# US 2019/0168937 A1 · Releasable cable tie > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0168937 A1 - Document ID: US20190168937A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/202,508 - Filed: 2018-11-28 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-02 - Assignees: KML Holding Group LLC - Inventors: George R. McDowell, III - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190168937A1 ## CPC - B65D 63/1072: {the barb having a plurality of serrations} - H02G 3/32: using mounting clamps - B65D 2563/106: formed as a ladder-like structure - B65D 2563/107: having a release mechanism, e.g. reusable bundling straps - B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES - H02G: INSTALLATION OF ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES, OR OF COMBINED OPTICAL AND ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES ## Abstract A releasable cable tie and method are disclosed providing a molded one-piece thermoplastic elongated planar strap for binding electrical cables and a plurality of strap teeth formed on one side of the strap for engaging a locking head formed at one end of the strap. A novel releasable latch on the locking head provides a large and wide thumb pad having a width at least 95% of the width of the strap and an index finger back plate positioned below the thumb pad and having a width and length at least as large as the width and height of the thumb pad. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A releasable cable tie, comprising: (a) a molded one-piece thermoplastic elongated planar strap for binding electrical cables; (b) a plurality of strap teeth formed on one side of said strap; (c) a locking head formed at one end of said strap, said locking head having an opening therethrough for receiving an opposite end of said strap, said opposite end being insertable into said opening in a locking direction and forming a loop to receive cables to be bound, said strap teeth being positioned on the side of the strap away from the cables to be bound; (d) a releasable latch on said locking head pivotally supported on said strap and at least one latch lock tooth on said latch complementary to said strap teeth and extending into said opening and adapted to engage with a strap tooth for preventing movement of said strap in a release direction, said releasable latch formed integrally with said strap; and (e) a large and wide thumb pad on said releasable latch readily accessible by the user, said large and wide release pad being deflected about a pivot line on said releasable latch to release the lock tooth from engagement with a strap tooth to permit the strap to be moved in a release direction, said strap being releasable from the locking head and said locking head being reusable. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A releasable cable tie as set forth in claim 1, further comprising an index finger back plate positioned below and behind said large and wide thumb pad. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A releasable cable tie set forth in claim 2, wherein said large and wide thumb pad extends away from said strap when said strap is in said window and is readily accessible by the user for deflection about said pivot line. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A releasable cable tie as set forth in claim 3, wherein said latch lock tooth is on the side of the opening opposite from said strap and is directly actuated by movement of said large and wide thumb pad so as to move said latch lock tooth from locking engagement with said strap teeth a sufficient distance to enable movement of said strap in a release direction. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A releasable cable tie as set forth in claim 4, wherein said large and wide thumb pad has a thumb pad width at least 90% of the strap width. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A releasable cable tie as set forth in claim 5, wherein said large and wide thumb pad has a thumb pad width at least 95% of the strap width. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A releasable cable tie as set forth in claim 6, wherein said index finger back plate has a width and length at least as wide and long as said thumb pad. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A releasable cable as set forth in claim 7, wherein the latch lock tooth is positioned at one end of the thumb pad integrally formed on said thumb pad, and said thumb pad is joined to a bridging member, whereby pressure on the end of the thumb pad will pivot the releasable latch about the bridging member and free the latch lock tooth from engagement with the strap tooth. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) A releasable cable tie as set forth in claim 8, wherein the bridging member is positioned below the latch lock tooth. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A releasable cable tie as set forth in claim 9, including locking head side walls reinforcing the latch and constructed and arranged to define the bridging member and pivot line for the latch. ### Claim 11 A method of tying and securing electrical cables, comprising: (a) providing a molded one-piece plastic elongate planar strap for binding electrical cables and a plurality of strap teeth formed on one side of said strap; (b) inserting said strap into a locking head on said strap in a locking direction and forming a loop to receive cables to be bound, with the plurality of strap teeth being on the side of the strap away from the cables to be bound; (c) locking said strap in said locking head formed at one end of said strap through an opening for receiving an opposite end of said strap and having at least one lock tooth on said latch complementary to said strap teeth and extending into said opening and adapted to engage with a strap tooth for preventing movement of said strap in a release direction, said releasable latch formed integrally with said strap and extending outwardly therefrom away from said strap, to form a locked strap; and (d) releasing said locked strap by activating a releasable latch on said locking head pivotally supported on said strap wherein said releasable latch is readily accessible by the user, said latch being deflected about a pivot line on the locking head to release the lock tooth from engagement with a strap tooth to permit the strap to be moved in a release direction, said strap being releasable from the body and said locking head being reusable. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A method of tying and securing electrical cables as set forth in claim 11, wherein said releasable latch comprises a large and wide thumb pad and an index finger back plate positioned below and behind said large and wide thumb pad. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) A method of tying and securing electrical cables as set forth in claim 12, wherein said large and wide thumb pad extends away from said strap when said strap is in said window and is readily accessible by the user for deflection about said pivot line. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A method of tying and securing electrical cables as set forth in claim 13, wherein said latch lock tooth is on the side of the opening opposite from said strap and is directly actuated by movement of said large and wide thumb pad so as to move said latch lock tooth from locking engagement with a strap tooth a sufficient distance to enable movement of the said strap in a release direction. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) A method of tying and securing electrical cables as set forth in claim 14, wherein said large and wide releasable thumb pad has a width at least 90% of the strap width. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A method of tying and securing electrical cables as set forth in claim 15, wherein said index finger back plate has a width and length at least as large as the width and length of said thumb pad. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) A method of tying and securing electrical cables as set forth in claim 16, wherein said large and wide releasable thumb has a width at least 95% of the strap width. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) A method of tying and securing electrical cables as set forth in claim 17, wherein the latch lock tooth is positioned at one end of the thumb pad integrally formed on said thumb pad, and said thumb pad is joined to a bridging member positioned below the latch lock tooth, whereby pressure on the end of the thumb pad will pivot the releasable latch about the bridging member and free the latch lock tooth from engagement with the tooth on the strap tooth. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) A method of tying and securing electrical cables as set forth in claim 18, wherein locking head side walls are constructed and arranged so as to define and reinforce the bridging member and said pivot line for the latch. ### Claim 20 A releasable cable tie, comprising: (a) a molded one-piece thermoplastic elongated planar strap for binding electrical cables; (b) a plurality of strap teeth formed on one side of said strap; (c) a locking head formed at one end of said strap, said locking head having an opening therethrough for receiving an opposite end of said strap, said opposite end being insertable into said opening in a locking direction and forming a loop to receive electrical cables to be bound, with the plurality of strap teeth being on the side of the strap away from the electrical cables to be bound; (d) a releasable latch on said locking head pivotally supported on said strap and at least one latch lock tooth on said latch complementary to said strap teeth and extending into said opening and adapted to engage with a strap tooth for preventing movement of said strap in a release direction, said releasable latch formed integrally with said strap; (e) a large and wide thumb pad having a width at least 95% of the width of said strap to form a releasable latch readily accessible by the user, said large and wide thumb pad being positioned to be deflected about a pivot line on the strap to release the lock tooth from engagement with a strap tooth to permit the strap to be moved in a release direction; (f) an index finger back plate positioned below said thumb pad and having a width and length at least as large as the width and height of said thumb pad behind said large and wide thumb pad; (g) wherein said large and wide thumb pad extends away from said strap when said strap is in said window and is readily accessible by the user for deflection about a pivot line; (h) wherein said latch lock tooth is on the side of the opening opposite from said strap and is directly actuated by movement of said large and wide thumb pad so as to move said latch lock tooth from locking engagement with a strap tooth a sufficient distance to enable movement of the said strap in a release direction; (i) wherein the latch lock tooth is positioned at one end of the thumb pad integrally formed on said thumb pad, and said thumb pad is joined to a bridging member positioned below the latch lock tooth, whereby pressure on the end of the thumb pad will pivot the releasable latch about the bridging member and free the latch lock tooth from engagement with the strap tooth; and (j) locking head side walls reinforcing the latch and constructed and arranged so as to define the bridging member and pivot line for the latch, said strap being easily releasable from the body and said locking head being reusable.