Cable breakout article
First Claim
1. An article comprising a substantially dimensionally stable planar or hollow body portion, the body portion if hollow having two substantially cylindrical parts assemblable to form the body portion, wherein the body portion has at least two outlet holes and at least two outlet tubes respectively attached to the outlet holes, and the length and flexibility of the outlet tubes is such that at least one of the outlet tubes can be bent away from the other outlet tube(s) to an extent permitting operations to be carried out at least on an end portion of a selected one of the outlet tubes substantially in isolation from the other outlet tube(s).
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A cable breakout article (78) which is formed of a polymeric material and which is preferably heat-recoverable comprises a body portion and at least two tubes or outlet portions (91 to 94) leading from apertures in the body portion. The length and flexibility of the tubes (91 to 94) is such that at least one of them can be bent away from the other(s) to allow operations such as heat recovery to be carried out on an end portion of one of the tubes in isolation from the others.
Preferably one or more of the tubes (95) is corrugated at least near its end adjacent to the body portion (78) so as to assist bending.
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Citations
35 Claims
- 1. An article comprising a substantially dimensionally stable planar or hollow body portion, the body portion if hollow having two substantially cylindrical parts assemblable to form the body portion, wherein the body portion has at least two outlet holes and at least two outlet tubes respectively attached to the outlet holes, and the length and flexibility of the outlet tubes is such that at least one of the outlet tubes can be bent away from the other outlet tube(s) to an extent permitting operations to be carried out at least on an end portion of a selected one of the outlet tubes substantially in isolation from the other outlet tube(s).
- 2. An article comprising a body portion and at least two tubes leading from apertures in the body portion, wherein at least part of at least one of the tubes is formed of polymeric material and is in a temporarily stable expanded state from which it is recoverable towards an unexpanded state, and the length and flexibility of the tubes is such that at least the said one of the tubes can be bent away from the other tube(s) to an extent permitting operations to effect recovery of an expanded part of a selected one of the tubes to be carried out substantially in isolation from the other tube(s).
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25. A kit of parts for making a cable breakout comprising a substantially dimensionally stable housing capable of receiving a portion of a cable, the housing comprising two substantially cylindrical parts one of which parts has at least two outlet holes through which conductors may be led off from the cable and has attached at least to each of the said two outlet holes respectively outlet tubes of such length and flexibility that at least one of the outlet tubes can be bent away from the other outlet tube(s) to an extent permitting operations to be carried out at least on an end portion of a selected one of the outlet tubes substantially in isolation from the other outlet tube(s), the two parts of the housing being assemblable to enclose the part of the cable from which conductors are led off in use.
- 26. An enclosure comprising a housing capable in use of receiving part of a cable from which one or more portions are to be divided out, and an article formed of polymeric material comprising a body portion attached to the housing and at least two tubes leading from apertures in the body portion, the length and flexibility of the tubes being such that at least one of the tubes can be bent away from the other tube(s) to an extent permitting operations to be carried out at least on an end portion of a selected one of the tubes substantially in isolation from the other tube(s).
- 34. A method of making a cable breakout wherein a cable portion is led off through or a connection is made to the free end of a cable portion extending through a tube of an article comprising a body portion and at least two tubes leading from apertures in the body portion, wherein at least part of at least one of the tubes is formed of polymeric material and is in a temporarily stable expanded state from which it is recoverable towards an unexpanded state, and the length and flexibility of the tubes is such that at least the said one of the tubes can be bent away from the other tube(s) to an extent permitting operations to effect recovery of an expanded part of a selected one of the tubes to be carried out substantially in isolation from the other tube(s) whereby that tube is isolated from the other tube of the said article by bending the one or the other to an extent permitting operations to be carried out at least on an end portion of that tube substantially in isolation from the other tube(s) and operations are thereafter carried out on a portion of that tube substantially in isolation from the other tube(s) to seal the tube around the relevant cable portion and/or the said connection.
Specification