Cable track for scanning head of paper machine or other system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9787075-B2
Application number	US-201313874445-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 30, 2013
Priority date	Apr 30, 2013
Publication date	Oct 10, 2017
Grant date	Oct 10, 2017

Abstract

An apparatus includes a cable track configured to be coupled to a moveable object and to be pushed and pulled by the movable object without buckling. The cable track is also configured to transport at least one signal or material to or from the moveable object. The cable track has a curved profile. A cross-section of the cable track showing a height, a width, and a thickness of the cable track can have a “(” shape. The cable track can be configured to be bent in order to create a “U” bend in the cable track, and the cable track can be configured to be pushed and pulled without buckling to change a location of the “U” bend along the cable track. The cable track can be configured to change shape repeatedly between a “J” shape and a “U” shape.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a housing comprising first, second, and third openings, the first opening configured to be secured to a support structure, and
a cable track having a cross-section that forms a closed loop, the cable track configured to be coupled to a scanning head and to be pushed and pulled by the scanning head without buckling,
wherein the cable track includes a first portion of the cable track extending along a first side of the second opening and a second portion of the cable track extending along a second side of the second opening,
wherein the third opening allows the cable track to exit the second opening through the third opening,
wherein the cable track is configured to transport at least one signal or material to or from the scanning head within the closed loop,
wherein the cable track comprises a curved profile with an outer longer edge and an inner longer edge, and
wherein a height of the cable track along the outer longer edge is greater than a height of the cable track along the inner longer edge.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the cross-section of the cable track has a “(” shape.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the cable track comprises:
a strength member; and
at least one of: one or more cables, one or more hoses, and one or more tubes fully within, partially within, or coupled to the strength member.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the cable track comprises:
multiple cable pods, each cable pod comprising one or more cables.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the cable track is configured to be bent in order to create a “U” bend in the cable track; and
the cable track is configured to be pushed and pulled without buckling to change a location of the “U” bend along the cable track.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the cable track is configured to change shape repeatedly between a “J” shape and a “U” shape.

7. A system comprising:
a scanning head configured to move back and forth;
a housing comprising first, second, and third openings, the first opening configured to be secured to a support structure; and
a cable track having a cross-section that forms a closed loop, the cable track coupled to the scanning head,
wherein the cable track includes a first portion of the cable track extending along a first side of the second opening and a second portion of the cable track extending along a second side of the second opening,
wherein the third opening allows the cable track to exit the second opening through the third opening,
wherein the cable track comprises a curved profile with an outer longer edge and an inner longer edge, a height of the cable track along the outer longer edge greater than a height of the cable track along the inner longer edge,
wherein the cable track is configured to transport at least one signal or material to or from the scanning head within the closed loop, and
wherein the scanning head is configured to push and pull the cable track without buckling the cable track.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the cross-section of the cable track has a “(” shape.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the cable track comprises:
a strength member; and
at least one of: one or more cables, one or more hoses, and one or more tubes fully within, partially within, or coupled to the strength member.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the cable track comprises:
multiple cable pods, each cable pod comprising one or more cables.

11. The system of claim 7 , wherein:
the cable track is configured to be bent in order to create a “U” bend in the cable track; and
the cable track is configured to be pushed and pulled without buckling to change a location of the “U” bend along the cable track.

12. The system of claim 7 , wherein the cable track is configured to change shape repeatedly between a “J” shape and a “U” shape.

13. The system of claim 7 , wherein the scanning head is configured to measure one or more characteristics of a sheet of material.

14. A method comprising:
placing a cable track within a housing comprising first, second, and third openings by:
extending a first portion of the cable track along a first side of the second opening, and
extending a second portion of the cable track along a second side of the second opening, wherein the first opening is secured to a support structure;

coupling the cable track to a scanning head, the cable track having a cross-section that forms a closed loop, wherein the cable track is configured to transport at least one signal or material to or from the scanning head within the closed loop, wherein the third opening allows the cable track to exit the second opening through the third opening; and
pushing and pulling the cable track with the scanning head without buckling the cable track;
wherein the cable track comprises a curved profile with an outer longer edge and an inner longer edge, a height of the cable track along the outer longer edge is greater than a height of the cable track along the inner longer edge.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the cross-section of the cable track has a “(” shape.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein:
the cable track is bent in order to create a “U” bend in the cable track; and
the cable track is pushed and pulled without buckling to change a location of the “U” bend along the cable track.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the cable track changes shape repeatedly between a “J” shape and a “U” shape.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the method further comprises measuring one or more characteristics of a sheet of material using the scanning head.

19. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a curvature of the outer longer edge across the height of the cable track substantially equals a curvature of the inner longer edge across the height of the cable track.

20. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the third opening is offset in a bottom surface of the apparatus.

21. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the third opening is centered in a bottom surface of the apparatus.

Assignees

• Honeywell Asca Inc
• Honeywell Ltd

Inventors

• Humble Bradley

Classifications

• H02G11/006 Primary

  using extensible carrier for the cable, e.g. self-coiling spring (extensible conductors or cables H01B7/06) · CPC title

• B65G17/20

  comprising load-carriers suspended from overhead traction chains · CPC title

• A61B6/4464

  the source unit or the detector unit being mounted to ceiling · CPC title

• A61B6/56

  Details of data transmission or power supply, e.g. use of slip rings · CPC title