Detectable cable tie
View Patent ↗A plastic cable tie and a method of making a plastic cable tie that can be detected by X-ray and metal detection devices as well as sonar, optical or visual detection devices. The cable ties are formed from a composition that includes metal particles; a compound; and a plastic material. The metal particles are preferably metal flakes and can be ferrous or non-ferrous materials. The compound can include iodine or barium, and is preferably barium sulfate. The plastic material can include a polypropylene, a polycarbonate, a polyethylene, a polyterephthalate (PET) or a polyamide.
1. A cable tie formed from a composition consisting of:
metal particles, wherein the metal particles have an average particle size of between about 20 microns and about 100 microns;
a compound comprising barium; and
a plastic material,
wherein the cable tie can be detected by X-ray and metal detection devices.
2. The cable tie as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the compound is barium sulfate.
3. The cable tie as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the metal particles and the compound comprise from about 1% to about 20% by weight of the composition.
4. The cable tie as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the plastic material comprises a polypropylene, a polycarbonate, a polyethylene, a polyterephthalate (PET) or a polyamide.
5. The cable tie as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the metal particles comprise a ferrous material.
6. The cable tie as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the metal particles comprise a non-ferrous material.
7. The cable tie as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the metal particles and the compound are added to the plastic material before the cable tie is formed.
8. The cable tie as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the cable tie can be detected by sonar, optical or visual detection devices.
9. The cable tie as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the metal particles comprise at least 0.3% by weight of the composition and the compound comprises at least 0.5% by weight of the composition.
10. The cable tie as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the metal particles comprise metal flakes in a plastic carrier.
11. A cable tie formed from a composition consisting of:
metal particles in a plastic carrier, wherein the metal particles have an average particle size of between about 20 microns and about 100 microns;
barium sulfate; and
a polypropylene, a polycarbonate, a polyterephthalate (PET) or a polyamide,
wherein the cable tie can be detected by X-ray and metal detection devices.
12. The cable tie as set forth in claim 11 , wherein the metal particles and the barium sulfate comprise from about 1% to about 20% by weight of the composition.
13. The cable tie as set forth in claim 11 , wherein the metal particles comprise a ferrous material.
14. The cable tie as set forth in claim 11 , wherein the metal particles comprise metal flakes.
15. The cable tie as set forth in claim 11 , wherein the metal particles comprise ferrous flakes and the polyamide is a nylon.
16. The cable tie as set forth in claim 11 , wherein the metal particles comprise at least 0.3% by weight of the composition and the barium sulfate comprises at least 0.5% by weight of the composition.
17. The cable tie as set forth in claim 11 , wherein the metal particles have a weight average particle size of between about 20 microns and about 500 microns.
18. A cable tie formed from a composition consisting of:
metal particles, wherein the metal particles have an average particle size of at least 20 microns;
a compound consisting of barium; and
a plastic material consisting of a polypropylene, a polycarbonate, a polyethylene, a polyterephthalate (PET) or a polyamide,
wherein the cable tie can be detected by X-ray and metal detection devices.
19. The cable tie as set forth in claim 18 , wherein the plastic material is polypropylene and the compound is barium sulfate.
20. The cable tie as set forth in claim 18 , wherein the metal particles and the compound comprise from about 1% to about 20% by weight of the composition.
21. The cable tie as set forth in claim 18 , wherein the metal particles comprise a ferrous material.
22. The cable tie as set forth in claim 18 , wherein the metal particles and the compound are added to the plastic material before the cable tie is formed.
23. The cable tie as set forth in claim 18 , wherein the cable tie can be detected by sonar, optical or visual detection devices.
24. The cable tie as set forth in claim 18 , wherein the metal particles comprise at least 0.3% by weight of the composition and the compound comprises at least 0.5% by weight of the composition.
25. The cable tie as set forth in claim 18 , wherein the metal particles comprise metal flakes in a plastic carrier.
26. The cable tie as set forth in claim 18 , wherein the metal particles have an average particle size of up to about 500 microns.
27. The cable tie as set forth in claim 18 , wherein the metal particles have an average particle size of between about 20 microns and about 100 microns.