U.S. patent application number 13/249461 was filed with the patent office on 2012-04-05 for cable securing device.
This patent application is currently assigned to AIRBUS OPERATIONS SAS. Invention is credited to Patrick MONGIORGI, Stephane PAUCHET, Julien TONNELLIER.
Application Number | 20120080566 13/249461 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43920794 |
Filed Date | 2012-04-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120080566 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
PAUCHET; Stephane ; et
al. |
April 5, 2012 |
CABLE SECURING DEVICE
Abstract
The subject of the invention is a cable securing device
comprising a base, a housing having an interior and an exterior
surface and two spaced-apart edges allowing a plurality of cables
to be inserted into the said housing, and a tongue connecting the
two edges so as to hold the cables in the housing. The said tongue
is connected removably at one end, known as the free end, to the
first edge. The tongue comprises at least one orifice capable of
engaging with a pin provided on the exterior surface of the
housing. The interior surface of the tongue comprises a
touch-and-close structure capable of engaging with a
touch-and-close structure provided on the exterior surface of the
housing.
Inventors: |
PAUCHET; Stephane;
(Guerande, FR) ; TONNELLIER; Julien; (La
Baule-Escoublac, FR) ; MONGIORGI; Patrick; (Saint
Nazaire, FR) |
Assignee: |
AIRBUS OPERATIONS SAS
Toulouse
FR
|
Family ID: |
43920794 |
Appl. No.: |
13/249461 |
Filed: |
September 30, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
248/74.3 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16L 3/123 20130101;
H02G 3/32 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
248/74.3 |
International
Class: |
F16L 3/04 20060101
F16L003/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 30, 2010 |
FR |
1057893 |
Claims
1. A cable securing device comprising a base, a housing having an
interior and an exterior surfaces and two spaced-apart edges,
respectively called a first edge and a second edge allowing in use
a plurality of cables to be inserted into the said housing and a
tongue connecting the two edges so as to hold in use the cables in
the housing, the said tongue having an interior surface and being
connected removably at one end, known as the free end, to the first
edge, characterized in that the tongue comprises at least one
orifice capable of engaging with a pin provided on the exterior
surface of the housing, and in that the interior surface of the
tongue comprises a touch-and-close structure capable of engaging
with a touch-and-close structure provided on the exterior surface
of the housing.
2. The cable securing device according to claim 1, characterized in
that the exterior surface of the housing comprises two pins , and
in that the tongue comprises at least two orifices, one for each
pin.
3. The cable securing device according to claim 2, characterized in
that the tongue comprises at least one series of orifices, one
series for each pin (54), the orifices belonging to one and the
same series being positioned in use in a transverse plane
perpendicular to the central axis of the cables.
4. The cable securing device according to claim 1, characterized in
that the touch-and-close structures are touch-and-close structures
of the "velcro.RTM." type, one of the touch-and-close structures
comprising loops and the other hooks.
5. The cable securing device according to claim 4, characterized in
that the tongue comprises a touch-and-close structure having loops
which are attached to the interior surface of the tongue.
6. The cable securing device according to claim 4, characterized in
that the housing comprises a touch-and-close structure having hooks
produced as one piece with the said housing.
7. The cable securing device according to claim 5, characterized in
that the housing comprises a touch-and-close structure having hooks
produced as one piece with the said housing.
8. The cable securing device according to claim 4, characterized in
that the tongue is connected, at the opposite end to the free end,
permanently to the second edge of the housing .
9. The cable securing device according to claim 8, characterized in
that the tongue is produced as one piece with the housing.
10. The cable securing device according to claim 8, characterized
in that the tongue is separate from the housing and connected to
the second edge by permanent means of connection.
11. Cable securing device according to claim 1, characterized in
that the housing is a split conduit.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a cable securing
device.
[0002] In the field of aeronautical engineering, a device like the
one described in FIG. 1 for securing cables to a support is
known.
[0003] This device comprises a base 10 with a first part 12 pressed
firmly against a support 14 using connecting means 16 and a second
part 18 in the shape of a C with an opening 20 to allow cables 22
to be inserted. The ends of the branches of the C comprise tabs 24
extending in an approximately radial direction and each having a
slotted orifice 26.
[0004] First of all, the cables can be prepositioned by inserting
them into the C shape. Advantageously, the interior wall of the
C-shape has an elastomer coating 28 to protect the cables.
[0005] When the wiring is finished, the cables are held in the
C-shape by a cable fastener 30 which passes through the two slots
26 and aims to bring the two tabs 24 closer together in order to
clamp the cables 22.
[0006] To do this, the branches of the C are produced in such a way
that they can deform elastically by selecting a suitable material
and/or cross section. In addition, the elastomeric covering may
contribute towards obtaining this elastic effect.
[0007] In a known way, a cable fastener 30, also known as a
"tie-wrap", firstly comprises a longilinear flat body with a
plurality of notches perpendicular to its length on at least one
face and, secondly, comprises a head connected to a first end and
having a slotted orifice with a lug capable of engaging in one of
the notches of the body so as to immobilize the body relative to
the head.
[0008] To join the tabs 24 together the second end of the cable
fastener has to be fed through the slots 26 in the tabs and through
the slot in its head and this second end then has to be pulled.
[0009] One first disadvantage is that this type of securing device
comprises a use-once part which means that the cable fasteners have
to be cut and replaced if one or more cables is to be added,
removed or changed.
[0010] A first objective of the invention is to provide a reusable
and strong securing device.
[0011] To this end, the invention proposes a cable securing device
comprising a base, a housing having an interior and an exterior
surface and two spaced-apart edges allowing a plurality of cables
to be inserted into the said housing, a central axis of the said
cables defining a longitudinal direction, and a tongue connecting
the two edges so as to hold the cables in the housing, the said
tongue being connected removably at one end, known as the free end,
to the first edge, characterized in that the tongue comprises at
least one orifice capable of engaging with a pin provided on the
exterior surface of the housing, and in that the interior surface
of the tongue comprises a touch-and-close structure capable of
engaging with a touch-and-close structure provided on the exterior
surface of the housing.
[0012] The combination of connecting means of the touch-and-close
type and of the pin/orifice type means that a strong removable
connection can be achieved.
[0013] For preference, the housing comprises two pins positioned in
a longitudinal direction and in that the tongue comprises at least
two orifices, one for each pin.
which are provided on the tongue in order to improve strength.
[0014] Another object of the invention is to propose a cable
securing device that is easy to use. To this end, the tongue is
connected, at the opposite end to the free end, permanently to the
second edge of the housing. Further features and advantages will
become apparent from the description of the invention which
follows, which description is given purely by way of example with
reference to the attached drawings in which:
[0015] FIG. 1 is a side view of a cable securing device according
to the prior art,
[0016] FIG. 2 is a side view of a cable securing device according
to the invention,
[0017] FIG. 3 is a cross section illustrating in detail the
removable connection of the securing device of the invention,
[0018] FIG. 4 is a view in perspective from a first direction of a
cable securing device, and
[0019] FIG. 5 is a view in perspective from a different direction
of a cable securing device.
[0020] According to one embodiment, a cable securing device
comprises a base 32 with a first part 34 that can be pressed firmly
against a support 36 using connecting means 38 and a second part
defining a housing 40 in which the cables 42 can be positioned.
[0021] For the remainder of the description, a longitudinal
direction means the direction of the cables.
[0022] A transverse plane means a plane perpendicular to the
longitudinal direction.
[0023] Finally, a transverse direction means a direction
perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and parallel to the
support.
[0024] The first part 34 has shapes suited to the support 36.
[0025] In the case of a support that offers a substantially flat
bearing surface, the first part 34 is in the form of a plate, for
example a rectangular plate with rounded corners, with an underside
surface resting against the substantially flat support 36.
[0026] However, other shapes of the first part 34 are
conceivable.
[0027] The first part 34 comprises at least one orifice 44 allowing
the passage of the connecting means 38.
[0028] The connecting means 38 may be in the form of a screw, of
bolts (visible in FIG. 2), of rivets or of dowels (visible in FIGS.
4 and 5).
[0029] However, the invention is not restricted to these connecting
means and likewise covers solutions involving bonding, welding or
some other technique.
[0030] The second part defines a housing 40 and is in the form of a
conduit directed in the longitudinal direction, with a slot that is
wide enough to allow the cables to be inserted into the conduit,
the said slot or opening being delimited by edges 46, 46', which
are preferably parallel to one another and directed in the
longitudinal direction.
[0031] Depending on circumstance, the width of the slot may vary
and the conduit may extend over a greater or smaller sector.
[0032] According to one embodiment, the conduit is connected to the
first part 34 in such a way as to create two branches extending
from the first part 34, the ends of the branches constituting the
edges 46, 46'.
[0033] Advantageously, the spacing between the branches narrows at
the edges 46, 46', so as to retain the cables 42.
[0034] According to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 5, the
housing 40 is C-shaped.
[0035] For preference, the branches have cross sections (in
transverse planes) that are substantially constant.
[0036] The split conduit housing 40 has a width (in the
longitudinal direction) of the order of 0.5 cm to 5 cm in order to
provide satisfactory guidance for the cables 42.
[0037] According to a preferred embodiment, the first part 34 and
the housing 40 are made as a single piece by being moulded in
plastic.
[0038] The thickness and/or the material of the split conduit are
suitable for it being able to deform slightly in an elastic manner
so as to increase the cross section for the passage of the cables
and thus adapt to suit a range of diameters of cable wiring harness
42.
[0039] For preference, the interior face of the split conduit
facing towards the cables has a coating 48 aimed at protecting the
cables. By way of example, this coating 48 is made of
elastomer.
[0040] According to the invention, in order to hold the cables in
position, the device comprises a tongue 50 permanently connected to
one of the edges 46 of the conduit and removably connected to the
other edge 46' of the conduit.
[0041] This tongue 50 is flexible enough that it can initially
uncover the space between the edges 46, 46' to allow the cables to
be inserted and can then connect the edges 46, 46'.
[0042] This tongue 50 preferably has a width substantially
identical to that of the split conduit.
[0043] In a first alternative form, the tongue 50 is separate from
the split conduit. In such a case, one of the ends of the tongue 50
is secured by any suitable permanent means to one of the edges 46
of the conduit, for example by bonding.
[0044] According to another alternative, the tongue 50 is made as a
single piece with the split conduit. In such a case, the tongue 50
has a thickness appreciably smaller than that of the split conduit
in order to give it its flexibility.
[0045] In order to obtain a removable connection, the free end of
the tongue 50 comprises at least one orifice 52 capable of engaging
with a pin 54 provided on the exterior surface of the conduit near
the edge 46', the surface of the said free end of the tongue that
faces towards the split conduit comprising a touch-and-close
structure 56 capable of engaging with a touch-and-close structure
56' provided on the exterior surface of the conduit near the edge
46'.
[0046] This configuration makes it possible to obtain a securing
device that is strong and reusable.
[0047] For preference, the exterior surface of the conduit
comprises two pins 54 positioned in a longitudinal direction. To
complement these, the tongue 50 comprises at least two orifices 52,
one for each pin.
[0048] This configuration makes it possible to prevent the tongue
50 from pivoting with respect to the edge 46', thus improving the
pull-out strength of the removable connection between the tongue 50
and the edge 46'.
[0049] Advantageously, the tongue 50 comprises at least one series
of orifices 52, one series for each pin 54, the orifices of one and
the same series being positioned in a transverse plane and
preferably uniformly spaced.
[0050] This configuration allows the securing device to be adapted
to suit various diameters of cable wiring harness 42.
[0051] According to one embodiment, the touch-and-close structures
56 and 56' are touch-and-close structures of the "velcro.RTM."
type, the touch-and-close structure 56 comprising loops and the
touch-and-close structure 56' comprising hooks.
[0052] To provide a better strength, the touch-and-close structure
56' is positioned around each pin 54 while the touch-and-close
structure 56 is positioned around each orifice 52.
[0053] According to one preferred embodiment, the touch-and-close
structure 56 is a strip with loops that is independent of the
tongue 50 and secured to the interior surface of the tongue for
example by bonding. In parallel, the touch-and-close structure 56'
may be incorporated into the branch 46', the hooks of the said
structure 56' being produced at the time of moulding of the
base.
* * * * *