Adjustable cable kink protection and cables having this kink protection

Abstract

The invention refers to a kink protection for prefabricated cables having first and second sleeves which fit around part of the cable or of a plug connector adapted to be assembled in different relative positions. Each of the two sleeves is designed in general as a rectilinear tube section with a longitudinal axis. One end of the first sleeve has two integrally formed projections in the form of two regular octagons having the same spanner width, which are arranged on both sides of the longitudinal axis and the rotational axes of symmetry of which coincide and perpendicularly intersect the longitudinal axis. One end of the second sleeve has four elongated extensions which are distributed in a rotationally symmetrical manner about the longitudinal axis, each extending parallel to the longitudinal axis. Two mutually adjacent extensions form a spanner jaw having a jaw width corresponding to the spanner width of the octagon.

Claims

1. Kink protection for prefabricated cables, the kink protection containing a first and a second sleeve which each fit around part of the cable and/or of a plug connector of the same and are adapted to be assembled in different relative positions, each of the two sleeves is designed in general as a rectilinear tube section with a central longitudinal axis, where one end of the first sleeve has two integrally formed projections in the form of two regular octagons having the same spanner width, which are arranged on both sides of the longitudinal axis of the first sleeve and the rotational axes of symmetry of which coincide and perpendicularly intersect the longitudinal axis of the first sleeve, and where one end of the second sleeve has four integrally formed, elongated extensions which are distributed in a rotationally symmetrical manner about the longitudinal axis of the second sleeve and which each extend parallel to the longitudinal axis of the second sleeve, wherein in each case two mutually adjacent extensions form a spanner jaw having a jaw width corresponding to the spanner width of the octagon.

2. Kink protection according to claim 1, wherein the first sleeve is the one fitting around part of the cable and the second sleeve is the one fitting around the cable and part of a plug connector of the same.

3. Kink protection according to claim 2, wherein the first sleeve generally has a round cross-section and the second sleeve generally has a rectangular cross-section.

4. Kink protection according to claim 1, wherein the octagons are oriented such that two of the edges of each extend in parallel to the longitudinal axis of the first sleeve.

5. Kink protection according to claim 1, wherein each of the free ends of the four extensions has two integrally formed lugs protruding in the direction of the adjacent extensions.

6. Kink protection according to claim 1, wherein the sleeves are one-piece injection molded plastic parts, or wherein the sleeves are one-piece injection molded plastic parts and have metallic coatings or inserts for electromagnetic shielding.

7. Kink protection according to claim 1, wherein one or two closure caps for engagingly closing free spanner jaws additionally belong to the kink protection, each closure cap generally having the shape of the octagon of the first sleeve.

8. Kink protection according claim 1, wherein a transition area between the cable and the plug connector has an overmold which positively engages the second sleeve.

9. Kink protection according to claim 1, wherein the kink protection is a data cable or signaling cable kink protection.

10. Kink protection according to claim 1, wherein the closure caps are adapted for additionally arresting the defined relative positions of the first and second sleeves in a reversible manner.

11. A cable which is a data cable or signaling cable or a patch cable or network cable, having a kink protection according to claim 1.

12. A cable according to claim 11, having RJ plugs.

13. Kink protection according to claim 1, wherein the kink protection is a patch cable or network cable kink protection.

14. Kink protection according to claim 1, having a patch cable or network cable kink protection and an RJ plug.

Description

[0023] In the following, an example of embodiment will be explained by means of the drawings wherein

[0024] FIG. 1 shows one end of a patch cable with adjustable kink protection in a first basic configuration in a perspective view, different planar views and a perspective exploded view;

[0025] FIG. 2 shows four variants of the first basic configuration in perspective views;

[0026] FIG. 3 shows the patch cable of FIG. 1 in a second basic configuration in a perspective view, different planar views and a perspective exploded view;

[0027] FIG. 4 shows four variants of the second basic configuration in perspective views;

[0028] FIG. 5 shows the first sleeve of the kink protection in a perspective view and in planar views, enlarged and from all directions;

[0029] FIG. 6 shows the second sleeve of the kink protection in a perspective view and in planar views, enlarged and from all directions; and

[0030] FIG. 7 shows a closure cap for the kink protection in a perspective view and in planar views, enlarged and from all directions.

[0031] The figures show a kink protection with two main components injection-molded from plastic, namely a first sleeve 1 and a second sleeve 2 which fit on a cable 3. After the sleeves 1 and 2 have been slid onto the cable 3 (or also before that, if the other cable end has not yet been fabricated), the cable 3 is provided with an RJ45 plug 4 (in the following also called plug connector) at the indicated end. By means of the closure caps 23, the set output angle can be further stabilized, if necessary.

[0032] In the example of embodiment, a transition area between the cable 3 and the plug 4 is additionally provided with an overmold 5 which both stabilizes this area and forms an intermediary for positive engagement with the second sleeve 2 when the second sleeve 2 is slid onto the plug 4 from the rear. The overmold 5 can be left out, however, if the second sleeve 2 itself fits well on the plug 4.

[0033] Each of the two sleeves 1 and 2 is generally designed as a rectilinear tube section with a central longitudinal axis, the first sleeve 1 generally having a round cross-section and the second sleeve 2 generally having a rectangular cross-section. Other cross-sections of the sleeves are possible provided that they fit on the cable and/or on the respective plug (4).

[0034] On one end of the first sleeve 1, which is to be coupled with the second sleeve 2, two projections in the form of two regular octagons 6 having the same spanner width are integrally formed. As can be seen in the figures, the octagons are arranged in a rotationally symmetrical manner, or mirrored, on both sides of the longitudinal axis of the first sleeve 1. The central axes or rotational axes of symmetry of the two octagons 6 coincide and perpendicularly intersect the longitudinal axis of the first sleeve 1. In addition, two edges of each octagon 6 extend parallel to the longitudinal axis of the first sleeve 1.

[0035] The first sleeve 1 in addition has grip ribbings 7 and grooves 8 which provide flexibility to the end of the first sleeve 1 which faces away from the octagons 6.

[0036] The second sleeve 2 fits, with one end, on the plug 4 with the overmold 5 and expands in the direction facing its other end which is to be coupled with the first sleeve 1, from a rectangular cross-section to an increasingly square-shaped cross-section.

[0037] The area with increasingly square-shaped cross-section is defined by four elongated extensions 20 which are formed integrally at a plug-end part of the second sleeve 2 and which are distributed in a generally rotationally symmetrical manner, that is, in square shape, about the longitudinal axis of the second sleeve 2, each extension 20 extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the second sleeve 2 in the direction facing the first sleeve 1.

[0038] In each case two mutually adjacent extensions 20 of the second sleeve 2 form between themselves a spanner jaw 21 having a jaw width and jaw shape which correspond to the spanner width and circumferential shape of the octagons 6 of the first sleeve 1.

[0039] On each free end of the four extensions 20, two lugs 22 are formed which protrude towards the adjacent extensions 20. Together with the lugs 22, the length of the extensions 20 is approximately as large as the spanner width of the octagons 6.

[0040] The edge length of the square within which the extensions 20 are generally arranged is substantially defined by the width of the plug 4 and is slightly larger than the latter, and the spanner width of the spanner jaws 21 formed between them is made sufficiently smaller than the edge length of the abovementioned square so that during use the extensions 20 do not break off, but also have a certain elasticity.

[0041] In the example mentioned above, the jaw width of the spanner jaws 21 formed between the extensions 20 and the spanner width of the octagons 6 amount to approximately three quarters of the edge length of the abovementioned square. In the example shown, this edge length is also identical to the distance of the outer faces of the two octagons 6 on the first sleeve 1 so that the outer faces of the octagons 6 are aligned with the outer faces of the extensions 20 when the sleeves 1 and 2 are connected. However, the octagons 6 may also more or less protrude from the second sleeve 2 without impairing the functioning of the kink protection.

[0042] In addition to the two sleeves 1 and 2, two additional components made of injection-molded plastic, having the form of closure caps 23, whose visible surfaces are formed like the octagons 6 on the first sleeve 1, are also part of the disclosed kink protection. The closure caps 23 are arrested in those spanner jaws 21 which remain free between two extensions after the two sleeves 1 and 2 have been connected, and providing a coherent aesthetic appearance to the assembled kink protection. In addition, the closure caps 23 reversibly arrest the defined cable output angle.

[0043] On the bottom left of FIG. 1, the sleeves 1 and 2 are slid onto the cable 3 in succession, with the first sleeve 1 being oriented such that the common central axis of the octagons 6 extends in parallel to the width direction of the plug 4. For further assembly, first the second sleeve 2 is slid onto the plug 4, with small protrusions 24 on the overmold 5 of the plug 4 being arrested in matching recesses 25 in the second sleeve 2. In addition, during this process, a snap-in pin protection 26 formed on the second sleeve 2 is slid over a snap-in pin 27 on the plug 4.

[0044] Next, the first sleeve 1 is moved straight towards the second sleeve 2, with each of the two octagons 6 being inserted between two of the extensions 20. Due to the presence of the lugs 22, the extensions 20 are bent a little outward during this process and snap back together as soon as the lugs 22 can enclose the octagons 6. This is the first basic configuration which is shown in the other views in FIG. 1 and in which the cable 3 exits the plug 4 in a substantially straight line.

[0045] Four possible variants of the first basic configuration are shown in FIG. 2. These variants consist in holding the first sleeve 1, in a state separated from the second sleeve 2, at an upward or downward angle of 45 or 90 with respect to the longitudinal axis of the second sleeve 2 and sliding it over the cable 3 while maintaining this angle, until the two octagons 6 are completely arrested in the respective spanner jaws 21.

[0046] In these variants, therefore, the cable 3 exits the plug 4 at an upward or downward angle of 45 or 90, with the respective plane of reference in FIG. 2 being horizontal, that is, parallel to the width direction of the plug 4. In these cases as well, free spanner jaws 21 can be closed by closure caps 23; in the 45 positions, however, only one closure cap 23 each can be mounted, as can be seen in FIG. 2.

[0047] FIG. 3 shows the patch cable of FIG. 1 in a second basic configuration which differs from the first basic configuration in FIG. 1 only in that the first sleeve 1 is oriented such that the common center axis of the octagons 6 does not extend in parallel to the width direction, as in FIGS. 1 and 2, but in parallel to the height direction of the plug 4. Assembly is performed accordingly. In the second basic configuration as well, the cable 3 exits the plug 4 in a substantially straight line.

[0048] Four possible variants of the second basic configuration are shown in FIG. 4. These variants consist in holding the first sleeve 1 at an angle of 45 or 90 to the right or to the left with respect to the longitudinal axis of the second sleeve 2 and sliding it over the cable 3 while maintaining this angle, until the two octagons 6 are completely arrested in the respective spanner jaws 21.

[0049] In these variants, the cable 3 thus exits the plug 4 at an angle of 45 or 90 to the left or to the right, with the respective level of reference in FIG. 4 extending vertically, i. e. in parallel to the height direction of the plug 4. Here as well, one or two free spanner jaws 21 can be closed by one or two closure caps 23.

[0050] The first sleeve 1, the second sleeve 2 and one of the closure caps 23 are shown in more detail in FIGS. 5 through 7, with the same reference numbers as in FIGS. 1 through 5 being used to indicate the same parts. For the descriptions of FIGS. 5 through 7, therefore please refer to the specification for FIGS. 1 through 5.

[0051] Other possible embodiments are described in the following Claims. In particular, the various features of the embodiments described above can be combined provided that they are not mutually exclusive from a technical point of view.

[0052] Furthermore, although in the above embodiments of the invention the extensions are formed on the sleeve connected to the plug and the projections are formed on the sleeve slid onto the cable, a reversal of this construction is conceivable. In this embodiment, the extensions would be provided on the sleeve slid onto the cable and the projections on the sleeve connected to the plug.

[0053] In addition, it would also be conceivable according to the invention to provide the projections or the extension with a different geometrical shape, such as a hexagon, provided that the extension and the projection could be engaged with each other and arrested in a specific geometrical position.

[0054] The reference numbers given in the Claims are only for better comprehensibility and do not in any way limit the Claims to the forms shown in the Figures.