Abstract:
A shape-holding sleeve that can retain an electrical cable, thereby allowing the cable to conform to an exact path between two points.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to cable organizers, and in particular, a formable, shape-holding cable sleeve that can be used in connection with a cable to enable the cable to conform to a user-determined path between two points. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Extant sleeves that are applied on cables, including but not limited to, electrical cables and cords, data cables, speaker wire, audio and/or video connections and the like, all referred to herein as “cables,” are typically for providing abrasion-resistance, organization or for the aggregation/bundling of multiple cables. However, such sleeves lack any shape-holding properties and often require much time and effort to install. On the other hand, there have been various proposals for shape-holding electrical cables, such as for example in U.S. Published Patent Application Nos. 2014/330632 and 2013/0306372. However, these shape-holding cables lack the ability to be aggregated/bundled with multiple cables and further require the cable manufacturer to incur the added expense of adding shape-holding properties to the cable. Because of this, not all manufacturers will undertake to make their cables shape-retaining, and therefore such shape-holding cables, when in use with non-shape-holding cables, provides an incomplete solution to cable organization. 
         [0003]    The prior art does not disclose an easy way to organize and store cables in a desirable, effortless fashion. Access to some cables, such as a charging cable for a mobile device, is needed on a daily basis, so the organization has to be in sight, presentable and readily accessible. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a formable cable sleeve that is aesthetically pleasing, can be easily aggregated or bundled with other cables, and can be used in connection with most sizes and shapes of electrical cables. 
         [0004]    This invention makes known a cable sleeve that contains one or more shape-holding members that can be placed over extant cables to hold their shape. The cable sleeve can be applied over one or multiple cables and enables the cables to be run through an exact path and supporting all turns of the cables, including 90 degree turns and U-turns. It should be understood that the cable sleeve described herein is not limited to use with cables and may also be adapted for use with ropes, hoses and other elongated objected that are non-shape-holding. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present invention has been devised to more conveniently, safely and effortlessly organize one or more cables. The cable sleeve of the present invention allows cables to be placed in an exact position, which the sleeve will retain, and run flush along walls, floors and furniture without the need for any additional securing, as well as support multiple changes in directions such as right-angle turns, U-turns and coils. The cable sleeve of the present invention also enables a cable to be folded for compact storage and carrying ability. 
         [0006]    The present invention is directed generally to a cable sleeve having a flexible conduit having a first end with an opening and a second end with an opening, and a shape-holding member that extends along at least a portion of the flexible conduit. In a preferred embodiment, the shape-holding member extends substantially from the first end to the second end of the flexible conduit. The flexible conduit also preferably has a slot that extends substantially from the first end to the second end of the flexible conduit. The slot permits a cable to be introduced to an internal cavity of the flexible conduit, and preferably touches or overlaps at its edges to keep the flexible conduit in a closed configuration. Alternatively, a cable may be fed through the opening at the first end or second end without the need for a slot. 
         [0007]    One or more shape-holding members reinforce the flexible conduit and may be maintained in a separate pocket on the flexible conduit, affixed to the flexible conduit by adhesive, woven into the flexible conduit or disposed integrally into the wall of the flexible conduit. The shape-holding members impart the flexible conduit with shape-holding properties. Thus, the cable sleeve of the present invention can conform to almost any user-defined path between two points. 
         [0008]    In an aspect of the invention, the cable sleeve may employ loops that can be used to hang the cable sleeve on one or more hooks secured against a wall or a supporting object thereby providing a tidy self-supported cable run. In another aspect of the invention, the cable sleeve may employ openings with reinforced edges at various points along its length that can be used to hang the cable sleeve on one or more hooks secured against a wall or a supporting object thereby providing a tidy self-supported cable run. 
         [0009]    In another aspect of the invention, a routing plate employing a flat substrate allows multiple cable sleeves of the present invention to be crisscrossed or run over one another without tangling. The planar sides of the substrate are equipped with hooks, loops or pathways for receiving a cable sleeve. Thus, in use, cable sleeves running a certain direction can be affixed to one planar side of the routing structure, while sleeves running in a substantially perpendicular direction can be affixed to the opposite planar side of the routing structure. 
         [0010]    In another embodiment, a junction box defining an enclosed structure has channels or notches in both parallel and crisscrossing directions that provide room for the cable sleeves to pass through. The top of the junction box may be detachable so that cable sleeves may be placed in a desired position and the top reattached. The routing plate or junction box may be fastened to a wall, floor, ceiling or other surface or allowed to hang freely. 
         [0011]    In an aspect of the invention, a free-standing support is available to hang cable sleeves at any point as desired. The free-standing support is constructed of a relatively heavy block, similar to a paperweight, employing one or more hooks, loops or clamps. The free-standing support can be placed on any horizontal surface and a sleeve can be hung from the free-standing support by the loops or reinforced openings described above. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the cable sleeve of the present invention in use along the baseboard of a wall. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the cable sleeve of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of another embodiment of the cable sleeve of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a front view of an embodiment of the cable sleeve of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a front view of another embodiment of the cable sleeve of the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is an exploded view of the junction box of the present invention in use with a cable sleeve of the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the routing plate of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 5 , a preferred embodiment of the present cable sleeve  10  is illustrated.  FIG. 1  illustrates a cable sleeve  10  of the present invention in use along the baseboard of a wall. 
         [0020]      FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective view of a cable sleeve  10  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The cable sleeve  10 , employing a flexible conduit  11  and a shape-holding member  12 , may be placed around a cable  15  by placing the cable  15  through an elongated slot  13  in the flexible conduit  11  that provides access from the outer surface of the flexible conduit  11  to the interior cavity of the flexible conduit  11 . The cable sleeve  10  is removable, and may be attached to one or more cables  15  and subsequently detached. The cable  15  may then be connected to a power outlet, electronic device, wall jack or the like and positioned along a wall, floor or work surface as desired. 
         [0021]    After one or more cables are placed in the internal cavity of the cable sleeve  10  via the slot  13 , the cable sleeve  10  can be secured over the cable  15  through a number of mechanisms, including an elastic memory that brings the edges of the slot  13  into touching or overlapping relationship or separate members such as fasteners including zippers, buttons, snaps, tape, hooks, magnets, hook and loop fasteners and combinations thereof. In an embodiment using fasteners, the fasteners run along the edges of the slot  13  and enable the slot  13  to be transitioned from an open position to a locked position so that the cable  15  within the cable sleeve  10  is tightly secured and will not slip out. In an embodiment wherein the flexible conduit  11  is composed of a resilient material, if a cable  15  is pressed against the slot  13  or if the flexible conduit  11  is pinched by a user, the slot  13  will deflect from a closed position to an open position to allow a cable  15  to be placed within the cable sleeve  10  and the slot  13  will return to a closed position thereafter. 
         [0022]    In embodiments of the present invention, the flexible conduit  11  and shape-holding member  12  are made from materials that easily can be cut so that the cable sleeve  10  can be cut to size. This allows the cable sleeve  10  to be cut by a user to accommodate various cable  15  lengths. Moreover, the cable sleeve  10  can be cut into small segments and used to surround only those portions of a cable  15  where bending, such as 90-degree turns and U-turns, is required while still providing directional guiding of the cable  15 . 
         [0023]    The flexible conduit  11  is preferably made from a material with resilient properties and that is capable of being bent to any angle from 5-355°, preferably 0-360°. Suitable materials for the flexible conduit  11  are rubber, polyurethane, polyethylene, polystyrene, neoprene, thermoplastic elastomers, natural fabrics, synthetic fabrics, metal-mesh and nylon. 
         [0024]    In some embodiments, the flexible conduit  11  may be thought of as a tube with an overall cross-section in the shape of a circle, rectangle, square, triangle or other polygon. In an alternative embodiment, the flexible conduit  11  may be a flexible substrate, on which one or more cables  15  are placed, and the flexible substrate is then wrapped around the one or more cables  15  and fastened by magnets, snaps, buttons, hook and loop fasteners, tape, adhesive, clips or combinations thereof that are located along one or both of the lateral edges of the substrate thereby forming an enclosed sleeve. In such an embodiment, the need for a slot  13  is alleviated. 
         [0025]      FIG. 5  illustrates the construction of the cable sleeve  10  with a flexible conduit  11  that employs one or more pockets  14  running laterally along the flexible conduit  11 . One or more shape-holding members  12  are inserted in the pocket  14  to impart shape-holding properties to the flexible conduit  11 . In another embodiment, the shape-holding member  12  may be affixed directly to the inner or outer surface of the flexible conduit  11  preferably by an adhesive. In a further embodiment, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the shape-holding member  12  may be woven into the flexible conduit  11 , which is suitable for a flexible conduit  11  made from a fabric, metal-mesh or nylon. In an additional embodiment, as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the shape-holding member  12  may be disposed in the wall of the flexible conduit  11 , which is most suitable for a flexible conduit  11  made from rubber, polyurethane, polyethylene, polystyrene, neoprene or thermoplastic elastomers. 
         [0026]    The terminal ends of shape-holding member  12  may be bent to provide smooth rounded ends and prevent the shape-holding member  12  from damaging the flexible conduit  11  or any cables placed therein. In another embodiment, the ends of the shape-holding member  12  may employ an end cap, much like the pinhead of a pin, to provide smooth ends and prevent damage. 
         [0027]    The flexible conduit  11  has an outer surface and an interior cavity defined by the inner surface of the flexible conduit  11  that is suitable for retaining a cable  15  therein. In embodiments employing one or more pockets  14 , the pocket  14  may be positioned at the inner surface or outer surface of the flexible conduit  11 . In embodiments wherein the shape-holding member  12  is affixed directly to the flexible conduit  11 , it may affixed at the inner surface or outer surface. In embodiments wherein the shape-holding member  12  is disposed within the wall of the flexible conduit  11 , the shape-holding member  12  may be disposed in the space defined between the outer surface and inner surface of the flexible conduit  11 . Of course, one or more of the shape-holding members  12  can be used with a length of flexible conduit  11 , including various combinations of incorporating the shape-holding member  12  on the flexible conduit  11  as discussed above, and otherwise. 
         [0028]    In an embodiment of the present invention, the flexible conduit  11  has a cross-sectional diameter of from about 0.125 inches to about 1 inch, preferably about 0.25 inches to about 0.75 inches and most preferably about 0.5 inches. The flexible conduit  11  has a length that is at least about 2 times its cross-sectional diameter, preferably about 3 times to about 96 times, more preferably about 4 times to about 60 times, and most preferably about 6 times to about 48 times. In a preferred embodiment, the flexible conduit  11  has a length of about 3 feet, 4 feet, 5 feet or 6 feet. The internal cavity of the flexible conduit  11  has a cross-sectional internal diameter of from about 0.125 inches to about 1 inch, preferably about 0.25 inches to about 0.75 inches and most preferably about 0.5 inches. 
         [0029]    The shape-holding member  12  may be made from any suitable formable and shape-holding metal or metal alloy, preferably, copper, steel, aluminum or tin. The term shape-holding is taken to mean pliable and yet rigid in maintaining a shape of the flexible conduit  11  incorporating the shape-holding member  12  once bent to conform to said shape. The shape-holding member imparts malleable, pliable and bendable properties to the cable sleeve  10 . Thus, the instant cable sleeve  10  may remain in a position in which a user places it and may resist sagging or jumping due to gravity or the tension of cables held therein. The cable sleeve  10  can be bent in any shape as desired such as an arc of a circle, any angle between 0-360°—most commonly 45°, 90° or 180°—or coiled around an axis to offer a required length. 
         [0030]    The cable sleeve  10  of the present invention preferably employs one or more shape-holding members  12 . 
         [0031]    The shape-holding member  12  should be of an appropriate thickness to support bending for turns while being rigid enough to hold shape and prevent the cables from sagging under gravity. In a preferred embodiment, the shape-holding member  12  is a wire having a thickness, in American Wire Gauge (AWG) units, of 8-24, preferably, 12-20. 
         [0032]    In an embodiment of the present invention, the cable sleeve  10  may also employ an adhesive backing on a portion of its outer surface to enable the cable sleeve  10  to be affixed to a user-defined surface. The adhesive backing preferably is an adhesive glue or an adhesive foam tape. The adhesive backing preferably runs substantially from the first end to the second end of the flexible conduit either in a continuous strip or in segmented portions. 
         [0033]    To accommodate the adhesive backing, in an embodiment of the present invention, the flexible conduit  11  preferably has a flattened surface upon which the adhesive backing is affixed such that a cross-section of the flexible conduit  11  resembles a “D”. In alternative embodiments, the cable sleeve  10  may employ on its outer surface a member of hook and loop fasteners or a magnetic couple, with the corresponding or cooperating member being affixed to a surface at a user-defined location. 
         [0034]    In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, the cable sleeve  10  employs loops on the outer surface of the flexible conduit  11 . The loops can engage a hook or a nail that is secured against a wall or ceiling. Once hung, the loops are preferably fully hidden from view. Similarly, the cable sleeve  10  may employ reinforced openings along the length of the flexible conduit  11  for hanging the cable sleeve  10  from a hook or nail. 
         [0035]      FIG. 6  illustrates a junction box  20  for optional use with one or more cable sleeves  10  of the present invention. The junction box  20  is preferably constructed of a rigid material such as metal, plastic or wood and is preferably composed of a base  21  and a lid  22 . The base  21  of the junction box  20  employs notches, grooves, channels or hooks to take in and route out one or more cable sleeves  10  in a desired direction. However, in other embodiments of the present invention, notches, grooves, channels or hooks are not employed and the shape-holding properties of the cable sleeve  10  are relied upon to neatly route one or more cable sleeves  10  through the junction box  20 . In one embodiment, the peripheral edges of the junction box  20  employ raised corners  23  on either the base  21 , lid  22  or both to further direct the routing of cable sleeves  10 . Once the cable sleeves  10  are arranged in the junction box  20 , corresponding ridges and channels in the base  21  and lid  22  are fitted over one another and snapped into place. 
         [0036]    The base  21  of the junction box  20  may employ one or more spikes, adhesive, clips, snaps, catches, magnets, hook and loop fasteners and the like so that it may be affixed to a floor, wall, ceiling or other supporting structure. The junction box  20  may also be provided with a hook or hanger so that it can be secured to a supporting surface using nails or screws. 
         [0037]      FIG. 7  illustrates the routing plate  30  of the present invention. The routing plate  30  provides a clean separation and detangling at the intersection of multiple cable sleeves  10 . The routing plate  30  comprises a substrate  31  which may employ hooks  32  on either side. Multiple cable sleeves  10  may meet at the routing plate  30 , and are secured to the hooks  32  on either side as desired using the loops or holes with reinforcement disposed on the cable sleeve  10  as described above or by running the cable sleeve  10  through the hooks  32 . It should also be appreciated that notches, channels or grooves may be employed for routing the cable sleeves  10  instead of hooks  32 . In one embodiment, the routing plate  30  may employ three or more legs  33  to enable it to stand against and slightly away from a flat surface to provide ample space for cable sleeves  10  to pass on both sides of the substrate  31 . 
         [0038]    In another embodiment, a free-standing support (not shown) may be employed that is comprised of a relatively heavy block made of a material such as metal, glass, plastic or wood with one or more hooks fastened to the heavy block. The free-standing support has a flat base similar to a cube or paperweight. The distance the hook extends from the surface of the heavy block may be adjustable by a user or fixed. The free-standing support may then be placed on any substantially flat surface and a cable sleeve  10  is routed using the one or more hooks. 
         [0039]    The present invention is also directed to a method of routing a cable that employs the steps of inserting a cable into a flexible conduit via a slot running through the flexible conduit, connecting the cable to a wall outlet, electronic device or wall jack, and bending a portion of the flexible conduit into a self-retaining user-determined path. 
         [0040]    The invention illustratively described herein suitably may be practiced in the absence of any element or elements, limitation or limitations, which is not specifically disclosed herein. Thus, for example, in each instance herein, any of the terms “comprising,” “consisting essentially of” and “consisting of” may be replaced with either of the other two terms. The terms and expressions that have been employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed. Thus, it should be understood that although the present invention has been specifically disclosed by preferred embodiments and optional features, modification and variation of the concepts herein disclosed may be resorted to by those skilled in the art, and that such modifications and variations are considered to be within the scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims. All patents and publications cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference.