Supports – Pipe or cable – Brackets
Reexamination Certificate
2002-02-25
2003-02-11
Braun, Leslie A. (Department: 3632)
Supports
Pipe or cable
Brackets
C248S062000, C248S068100, C248S074100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06517032
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to cable supports and specifically to an improved non-metallic locking cable support.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is common in the electrical industry to support communication cables using a bridle ring. A bridle ring is a cable support that is constructed from a small diameter rod of steel of one-piece that is bent into a circular hoop with a connection mechanism, such as a threaded connector or a friction clip, at one end. It is typically used to support horizontal or vertical runs of electrical cables by suspending the cables through the circular hoop section. Typically, to contain the cables that will be inserted therein, the hoop section of prior art bridle rings is bent to almost 360° in radius, with just a narrow gap remaining for insertion of cables. As a consequence of the limited size of the gap in prior art bridle rings and the rigid metallic construction, cable bundles are not easily fit therein.
Bridle rings are typically used to support telecommunication cables such as those specified in the ANSI/TIA/EIA-568 industry standard for telecommunication cabling systems. Within this standard, three types of cables are recognized for horizontal cabling and include 4-pair 100 ohm UTP (unshielded twisted pair) cable, 2-pair 150 ohm STP (shielded twisted pair) cable, and 2-fiber, 62.5/125 micron optical fiber cable. Category 5 cable refers to a designation applied to UTP (unshielded twisted pair) cable whose transmission rates are specified up to 100 MHz.
When supporting telecommunication cables with existing art bridle rings, it is common for the individual cables in the bundle to be bent, twisted, or otherwise damaged as a result of the limited size of the gap, the rigid construction, and the small diameter of the metal rod utilized in constructing the ring. The metal rod that the bridle ring is constructed from is typically 0.25″ in diameter and can disturb the small cables that are within telecommunications cables. Bending and twisting of conductors caused when inserting cables into prior art bridle rings can adversely affect the data transmission rate, which becomes more critical in cables having higher transmission rates, such as Category 5 telecommunications cables. Some manufacturers have attempted to correct the deficiencies of existing art bridle rings by attaching a curved piece of plastic to provide a better surface for supporting the cables. The piece of plastic is typically snapped on in a separate operation and increases the production costs of the existing art bridle ring.
In order to overcome some of the shortcomings of traditional bridle rings, the assignee of the present invention filed U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/790,047 on Feb. 21, 2001, entitled “BRIDLE RING FOR ELECTRICAL AND COMMUNICATION CABLE”, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. This application provided an improved bridle ring of non-metallic construction with the ability to open wide to accept bundles of communications cables without having to twist together the cables in the bundle and a wider seat to better support cables without excessively bending individual cables.
On Sep. 19, 2001, the assignee of the present invention filed U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/956,614, entitled “LOCKING CABLE SUPPORT”, which provided further improvements to the bridle ring connector and is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. The locking cable support of this application was also non-metallic, of unitary construction, provided a wide opening feature, included a wider seat or cable rest portion, and added a snap-fit feature to contain cables therein and improve the ability of the connector to retain cables within the ring portion in both horizontal and vertical orientations.
To provide an improved bridle ring cable support with an ability to snap fit onto threaded or smooth rods, the assignee of the present invention filed U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/956,611 on Sep. 9, 2001, entitled “ROD CABLE SUPPORT”, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. This application provided a one-piece cable support with a snap fit feature enabling cables to be locked within the hanger and with the ability to snap onto threaded or smooth rods.
Although the previously mentioned patent applications addressed several disadvantages with existing art bridle ring connectors, additional improvements in the design of the locking bridle ring can be achieved by providing a larger cable holding capacity and an improved ability to snap fit onto smooth or threaded rods.
The present invention therefore addresses several obvious disadvantages with existing art bridle rings, including:
(a) Metallic construction may cause magnetic fields that interfere with modern high transmission rate telecommunication cables.
(b) The rigid ring and narrow gap causes distortion or damage of individual cables or separation of the twisted pair in UTP cables as they are inserted into the circular ring portion.
(c) Wire bundles must be twisted in order to fit them within traditional bridle rings, possibly damaging of individual cables within the bundle and negatively affecting transmission characteristics.
(d) It is impossible to fit bundles of cables into the narrow gap, as it is too small to accommodate them, therefore requiring the installer to insert each individual telecommunication cable one at a time and thereby greatly increasing installation time.
(e) The metallic rod used to form the bridle ring, having a small diameter, provides an insufficient seat for small diameter telecommunication cables thereby causing horizontally run cables to sag at the ring and sustain damage to the individual small wires in the bundle.
(f) The circular hoop portion of the bridle ring is small in diameter therefore limiting the amount of cables that may be inserted therein.
(g) Prior art cable supports designed to be supported from rods are limited to use with threaded rods and not smooth rods.
(h) Prior art cable supports designed to be supported from rods do not include a locking mechanism to secure cables therein.
(i) Prior art cable supports designed to be supported from rods are not of one-piece construction, therefore increasing their complexity and cost of manufacture.
Accordingly, what is needed is a one-piece locking bridle ring of non-metallic construction with a large cable holding capacity and the ability to snap fit onto either threaded or smooth rods.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
The several objectives of the present invention include:
(a) Providing an improved bridle ring type hanger of non-metallic construction to reduce magnetic fields that interfere with modern high transmission rate telecommunication cables.
(b) Providing a wide-opening feature to eliminate distortion or damage of individual cables or separation of the twisted pair in UTP cables as they are inserted into the circular ring portion.
(c) Providing an improved hanger wherein wire bundles need not be twisted in order to fit them within the ring portion and thereby minimizing damage of individual cables within the bundle and negatively affecting transmission characteristics.
(d) Providing a wide-opening feature to allow rapid insertion of cables and thereby greatly reducing cable installation time.
(e) Providing a larger seat to reduce the distortion of cables supported by the hanger.
(f) Increasing the cable holding capacity of the bridle ring type hanger.
(g) Providing a cable support capable of snap fitting onto either threaded or smooth rods.
(h) Providing a cable support with a locking mechanism for securing cables therein.
(i) Providing a cable support of one-piece construction thereby reducing the complexity and cost of manufacture.
These and other advantages will become obvious by reading the attached specification with reference to the attached drawings.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is a one-piece locking U-shaped cable support capable of holding a large capacity of cables and with the ability to snap fit onto threaded or smooth rods. A second embodiment is
Arlington Industries Inc.
Braun Leslie A.
Le Tan
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