Sectional, modular orientable element for fairlead raceways

• US 6,433,282 B1
• Filed: 07/25/2001
• Issued: 08/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Manufatti Plastici Traversa Ezio S.N.C.
• Original Assignee: Manufatti Plastici Traversa Ezio S.N.C.
• Inventors: Traversa, Ezio
• Primary Examiner(s): Reichard, Dean A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, JINHEE J
• Application Number:
  US09/912,726
• Time in Patent Office: 384 Days
• Field of Search: 174/68.1, 174/68.3, 174/69, 174/72.R, 174/72.A, 174/95, 174/97, 174/99.R, 174/20.A, 174/113.C, 138/118, 285/18, 285/25, 285/27, 285/31
• US Class Current: 174/95
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/0475 formed by a succession of articulated units

Abstract

A sectional, modular and orientable element for the formation of fairlead raceways (7) for wires (8), including a central body (2) provided with a plurality of shaped and aligned arms (6) which extend radially from said central bodies (2) and with means for their coupling. Said coupling means includes at least two sequential coaxial cavities (4, 5) obtained at an end (2) of said central body (2), and an extension provided at the free end of an hemispheric coaxial bull (3) obtained at the opposite end of said central body (2) and coaxial to said cavities (4, 5). The modular concatenation takes place by fitting the hemispheric bulb (3) of a first modular element with one of the cavities (4, 5) of a second modular element. The fitting in either the first (4) or the second sequential cavity (5) allows obtaining of concatenations that can be oriented following direction variations of the raceways, or that can be straight for linear raceways.

Claims

1. A sectional, modular and orientable element for the formation of fairlead raceways comprising a central body (2) and fittingly coupling means (2), characterized in that said central body (2) is provided with a plurality of shaped arms (6) which extend radially from said central body (2) and form channels (7, 7′

) for fitting at least a wire (8), and in that said coupling means comprise at least two sequential coaxial cavities (4, 5) obtained at an end (9) of said central body (2) and an extension (10) coaxial with respect to said cavities (4, 5), obtained at the opposite end of said central body (2) and provided at the free end with a hemispheric coaxial bulb (3);

said hemispheric bulb (3) having dimensions such as to fittingly engage in one of the cavities (4, 5).

2. The modular element according to claim 1, characterized in that the maximum length of extension (10) is proportional to the number of the cavities and the depth of the innermost coaxial cavity (5).

3. The modular element according to claim 1, characterized in that the sequential coaxial cavities (4,5) are circumscribed by annular edges (12) having a smaller diameter with respect to that of the cavities (4,5).

4. The modular element according to claim 1, characterized in that the bulb (3) is provided with radial strain notches (11).

5. The modular element according to claim 1, characterized in that the fitting of the hemispheric bulb (3) of a first modular element in the outermost complementary cavity (4) of a second modular element leads to an arrangement of the modular elements that is orientable and variable in a range comprised between the coaxial alignment position and a maximum oblique position corresponding to that where facing edges (13, 14) of the first and second modular elements touch at a common point (15).

6. The modular element according to claim 1, characterized in that the fitting of the hemispheric bulb (3) of a first modular element in the innermost complementary cavity (5) of a second modular element leads to an arrangement of the modular elements in a fixed, straight and coaxial association relation, with a contact extended along the whole circumference of facing edges (13, 14) of two adjoining elements.

7. The modular element according to claim 1, characterized in that the central body (2) is provided with a plurality of fixed shaped radial arms (6), distributed along the entire peripheral surface with an extension substantially corresponding to the length of said body (2), said arms being shaped to provide raceways (7, 7′

) for electric wires (8).

8. The modular element according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of radial shaped arms fittingly connected to the external peripheral surface of the central body (2), said arms being shaped for the constitution of raceways (7, 7′

) for electric wires (8).

9. The modular element according to claim 1, characterized in that a plurality of bodies provided with respective bulb-ends are connectable by insertion of each such bulb-end in cavities (4, 5) of the central body (2).

10. The modular element according to claim 1, characterized in that tie-brackets that engage with supporting structures allow maintaining the position and orientation of the raceways, said brackets each comprising an eyelet for reception of the hemispheric bulb (3) of the respective central body (2).