Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
  • H02G—INSTALLATION OF ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES, OR OF COMBINED OPTICAL AND ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES
  • H02G3/00—Installations of electric cables or lines or protective tubing therefor in or on buildings, equivalent structures or vehicles
  • H02G3/22—Installations of cables or lines through walls, floors or ceilings, e.g. into buildings

Definitions

• a fairlead device adapted to retain and guide cables.
• the present invention relates to fairlead devices or apparatuses, configured to retain and guide cables, for example cables for wiring, for example cables for electrical wiring or other types of strand.
• devices which comprise plates at least partially made of elastic material, having membranes which can be pierced by the through cables and holes for the passage and holding of the cables.
• the need is felt for a continuous improvement of the mechanical and fluidic guiding and holding/sealing capabilities of the cables by the device, while maintaining a structure as simple as possible, in order to have effective devices which however are easy to manufacture and have reduced costs.
• a further problem relates to the non-optimal reusability of the devices.
• the inlet membrane is pierced upon the first use of the device and the first passage of the cable. If the cable is extracted, and the device is then to be reused to pass an additional cable, the pierceable membrane would no longer exist, and would no longer ensure the same effect of further sealing; moreover, any slight imperfection in the elasticity of the passage hole (and/or of the extension element) can cause deformations which can cause a worsening of the sealing performance in subsequent reuse.
• the object of the present invention is to provide a fairlead device which allows at least partially overcoming the drawbacks mentioned above with reference to the prior art and meeting the above needs particularly felt in the relevant technical field.
• FIG. 1A and 1 B show an axonometric view from above and below, respectively, of a device according to an embodiment of the invention
• FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of a portion of the device (indicated as A-A in figure 1), comprising in particular a tubular channel, according to an embodiment of the device in an initial operating condition, before a cable is passed through the device;
• FIG. 3 and 4 show respective sectional views of a portion of the device (indicated as A-A in figure 1), comprising in particular a tubular channel, according to two further respective embodiments of the device;
• FIG. 5 shows a sectional view of a portion of the device illustrated in figure 2, when a cable passes through the device;
• FIG. 6 shows a sectional view of a portion of the device, comprising in particular a tubular channel and an extension element, according to a further embodiment of the device;
• FIG. 7 and 8 show respective perspective views of a fairlead device according to two further embodiments included in the invention.
• FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of a portion of a fairlead device according to a further embodiment included in the invention.
• a fairlead device 10 configured to guide and retain/hold at least one cable 100 is described.
• Such a device 10 comprises a plate 1 and at least one tubular channel 3, made of elastic material, either formed in the above plate 1 or connected to the above plate 1.
• the plate 1 comprises at least one membrane-like surface element 2 made of pierceable elastic material, adapted to be pierced by a through cable.
• the above at least one tubular channel 3 has a first end 30 and a second end 31.
• the first end 30 is arranged at a respective membrane-like surface element 2, among the above at least one membrane-like surface element 2, so as to be closed by the membrane-like surface element 2 when it is not pierced.
• said at least one tubular channel 3 is adapted to form, when the membrane-like surface element 2 is pierced, a passage channel 33 for the cable, wherein the above first end 30 is an inlet mouth for the cable in the tubular channel 33, and the above second end 31 defines an outlet opening 35 for the cable from the tubular channel 33.
• the fairlead device 10 is characterized in that the at least one tubular channel 3 further comprises at least one respective unpierceable annular membrane 4 made of elastic material, between the first end 30 and the second end 31.
• annular membrane 4 when no cable is present, is arranged towards the interior of the tubular channel 3, so as to form, on a plane, a ring 4 (or an annular lip 4) which only partially closes the passage channel 33 for the cable.
• the annular membrane 4 at a passage of the cable once the membrane-like surface element 2 has been pierced, is adapted to open outwards in the passage direction of the cable 100, and to tangentially surround the cable 100, thus applying a further mechanical resistance, anti-tear and fluidic seal action.
• the ring 4 projects towards the interior of the tubular channel 3 starting from an inner lateral portion of the tubular channel which is different from an edge 34 of the second end 31 which defines the outlet opening of the tubular channel.
• the annular membrane 4 when no cable is present, is arranged towards the interior of the tubular channel 3, so as to form the aforesaid ring (or annular lip) 4, on a plane corresponding to a cross section of the tubular channel different from the cross section corresponding to said second end 31 , and thus the ring (or annular lip) 4 is arranged, with respect to the direction and orientation of passage of the cable, before the plane on which the outlet opening 35 of the tubular channel 33 is located.
• both the membrane-like surface element, when pierced by the passage of the cable, and the annular membrane, when deformed by the passage of the cable advantageously apply a respective mechanical resistance and fluid-tightness action.
• FIG. 5 This embodiment is illustrated for example in figure 5, in which the cable 100 passes through the device, the membrane-like surface element is pierced by the passage of the cable, forming a first annular structure (represented in section by the first two "tabs" indicated with the reference numeral 2'), thus exerting a first action of mechanical resistance/force which tightens the cable, and a first fluidic sealing action.
• the annular membrane is deformed by the passage of the cable, opening outwards (with respect to the direction of penetration of the cable, indicated by an arrow) forming a second annular structure (represented in section by the second two "tabs" indicated with the reference numeral 4') which tangentially surrounds the cable 100, and exerts a second action of mechanical resistance/force which tightens the cable, and a second fluidic seal action.
• the membrane-like surface element is drilled before being pierced by the through cable.
• the annular membrane can exert a mechanical force/resistance against the cable greater than that exerted by the pierceable membrane.
• the mechanical resistance, or "anti-tear seal” i.e. , “anti-tear tightening”, i.e.,“anti-tar holding”
• the double membrane is higher than that of a generic device having a single membrane.
• the aforesaid annular membrane 4 in a condition in which a previously inserted cable is extracted from the tubular channel, is adapted to return to a starting position, in which it is arranged towards the interior of the tubular channel 3 and forms a ring which only partially closes the passage channel 33 for the cable.
• the structure and elasticity of the annular membrane are such that they advantageously allow it to restore its original conditions, in terms of structure and position, after using the device.
• this annular membrane is designed in such a way not to be pierced when a cable passes through the tubular channel. Therefore, in this case, even in a situation of reuse of the fairlead device (after an insertion and an extraction of a cable, and a subsequent further insertion of a cable), in which the action of mechanical resistance and fluidic seal of the membrane-like surface element, previously pierced, may fail or decrease, the action of mechanical resistance and fluidic seal of the annular membrane remains anyway effective.
• the annular membrane 4 strengthens the mechanical tightening and the anti-tear and fluidic sealing action of the pierced membrane, when the device is first used; and in any case ensures the maintenance of the mechanical, anti-tear and fluidic sealing action, in case of reuse of the device.
• Figures 2-4 refer to different implementation options of the device, in a situation in which the membrane-like surface element 2 of plate 1 is not pierced.
• the annular membrane 4 is arranged, on a plane substantially parallel to the membrane-like surface element (1), at a section of the tubular channel which is different from the first and from the second end and closer to the and second end 31.
• the annular membrane 4 is arranged, on a plane substantially parallel to the membrane-like surface element (1), at a section of the tubular channel different from the first and second ends, and closer to the first end 30.
• the annular membrane 4 is arranged at the second end 31 of the tubular channel.
• the annular membrane 4 is arranged at a section of the tubular channel which is different from the first and from the second end and equidistant from these ends.
• plate 1 comprises an elastic material region 15, around each of the membrane-like surface elements 2, wherein said elastic material region 15 has a thickness S (indicated in figure 2) greater than the thickness of the membrane-like surface element, in the direction of penetration of the cable.
• the tubular channel 3 is formed within said elastic material region 15 of plate 1 , in the form of a through hole through the thickness of the elastic material region 15.
• the fairlead device 10 further comprises at least one extension and sealing element 5 made of elastic material, extending along the direction of penetration of the cable.
• Such at least one extension and sealing element 5 is arranged at a respective membrane-like surface element 2 (among the above at least one membrane-like surface element 2 of plate 1), and is attached and/or constrained and/or formed in a single piece with the aforesaid plate 1.
• the at least one tubular channel 3 is obtained in the above at least one extension and sealing element 5.
• the at least one extension and sealing element 5 has a cylindrical shape, or a frusto- conical- shape, or a cup shape.
• the at least one extension and sealing element 5 comprises a first truncated-cone portion, which continues with a second distal portion which defines a tapering of the tubular channel 3, at the end of which, at the second end 31 , there is the outlet opening 35, surrounded by the circular edge 34.
• annular ring or lip 4 although being positioned at the aforementioned second distal portion of the tubular channel, still protrudes from a lateral portion of the tubular channel different from the aforementioned edge 34.
• plate 1 is made entirely of soft elastic material. In this case, there is no rigid frame in the device surrounding the holes (i.e., the membrane-like surface elements). At most, the device may comprise a rigid rim around the entire plate 1.
• the fairlead device 10 is configured to guide and retain at least one cable for wiring, and/or at least one cable for electrical wiring 100, and/or at least another type of strand.
• a fairlead element comprising two membranes, a first closed and pierceable membrane, and a second elastic membrane, distinct from the first membrane and placed in a different position in the path provided for the cable.
• the second membrane is annular, and therefore partially open, and defines a passage channel for the cable, having a smaller section with respect to the channel defined by the perforation of the first membrane; when the cable passes, the membrane deforms, creating a sort of bottleneck which increases the mechanical and fluidic seal of the cable by the fairlead element.
• the fairlead device 1 comprises a plurality of fairlead elements as described above.
• the fairlead device 10 is configured to guide and retain a plurality of cables, wherein the plate 1 comprises a plurality of membrane-like surface elements 2, and the device comprises a respective plurality of tubular channels 3, each of which comprises one or more respective annular membranes 4, as described above.
• the annular membrane 4 defines a concentric circular opening 35 with the section of the tubular channel for the passage of the cable.
• the object of the present invention is fully achieved by the fairlead device described above, by virtue of its functional and structural features.
• the fairlead device illustrated above provides improved mechanical, anti-tear and fluidic sealing capacity and cable guide. This is due in particular to the "double membrane" structure, with a first closed and pierceable membrane and a second annular membrane, partially open and non-pierceable.
• the device allows maintaining the anti-tear sealing and cable guide capacity high, even when the device is reused with subsequent cable insertions and extractions.
• the annular membrane which cannot be pierced, constitutes a further mechanical and fluidic sealing element which continues to act effectively every time the device is used.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Architecture (AREA)
• Civil Engineering (AREA)
• Structural Engineering (AREA)
• Installation Of Indoor Wiring (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=66166351

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Cited By (2)

Families Citing this family (2)

Citations (4)

Family Cites Families (5)

• 2019
  • 2019-01-04 IT IT102019000000079A patent/IT201900000079A1/it unknown
  • 2019-12-17 WO PCT/IB2019/060908 patent/WO2020141386A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2019-12-17 EP EP19835769.1A patent/EP3921906A1/en active Pending

Patent Citations (4)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events