Communications cable with fabric sleeve

Abstract

A communications cable (11) is provided with a pliant sleeve (12, 21, 31) to allow it to be more easily inserted into a conduit. One form of the sleeve (12) has hook (14) and loop (15) connected to each other so that the sleeve (12) can engage the cable (11). Another form of the sleeve (21) is spring-loaded to engage the cable (11). In a third form of the sleeve (31) has an adhesive (33) which attaches the sleeve (31) to the cable (11).

Claims

1. A method of inserting a cable at an installation site where the cable is to be inserted into a longitudinally extending underground conduit using a longitudinally extending initially flat fabric sheet of material having a coefficient of friction less than that of the cable relative to the conduit, the fabric sheet having a bonding member extending longitudinally along edges of the fabric sheet, comprising the steps of wrapping the fabric sheet around the cable at the installation site by confining the cable within the fabric sheet and connecting the bonding members without allowing the bonding members to engage the cable, and thereafter introducing the wrapped cable into the conduit.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the cable is provided at the installation site on a reel and the fabric sheet is provided at the installation site on a reel, and further comprising the steps of removing the fabric sheet from its reel and removing the cable from its reel, said step of wrapping being performed by combining the removed fabric sheet and the removed cable.

3. A method of inserting a cable at an installation site of a longitudinally extending underground conduit using a longitudinally extending initially flat fabric sheet of material having a coefficient of friction less than that of the cable relative to the conduit, the fabric sheet having a bonding member extending longitudinally along edges of the fabric sheet, comprising the steps of wrapping the fabric sheet around the cable at the installation site, engaging the fabric sheet to the cable by connecting the bonding members without allowing the bonding members to engage the cable, and thereafter introducing the wrapped cable into the conduit.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing the manner in which a conventional cable is wrapped with a fabric sleeve and inserted in to conduit.

(2) FIG. 2 is an end view of a fabric sleeve made in accordance with the present invention.

(3) FIG. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the sleeve of FIG. 2.

(4) FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a cable and sleeve of the present invention showing the sleeve of FIGS. 2 and 3 wrapped around the cable.

(5) FIG. 5 is an end view of an alternative version of a fabric sleeve made in accordance with the present invention.

(6) FIG. 6 is a fragmentary top plan view of the sleeve of FIG. 5.

(7) FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a cable and sleeve of the present invention showing the sleeve of FIGS. 5 and 6 wrapped around the cable.

(8) FIG. 8 is an end view of another alternative version of a fabric sleeve made in accordance with the present invention.

(9) FIG. 9 is a sectional view of a cable and a sleeve of FIG. 8 wrapped around the cable.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

(10) One form of a cable and sleeve assembly made in accordance with the present invention is indicated generally by the numeral 10 and includes a communications cable 11 and a sleeve generally indicated by the numeral 12. Cable 11 is a conventional item and, as such, typically includes a plurality of conductive wires encapsulated within a plastic jacket. Sleeve 12 may be made of a pliant material such as the fabric described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,421,485, and can be in the form of a longitudinally extending sheet 13 of material having a fastening system formed on opposed edges thereof. Such a system could be glue or some other adhesive, or it could be the VELCRO® hook and loop fastening system shown. Thus, one edge on one side of sheet 13 may be provided with a hook connector 14 and the opposed edge on the other side of sheet 13 may be provided with the companion loop connector 15. The width of the sheet between the connectors 14 and 15 generally corresponds to the circumference of cable 11 such that when sleeve 12 is positioned on cable 11, as shown in FIG. 4, connectors 14 and 15 may engage each other to tightly hold sleeve 12 on cable 11.

(11) An alternative cable and sleeve assembly is shown in FIG. 7 and generally indicated by the numeral 20. There, the conventional cable 11 is shown as receiving a spring-loaded sleeve of fabric or thin plastic material generally indicated by the numeral 21 which is formed of a sheet 22 having opposed edges 23 and 24. As shown, edge 24 circumferentially overlaps a portion of sheet 22 to provide a tight grip on cable 11.

(12) Another alternative cable and sleeve assembly is shown in FIG. 9 and generally indicated by the numeral 30. There, the conventional cable 11 is shown as receiving a fabric sleeve generally indicated by the numeral 31. Like sleeve 12, sleeve 31 may be formed of a pliant or fabric material and provided in the form of a longitudinally extending sheet 32. As best shown in FIG. 8, one side of sheet 32 can be provided with an adhesive 33. The width of sheet 32 generally corresponds to the circumference of cable 11 such that when sheet 32 is placed on cable 11 with its adhesive 33 side facing the plastic jacket of cable 11, sheet 32 firmly engages the plastic jacket of cable 11 as shown in FIG. 9.

(13) The cable sleeve assemblies 10, 20, or 30 may be manufactured and assembled at the factory and shipped on rolls to the underground conduit construction site. Typically, such rolls could have two thousand or more feet of assemblies 10, 20, or 30 thereon to be played out and inserted into an underground conduit by conventional systems.

(14) Alternatively, a sleeve 12 or 21 could be applied to the cable 11 in the field as schematically shown in FIG. 1. In this instance, a roll 40 of cable 11 and a roll 41 of a sleeve 12 or 21 are provided at the site for installation into a conduit. The cable 11 and sleeve 12 in the condition shown in FIG. 2, 3 or 8 or the sleeve 21 in the condition shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, are fed to a device 43. In the instance of operation with a sleeve 12 or 31, device 43 is a folder which wraps sleeve 12 or 31 around cable 11 as they simultaneously pass through device 42 to form assembly 10. In the instance of operation with a sleeve 21, device 42 can be a spreader which opens sleeve 21 so that the cable 11 may pass between edges 23 and 24. The spreader then releases sleeve 21 to allow sleeve 21 to snap back to its original condition and now forming assembly 20. The resulting cable and sleeve assembly 10, 20 or 30 may then be pulled into a conduit by a conventional rope or pull tape or may be provided to a conventional cable pushing/blowing machine 43 which includes tractor-like devices 44 to grip assembly 10 or 20 and push it into and through a conduit (not shown) to the right in FIG. 1. The pushing movement of devices 44 can be assisted by the blowing of air into the conduit as is known in the art.

(15) By wrapping a cable with a pliable material which has less friction than the jacket of a cable, assemblies 10, 20 or 30 can be more easily installed into a conduit which does not have an innerduct therein. As a result, the cost of the innerduct is saved. On the other hand, if the conduit does have an innerduct already positioned therein, the cable sleeve assemblies 10, 20 or 30 are also more easily inserted into a compartment of the innerduct.

(16) As a result, a cable sleeve assembly 10, 20 or 30 manufactured and used as described herein accomplishes the objects of the invention and otherwise substantially improves the art.