Wireworking – Applying wire – Binder tightening and joining implements
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-19
2001-08-28
Larson, Lowell A. (Department: 3725)
Wireworking
Applying wire
Binder tightening and joining implements
C140S123600
Reexamination Certificate
active
06279620
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a tool head and, more particularly, to a tool head for use with an automatic cable tie installation system providing improved performance and reliability.
As is well-known to those skilled in the art, cable ties are used to bundle or secure a group of articles such as electrical wires or cables. Cable ties of conventional construction include a cable tie head and an elongate tail extending therefrom. The tail is wrapped around a bundle of articles and thereafter inserted through a passage in the head. The head of the cable tie typically supports a locking element which extends into the head passage and engages the body of the tail to secure the tail to the head.
Although cable ties are often installed manually, it is desirable in certain applications to utilize an automatic cable tie installation system wherein cable ties are dispensed from a remote dispenser, and thereafter delivered to a tool head for application about a bundle of wires positioned within the jaws of the tool head. Automatic cable ties installation systems are well-known in the art, and are disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,790,225 and 4,498,506. It will be appreciated that the disclosed tool heads include a plurality of subassemblies each having multiple moving parts, the subassemblies cooperating together to deliver, tension and cut the cable tie. To be commercially practical, the tool head must be capable of repeatedly applying a cable tie about the bundle of articles inserted within the jaw assembly without jamming. The tool head must also be able to complete a cycle (wherein one cable tie is wrapped, tensioned and cut) within a sufficiently short interval of time.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the foregoing requirements demand extremely accurate and precise location and support of the various cooperating components of the tool head. These prior art tool heads, including the tool heads disclosed in the mentioned patents, often locate and support many of the internal cooperating components via the housing shells. These housing shells are typically formed of plastic and are susceptible to flexing and twisting during operation which can adversely affect the cooperation between the components of the tool head, thus leading to jamming and/or failure of the tool head. Moreover, the practice of locating the various cooperating components of the tool head with respect to more than one reference structure (e.g., the two separate housing shells) allows the manufacturing tolerances associated with the individual components to be combined, which may lead to misalignment of the components.
There is therefore a need in the art for a tool head for use with an automatic cable tie installation system which exhibits improved reliability, and reduced jamming and/or failure. The improved tool head should maintain an accurate and precise relationship between the interacting and cooperating components of the tool head even when the tool head is subjected to such factors as flexing and twisting of the housing, thermal expansion and contraction of the housing, and operational wear.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention, which addresses the needs of the prior art, relates to a tool head for installation of a cable tie about a bundle of elongate articles. The tool head is adapted for use with a remote dispenser, cable tie bandolier and cable tie delivery hose of an automatic cable installation system. The cable tie includes a head and an elongate tail extending therefrom. The tool head includes a housing including first and second cooperating shells. The tool head further includes a jaw assembly for grasping and directing the cable tie about the articles. The tool head further includes a tie passage communicating at one end with the cable tie delivery hose and at the other end with the jaw assembly whereby a cable tie supplied by the remote dispenser is delivered to the jaw assembly. The tool head further includes a tie tensioning assembly for tensioning the cable tie upon installation of the cable tie about the elongate articles. The tie tensioning assembly includes a drive train and a pawl gear cut-off mechanism. Finally, the tool head includes a structurally rigid frame sized for location within the housing. The frame provides a fixed and common reference structure independent of the housing to both support the pawl gear cut-off mechanism and to locate the pawl gear cut-off mechanism with respect to the drive train.
As a result, the present invention provides a tool head for use with an automatic cable tie installation system which exhibits improved reliability, and reduced jamming and/or failure. The structurally rigid frame utilized in the improved tool head maintains an accurate and precise relationship between the interacting and cooperating components of the tool head even when the tool head is subjected to such factors as flexing and twisting of the housing, thermal expansion and contraction of the housing, and operational wear.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4498506 (1985-02-01), Moody et al.
patent: 4790225 (1988-12-01), Moody et al.
Eason P. Michael
Moultrie Lane
Hoffman & Baron LLP
Larson Lowell A.
Thomas & Betts International
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