Abstract:
The present invention relates generally to protective housings for electrically and non-electrically conducting elongated members, and, more particularly, to a non-corrugated protective tubular housing for wires (including cables) such as electrical, optical, audio, video, cable, telephonic, fiber optic, data, power, digital, and USB wires, and the like, that substantially prevents deleterious bending, crimping, coiling, and/or kinking or other damaging forces from shortening the effective lifespan of the wire and any attached components.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/867,439, filed Nov. 28, 2006, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates generally to protective housings for electrically and non-electrically conducting elongated members, and, more particularly, to a non-corrugated protective tubular housing for wires (including cables) that substantially prevents deleterious bending, crimping, coiling, kinking, and/or other damaging forces from shortening the effective lifespan of the wire and any attached components. 
         [0004]    2. Description of Prior Art 
         [0005]    Wires are electrical conductors that are used to carry electricity and other signals including digital, optical, audio, video and telephonic signals. A cable usually includes more than one wire bundled together. Wires, whether they are used, for example, to connect headphones to an audio/video device, speakers to a receiver, cable from a cable box to a T.V., telephonic headset to a telephonic base, or a mouse to a computer, have a tendency to bend, crimp, coil and/or kink, and inconveniently tangle. These wires also may be subjected to other damaging forces such as from wheels on chair legs. These damaging forces result in deleterious effects to the wires such as shorts, and a permanent defect in the wire. Due to the permanent damage to the wire, consumers are forced to purchase replacement wires (and, potentially, any attached components), which is often an expensive proposition. 
         [0006]    An illustrative example relates to the use of USB wires to connect digital radiography sensors to a computer in the field of dentistry. Instead of using traditional x-ray photographic film to obtain images of a patient&#39;s teeth, more dentists and clinicians are using digital x-ray sensors to capture and store these images. Digital radiography is a process that uses digital x-ray sensors to obtain and convert x-ray images into electronic data that can be viewed and analyzed by a clinician on a computer monitor as well as electronically stored. 
         [0007]    Digital radiography requires communication between the digital sensor (in the form of a “plate”) that is placed in a patient&#39;s mouth, and the digital information storage device (e.g., a computer). This communication can be facilitated either wirelessly or through USB wire that connects the digital sensor to the computer. In a non-wireless configuration, the sensor&#39;s wire is housed in electric tubing which fits tightly against the wire. When x-rays hit the sensor&#39;s plate inside a patient&#39;s mouth, the information is digitized and sent to the computer via the wire. The software programs converts the information to images, which can be read and interpreted by the dentist. 
         [0008]    One of the most common problems with the digital x-ray sensors that are not wireless is the damage of the wire due to bending, crimping, coiling, and/or kinking during operation of the digital sensor. Upon such bending, crimping, coiling, and/or kinking, the wire can become shorted. This short essentially results in sensor failure, cutting off any effective transmission of information from the sensor to the computer. 
         [0009]    With the current design of the sensor&#39;s wire, bending, crimping, coiling, and/or kinking is inevitable. Due to this inevitability, the life span of the wired sensors is very short and unpredictable. 
         [0010]    The prior art provides corrugated tubes that are used for bundling and protecting transmission/distribution wires harnesses (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,488,053). These corrugated tubes include annular ridges on the outer peripheral face of the tube to impart a bendability or flexibility to the corrugated tube. Corrugated tubes, however, have a tendency to bend, coil, and tangle upon themselves during operational use resulting in deleterious effects to the wires housed within the corrugated tubes (as discussed supra). Corrugated tubes are typically indicated to cover cables which are expected to be substantially stationary. However, these tubes are not usually indicated for covering cables that are under constant movement (changing position and/or location) dictated by operational needs, e.g., manipulation of one end of the cable by a person or machinery (especially for cables expected not to tangle, bind, brake continuity or function of internal components). Also, corrugated tubes are not easily disinfected and are not meant to be used in a medical environment where highly sanitized medical equipment is a high priority; debris easily gets lodged into the corrugations and are difficult to sanitize and disinfect between use on different patients. 
         [0011]    Similarly to the electrical conductors discussed above, non-electrical conductors such as a hose, rope, and the like, have a tendency to bend, crimp, coil and/or kink, and inconveniently tangle. These non electrical conductors also may be subjected to other damaging forces such as car and bicycle wheels resulting in permanent damage to the non-electrical conductor. As with permanent damage to wires noted supra, this permanent damage requires consumers to purchase replacement non-electrical conductors (and, potentially, any attached components). 
         [0012]    Accordingly, it would be useful and desirable to have a protective device for wires (e.g., digital radiography imaging wires) to prevent them from bending, crimping, coiling, and/or kinking, as well as prevent the wires from being subjected to any other damaging force, thereby extending the effective life of the wire and any attached components (e.g., digital radiography sensor). In addition, it would be useful and desirable for such a device to be quickly and easily attached to and detached from the wire. Also, it would be useful and desirable to have a protective device for wires that can be easily sanitized and disinfected. Moreover, it would be useful and desirable to have a protective device for non electrical conductors with the same qualities. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]    In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, protective housings for electrically and non-electrically conducting elongated members, and, more particularly, non-corrugated protective tubular housing for wires (including cables) that substantially prevents deleterious bending, crimping, coiling, kinking, and/or other damaging forces from shortening the effective lifespan of the wire and any attached components, are provided. 
         [0014]    In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a non-corrugated protective tubular housing for wires that substantially prevents shorts caused by bending, crimping, coiling and/or kinking, and preventing inconvenient tangling of the wire, is provided. In a preferred embodiment, the non-corrugated protective tubular housing for wires of an embodiment of the present invention is designed for housing and protecting small diameter non-pre-coiled wires/cables, which can be under constant movement dictated by operational needs (e.g., wires changing position and/or location through manipulation of at least one end by human hands or machinery), especially for wires not adapted for such movement. 
         [0015]    In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a non-corrugated protective tubular housing for wires is provided that maintains the wire in a configuration that substantially prevents any bending, crimping, coiling and/or kinking, e.g., keeps the wire stretched out and substantially linear or in a non-deleteriously wound configuration. The present invention also contemplates the use of the non-corrugated protective tubular housing to surround other “longitudinal” or non-electrically conducting elongated members such as a hose, rope, and the like, and keep these items stretched out and substantially linear or in a non-deleteriously wound configuration. 
         [0016]    In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a wire in which the non-corrugated protective tubular housing for wires of an embodiment of the present invention is designed to protect includes, but is not limited to, any electrically conducting elongated member where bending, crimping, coiling, kinking, and/or other damaging forces that shortens the effective lifespan of the electrically conducting elongated member is undesirable. For example, the wire can include, but is not limited to, any electrical, optical, audio, video, cable, telephonic, fiber optic, data, power, digital, and USB wire, and the like. 
         [0017]    In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a non-corrugated protective tubular housing for wires is provided comprising a tubular body extending along a longitudinal axis that defines a length between a first end and a second end and defining a hollow volume, wherein at least one of said first end and said second end is an open end, and a slit which extends along the longitudinal axis of the tubular body and over at least a portion of the length of the tubular body between the first end and the second end. The slit is defined by opposing first and second edges that are biased towards a contacting position. The edges may be sealed with any kind of tape, or other adhesive or sealing mechanism. 
         [0018]    In accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the tubular body can comprise at least one overlapping edge segment extending over at least a portion of the length of the tubular body between the first and the second end. The at least one overlapping edge segment is provided to assist in preventing the housed wire from coming out of the non-corrugated protective tubular housing for wires of an embodiment of the present invention. The at least one overlapping edge segment transversely extends from one of the opposing edges, over or under the slit, and over or under the other opposing edge on the outside or inside of the tubular body, thereby containing the wire therein. The at least one overlapping edge segment may contain an adhesive on its surface to removably seal the overlapping portion to the tubular body. 
         [0019]    In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the opposing edges allow wires to be quickly and easily placed within, as well as removed from, the non-corrugated protective tubular housing for wires of an embodiment of the present invention, as will be discussed in detail below with reference to the Figures. The wire is placed within the non-corrugated protective tubular housing for wires of an embodiment of the present invention, which, after insertion, keeps the wire in a configuration that substantially prevents the wire from bending, crimping, coiling, and/or kinking, as well as substantially prevents other damaging forces from shortening the effective lifespan of the wire. 
         [0020]    In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the non-corrugated protective tubular housing for wires of an embodiment of the present invention may be made from a number of different materials and mixtures of materials including, but not limited to, plastic material, rubber, Styrofoam, medical grade silicon, and the like. These materials impart some flexibility to the non-corrugated protective tubular housing for wires of an embodiment of the present invention, while also providing the necessary protection to the wire against the enumerated deleterious effects, as discussed supra. These materials also allow the non-corrugated protective tubular housing for wires to be easily cleaned and disinfected. 
         [0021]    In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the non-corrugated protective tubular housing for wires of an embodiment of the present invention has a length shorter than that of the wire that it surrounds. A non-corrugated protective tubular housing for wires with an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the wire, is also provided. This larger inner diameter of the protective tubular wire housing allows the wire to freely move inside the non-corrugated protective tubular housing for wires, while at the same time keeping the wire in a configuration that substantially prevents the wire from bending, crimping, coiling, and/or kinking and tangling during usage, as well as when it is stored. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the non-corrugated protective tubular housing for wires has a length of at least ¾ the length of the wire, and ¼ to ½ inches of space around the wire. 
         [0022]    Alternatively, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the non-corrugated protective tubular housing for wires of an embodiment of the present invention has a length that is the substantially the same length as or longer than that of the wire that the non-corrugated protective tubular housing for wires is surrounding. Moreover, a non-corrugated protective tubular housing for wires with an inner diameter that is substantially the same size as the outer diameter of the wire, is also provided. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0023]    The present invention will be more fully understood and appreciated by reading the following Detailed Description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0024]      FIG. 1   a - c  are perspective views of uncovered/unprotected wire in unwanted kinking, bending, coiling, and/or tangling configurations, each of which could cause a short and permanent defect in the wire. 
           [0025]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a portion of a non-corrugated protective tubular housing for wires according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0026]      FIG. 3  is a plan view of the first open end of the non-corrugated protective tubular housing for wires of  FIG. 2 , according to an embodiment of the present invention 
           [0027]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a non-corrugated protective tubular housing for wires being placed over and around a wire, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0028]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a non-corrugated protective tubular housing for wires surrounding at least a portion of a wire with optional components, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0029]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a non-corrugated protective tubular housing for wires surrounding at least a portion of a wire with optional components, and with a junction point where the non-corrugated protective tubular housing for wires splits into at least two separate but connected extensions, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0030]      FIG. 7  is a plan view of the first open end of the non-corrugated protective tubular housing for wires, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0031]    Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the invention, wherein like reference numerals refer to like components, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
         [0032]    Turning to  FIGS. 1   a - 1   c,  uncovered/unprotected wire  200  is shown. These figures show examples of unwanted kinking, bending, coiling, and/or tangling, each of which could cause a short and permanent defect in the wire  200 . 
         [0033]    Turning to  FIG. 2 , a perspective view of a portion of a non-corrugated protective tubular housing for wires  10  according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. The non-corrugated protective tubular housing for wires  10  comprises a tubular body  100 , with a first open end  110  and a second open end  120  (not fully shown), a hollow volume  130 , and a slit  140  which extends along the longitudinal axis X-X and over the length of the tubular body  100  between the first open end  110  and second open end  120 . 
         [0034]    Turning to  FIG. 3 , a plan view of the first open end  110  of the non-corrugated protective tubular housing for wires  10  of  FIG. 2 , according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown surrounding a wire “W.” The tubular body  100  comprises opposing edges, comprising a first opposing edge  150  and a second opposing edge  160 , that are biased towards a contacting position (i.e., the opposing edges  150  and  160  are biased towards one another as shown in  FIG. 2 ;  FIG. 3 , however, shows the opposing edges  150  and  160  being pulled apart for clarity). The opposing edges  150  and  160  may not actually contact one another when they are completely biased towards the contacting position. 
         [0035]    Turning to  FIG. 4 , a perspective view of a non-corrugated protective tubular housing for wires  10  being placed over and around a wire  200 , according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. In a preferred embodiment, in order to quickly and easily place the non-corrugated protective tubular housing for wires  10  over and around a wire  200 , a user starts at one end of the wire  200  and pries open the end of the non-corrugated protective tubular housing for wires  10  (e.g., a first open end  110 ), and starts to fit a portion of the wire  200  inside the hollow volume  130  of the tubular body  100 . This process is continued until the entire tubular body  100  surrounds at least a portion of the wire  200  (see  FIG. 5 ). 
         [0036]    Turning to  FIG. 5 , a perspective view of a non-corrugated protective tubular housing for wires  10  is shown surrounding at least a portion of a wire  200  according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the non-corrugated protective tubular housing for wires  10  (slit  140  and opposing edges  150 / 160  are not shown), after its positioning around the wire  200  as discussed supra, keeps the wire  200  in a configuration that substantially prevents any bending, crimping, coiling and/or kinking or other damaging forces from shortening the lifespan of the wire  200  (and from shortening the lifespan of at least one of an optionally attached component such as components A and/or B (components A and B could be digital radiography sensor components or other devices such as curling irons, headphones, audio/video devices, and heating devices for ski boots)). A stopper member such as a wire or plastic tie  170  (not shown), may be used to prevent the non-corrugated protective tubular housing for wires  10  from sliding back and/or forth on the wire  200 . 
         [0037]    Turning to  FIG. 6 , a perspective view of a non-corrugated protective tubular housing for wires  10  is shown surrounding at least a portion of a wire  200  according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the non-corrugated protective tubular housing for wires  10  (slit  140  and opposing edges  150 / 160  are not shown), after its positioning around the wire  200  as discussed supra, keeps the wire  200  in a configuration that substantially prevents any bending, crimping, coiling and/or kinking or other damaging forces from shortening the lifespan of the wire  200 . Additionally, this embodiment of the non-corrugated protective tubular housing for wires  10  comprises a junction  15  where the non-corrugated protective tubular housing for wires  10  splits into at least two separate but connected extensions  10 ′ and  10 ″ which surround at least two separate but connected wire portions  200 ′ and  200 ″, respectively. Optional components A and A″ are shown, which can be earphones of any type connected to a plug component B. 
         [0038]    Turning to  FIG. 7 , a plan view of the first open end  110  of the non-corrugated protective tubular housing for wires  10  according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.  FIG. 7  is similar to  FIG. 3 , except that the tubular body  100  comprises at least one overlapping edge segment  180  extending over at least a portion of the length of the tubular body  100  between the first end  110  and the second end  120  (not shown). The at least one overlapping edge segment is provided to assist in preventing the housed wire “W” from coming out of the non-corrugated protective tubular housing for wires  10  of an embodiment of the present invention. The at least one overlapping edge segment  180  transversely extends from under the second opposing edge  160 , under the slit  140 , and under the first opposing edge  150  on the inside of the tubular body  100 , thereby containing the wire “W” therein. The at least one overlapping edge segment  180  may contain an adhesive  190  (not shown) on its surface to removably seal the at least one overlapping edge segment  180  to the tubular body  100 . 
         [0039]    While the invention is susceptible to various modifications, and alternative forms, specific examples thereof have been shown in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not to be limited to the particular forms or methods disclosed, but to the contrary, the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives failing within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.