Abstract:
A pay-out tube adapted to be used in conjunction with a capable container for directing cable from a winding disposed within the container. The pay-out tube includes a molded tube for receiving and guiding cable from the interior of the cable container and includes a surrounding wall having a series of spaced-apart ribs integrally molded into the wall and extending from the wall such that the thickness of the individual rigs exceed the thickness of the wall. Further, the pay-out tube includes a cable retainer including a surface having at least one slit formed therein that defines two sections, at least one section being deflectable and which opens in response to a cable end being inserted between the two sections, permitting the cable to move between the two sections and be held by the two sections.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a pay-out tube used in conjunction with cable boxes and containers for facilitating the feeding of cable, wire and other flexible rope-like materials from such boxes and containers. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   It is customary in the manufacturing and preparation for shipment and subsequent handling of cable to wind the cable using an overlapping  FIG. 8  pattern which results in a radial opening through the completely-formed cable winding. The  FIG. 8  winding procedure provides for the end of the cable disposed interiorly of the winding to be directed from inside the winding through the radial opening formed in the winding and dispensed from the winding in a generally smooth process which provides the cable in a fashion easily presentable for installation to the appointed situation. 
   To facilitate storage, shipping, and handling, such windings are typically housed within a cardboard or similar container which has an opening formed in one wall. The winding is placed in the container in an orientation where the axis of the radial opening intersects the opening in the wall of the container and is generally perpendicular to the wall containing the opening. The pay out end of the cable is directed out the opening in the container wall thus providing for dispensing the cable. 
   The pay-out tube is generally inserted radially into the radial opening of the winding itself in order to tend to prevent the opening from collapsing during handling and storage and as the cable is progressively dispensed. The pay-out tube is also coupled to the container so as to be generally perpendicular to the wall of the container in which the opening is located and fully engaged, fastened to, and coaxial with said opening in the container wall. With this arrangement, the interior end of the cable can be threaded through the pay-out tube, entering the tube at the end interior to the winding and being pulled through the outside end of the tube and out of the container. The tube functions as a guide that facilitates the uncoiling of the cable loops so that the cable may be dispensed in a fashion ready for application. 
   Pay-out tubes are commonly used in the cable industry. For a basic understanding of the state-of-the-art with respect to pay-out tubes one is referred to the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,022,300; 4,057,203; 4,274,607; 5,042,739; 5,064,136; 5,150,852; 5,115,995; 5,152,476; 4,373,687; and, 5,368,245. 
   Known pay-out tube designs have various drawbacks and disadvantages. First, many pay-out tubes are difficult to install and attach to the container opening. Second, many conventional pay-out tubes provide no means of retaining and holding the terminal end of the cable once pulled from the winding, and they thus allow the terminal end of the cable to hang free and uncontrolled such that often the terminal end of the cable inadvertently retracts within the winding in the container requiring a difficult procedure to extract it. Third, conventional pay-out tubes have a tendency to become crushed or distorted in handling and usage, thereby compromising the uncoiling and dispensing function normally provided. Fourth, although the  FIG. 8  winding pattern is designed to reduce the tendency for pigtailing during the dispensing operation, cable variations that may occur during manufacturing, occasional winding irregularities that may occur in the production of the winding, and winding shifts that may occur during storage and handling sometimes result in failures to fully uncoil during the dispensing operation, resulting in an interruption of the process of dispensing the cable by pigtailing and/or in the development of damaging kinks in the cable. 
   Therefore, there is and continues to be a need for a cable container pay-out tube that is easy to install, provides an convenient and reliable means of retaining the terminal end of the cable, and facilitates a smooth and obstruction-free cable dispensing operation. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a pay-out tube that is utilized within a cable container for directing cable from the container, through the pay-out tube and out the container. The pay-out tube includes a molded tube portion having a surrounding wall that includes a series of spaced-apart ribs integrally molded into the wall and extending from the wall such that the thickness of the individual ribs exceeds the thickness of the wall. 
   In a particular embodiment of the present invention, the pay-out tube includes a generally elliptically-shaped tube having a major axis, a minor axis, an outlet end portion and an inlet end portion. The spaced-apart reinforcing ribs are integrally formed in the inlet end portion of the tube and generally aligned with the major and minor axises of the tube. In one particular design, each rib assumes a longitudinal configuration and projects towards the outlet end portion of the tube. 
   The present invention further comprises a pay-out tube for use in conjunction with a cable container that includes a cable retainer adapted to be disposed exteriorally of the cable container for receiving an end portion of the cable housed within the cable container and retaining the same. The cable retainer includes a surface or plate divided by one or more slits that form at least two sections with at least one of the two sections being deflectable and which deflects at least partially open in response to the end of the cable being inserted between the sections. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of the pay-out tube. 
       FIG. 2  is a side elevation view of the tube portion of the pay-out tube. 
       FIG. 3  is an inlet-end plan view of the tube portion. 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the tube. 
       FIG. 5  is a sectional view of the tube taken through line  5 — 5  of  FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 6  is a sectional view of the pay-out tube shown assembled with a container. 
       FIG. 7  is an outlet-end plan view of an alternative design of the collar for the pay-out tube. 
       FIG. 8  is an enlarged perspective view illustrating the cable or wire retainer shown in  FIG. 7 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   With further reference to the figures, and in particular  FIG. 1 , the pay-out tube is indicated generally by the numeral  10 . Pay-out tube  10  is basically of a two-piece construction and includes a tube indicated generally by the numeral  20  and a collar indicated generally by the numeral  12 . 
   Turning to tube  20 , the same is comprised of an elongated and tapered tube with a generally elliptical cross sectional wall structure  22 . Tube  20  includes an inlet end portion  24  including an inlet end  25 , an intermediate portion  23 , and an outlet end portion  26  including an outlet end  28 . Tube  20  is tapered from outlet end  28  to inlet end  25  and has a generally elliptical cross section described by a major axis  25   a  and a minor axis  25   b  as can be seen in  FIG. 3 . 
   Turning more specifically to a description inlet end portion  24  of the tube  20 , in addition to the elliptical shape of the cross section there exist four ribs  29   a ,  29   b ,  29   c , and  29   d . Each rib is reverse tapered relative to the taper of tube  20 , and each rib extends from inlet end portion  24  to intermediate portion  23 . Ribs  29   a  and  29   b  are circumferentially centered on major axis  25   a  and ribs  29   c  and  29   d  are similarly centered on minor axis  25   b  as can be seen in  FIG. 3 . The circumferential width of ribs  29   c  and  29   d  is somewhat greater than that of ribs  29   a  and  29   b . Referring more specifically to the taper of the ribs, the circumferential width becomes narrower from inlet end portion  24  to intermediate portion  23 . Similarly, the radial thickness of each rib becomes smaller from inlet end portion  24  to intermediate portion  23 . The ribs are formed integrally with wall structure  22  so as to provide increased wall thickness in the areas of the ribs as compared to the remainder the wall structure. 
   Turning now specifically to outlet end portion  26 , in addition to the generally elliptical cross-section there is disposed somewhat interior to outlet end  26  a flange  27 . The section of outlet end portion  26  disposed between the flange  27  and the outlet end  28  forms an outlet end extension  28   a.    
   Turning more specifically to flange  27 , the same includes opposed surfaces  27   a  and  27   b . Formed immediately adjacent to the wall structure  22  are two openings  27   c  and  27   d , which are positioned generally opposite each other and centered on the major axis  25   a . Disposed radially outward, adjacent to openings  27   c  and  27   d  and on surface  27   b  are two latch surfaces  27   e  and  27   f  ( FIG. 3 ). 
   Turning now to collar  12 , the same is an elliptical torus with a rectangular circumferential cross section and with a surface  11   a , a surface  11   b , and an interior opening  12   a . Disposed diagonally opposite each other and along major axis  25   a  are two latches  40   a  and  40   b . Disposed on surface  11   a , aligned with the minor axis  25   b  is a clip  13 . 
   Turning more specifically to latches  40   a  and  40   b  and as seen in  FIG. 6 , the latches are comprised of cantilevers  42   a  and  42   b  with tabs  42   c  and  42   d . Each cantilever  42   a  and  42   b  is directed generally perpendicularly to surface  11   b  and biased slightly outward. Each tab  42   c  and  42   d  is directed at an angle outwardly and towards surface  11   b.    
   Turning now specifically to clip  13 , in a preferred embodiment a wire or cable clip  13  is integrally molded into the collar  12 . Due to its construction and relationship to surface  11   a , clip  13  is biased to assume a closed position. 
   Collar  12  may be provided with an alternative to clip  13 . As seen in  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8 , disposed on collar  12  is a retainer  60 . Retainer  60  is comprised of a membrane or surface  61  which is preferably molded integrally in, and is disposed in, a region located radially outward on collar  12 . Surface  61  is segmented by slits  62   a  and  62   b  dividing plate  61  into segments  63   a ,  63   b ,  63   c , and  63   d  which segments are somewhat less stiff than the surrounding region  64 . To retain a cable or wire end within the retainer  60 , an end portion of the cable or wire is inserted between or within one of the slits  62   a  and  62   b . As the cable or wire end is pushed through the slit or slits, one or more of the segments or panels  63   a ,  63   b ,  63   c  and  63   d  will flex such that the wire or cable end can be inserted. The cable or wire end is retained by the friction or binding action of the segments on cables  63   a ,  63   b ,  63   c  and  63   d . It is appreciated that the number of slits and panels may vary. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the retainer  60  is formed in the surrounding annular ring that forms the collar  12 . When the pay-out tube  10  is secured to the container  49  as shown in  FIG. 6 , the connection is typically sufficiently loose to enable the cable or wire end extending through the retainer  60  to be pushed between the inner surface  11   b  of the collar  12  and the exterior of the wall of the container  49 . 
   Turning now to the assembly of tube  20  and collar  12  to form pay-out tube  10 , as seen in  FIG. 6 , tube  20  is positioned within a container  49 . Moreover, also positioned within container  49  is a winding [not shown]. In conventional fashion, tube  20  is further inserted into a radial opening formed in the winding. Outlet extension  28   a  is extended through an opening in the wall of the container  49  such that flange  27  rests against the container wall. Collar  12  is positioned over outlet end extension  28   a  by aligning latches  40   a  and  40   b  with openings  27   c  and  27   d . Then, movement of collar  12  towards flange  27  results in contact of tabs  42   c  and  42   d  with the outer edges of openings  27   c  and  27   d  and subsequent deflection of latches  40   a  and  40   b  inwardly as tabs  42   c  and  42   d  pass through openings  27   c  and  27   d . Due to the outward bias of cantilevers  42   a  and  42   b , as tabs  42   c  and  42   d  move through openings  27   c  and  27   d  latches  40   a  and  40   b  snap outward and tabs  42   c  and  42   d  lock against surfaces  27   e  and  27   f . Payout tube  10  is thus affixed to the wall of container  49  by the resulting clamping of the container wall between collar  12  and flange  27 . 
   Turning now to the operation of the invention, and referring specifically to  FIG. 6 , it is appreciated that a cable or wire is threaded from a winding within the container  49  into inlet end  25  and through outlet end  28  so that the cable end is disposed outside the container. To retain cable end when not dispensing, the cable end is passed under clip  13  and the cable is held in place by the binding action resulting from the bias of clip  13  towards surface  11   a . In the alternative design, which employs retainer  60 , the cable end is introduced into retainer  60  causing opening of one or more slits  62   a  and  62   b  due to deflection of one or more segments  63   a ,  63   b ,  63   c , or  63   d  and allowing cable end to pass through slits  62   a  and  62   b . The cable is held in place by the binding action of one or more segments  63   a ,  63   b ,  63   c , and  63   d  against cable  52 . 
   Pay-out tube  10  of the present invention can be constructed of molded polymer or any other suitable material. As articulated in the foregoing description, the pay-out tube of the present invention has many advantages over the prior art pay-out tubes in that it is easy to install, provides improved stability of the installation and dispensing operation, and provides means for conveniently affixing the terminal end of the cable when dispensing is not in progress. 
   The present invention may, of course, be carried out in other specific ways than those herein set forth without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of the invention. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all aspects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.