Strain sensing cable tie

Abstract

A cable tie having a strain sensing device incorporated therein. In one embodiment, the strain sensing device is a fiber Bragg grating (FBG), which is preferably molded within the strap. In this case, the cable tie further includes a socket in optical communication with the fiber Bragg grating for coupling of the cable tie to an external light source. In another embodiment, the strain sensing device is a mechanical fuse that activates in the presence of a predetermined amount of strain on the cable tie. The mechanical fuse is preferably disposed on the strap and is made of a fuse material having a mechanical strength lower than a mechanical strength of the material of the strap so that the mechanical fuse will fracture or deform earlier than the material of the underlying strap when both the fuse and the strap experience the same increasing strain.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.