US 12,467,556 B2
Locking apparatus for wire management with slack cable management
Brady Schimpf, Eagle Point, OR (US); and Benjamin Wade, Holladay, UT (US)
Assigned to Easy Solar Products, Inc., Sandy, UT (US)
Filed by Easy Solar Products, Inc., Sandy, UT (US)
Filed on Nov. 19, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/990,683.
Prior Publication US 2024/0167585 A1, May 23, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. F16L 3/01 (2006.01); F16B 2/06 (2006.01); F16L 3/06 (2006.01)
CPC F16L 3/01 (2013.01) [F16B 2/06 (2013.01); F16L 3/06 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A locking apparatus comprising:
a housing;
a fixing member;
a lock mechanism within the housing configured to resist movement of the fixing member in a first direction and to allow movement of the fixing member in a second direction opposite the first direction;
a lock path extending from a lock path entrance on an exterior first side of the housing, through the locking mechanism, to a lock path exit on an exterior second side of the housing opposite the first side, wherein the second direction is oriented in a direction from the lock path entrance to the lock path exit; and
a slack management opening integral to the housing and configured to hold a slack portion of the fixing member extending from the lock path exit, wherein the slack management opening is configured to allow the slack portion to be inserted and removed by having two locking sections at each end thereof shaped to hold the slack portion, and a locking slot shaped to accommodate and retain the slack portion.