Abstract:
Cable strain relief device ( 100 ) for electronic equipment ( 400 ) that can be attached at any position on a cable ( 200 ). The device ( 100 ) can secure the cable ( 200 ) to any fixed point ( 402 ). The device can protect the cable connection ( 404 ) to the electronic equipment by transferring mechanical load placed on the cable ( 200 ) to a strong rigid location ( 402 ) on the equipment or any fixed point. It also protects the cable from damage typically associated with conventional clamping techniques.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Statement of the Technical Field 
   The inventive arrangements relate generally to strain relief devices for cables, and more particularly to a strain relief device that can be installed in the field without tools, independent of the cable manufacturing process. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   Electronic equipment, and especially communication equipment, routinely includes cables that extend from the equipment for various purposes. Some cables are directly wired into the equipment while other cables are attached to the equipment by means of removable connectors. The use of cables in this context has many advantages. For example, it can permit user controls, displays and transducers, such as microphones, to be moved for ease of user access. 
   Notwithstanding the benefits of such cables, they do have some practical drawbacks. For example, it is inevitable that users will exert a degree of tension on the cable. Current cable technology often allows such cables to be highly resistant to breakage or damage resulting from the application of such stresses. However, a connection point between the cable and the equipment is often somewhat less robust. Regardless of whether the cable is hard wired into the equipment or attached to the equipment by means of an electronic connector, the stresses that are applied to the connector are inevitably applied to the connection point. This often leads to physical damage at the connection point, as well as electrical failure. In many instances, these problems will render the equipment useless. 
   Various attempts have been made to address the problem associated with excessive strains applied to the connection point by the cable. However, many of those solutions require modification of the cable assembly by a technician. Moreover, existing solutions do not facilitate installation in the field, without tools. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention concerns a cable strain relief device for electronic equipment that can be attached at any position on the cable, and can secure the cable to any fixed point. The invention can protect the cable connection to the electronic equipment by transferring mechanical load placed on the cable to a strong rigid location on the equipment. It also protects the cable from damage typically associated with conventional clamping techniques. Finally, the strain relief device disclosed herein can be advantageously installed in the field, without tools, and is independent of the cable manufacturing process. 
   The cable strain relief device is formed from a rod-like member comprised of a rigid or semi-rigid material. The device has a first portion and a second portion contiguous with the first portion. The first portion of the rod member can be shaped to define a serpentine pattern that includes two or more transverse segments. Each of the transverse segments can extend in a generally linear direction transverse to an elongated length of the device. The transverse segments can each have an orientation that is generally parallel to at least one adjacent transverse segment. Two or more link segments are provided for connecting an end of each transverse segment to one or more adjacent transverse segment. The second portion of the rod member can include a J-shaped hook. The J-shaped hook can define a gape or hook opening that is opposed to at least one of the plurality of transverse segments. 
   One or more of the transverse segment can include a thickened face portion. A gap is defined between adjacent ones of the transverse segments. The gap is advantageously narrowed between the face portions relative to a space between a remaining portion of each the adjacent transverse segment. The larger space between the adjacent transverse segments defines a cable capture area. According to one aspect of the invention, each of the transverse segments can define a concave face within the cable capture area. Moreover, at least a portion of the cable capture area can have a textured surface for frictional engagement of a cable. 
   The link segments that connects one end of each the transverse segment to an adjacent transverse segment can have a certain predetermined resilience. Consequently, the gap described herein can be temporarily enlarged to facilitate insertion of a cable in the cable capture area. Thereafter, when the transverse segments are returned to their normal position in which the link segment is no longer flexed, the cable can be prevented from exiting from the cable capture area as a result of the relatively narrow gap. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a top view of a cable strain relief device that is useful for understanding the invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a top view of the cable strain relief device in  FIG. 1 , with a cable positioned within the device. 
       FIG. 3  is a bottom view of the cable strain relief device in  FIG. 1 , with a cable positioned within the device. 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the cable strain relief device in use with a piece of equipment. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   An illustration of a cable strain relief device  100  is shown in  FIG. 1 . The cable strain relief device  100  can be formed from a rod member  102  which can be formed of a rigid or semi-rigid material. The device  100  has a first portion  104  and a second portion  105  that can be generally contiguous with the first portion. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the first portion  104  of the rod member  102  can be shaped to define a series of transverse segments  106  that are generally transverse to an elongated length of the device  100 . The transverse segments  106  can be connected by a series of link segments  108  that extend in a direction that is generally aligned with an elongated length of the device  100 . The exact arrangement of the transverse segments  106  and the link segments  108  are not critical provided that they define a series of cable capture areas  110 . 
   The exact pattern defined by transverse segments  106  and the link segments  108  can vary somewhat within the scope of the present invention. According to one embodiment, the transverse segments  106  and the link segments  108  can be connected end to end to define a generally serpentine pattern as shown in  FIG. 1 . However, the invention is not limited in this regard and other patterns are also possible. The transverse segments  106  can be generally linear as shown in  FIG. 1  or can be curved somewhat along their length. Further, the transverse segments  106  can each have an orientation that is generally the same direction as an orientation of at least one adjacent transverse segment. For example, the transverse segments  106  can be generally parallel to one another as shown in  FIG. 1 . The link segments  108  can connect at least one end portion of each transverse segment  106  to one or more adjacent transverse segments  106 . 
   The second portion  105  of the rod member can include a J-shaped hook  112 . The J-shaped hook can define a gape  114  that is opposed to at least one of the plurality of transverse segments  106 . The J-shaped hook can also define an opening  118 , the purpose of which shall become apparent from the further description of the invention provided below. 
   The cross-sectional profile of the transverse segments  106 , the link segments  108 , and the J-shaped hook  112  are not critical. According to one embodiment, however, the cross-sectional profile of these elements can be curved so as to define a cross-sectional profile that does not include sharp edges, at least with respect to those portions of the segments that are within the cable capture areas  110  and in the portion of the J-shaped hook  112  that defines the gape  114 . Also, it should be understood that the cross-sectional profile of the rod member  102  can vary somewhat over the course of its length. 
   The strain relief device  100  can be formed of any suitable material. For example the device  100  can be formed from molded plastic resin. The device  100  can be made exclusively from the resin material or can include a core formed of a different material, such as metal. A variety of well known techniques can be used to form the device  100 . These techniques can include thermoplastic or thermoset injection molding, blow molding, rotational molding, thermoforming, compression molding, resin transfer molding (RTM), and others. 
   Referring again to  FIG. 1 , one or more of the transverse segments  106  can include a thickened face portion  116 . Further, it may be noted that a gap is defined between adjacent ones of the transverse segments  106 . The gap is advantageously narrowed between the face portions  116  relative to a space between a remaining portion of each the adjacent transverse segment. The larger space between the adjacent transverse segments defines the cable capture area  110 . According to one aspect of the invention, each of the transverse segments  106  can define a concave face  109  within the cable capture area  110 . Moreover, at least a portion of the cable capture area can have a textured surface for frictional engagement of a cable (not shown in  FIG. 1 ). 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , there are shown a top and a bottom view of the device  100  with a cable  200  secured within the cable capture areas  110  defined by the transverse segments  106  and the link segments  108 . While a single cable  200  is shown, it can be appreciated by persons of ordinary skill that more than one cable may be secured with the strain relief device  100 . It can be observed in  FIGS. 2 and 3  that the cable can pass through one or more of the cable capture areas  110 . The cable  200  can also engage one or more of the transverse segments  106 . It will be appreciated in  FIGS. 2 and 3  that the concave faces  109  and the rounded cross-sectional profile of the transverse links  106  can minimize any abrasion or kinking of the cable  200  that might otherwise be caused by the device  100 . In addition to traversing one or more of the cable capture areas in a generally serpentine pattern, it can be observed that the cable  200  can also be wrapped about a circumference of one or more of the transverse segments  106 . For example, the transverse segment disposed at an end of the device  100  opposed from the J-shaped hook can be used for this purpose. The frictional engagement of the cable  200  with the transverse segments  106  can securely lock the device  100  in a predetermined position along the length of the cable. 
   Notably, the diameter of the cable  200  can be slightly larger than the gap formed between opposing ones of the thickened face portions  116 . This difference in size can help to ensure that the cable  200  does not exit the cable capture area  110 . Still, the narrowed opening formed between the thickened face portions can interfere in some instances with the insertion of the cable  200  in the cable capture area. In order to address this potential problem, the link segments  108  that connect one end of each the transverse segment  106  to an adjacent transverse segment  106  can have a limited amount of resilience. Similarly, the transverse segments can exhibit a limited amount of resilience or flex. Consequently, the gap between the thickened face portions  116  described herein can be temporarily enlarged by flexing one or more of the link segments  108  and/or the transverse segments  106 . This flexing can facilitate insertion of cable  200  within the cable capture area  110 . Thereafter, when the transverse segments  106  are returned to their normal position in which the segment or segments are no longer flexed, the cable  200  can be prevented from exiting from the cable capture area  110  as a result of the relatively narrow gap. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 4 , the device  100  is shown being used in conjunction with equipment  400 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the device  100  can be attached to a secure point on the equipment  400  by means of the J-shaped hook  112 . For example, a handle  402  provided for lifting the equipment  400  can be used for this purpose. The handle  402  can be passed through the opening  118  defined in the J-shaped hook and inserted into the gape  114 . Thereafter, tension exerted on the cable  200  will not be transferred to a connector  404 . Instead, such tension will be exerted on the rigid structure provided by handle  402 . The use of the device  100  in this way can prevent damage to the handle  404 . 
   The invention described and claimed herein is not to be limited in scope by the preferred embodiments herein disclosed, since these embodiments are intended as illustrations of several aspects of the invention. Any equivalent embodiments are intended to be within the scope of this invention. Indeed, various modifications of the invention in addition to those shown and described herein will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description. Such modifications are also intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims.