Aerial integrated messenger conduit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9855696-B2
Application number	US-201414468540-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 26, 2014
Priority date	Nov 25, 2013
Publication date	Jan 2, 2018
Grant date	Jan 2, 2018

Abstract

An overhead conduit includes a duct extending in a longitudinal direction. The duct has an outer wall. A strength member, such as a messenger wire, abuts the outer wall of the duct. An extruded jacket surrounds the duct and the messenger wire. The extruded jacket follows the outer contours of the duct and the messenger wire. Optional first and second sub-ducts, smaller than the duct, may be located to the right and left of the messenger wire.

First claim

I claim:

1. An overhead conduit comprising:
a duct extending in a longitudinal direction, said duct having a cylindrical outer wall and an inner wall;
a strength member extending in the longitudinal direction as a separate element from said duct, said strength member having an outer surface, wherein a portion of said outer surface of said strength member directly abuts said outer wall of said duct; and
an extruded jacket surrounding said duct and said strength member, said extruded jacket having an outside surface and an inside surface, wherein a portion of said inside surface of said extruded jacket abuts said outer wall of said duct and a portion of said inside surface of said extruded jacket abuts said outer surface of said strength member.

2. The overhead conduit of claim 1 , wherein first and second pockets are formed to the sides of the abutment between said strength member and said duct, said first and second pockets being defined by said inside surface of said extruded jacket, said outer wall of said duct and said outer surface of said strength member.

3. The overhead conduit of claim 2 , wherein at least portions of said first and second pockets are filled with a gel, foam or caulk.

4. The overhead conduit of claim 2 , wherein said first and second pockets possess first and second sub-ducts, respectively, wherein a diameter of said first sub-duct is less than half a diameter of said duct, and wherein a diameter of said second sub-duct is less than half the diameter of said duct.

5. The overhead conduit of claim 1 , further comprising:
a clamp engaging onto said strength member; and
a support having a first end attached to said clamp and a second end for anchoring to a fixture.

6. The overhead conduit of claim 1 , wherein said extruded jacket is formed of a fire retardant polymer.

7. The overhead conduit of claim 6 , wherein said fire retardant polymer includes polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF).

8. The overhead conduit of claim 1 , wherein said strength member is a messenger wire formed of metal strands, and wherein said portions of said outer surface of said strength member abutting said outer wall of said duct and abutting said inside surface of said extruded jacket are formed by said metal strands.

9. The overhead conduit of claim 1 , wherein said strength member is a messenger wire formed of metal strands surrounded by a coating or sub-jacket, and wherein said portions of said outer surface of said strength member abutting said outer wall of said duct and abutting said inside surface of said extruded jacket are formed by said coating or sub-jacket.

10. The overhead conduit of claim 1 , wherein said extruded jacket has a thickness of less than 500 mils.

11. The overhead conduit of claim 1 , wherein said duct has an inner diameter, measured at said inner wall of said duct, which is less than 2 inches, and wherein said extruded jacket has a generally uniform thickness set at a value of about 30 to about 150 mils.

12. The overhead conduit of claim 11 , wherein said duct has an inner diameter measured at said inner wall of said duct which is between about 1 inch to about 1.75 inches, and wherein said extruded jacket has a thickness of about 30 mils to about 75 mils, and wherein said strength member is a messenger wire formed of metal strands and has a diameter of between about 0.25 inches to about 0.5 inches.

13. The overhead conduit of claim 1 , wherein said duct is formed of high density polyethylene (HDPE), and wherein said extruded jacket is formed of medium density polyethylene (MDPE) or low density polyethylene (LDPE) or linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE).

14. The overhead conduit of claim 1 , wherein said extruded jacket tightly surrounds said duct and said strength member, wherein said extruded jacket follows the outer contours of said duct in the areas of abutment between said extruded jacket and said duct, and wherein said extruded jacket follows the outer contours of said strength member in the areas of abutment between said extruded jacket and said strength member.

15. The overhead conduit of claim 1 , wherein said extruded jacket entirely covers said duct and said strength member and has a generally uniform thickness along the longitudinal direction of said overhead conduit.

16. The overhead conduit of claim 1 , wherein said inner wall of said duct is a continuous cylindrical wall with a diameter.

17. An overhead conduit consisting essentially of:
a duct extending in a longitudinal direction, said duct having a cylindrical outer wall and an inner wall;
a strength member extending in the longitudinal direction as a separate element from said duct, said strength member having an outer surface, wherein a portion of said outer surface of said strength member directly abuts said outer wall of said duct; and
an extruded jacket surrounding said duct and said strength member, said extruded jacket having an outside surface and an inside surface, wherein a portion of said inside surface of said extruded jacket abuts said outer wall of said duct and a portion of said inside surface of said extruded jacket abuts said outer surface of said strength member.

18. The overhead conduit of claim 17 , wherein the strength member is a messenger wire formed of metal strands, wherein said duct is formed of high density polyethylene (HDPE), and wherein said extruded jacket is formed of medium density polyethylene (MDPE) or low density polyethylene (LDPE) or linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE).

19. The overhead conduit of claim 17 , wherein said strength member is a messenger wire formed of metal strands, and wherein said portions of said outer surface of said strength member abutting said outer wall of said duct and abutting said inside surface of said extruded jacket are formed by said metal strands.

20. The overhead conduit of claim 17 , wherein said strength member is a messenger wire formed of metal strands surrounded by a coating or sub-jacket, and wherein said portions of said outer surface of said strength member abutting said outer wall of said duct and abutting said inside surface of said extruded jacket are formed by said coating or sub-jacket.

Assignees

• Commscope Inc North Carolina

Inventors

• Morrow Jason N

Classifications

• B29K2023/06

  PE, i.e. polyethylene · CPC title

• B29C48/34

  Cross-head annular extrusion nozzles, i.e. for simultaneously receiving moulding material and the preform to be coated · CPC title

• H02G7/10

  Flexible members or lashings wrapped around both the supporting wire and the line or cable · CPC title

• H02G7/05

  Suspension arrangements or devices for electric cables or lines · CPC title

• B29K2023/0608

  characterised by its density · CPC title