Patent ID: 7650743

Claim:
A line guidance unit for guiding lines, the line guidance unit having a loaded condition when lines are present in the line guidance unit and is substantially extended and pre-tensioned in an unloaded condition when lines are not present in the line guidance unit, and comprising: a first fixed end; a second movable end; a plurality of segments disposed between the first fixed end and the second movable end and each segment includes an overlap region and the segments define a line channel; a longitudinal support strip joining at least three segments at a connection and extending between the first fixed end and the second movable end; and a pretensioner including; a common contact surface on each segment overlap region, and at least one common contact surface is disposed at a distance from the connection such that the contact surface engages the common contact surface on an adjacent segment to pretension and form the line guidance unit into an arc-shape when the line guidance unit is in the substantially extended and unloaded condition when no lines are in the line channel, and such that the line guidance unit resists loads when the line guidance unit is in the loaded condition when lines are in the line channel.