Cable Tie

Abstract

A cable tie has a flexible, elongated strap with a head and tail at opposite ends. The strap has two opposed sides, with teeth on both sides. The head includes an opening for receiving the strap, a movable pawl with teeth on one side of the opening and, on the opposite side of the opening, an abutment surface having an abutment tooth. The head may include a molding line adjoining the apex of the abutment tooth. The cable tie may be used to retain articles by looping the strap around the articles, and inserting the strap, tail first, into the opening, whereby the pawl teeth and abutment teeth may be brought into engagement with the teeth on the two opposed sides, respectively, at least when retraction force is applied to the strap, such as to lock the strap in the head, preventing retraction of the strap from the head.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fastening device, comprising:
 a flexible, elongated strap having longitudinally opposed first and second end portions and a body portion therebetween, the body portion having opposed first and second broad sides and strap teeth on each of the first and second broad sides;   a head disposed at the first end portion, the head having (a) a perimeter wall surrounding an opening, the opening having only a single entry and only a single exit, and (b) a movable pawl extending from the perimeter wall into the opening, the movable pawl having at least one pawl tooth, the perimeter wall including an abutment portion opposite the movable pawl, the abutment portion including an abutment tooth opposite the movable pawl; and   a tail disposed at the second end portion,   wherein the opening is dimensioned to accommodate insertion, tail first, of the strap through the single entry of the opening,   wherein the strap teeth on the first broad side and the at least one pawl tooth are respectively configured for engagement therebetween, upon the tail-first insertion of the strap through the single entry of the opening,   wherein the strap teeth on the second broad side and the abutment tooth are respectively configured for engagement therebetween, upon the tail-first insertion of the strap through the single entry of the opening, and   wherein the abutment tooth has a working surface is inclined in a direction opposite a direction of insertion as the working surface of the abutment tooth extends in a direction opposite a direction of insertion.   
     
     
         2 . A fastening device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the strap teeth on the second broad side has a working surface that, upon the tail-first insertion of the strap through the opening, is inclined in the direction of insertion as the working surface of the at least one of the strap teeth on the second broad side extends away from the second broad side. 
     
     
         3 . A fastening device, comprising:
 a flexible, elongated strap having longitudinally opposed first and second end portions and a body portion therebetween, the body portion having opposed first and second broad sides and strap teeth on each of the first and second broad sides;   a head disposed at the first end portion, the head having (a) a perimeter wall surrounding an opening, and (b) a movable pawl extending from the perimeter wall into the opening, the movable pawl having at least one pawl tooth, the perimeter wall including an abutment portion opposite the movable pawl, the abutment portion including an abutment tooth opposite the movable pawl; and   a tail disposed at the second end portion,   wherein the opening is dimensioned to accommodate insertion, tail first, of the strap through the opening,   wherein the strap teeth on the first broad side and the at least one pawl tooth are respectively configured for engagement therebetween, upon the tail-first insertion of the strap through the opening,   wherein the strap teeth on the second broad side and the abutment tooth are respectively configured for engagement therebetween, upon the tail-first insertion of the strap through the opening, and   wherein at least one of the strap teeth on the second broad side has a working surface that, upon the tail-first insertion of the strap through the opening, is inclined in a direction of insertion as the working surface of the at least one of the strap teeth on the second broad side extends away from the second broad side, for mating engagement with the abutment tooth.   
     
     
         4 . A fastening device as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the abutment tooth has a working surface inclined in a direction opposite the direction of insertion. 
     
     
         5 . A fastening device as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the opening has only a single entry and only a single exit. 
     
     
         6 . A fastening device as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the movable pawl has a plurality of pawl teeth. 
     
     
         7 . A fastening device as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the abutment tooth has only a single working surface. 
     
     
         8 . A fastening device, comprising:
 a flexible, elongated strap having longitudinally opposed first and second end portions   and a body portion therebetween, the body portion having opposed first and second broad sides and strap teeth on each of the first and second broad sides;   a head disposed at the first end portion, the head having (a) a perimeter wall surrounding an opening, and (b) a movable pawl extending from the perimeter wall into the opening, the movable pawl having a plurality of pawl teeth, the perimeter wall including an abutment portion opposite the movable pawl, the abutment portion including one or more abutment teeth opposite the movable pawl; and   a tail disposed at the second end portion,   wherein the opening is dimensioned to accommodate insertion, tail first, of the strap through the opening,   wherein the strap teeth on the first broad side and the plurality of pawl teeth are respectively configured for engagement therebetween, upon the tail-first insertion of the strap through the opening,   wherein the strap teeth on the second broad side and the one or more abutment teeth are respectively configured for engagement therebetween, upon the tail-first insertion of the strap through the opening, and   wherein all of the one or more abutment teeth are located within an extent of the plurality of pawl teeth.   
     
     
         9 . A fastening device as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein at least one of the one or more abutment teeth has an apex, and the head has a molding line adjoining the apex of one of the at least one of the one or more abutment teeth. 
     
     
         10 . A fastening device as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein no other molding line is formed on the fastening device. 
     
     
         11 . A fastening device as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein any one or more of the following conditions obtain:
 (i) at least one of the one or more abutment teeth has a working surface (i) inclined in a direction of insertion, (b) perpendicular to the direction of insertion, or (c) inclined in a direction opposite the direction of insertion;   (ii) at least one of the plurality of pawl teeth has a working surface (a) inclined in the direction of insertion, (b) perpendicular to the direction of insertion, or (c) inclined in the direction opposite the direction of insertion;   (iii) at least one of the strap teeth on the first broad side has a working surface that, upon the tail-first insertion of the strap through the opening, is (a) inclined in the direction of insertion, (b) perpendicular to the direction of insertion, or (c) inclined in the direction opposite the direction of insertion; and   (iv) at least one of the strap teeth on the second broad side has a working surface that, upon the tail-first insertion of the strap through the opening, is (a) inclined in the direction of insertion, (b) perpendicular to the direction of insertion, or (c) inclined in the direction opposite the direction of insertion.   
     
     
         12 . A fastening device as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the strap teeth on the first broad side are offset from the strap teeth on the second broad side by one half of a tooth length of a strap tooth of the strap teeth on the first or second broad side. 
     
     
         13 . A fastening device as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the opening has only a single entry and only a single exit. 
     
     
         14 . A fastening device as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the fastening device is manufactured from plastic. 
     
     
         15 . A fastening device as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the fastening device is manufactured from nylon.