Blowable flexible innerduct

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11913593-B2
Application number	US-202217984849-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 10, 2022
Priority date	Dec 7, 2021
Publication date	Feb 27, 2024
Grant date	Feb 27, 2024

Abstract

The process of forming a blowable flexible innerduct contains the steps of forming an inner innerduct structure comprising at least one inner longitudinal chamber, where the at least one inner longitudinal chamber comprises an inflatable tube and forming a textile. Concurrently forming an outer innerduct structure from the textile having at least one outer longitudinal chamber and inserting at least one inner longitudinal chamber into at least one of the outer longitudinal chambers. The inflatable tube has a wall thickness of less than about 0.5 mm. The inner longitudinal chamber alone has an air permeability of less than about 1 cfm, outer longitudinal textile chamber alone has an air permeability of greater than about 100 cfm, and the outer and inner longitudinal textile chambers together have an air permeability of less than about 1 cfm.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A process of forming a blowable flexible innerduct comprising:
forming an inner innerduct structure comprising at least one inner longitudinal chamber, wherein the at least one inner longitudinal chamber comprises an inflatable tube;
forming a textile;
concurrently forming an outer innerduct structure from the textile having at least one outer longitudinal chamber and inserting the at least one inner longitudinal chamber into at least one of the outer longitudinal chambers, wherein the inflatable tube has a wall thickness of less than about 0.5 mm, wherein the inner longitudinal chamber alone has an air permeability of less than about 1 cfm, wherein the outer longitudinal textile chamber alone has an air permeability of greater than about 100 cfm, and the outer longitudinal textile chamber together with the inner longitudinal chamber located inside the outer longitudinal textile chamber has an air permeability of less than about 1 cfm.

2. The process of claim 1 , wherein forming the outer innerduct structure comprises folding at least one strip-shaped textile having two longitudinal edge portions of textiles about a centrally located longitudinal axis and adjoining their longitudinal edge portions to define at least an outer longitudinal chamber.

3. The process of claim 1 , wherein forming the outer innerduct structure comprises folding at least two strip-shaped textiles each having two longitudinal edge portions of textiles about a centrally located longitudinal axis and adjoining their longitudinal edge portions to define at least two outer longitudinal chambers.

4. The process of claim 1 , wherein forming the outer innerduct structure comprises forming at least one strip-shaped textile, wherein each strip-shaped textile comprises a first side and a second edge and extends in the longitudinal direction, and arranging the strip-shaped textiles such that all the first and second edges of the strips are located in the middle area, wherein each strip-shaped textile extends outwards from the middle area, folds about a fold axis located in either the first or second areas and returns to the middle area forming an outer longitudinal chamber, wherein at least one strip extends from the first area to the second area, wherein the outer innerduct structure comprises at least one fold in at least one strip of the textile in the first area and at least one fold in at least one strip of the textile in the second area, and wherein the strips are attached together in the middle area.

5. The process of claim 1 , wherein the outer longitudinal textile chamber together with an inner longitudinal chamber located inside the outer longitudinal textile chamber has a burst strength of greater than about 60 psi.

6. The process of claim 1 , wherein the inner longitudinal chamber alone has a burst strength of less than about 35 psi.

7. The process of claim 1 , wherein the inner longitudinal chamber fills at least about 75% of the cross-sectional area of the outer longitudinal chamber.

8. The process of claim 1 , wherein the inflatable tube has an elongation at break of greater than about 50%.

9. The process of claim 1 , wherein the inner longitudinal chambers are configured to enclose and carry at least one cable.

10. The process of claim 1 , wherein the inner longitudinal chamber is movable within the outer longitudinal textile chamber.

11. The process of claim 1 , wherein the outer longitudinal textile chamber has a first diameter, and the inner longitudinal chamber has a second diameter and wherein the first diameter is between about 70 and 100% of the second diameter.

12. A process of forming a blowable flexible innerduct comprising:
forming an inner innerduct structure comprising at least one inner longitudinal chamber, wherein the at least one inner longitudinal chamber comprises an inflatable tube;
concurrently forming an outer innerduct structure having at least one outer longitudinal chamber and inserting the at least one inner longitudinal chamber into at least one of the outer longitudinal chambers, wherein the inflatable tube has a wall thickness of less than about 0.5 mm,
wherein the inner longitudinal chamber alone has an air permeability of less than about 1 cfm, wherein the outer longitudinal textile chamber alone has an air permeability of greater than about 100 cfm, and the outer longitudinal textile chamber together with the inner longitudinal chamber located inside the outer longitudinal textile chamber has an air permeability of less than about 1 cfm.

13. The process of claim 12 , wherein the outer longitudinal textile chamber together with an inner longitudinal chamber located inside the outer longitudinal textile chamber has a burst strength of greater than about 60 psi.

14. The process of claim 12 , wherein the inner longitudinal chamber alone has a burst strength of less than about 35 psi.

15. The process of claim 12 , wherein the inner longitudinal chamber fills at least about 60% of the cross-sectional area of the outer longitudinal chamber.

16. The process of claim 12 , wherein the inflatable tube has an elongation at break of less than about 30%.

17. The process of claim 12 , wherein the outer innerduct structure comprises at least one woven textile.

18. The process of claim 12 , wherein the inner longitudinal chambers are configured to enclose and carry at least one cable.

19. The process of claim 12 , wherein the inner longitudinal chamber is movable within the outer longitudinal textile chamber.

20. The process of claim 12 , wherein the outer longitudinal textile chamber has a first diameter, and the inner longitudinal chamber has a second diameter and wherein the first diameter is between about 70 and 100% of the second diameter.

Assignees

• Milliken & Co

Inventors

• Bedingfield Steven L
• Broadway Andrew

Classifications

• F16L7/00 Primary

  Supporting pipes or cables inside other pipes or sleeves, e.g. for enabling pipes or cables to be inserted or withdrawn from under roads or railways without interruption of traffic (sleeves for supporting pipes, cables or protective tubing, between relatively movable points F16L3/01) · CPC title

• D03D1/02 Primary

  Inflatable articles · CPC title

• D03D3/02

  Tubular fabrics · CPC title

• D03D15/283

  synthetic polymer-based, e.g. polyamide or polyester fibres (cellulose-based artificial fibres D03D15/225) · CPC title

• D10B2331/02

  polyamides (D10B2331/08 takes precedence) · CPC title