Clamping clip for bundled sinuous wire

Abstract

A clip device and a method for clamping together in bundled form a plurality of sinuous wires, wherein the clip device is formed from a single continuous piece of wire having a generally U-shaped configuration with an open end and a closed end, the closed end forming a base portion and the open end being formed by a pair of legs extending away from the base portion with each said leg having an end portion bending inwardly toward the base portion to form a pair of hooks, and the method comprising the steps of: (a) gathering a plurality of sinuous wires into a bundle; (b) compressing the bundle; (c) aligning the loops in the bundle; (d) installing the clip device; (e) stacking a clamped bundle on a pallet; (f) heating the stacked, clamped bundles in an oven; and (g) packaging the clamped bundles.

1 . A wire bundle, comprising: 
 a plurality of sinuous wires, arranged adjacently in coextensive abutting relation: and    a clip device clamping together the plurality of sinuous wires in bundled form in the coextensive abutting relation:    wherein the clip device is formed from a single continuous piece of wire having a generally U-shaped configuration with an open end and a closed end f receiving a group of adjacent loops of the bundled sinuous wires into the clip device, the closed end forming a base portion of the clip device and the open end being formed by a pair of legs extending away from the base portion with each said leg having an end portion bending inwardly toward the base portion to form a pair of hooks retaining the bundled sinuous wires.    
   
   
       2 . A wire bundle in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the width of the base portion is selected in relation to the width of a loop in the sinuous wires, and the length of the legs is selected in relation to the size and number of sinuous wires bundled for clamping.  
   
   
       3 . A wire bundle in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the legs extend away from the base portion arcuately toward the open end.  
   
   
       4 . A wire bundle in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the legs are essentially straight.  
   
   
       5 . A wire bundle in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein an intermediate portion of the base portion is indented inwardly in the direction of the legs and towards the hooks to prevent the clip device from disengaging prematurely from the bundled sinuous wires.  
   
   
       6 . A wire bundle clip device in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein the base portion and the hooks extend in differing planes.  
   
   
       7 . A wire bundle in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein the base portion, the legs, and the hooks extend in a common plane.  
   
   
       8 . A wire bundle in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein the base portion and the legs extend in a differing plane from the hooks.  
   
   
       9 . A wire bundle, comprising: 
 a plurality of sinuous wires, arranged adjacently in coextensive abutting relation: and    a clip device clamping together the plurality of sinuous wires in bundled form in the coextensive abutting relation:    wherein the clip device is formed from a single continuous piece of wire having a generally U-shaped configuration with an open end and a closed end Of receiving a group of adjacent loops of the bundled sinuous wires into the clip device, the closed end forming a base portion of the clip device and having a width selected in relation to the width of a loop in the sinuous wires, and the open end being formed by a pair of legs extending arcuately away from the base portion with each said leg having a length selected in relation to the size and number of sinuous wires bundled for clamping and having an end portion bending inwardly toward the base portion in a differing plane from the base portion to form a pair of hooks X retaining the bundled sinuous wires.    
   
   
       10 . A method for clamping together in bundled form a plurality of sinuous wires with a clip device formed from a single continuous piece of wire having a generally U-shaped configuration with an open end and a closed end for receiving a group of adjacent loops of the bundled sinuous wires into the clip device, the closed end forming a base portion of the clip device and the open end being formed by a pair of legs extending away from the base portion with each said leg having an end portion bending inwardly toward the base portion to form a pair of hooks for retaining the bundled sinuous wire, the method comprising the steps of: 
 a. gathering a plurality of sinuous wires into a bundle, each sinuous wire having a plurality of loops;    b. compressing the bundle of sinuous wires to eliminate any spacing between the sinuous wires;    c. aligning the loops in the bundle of sinuous wires; and    d. installing the clip device by: 
 i. positioning the hooks of the clip device over one side of a group of adjacent loops in the bundle of sinuous wires; and  
 ii. pulling the base portion of the clip device over the other side of the group of adjacent loops in the bundle of sinuous wires to clamp the bundle together.  
   
   
   
       11 . A method in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein the legs of the clip device are spread before positioning the hooks of the clip device over one side of the group of adjacent loops in the bundle of sinuous wires.  
   
   
       12 . A method in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein the legs of the clip device are flattened before positioning the hooks of the clip device over one side of the group of adjacent loops in the bundle of sinuous wires.  
   
   
       13 . A method in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein the clamped bundles of sinuous wires are stacked on a pallet in a group of eight to ten clamped bundles.  
   
   
       14 . A method in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein the clamped bundles of sinuous wires are heated in an oven to increase the curve in the legs of the clip device.  
   
   
       15 . A method in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein the clamped bundles of sinuous wires are packaged for shipping.