Network cable combing tool

A network cable combing tool includes a columnar main body with either one or both of the ends thereof extended to form a conical tapered end and a grip portion connecting circumferences of both ends of the main body for easy holding. A plurality of clip slots are radially arranged and axially penetrating through the main body; each clip slot has at least three passage holes with an opening formed at an outer end of each passage hole. Thereby network cables are individually embedded into one of the clip slots via its opening and display a neat and organized arrangement. The tapered end at either or both ends of the main body also keeps the embedded cables toward the axis of the main body for further management by cable ties; when performing cable combing with the tool, the resistance is also reduced due to the tapered end. And the integrated design of the grip portion and the clip slots enables a convenient and effortless operation of the network cable combing tool.

This patent application is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 15/710,992 filed on Sep. 21, 2017, currently pending.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a network cable combing tool, particularly to one that has a plurality of clip slots radially distributed within a main body thereof, thereby it allows management of network cables neatly and performing cable combing easily.

2. Description of the Related Art

At present, most business units, companies or governmental departments rely on computers to handle their business affairs, and most manufacturing machines and equipment are connected to a controller through the computers for automatic operations. Therefore, in the machine rooms many network cables are connected to one or more computer hosts or servers. Since the cables are often placed randomly, it is difficult to find a specific line, and the staggered lines can be anywhere or even occupy a walkway nearby. Consequently, the space in such machine rooms cannot be utilized effectively.

In view of the drawbacks mentioned above, various types of network cable management devices have been developed.FIGS. 1A and 1Billustrated a porous network hub disclosed in Taiwan Patent No. M407552. The porous network hub includes a clip910which is substantially in an octagonal columnar shape, and has a plurality of through holes920configured to be parallel to the axis of the clip910and provided for passing a plurality of cables C respectively to fix each cable C into its position and protecting and preventing the cables from being worn out or damaged. However, a plug or a connector (not shown) at an end of the cable C must be removed first before the cable to be passed through the through hole920, and then the plug or connector is reinstalled after the cables have been inserted through the through hole920of the porous network hub. Obviously, such application is very inconvenient.

FIGS. 2A and 2Billustrated a network cable bundling tool disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,959,113 and 7,600,721. The network cable bundling tool includes an inner fitting930having a plurality of horizontal pockets931axially extended from the inner fitting930, a first outer jacket half941and a second outer jacket half942that can be combined by snapping and covered onto the external periphery of the inner fitting930. When in use, many cables C are embedded into the pockets931respectively, and then the second outer jacket half942is snapped to fix each cable C to its position, so that the cables C can be arranged neatly without tangling with one another. In an application of such network cable bundling tool, it is not necessary to remove the plug or connector but simply embed any part of each cable into the respective pocket931. However, both left and right sides of the horizontal pocket931are not completely symmetrical with respect to each other; consequently the resistance on the left and right sides are not even and the inner fitting930is in an irregular spine-like shape and cannot be held by hand easily. Therefore, it is necessary to combine the first and second outer jacket halves941,942into a housing provided for a user to hold by hand. However, such network cable bundling tool requires the users to install and re-install the first and second outer jacket halves941,942in order to put the cable C into the pocket931or remove the cable C from the pocket931, which is very inconvenient. One the other hand, since the inner fitting930has a large end surface, a larger resistance is produced while moving the cables C, and the combing operation of the cables C cannot be done easily either.

FIGS. 2C and 2Dillustrated a seal device for an aperture to receive elongate articles disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,353,186. The seal device includes two support members82a,82binterconnected by a connecting rod84and a sealant block83. A plurality of channels88aare formed on the periphery of the support members82a,82bfor network cables89to be disposed therein. Then the cables89and the seal device are further secured by a plurality of tie wraps810for fixation. Such device is simply a cable tying device and does not include the function of cable combing for further management, nor was there mentioned the device being moved along the cables or the resistance produced when it was being moved.

FIGS. 2E and 2Fillustrated a wedge anchor disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,123,879. The wedge anchor has a plurality of locking wedges714engaging a locking surface720of a cylindrical metal body of an anchor710as a flange of the anchor710aligning with a flat surface730at an end of each locking wedge714. Each locking wedge714further includes a flat surface726near a center of the locking wedges714, two semi-cylindrical channels728each of which arranged at a side surface724thereof and a longitudinal channel729extended along a corresponding convex outer surface722thereof. A plurality of wires712are engaging through the channels728,729correspondingly. Each of the channels728,729only allows a string of wires712to be disposed therethrough, and after the wires712are in position, the locking wedges714together with the wires712have to be further engaged with the locking surface720and fixed in the anchor710. The anchor710is designed to be conical for fixed engagement of the anchor710and the locking wedges714with the wires712. Therefore, the wedge anchor is also simply a tying device for wires or cables and does not have the function of combing or managing the wires or cables, considering that the wedge anchor obviously cannot be moved along the wires or cables therein.

In view of the drawbacks of the aforementioned devices and tools, it is a main subject for the manufacturers in the field to provide a convenient network cable management device, so that the users can embed the cables into the device easily and neatly. When the cables are tangled and messy, such device is expected to be used to comb the cables quickly and effortlessly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary objective of the present invention to provide a network cable combing tool that has network cables embedded therein for neat arrangement and management of network cables which are collected by cable ties. The tool also has clip slots integrated with a grip portion for its users to comb the embedded network cables easily and conveniently.

Another objective of the invention is to provide a network cable combing tool that has a lightweight and requires low prime cost.

To achieve the objectives mentioned above, the present invention comprises a columnar main body having a first end and a second end corresponding to said first end, at least one of said first end and second end extended to form a conical first tapered end; a grip portion connecting a circumference of said first end and a circumference of said second end of the main body with a predetermined length provided for holding by a user; and a plurality of clip slots radially arranged around a center of said main body as said center being an axis, said clip slots penetrating through said main body radially and each of said clip slots having an inner end arranged as a closed end, an outer end extended to a peripheral surface of said grip portion to form an opening and at least three passage holes between said inner and outer ends; said at least three passage holes defined as a first passage hole arranged at said inner end of a corresponding clip slot, a third passage hole arranged at an outer end of said corresponding clip slot and a second passage hole arranged between said first and third passage holes of said corresponding clip slot.

Wherein each clip slot is resilient and formed by a first side wall and a second side wall, said first and second side walls arranged parallel and opposite from each other in a predetermined distance, and the at least three passage holes in each clip slot are formed by a first arc surface arranged on the first side wall and a second arc surface arranged on the second side wall with a predetermined diameter, the first passages holes arranged to form a circumference of a first concentric circle near the axis of the main body, the third passage holes arranged to form a circumference of a third concentric circle far from the axis of the main body, and the second passage holes arranged to form a circumference of a second concentric circle between the first and third concentric circles; whereby a network cable is embedded into one of the passage holes in accordance with a diameter thereof, as the diameter of the network cable shorter than the predetermined diameter of the passage holes and longer than the distance between the first and second side walls, thereby network cables can be collected in the passage holes neatly without staggering and kept toward the axis of the main body by the first tapered end.

In addition, a conical second tapered end is formed by extension at an opposite end of the first tapered end to reduce resistance when the main body is moved along the embedded network cables for repeatedly combing, and a fixing portion is formed in-between two clip slots of the main body, said fixing portion designed as a hollow member, and the axis of the main body is arranged as a hollow axis for the purpose of reducing the weight and prime cost of the present invention.

With structure disclosed above, the network cable combing tool achieves the following advantages:

1. The clip slots are radially arranged within the main body around the central axis thereof and penetrating through the main body axially. Therefore, the network cables can be embedded in the cable combing tool without removal of the plug or connector at either end of the cables. And the cable combing tool can be placed along the cables randomly without any restriction.

2. The present invention has either one or both of the ends thereof manufactured into a conical tapered end, allowing the embedded network cables to be kept towards the axis of the main body and thereby saving spaces left between the embedded cables. The cables can be further collected by one or more cable ties for convenient and neat management.

3. The grip portion around the main body is designed for easy holding of its users. Moreover, with either one or both of the ends of the main body extended from the grip portion to form a conical tapered end, the resistance produced when moving the cable combing tool along the embedded network cables is reduced, making it easier for the users to arrange and manage the network cables. In other words, the design of integrating the grip portion and the main body achieves a more convenient and effortless operation for its users.

4. The design of the fixing portions made into hollow members and the axis of the main body made a hollow axis also reduces the weight and the prime cost of the network cable combing tool.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIGS. 3A-3Gillustrated the present invention in a first embodiment. In the embodiment, the present invention mainly includes a main body10, a grip portion13and a plurality of clip slots21.

The main body10has a first end101and a second end102corresponding to the first end101; at least one of the first end101and second end102is extended to form a conical first tapered end11. In this embodiment, the first tapered end11is formed at the first end101of the main body10.

The grip portion13is connecting a circumference of the first end101and a circumference of the second end102of the main body10with a predetermined length L provided for holding by a user.

Further referring toFIG. 3C, the plurality of clip slots21are radially arranged around a center of the main body10as the center being an axis14. The clip slots are penetrating through the main body10radially along an X direction and each of the clip slots has an inner end arranged as a closed end211, an outer end extended to a peripheral surface of the grip portion13to form an opening24. The major difference from the tools disclosed in the prior art lies in that the radially arranged clip slots21are distributed symmetrically with respect to the axis14so that network cables embedded in the main body10are evenly disposed and can be easily managed, and that the clip slots21and the grip portion13are integrated into the main body10without the need of any outer jackets. In this embodiment, the clip slots21has at least three passage holes22formed between the closed end211and opening24by a first side wall212and a second side wall213which are arranged with an uneven surface23. Furthermore, a fixing portion31is formed in-between two clip slots21and can be designed as a concrete member or a hollow member32(shown inFIG. 3D), and the axis14of the main body10is arranged as a hollow axis33so as to reduce the weight and prime cost of the main body10.

Further referring toFIGS. 3E-3G, the at least three passage hole22within each clip slot21are defined as a first passage hole22aarranged at the inner end thereof, a third passage hole22carranged at an outer end thereof and a second passage hole22barranged between the first and third passage holes22a,22bthereof. The clip slot21are resilient and each of which is formed by the side wall212and the second side wall213; the first and second side walls212,213are arranged parallel and opposite from each other in a predetermined distance d1, and the three passage holes22in each clip slot21are formed by a first arc surface221arranged on the first side wall212and a second arc surface222arranged on the second side wall213with a predetermined diameter d2. In addition, the first passages holes22aof the clip slots21are arranged to form a circumference of a first concentric circle40anear the axis14of the main body10; The third passage holes22cof the clip slots21are arranged to form a circumference of a third concentric circle40cfar from the axis14of the main body10; And the second passage holes22bof the clip slots21are arranged to form a circumference of a second concentric circle40bbetween the first and third concentric circles40a,40c. Thereby a network cable C is embedded into one of the passage holes22in accordance with a diameter d3thereof; the diameter d3of the network cable C should be shorter than the predetermined diameter d2of the passage holes22and longer than the distance d1between the first and second side walls212,213, so that the network cables C can be collected in the passage holes22neatly without staggering and are kept toward the axis14of the main body10by the first tapered end11.

FIGS. 4A and 4Billustrated a second embodiment of the present invention. Apart from the same structures and components as in the first embodiment, a conical second tapered end12is formed by extension at an opposite end of the first tapered end11to reduce the resistance when the main body10is moved along the embedded network cables C for repeatedly combing.

Further referring toFIG. 5, in an application example of the second embodiment, a user may have the network cables C embedded into the passage hole22from the openings24of the clip slot21. In this embodiment, each clip slot21has three passage holes22and therefore is able to receive three network cables C. With each clip slot21penetrating through the main body10axially in the X direction, the passage holes22in the clip slots21are also configured correspondingly, so that the network cables C embedded into the passage holes22will not be tangled. Also, with both ends extended to form the conical first tapered end11and the second tapered end12, the passage holes22in the clip slots21are parallel and tapered toward the axis14, thereby keeping the network cables C in the clip slots21towards the axis14as well and saving the space left between the network cables C. Then a user can further apply one or more cable ties T to easily keep the network cables C neatly arranged.

FIG. 6illustrated the present invention combing the network cables C according to the second embodiment. Since the network cables C in application are often moved and thereby tangled, the present invention can be applied to rearrange the cables C by firstly removing the cable ties T originally fastened around the cables C, and then moving the main body10of the present invention by the grip portion13along the network cables C; the network cables C passing through the first and the second tapered ends11,12would be rearranged neatly and the tangle of the network cables C can be straightened for the cable ties T to be fastened around again.

With the plurality of clip slots21radially arranged around the axis14of the main body10and the penetrating through both ends of the main body10, the network cables C are distributed evenly and can be embedded into the clip slots21without removal of either end of the cables C. The design of tapered ends11,12also keeps the cables C toward the axis14of the main body10and saves the space left between the cables C for the cable ties T to be conveniently fastened. The grip portion13designed around the outer periphery of the main body10allows its users to move it along the cables C without spending much efforts as the resistance is reduced the tapered ends11,12; additionally, the grip portion13is integrated with the clip slots21and therefore there is no need for any outer jackets for the present invention, also saving the prime cost as well.

With the structures disclosed above, the present invention is not just a cable fixing tool, it is able to literally further comb the network cables C when in need, and the features of the present invention are described as following, especially different from the seal device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,353,186 and the wedge anchor disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,123,879.

With reference toFIGS. 3E and 3F, the predetermined diameter d2of the passage holes22is longer than the diameter d3of the network cables C, and both the diameters d2, d3are longer than the distance d1between the first and second side walls212,213. Therefore, when a string of network cables C is embedded into one of the clip slots21via a corresponding opening24, the network cable C can be embedded therein smoothly due to the resiliency of the clip slots21. And with the arrangement of the first, second and third passage holes22a,22b,22c, the embedded network cables C would display a neat and even arrangement around the main body10of the present invention and would not be loosened from the clip slots21of the present invention without further help from other components such as tie wraps or securing anchors.

More importantly, as shown inFIG. 3G, the first passage holes22aare arranged to form the first concentric circle40aaround the axis14of the main body10; the third passage holes22care arranged to form the third concentric circle40c; and the second passage holes22bare arranged to form the second concentric circle40b. The clip slots21enables the network cables C to be distributed evenly and neatly as shown inFIGS. 6 and 7. Moreover, the present invention would encounter less resistance when being moving along the network cables C with the help of the tapered ends11,12for easily combing and rearranging the cables C.