Supports – Pipe or cable – Brackets
Reexamination Certificate
2001-01-25
2001-12-25
Ramirez, Ramon O. (Department: 3632)
Supports
Pipe or cable
Brackets
C248S068100, C248S073000, C248S058000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06332594
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to devices for supporting flexible electrical cables.
When electrical cables, such as data communication and power cables, extend over substantial distances, they must be properly supported at appropriately spaced intervals by some type of supporting device to avoid kinking, sharp bends, excessive sagging, and the like, that can cause damage to the cables and/or interfere with the transmission through the cables.
One known cable supporting bracket of this general type is disclosed in Perrault U.S. Pat. No. 4,039,131. This type of bracket has a “J” configuration and is generally referred to as “a J-Hook”, and it includes a flat cable supporting surface formed with a curvature to contain the supported cable or cables, and a downwardly extending flange is provided at each outer edge of the flat cable supporting surface to strengthen the bracket. The corners between the flat supporting surface and the two downwardly extending flanges are rounded, and are intended to avoid exposing the supported cables to a sharp edge which might damage the cables.
Similarly, Laughlin U.S. Pat. No. 5,740,994 discloses a cable supporting bracket which also includes a flat cable supporting surface being formed with a curvature for containing the cable(s), and a stiffening or strengthening flange formed at each side edge of the flat supporting surface with rounded corners therebetween. However, in this bracket, the stiffening flanges extend downwardly and outwardly from the flat supporting surface at an angle of forty-five degrees, and this angle, combined with the rounded surface, also reduces the sharpness of the sharp corners or edges that might damage the supported cables.
While both of these known cable supports do reduce the sharpness of the edges, at least to some extent, they still present flat surfaces that extend in angular relationship to one another, and they still present an edge between the surfaces, all of which can result in the cables not being properly supported on a surface configuration that conforms to the curvature of the cables themselves.
Although these cable supports are mounted at spaced intervals from one another (e.g. 150 cm) to avoid excessive sagging of the cables, the weight of the cables nevertheless results in some sag between two adjacent cable supports, and this sag can result in the cable having a curvature at the points where it extends downwardly from both sides of the support brackets. Additionally, where the cable is somewhat stiff, it may assume a curvature as it extends over the flat supporting surface of the cable support, rather than lying flat on the flat support surface, and this lack of support, combined with the cable having to pass over the edges (albeit rounded edges) between the flat supporting surface and the flat stiffening flanges, can put undesirable stress on the supported cables.
Accordingly, there is a need for a cable supporting device which overcomes the aforesaid disadvantages of known devices of this type.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, a device is provided for supporting flexible cables which comprises an attachment portion by which the device is attached to a mounting member, such attachment portion having a generally longitudinal extent and openings therein for receiving said mounting members, and a support portion formed integrally with the attachment portion at one of its longitudinal ends and extending therefrom along a centerline having a confining configuration that forms a saddle for containing the flexible cables. The support portion has a support surface formed with a rounded configuration that curves away and downwardly from the centerline in both directions with a radius of curvature that provides a contour generally similar to the contour of the flexible cables supported and contained within said saddle.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the centerline of the support portion has a curved configuration, and the support surface is formed with a rounded configuration that curves away and downwardly from said centerline in both directions with a constant radius of curvature. In another embodiment of the present invention, the support surface may be formed with a channel extending along the centerline of the saddle, the channel having a predetermined depth and having a bottom wall formed with a radius of curvature extending from the same center as said radius of curvature of the support surface. A strap is disposed within the channel for assisting in maintaining the cables within the saddle, such strap having a thickness corresponding to the depth of the channel whereby the contour of the top surface of the strap forms a curvature corresponding to the curvature of the major portion of the support surface and the top surfaces of the strap and the support surface form a continuous curved surface.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the configuration of the support portion is generally triangular, and includes a first leg extending downwardly and away from the attachment portion in angular relation thereto, a second leg extending from the first leg at an acute angle and generally perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the attachment portion, and a third leg extending upwardly from the second leg at an acute angle. The second leg of the support portion has a support surface formed with a rounded configuration that curves away and downwardly from the centerline in both directions with a constant radius of curvature that provides a contour generally similar to the contour of the flexible cables supported and contained within the saddle.
REFERENCES:
patent: 840009 (1907-01-01), Peirce
patent: 2270802 (1942-01-01), Kristensen
patent: 3074676 (1963-01-01), Watson
patent: 4013253 (1977-03-01), Perrault et al.
patent: 4039131 (1977-08-01), Perrault et al.
patent: 4709888 (1987-12-01), Cubit et al.
patent: 5514834 (1996-05-01), Zimmerman
patent: 5740994 (1998-04-01), Laughlin
patent: 5890689 (1999-04-01), Johnson
patent: 5961081 (1999-10-01), Rinderer
Baker Randy Scott
Boutillier Keith William
Rhodes Brian William
Shelton Michael James
Chatsworth Products, Inc.
Kennedy Covington Lobdell & Hickman LLP
Ramirez Ramon O.
Sy Holly N.
LandOfFree
Cable supporting device does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Cable supporting device, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Cable supporting device will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2572029