Method of cutting a tie wrap

Details Method of cutting a tie wrap Method of cutting a tie wrap

2000-12-15

2004-06-22

Shoap, Allan N. (Department: 3724)

Cutting

Processes

C030S028000, C132S073500, C132S075500

Reexamination Certificate

active

06752053

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The described invention relates to the field of cutting tools. In particular, the invention relates to a cutting tool having a curved blade for cutting a tie wrap.
2. Description of Related Art
It is common, particularly in routing network cables, to use tie wraps (also called zip ties) to bind bundles of cables together. This allows similar groupings of cables to be kept together. Tie wraps prevent cables from tangling and allowing for better cable management.
FIG. 1
shows a typical tie wrap
1
. The tie wrap is typically made of plastic or nylon. One end of the tie wrap has a tie head
3
; the other end of the tie wrap is a free end
7
which is typically tapered at the very end. The tie wrap is wrapped around cables or other materials meant to be bound up. The free end
7
is then put through an eye
5
of the tie head
3
, and pulled tight. The tie wrap has a locking mechanism within the tie head
3
that allows the free end
7
to be pulled through the eye
5
. This engages the locking mechanism and the free end
7
cannot be pulled back out of the eye
5
. Thus, the tie wrap can be made tighter, but not be loosened. A number of notches or ridges
11
in the tie wrap are used by the locking mechanism to achieve the one-way tightening process. A tie wrap that has its locking mechanism engaged is referred to as a “locked tie wrap” herein.
FIG. 2
shows a tie wrap that has been tightened. There is an excess
15
of the tie wrap that extends through the eye
5
. This excess tie wrap is trimmed. If the excess tie wrap
17
is trimmed flush to the tie head
3
, as shown in
FIG. 3
, the tie head
3
buffers the sharp edges of the cut tie wrap end from causing injury to people working with or near the tie wraps. However, if the excess tie wrap
19
is cut close to but not flush with the tie head
3
, as shown in
FIG. 4
, this produces a firm protrusion that can easily cause injury due to sharp edges.


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