Orientation means for cable ties delivery system
An improved orientation means for a cable ties delivering system is adapted to complement a cable ties delivery system and includes an elongated conduit for orientation of an elongated, generally planar cable ties therein. The elongated conduit orients either a symmetrical or a single-directional cable ties in a delivery hose extending between a cable ties application tool and a dispenser from which such a cable ties is ejected.
The conduit achieves proper orientation of the cable ties by requiring the cable ties to bend as it travels from the dispenser to the tool. By confining the cable ties once it has achieved the desired orientation the conduit retains the cable ties therein for accurate delivery to the installation tool and proper application to a bundle of articles to be tied.
Application and installation tools for applying cable tiess to a bundle of wires or similar objects are well-known. These tools are designed to apply an elongate cable ties having a strap body and a head at one end thereof about the bundle. A tail of the cable ties body is fed through an aperture in the head and the cable ties is tensioned around the bundle of wires by the tool. The tool then provides for cutting the tail from the cable ties body, leaving the cable ties securely cinched around the bundle of wires. The cable ties application tool can provide fast and repetitive application of cable tiess to wire bundles in an assembly line type process.
While such an arrangement provides for the accurate orientation of the cable ties with respect to the tool by providing a delivery hose which closely conforms to the shape of the cable ties head, such construction is not without problems. It has been found that such a relationship between the delivery hose and the cable ties configuration may result in higher incidences of jamming of the cable ties in the hose. Due to the close fit between the cable ties head and the cross-sectional shape of the hose, any interruption in the hose such as may be caused by small pieces of dirt or debris or kinks in the hose serve to increase the likelihood of jamming of the cable in the hose. Such problems are not usually present where the cable ties is delivered via a round delivery hose of cylindrical cross-section, as illustrated in FIG. 3B, in that there is sufficient space between the cable ties head 12a and the interior or surface of hose 9 to permit the cable to bypass any potential jams. However, use of such a hose permits the cable ties to rotate during delivery, losing the cable ties orientation which was originally provided by the dispenser.
It is, therefore, desirable to provide an apparatus for use within a cable ties delivery system by which a cable ties may be reoriented prior to entering a cable ties installation tool and retained in the reoriented position to prevent jamming within the delivery system and to further prevent improper firing of the tool. It is further desirable to provide such a system where reorientation can be performed on either a symmetrical or single directional cable ties.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved orientation means which ensures delivery of a cable ties to a cable ties installation tool in a proper orientation for application to a bundle of articles.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved orientation means which ensures proper orientation of both symmetrical and single-directional cable tiess.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a cable ties orientation device which repeatedly configures a cable ties into proper firing position regardless of the orientation of the tie as it enters the orientation device.
In the efficient attainment of these and other objects, the present invention provides an easily machinable orientation apparatus wherein a cable ties is oriented into a position for proper firing from a cable ties installation tool and subsequent proper application about a bundle of articles. The apparatus includes an orientation conduit which permits delivery of a cable ties from a dispenser to an application tool through a delivery hose connected therebetween, wherein the cable ties has an elongate, generally planar body and an enlarged head at an extremity thereof. The conduit comprises an elongate chute having a cable ties receiving first open end and a cable ties dispensing second open end with an unobstructed passage therebetween.
The passage parameters are defined by an interior surface of the chute, which may have one or more bent extents therein or a pair of helical spirals protruding therefrom. The contour of the interior surface is selected to accommodate rotation and translation of a cable ties through the chute and depends upon whether the cable ties is of symmetrical or single-directional configuration.
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