one end thereof and said outer tube surface includes a groove for receiving said inner teeth of said tie devices;    (b) each of said tube ends includes a tie retaining rim for retaining said tie devices on said tube while enabling selective passage of said tie devices thereover for securing about said elongated members; and    (c) said slot edges at said tube slot are curled outwardly to form stops to be engaged by said ends of tie devices positioned on said tube to thereby to prevent said tie devices from sliding circumferentially about said tube.    
   
   
       21 . A cable retention system for storage and installation of a plurality of tie devices about first and second elongated cables and comprising: 
 (a) a plurality of cable tie devices, each tie device being of an open annular shape with ends adapted for overlapping one end over an opposite end to secure said tie device about said elongated members;    (b) an elongated cable tie storage and installation tube defined by a tube wall having an inner tube surface and an outer tube surface, opposite slot edges, and opposite end edges, said tube wall being circumferentially formed into a partially tubular shape with said slot edges positioned in circumferentially spaced relation to define an elongated tube slot and said end edges forming open tube ends, said inner tube surface defining a raceway communicating with said tube ends and said tube slot;    (c) said tube wall being formed of a flexible material with a shape retaining property;    (d) said tube being sized relative to said tie devices to enable removable storage of a plurality of said tie devices on said outer tube surface in side-by-side relation;    (e) said elongated slot enabling reception of said cables into said raceway to thereby preposition said tie devices stored on said tube in partial surrounding relation to said elongated members thereby enabling said tie devices to be successively slid off said tube onto said cables and secured thereabout at selectively spaced locations along said elongated members;    (f) each of said tube ends including a tie retaining rim for retaining said tie devices on said tube while enabling selective passage of said tie devices thereover for securing about said elongated members; and    (g) said slot edges at said tube slot being curled outwardly to form stops to be engaged by said ends of tie devices positioned on said tube to thereby to prevent said tie devices from sliding circumferentially about said tube.    
   
   
       22 . A system as set forth in  claim 21  wherein each of said tie devices has a set of inner teeth on an inner surface at one end thereof and wherein: 
 (a) said outer tube surface includes a groove for receiving said inner teeth of said tie devices.    
   
   
       23 . A system as set forth in  claim 21  wherein each tie device includes: 
 (a) an elongated band formed in an annular configuration of a flexible material with a shape retaining property and having a convex inner surface and an outer surface;    (b) said band having a head end and an opposite tail end;    (c) a plurality of spaced grooves formed along a portion of said inner surface and offset toward said tail end, rendering said tail end relatively more flexible than said head end to enable radially inward yielding of said tail end to receive said cables therein to thereby position said convex inner surface of said band in surrounding relation thereto by a one-handed operation;    (d) a plurality of inner teeth formed along a portion of said inner surface at said head end and a plurality of outer teeth formed along a portion of said outer surface at said tail end; and    (e) said inner teeth and said outer teeth being configured to releasably and mutually engage in a circumferential direction, with said head end overlapping said tail end and said convex inner surface engaging said cables to enable securing said band thereabout with a selected degree of tightening.    
   
   
       24 . A method for gathering and retaining first and second cables therealong and comprising the steps of: 
 (a) providing a plurality of cable tie devices, each tie device including a band having an open annular shape with ends adapted for overlapping one end over an opposite end to secure said cable tie device about said cables;    (b) providing a cable tie storage and installation tool including an elongated storage and installation tube defined by a tube wall having an inner tube surface and an outer tube surface, opposite slot edges, and opposite end edges, said tube wall being circumferentially formed into a partially tubular shape with said slot edges positioned in circumferentially spaced relation to define an elongated tube slot and said end edges forming open tube ends, said inner tube surface defining a raceway communicating with said tube ends and said tube slot and said tube wall being formed of a flexible material with a shape retaining property;    (c) positioning a plurality of said cable tie devices in side-by-side relation on said tube;    (d) positioning said tube with cable tie devices thereon in surrounding relation to said first and second cables, thereby prepositioning said cable tie devices in surrounding relation to said first and second cables;    (e) moving said tube along said first and second cables;    (f) slipping one of said cable tie devices off said tube at a selected location along said first and second cables; and    (g) clampingly securing said tie device around said first and second cables in said one-handed operation.    
   
   
       25 . A method as set forth in  claim 24  and including the steps of: 
 (a) moving said tube to a second location along said first and second cables;    (b) slipping another of said cable tie devices off said tube onto said first and second cables; and    (c) clampingly securing said cable tie device onto said first and second cables using said one-handed operation.    
   
   
       26 . A method as set forth in  claim 24  and including the step of: 
 (a) retaining said cable tie devices on said tube while enabling selective passage of said cable tie devices off said tube by providing a tie retaining rim on each of said tube ends of said tube.    
   
   
       27 . A method as set forth in  claim 24  and including the step of: 
 (a) preventing said cable tie devices from sliding circumferentially about said tube by curling said tube slot edges outwardly to form stops to be engaged by ends of said cable tie devices to thereby prevent the circumferential sliding.    
   
   
       28 . A method as set forth in  claim 24  wherein said step of providing a plurality of cable tie devices includes the step of: 
 (a) providing a plurality of cable tie devices, each tie device including: 
 (1) an elongated band formed in an annular configuration of a flexible material with a shape retaining property and having a convex inner surface and an outer surface;  
 (2) said band having a head end and an opposite tail end;  
 (3) a plurality of spaced grooves formed along a portion of said inner surface and offset toward said tail end, rendering said tail end relatively more flexible than said head end to enable radially inward yielding of said tail end to receive said cables therein to thereby position said convex inner surface of said band in surrounding relation thereto by a one-handed operation;  
 (4) a plurality of inner teeth formed along a portion of said inner surface at said head end and a plurality of outer teeth formed along a portion of said outer surface at said tail end; and  
 (5) said inner teeth and said outer teeth being configured to releasably and mutually engage in a circumferential direction, with said head end overlapping said tail end and said convex inner surface engaging said cables to enable securing said band thereabout with a selected degree of tightening.