Suspension for elongated objects, in particular cables

• US 20050116124A1
• Filed: 10/12/2004
• Published: 06/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Newfrey Llc (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Newfrey Llc (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schmidt, Michael, Zoltner, Klaus, Mielke, Karl-Heinz, Wimmer, Karin
• Granted Patent: US 7,322,548 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 248/74.300
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 3/137 and consisting of a flexible band
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 3/233 by means of a flexible band
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/1498 Plastic band

Abstract

In a suspension for elongated objects, in particular cables (22) or the like, having a tension band (1) formable into a ring encircling the object and held together by a closure, and having a holder (30) separate from the tension band (1) for attachment of the tension band (1) to a support, the holder (30) comprises a finger (37) one end (39) of which overreaches the tension band (1) on the inside facing the cable (22). The end (39) of the finger (37) is opposed to an area of the holder (30) having a spring element (44) in contact with the outside of the tension band (1). A lock (42) secures the finger (37) in its position of engagement. After installation of the tension band (1), the holder (30) may be attached to the tension band (1) in a plurality of locations.

Claims

1. A suspension for elongated objects, comprising:

a band flexibly conformable about the objects;

a closure operable to hold together the band about the objects; and

a holder separate from the band for attachment of the band to a support, the holder having at least one deflectable hooked member;

wherein the band and the holder are connectable to each other at a plurality of attachment locations located along the band by a plurality of connections configured on one of the holder and the band, the hooked member operable to retain the band positioned adjacent at least one of the attachment locations.

2. The suspension of claim 1, further comprising an inside surface of the band facing the elongated object;

wherein the hooked member further includes at least one finger distally supporting at least one hook-shaped end; and

wherein the at least one hook-shaped end is operably positioned to overreach a segment of the band facing the inside surface of the band.

3. The suspension of claim 2, wherein the holder further comprises a cam, the cam opposing the hook-shaped end of the finger and operable to form a lateral purchase of the band.

4. The suspension of claim 2, wherein the band further comprises a trapezoidal cross-section having a wider parallel side located opposite to the inside of the band.

5. The suspension of claim 4, wherein the band further comprises opposed angular side surfaces perpendicularly aligned from the inside of the band.

6. The suspension of claim 5, wherein each side surface operably forms an angle of approximately 135°

with the inside of the band.

7. The suspension of claim 4, wherein the trapezoidal cross section further comprises a shorter parallel side created at the inside of the band.

8. The suspension of claim 2, wherein the band further comprises lengthwise lateral edges each having a recess extending along the band facing the inside of the band.

9. The suspension of claim 8, wherein each recess comprises a rectangular stepping of the lateral edge of the band.

10. The suspension of claim 2, wherein the inside surface of the band further comprises a plurality of recesses extending transverse to a lengthwise direction of the ban, the recesses operable to accommodate the hook-shaped end of the holder.

11. The suspension of claim 1, further comprising:

a support area of the holder operably facing the band; and

an inside surface of the band facing the elongated object;

wherein the holder further includes two fingers arranged in a mirror image configuration to each other, the fingers being positionable on opposed sides of the support area.

12. The suspension of claim 11, wherein the two fingers each comprise an angled finger end operably overreaching the band on the inside surface.

13. The suspension of claim 12, wherein the angled ends of the fingers each further comprise an end surface inclined such that a distance between the end surfaces increases as the end surfaces extend away from the support area of the holder.

14. The suspension of claim 9, wherein the support area of the holder facing the band further comprises a biasing element which is biased upon connection of the band to the holder.

15. The suspension of claim 1, wherein the band further comprises a tension band including a flexible strip material.

16. The suspension of claim 1, wherein the band comprises a synthetic material.

17. The suspension of claim 1, wherein the support comprises a platform support of a vehicle.

18. An elongated object retaining device, comprising:

a tension band having a longitudinal groove created on an outside surface of the tension band;

an undercut created in the longitudinal groove;

a closure operable to engageably restrain the tension band; and

a holder separate from the tension band, the holder having a T-shaped head;

wherein the T-shaped head of the holder is insertable into the undercut of the longitudinal groove from an outside of the tension band and securable in the longitudinal groove.

19. The device of claim 18, further comprising an inside surface of the tension band facing the cable;

wherein the holder further includes at least one finger having at least one end; and

wherein the at least one end is operably positioned to overreach a segment of the tension band on the inside surface of the tension band.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the holder further comprises a cam, the cam opposing the one end of the finger and operable to form a lateral purchase of the tension band.

21. The device of claim 18, wherein the tension band and the holder are connectable to each other at a plurality of attachment locations located along the tension band by a plurality of connections configured on one of the holder and the tension band.

22. The device of claim 18, wherein the undercut of the longitudinal groove is positioned toward an outside facing surface of the tension band.

23. A retaining device, comprising:

a tension band;

a longitudinal rib projecting from the tension band;

an outer end of the longitudinal rib including a web having a head bead;

a closure integrally connected to the tension band operable to engage a portion of the tension band; and

a holder separate from the tension band, the holder including two fingers each having an angled finger end, the ends being directed toward each other;

wherein the tension band and the holder are connectable to each other at a plurality of locations each having the two fingers engaging the web of the longitudinal rib between the tension band and the head bead.

24. The retaining device of claim 23, wherein the longitudinal rib of the tension band operably projects from an outside facing surface of the tension band.

25. The device of claim 23, further comprising an inside surface of the tension band facing the element, wherein the angled finger end of each finger is operably positioned to overreach the portion of the tension band on the inside surface of the tension band.

26. The device of claim 25, wherein the holder further comprises a cam, the cam opposing the angled finger end of each finger and operable to form a lateral purchase of the tension band.

27. A joining system, comprising:

an elongated object;

a flexible band conformable about the object;

a lock connected to a first end of the flexible band, the lock sized to receive the flexible band; and

a holder separate from the band, the holder including at least one hooked end having a band engagement surface;

wherein the band and the holder are connectable to each other at a plurality of attachment locations located along the band by a plurality of connections configured on one of the holder and the band, the band engagement surface being operable to retain the band.

28. The system of claim 27, further comprising:

a support area of the holder operably facing the band; and

an inside surface of the band facing the elongated object;

wherein the holder further includes two fingers arranged in a mirror image configuration to each other, the fingers being positionable on opposed sides of the support area and each supporting one of the hooked ends.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the hooked end of each of the two fingers is operable to at least partially overlap the band on the inside surface when the band is joined to the holder.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the hooked end of each finger further comprises an end surface inclined such that a distance between the end surface of both fingers increases as the end surfaces extend away from the support area of the holder.

31. The system of claim 28, wherein the holder comprises:

a flexible rib having the two fingers positioned on a first side;

a second side of the flexible rib; and

a plurality of spring locking fingers each having a locking surface, the locking fingers positioned on the second side of the flexible rib.

32. The system of claim 27, wherein the elongated object comprises a cable.

33. The system of claim 27, wherein the elongated object comprises a cable tree.

34. A method for supporting an elongated object, comprising:

encircling a band about the object;

connecting opposed ends of the band using a closure; and

attaching the band to a support using a holder;

connecting the band and the holder to each other at any of a plurality of attachment locations located along the band by a plurality of connections configured on one of the holder and the band.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

creating at least one finger having at least one end extending from the holder; and

positioning the at least one end to overreach a segment on an inside surface of the band.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising forming a lateral purchase on the band with a cam of the holder.

37. The method of claim 34, further comprising creating a lateral recess on each of opposed lengthwise lateral edges of the band.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising creating a rectangular stepping on the lateral edges of the band.

39. The method of claim 34, further comprising forming the band in a trapezoidal shape.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising forming the at least one end having an angle matable with the trapezoidal shape of the band.

41. The method of claim 34, further comprising tightening the band about the object after the connecting step.