Abstract:
A conduit body for wires or cables with a curved lip on the inlet that allows a user to manipulate less hazardously wires or cables placed through the chamber of the conduit body.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The invention relates to the field of conduits for electrical wiring, telecommunications cables, and optical fiber data cables, and in particular to conduit bodies associated with the same. 
         [0002]    People use electricity in association with their personal and business lives. As a consequence, the edifices in which people live and transact business must supply and accommodate the people&#39;s use of electricity. Electricity is often supplied to the edifice from an external source. The edifice then supplies electricity to various areas of the edifice, for use in lighting, appliances, and other electrical devices. 
         [0003]    Electricity travels through electrical wires. Thus, the typical edifice has electrical wires entering the edifice from the external electricity supply and through the edifice, to supply electricity to the various areas of the edifice. 
         [0004]    Metal or plastic often surrounds the electrical wiring coming into and traversing through an edifice. In other words, many edifices utilize a piping system for the routing of electrical wires. Artisans typically refer to the metal or plastic pipes of the piping system as “conduits.” National or local governments may regulate the use, form, and installation of electrical wiring conduits. Materials other than metal or plastic can form the conduit. The conduits can have a variety of physical properties, such as impact, moisture, and fire resistances. 
         [0005]    In addition to electrical wires, conduits are used to route telecommunications cables, optical fiber data cables, among other cables. Collectively, such wires and cables are referred to herein as flexible conductors. 
         [0006]    A conduit body is used when the route of an electrical wire must change direction, when a pair of wires initially traveling in the same route must diverge, or when it is convenient to use a conduit body to attach two conduit pipes together. For example, an artisan could use a conduit body to cause a ninety degree angular change in the route of an electrical wire. Like conduits, a conduit body can have a variety of physical properties, often protecting the wire or cable traveling through the conduit body. Artisans sometimes refer to a conduit body as an “ELL.” 
         [0007]    Some conduit bodies utilize an inlet. The inlet provides access into the conduit. The inlet can allow the user to grasp more easily the wire or cable running through the conduit. The inlet can also be used to feed the wire or cable into the conduit body for routing through the conduit and through hubs or openings disposed in the conduit for distribution to the various areas of the edifice. 
         [0008]    However, the inlets of present conduit bodies have sharp edges. Those sharp edges can cut into wires or cables, particularly when the user is pulling those wires or cables through the conduit. In addition, those sharp edges can cut the user&#39;s skin (such as the hand or finger) while the user manipulates the conduit body. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    The conduit body of the present invention has the object of providing an improved conduit body that will not easily cut wires, cables, or the user&#39;s skin while manipulating the conduit body. The inlet of the conduit body has a curved lip. The inlet with a curved lip may be formed as a contiguous portion of the conduit body or may be detachably attached to the conduit body. The conduit body may also utilize one or more hubs, which provide access into the conduit body for a wire or cable. 
         [0010]    In particular, the conduit body for a wire or cable includes a chamber that defines at least a partial enclosure. The chamber has openings that define passageways communicating with the chamber, where the openings into the chamber include a first hub, a second hub, and an inlet. The number of hubs, though, may vary, depending on the shape and intended purpose of the conduit body (e.g., three or more hubs). The inlet includes a curved lip defining an arcuate surface to facilitate manipulation of a wire or cable relative the conduit body. 
         [0011]    While embodiments of the conduit body are herein illustrated and described, it is to be appreciated that various changes, rearrangements and modifications may be made therein, without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of one embodiment of the disclosure. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  shows a side view of one embodiment of the disclosure. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  shows a front view of one embodiment of the disclosure. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  shows an end view of one embodiment of the disclosure. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  shows a top view of one embodiment of the disclosure. 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  shows a bottom view of one embodiment of the disclosure. 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  shows a perspective view of one embodiment of the disclosure, with a cover. 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  shows an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of the disclosure. 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  shows a side view of a second embodiment of the disclosure. 
           [0021]      FIG. 10  shows a top view of a second embodiment of the disclosure. 
           [0022]      FIG. 11  shows a bottom view of a second embodiment of the disclosure. 
           [0023]      FIG. 12  shows a perspective view of a third embodiment of the disclosure. 
           [0024]      FIG. 13  shows a side view of a third embodiment of the disclosure. 
           [0025]      FIG. 14  shows a top view of a third embodiment of the disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0026]    As depicted in the Figures, particularly  FIG. 1 , the present disclosure includes an improved conduit body  10 . The conduit body  10  can be fabricated from a variety of materials, such as metals or plastic. The metals possible include aluminum, cast iron and zinc alloys. The conduit body  10  can additionally be formed via molded polymers, such as PVC. 
         [0027]    The structure of the conduit body  10  forms a chamber  20 . The chamber  20  defines at least a partial enclosure. The chamber  20  is the volume of the conduit body  10  through which a flexible conductor  22  can pass, as  FIG. 2  shows. 
         [0028]    The conduit body  10  has openings into the chamber  20 . In this embodiment, the openings are a first hub  30 , a second hub  32 , and an inlet  34 . The openings allow physical access into the chamber  20  of the conduit body  10 . The openings define passageways communicating with the chamber  20 . 
         [0029]    In practice, a flexible conductor will often travel through one hub then through the internal enclosure of the conduit body, then through another hub to proceed out of the conduit body. For example, in the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , a flexible conductor (not shown) could travel into the conduit body  10  via the first hub  30 , then through the chamber  20 , and out through the second hub  32 . The conduit body  10  has thus caused a ninety degree change of direction of the flexible conductor running through the conduit body  10 .  FIG. 2  shows an example of a flexible conductor  22  placed in the chamber  20 , with the flexible conductor extending out the first hub  30  and out the second hub  32 . 
         [0030]    Alternatively, a flexible conductor  22  may travel through one hub, then be spliced into a second flexible conductor within the chamber  20  of the conduit body  10 , where the second flexible conductor enters into the chamber  20  of the conduit body  10  through a second hub and is then passed through yet another third hub (not shown) to proceed out of the conduit body. Such a three hub conduit body is commonly referred to as a “T-type” conduit body. 
         [0031]    The hubs can be threaded to allow the conduit body  10  to attach to a conduit, which is typically a length of straight conduit (not shown). In this embodiment, both the first hub  30  and the second hub  32  use threads  36 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . The conduit body could use other means of attachment to a conduit, such as cement or clamps. 
         [0032]    The inlet  34  allows the user to access physically the chamber  20  of the conduit body  10 . Physical access into the chamber  20  allows the user to manipulate a flexible conductor  22  traveling through the conduit body  10 . For example, after guiding a flexible conductor  22  through the first hub  30  and into the chamber  20 , the user could access the flexible conductor  22  in the chamber  20  by placing the user&#39;s fingers through the inlet  34  and pull more length of the wire through the first hub  30 . The user is then holding an excess length of flexible conductor  22 , which the user could then push through the second hub  32 . The inlet  34  can also be used to feed the flexible conductor  22  into the chamber  20  of the conduit body  10  for routing through the conduit body  10  and through hubs or openings disposed in the conduit body  10  for distribution to the various areas of the edifice. The inlet  34  could be any size. 
         [0033]    The inlet  34  has a curved lip  38 . The curved lip  38  defines an arcuate surface. The arcuate surface facilitates manipulation of a flexible conductor  22  relative the conduit body  10 . For example, when a user reaches through the inlet  34  to grasp a flexible conductor  22 , the curved lip  38  helps prevent the conduit body  10  from cutting the user&#39;s finger(s), thumb, or hand. A typical conduit body in use before the advent of this invention that does not incorporate the curved lip of the instant disclosure tends to cut the user&#39;s fingers, thumbs, and hands, when the user reaches through the inlet in order to manipulate a flexible conductor, because the inlet&#39;s edge is sharp. In addition, when a user pulls a flexible conductor through the chamber  20 , the curved lip  38  helps prevent the conduit body  10  from cutting into the flexible conductor. A typical conduit body used before the advent of this invention, which does not incorporate the presently disclosed curved lip, tends to cut the flexible conductor, when the user pulls the wire or cable through the chamber, because the inlet&#39;s edge is sharp. At a minimum, scuffing of the insulating and protecting sheath of the flexible conductor can occur, potentially creating an exposed conducting element in the conductor. 
         [0034]    The curved lip  38  can be continuous around the entirety of the inlet  34 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . However, the entirety of the inlet  34  need not have a curved lip. Rather, portions of the inlet  34  could have a curved lip, while the remaining portions of the inlet  34  could have no curved lip. 
         [0035]    The curved lip  38  may be an integrated portion of the conduit body  10 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . However, the curved lip  38  need not be integral. Instead, the curved lip  38  could be formed as a piece separate from the remainder of the conduit body  10  and could be detachably attached to the conduit body  10 . This possibility is shown in  FIGS. 8-11 , where curved lip  38  is disclosed as a separate piece. The use of such a separated curved lip  38  allows the user to retro-fit a currently existing conduit body  10  by attaching the curved lip  10  to the conduit body  10  as shown in  FIG. 8 . The curved lip  38  can be attached through the four bosses  80  of the conduit body  10  formerly used only to detachably receive a cover. 
         [0036]    As  FIG. 1  shows, the first hub  30  can have a cylindrical portion  40 . The cylindrical portion  40  provides an extended cylindrical surface area attached to the conduit body  10  for the placement of threads  36 . The cylindrical portion  40  should provide sufficient volume to allow one or more flexible conduits to proceed through the hub. The second hub  32  can have a cylindrical portion  42 , as well. However, none of the hubs need to have a cylindrical portion  40 . 
         [0037]    As  FIGS. 12 through 14  show, the curved lip  38  of the conduit body  10  can provide a flat surface  50  proximate to the periphery  52  of the curved lip  38 . However, as  FIG. 1  shows, the curved lip  38  need not provide such a flat surface. When the curved lip  38  does provide such a flat surface  50 , the flat surface can exist in the same plane. 
         [0038]    In some embodiments, as shown in  FIGS. 12 through 14 , the cylindrical portion  40  of the first hub  30  has an axis  60  that is substantially parallel to the plane of the flat surface  50 . Similarly, the cylindrical portion  42  of the second hub  32  can have an axis  62  that is substantially perpendicular to the axis  60  of the cylindrical portion  40  of the first hub  30 . However, for a conduit body  10  that has only two hubs, the axis provided by the cylindrical portion  30  of the first hub  40  can exist in any angular relationship to the axis provided by the cylindrical portion  32  of the second hub  42 . For a conduit body that has three (or more) hubs, the axes provided by the cylindrical portions of the hubs can exist in any angular relationship relative to any other hub. 
         [0039]    The chamber  20  may further comprise longitudinal walls  70 , end walls  72 , and a side wall  74 , in addition to the openings. The side wall  74  can provide a flexible conductor guide surface  76 . The flexible conductor guide surface  76  provides a minimum radius of curvature to a flexible conductor  22  entering first hub  30 , traveling through chamber  20 , over the flexible conductor guide surface  76 , and exiting second hub  32 . Among other benefits, the flexible conductor guide surface  76  prevents a flexible conductor extending through the chamber  20  of the conduit body  10  from crimping. A full description of the flexible conductor guide surface and the benefits of such are set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 6,580,029 B1 (issued Jun. 17, 2003), the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
         [0040]    The flexible conductor guide surface  76  provides a curved surface. However, other shaped surfaces could be used, so long as the result is the imparting of a curvature to the flexible conductor extending through the chamber  20 . In the FIGS., the flexible conductor guide surface  76  is adjacent to the second hub  32 , although the flexible conductor guide surface  76  could be positioned elsewhere (so long as the result is the imparting of sufficient curvature to the flexible conductor  22  extending through the chamber  20 ). 
         [0041]    A cover  82  can close part or the entirety of the inlet  34  opening into the chamber  20  of the conduit body  10 , as shown in  FIG. 7 . Thus, the chamber  20  can be adapted to detachably receive a cover  82 . For example, the chamber  20  can have two bosses  80  to detachably receive the cover, as the embodiment of  FIGS. 12 through 14  shows. For another example, the chamber  20  of the embodiment of  FIGS. 1 through 7 , has four bosses  80  to detachably receive the cover. The chamber  20  can use any number of bosses  80  as well as other non-boss means to detachably receive the cover. Other methods of attaching the cover can be used, such as detachably attaching the cover to the periphery  52  of the inlet  34  of the chamber  20 . As noted above, where the curved lip  38  is formed as a piece separate from the remainder of the conduit body  10  and detachably attached to the conduit body, the cover  82  can be likewise attached through the same bosses  80  and associated fasteners used to detachably receive the cover  82 . 
         [0042]    As  FIGS. 12 through 14  show, the chamber  20  can comprise longitudinal walls  70 , end walls  72 , and a side wall  74 , in addition to the openings, and substantial portions of those walls are straight in the dimension perpendicular to the plane formed by the flat surface  50 . The curvature of the curved lip  38  of the inlet  34  can begin at the curvature beginning  90 , which is the point of transition between the straight portions of the walls of the chamber  20  and the curved lip  38 . The curvature beginning  90  can substantially abut the first hub  30 , as shown in the embodiment of  FIGS. 12 through 14 . In addition, there can be a more substantial separation between the curvature beginning  90  and the first hub  30 , as shown in the embodiment of  FIGS. 1 through 8 . 
         [0043]    While preferred embodiments and example configurations have been shown and described, it is to be understood that various further modifications and additional configurations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. It is intended that the specific embodiments and configurations disclosed are illustrative of the preferred and best modes for practicing the invention as defined by the appended claims, and should not be interpreted as limitations on the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims and it is to be appreciated that various changes, rearrangements and modifications may be made therein, without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.