Abstract:
A cable ducting joiner for connecting cable ducts includes: a member having at least one side; at least one actuator disposed the side, the actuator having an open position and a closed position; and the actuator includes at least one gripper end that applies a pressure to the cable duct when the actuator is in the closed position and releases the pressure when the actuator is in the open position.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    The present application claims the benefit of the date of the earlier filed provisional application, having U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/359,293, filed on Feb. 21, 2002, which is incorporated herein in its entirety. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Existing cable ducting systems for cable (i.e., optical fiber cable) include duct channels, fittings, and joiners. The duct channels include solid straight sections that are used for horizontal routes for fiber optical cables. The straight sections are generally about 6.5 feet in length. There are also various types of fittings, which include up and down vertical elbows, vertical tees, and adapters. The elbows permit maneuvering over or under obstructions such as air conditioners, heaters, cable, or ladder racking. The tees are commonly used to drop the cables from a horizontal run, with other fibers continuing along the horizontal path. Adapters are used to maneuver left or right around obstructions.  
           [0003]    Each of the various channels and fittings are mated together and held in place by joiners, which are generally u-shaped members. There are generally two types of cable ducting systems. The first type of cable ducting system employs hardware, such as nuts and bolts, to fasten each of the duct channels and fittings to the joiners. These hardware type cable ducting systems require the use of wrenches and take considerable time to assembly. The second type of cable ducting system employs a snap lock system. In the typical snap lock cable ducting systems, a detent or slot is required in the channel to receive the detent from the joiner. This requires expensive tooling and time spent by the installer on-site to form the slot in the duct or fitting. Also, the forming of the slot on-site requires considerable skill and accuracy. The integrity of the joint and damage to the fiber optic cable could result from an inaccurately formed slot. Finally, there are some slot-less cable ducting system, which are an improvement over the snap lock systems, however, those systems still require the use of a tool to activate the joiner.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    The above discussed and other drawbacks and deficiencies of the prior art are overcome or alleviated by a cable ducting joiner. In an exemplary embodiment, a cable ducting joiner for connecting cable ducts includes: a member having at least one side; at least one actuator disposed the side, the actuator having an open position and a closed position; and the actuator includes at least one gripper end that applies a pressure to the cable duct when the actuator is in the closed position and releases the pressure when the actuator is in the open position. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0005]    Referring now to the drawings wherein like elements are numbered alike in the several Figures:  
         [0006]    [0006]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cable ducting joiner;  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 2 is a front view of the cable ducting joiner of FIG. 1;  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 3 is a side view of the cable ducting joiner of FIG. 1;  
         [0009]    [0009]FIGS. 4 and 5 are top views of the cable ducting joiner of FIG. 1;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a side view of the cable ducting joiner of FIG. 1;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 7 is perspective view of the cable ducting joiner attached to a duct channel;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 8 is an alternative embodiment of the cable ducting joiner of FIG. 1;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 9 is an alternative embodiment of the cable ducting joiner of FIG. 1; and  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 10 is an alternative embodiment of the cable ducting joiner of FIG. 1.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0015]    [0015]FIG. 1 depicts a cable ducting joiner  10  (joiner  10 ), which is preferably made from molded plastic. Joiner  10  is a u-shaped member  12  having a first side  14 , a second side  16 , and a third side  18 . On each side  14 ,  16 , and  18 , there are two raised members  20 , which are generally planar and parallel to sides  14 ,  16 , and  18 . A slot  24  is formed between side  14 ,  16 , and  18  and raised members  20 . In addition, each raised member  20  has an opening  26 , which may be any shape and in the exemplary embodiment is illustrated as being square. An actuator  30  is located on and attached to each raised member  20 .  
         [0016]    Referring to FIGS.  1 - 7 , various views of joiner  10  are illustrated. Actuator  30  includes a wire  32 , two pivot connection joints  34 , and a push area  36 . Wire  32  is shaped so that at least one and preferably two gripper ends  40  extend over opening  26 . Gripper ends  40  are bent at an angle from wire  32 . A center member  42  is located between each raised member  20  on each side  14 ,  16 , and  18 . Center member  42  has a tab  44  located on each side of center member  42 . Wire  32  is in a closed or locked position when it is located underneath tab  44 . When wire  32  is in the closed position, gripper ends  40  extend through opening  26 .  
         [0017]    Referring again to FIGS.  1 - 7 , joiner  10  operates as follows. A duct channel and/or fitting  50  (collectively referred to as channel  50 ) are aligned with joiner  10  so that three walls  52  of channel  50  are aligned with sides  14 ,  16 , and  18 . The three walls  52  of channel  50  are inserted into slots  24  located on each side  14 ,  16 , and  18 . Walls  52  are initially held in place by a friction fit. An operator pushes on push area  36  and rotates wire  32  towards center member  42 . As the push area  36  rotates towards center member  42 , gripper end  40  rotates into opening  26 . As the operator continues to move push area  36  toward center member  42 , gripper end  40  continues to rotate through opening  26 . Once wire  32  snaps under tab  44  and is in the closed position, gripper end  40  extends through opening  26  and pushes into wall  52 . The shape and angle of gripper end  40  provides a grip to wall  52  of channel  50 . Moreover, the angle of gripper end  40  provides additional grip to wall  52  if a load is placed on channel  50 . Each of the three actuators  30  operates to secure each wall  52  in the same manner.  
         [0018]    After channel  50  is secured, a second channel  50  can also be mated and secured to joiner  10  in the same manner. Thus, two separate channels  50  are each secured to joiner  10  separately.  
         [0019]    Channel  50  can be removed from joiner  10  by pulling on pull area  36  so that wire  32  releases from under tab  44 . Gripper end  40  rotates away from wall  52  and wall  52  can be pulled from slot  24 . Each of the three actuators  30  operates to release each wall  52  in the same manner. After first channel  50  is removed, second channel  50  can be removed in the same manner.  
         [0020]    Referring to FIG. 8, an alternate exemplary embodiment of joiner  10  is illustrated. In this embodiment, joiner  10  is similar to the one depicted in FIGS.  1 - 7 , except the actuator structure is different. An actuator  130  has a main body  132  that pivots on a bar  134 . Bar  134  is secured at a first end  136  and a second end  138  by an end piece  140 . Main body  132  includes metal blades  150  that extend through an opening  152  when actuator  130  is in the closed position. Metal blades  150  have a rounded shape. Main body  132  also has a push area  154  to move actuator  130  into and out of a closed or locked position. While the structure of actuator  130  is different from actuator  30 , the two actuators operate in a similar manner.  
         [0021]    Referring again to FIG. 8, joiner  10  operates as follows. Channel  50  is aligned with joiner  10  so that three walls  52  (only two shown) of channel  50  are aligned with sides  14 ,  16 , and  18  (only two shown). The three walls  52  of channel  50  are inserted into slots  24  located on each side  14 ,  16 , and  18 . Walls  52  are initially held in place by a friction fit. An operator pushes on push area  154  and rotates main body  132  towards a center  158  of sides  14 ,  16 , and  18 . As push area  154  rotates towards center  158 , blades  150  rotate into opening  152 . As the operator continues to move push area  154  toward center  158 , blades  150  continue to rotate through opening  152 . As blades  150  extend through opening  152 , there is pressure at a cam surface  156  between blades  150  and wall  52 . The operator continues to press on push area  154  until blades  150  rotate past a point so that main body  132  snaps into a closed position. The shape of blades  150  holds wall  52  of channel  50  in place and also allows main body  132  to stay in a closed position. Each of the three actuators  130  operates to secure each wall  52  in the same manner.  
         [0022]    Referring to FIG. 9, an alternate exemplary embodiment of joiner  10  is illustrated. In this embodiment, joiner  10  has u-shaped member  12  with three sides  14 ,  16 , and  18 . On each side  14 ,  16 , and  18 , there are two raised members  20 , which are generally planar and parallel to sides  14 ,  16 , and  18 . A slot  24  is formed between side  14 ,  16 , and  18  and raised members  20 .  
         [0023]    Joiner  10  is similar to the one depicted in FIG. 8, except the actuator structure is different. An actuator  230  is attached to raised member  20  and has a main body  232  that pivots on a bar  234 . Bar  234  is secured at a first end  236  and a second end  238  by an end piece  240 . Main body  232  includes gripper ends or protrusions  250  that are rounded. Main body  232  also has a push area  254  to move actuator  230  into and out of a closed or locked position. On raised member  20 , there is a pad  260 , which may be rubber or metal. Pad  260  extends through raised member  20  so that it protrudes into slot  24 .  
         [0024]    Referring again to FIG. 9, joiner  10  operates as follows. Channel  50  is aligned with joiner  10  so that three walls  52  (only two shown) of channel  50  are aligned with sides  14 ,  16 , and  18 . The three walls  52  of channel  50  are inserted into slots  24  located on each side  14 ,  16 , and  18 . Walls  52  are initially held in place by a friction fit. An operator pushes on push area  254  and rotates main body  232  away from a center  262  of sides  14 ,  16 , and  18 . As push area  254  rotates away from center  262 , protrusions  250  rotate so that a cam surface  256  of protrusions  250  pushes against pad  260 , which then applies pressure to wall  52 . The operator continues to press on push area  254  until protrusions  250  rotate past a point so that main body  232  snaps into a closed position. The shape of protrusions  250  applies pressure to pad  260 , which then holds wall  52  of channel  50  in place and also allows main body  232  to stay in a closed position. Each of the three actuators  230  operates to secure each wall  52  in the same manner.  
         [0025]    Referring to FIG. 10, an alternate exemplary embodiment of joiner  10  is illustrated. In this embodiment, joiner  10  has u-shaped member  12  with three sides  14 ,  16 , and  18 . On each side  14 ,  16 , and  18 , there are two raised members  20 , which are generally planar and parallel to sides  14 ,  16 , and  18 . A slot  24  is formed between side  14 ,  16 , and  18  and raised members  20 .  
         [0026]    Joiner  10  is similar to the one depicted in FIG. 9, except the actuator structure is different. An actuator  330  is attached to raised member  20  and has a main body  332  that rotates around a center point  334  of main body  332 . In this embodiment, there is only one actuator  330  for both sides of joiner  10 . As such, one actuator  330  is attached to both raised members  20 , with center  334  of actuator  330  located at a center  335  of each side  14 ,  16 , and  18 .  
         [0027]    Main body  330  has a first end  336  and a second end  338  that extend over a pad  340 , which is made from metal or rubber. At both first and second ends  336  and  338  on a side  342  of main body  332  that faces pad  340 , side  342  has a gripper end or sloped edge (not shown). As such, at a first corner of both first and second ends  336  and  338 , main body  332  is thicker than at a second corner of both first and second ends  336  and  338 . Main body  332  also has a turn handle  354 , so that operator can rotate main body  332  around center  334 .  
         [0028]    Referring again to FIG. 10, joiner  10  operates as follows. Channel  50  is aligned with joiner  10  so that three walls  52  of channel  50  are aligned with sides  14 ,  16 , and  18 . The three walls  52  of channel  50  are inserted into slots  24  located on each side  14 ,  16 , and  18 . Walls  52  are initially held in place by a friction fit. An operator grasps turn handle  354  and rotates handle  354  so that main body  332  rotates in a clockwise direction around center  334 . As main body  332  rotates in a clockwise direction, the sloped edge (not shown) pushes against pad  340  with more pressure being applied against pad  340  the further main body  332  rotates around center  334 . Once first corner  350  is located over pad  340 , actuator  330  is in the closed or locked position. Each of the three actuators  330  operates to secure each wall  52  in the same manner.  
         [0029]    While the invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.