Cable bend limiter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9401589-B2
Application number	US-201414332011-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 15, 2014
Priority date	Jul 15, 2014
Publication date	Jul 26, 2016
Grant date	Jul 26, 2016

Abstract

A cable bend limiter provides one or more joints including alternating sleeves and outer ball sections enclosing inner ball sections. Friction is controlled by washers at, or low friction surface treatments on, either side of the outer ball sections.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cable bend limiter, comprising:
one or more joints each comprising an inner ball, an outer ball, one or two cylindrical sleeves and first and second washers;
wherein the inner ball comprises two opposed truncated hemispheric sections with each truncated hemispheric section being coaxial to a respective first cable opening, each truncated hemispheric section having an attached cylindrical inner ball collar coaxial to and defining a respective first cable opening and extending from each respective truncated hemispheric section in an outward polar direction;
wherein the outer ball comprises two interlocking outer ball sections, each outer ball section being coaxial to and defining a respective second cable opening, wherein the outer ball is sized for enclosing two opposed inner ball sections and allowing extension of a separate inner ball collar through the second cable opening of each interlocking outer ball section;
wherein each sleeve of the one or two sleeves has a central axial opening axially attachable to a separate inner ball collar and coaxial with the first cable openings thereof, and each sleeve has one or two concave surfaces coaxial with the central opening and first cable opening of an attached inner ball collar, each concave surface being sized for engaging an outer surface of an outer ball section when a contained inner ball section is attached to the sleeve;
wherein a first washer is located between an inner ball section and a respective outer ball section;
wherein a second washer is located between an outer ball section and a respective concave surface of a sleeve; and
wherein the respective first cable openings of two opposed inner ball sections contained within an outer ball can vary between axial alignment and a predetermined deviation from axial alignment in all radial directions.

2. A cable bend limiter, comprising:
one or more joints each comprising an inner ball, an outer ball and one or two cylindrical sleeves;
wherein the inner ball comprises two opposed truncated hemispheric sections with each truncated hemispheric section being coaxial to a respective first cable opening, each truncated hemispheric section having an attached cylindrical inner ball collar coaxial to and defining a respective first cable opening and extending from each respective truncated hemispheric section in an outward polar direction;
wherein the outer ball comprises two interlocking outer ball sections, each outer ball section being coaxial to and defining a respective second cable opening, wherein the outer ball is sized for enclosing two opposed inner ball sections and allowing extension of a separate inner ball collar through the second cable opening of each interlocking outer ball section;
wherein each sleeve of the one or two sleeves has a central axial opening axially attachable to a separate inner ball collar and coaxial with the first cable openings thereof, and each sleeve has one or two concave surfaces coaxial with the central opening and first cable opening of an attached inner ball collar, each concave surface being sized for engaging an outer surface of an outer ball section when a contained inner ball section is attached to the sleeve; and
wherein the respective first cable openings of two opposed inner ball sections contained within an outer ball can vary between axial alignment and a predetermined deviation from axial alignment in all radial directions.

3. The cable bend limiter of claim 2 , wherein the inner ball collars and the second cable openings of the outer ball sections are sized to allow predetermined movement therebetween when an inner ball collar is located within the second cable opening.

4. The cable bend limiter of claim 2 , wherein attachment of an inner ball collar to a sleeve engages an outer ball section between an outer surface of a respective inner ball section and a concave surface of the sleeve.

5. The cable bend limiter of claim 2 , further comprising separate truncated hemispherical washers located between an inner ball section and a respective outer ball section and between an outer ball section and a respective concave surface of a sleeve.

6. The cable bend limiter of claim 5 , wherein each inner ball section has a truncated hemispheric outer surface.

7. The cable bend limiter of claim 5 , wherein each outer ball section includes parallel inner and outer truncated hemispheric surfaces coaxial around the second cable opening.

8. The cable bend limiter of claim 5 , wherein each sleeve concave surface has the shape of a truncated hemisphere.

9. The cable bend limiter of claim 2 , wherein relative axial positioning between opposed inner ball truncated hemispheric sections determines an allowable degree of bending for a cable located within respective first cable openings.

10. The cable bend limiter of claim 9 , wherein the relative axial positioning between an outer ball and an enclosed inner ball truncated hemispheric sections is limited by the respective sizes of the inner ball collars and outer ball second cable openings.

11. The cable bend limiter of claim 2 , wherein the interlocking outer ball sections comprise respective engageable male and female threads for providing interlocking of the outer ball sections.

12. The cable bend limiter of claim 2 , further comprising one or more members extending from the truncated hemispheric sections of each inner ball and towards an opposing truncated hemispheric section, and a toroidal spacer located between opposing truncated hemispheric sections and having parallel openings adapted for torsional engagement of extending members from opposing truncated hemispheric sections and thereby preventing relative rotation between opposing truncated hemispheric sections.

13. The cable bend limiter of claim 12 , wherein the one or more members comprise a pair of members affixed to opposing edges of each truncated hemispheric section.

14. The cable bend limiter of claim 13 , wherein the pair of members from opposing truncated hemispheric sections pass through different openings located orthogonally around the toroidal spacer.

15. The cable bend limiter of claim 2 , wherein the axial openings of the one or two sleeves is axially attachable to a pair of opposed inner ball collars.

Assignees

• Raytheon Co

Inventors

• Sturges James R
• Blake Christopher

Classifications

• H02G3/0475 Primary

  formed by a succession of articulated units · CPC title