U.S. patent application number 09/778750 was filed with the patent office on 2002-06-06 for conduit pipe for telecommunication cable.
Invention is credited to Kang, Young-Sug, Kim, Geu-Bok, Noh, Yong-Kun, Park, Jeong-Kwen, Seo, Myung-Woo.
Application Number | 20020066492 09/778750 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 19702557 |
Filed Date | 2002-06-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020066492 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kang, Young-Sug ; et
al. |
June 6, 2002 |
CONDUIT PIPE FOR TELECOMMUNICATION CABLE
Abstract
A conduit pipe is installed within a cable tunnel and
telecommunication cables are disposed in the conduit pipe. The
conduit pipe is divided longitudinally into a plurality of divided
bodies. Each divided body is equipped at one longitudinal side with
a retaining part and at the other longitudinal side with a
protruded part. A single conduit pipe is formed when the divided
bodies are connected to each other along the longitudinal side.
Since the divided bodies can be wound around a small-diameter
bobbin to be carried, the space for their custody is reduced and
the carriage thereof is easier. Further, since connection parts on
surfaces of the conduit pipes can be arranged such that they occupy
empty spaces between conduit pipes, the space occupied by the
connection parts can be minimized, thereby comparatively larger
number of telecommunication cables being able to be disposed within
the cable tunnel.
Inventors: |
Kang, Young-Sug; (Daejeon,
KR) ; Kim, Geu-Bok; (Busan, KR) ; Noh,
Yong-Kun; (Daejeon, KR) ; Seo, Myung-Woo;
(Daejeon, KR) ; Park, Jeong-Kwen; (Daejeon,
KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PENNIE & EDMONDS LLP
1667 K STREET NW
SUITE 1000
WASHINGTON
DC
20006
|
Family ID: |
19702557 |
Appl. No.: |
09/778750 |
Filed: |
February 8, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
138/162 ;
138/155; 138/165; 138/166; 138/167 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16L 9/22 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
138/162 ;
138/155; 138/165; 138/166; 138/167 |
International
Class: |
F16L 009/22 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 1, 2000 |
KR |
2000-72391 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A conduit pipe installed within a cable tunnel and having
communication cables disposed therein, comprising a plurality of
divided bodies to be connected to form the conduit pipe, each
divided body including a retaining part at one longitudinal side
and a protruded part at the other longitudinal side.
2. The conduit pipe of claim 1, wherein the protruded part has a
saw-toothed protrusion and the retaining part has a saw-toothed
groove to be engaged with the saw-toothed protrusion.
3. The conduit pipe of claim 1, wherein the divided bodies are made
of soft polyethylene.
4. The conduit pipe of claim 1, wherein the divided bodies are
angularly symmetrical to each other.
5. The conduit pipe of claim 4, wherein the divided bodies are
angularly symmetrical to each other with an opening angle of a
degree of 120.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a conduit pipe for a
telecommunication cable; and, more particularly, to a conduit pipe
which is divided longitudinally into a plurality of divided bodies
for easy carriage and installation.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
[0002] Conventionally a telecommunication cable is installed by
taking following steps: forming manholes with a predetermined
distance, burying an exterior pipe which is to function as a cable
tunnel, installing a plurality of conduit pipes in the exterior
pipe and arranging telecommunication cables within the conduit
pipes.
[0003] FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of a cable tunnel built by
using a conventional method and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of
the cable tunnel with conventional conduit pipes installed therein.
As shown in FIG. 1, manholes 1 and 1' are disposed tens or hundreds
of meters apart from each other, and a typical distance between two
adjacent manholes is 246 m. An exterior pipe 2 for building the
cable tunnel is buried between the manholes 1 and 1'. A plurality
of conduit pipes 3 are installed within the exterior pipe 2. As
illustrated in FIG. 2, a telecommunication cable 4 is laid within
the conduit pipe. The exterior pipe generally has a diameter big
enough to accommodate some additional conduit pipes 3 in case an
increase of telecommunication cables is needed later on.
[0004] Several types of PVC pipe such as foam conduit pipe have
been utilized to form the conduit pipe 3. The conduit pipe is
formed by connecting a plurality of such PVC pipes whose lengths
are approximately 6 m. However, since the conduit pipes having a
length of 6 m cannot be put into the cable tunnel through an
opening of a manhole, the entire numbers of conduit pipes that can
be accommodated within the cable tunnel must be installed all
together at the same time when the cable tunnel is built. Further,
since the conduit pipes occupy a lot of space, it is difficult to
carry a great number of pipes at a time. Still further, connection
parts of the conduit pipe 3 have larger diameter than any other
part thereof, thereby reducing the number of conduit pipes to be
installed within the cable tunnel. As a result, the number of
communication cables 4 that can be arranged within the conduit
pipes 3 is decreased as well.
[0005] In the case of using a PE pipe instead of a PVC pipe as a
conduit pipe, comparatively larger number of conduit pipes may be
installed in a cable tunnel because the PE pipe has no connection
part. However, the PE pipe generally has a diameter of 100 mm, and
thus it is difficult to carry the PE pipes because the diameter of
a bobbin becomes excessively enlarged when the PE pipes are
wound.
THE SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] It is, therefore, the object of the present invention to
provide a conduit pipe offering an effective use of an inner space
of a cable tunnel. The conduit pipe is made of soft materials and
longitudinally divided into a plurality of divided bodies which are
kept disconnected at the time of conveyance and then assembled at
the time of installation.
[0007] In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there
is provided a conduit pipe a plurality of which are installed
within a cable tunnel and within which telecommunication cables are
built. The conduit pipe comprises a plurality of divided bodies to
be connected to form a single conduit pipe, wherein each divided
body is equipped at one longitudinal side with retaining parts and
at the other longitudinal side with protruded parts.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] The above and other objects and features of the present
invention will become apparent from the following description of a
preferred embodiment given with reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which:
[0009] FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing showing a cable tunnel built
by using a conventional method;
[0010] FIG. 2 provides a cross-sectional view of conventional
conduit pipes installed within a cable tunnel;
[0011] FIG. 3 sets forth a perspective view of a conduit pipe in
accordance with the present invention;
[0012] FIG. 4 describes an axial cross-sectional view of the
conduit pipe in FIG. 3;
[0013] FIG. 5 depicts an enlarged view of part B in FIG. 4 showing
a disengaged state thereof; and
[0014] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the conduit pipes
installed within a cable tunnel in accordance with the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0015] The followings are descriptions of a preferred embodiment of
the present invention with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
[0016] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a conduit pipe in accordance
with the present invention and FIG. 4 represents an axial cross
section of the conduit pipe of FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is an enlarged view
of part B in Fig.4 and offers a disengaged state thereof. FIG. 6 is
a cross-sectional view of conduit pipes of the present invention
installed within a cable tunnel.
[0017] In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present
invention, a conduit pipe 20 comprises a plurality of divided
bodies 22 that are made by dividing the conduit pipe 20
longitudinally. The divided bodies 22 have preferably the same
length as a standard distance between manholes, e.g. 246 m. As
shown in FIG. 3, the conduit pipe 20 is spilt into three divided
bodies 22 which are angularly symmetrical to each other. Each
divided body 22 has a retaining part 30 along one longitudinal side
and a protruded part 40 along the other longitudinal side. The
protruded part 40 is equipped with a saw-toothed protrusion 42, and
the retaining part 30 is equipped with a saw-toothed groove 32
which engages with the saw-toothed protrusion 42 formed on the
protruded part 40 of another divided bodies of the conduit pipe
20.
[0018] By configuring the conduit pipe as cited above, when a
plurality of conduit pipes are arranged, connection parts, which
are formed by engaging the protruded part of one divided body with
the retaining part of another divided body and projected on the
surface of conduit pipes, are arranged such that they occupy empty
spaces between conduit pipes, thereby minimizing space occupied by
the connection parts. The number of divided bodies of a conduit
pipe may be varied depending on the materials used for
manufacturing the divided bodies and the time required for
installation thereof. Divided bodies may be angularly unsymmetrical
to each other.
[0019] In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present
invention, a conduit pipe having a circular cross section is formed
when three divided bodies 22 are connected. For establishing firm
connection, it is preferable to construct connection parts of the
divided bodies 22 by the above-described method. However, any
configuration of the connection parts may be adopted if it can
minimize the connection parts on the surfaces of the conduit
pipes.
[0020] The divided bodies 22 are preferably made of polyethylene
pipe. When soft materials are applied for constructing the conduit
pipe, it becomes possible to wind the conduit pipe on a bobbin,
thereby reducing the space needed for storage, which also makes it
easier to install any additional conduit pipes within the exterior
pipe even after the installation of an exterior pipe 10 is already
completed.
[0021] A method for installing a conduit pipe of the present
invention comprises following steps: the divided bodies 22 of the
conduit pipe 20 are wound around a bobbin to be carried. At an
installation site, the divided bodies 22 are unwound from the
bobbin and connected to each other. The connection process can
begin by fitting a protruded part 40 of a divided body 22 into a
retaining part of another divided body 22 and making a saw-toothed
protrusion 42 engage with a saw-toothed groove 32. Following these
steps, three divided bodies 22 are jointed and a conduit pipe 20
having a circular cross section is formed. After the connection is
established, the conduit pipe 20 is put into the exterior pipe 10
to be installed therein. Since the conduit pipe 20 is made of very
soft materials, when the addition of the conduit pipe 20 is
required even after the installation of the cable tunnel is
completed, it is possible to assemble the conduit pipe 20 first and
then insert it through the mouth of manholes 1 and 1' into the
exterior pipe 10.
[0022] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention,
connection parts of the conduit pipe 20 are arranged such that they
occupy empty spaces between conduit pipes. Thus, the space occupied
by connection parts of the conduit pipe is reduced, thereby
enabling more conduit pipes to be installed within the exterior
pipe 10 functioning as a cable tunnel. Further, since the conduit
pipe 20 can be wound around a bobbin having a small diameter, the
conduit pipe 20 can be easily carried and also doesn't need much
space for storage. Accordingly, the costs involving storage and
carriage can be lowered. Besides, all the conduit pipes 20 that can
be accommodated within a cable tunnel need not be installed all at
once when the cable tunnel is constructed. Any conduit pipe can be
installed individually when additional installation is required,
thus resulting in a cost-cut with regard to materials and
construction.
[0023] While the present invention has been described with respect
to the particular embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled
in the art that various changes and modifications may be made
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as
defined in the following claims.
* * * * *