Weld cable end

A flexible strain relief device having a center through aperture for receiving cable end portions to be installed into a carrier. The strain relief device has a solid cone shaped portion and a rectangular portion constructed of flexible material having self-extinguishing properties. The rectangular portion is configured to permanently bond to a nut adapter. The perimeter defining the through aperture of the solid cone-shaped portion includes angled circumferential ribs extending partially into the aperture for providing ease during insertion of the cable end portions and resistance for removal of the cable end portions. The nut adapter includes a first member secured to an upper portion of the inner perimeter defining the through aperture; and a rotatable member which is rotatably attached to the first member for operative connection to the carrier so that cone-shaped portion can rotate relative to the carrier.

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional application 
60/006,234 filed on Nov. 3, 1995, now abandoned. 
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The invention is a flexible support for a welded cable end. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
It is known to provide support grips or enclosures to support the weight of 
electrical cables or metal rods at a junction point. The purpose of the 
support grips is to absorb the stress and strain from movement and 
vibration of the electrical cables and rods at the point where the cables 
or rods are connected to a rigid structure. Current support grips are made 
of a high grade wire mesh forming a flexible strand. The mesh wire 
envelopes and conforms to the shape of the cables. Although the current 
mesh support grips provide adequate safety factors for many applications, 
the wire mesh construction is not feasible for the support of wiring 
cables used in such applications where there is cyclical motion. During 
these instances, the cables are subject to continuous bending motion which 
wears and frays the cables. This is particularly true in the area of 
robotics applications where there is continuous rotational and twisting 
movement. In robotics applications, the wiring cables supported by the 
current mesh support grips resulted in fatigue failure of the mesh support 
grips near the connection port after approximately 5000 cycles. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The current invention provides a cable support grip connectable to a 
junction port and receiving an end portion of cables therein that does not 
fatigue during its cyclical motion containing both rotational and twisting 
movement; and thereby preventing torsional forces being applied to the 
cables. 
The cable support grip includes a boot enclosure for the wire cables 
installed at a junction where the cables are connected to a carrier. The 
boot enclosure includes attachment means to the carrier wherein the 
attachment means allows for rotational movement of the boot enclosure 
relative to the carrier. 
The boot enclosure is made of flexible material that allows for the 
twisting of the boot enclosure and the cable therein during its cyclical 
movements. The boot enclosure is generally cone shaped and having an 
aperture therethrough for allowing insertion of the cable. Resistance 
means are located and configured in the aperture to allow easy insertion 
of the cable to the junction point and to prevent the cable from being 
easily removed once installed. 
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a cable end 
support that protects the cable end from rotational and torsional stress. 
It is another object of this invention to insure contact of the end cable 
wires with the junction port and to prevent breakage therefrom. 
It is further an object of this invention to provide a cable end support 
that is resistant to heat. 
It is still another object of this invention to provide easy insertion of 
the cable into the cable end support and provide resistance during removal 
therefrom. 
Other objects, advantages and applications of the present invention will 
become apparent to those skilled in the art when the following description 
of the best mode contemplated for practicing the invention is read in 
conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The invention is a flexible cable support grip 10 that is secured over at 
least one cable end at a junction port to a carrier 12. FIG. 1 shows the 
invention installed on a carrier 12, such as a robotics arm. As seen 
clearly in FIG. 2, the flexible cable support grip 10 includes a cable 
boot having a structure including a solid cone-shaped portion 14 and a 
solid rectangular portion 16. The cone-shaped portion 14 is integral with 
rectangular portion 16 and extends therefrom. The rectangular portion 16 
is configured to be permanently bonded or molded to a nut adapter 18. The 
nut adapter 18 includes a first member 20 and a second member 22. The 
first member 20 is bonded or molded to an upper inner perimeter defining a 
portion of a through aperture 28 in the cable boot. First member 20 has an 
upper flange 21 that encloses a lower lip 23 of the second member 22 so 
that the second member 22 rotates relative to the first member 20, and 
first member 20 together with cable boot 10 rotate relative to the second 
member 22, when the second member 22 is connected to carrier 12. The upper 
flange 21 is spaced away from the upper flat surface 27 of the rectangular 
portion 16 so that second member 22 has axial movement along the outer 
surface 29 of first member 20. In addition there is some play between 
lower lip 23 and outer surface 29 so that the cable boot may be allowed a 
limited amount of angular movement relative to the junction carrier 12. 
The second member 22 includes a threaded female portion 24 for connection 
to the carrier 12. 
The rectangular portion 16 of the flexible cable boot 10 provides a stable 
and flat external surface 25 upon which to anchor a support, such as a 
bracket or brace 26 for attachment to the carrier 12 in certain 
applications. The cable boot varies in size to accommodate standard cable 
sizes. The rectangular portion 16 can be manufactured with a minimum size 
of two by two inch dimension at its base (A) for an eight inch total 
length (L) of the cable boot, and a maximum dimension of four by four inch 
rectangular base portion for a sixteen inch total length (L) cable boot. 
It is clear that the base (A) and length (L) size may vary to accommodate 
various cable configurations. It is also clear that the rectangular 
portion 16 can have a square base (A) as shown in FIG. 3, as well as a 
rectangular base (A). 
A center through aperture 28 extends the axial length of cable support grip 
10 from a first end 32 of the cone-shaped portion 14 to the nut adapter 18 
allowing for insertion of a cable 30. The preferred diameter of the 
aperture 28 is sized to snugly accommodate a #6 three conductor cable, 
generally having an outside diameter of 11/8 inches. 
Located concentric around the perimeter defining aperture 28 within the 
flexible cable boot, and extending partially into the aperture 28 are 
circumferential ribs or ridges 34 formed integrally with the cable boot. 
The ridges 34 are angled toward the rectangular portion 16 of the cable 
boot 10 so that insertion of the cable 30 is smooth and easily 
accomplished through end 32 of the cable boot. The ridges 34 are 
configured as described to provide resistance for removing the cable 30 
once installed within the cable support grip 10. The ridges 34 preferably 
extend the axial length of the through aperture 28 starting proximate to 
the nut adapter 18 and terminating approximately two or three inches from 
end 32. The ridges 34 terminate before end 32 because the amount of 
material in the cable boot proximate to end 32 is not substantial enough 
to support the ridges 34 gripping the cable 30. The circumferential ridges 
34 are essentially evenly spaced along the axial length. There are 
approximately four to eight circumferential ridges 34 along the axial 
length of aperture 38 with a preferred number of seven or eight ridges. 
The preferred material of the flexible cable boot portion of the cable 
support grip 10 is an elastomer product. The elastomer should have a 
Durometer hardness number between 30 and 60 and preferably 40-45. It is 
further desired that the elastomer has a self-extinguishing characteristic 
in the presence of a flame or extreme heat. Testing indicates that 
material comprising essentially polyurethane, rubber or neoprene provide 
excellent flexibility and durability as well as attaining the 
aforementioned characteristics. 
In practice, a cable 30 for installation into a carrier 12, such as a 
robotics arm, is inserted into the flexible cable support grip 10 through 
end 32 and fed through aperture 28 until a portion of cable 30 is exposed 
through the adapter nut 18. As the cable 30 is being fed through aperture 
28, the circumferential ridges 34 contract slightly in the direction 
toward adapter nut 18. If tension is applied to cable 30 at end 32, the 
ridges 34 expand slightly against cable 30 to securely hold cable 30 in 
place. Once cable 30 is installed into flexible cable support grip 10, the 
exposed end portion of cable 30 can be wired into the appropriate 
function, and adapter nut 18 can be threadably attached to a junction box 
36 of the carrier 12. With the second member 22 threadably attached to 
carrier 12, the first member 20 together with cable boot 10 is free to 
rotate relative to carrier 12. 
While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently 
considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be 
understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed 
embodiments but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various 
modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and 
scope of the appended claims, which scope is to be accorded the broadest 
interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent 
structures as is permitted under the law.