Buoyant detectable cable tie

Abstract
A buoyant cable tie formed from a composition that includes a plastic material and metal particles. The average density of the composition is less than 1.25 g/cm3, preferably less than 1.15 g/cm3, and the cable tie floats. In one embodiment, the plastic material has a first melting point and the plastic carrier material has a second melting point. The first melting point is lower than the second melting point so that the plastic material can be melted without melting the plastic carrier material. The cable tie floats and the metal particles allow the cable ties to be easily detected by metal detection devices. Some embodiments can also be detected by X-ray, sonar, optical or visual detection devices.
Description
Claims
  • 1. A buoyant cable tie formed from a composition comprising: a plastic material; andmetal particles;wherein the plastic material and the metal particles are combined to form a composition, wherein the plastic material comprises a first weight percent of the composition and has a first density, wherein the metal particles comprise a second weight percent of the composition and have a second density, wherein the sum of the product of the first weight percent and the first density and the product of the second weight percent and the second density is less than 1.25 g/cm3, and wherein the cable tie floats and can be detected by metal detection devices.
  • 2. The cable tie as set forth in claim 1, wherein the sum of the product of the first weight percent and the first density and the product of the second weight percent and the second density is less than 1.15 g/cm3.
  • 3. The cable tie as set forth in claim 1, wherein the plastic material is a polypropylene, a polyethylene or a polyamide.
  • 4. The cable tie as set forth in claim 1, wherein the metal particles comprise a ferrous material.
  • 5. The cable tie as set forth in claim 1, wherein the composition further comprises barium sulfate.
  • 6. The cable tie as set forth in claim 5, wherein the metal particles and the barium sulfate comprise from about 1 to about 5% by weight of the composition.
  • 7. The cable tie as set forth in claim 5, wherein the plastic material is a polypropylene.
  • 8. The cable tie as set forth in claim 5, wherein the cable tie can be detected by X-ray, sonar, optical or visual detection devices.
  • 9. The cable tie as set forth in claim 5, wherein the metal particles comprise at least 0.3% by weight of the composition and the barium sulfate comprises at least 0.5% by weight of the composition.
  • 10. The cable tie as set forth in claim 1, wherein the metal particles comprise metal flakes.
  • 11. A buoyant cable tie formed from a composition comprising: a plastic material having a first melting point; andmetal particles in a plastic carrier material, wherein the plastic carrier material has a second melting point and wherein the first melting point is lower than or equal to the second melting point;wherein the average density of the composition is less than 1.25 g/cm3 and wherein the cable tie floats and can be detected by metal detection devices.
  • 12. The cable tie as set forth in claim 11, wherein the average density of the composition is less than 1.15 g/cm3.
  • 13. The cable tie as set forth in claim 11, wherein the metal particles comprise at least 0.3% by weight of the composition.
  • 14. The cable tie as set forth in claim 11, wherein the metal particles comprise metal flakes.
  • 15. The cable tie as set forth in claim 11, wherein the plastic material is a polypropylene, a polyethylene or a polyamide.
  • 16. The cable tie as set forth in claim 11, wherein the metal particles comprise a ferrous material.
  • 17. The cable tie as set forth in claim 11, wherein the composition further comprises barium sulfate.
  • 18. The cable tie as set forth in claim 17, wherein the metal particles and the barium sulfate comprise from about 1 to about 3% by weight of the composition.
  • 19. The cable tie as set forth in claim 17, wherein the metal particles comprise at least 0.3% by weight of the composition and the barium sulfate comprises at least 0.5% by weight of the composition.
  • 20. The cable tie as set forth in claim 17, wherein the plastic material is a polypropylene.
  • 21. The cable tie as set forth in claim 11, wherein the cable tie can be detected by X-ray, sonar, optical or visual detection devices.
  • 22. A buoyant cable tie formed from a composition comprising: a plastic material having a first melting point;metal particles in a plastic carrier material, wherein the plastic carrier material has a second melting point and wherein the first melting point is lower than or equal to the second melting point; andbarium sulfate,wherein the average density of the composition is less than 1.15 g/cm3 and wherein the cable tie floats and can be detected by X-ray and metal detection devices.
  • 23. The cable tie as set forth in claim 22 wherein the metal particles comprise at least 0.3% by weight of the composition and the barium comprises at least 0.5% by weight of the composition.
  • 24. The cable tie as set forth in claim 22, wherein the metal particles comprise metal flakes.
  • 25. The cable tie as set forth in claim 22, wherein the plastic material comprises a polypropylene, a polyethylene or a polyamide.
  • 26. The cable tie as set forth in claim 22, wherein the metal particles comprise a ferrous material.
  • 27. The cable tie as set forth in claim 22, wherein the metal particles and the barium sulfate comprise from about 1 to about 3% by weight of the composition.
  • 28. The cable tie as set forth in claim 22, wherein the plastic material is a polypropylene.
  • 29. A method of making a detectable cable tie comprising: combining a plastic material, metal particles in a plastic carrier material and barium sulfate to form a mixture, wherein the plastic material has a first melting point and the plastic carrier material has a second melting point and wherein the first melting point is lower than or equal to the second melting point;heating the mixture to a temperature greater than the first melting point and lower than or equal to the second melting point to form a composition;forming a portion of the heated composition into a cable tie; andcooling the cable tie,wherein the cable tie can be detected by X-ray and metal detection devices.
  • 30. The method of making a detectable cable tie according to claim 29, wherein the metal particles comprise at least 0.3% by weight of the composition and the barium sulfate comprises at least 0.5% by weight of the composition.
  • 31. The method of making a detectable cable tie according to claim 29, wherein the metal particles consist essentially of metal flakes or ferrous materials.
  • 32. The method of making a detectable cable tie according to claim 29, wherein the plastic material comprises a polypropylene, a polyethylene or a polyamide.
  • 33. The method of making a detectable cable tie according to claim 29, wherein the plastic material is a polypropylene.
  • 34. The method of making a detectable cable tie according to claim 29, wherein the composition is formed into a cable tie by a molding or an extrusion process.
Provisional Applications (1)
Number Date Country
60786955 Mar 2006 US