Cable guide and system for maintaining a desired bend radius

• US 7,310,472 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2004
• Issued: 12/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Haberman, Thomas William
• Primary Examiner(s): HEALY, BRIAN
• Application Number:
  US11/013,520
• Publication Number:
  US 20060127025A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,098 Days
• Field of Search: 385/100, 385/99, 385/134, 385/135, 385/136, 385/137, 385/138
• US Class Current: 385/137
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4459 Ducts; Conduits; Hollow tubes for air blown fibres
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4478 Bending relief means

Abstract

A cable guide and system are disclosed for maintaining a desired bend radius. The cable guide includes two substantially curved tube halves, each tube half comprising a curved portion having a predetermined radius. The cable guide also includes a hinge joining the tube halves and a fastening member configured to fasten the tube halves together. A first end of each of the tube halves is shaped to adhere to a cable connector. The cable connector terminates a cable. The tube halves have an open configuration and a closed configuration. When in the closed configuration, the tube halves are fastened together by the fastening member. In the closed configuration, the tube halves form a tubular sleeve. The tubular sleeve includes a lumen through which a cable may extend.

Claims

1. A cable guide for maintaining a desired bend radius, the cable guide comprising:

two substantially curved tube halves, each tube half comprising a curved portion having a predetermined radius;

a hinge joining the tube halves;

a fastening member configured to fasten the tube halves together;

a first end of each of the tube halves comprising a circumferential groove disposed on the exterior surface of the tube halves;

a second end of each of the tube halves comprising a lip protruding inward toward an axis of the tube, the lip configured to encircle a circumferential groove of a first end of a second cable guide so that the second cable guide is rotatably coupled to the cable guide; and

the tube halves having an open configuration and an adjoining closed configuration wherein when in the closed configuration a tubular sleeve is formed by the fastened tube halves, the tubular sleeve comprising a lumen through which a cable may extend.

2. The cable guide of claim 1, wherein the first end of each of the tube halves is shaped to conformably adhere to a cable connector terminating a cable.

3. The cable guide of claim 1, wherein the fastening member is further configured to align the tube halves and releasably fasten the tube halves together.

4. The cable guide of claim 1, wherein the tubular sleeve is further configured to allow the cable to freely extend through the lumen.

5. The cable guide of claim 1, wherein the fastening member enables the installation of the tubular sleeve around the cable without requiring access to an end of the cable.

6. The cable guide of claim 1, wherein the fastening member comprises a void in one of the tube halves and a boss attached to the other tube half, and wherein the boss is sized to fit within the void.

7. The cable guide of claim 1, wherein the hinge and the tube halves comprise a single part formed from plastic, the hinge integrally joining the tube halves together.

8. The cable guide of claim 1, wherein the curved portion of each tube half spans an angle of about ninety degrees and the radius of the curved portion comprises a minimum bend radius for the cable.

9. The cable guide of claim 1, wherein the cable comprises a cable selected from the group consisting of fiber optic cable and coaxial cable.

10. The cable guide of claim 2, wherein the cable connector comprises a connector selected from the group consisting of FC, SC, LC, ST, and MT-RJ.

11. The cable guide of claim 1, wherein the tubular sleeve is rigid and the surface of the tubular sleeve is continuous.

12. A system for maintaining a desired bend radius, the system comprising:

a cable;

a connector installed on an end of the cable;

a cable guide including;

two substantially curved tube halves, each tube half comprising a straight portion and a curved portion wherein the curved portion has a predetermined radius and the curved portion spans an angle of about ninety degrees;

a hinge integrally joining the tube halves;

a fastening member configured to align and releasably fasten the tube halves together around the cable without requiring access to the end of the cable, the fastening member comprising a void in one of the tube halves and a boss attached to the other tube half wherein the boss is sized to fit within the void;

a first end of each of the tube halves comprising a circumferential groove disposed on the exterior surface of the tube halves;

a second end of each of the tube halves comprising a lip protruding inward toward an axis of the tube, the lip configured to encircle a circumferential groove of a first end of a second cable guide so that the second cable guide is rotatably coupled to the cable guide; and

the tube halves having an open configuration and an adjoining closed configuration wherein when in the closed configuration a tubular sleeve is formed by the fastened tube halves, the tubular sleeve comprising a lumen through which the cable may freely extend.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the hinge and the tube halves comprise a single part, the hinge integrally joining the straight portions of the tube halves together.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the cable comprises a cable selected from the group consisting of fiber optic cable and coaxial cable.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the first end of each of the tube halves is shaped to conformably adhere to a connector.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein a straight portion of the tubular sleeve is rotatably coupled to a curved portion of the tubular sleeve.

17. A cable guide for maintaining a desired bend radius, the cable guide comprising:

two tube halves, each tube half comprising a means for preventing a cable from bending beyond a predetermined radius;

means for joining the tube halves;

means for fastening the tube halves together;

means for circumferential retaining disposed on a first end of each of the tube halves;

means for rotatably coupling to the circumferential retaining means disposed on a second end of each of the tube halves, the rotatably coupling means configured to encircle a circumferential retaining means of a first end of a second cable guide so that the second cable guide is rotatably coupled to the cable guide;

the tube halves having an open configuration and an adjoining closed configuration wherein when in the closed configuration a tubular sleeve is formed by the fastened tube halves, the tubular sleeve comprising a means for extending the cable through the tubular sleeve.

18. The cable guide of claim 17, wherein the means for fastening enables the installation of the tubular sleeve around the cable without requiring access to an end of the cable.

19. The cable guide of claim 17, wherein the means for joining and the tube halves comprise a single part.

20. The cable guide of claim 17, wherein the radius comprises a minimum bend radius for the cable.