Electricity: conductors and insulators – Conduits – cables or conductors – Combined
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-20
2001-04-24
Reichard, Dean A. (Department: 2831)
Electricity: conductors and insulators
Conduits, cables or conductors
Combined
C174S135000, C024S0160PB, C024S03050P, C248S062000, C248S074300
Reexamination Certificate
active
06222128
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a communications cable support useful for the easy, safe and secure installation of such cables, including fiber optic cable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
With the advent and growth of computer and communications applications in the business environment, the retrofit installation of delicate and sophisticated cabling such as twisted pair and fiber optic cables has become more and more of an issue. Unlike conventional electrical wiring, such cabling cannot be abused either in its installation or use. Bending excessively, kinking, sharp bending, contact with sharp edges, etc. all can cause harm to the cable which affects its intended performance. This problem is not quite so significant in new construction where cable trays designed to receive such cabling are installed during construction to accommodate current and future needs. In retrofit applications, however, means must be provided for the easy, safe and secure installation and maintenance of such cabling.
Accordingly, a number of hangers or supports for such cabling have been designed and marketed primarily for the retrofit market. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,740,994 describes a cable support which is generally J-shaped and has a saddle portion which is curved around the base of the J and flat across the base of the J. Downward extending flanges on either side of the flat base of the J are provided to ease the transition of a sagging cable suspended between two such supports as the cable is laid from one side of the support, across the flat portion of the support and off of the other side thereof While this structure is useful, the presence of the flat base can still result in excessive bending of the cabling and the curved portion of the saddle all but forces the individual cables into contact with one another. Such a condition is generally considered undesirable because of the potential for interference between abutting cables. Additionally, use of the cable support described in this patent requires the use of a separate cable tie across the open face of the J to secure the cable after installation.
A variety of flexible such supports have also been suggested for such use. One such device is manufactured and sold by Caddy Fasteners of Solon, Ohio. This device utilizes a flexible strap having one end thereof attached to a mounting base and the opposing or free end thereof including a rigid cross member whose exposed ends engage tabs on the mounting base when the flexible strap is folded upon itself to encompass inserted wiring. In order to tightly secure the strap to the mounting base, crimping of the mounting base incorporated tabs is necessary. While such crimping provides a secure closure of the support, removal of a wire or the insertion of another wire or wires is made more complicated by the need to “uncrimp” the tabs to permit removal of the flexible strap.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a flexible cable support structure that provides an integral cable support with rapid and easy securing of the flexible strap to its mounting without the need for crimping or other additional installation steps.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a flexible cable support structure that provides a secure mounting for cables or wiring that can be readily disassembled for removal of one or more wires or the insertion of additional wires without the need to “uncrimp” or otherwise perform additional operations to unfasten the support.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, there is provided an integral or unitary flexible cable support comprising a base for mounting on an appropriate structural member, a flexible strap integrally formed with the base, the flexible strap having a base end attached to the base and a distal end that includes a keyhole shaped aperture for engaging an appropriate attachment button on the front side of the base. In use, wiring to be supported is placed within the flexible strap, the strap bent to encompass the wiring and the keyhole shaped aperture engaged about the attachment button thereby providing a wiring support that is not easily disengaged by random movement of the wiring, but is easily disengaged by hand for removal of one or more wires or insertion of additional wires.
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Arlington Industries Inc.
Nino Adolfo
Reichard Dean A.
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