Method for retractably shrouding antenna cables

Abstract

A method is disclosed for alternately covering and exposing feed cables to a wireless telecommunications antenna from a pole-mounted RF source. The method deploys a resiliently stretchable tubular shroud, which has a proximal opening attached near the top of the pole and a distal opening alternately attachable to a section of the antenna proximate to the cable connections or to a section of the pole below the proximal shroud opening. In the former configuration, the shroud covers and protects the feed cables, while in the latter configuration, the retracted shroud exposes the cables for repair, maintenance, replacement and/or inspection operations.

Claims

1. A method for retractably shrouding feed cables connecting a radio frequency (RF) source to an antenna mounted on a pole, the method comprising the following steps: (a) Providing a cable shroud having a generally tubular shape and having a proximal opening and a distal opening, wherein the cable shroud is made of a resiliently stretchable material; (b) Attaching the proximal opening of the cable shroud around a terminal section of the pole from which the feed cables extend; (c) Stretching and removably attaching the distal opening of the cable shroud around a feed section of the antenna into which the feed cables are connected; and (d) When access to the feed cables is required, stretching and detaching the distal opening of the cable shroud from around the feed section of the antenna and retracting the distal opening of the cable shroud away from the feed section of the antenna so that the feed cables are exposed.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising the following additional steps: (e) Removably attaching the distal opening of the cable shroud around a medial section of the pole, wherein the terminal section of the pole is between the medial section of the pole and the feed section of the antenna; and (f) When access to the feed cables is completed, stretching and detaching the distal opening from around the medial section of the pole; and (g) Repeating step (c).

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein in step (a) the proximal opening of the cable shroud is elastically expandable, and wherein in step (b) the proximal opening of the cable shroud is elastically expanded around the terminal section of the pole and then released to elastically constrict so as to removably attach around the terminal section of the pole.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein in step (a) the distal opening of the cable shroud is elastically expandable, and wherein in step (c) the distal opening of the cable shroud is elastically expanded around the feed section of the antenna and then is released so as to removably attach the distal opening of the cable shroud around the feed section of the antenna.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein in step (a) the distal opening of the cable shroud is elastically expandable, and wherein in step (c) the distal opening of the cable shroud is elastically expanded around the feed section of the antenna and then is released so as to removably attach the distal opening of the cable shroud around the feed section of the antenna.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein in step (b) the proximal opening of the cable shroud is removably attached around the terminal section of the pole by a first annular clamp.

7. The method according to claim 3, wherein in step (c) the distal opening of the cable shroud is removably attached around the feed section of the antenna by a second annular clamp.

8. The method according to claim 2, wherein in step (b) the proximal opening of the cable shroud is removably attached around the terminal section of the pole by a first annular clamp, and wherein in step (c) the distal opening of the cable shroud is removably attached around the feed section of the antenna by a second annular clamp.

9. The method according to any one of claims 4-6, wherein in step (e) the distal opening of the cable shroud is elastically expanded around the medial section of the pole and then is released so as to removably attach the distal opening of the cable shroud around the medial section of the pole.

10. The method according to either of claim 7 or 8, wherein in step (e) the distal opening of the cable shroud is removably attached around the medial section of the pole by a third annular clamp.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the shroud raised to cover the feed cables connecting an RF source to a pole-mounted antenna, according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

(2) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the shroud retracted from the antenna to expose the feed cables for access-requiring operations, according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

(3) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the shroud raised to cover the feed cables connecting an RF source to a pole-mounted antenna, according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

(4) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the shroud retracted from the antenna to expose the feed cables for access-requiring operations, according to the second embodiment of the present invention; and

(5) FIG. 5 is a flow chart of the method according to both embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(6) Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, in the first embodiment of the present invention 10A, the inventive method is applied to a pole 11 that encloses or supports an RF source 12, from which feed cables 13 extend to a pole-mounted antenna 14. In FIG. 1, the tubular shroud 15 is shown raised to cover and protect the feed cables 13. The shroud 15 has a proximal opening 16 and a distal opening 17. In the covering configuration, the proximal opening 16 is attached to the pole's terminal section 18 proximate to the cable connections 22, while the distal opening 17 is attached to the antenna's feed section 19 proximate to the cable connections 22.

(7) In FIG. 2 the shroud 15 is shown retracted to expose the feed cables 13 and permit access to them for repair, maintenance, replacement and/or inspection operations. After retracting the shroud 15, the distal opening 17 is attached to a medial section 20 of the pole 11 below the terminal pole section 18. Once the access operations are completed, the distal opening 17 is detached from medial pole section 20 and reattached to the antenna's feed section 19 so as to again cover and protect the feed cables 13.

(8) In the first embodiment 10A depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2, both shroud openings 16 17 are elastically expandable, so as to be attached and detached by alternately expanding and releasing the shroud openings 16 17. In the second embodiment 10B, depicted in FIGS. 3 and 4, the proximal opening 16 is attached to the pole's terminal section 18 by an annular clamp 21, which is similar to a hose clamp. It is understood that either of both shroud openings can be attachable by either the elastic or the clamp means.

(9) FIG. 5 displays the exemplary method of the present invention 100 in flowchart format. The shroud is provided 101, its proximal opening is attached to the pole's terminal section 102, and its distal opening is attached to the antenna's feed section 103. To access the feed cables, the distal shroud opening is retracted 104 and attached to the medial pole section 105. Upon completion of access operations 106, the distal opening is detached from the medial pole section 107 and is reattached to the antenna feed section 103, so as to again cover and protect the feed cables.

(10) Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that many additions, modifications and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention as defined by the accompanying claims.