Patent Publication Number: US-2009236477-A1

Title: Cable support and method

Description:
This application claims priority under 35 USC 119 to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/037,406, filed Mar. 18, 2008, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates in general to cable supports/pullers and methods. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,740,994 describes a variety of J-hook cable supports that are usable with high performance communications cable, as well as other types of cables. Such cable supports allow cables to be supported without constrictions on the cables, and without damage to the cables. Cable supports of this sort are available from ERICO International Corporation, of Solon, Ohio, USA. 
     Despite the benefits of J-hook cable supports previously available from ERICO International Corporation, improvements in this area are possible. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to an aspect of the invention, a cable support or puller includes many features that are an improvement over prior cable supports. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, a cable support or puller includes one or more rollers that support a cable in a cable-receiving area while the cable is pulled through the cable-receiving area. A retainer may be used to retain the cable in the cable-receiving area. 
     According to yet another aspect of the invention, a cable puller includes a bowed surface that keeps a cable run above a bottom of the cable puller. 
     According to still another aspect of the invention, a puller includes a metal bracket, and one or more plastic parts on the metal bracket. 
     According to a further aspect of the invention, a cable puller includes: a metal bracket that includes: a bottom; and a stem and a tip extending upward from opposite respective sides of the bottom, the stem and the tip defining a cable-receiving area between the stem and the tip; and one or more curved pieces that are mechanically coupled to the metal bracket and are located between the bottom and the cable-receiving area. The cable-receiving area has open ends that allow cable to be pulled through the cable-receiving area while in contact with the one or more curved pieces. 
     According to a still further aspect of the invention, a method of installing run of cable includes: placing a cable puller at one end of a series of cable supports, wherein the cable puller includes a metal bracket and one or more curved pieces that are mechanically coupled to the metal bracket and are located between a bottom of the metal bracket and a cable-receiving area of the metal bracket; and pulling the cable across the cable supports and through the cable-receiving area of the puller, with the cable not coming into contact with the bottom of the metal bracket. 
     To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims. The following description and the annexed drawings set forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention. These embodiments are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed. Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The annexed drawings show embodiment(s) of the invention, which are not necessarily to scale. 
         FIG. 1  is an oblique view of a cable support/puller in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an oblique view of a bracket of the cable support/puller of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of the bracket of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of the bracket of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 5  is a sectional view of the stem along the section  5 - 5  of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 6  is an oblique view of a roller of the cable support/puller of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 7  is an end view of the roller of  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 8  is a diagram illustrating the use of the cable support/puller of  FIG. 1  to install a cable or cables on a series of cable supports. 
         FIG. 9  is an oblique view of a first type of coupling between a J-hook cable support and the cable support/puller of  FIG. 1 , using a tree bracket. 
         FIG. 10  is an oblique view of the universal tree bracket used in the coupling shown in  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 11  is an oblique view of a second type of coupling between a J-hook cable support and the cable support/puller of  FIG. 1 , using an angle bracket and a carabiner hook. 
         FIG. 12  is an oblique view of the angle bracket used in the coupling shown in  FIG. 11 . 
         FIG. 13  is a side view of the carabiner hook used in the coupling shown in  FIG. 11 . 
         FIG. 14  is an oblique view of a third type of coupling between a J-hook cable support and the cable support/puller of  FIG. 1 , using an angle bracket, a carabiner hook, and a link. 
         FIG. 15  shows the coupled cable support/puller and J-hook cable support of  FIG. 16 , supporting a cable (or cable run) making a substantially right angle turn. 
         FIG. 16  is a side view of the link used in the coupling of  FIG. 14 . 
         FIG. 17  is an oblique view of a cable support/puller of another embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 18  is an oblique view of an insert of the cable support/puller of  FIG. 17 . 
         FIG. 19  is a bottom view of the insert of  FIG. 18 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A cable support includes a metal bracket having a bottom, and a stem and a tip extending from opposite sides of the bottom. The bracket may have in general a U shape (or a squared-off J shape), with a cable-receiving area between the stem and the tip. The support has one or more rollers between the bottom and the cable-receiving area, extending from the stem to the tip. The cable-receiving area has open sides at opposite ends, allowing the cable to be pulled through the cable-receiving area while resting on the one or more rollers. The support may be connected to other cable supports through a variety of mechanical mechanisms. 
       FIG. 1  shows a cable support  10  (also referred to as a “puller”) that allows pulling of cable through a cable-receiving area  12 . Further referring to  FIGS. 2-5 , the cable support/puller  10  includes a metal bracket  13 , for example made of steel, having a bottom  14 , a stem  16 , and a tip  18 . The bottom  14  may be substantially planar, with the stem  16  and the tip  18  extending upward from opposite sides of the bottom  14 . The stem  16  and the tip  18  may be substantially at right angles to the bottom  14 . The stem  16  may extend to about twice the height of the tip  18  above the bottom  14 , with the bracket  13  having a squared-off J-shape, alternatively describable as a U-shape with one of the upward arms partially removed. 
     The stem  16  has a flat central portion  20 . On either side of the central portion  20  are angled flanges  22  and  24  that are bent back and angled away from the central portion  20 . The stem  16  includes a pair of notches  26  and  28  in the stem flanges  22  and  24 . The notches  26  and  28  are used for receiving and securing a wire retainer  30 , as explained below. 
     The stem  16  has a pair of ribs  32  and  34  in a center part of the central portion  20 . The ribs  32  and  34  are parallel to one another, oriented in a direction along the length of the stem  16  (the direction running from the root of the stem  16 , where the stem  16  extends from the bottom  14 , to the free end of the stem  16 ). 
     The stem  16  also has a pair of tabs  36  and  38 . The tabs  36  and  38  protrude from the stem central portion  20 . As explained in greater detail below, the tabs  36  and  38  are used to couple the stem  16  to one or more J-hooks and/or snap-on brackets, to couple multiple cable supports  10  together and/or to couple the cable support  10  to a structure member or surface. 
     The tabs  36  and  38  each have narrow neck  40  that broadens out into a broader body  42 . On one side of the body  42  of each of the tabs  36  and  38  there is a sloped edge surface  44 . The sloped edge surfaces  44  face toward the center of the stem  16 , the portion of the stem  16  between the tabs  36  and  38 , and the base of the stem  16  (where the stem  16  meets the bottom  14 ). On the other side of each tab body  42  (facing away from the center portion of the stem  16 ) there is a curved edge surface that leads to a step at the neck  40 . 
     The tabs  36  and  38  may be bent portions of the sheet metal of the stem  16 . The tabs  36  and  38  protrude rearward from the stem  16 , from a back side  52  of the stem  16 , away from the side that faces the cable-receiving area  12 . The tabs  36  and  38  may thus leave corresponding holes  56  and  58  in the stem central portion  20 . 
     The stem  16  may also have other holes for receiving fasteners. In the illustrated embodiment the fastener holes include a rivet hole  60  and a nail hole  62 . The fastener holes  60  and  62  may be used to mechanically couple the stem  16  to structure and/or to other cable supports. The fastener holes  60  and  62  are centered in the stem central portion  20 , in a vertical line, at different heights above the bracket bottom  14 . It will be appreciated that different numbers of number, type, and/or configuration of fastener holes may be utilized instead. In addition, the holes  60  and/or  62  may be used for receiving hooks or other mechanical mechanisms, as described further below. 
     The tip  18  may be substantially parallel to the stem  16 . Alternatively the tip  18  may be angled slightly away from the stem  16 . 
     The tip  18 , like the stem  16 , includes a flat central tip portion  70 , with flanges  72  and  74  angled away from the tip central portion  70 . This provides the tip  18  with the same cable-friendly surface (no corners or sharp edges) as the stem  16 . 
     The tip  18  also includes an outward-protruding tab  80  protruding away from the cable-receiving area  12 . The tab  80  is used to aid in retaining the wire retainer  30 , as discussed further below. 
     A set of rollers  84  is at the bottom of the cable-receiving area  12 , between the cable-receiving area  12  and the bracket bottom  14 . The set  84  may include three rollers  86 - 90 , with the middle roller  88  higher above the bottom  14  than the side rollers  86  and  90 . The rollers  86 - 90  extend from the stem  16  to the tip  18 , and may be substantially perpendicular to the stem  16  and the tip  18 . The rollers  86 - 90  turn as cable is pulled across them from an open end  92  on one side of the cable-receiving area  12 , to an open end  94  on the opposite side of the cable-receiving  12 . The configuration of the rollers  86 - 90 , with the middle roller  88  above the side or end rollers  86  and  90 , provides a bowed cable-engaging surface that keeps the cable away from the bracket  13  and from other cable supports that may be spaced apart in series, allowing easy pulling of cables across a series of cable supports that support a run of cable. 
     The rollers  86 - 90  are mounted on and rotate about respective pins  96 ,  98 , and  100 . The pins  96 ,  98 , and  100 , are inserted in stem holes  106 ,  108 , and  110  in the stem  16 , and in corresponding tip holes  116 ,  118 , and  120  in the tip  18 . With reference in addition to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the rollers  86 - 90  may be made of suitable molded plastic, and may have hollows to receive the pins  96 - 100 , and to reduce weight and material usage. 
     The stem  16  and the tip  18  together define the cable-receiving area  12  between them. The cable-receiving area  12  is above the roller set  84  and below the free end at the top of the tip  18 . 
     The wire retainer  30  has a rectangular shape, with a central portion  130 , a pair of legs  132  and  134 , and a pair of bent ends  136  and  138 . The legs  132  and  134  are substantially parallel to one another, and are at substantially right angles to the central portion  130 . The bent ends  136  and  138  are bent inward at distal ends of the legs  132  and  134 , farthest from the central portion  130 . The bent ends  136  and  138  are bent inward toward a centerline of the wire retainer  30 . The retainer  30  may be made from a single piece of wire, bent to form the various parts  130 - 138 . 
     When the retainer  30  is installed, the retainer central portion  130  is held in place by the tab  80  of the tip  18 . The retainer legs  132  and  134  extend around tip edges  142  and  144  of the tip  18 . The bent ends  136  and  138  of the retainer  30  fit into and are retained by the notches  26  and  28  in the stem  16 . The wire formed cable retainer  30  allows easier cable retainer assembly and disassembly in the field compared to the existing plastic retainer (see  FIG. 1 ). 
     Newer high performance cables having larger cable diameters require larger cable bend radius (four times of cable diameter) per IEEE and TIA Standards. The manufacturing of the high performance J-hook such as ERICO&#39;s CAT32HP is very difficult even though the most expensive and most complex progressive die is used. The pulling hook  10  (also referred to herein as a puller) with the three plastic rollers  86 - 90  or with (as described below) a single plastic insert can be used to meet the cable bend radius requirement as well (as discussed below). The puller  10  can be made by use of a simple forming die, without requiring any special skills. 
     With reference now in addition to  FIG. 8 , the puller  10  may be used to support cable  200  while pulling the cable or cables  200  along a series of cable supports  204 . Cable pullers  10  may be used at three places when pulling cables through J-hooks: at a start position, at 90-degree corners, and at a finish position. Other cable supports  206  in the series may have a different configuration, without the rollers  86 - 90  or other puller mechanisms. The cable supports in the cable support series  204  may be secured to building structure, such as walls or other structural elements, either directly or indirectly, for example through use of any of a variety of suitable clips or clamps. The connection to building structure may be made by coupling supports or pullers to other supports or pullers that are in turn secured to building structure. The connection of cable supports to the building structure may be accomplished by any of a variety of suitable mechanisms. Examples include use of a suitable fastener, such as a rivet, nail, or screw, and use of an intervening clamp, such as a purlin or beam clamp that clamps on the flange of a purlin or beam. Such as clamps are well described in prior co-owned patents and patent applications. Examples of cable support configurations for the cable supports  206 , and for devices for securing supports and pullers to building structure, are described in co-owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/196,315, filed Aug. 22, 2008 (attorney docket ERICPO371USA), the description and figures of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     The cable puller  10  may be used to pull the cable  200  downward, for example at an angle of 45 degrees or greater to the horizontal, with the cable  200  in contact with only the rollers  86 - 90  (with no contact with any part of the bottom  14 ). The ability to use a downward pulling direction may facilitate use with the puller  10  coupled below a cable support  206 , and/or may facilitate use in an overhead run of cable(s). 
     After pulling the cable  200  across the cable support series  204  the cable puller(s)  10  may be disengaged from the installation, with the cable  200  in the final installation supported only by the supports  206 . Prior to disengagement the cable may be lifted by the installer from the cable puller(s)  10  and placed into cable-receiving area(s) of respective cable support(s), for example the cable support(s) that the disengaged puller(s) were connected to. Alternatively, the puller  10  with the three plastic rollers  86 - 90  can be also used as a cable guide or cable support in the final cable installation. 
     Referring now in addition to  FIGS. 9 and 10 , a quick snap-on universal tree mounting bracket  220  may be used to enable easier tree installation of the puller  10 . The two tree mounting tabs  36  and  38  ( FIG. 5 ) located on the flat backbone (stem)  16  of the puller  10  are similar to those on the curved backbone (stem)  221  of high performance J-hook cable support  206  ( FIG. 8 ). The tree mounting bracket  220  has a generally rectangular shape, with four notches  222 ,  224 ,  226 , and  228  for receiving and securing pairs of stem tabs of the cable supports  10  and/or  206 , in order to secure multiple of the cable supports  10  and/or  206  together. The notches  222 - 228  are in two sets, located at different distances along the bracket  220 . Tabs  232 ,  234 ,  236 , and  238  extend at an angle to the body  239  of the mounting bracket  220 , adjacent to the respective notches  222 - 228 . The tabs  232 - 238  are located adjacent to the notches  222 - 228 , at the ends of the notches  222 - 228  closest to the center of the mounting bracket  220 . The tabs  232 - 238  aid in maintaining the stem tabs in the notches  222 - 228 . The bracket  220  may be made from spring steel or another suitable material. Further details regarding the bracket  220  may be found in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/196,315. 
     The tabs  36  and  38  of the puller  10  may engage the notches  222 - 228  and the tabs  232 - 238  of the mounting bracket  220 . The tabs  36  and  38  allow the puller  10  to snap on to the bracket  220 , easily securing the puller  10  to the bracket  220 . 
     The cable puller  10  may be installed below the high performance J-hook cable support  206  by any of a variety of different methods or mechanisms. Cable pullers  10  may be used at three places when pulling cables through J-hooks  206 : at a start position, at 90-degree corners, and at a finish position. For the start and finish positions, two mounting methods may be used. The tree-mounting bracket  220  may be used to connect J-hook  206  and the puller  10  ( FIG. 9 ), as described above. The quick-snap-on tree mounting bracket  220  enables easier cable puller  10  installation onto the high performance J-hook  206  (mechanically coupling the puller  10  and the cable support  206  together) in the field without any additional hardware ( FIGS. 8 and 9 ). 
     Alternatively, with reference to  FIGS. 11 and 12 , an angle bracket  240  may be used to connect the J-hook  206  and puller  10 . The angle bracket  240  may be coupled to the cable support  206  ( FIG. 11 ). The bracket  240  has a bracket body  242  that has a substantially right-angle bend  251  bisecting it along its length. It will be appreciated that the bracket  240  may alternatively have a bend of a different extent. On one side of the bend  251  the bracket  240  has a pair of notches  252  and  254  that have respective angled tabs  256  and  258  adjoining them. The notches  252  and  254  and the tabs  256  and  258  may be substantially identical in configuration and function to the notches  222 - 228  and the tabs  232 - 238  of the bracket  220  ( FIG. 10 ). One the other side of the bend  251  the bracket  240  has a hole  260 . The hole  260  may be used to receive a rivet, threaded fastener, or other fastener, usable to secure the bracket  200  to a structural member or to a mounting clip or clamp. Further details regarding the angle bracket  240  may be found in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/196,315. 
     A carabiner hook  264  ( FIGS. 11 and 13 ) may be used couple the puller  10  to the angle bracket  240 . A gate  270  of the carabiner hook  264  may be opened to allow the carabiner hook  264  to pass through the angle bracket hole  260  and the puller stem hole  60 . The carabiner hook  264  may be a screw-gate carabiner hook, with the gate  270  being an internally-threaded sleeve that threads onto a threaded section of the carabiner hook  264  in order to close the carabiner hook  264 . Alternatively the carabiner hook  264  may have a different type of closure, for example having a spring gate that automatically closes when no force is put on it to maintain it open. 
     For 90-degree corner turns, the angle bracket  240  and the carabiner hook  264  may be supplemented by a link  280  also used in connecting the J-hook  206  and the puller  10  ( FIGS. 14-16 ). Such a substantial right angle turn may occur in the middle or intermediate position of an intended cable run, with other cable supports and/or cable support/pullers on either side of the puller  10 , both upstream and downstream of the puller  10 . The angle bracket  240  may couple to the J-hook cable support  206 , the carabiner hook  264  may couple the link  280  to the angle bracket  240 , and the link  280  may couple the puller  10  to the carabiner hook  264 . The link  280  may be a spring-gate clip or carabiner hook, or other type of mechanical linkage. 
     The quick snap-on angle bracket  240  and the carabiner hook  264  and/or the link  280  enable easier cable puller installation onto the high performance J-hook  206  in the field without any additional hardware for the cable-pull-through J-hooks  10  at start and finish positions. Following the installation the cable may be lifted from the puller  10  to be placed in the J-hook cable support  206 . Then the support/puller  10  may be decoupled from the cable support  206  and used again at a puller in another location or in another installation. 
     The cable hooks described herein may be any of a variety of sizes, such as 2.5 cm (1 inch) through 10 cm (4 inch) sizes. The hooks provide non-continuous support for high performance cables. 
     Turning now to  FIG. 17 , a cable support or puller  310  has a metal bracket  313 , and an insert  320  that fits onto a bottom  314  of the metal bracket  313 . The bracket  313  may be similar in configuration to (and indeed may be substantially identical to) the metal bracket  13  of the support or puller  10  ( FIG. 1 ), with a stem  316  and a tip  318  extending upward from opposite sides of the flat bottom  314 . Other features of the bracket  313  may be similar to corresponding features of the bracket  13 . 
     The insert  320  is a plastic piece that is inserted between the stem  316  and the tip  318 , coupling onto the bottom  314 . The plastic insert  320  has a curved upper surface  322  that facilitates pulling of cables across it, through a cable-receiving area  312  above the insert  320  and between the stem  316  and the tip  318 . 
     With reference in addition to  FIGS. 18 and 19 , the insert  320  has a curved body  340  with a central strut  342  underneath the center part of the body  340 . The strut  342  provides support for the raised body center part when the insert is installed onto the bracket bottom  314 . The insert  320  has four downward-extending hooks  352 ,  354 ,  356 , and  358 , two on each of opposite edges  362  and  364  of the curved body  340 . The edges  362  and  364  are at either side of the strut  342 , running roughly parallel to the strut  342 . The hooks  352 - 358  have sloped inner surfaces facing inward toward the center strut  342 . As the insert  320  is pushed down against bottom  314 , edges  372  and  374  of the bottom  314  press against the sloped surfaces of hooks  352 - 358 , resiliently deforming the hooks  352 - 358  outward. With continued pushing the edges  372  and  374  pass the ends of the sloped surfaces and snap inward, holding the insert  320  against the bracket bottom  314 . 
     The puller  310  may be combined with other cable supports in ways similar to the cable support or puller  10 , as described above. 
     The puller  310  advantageously has a metal bracket  313  that provides good structural integrity. The plastic insert  320  provides the curved upper surface  322  that allows cable to be pulled through the cable-receiving area  312  with low friction. 
     Although the invention has been shown and described with respect to a certain preferred embodiment or embodiments, it is obvious that equivalent alterations and modifications will occur to others skilled in the art upon the reading and understanding of this specification and the annexed drawings. In particular regard to the various functions performed by the above described elements (components, assemblies, devices, compositions, etc.), the terms (including a reference to a “means”) used to describe such elements are intended to correspond, unless otherwise indicated, to any element which performs the specified function of the described element (i.e., that is functionally equivalent), even though not structurally equivalent to the disclosed structure which performs the function in the herein illustrated exemplary embodiment or embodiments of the invention. In addition, while a particular feature of the invention may have been described above with respect to only one or more of several illustrated embodiments, such feature may be combined with one or more other features of the other embodiments, as may be desired and advantageous for any given or particular application.