Outline
Cable ties, also known as zip ties or tie-wraps, is a type of fastener, especially for binding several electronic cables or wires together and to organize cables and wires. In its common form, the nylon cable tie consists of a tape section with triangular teeth that slope in one direction. The head of the cable tie has a slot with a flexible pawl that rides up the slope of these teeth when the tape is inserted. The pawl engages the backside of these teeth to stop removal of the tape.
History
Cable ties were first invented by Thomas & Betts, an electrical company, in 1958 under the brand name Ty-Rap. Initially they were designed for airplane wire harnesses. The original design used a metal tooth, and these can still be obtained. Thomas & Betts and others, e.g. Panduit and Hellermann, later changed to the nylon/plastic design. The design has over the years been extended and developed into numerous spin-off products.