Pull tight seal or cable tie with break-away tail
A flexible tie including a head having a first cross-sectional geometry and a tail extending from the head in a longitudinal direction and having a second cross-sectional geometry different from the first cross-sectional geometry. The tie includes a lock disposed on the head and including a passage configured to receive the tail and a plurality of barbs disposed on the tail and configured to pass through the passage in the lock in a first direction, and configured to be restricted from retreating through the passage in a second direction opposite to the first direction. The tie also includes a tail break-point disposed on the tail and including a first cross-sectional area, as viewed along the longitudinal direction, smaller than any other cross-sectional area of the tail as viewed along the longitudinal direction. In some configurations, the tie includes a visual indicator in the head.
1. A flexible tie comprising:
a head having a first cross-sectional geometry;
a tail extending from the head in a longitudinal direction and having a second cross-sectional geometry different from the first cross-sectional geometry;
a lock disposed on the head and including a passage configured to receive the tail;
a plurality of barbs disposed on the tail and configured to pass through the passage in the lock in a first direction, and configured to be restricted from retreating through the passage in a second direction opposite to the first direction, each barb being separated longitudinally from adjacent barbs via a core section of the tail; and
a tail break-point disposed on the tail and including a cross-sectional area, as viewed along the longitudinal direction, smaller than any other cross-sectional area of the tail as viewed along the longitudinal direction, a length of the tail break-point being longer than a length of the core section between adjacent barbs,
wherein the tail break-point is an annular groove having the cross-sectional area extending from a first portion of the tail having a first cross-section to a second portion of the tail having a second cross-section, the cross-sectional area of the tail break-point being smaller than both the first and second cross-sections of the respective first and second portions of the tail.
2. The flexible tie of claim 1 , wherein more than one of the barbs disposed on the tail are at least partially conical in shape.
3. The flexible tie of claim 2 , wherein a ratio of the cross-sectional area of the tail break-point to the minimum cross-sectional area of a remainder of the tail is 4/9.
4. The flexible tie of claim 3 , wherein the cross-sectional area of the tail break-point and the cross-sectional area of the remainder of the tail are both circular.
5. The flexible tie of claim 1 , further including grip protrusions extending from the tail in a radial direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.
6. The flexible tie of claim 1 , wherein the tail comprises polypropylene.
7. The flexible tie of claim 1 , further comprising a stopper disposed on the tail between at least one of the barbs and the head.
8. The flexible tie of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the barbs is disposed between the tail break-point and the stopper.
9. The flexible tie of claim 1 , wherein the tail break-point is disposed between the at least one of the barbs and grip protrusions extending from the tail in a radial direction different from the longitudinal direction.
10. The flexible tie of claim 9 , wherein the grip protrusions have a maximum diameter less than a maximum diameter of the plurality of barbs.
11. The flexible tie of claim 1 , wherein a minimum tensile force in the longitudinal direction required to break the tail in an area other than the predetermined break point ranges from 7 to 11 lbs.
12. The flexible tie of claim 11 , wherein a minimum tensile force in the longitudinal direction required to break the predetermined tail break point ranges from 4 to 8 lbs.
13. The flexible tie of claim 12 , wherein the minimum tensile force in the longitudinal direction required to break the predetermined tail break point is less than the minimum tensile force in the longitudinal direction required to break the tail in an area other than the predetermined break point.
14. The flexible tie of claim 1 , wherein a bending moment required to bend the tail about a first axis perpendicular to the longitudinal direction is greater than a bending moment required to bend the tail about a second axis perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and perpendicular to the first axis.
15. A flexible tie comprising:
a head having a first cross-sectional geometry and configured to display at least one visual indicator on at least one side;
a tail extending from the head in a longitudinal direction and having a second cross-sectional geometry different from the first cross-sectional geometry;
a lock disposed on the head and including a passage configured to receive the tail;
a plurality of barbs disposed on the tail and configured to pass through the passage in the lock in a first direction, and configured to be restricted from retreating through the passage in a second direction opposite to the first direction, each barb being separated longitudinally from adjacent barbs via a core section of the tail; and
a tail break-point disposed on the tail and including a cross-sectional area, as viewed along the longitudinal direction, smaller than any other cross-sectional area of the tail as viewed along the longitudinal direction, a length of the tail break-point being longer than a length of the core section between adjacent barbs,
wherein the tail break-point is an annular groove having the cross-sectional area extending from a first portion of the tail having a first cross-section to a second portion of the tail having a second cross-section, the cross-sectional area of the tail break-point being smaller than both the first and second cross-sections of the respective first and second portions of the tail.
16. The flexible tie of claim 15 , wherein the visual indicator is at least one of a sticker, writing, or stamping.
17. The flexible tie of claim 15 , wherein a ratio of the cross-sectional area of the tail break-point to the minimum cross-sectional area of a remainder of the tail is 4/9.
18. The flexible tie of claim 17 , wherein the cross-sectional area of the tail break-point and the cross-sectional area of the remainder of the tail are both circular.
19. The flexible tie of claim 15 , further including grip protrusions extending from the tail in a radial direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.
20. The flexible tie of claim 15 , wherein a bending moment required to bend the tail about a first axis perpendicular to the longitudinal direction is greater than a bending moment required to bend the tail about a second axis perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and perpendicular to the first axis.