Grommets for holding cables

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12224085-B2
Application number	US-202418418443-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 22, 2024
Priority date	Apr 20, 2021
Publication date	Feb 11, 2025
Grant date	Feb 11, 2025

Abstract

The present disclosure describes a grommet. The grommet includes a slot extending the length of a main body which provides an entry point for a cable to be inserted into an interior cavity, a plurality of flex retention members extending into the interior cavity configured to grip and secure the cable, and one or more grip enhancement features residing between an inner surface of the main body and the flex retention members. The grip enhancement features are configured to provide additional support to the flex retention members when a cable is inserted into the interior cavity. The grip enhancement features are coupled to or integral with a respective flex retention member and extend radially outwardly therefrom, and each grip enhancement feature is configured to engage or contact the inner surface of the main body when a larger diameter cable is received within the interior cavity of the grommet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A grommet formed of a polymeric material and adapted for securing a cable within a cable hanger, comprising:
a main body having a generally cylindrical profile surrounding an interior cavity, the main body further having a length, a thickness, and a longitudinal axis;
a slot extending the length of the main body which provides an entry point for the cable to be inserted into the interior cavity;
a plurality of flex retention members extending into the interior cavity configured to grip and secure the cable within the interior cavity; and
one or more grip enhancement features residing between an inner surface of the main body and the flex retention members, wherein the grip enhancement features are configured to provide additional support to the flex retention members when a cable is inserted into the interior cavity,
wherein each of the one or more grip enhancement features are coupled to or integral with a respective flex retention member and extend radially outwardly therefrom, and wherein each grip enhancement feature is configured to engage or contact the inner surface of the main body when a larger diameter cable is received within the interior cavity of the grommet.

2. The grommet of claim 1 , wherein the grip enhancement features have an arcuate shape or a cone or triangular shape.

3. The grommet of claim 1 , wherein the flex retention members have an arcuate profile and extend the length of the grommet.

4. The grommet of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the grip enhancement features include an aperture.

5. A grommet formed of a polymeric material and adapted for securing a cable within a cable hanger, comprising:
a main body having a generally cylindrical profile surrounding an interior cavity;
a slot extending a length of the main body which provides an entry point for the cable to be inserted into the interior cavity;
a plurality of flex retention members extending into the interior cavity configured to grip and secure the cable within the interior cavity, each flex retention member having a first end and an opposing second end, the first and second ends of each flex retention member coupled to or integral with an inner surface of the main body; and
one or more grip enhancement features residing between the inner surface of the main body and the flex retention members, wherein the grip enhancement features are configured to provide additional support to the flex retention members when a cable is inserted into the interior cavity,
wherein each of the one or more grip enhancement features are coupled to or integral with the inner surface of the main body and extend radially inwardly therefrom, and wherein each grip enhancement feature is configured to engage or contact a respective flex retention member when a larger diameter cable is received within the interior cavity of the grommet.

6. The grommet of claim 5 , wherein the grip enhancement features have an arcuate shape or a cone or triangular shape.

7. The grommet of claim 5 , wherein the flex retention members have an arcuate profile and extend the length of the grommet.

8. The grommet of claim 5 , wherein one or more of the grip enhancement features include an aperture.

9. A grommet formed of a polymeric material and adapted for securing a cable within a cable hanger, comprising:
a main body having a generally cylindrical profile surrounding an interior cavity;
a slot extending a length of the main body which provides an entry point for the cable to be inserted into the interior cavity;
a plurality of flex retention members extending into the interior cavity configured to grip and secure the cable within the interior cavity;
one or more grip enhancement features residing between an inner surface of the main body and the flex retention members; and
two arms extending radially outwardly from the main body, one arm extending from a bottom edge of the main body and the other arm extending from a top edge of the main body, wherein each arm includes a flanged edge configured to engage the cable hanger when an excessive load force is applied to the cable,
wherein, when a cable resides within the interior cavity of the main body, the grip enhancement features are configured to provide additional support to the flex retention members to secure and hold the cable within the grommet.

10. The grommet of claim 9 , wherein each of the one or more grip enhancement features are coupled to or integral with a respective flex retention member and extend radially outwardly therefrom.

11. The grommet of claim 10 , wherein each grip enhancement feature is configured to engage or contact the inner surface of the main body when a larger diameter cable is received within the interior cavity of the grommet.

12. The grommet of claim 9 , wherein each of the one or more grip enhancement features are coupled to or integral with the inner surface of the main body and extend radially inwardly therefrom.

13. The grommet of claim 12 , wherein each grip enhancement feature is configured to engage or contact a respective flex retention member when a larger diameter cable is received within the interior cavity of the grommet.

14. The grommet of claim 9 , further comprising one or more pairs of grip enhancement features, each grip enhancement feature extending from the inner surface of the main body to a respective flex retention member.

15. The grommet of claim 14 , wherein each grip enhancement feature in a respective pair of grip enhancement features is configured to buckle toward the other grip enhancement feature when a larger diameter cable is received within the interior cavity of the grommet.

16. The grommet of claim 9 , wherein the grommet comprises two pairs of arms extending radially outwardly from the main body, one pair of arms extending from a bottom edge of the main body and the other pair of arms extending from a top edge of the main body.

17. The grommet of claim 16 , wherein the position of the top arm on the top edge of the main body is circumferentially spaced apart approximately 180 degrees relative to the position of the bottom arm on the bottom edge of the main body.

18. The grommet of claim 16 , wherein the arms of each pair are spaced apart approximately 180 degrees, and wherein the position of the top pair of arms on the top edge of the main body is circumferentially staggered relative to the position of the bottom pair of arms on the bottom edge of the main body.

19. The grommet of claim 9 , in combination with a cable hanger, wherein the cable hanger has opposable arms, and wherein the grommet is held between the opposable arms.

Assignees

• Outdoor Wireless Networks LLC

Inventors

• Vaccaro Ronald A
• Joshi Aviral

Classifications

• H01B17/586 Primary

  with strain relief arrangements · CPC title

• H02G3/32 Primary

  using mounting clamps · CPC title

• G02B6/4422

  of the overhead type · CPC title