Mount for flat objects such as flat cables

Claim 2

A mount for use with a cable tie having a locking head and a strap extending therefrom for holding at least one flat cable having opposed generally flat first and second sides, said mount comprising: a first member comprising means for providing a substantially flat surface for engaging the first side of said flat cable and further having guide means for guiding said strap about a portion of said first member so that said strap extends beyond said substantially flat surface; and a second member having holding means for captively holding the locking head and having means for providing a substantially flat surface for engaging the second side of said flat cable and further having guide means for guiding said cable tie about a portion of said second member so that said cable tie extends beyond the last-mentioned substantially flat surface, said substantially flat surfaces being positionable facing each other and in substantial registration with each other whereby after the locking head is positioned in the holding means and the strap is positioned in the respective guide means of the first member and the second member, respectively, the flat cable can be inserted between said flat surfaces and the strap inserted through the locking head and tightened thereby to firmly hold said flat cable without substantial deformation thereof.

Claim 3

A mount as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cable tie comprises one of said substantially flat surfaces.

Claim 4

A mount for use with a cable tie having a locking head and a strap extending therefrom for holding at least one elongate object having opposed generally flat first and second sides, such as a flat cable, said head including a strap-receiving aperture extending therethrough, said mount comprising: a first member having a substantially flat surface for engaging the first side of said object and further having guide means for guiding said strap about a portion of said first member so that said strap extends beyond said substantially flat surface; and a second member having a substantially flat surface for engaging the second side of said object and having guide means for guiding said cable tie about a portion of said second member so that said cable tie extends beyond the last-mentioned substantially flat surface, said second member further including holding means for captively holding the locking head so that said strap-receiving aperture extends generally perpendicularly to the substantially flat surface of said second member, said substantially flat surfaces being positionable facing each other and in substantial registration with each other whereby after the locking head is positioned in the holding means and the strap is positioned in the respective guide means of the first member and the second member, respectively, the object can be inserted between said flat surfaces and the strap inserted through the locking head and tightened thereby to firmly hold said object without substantial deformation thereof.

Claim 5

A mount for use with a cable tie having a locking head and a strap extending therefrom for holding at least one elongate object having opposed generally flat first and second sides, such as a flat cable, said head including a strap-receiving aperture extending therethrough, said mount comprising: a first member having a substantially flat surface for engaging the first side of said object and further having guide means for guiding said strap about a portion of said first member so that said strap extends beyond said substantially flat surface; and a second member having a substantially flat surface for engaging the second side of said object and having guide means for guiding said cable tie about a portion of said second member so that said cable tie extends beyond the last-mentioned substantially flat surface, said second member further including holding means for captively holding the locking head so that said strap-receiving aperture extends generally perpendicularly to the substantially flat surface of said second member, said substantially flat surfaces being positionable facing each other and in substantial registration with each other whereby after the locking head is positioned in the holding means and the strap is positioned in the respective guide means of the first member and the second member, respectively, the object can be inserted between said flat surfaces and the strap inserted through the locking head and tightened thereby to firmly hold said object without substantial deformation thereof.

Claim 6

A mount as set forth in claim 3 wherein said first member is an elongate base and wherein its guide means extends beyond the held object and comprises a pair of spaced walls which partially define an elongate slot extending generally parallel to and spaced from the substantially flat surface of the base, and base including apertures adjacent each end of its substantially flat surface and which extend into said slot, one of said apertures permitting entrance of said strap into said slot and the other permitting egress of said strap therefrom.

Claim 7

A mount as set forth in claim 4 wherein said base includes a tongue extending longitudinally from said slot, said tongue having an aperture therethrough for receiving a mounting fastener.

Claim 8

A mount as set forth in claim 5 in which the flat surface of the base is raised relative to said tongue, and in which said slot is of sufficient depth to permit threading of said strap when said base is mounted on a support such as a panelboard.

Claim 9

A mount as set forth in claim 4 wherein each aperture is partially defined by opposed surfaces extending transversely to the longitudinal direction of said base, said opposed surfaces extending inwardly from the substantially flat surface of the base thereby to guide said strap into and out of said slot.

Claim 10

A mount as set forth in claim 3 wherein said second member is an elongate clamp cover and comprises a pair of spaced generally parallel rails for holding said strap therebetween and directing it substantially in the longitudinal direction of said cover, said rails extending from the substantially flat surface of the clamp cover with the spacing between the rails being substantially equal to but slightly greater than the width of said strap.

Claim 11

A mount as set forth in claim 8 wherein said cover further comprises a support joining said rails, the substantially flat surface of the cover comprising one surface of said support.

Claim 12

A mount as set forth in claim 9 wherein said rails have facing side surfaces and said support has a joining surface extending between said side surfaces, the last-mentioned three surfaces defining a channel and constituting the guide means of the cover

Claim 13

A mount as set forth in claim 10 wherein said rails are relieved adjacent one end of said cover to form transversely extending abutment surfaces for engaging said locking head, said holding means comprising said abutment surfaces.

Claim 14

A mount as set forth in claim 11 in which said holding means further comprises a retainer for said cable tie bridging said rails and sufficiently spaced from said joining surface to permit passage of said strap therebetween.

Claim 15

A mount as set forth in claim 12 wherein said holding means further comprises a lip extending from said joining surface at said one end of said cover, said lip being spaced from said abutment surfaces a distance slightly greater than the length of said locking head whereby as said strap is pulled down said channel away from said one end of said cover, said locking head upon clearing said lip will resiliently snap into engagement with said joining surface between said abutment surfaces and said lip.

Claim 16

A mount as set forth in claim 13 wherein said support has an aperture therethrough adjacent said lip to permit threading of said strap into said locking head.

Claim 17

A mount as set forth in claim 10 in which said joining surface is inclined from one end of the cover relative to the substantial flat surface of the cover, the portion of the joining surface adjacent the other end of said cover being curved toward the substantially flat surface of the cover to eliminate excessive stress concentration in the strap and to permit strap motion as it is tightened about said object.

Claim 18

A mount as set forth in claim 10 wherein said cover includes a transverse slot extending through said rails for receiving a cutter to allow cutting of said cable tie without damaging said object.

Claim 19

A mount as set forth in claim 3 wherein said second member is an elongate and channel shaped clamp cover comprising a pair of generally parallel arms joined by a web with the substantially flat surface of the cover constituting the base surface of said web.

Claim 20

A mount as set forth in claim 3 wherein said first member and said second member are made of insulative material.

Claim 21

A mount for use with a cable tie having a locking head and a strap extending therefrom for mounting at least one elongate object having opposed generally flat first and second sides, such as a flat cable, to a support such as a panelboard, said mount comprising: a base for attachment to said support and having a substantially flat base surface for engaging the first side of said object and further having guide means for guiding said strap about a portion of said base so that said strap extends beyond said base surface, said guide means comprising an exit aperture permitting exit of said strap from said base after the strap has been positioned about said portion of said base; and a clamp cover having holding means for captively holding the locking head and having a substantially flat clamp surface for engaging the second side of said object and further having guide means for guiding said cable tie about a portion of said clamp cover so that said cable tie extends beyond said clamp surface, said clamp surface being positionable facing said base surface and in substantial registration therewith, said cover including an entrance aperture for receiving said strap after it has been positioned about said portion of said base, said apertures being in substantial alignment when said surfaces are in substantial registration, whereby after the locking head is positioned in the holding means and the strap is positioned in the respective guide means of the base and the clamp cover, respectively, said object can be inserted between said surfaces and the strap inserted through the locking head and tightened thereby to hold said object without substantial deformation thereof.

Claim 22

A mount for use with a cable tie having a locking head and a strap extending therefrom for mounting at least one elongate object having opposed generally flat first and second sides, such as a flat cable, to a support such as a panelboard, said mount comprising: a base for attachment to said support and having a substantially flat base surface for engaging the first side of said object and further having guide means for guiding said strap about a portion of said base so that said strap extends beyond said base surface, said guide means comprising an exit aperture permitting exit of said strap from said base after the strap has been positioned about said portion of said base; and a clamp cover having holding means for captively holding the locking head and having a substantially flat clamp surface for engaging the second side of said object and further having guide means for guiding said cable tie about a portion of said clamp cover so that said cable tie extends beyond said clamp surface, said clamp surface being positionable facing said base surface and in substantial registration therewith, said cover including an entrance aperture for receiving said strap after it has been positioned about said portion of said base, said apertures being in substantial alignment when said surfaces are in substantial registration, whereby after the locking head is positioned in the holding means and the strap is positioned in the respective guide means of the base and the clamp cover, respectively, said object can be inserted between said surfaces and the strap inserted through the locking head and tightened thereby to hold said object without substantial deformation thereof.

Claim 23

A cable mount for use with a cable tie having a locking head and a strap extending therefrom for forming a plurality of elongate relatively flat objects such as flat cables into a stacked bundle, each object having opposed first and second wide surfaces, said head including a strap-receiving aperture extending therethrough, said mount comprising: a base for mounting on a support such as a panelboard, said base having a substantially flat base surface for engaging a first wide surface of one of said objects, said base further including guide means for releasably holding said strap about said objects and for spacing the strap from said first wide surface; and an insulative clamp cover including a substantially flat clamp surface for engaging a second wide surface of another of said objects, said clamp surface being positionable facing said base surface and in substantial registration therewith, said cover including guide means for guiding said strap about said objects and for spacing the strap from said second wide surface, said cover further including holding means captively holding said head with said strap-receiving aperture extending generally perpendicularly to said clamp surface, whereby after the locking head is positioned in the holding means and the strap is positioned in the respective guide means of the base and the clamp cover, the objects can be positioned between said base surface and said clamp surface and the strap inserted through the locking head and tightened thereby to form said objects into a bundle without substantial deformation thereof.

Claim 24

A cable mount for use with a cable tie having a locking head and a strap extending therefrom for forming a plurality of elongate relatively flat objects such as flat cables into a stacked bundle, each object having opposed first and second wide surfaces, said head including a strap-receiving aperture extending therethrough, said mount comprising: a base for mounting on a support such as a panelboard, said base having a substantially flat base surface for engaging a first wide surface of one of said objects, said base further including guide means for releasably holding said strap about said objects and for spacing the strap from said first wide surface; and an insulative clamp cover including a substantially flat clamp surface for engaging a second wide surface of another of said objects, said clamp surface being positionable facing said base surface and in substantial registration therewith, said cover including guide means for guiding said strap about said objects and for spacing the strap from said second wide surface, said cover further including holding means captively holding said head with said strap-receiving aperture extending generally perpendicularly to said clamp surface, whereby after the locking head is positioned in the holding means and the strap is positioned in the respective guide means of the base and the clamp cover, the objects can be positioned between said base surface and said clamp surface and the strap inserted through the locking head and tightened thereby to form said objects into a bundle without substantial deformation thereof.

Claim 25

The combination of at least one flat cable having opposed generally flat first and second sides, a cable tie having a strap and a locking head extending therefrom including a strap-receiving aperture extending through said head and a mount for holding said flat cable, said mount comprising: a first member, one of said first member and said strap having a substantially flat surface for engaging the first side of said object, said first member having guide means for guiding said strap about a portion of said first member so that said strap extends beyond said flat surface; and a second member having holding means for captively holding the locking head, one of said first member and said strap having a substantially flat surface for engaging the second side of said object, said second member further having guide means for guiding said cable tie about a portion of said second member so that said cable tie extends beyond the last mentioned substantially flat surface, said substantially flat surfaces being positionable facing each other and in substantial registration with each other, said holding means holding said head so that said strap-receiving aperture extends generally perpendicularly to said surface of said second member, whereby after the locking head is positioned in the holding means and the strap is positioned in the respective guide means of the first member and the second member, respectively, the object can be inserted between said flat surfaces and the strap inserted through the locking head and tightened thereby to firmly hold said object without substantial deformation thereof.

Claim 26

The combination of at least one flat cable having opposed generally flat first and second sides, a cable tie having a strap and a locking head extending therefrom including a strap-receiving aperture extending through said head and a mount for holding said flat cable, said mount comprising: a first member, one of said first member and said strap having a substantially flat surface for engaging the first side of said object, said first member having guide means for guiding said strap about a portion of said first member so that said strap extends beyond said flat surface; and a second member having holding means for captively holding the locking head, one of said first member and said strap having a substantially flat surface for engaging the second side of said object, said second member further having guide means for guiding said cable tie about a portion of said second member so that said cable tie extends beyond the last mentioned substantially flat surface, said substantially flat surfaces being positionable facing each other and in substantial registration with each other, said holding means holding said head so that said strap-receiving aperture extends generally perpendicularly to said surface of said second member, whereby after the locking head is positioned in the holding means and the strap is positioned in the respective guide means of the first member and the second member, respectively, the object can be inserted between said flat surfaces and the strap inserted through the locking head and tightened thereby to firmly hold said object without substantial deformation thereof.