Patent · US Expired

Optic cable conduit insert and method of manufacture

US6571833B1 · kind B1 · utility

30Cited by
39References
41Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 14, 2000
Grant dateJun 3, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 14, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T83/0548
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A conduit sleeve structure for use with fiber optic cables, coaxial cables and the like includes a pair of adjacent strip-shaped layers of flexible material that are joined along their longitudinal edges to define a channel through which the cable can extend longitudinally through the innerduct structure between the layers. The adjacent layers have differing widths between their longitudinal edges, whereby the wider layer bulges away from the narrower layer to impart an open configuration to the channel. It has been found that the conduit sleeve structure may be manufactured more efficiently and inexpensively if multiple sheets and pull cords are stacked and arranged in such a way that multiple conduit sleeve structures may be manufactured simultaneously in a parallel arrangement. The method of manufacturing the conduit sleeve structures includes feeding several stacked sheets through a folding machine or mechanism, a stitching machine, and then a slitting machine. This method allows the sleeve members to be separated into individual units, or multiple units as desired. In a preferred embodiment, four stacked sheets are used, which ultimately provides three cells or chambers per co…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.