Abstract:
A cable processing system includes a conveyor that holds cables and conveys the cables in a specified direction. The operation stretches the cables and allows them to be packaged or otherwise coiled. The cable processing system may wash the cables as they pass thereby.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/839,756, filed on Aug. 23, 2006. The disclosure of the prior application is considered part of (and is incorporated by reference in) the disclosure of this application. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     Show venues, such as concerts, Broadway shows, or the like, often use many cables which need to be extended to various places at the venue. The cables may carry control signals, power, and the like. Because the items which require the power may be very far from the controlling deck and/or the source of power, those cables must be correspondingly long. However, other cables are shorter.  
         [0003]     The venue is often wired by a wiring contractor, e.g., a stage rental company. After the venue is completed, the cables are returned to the rental company. The wires are then bundled and sorted.  
         [0004]     This has typically been done by manually pulling the cables, and then bundling the cables onto either a spindle or into a bundle.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0005]     The present application teaches an automated cable handling system that automatically processes the cable.  
         [0006]     Aspects include parts that clean the cable during the operation. Another aspect includes a part that automatically monitors the cable type and length, thereby sorting the cable automatically.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]      FIGS. 1 through 3  show the input area of the conveyance path;  
         [0008]      FIGS. 4A through 6  show a side view of the conveyor and conveyance path;  
         [0009]      FIG. 7  shows a top view of the conveyor;  
         [0010]      FIG. 8  shows a detailed view of the cable gripper;  
         [0011]      FIG. 9  shows the cylinder in its closed position;  
         [0012]      FIG. 10  shows a cross-section of the conveyor;  
         [0013]      FIG. 11  shows the brushes on the conveyor; and  
         [0014]      FIG. 12  shows a side view of the rinsing station.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0015]     The general structure and techniques, and more specific embodiments which can be used to effect different ways of carrying out the more general goals, are described herein.  
         [0016]     The present application describes an automatic cable handling system, which allows automated processing of the cable.  
         [0017]     One of the issues found with cable handling in the prior art is that the cable was effectively stretched across a work floor. This stretching and the subsequent coiling was done manually, and required significant manual effort. The cables laid across the floor, hence causing a hazard. Moreover, the cables got very dirty during their time on the floor. The stretched cables were then bundled up.  
         [0018]     Embodiments address these issues.  
         [0019]     One aspect of this application cleans the cable while the cable is being conveyed. A cable clamp holds various sizes of cable, conveying the cable along a conveyor.  
         [0020]     In operation, the cable is first sorted by type. The cable sorting may be done on a dock or other table. The cables may then be sent, for example, to the input stage of the conveyor shown in  FIGS. 1-3 . The cables are initially placed in cable holders such as  145 . The cable holders move along a support, forming the conveyance path in the direction of arrow  105 . Cable clamp  145  holds the cables as they are moved. The cable clamps  145 ,  155  may be located on the support  160  every 20 feet, for example; see  FIG. 2 . The clamps are driven to move in a continuous loop, so that clamps such as  145  are driven in a first direction to stretch the cable, and  150  is driven in a second direction to return the clamp back to the cable-initiation point at which point a new cable can be attached and stretched.  
         [0021]     After attachment, the cables are first conveyed to a soap and water wash spot, which may include a presoak area  129  which presoaks the cables. The cables are then each washed by brushes. Brushes  125 ,  126  are shown for a first cable, and  127 ,  128  for a second cable. It should be understood that there may be other brushes in other locations.  
         [0022]     The cables are then rinsed with water or solvent in a rinse area  130 . Water is blown off the cables at  135  by an air blower device.  
         [0023]     The cables pass through area  140 , held by the cable clamp/grippers  145  in  FIG. 2 . This shows a second area of the conveyor, along which the cables are allowed to dry, and/or blown off. In the embodiment, the cable grippers may be located on 20 foot centers.  
         [0024]     The cable continues being conveyed to the section of  FIG. 3 . The cable is then passed to a bundler  130 , which rotates a wrapper  160 , for example, to bundle the cables into any desired configuration, such as bundles or spools. The wrapper  160  may also include a label printer  161  which automatically affixes information indicative of the cables. For example, this can be an inventory number or the like to facilitate the tracking.  
         [0025]     Since the conveyance path is along a support, the conveyance surface can be open, to allow foreign objects such as dirt and liquid, to fall off. This is different than a belt style conveyance, in which all dirt and foreign objects would fall on the belt, for example.  
         [0026]     A side view of the conveyor is shown in  FIGS. 4A-6 .  FIG. 4A  illustrates the conveyor support including the cable grippers  145 ,  150 ,  155  and other structures.  145  is conveying a cable in the direction of stretching,  150  is a cable clamp that is returning back toward the origin. The returning clamp  150  is conveyed around a curved support area  161 , after which it is ready to receive another cable.  
         [0027]      FIG. 4B  shows another view of the conveyance path, which shows the different stations, including the presoak station  129 , the rollers  125 ,  126 , the rinse station  128 , and the air blower station  130 . The different structures which hold the washing material are also shown.  FIG. 4B , for example, shows the fresh water tank  400 , soap concentrate held in receptacle  402 , and also shows a soap drain tank  404  for receiving the dirty water. Input  408  represents an air compressor, for the air blower  130 .  
         [0028]     The area under the conveyance path, in the area of washing and rinsing, is preferably a mesh structure, e.g., a metal mesh.  
         [0029]      FIG. 5A  illustrates a close-up of the different structure including the presoak, brushes, and the motor.  FIG. 5C  shows a perspective view with presoak, rinses and drying, as well as the brushes.  
         [0030]      FIG. 5B  illustrates the end part of the conveyance path. Note that the clamp  155  is holding the cables such as cable  500 . At degrip zone  510 , the cables are released from their clamps. This may be automatically done when sensing the position of a mechanical part  504 . The cable  501 , once so released, may be loaded onto a desired caddie for coiling. A roller device  520  may also be provided, to facilitate rolling up bundles of cable.  
         [0031]      FIG. 5B  also illustrates the second end portion  602  of the support  600 , in which the clamps such as  145  are turned around to be returned to the origin.  
         [0032]     Since these cables are heavy and bulky, an important feature is the emergency switch. An emergency off switch  530  is located within the reach of each operator.  
         [0033]      FIG. 6  shows an alternative view of the  FIG. 5  embodiment, showing how the cables can be released from the different grippers.  
         [0034]      FIG. 7  shows a top view of the conveyor including two cables  700 ,  702 . Emergency stop buttons  710  and  720  are located on opposite sides of the table.  
         [0035]      FIGS. 8A, 8B ,  9 A and  9 B illustrate a more detailed view of the cable gripper. The cable gripper is formed of a first holding piece and a second holding piece  800 ,  805 . The gripper  145  rides on, and moves along, an edge surface  811  of a support piece  810 . For example, the support piece  810  can be an “I beam”, and the edge surface  811  can be the portion of the I beam that is substantially perpendicular to the main support piece.  
         [0036]     The two pieces  800 ,  805  are opened by the movement of a linear driving part such as piston  820 . This causes the bottom piece  805  to tilt downward, opening the area between the top and bottom pieces.  FIG. 8A and 8B  illustrate the pieces  800 ,  805  in their open position. In this position, the cables  830 ,  832  can be inserted therein.  FIGS. 9A and 9B  illustrate the cylinder in its closed position, with two cables,  830  and  832 , held between the two gripper parts  800 ,  805 . In this way, a number of cables of similar sizes can all be held by the same device. The opening and closing can be via an air operated part, such as an air piston, the device in essence self-adjusts—closing with a certain amount of force to thereby hold the cables of any size automatically. Note that the cables are held between a first movable surface  801  that is controlled by the piston  820 , and a second surface  802 . The second surface may also move against a spring force. Accordingly, any size cable can be held by the gripper.  
         [0037]     The gripper assembly itself is connected to a carriage  850  but moves on rollers  852  along the conveyor.  
         [0038]     In an embodiment, a foot pedal may be provided that allows the operator to press the foot pedal to raise the first movable surface, after which the cables are placed into position, and the foot pedal is released to lower the first movable surface.  
         [0039]     An important feature of this system is that pans and troughs may be located under the device to catch runoff.  FIG. 10  illustrates a cross-section along the line  10 - 10  in  FIG. 5 . This shows, for example, how the presoak nozzles  1000 ,  1002 ,  1004 ,  1006  can be used to spray presoak water onto the cables. Drain pans  1010  and  1020  are located under this area of the conveyor, to capture the overflow water. The brushes are shown in  FIG. 11 , where brushes are formed in an area so that the cable needs to pass between the brushes. In the area of the brushes  1100 , there may be splash guards  1102  to prevent the water from splashing. The brushes  1100  have indentations which are intended to provide additional surfaces for cleaning the cable. A piston drives the position of the brushes.  
         [0040]      FIG. 12  illustrates a side view of the rinsing station, again with nozzles such as  1200 , and splash areas  1202 .  
         [0041]     This structure allows the cable to be pulled and washed at the same time. All customer markings can be removed by washing, as well as dirt and the like. An automatic release system allows the end of the cable to be released once the cable end reaches the correct area. An automatic bundling system may be used at that area.  
         [0042]     The printer may print a barcode that is associated with the cable, and which states characteristics of the cable. After bundling the cable, a barcode may be scanned into an inventory management system, which indicates that a bundle, having those specific characteristics, is ready to rent. The cable is then placed on pallets for storage, for example, and when rented, the barcode is scanned again, removing the cable from inventory.  
         [0043]     In operation, operators may be on each side of the conveyor. A conveyor button may be pressed when the conveyor is ready for work. The next available cable gripper opens automatically, on the side of the operator where the conveyor button was pressed. The operator inserts the cable into the open gripper area, and then presses a pre-start part, for example a prestart switch on the floor, to close the gripper. As a safety measure, the operator may be forced at that point to press either a wash, or a pass selector switch to start the operation. The wash switch causes the cables to be washed, by raising the brushes via the piston  1105 , while the pass switch just passes the cables without washing.  
         [0044]     The cable, while gripped, is passed through the washer area. Depending on the buttons which are pressed, either wash operations or no wash operations is performed. If wash has been selected, a selected sensor will read the cable gripper and start a wash cycle.  
         [0045]     The different structure shown along the conveyor includes a prewash cycle which begins using a water and soap solution. The cable is then passed through foam brushes where one brush moves over the cable, and a second brush moves up from the bottom. The cable is then rinsed with water, and finally passes through an air blower area. Cable droop may prevent some part of the cable from being washed.  
         [0046]     When the cable reaches the end of the conveyor, the clamping device automatically releases the cable at the discharge area via the unclamping ramp in the area  510 .  
         [0047]     In one embodiment, emergency stop buttons are mounted in each corner of the conveyor, near each location where a worker might be located. Pressing any of the emergency stop buttons causes all equipment functions to stop.  
         [0048]     The general structure and techniques, and more specific embodiments which can be used to effect different ways of carrying out the more general goals are described herein.  
         [0049]     Although only a few embodiments have been disclosed in detail above, other embodiments are possible and the inventor(s) intend these to be encompassed within this specification. The specification describes specific examples to accomplish a more general goal that may be accomplished in another way. This disclosure is intended to be exemplary, and the claims are intended to cover any modification or alternative which might be predictable to a person having ordinary skill in the art. For example, other kinds of bundling can be used.  
         [0050]     Also, the inventor(s) intend that only those claims which use the words “means for” are intended to be interpreted under 35 USC 112, sixth paragraph. Moreover, no limitations from the specification are intended to be read into any claims, unless those limitations are expressly included in the claims. The computers described herein may be any kind of computer, either general purpose, or some specific purpose computer such as a workstation. The computer may be a Pentium class computer, running Windows XP or Linux, or may be a Macintosh computer. The computer may also be a handheld computer, such as a PDA, cellphone, or laptop.  
         [0051]     The programs may be written in C, or Java, Brew or any other programming language. The programs may be resident on a storage medium, e.g., magnetic or optical, e.g. the computer hard drive, a removable disk or media such as a memory stick or SD media, or other removable medium. The programs may also be run over a network, for example, with a server or other machine sending signals to the local machine, which allows the local machine to carry out the operations described herein.