ILLUMINATED ATTACHMENT FOR ROUTING CABLES

• US 20110279064A1
• Filed: 05/11/2010
• Published: 11/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: DeHaan, David F., Brooks, Matthew E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,088,145 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/362
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/703 operated by engagement or disengagement of coupling parts, e.g. dual-continuity coupling partH01R13/71 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/62 Sliding engagements with one side only, e.g. modular jack coupling devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 1/06 for laying cables, e.g. laying apparatus on vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/20 Ceiling roses or other lighting sets
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/385 in modular floors, e.g. access floors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49169 Assembling electrical component directly to terminal or elongated conductor

Abstract

An apparatus for routing data and power cables under raised floors and through other structures is disclosed herein. In one embodiment, such an apparatus includes an illuminated attachment comprising a connection mechanism to removably connect the illuminated attachment to an end of a cable. The illuminated attachment adds weight to the end of the cable to aid in tossing the end from one location to another. A corresponding method is also disclosed herein.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

an illuminated attachment comprising a connection mechanism for removably connecting the illuminated attachment to an end of a cable, the illuminated attachment adding weight to the end of the cable to aid in tossing the end of the cable from one location to another.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the illuminated attachment comprises lights incorporated into a body thereof.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the lights comprise at least one of LEDs and fiber-optic-energized lighting.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the connection mechanism comprises a socket into which the end of the cable is plugged.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the lights of the illuminated attachment are energized by plugging the cable into the socket.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a motion detector to energize the lights upon detecting motion.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the connection mechanism comprises a gripping mechanism to grip the end of the cable.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the gripping mechanism grips at least one of a connector attached to the end of the cable and the cable itself.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the illuminated attachment is at least one of made of and coated with a glow-in-the-dark material.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the illuminated attachment comprises an attachment mechanism to enable the illuminated attachment to be attached to other illuminated attachments.

11. A method comprising:

providing a cable;

connecting an illuminated attachment to an end of the cable to add weight thereto; and

routing the cable through a structure by tossing the illuminated attachment through the structure.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising lighting the illuminated attachment using at least one of LEDs and fiber-optic-energized lighting.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein connecting the illuminated attachment to the end of the cable comprises plugging the cable into a socket incorporated into the illuminated attachment.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising lighting the illuminated attachment in response to plugging the cable into the socket.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising lighting the illuminated attachment in response to sensing motion of the illuminated attachment.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein connecting the illuminated attachment to the end of the cable comprises gripping the end of the cable.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein gripping comprises gripping at least one of a connector attached to the end of the cable and the cable itself.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising lighting the illuminated attachment with a glow-in-the-dark material.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising connecting the illuminated attachment to other illuminated attachments.

20. An assembly comprising:

an illuminated attachment comprising a socket into which a cable is plugged and lights to provide illumination thereto, the illuminated attachment adding weight to an end of the cable to aid in tossing the end of the cable from one location to another, wherein the lights of the illuminated attachment are energized by plugging the cable into the socket.