Sweep style conduit bodies

A conduit body provides for the accommodation of wire extending therethrough. The conduit body includes a body wall having an elongate side wall, a bottom wall and an open end defining a body interior. At least one hub extends from the body wall in communication with the body interior. The hub includes a hub wall defining an access channel for passage of wire therethrough. The hub wall includes a guide surface outwardly of the body wall and protruding into the channel for maintaining a bend radius of the wire passing from the body interior through the channel.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a conduit body containing electrical wires, and more particularly, relates to a conduit body which facilitates the passage of wires and cables therethrough.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Electrical conduit systems are required in order to safely provide electrical power to industry, homes, commercial buildings and the like. These conduit systems often include long runs of rigid electrical conduit with frequent changes in direction, such as 90° turns. Conduit bodies are typically installed in the conduit systems at various locations, both to provide access to the wires and to route the wires along the conduit path. Often, the change of direction in the conduit is accomplished in the conduit body.

Conventional conduit bodies are generally elongate having longitudinal side walls defining an open ended chamber. A removable cover may be provided for closing the open side of the body. The conduit body may include hubs at locations along the body for attachment of the conduit and passage of the wire therethrough.

Certain arrangements of the hubs allow the conduit body to effect changes in direction such as a 90° turn in the wires being routed therethrough. In order to effect such a turn in a conduit body, the wire contained therein must be bent or curved. In certain situations, especially with the use of communications cables such as data cable and fiber optic cable, placing a small bend radius on the cable to effect the change in direction may adversely effect the performance of the cable.

The art has seen various devices used in combination with conduit bodies to help support the wire as it is passed through the conduit body especially where changes in direction are required. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,801,118 and 6,838,615 employ inserts placed in the conduit body to help facilitate movement of the wire therethrough.

Another example which specifically attempts to provide a minimum bend radius in a conduit body is U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,029. In the '029 patent, the conduit body is modified to provide an inwardly projecting curved bump in the bottom wall thereof. This bump forces the wire pulled therethrough to achieve a desirable bend radius upon making a change of direction therein. While this device may serve adequately to effect a desirable change in direction, the inwardly extending projection does provide an obstruction to the pulling of the wire through the conduit body and also reduces the usable interior capacity of the conduit body.

It is, therefore, desirable to provide a conduit body which effects a change in direction of wires pulled therethrough so as to maintain a desirable bend radius and which overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A conduit body device accommodates wires therethrough. The device includes a conduit body having a body wall including an elongate side wall, a bottom wall, and an open end defining a body interior. The body includes at least one hub extending from the body wall in communication with the body interior. The hub includes a hub wall defining an access channel for passage of the wire therethrough. The hub wall includes a guide surface outwardly of said body wall and protruding into the channel for maintaining a bend radius of the wire passing from the body interior through the channel.

In a preferred embodiment, the hub wall is generally annular and the guide surface is an annular member extending radially into the channel.

The present invention also provides a conduit body for passage of wire therethrough. The conduit body includes an elongate bottom wall having an open upper end and a perimetrical side wall extending therebetween defining a body interior. A first annular hub extending from the side wall is in communication with the body interior. A second annular hub extends from the bottom wall and is also in communication with the body interior. The first and second hubs are disposed at generally a 90° angle with respect to one another. At least one of the first or second hubs includes an extending guide surface defining a protrusion engageable with the wire passing therethrough which increases the radius of the wire extending thereover.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention provides a conduit body for use in electrical systems, including electrical conduit systems, where electrical wire and cables are run through various structures. The conduit body which is used in conduit systems allows the wires to be pulled through the conduit system and also effects changes of direction in the system.

FIG. 1shows a conventional conduit body10′ currently used in conduit systems. Conduit body10′ is generally an elongate tubular shaped member generally formed of a material which, matches the conduit employed in the system. A typical conduit body is formed of metal or rigid plastic.

A conduit body10′ includes a conduit body wall11′ including an upwardly extending perimetrical side wall12′ having a closed bottom wall14′ and an opposed open end16′. The open upper end16′ may be closed with a removable cover (not shown) which allows access to the interior18′ of conduit body10′.

In order to provide passage of wire20′ through the conduit body10′, the conduit body10′ may include a plurality of hubs22′. In the present illustrated embodiment, two hubs are shown. Lateral hub24′ extends from side wall12′ and depending hub26′ extends from bottom wall14′. Each hub includes an access port including a central channel therethrough for allowing passage of wire20′ through the conduit body10′. The hubs may be threaded to accommodate the attachment of conduit (not shown) thereto.

As can be seen inFIG. 1, a 90° change in direction of wire20′ may be accomplished in conduit body10′ by virtue of the orientation of hubs24′ and26′. Each change in direction is achieved by placing a sharp 90° bend in wire20′ at bend location21′. As may be appreciated especially with certain types of wires and cables, such as data cable and fiber optic cable, a sharp bend of this type may adversely effect the performance of the wire. Moreover, requiring such a sharp bend makes it more difficult to pull wire20′ through the conduit body10′.

Referring now toFIGS. 2 through 4, an improved conduit body10of the present invention is shown. Conduit body10is in some ways similar to the general configuration of conduit body10′ ofFIG. 1, being an elongate body formed of suitable metal or plastic. Conduit body10includes a conduit body wall11including a perimetrical sidewall12, a closed bottom wail14and an opposed open end16. Conduit body10may also be closed by a removable cover (not shown) placed over open end16to enclose the interior18thereof.

Conduit, body10may also include one or more hubs22extending through wall11which provide access to the interior18thereof. Hubs22include a lateral hub24extending through sidewall12and a depending hub26extending through bottom wall14. The hubs allow passage of wire20through conduit body10. The arrangement shown herein allows a 90° change in the direction of the wire20to be achieved.

In order to overcome certain deficiencies of the prior art, the present invention provides structure which allows the change in direction of wire20to be achieved without-inducing the sharp bend in the wire.

Each of the hubs22extending from the body wall11of conduit body10is generally a hollow cylindrical member defining a generally tubular access channel30in communication with the interior18of conduit body10. The access channel30is defined by generally cylindrical hub wall32, a distal portion32aof which may be internally threaded to accommodate the threaded attachment of conduit (not shown) thereto. As the hub22extends from the body wall11outwardly therefrom, the channel30extends from an inner surface of wall11along the hub wail32.

The hub wall32includes radially inwardly extending annular guide surface34. The inwardly extending guide surface34is located at a position which is within the access channel30outwardly of the body wall11. Moreover, the inwardly protruding annular guide surface34protrudes radially such that it extends inwardly of the hub wall.

As can be particularly seen with respect to hub26ofFIG. 2, this inward protrusion at a location outward of the hub wall11provides a greater bend radius to wire20extending therethrough. The bend location21of wire20has a larger radius than the bend location21′ of wire20′ shown inFIG. 1, due to the inwardly projecting guide surface34and its location below the level of body wall11. The gradual curved extent of guide surface34also facilitates the gradual bend of wire20so as to effect a 90° change in direction.

A further feature of the present invention is particularly shown inFIGS. 2 and 4. An inwardly extending wall portion40of hub24may be gradually curved so that during the wire pulling operation, as the wire is being pulled through hub24, it will encounter the curved surface40facilitating the easy movement of a wire25therethrough.

Thus, the present invention provides a conduit body which effects both change in direction of a wire therethrough and facilitates the smooth pulling of a wire therethrough without additional components and without occupying internal space within the interior of the conduit body.

While the invention has been described in related to the preferred embodiments with several examples, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without deviating from the fundamental nature and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.