Flexible supporting sheath for cables and the like

• US 5,197,767 A
• Filed: 12/02/1991
• Issued: 03/30/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tsubakimoto Chain Company
• Original Assignee: Tsubakimoto Chain Company
• Inventors: Shimomura, Yoshimasa, Yasuda, Hiroshi, Kitao, Nobuo, Isozaki, Kiyoshi, Kimura, Akira, Nishimura, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Reese, Randolph A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHACKELFORD, HEATHER CHUN
• Application Number:
  US07/800,525
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• Field of Search: 285/106, 285/107, 285/204, 285/373, 285/265, 285/907, 285/184, 285/283, 285/118, 285/419, 285/921, 285/39, 138/118, 138/120, 138/128, 138/157, 138/162, 138/121, 138/155, 138/DIG. 8, 403/114, 403/113, 403/19, 403/344, 220/284, 220/682, 220/691, 220/281, 446/120, 446/121, 446/86, 24/704.1, 411/433, 411/539
• US Class Current: 285/39
• CPC Class Codes: F16G 13/10 with universal joints
• CPC Class Codes: F16G 13/16 with arrangements for holding electric cables, hoses, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 11/18 Articulated hoses, e.g. composed of a series of rings
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4461 Articulated
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 11/00 Arrangements of electric cables or lines between relatively-movable parts
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 11/006 using extensible carrier for the cable, e.g. self-coiling spring extensible conductors or cables H01B7/06
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 285/912 Gear
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32565 Ball and socket with restricted movement about one axis

Abstract

A universally articulable supporting sheath comprises an interconnected series of links, each having a convex spherical surface at one end, and a concave spherical surface at its opposite end. The concave and convex surfaces mate with one another to form the sheath. Special links having branch openings may be provided. Various forms of waterproofing seals are provided, including O-rings, axially compressed rings, flexible belts, and ridges on the spherical surfaces. The links can be fitted together by thermal expansion. However, an axially split link is also described, which comprises two parts which snap together. The split parts may be molded as a unit with an integral thin wall hinge. The bending characteristics and bending radius of a sheath can be modified by insertion of spacers between the links at selected locations, or by the insertion of pins into radial holes provided in the links. Spacers with tongues may be used to prevent rotation of the links about the sheath axis, while allowing unidirectional articulation. Projections on one of a pair of mating spherical surfaces can be engaged with holes, slots or recesses of rectangular or other shapes to produce various limits on articulation and rotation. A single link may be provided with several alternatively usable holes, recesses and the like. The outer surface of a link can be provided with an axial extension engageable with a surface of an adjoining link to prevent back bending, or to prevent bending altogether.

Claims

1. A flexible supporting sheath for cables and the like comprising a series of interconnected links, each link having an internal passage extending through it from one end to the other, an inner concave spherical surface formed in the passage adjacent to one end of the link, an external surface surrounding said inner concave spherical surface, and an outer convex spherical surface formed on the outer surface of the link adjacent to its opposite end, in which, for at least two adjoining links of the sheath, the convex surface of one of said two links is engaged with a concave surface of the other one of said two links, in which the centers of the engaged convex and concave surfaces coincide, and in which the concave surface of said other link overlaps the convex surface of said one link to an extent such as to prevent separation of the links, in which each of said links is split longitudinally into halves and each of said halves is provided with two longitudinal faying surfaces, and including means for holding said halves together with said faying surfaces in contact with each other, in which said means for holding said halves together comprises means projecting from at least one of said halves, and a recess in the external surface of the link on the other of said halves for receiving said projecting means, said projecting means having an end remote from said one of said halves, said projecting means and said recess having cooperable surface means, interengageable with each other to provide a snap-in connection for holding the faying surfaces of said halves in contact with each other, and said recess in said external surface of the link on said other of said halves extending beyond said remote end of said projecting means to provide a slot for receiving a prying instrument to release said snap-in connection, whereby said halves of the link can be disconnected with ease.

2. A flexible supporting sheath according to claim 1 in which said halves are identical to each other.

3. A flexible supporting sheath according to claim 1 in which at least one of said faying surfaces is provided with a tongue extending perpendicularly therefrom, and the other of said faying surfaces is provided with a groove for receiving said tongue.

4. A flexible supporting sheath according to claim 1 in which said means for holding said halves together comprises at least one ball-like projection on one of said faying surfaces, and an undercut, ball-receiving hole on the other of said faying surfaces receiving said ball-like projection.

5. A flexible supporting sheath according to claim 1 in which the two halves of at least one of said links are hinged together.

6. A flexible supporting sheath according to claim 1 in which the two halves of at least one of said links are hinged together by a thin-wall hinge molded as a unit with said two halves.

7. A flexible supporting sheath for cables and the like comprising a series of interconnected links, each link having an internal passage extending through it from one end to the other, an inner concave spherical surface formed in the passage adjacent to one end of the link, an external surface surrounding said inner concave spherical surface, and an outer convex spherical surface formed on the outer surface of the link adjacent to its opposite end, in which, for at least two adjoining links of the sheath, the convex surface of one of said two links is engaged with a concave surface of the other one of said two links, in which the centers of the engaged convex and concave surfaces coincide, and in which the concave surface of said other link overlaps the convex surface of said one link to an extent such as to prevent separation of the links, in which each of said links is split longitudinally into halves and each of said halves is provided with two longitudinal faying surfaces, and including means for holding said halves together with said faying surfaces in contact with each other, in which said means for holding said halves together comprises means projecting from a faying surface of one of said halves and a recess in a faying surface of the link on the other of said halves for receiving said projecting means, said projecting means having cooperating means for providing a snap-in connection for holding the faying surfaces of said halves in contact with each other, and the external surface of said link having a recess, in at least one of the halves thereof, at the location at which said faying surfaces come together to provide a slot for receiving a prying instrument to release said snap-in connection, whereby said halves of the link can be disconnected with ease.

8. A flexible supporting sheath according to claim 7 in which said external surface of said link has recesses in both of said halves thereof, said recesses in said external surfaces meeting each other at the location at which said faying surfaces come together to provide a slot for receiving a prying instrument to release said snap-in connection.

9. A flexible supporting sheath according to claim 7 in which said halves are identical to each other.

10. A flexible supporting sheath according to claim 7 in which said means for holding said halves together comprises at least one ball-like projection on one of said faying surfaces, and an undercut, ball-receiving hole on the other of said faying surfaces receiving said ball-like projection.

11. A flexible supporting sheath according to claim 7 in which said means for holding said halves together comprises a ball-like projection on each of said faying surfaces, and an undercut, ball-receiving hole in each of said faying surfaces the ball-receiving hole on each faying surface receiving the ball-like projection on the other of said faying surfaces.

12. A flexible supporting sheath according to claim 7 in which the two halves of at least one of said links are hinged together.

13. A flexible supporting sheath according to claim 7 in which the two halves of at least one of said links are hinged together by a thin-wall hinge molded as a unit with said two halves.