CABLE SUPPORT AND METHOD

Abstract

A cable support has a saddle, and a hinged part that can be engaged with a slot in the cable support to close an opening for placing cables into the saddle. The saddle has a curved inner surface, bulging at middle of the surface and curving away toward the longitudinal edges. The hinged part has a resilient finger tab that releasably fits into slot in the support to close the opening. An insert may be placed in a cable-receiving area of the support to divide the area into plural cable-receiving pockets. The insert may include hooks that engage an insert guide rail of the cable support.

Description

This application claims priority under 35 USC 119 to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/853,667, filed Oct. 23, 2006, and to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/856,998, filed Nov. 6, 2006. Both of the above applications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field of the Invention

The invention relates in general to cable supports and methods.

2. Description of the Related Art

U.S. Pat. No. 5,740,994 describes a variety of J-hook cable supports that are usable with high performance communications cable, as well as other types of cables. Such cable supports allow cables to be supported without constrictions on the cables, and without damage to the cables. Cable supports of this sort are available from ERICO International Corporation, of Solon, Ohio, USA.

Despite the benefits of J-hook cable supports previously available from ERICO International Corporation, improvements in this area are possible.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to an aspect of the invention, a cable support has a cable-receiving saddle with a curved inner surface that bulges in the longitudinal middle of the saddle, and curves away toward longitudinal edges of the saddle. The curved inner saddle surface prevents cables laid in the support from getting kinks or overly tight bends.

According to another aspect of the invention, a cable support may have an insert placed in a cable-receiving area that divides the cable-receiving area into plural cable-receiving pockets.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, a cable support has a cable-receiving saddle hingedly attached to hinged part that selectively opens and closes an opening for placing cables onto the cable-receiving area. The hinged part and the saddle may be formed from the same single piece of material, with the hinge being a thinner or otherwise weakened portion of the material. The hinged part may have a resilient finger tab that engages a slot in order to close the cable opening.

According to still another aspect of the invention, an insert may be inserted into a bunch of cables to separate the cables apart from one another, to provide better heat dissipation from the cables and/or to reduce alien crosstalk in the cables.

According to another aspect of the invention, inserts, either in or outside of cable support may be twisted by varying amounts to reduce or eliminate alien crosstalk in cables in cable-receiving pockets of the inserts.

According to a further aspect of the invention, a cable support has an integrated cable securing and locking finger tab, a flexible tab with a locking wedge on a free end. The tab rotates to allow large opening for cable insertion and retention.

According a still further aspect of the invention, a cable support has guide rails that allow an insert in the cable support to rotate freely within the cable support. The cable support may have a locking tab or other means to hold the insert in place.

According to another aspect of the invention, a method of supporting cables includes randomly placing cables in inserts at different longitudinal locations along the length of the cables.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, a method of reducing alien crosstalk or noise includes shifting cables from one pocket of an insert to another. Different combinations of cables may be in different pockets of different inserts.

According to still another aspect of the invention, a cable support includes: a cable-receiving saddle; and a hinged part hingedly coupled to the saddle. The hinged part rotates about the saddle at a hinge. The hinged part and the saddle are at least in part made from a continuous single piece of material. The hinge is a weakened portion of the single piece of material that is weaken than adjacent portions of the saddle and the hinged part. The hinged part includes a tab that is selectively engaged with a slot in the cable support to selectively close an opening providing access to the saddle.

According to a further aspect of the invention, a cable support includes: a cable-receiving saddle that defines a cable-receiving area; and an insert that fits into the cable-receiving saddle. The insert divides the cable receiving area into a plurality of cable-receiving pockets.

According to a still further aspect of the invention, a method of installing cables includes: placing the cables in plural cable supports, wherein at least one of the cable supports includes an insert that divides a cable-receiving area into plural cable-receiving pockets; testing the cables for alien crosstalk; and if necessary, reconfiguring the cables within the cable supports to reduce alien crosstalk.

According to another aspect of the invention, a method of installing cables includes: spreading the cables apart using inserts, wherein the inserts include a central body and plural legs extending outward from the central body, wherein the plural legs define plural cable-receiving pockets, and wherein the cables each pass through one of the pockets; and supporting the cables with plural cable supports.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, a cable support includes: a cable-receiving saddle; and a hinged part hingedly coupled to the saddle. The hinged part rotates about the saddle at a hinge. The hinge includes a pin that fits into openings in the saddle and the hinged part.

According to still another aspect of the invention, a method of installing cables includes the steps of: spreading the cables apart using inserts that define plural cable-receiving pockets, wherein the cables each pass through one of the pockets; and supporting the cables with plural cable supports.

According to a further aspect of the invention, a cable separator includes: plural first structures that define plural cable-receiving pockets between respective adjacent pairs of the structures; and a second structure connected to and supporting all of the first structures.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims. The following description and the annexed drawings set forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention. These embodiments are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed. Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the annexed drawings, which are not necessarily to scale:

FIG. 1 is an oblique view of a first embodiment cable support in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the cable support of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a back view of the cable support of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating coupling together of a pair of the cable supports of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an oblique view of the cable support of FIG. 1 mounted to a vertical wall in a vertical orientation;

FIG. 6 is an oblique view of the cable support of FIG. 1 mounted to a vertical wall in a horizontal orientation;

FIG. 7 is a side view of the cable support of FIG. 1 mounted to a ceiling;

FIG. 8 is an oblique view of the cable support of FIG. 1 assembled to one form of screw-on beam flange clamp and being secured to a beam flange;

FIG. 9 is an oblique view of the cable support of FIG. 1 attached to another form screw-on flange clamp;

FIG. 10 is an oblique view of the cable support of FIG. 1 assembled to hammer-on beam flange clip and secured to a beam flange;

FIG. 11 is an oblique view of the cable support of FIG. 1 secured to a clip in turn suspended from a C-purlin vertical flange;

FIG. 12 is a view of the cable support of FIG. 1 secured to a clip in turn suspended from a Z-purlin;

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary view of the cable support of FIG. 1 secured to a clip in turn secured to drop wire, which can be a vertical hanging rod or a vertical or horizontal flange;

FIG. 14 is an oblique view of the cable support of FIG. 1 secured to a hammer-on bottom mount flange clip with an intermediate angle bracket;

FIG. 15 is a side view of a tree connection of a pair of the cable supports of FIG. 1;

FIG. 16 is a side view of a back-to-back connection of a pair of the cable supports of FIG. 1;

FIG. 17 is a side view showing coupling of several of the cable supports of FIG. 1, utilizing both tree coupling and back-to-back coupling;

FIG. 18 is an oblique view showing a front part of a first alternate embodiment cable support in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 19 is an oblique view showing a back part of the cable support of FIG. 18;

FIG. 20 is a side view of the cable support of FIG. 18;

FIG. 21 is an oblique view of an insert installed in the cable support of FIG. 18;

FIG. 22 is an exploded view of the cable support and insert of FIG. 21;

FIG. 23 is an oblique view of the insert of FIG. 21;

FIG. 24A is an oblique view showing an example cable run using the cable supports of FIGS. 18 and 21;

FIG. 24B is an oblique view of another example cable run, using inserts or cable spreaders at cable sag locations;

FIG. 24C is an oblique view of a first cable spreader or insert used in the installation of FIG. 24B;

FIG. 24D is an oblique view of a first cable spreader or insert used in the installation of FIG. 24B;

FIG. 25 is an oblique view of a second alternate embodiment cable support in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 26 is an oblique view showing a pair of the cable supports of FIG. 25 coupled together in a tree configuration;

FIG. 27 is an oblique view of a third alternate embodiment cable support in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 28 is an oblique view of a fourth alternate embodiment cable support in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 29 is an oblique view of a fifth alternate embodiment cable support in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 30 is an oblique view of a sixth alternate embodiment cable support in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 31 is an exploded view of the cable support of FIG. 30; and

FIG. 32 is an oblique view of an alternate embodiment cable support insert in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 33 is an oblique view an insert or cable separator in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A cable support has a saddle, and a hinged part that can be engaged with a slot in the cable support to close an opening for placing cables into the saddle. The saddle has a curved inner surface, bulging at middle of the surface and curving away toward the longitudinal edges. The hinged part has a resilient finger tab that releasably fits into slot in the support to close the opening. An insert may be placed in a cable-receiving area of the support to divide the area into plural cable-receiving pockets. The insert may include hooks that engage a guide rail of the cable support. In addition, inserts may be placed between cable supports, either alone or with a strap around the insert to aid in retaining cables. Whether in or in between the cable supports, the inserts divide up and spread out the cables in a bundle or group of cables. This may advantageously reduce alien crosstalk between the cables. In addition, spreading out the cables allows more space for air to flow around the cables, increasing the heat dissipation from the cables. Further steps may be taken to reduce or eliminate alien crosstalk between individual of the cables. Such steps include moving cables to different pockets defined by the inserts, rotating inserts to change relative orientation of cables, and adding additional inserts. The cable supports and the inserts may be used with high performance communication cable, such as installations of Category 6, Category 6A, Category 7, or higher Category cable. Further, the heat dissipation characteristics of the inserts provide advantages of installations involving power transmission along cables, such as power over Ethernet installations.

Referring initially to FIGS. 1-3, a cable support 10 includes a semicircular cable-receiving saddle 12 protruding from a vertical backbone 14. The saddle 12 has a curved inner surface 16 that is bulged toward the longitudinal middle of the saddle 12, and that curves away toward edges 18 and 20 of the saddle 12. The saddle curved inner surface 16 has a radius of curvature of at least 2 inches (5 cm), and may have a radius of curvature of at least 2.5 inches (6.3 cm). The saddle curved inner surface 16 helps in maintaining a minimum radius of curvature for cables in the cable support 10 supported by the saddle 12. The radius of the curved inner surface 16 may be selected to maintain a minimum radius required for installations of Category 6, Category 6A, Category 7, or higher Category cable. It will be appreciated that other suitable radii of curvature may be selected, for instance to conform with other minimum cable radii of curvature. The edges 18 and 20 are rounded edges to further prevent damage to cables.

The curved inner surface 16 of the saddle 12 provides a lower boundary to a cable-receiving area 22 of the cable support 10. Cables 23 are placed in the cable-receiving area 22, and rest on the saddle 12. As described in greater detail below, the cable support 10 includes parts for selectively opening and closing access to the cable-receiving area 22. Access to the area 22 can be provided to introduce cables in the area 22. Access can then be closed off to secure cables within the cable-receiving area 22.

The saddle 12 has three ribs 24 on its outer surface 26. The ribs 24 run in a circumferential direction, and are separated in a longitudinal (axial) direction along the saddle outer surface 26. The ribs 24 provide additional strength to the saddle 12. The illustrated embodiment has three ribs 24, but it will be appreciated that alternatively a different number of ribs may used.

The backbone 14 is used for mounting the cable support to various structures. The backbone 14 also may provide support for the other parts of the cable support 10. An upper backbone part 30 has upper holes 32, 34, and 36 for receiving various types of fasteners. For example, the upper holes 32-36 can include a rivet hole, a nail or screw hole to allow a nail or screw to pass through, and a threaded hole for receiving a threaded fastener such as a bolt. Threads for a threaded hole may be supplied by a threaded insert in the upper backbone part 30.

A lower backbone part 40 has a lower hole 42. The upper holes 32-36 and the lower hole 42 may be used to mount the cable support 10 to any of a variety or structures in any of a variety of orientations, as is described further below. In addition, the backbone parts 30 and 40 may be configured allow multiple of the cable supports 10 to be directly mechanically coupled together in any of a variety of orientations. As is described in greater detail below, cable supports 10 may be joined back to back, and may be joined in a tree configuration, with the upper backbone part 30 of one cable support 10 secured to the lower backbone part 40 of another cable support 10.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the upper backbone part 30 is a male part that is designed to mate with the female lower backbone part 40 (of another cable support 10). The lower backbone part 40 is hollow, and is designed to receive the thinner and narrower upper backbone part 30. Engagement between the backbone parts 30 and 40 of two cable supports 10 and 10′ is illustrated in FIG. 4 (and is also described further below in connection with FIG. 15). The parts 30 and 40 are correspondingly keyed. The upper backbone part 30 has grooves 44 and 46 along its side surfaces. The lower backbone part 40 has corresponding protrusions 48 and 50 within a hollow 54. As the upper backbone part 30 slides into the hollow 54 of the lower backbone part 40, the protrusions 48 and 50 fit into the grooves 44 and 46. This ensures a proper fit between the parts 30 and 40, and helps maintain engagement of the parts 30 and 40.

The holes 32 and 42 may be configured such that the holes 32 and 42 are aligned when the upper backbone part 30 is fully inserted into the lower backbone part 40. A threaded fastener, such as a bolt, may be threaded into a threaded insert 56 in the upper backbone part 30 to secure the cable supports 10 and 10′ together.

It will be appreciated that many alternatives are possible for the above-described engagement of the backbone parts 30 and 40 of different cable supports 10 and 10′. The male and female functions of the parts 30 and 40 may be swapped. The protrusions 48 and 50 and the grooves 44 and 46 may be swapped between the parts 30 and 40. The protrusions 48 and 50 and the grooves 44 and 46 also may be configured differently. Further alternative engagement mechanisms are described below with regard to other embodiments.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the backbone 14 does not run continuously from top to bottom of the cable support 10. Rather the backbone parts 30 and 40 may be separate parts in that they are not directly connected together. Alternatively, the backbone 14 may be a single piece running continuously from top to bottom of the cable support 10.

The cable support 10 has a hinge 58 at a distal end 60 of the saddle 12. The hinge 58 is a joint that allows hinged part 62 to pivot relative to saddle 12. The hinge 58 is an integral hinge that is a feature of the material of the cable support 10, in contrast to involving separate mechanically engaged parts. The hinge 58 may be a weakened portion of material, weaker than the adjacent material of the saddle 12 and the hinged part 62. Since the hinge 58 is weaker than the adjacent material, bending preferentially occurs at the hinge 58. The hinge 58 may be a thinner portion of material, thinner than the adjacent material of the saddle 12 and the hinged part 62. Other ways of weakening the material are also possible, such as by cutting a slot or notches in the material. In addition, it will be appreciated that the hinge 58 alternatively may include two or more separate parts that are mechanically coupled together to allow relative rotation or pivoting.

The hinged part 62 includes a stem 64 that is linked to the hinge 58 at one end, and has a resilient finger tab 66 at an opposite free end. The stem 64 may be biased to stick straight up substantially parallel to the backbone 14 when no force is applied to the move the hinged part 62 about the hinge 58. This leaves an opening 67 between the stem 64 and the backbone 14 for inserting cables into the cable-receiving area 22.

The tab 66 engages a tab-receiving slot 68 in a housing 70 that is coupled to the saddle 12 and the backbone 14. The tab 66 has an upper tab portion 72 and a lower tab portion 74 that are linked at a nose 76. The tab portions 72 and 74 meet at the nose 76, and are angled away from each other when no force is applied to them. The tab portions 72 and 74 may be resiliently brought together by application of force, such as by a user squeezing together with his or her fingers. The nose 76 thus acts as a hinge linking the tab portions 72 and 74. The nose 76 may be a thinner or otherwise weaker than the material of the tab portions 72 and 74.

The upper tab portion 72 has a wedge 80 on its top surface. The narrow end of the wedge 80 is toward the nose 76, with the wedge 80 becoming thicker as it is further from the nose 76. The tab portions 72 and 74 may be squeezed together to insert the tab 66 into the tab-receiving slot 68. Insertion of the tab 66 into the slot 68 closes the opening 67 in the cable-receiving portion of the cable support 10. When the tab portions 72 and 74 are released they resiliently expand to fill the slot 68. The thick end of the wedge 80 facilitates maintaining the tab 66 within the slot 68. With the opening 67 closed off, cables are secured within the cable-receiving area 22 of the support 10. Optionally, a second wedge may be added on the lower tab portion 74 to provide improved retention of the finger tab 66 in the slot 68.

To release the resilient finger tab 66, the tab portions 72 and 74 are squeezed together by a user pressing them together at their free ends. This reduces the thickness of the tab 66 enough to allow the wedge 80 to pass through the slot 68. The user can then grip the tab portions 72 and 74 and pull the tab 66 out of the slot 68. It will be appreciated that the squeezing and the gripping and pulling described above may be essentially a single fluid movement executed by a user. Releasing the finger tab 66 allows removal of cables and/or insertion of more cables.

The stem 64 has a curved inner stem surface 82 that faces the cable-receiving area 22. The inner stem surface 82 may have substantially the same curvature as the saddle inner surface 16. The curved inner stem surface 82 helps prevent unacceptable bends in cables within the cable-receiving area 22.

The housing 70 is hollow, although it may have internal supporting structures such as ribs. The housing 70 has an angled top surface 84, an angled bottom surface 86, and a pair of triangular sides 88 and 89. The angled top surface 84 is angled down in the direction away from the backbone 14. The angled bottom surface 86 is angled up in the same direction, away from the backbone 14. The angled surfaces 84 and 86 may be angled at approximately 45-degree angles to the backbone 14, and therefore oriented at a right angle relative to each other. A blunt tip 90 at the intersection of the angled surfaces 84 and 86 avoids sharp corners that could damage cables.

The top angled surface 84 has the tab-receiving slot 68 therein. The bottom angled surface 86 is curved, presenting a curved face toward the cable-receiving area 22. The curvature of the bottom housing surface 86 may be substantially the same as that of the curved saddle surface 16 and the inner stem surface 82. Thus when the cable-receiving area 22 is closed, the cables secured within the area 22 may be surrounded by curved surfaces that prevent undesirable sharp bends in the cables.

The cable support 10 may be made of a suitable molded plastic, for example being produced by injection molding. Parts of the cable support 10 may be inserts made of suitable metal, such as steel, aluminum, copper, or zinc. Examples of such inserts include a threaded insert for the top backbone portion 30, and a strengthening plate for the backbone 14. Such inserts may be placed at suitable locations in a mold for making the molded plastic cable support 10.

Alternatively the cable support 10 may be made of other suitable materials, such as suitable metals. Examples of suitable metals include mild steel, stainless steel, spring steel, copper, aluminum, and zinc. A metal cable support may be made using processes such as stamping, casting, extruding, and machining.

The cable support 10 may be made in any of a variety of sizes. For example, the cable-receiving area 22 may have a diameter of 0.75 inches (1.9 cm), 1.3 inches (3.3 cm), or 2 inches (5.1 cm). It will be appreciated that the cable support 10 may have other sizes, larger or smaller than the above example sizes. Cable supports 10 of different sizes may have backbone portions 30 and 40 of the same sizes, allowing different sizes of cable supports to be coupled together.

It will be appreciated that the cable support 10 may be used for holding items other than cables. A wide variety of tubular and other elongate rigid and flexible items may be placed in and supported by the cable support 10.

FIGS. 5-17 illustrate the cable support 10 installed in a variety of different ways, coupled to different structural elements in different orientations. FIG. 5 shows the cable support 10 attached in a vertical orientation to a vertical wall 91, for a horizontal cable run. The cable support 10 may be attached to the wall by use of a screw or nail 92 passing through one of the holes 32-36 in the top backbone portion 30. A second screw or nail 94 may optionally pass through the hole 42 in the bottom backbone portion 40, to more securely mount the cable support 10.

FIG. 6 shows the cable support 10 attached to the vertical wall 91 in a horizontal orientation, using both of the screws or nails 92 and 94. In this orientation the cable support 10 supports a vertical cable run. It will be appreciated that the ability of the cable support 10 to mechanically close to secure cables in the cable-receiving area 22 aids in keeping the supported cables in place.

In FIG. 7 the cable support 10 is attached to a ceiling 96. The screws or nails 92 and 94 may engage the ceiling or a stud to attach the cable support 10 to the ceiling 96. The cable support 10 in this orientation can be used to support a cable run along a ceiling. The locking feature for the cable-receiving area 22 keeps the cables in place. The curved surfaces surrounding the cable-receiving area 22 prevent sharp bends in the cables, no matter what the orientation is of the cable support 10.

FIG. 8 shows the cable support 10 attached to a beam 102 which includes typically a top flange 103, a bottom flange 104, and a web 105 therebetween. The lower flange 104 has an edge 106 that receives a variety of hammer-on or screw-on clamps or clips utilized to support a variety of items. A screw-on clamp 108 is coupled to the cable support 10, and is installed on the flange edge 106. An example of the clamp 108 is a big beam clamp sold by ERICO International Corporation of Solon, Ohio, U.S.A., under the part number BC400 and under the trademark CADDY. The clamp 108 has a generally U-shape configuration. The cable support 10 is preassembled or attached to the bight portion of the U-shape body by a rivet 109. The U-shape body slips over the flange edge 106, and a heavy duty bolt 110 extending through a threaded hole 111 in the upper leg of the clamp 108 is employed to clamp the assembly firmly in place on the lower flange 104 of the beam 103.

FIG. 9 shows the cable support 10 attached to another type of screw-on beam hanger 113. The beam hanger 113 is sold by ERICO International Corporation of Solon, Ohio, U.S.A. under the part number BC. The clamp 113 fits beam flanges up to 0.5 inches (1.27 cm) thick. The beam clamp 113 has a sheet metal body 114 formed in the U-shape configuration. A bolt 115 is threaded into a top portion and projects into an opening or mouth 116. The lower edge or jaw has teeth 117. The bolt 115 and the teeth 117 combine to secure the beam hanger 113 to a beam flange. As illustrated, the cable support 10 is secured to the exterior of the clamp by a rivet 109.

Turning now to FIG. 10, the cable support 10 is secured to the edge 106 of the bottom flange 104 of the beam 102 by a hammer-on flange clip 120. The flange clip 120 is made out of spring steel, and has generally U-shape. The clip 120 has flexible top and bottom legs which are spread as the clip 120 is hammered on the flange 114. The edges of the top and bottom legs are provided with barbs 121 which bite into the flange 114 to resist removal. The clip 120 may be hammered onto the flange edge 116 simply by using a hammer to strike a clip bight portion 122. The bight portion 122 includes a downwardly extending tab 123 provided with a hole which accommodates the rivet 109. The hammer-on flange clip 120 may be of the type sold by ERICO International Corporation of Solon, Ohio, U.S.A., under the registered trademark CADDY, with a catalogue part number of 4H58. Such hammer-on flange clips are available in a number of sizes and fit the edges of most tees, angles, or flanges. For example, open joists typically have angles along the lower edge with projecting flanges and in combination with a hammer-on clip, the saddle support can be positioned substantially anywhere along such structures.

FIG. 11 shows a C-purlin 126, a structure that derives its name from its sectional shape. The bottom leg of the C shape includes an upturned flange 127 having an edge 128. The support 10 is riveted to the lower end of C-purlin clip 130 by a rivet 109. The upper end of the C-purlin clip 130 includes a hook 131 with barbed edges, which fits over the C-purlin edge 128. The barbed edges resist dislocation. Such C-purlin clips are sold by ERICO International Corporation, of Solon, Ohio, U.S.A. under the registered trademark CADDY, and under the catalogue number VF. Such clips vary in size.

FIG. 12 illustrates a Z-purlin 134 that has a vertical web 135, and opposite horizontal flanges 136 and 137. Each of the horizontal flanges 136 and 137 terminates in angled flanges 138 and 139. The cable support 10 is riveted by a rivet 109 to the lower end of a Z-purlin clip 142. The Z-purlin clip 142 has a top hook 143 which snaps over the edge of flange 139. The hook 143 includes barbs adapted to bite into the Z-purlin 134 to resist withdrawal. Such Z-purlin clips are sold by ERICO International Corporation of Solon, Ohio, U.S.A., under the registered trademark CADDY, and the part number AF. Such Z-purlin clips come in a variety of sizes.

Drop wires or rods are often used to support various items or utilities from structural components or ceilings. In FIG. 13 the support 10 is connected by the rivet 109 to a clip 151 that in turn is clipped to a drop wire or rod 150. The rivet 109 is secured to the approximate middle of the clip 151. The clip 151 includes upper and lower spring legs, although only the upper leg 152 is visible in FIG. 13. The spring legs are bent toward each other to create a lateral notch opening for receipt of the drop wire 150. When the legs are released on the wire or rod 150, sharp notch edges bite into and grip the drop wire 150. Such clips 151 are typical of the multi-function clips for securing various items to drop wires, rods or flanges and are sold by ERICO International Corporation of Solon, Ohio, USA, under the trademark CADDY, and also under the catalogue numbers 4Z34 and 6Z34 for example. Such clips 151 may readily be secured to number 12 wire, ¼ inch plain rod, or ⅜ inch plain or threaded rod. Similar clips are shown in Havener, U.S. Pat. No. 3,055,686. With the assembly of the support 10 and the clip 151, the saddle support and thus a cable bundle may be positioned vertically anywhere along the drop wire or rod 150.

Referring now to FIG. 14, the support 10 is shown mounted on an edge 155 of a lower flange 156 of an angle 157. The cable support 10 may be mounted on the angle utilizing the same or a similar hammer-on clip 120 (FIG. 10), but turned upside down. Accordingly the tab 123 now projects upwardly. The saddle support is secured to the face of a vertical leg 160 of an angle 161 by the rivet 109. A horizontal leg 162 of the angle 161 is pivoted relative to a leg 163 of the clip 120 by a suitable pivot fastener, such as a rivet. Accordingly, the cable support may be fastened on the edge 155 simply by hammering the clip 120 onto the edge 155. The cable support 10 still may be able to swivel or pivot 360 degrees about the vertical pivot axis between the horizontal leg 162 of the angle 161, and the clip 120. The intermediate angle 161 may be used to secure the cable support 10 to the underside of a wide variety of other clips or fasteners, such as those described elsewhere herein.

FIG. 15 shows a pair of cable supports 10 and 10′ in a tree configuration, with the top backbone portion 30 of the support 10′ inserted into and secured to the bottom backbone portion 40 of the support 10. A threaded fastener 170, such as a bolt and nut, is used to secure the supports 10 and 10′ together. The supports 10 and 10′ advantageously can be secured together without the need for any additional hardware, such as an intermediate bracket. The coupled cable supports 10 and 10′ may be secured to walls or other structure in various ways, such as those shown in FIGS. 5-14 and described above.

FIG. 16 shows the cable supports 10 and 10′ secured to each other in a back-to-back configuration. Screws, bolts, rivets, or other suitable fasteners may be used to secure the top backbone portions 30 and/or the bottom backbone portions 40 together. As shown in FIG. 16, the cable supports 10 and 10′ may be aligned vertically with one another, with all of the holes 32-36 and 42 (FIG. 1) aligned. Alternatively, the cable supports 10 and 10′ may be offset relative to one another, with the fastener 170 coupling the cable supports 10 and 10′ passing through different holes in each of the cable supports 10 and 10′. The cable supports 10 and 10′ advantageously can be coupled together in the back-to-back configuration without additional brackets or other non-fastener hardware. The back-to-back coupling may be of cable supports of the same size, as is illustrated in FIG. 16. Alternatively, the back-to-back coupling may be of cable supports of different sizes.

The tree coupling and back-to-back coupling may be combined, as illustrated in FIG. 17. Two tree-coupled cable supports 10 and 10′ are coupled back-to-back to two other tree-coupled cable supports 10″ and 10′″. As shown in FIG. 17, cable supports of unequal size may be tree coupled together, with the supports 10′ and 10′″ smaller than the cable support 10 and 10″. The back-to-back tree-coupled cable supports may be symmetric, having the same number and size of cable supports. Alternatively, there may be different numbers, sizes, and/or ordering of tree-coupled cable supports coupled back to back.

What follows now are alternate embodiments cable supports and devices for use therewith. In the description of the alternate embodiments, features common to previously-described embodiments are often mentioned only in passing, or not at all. It will be appreciated that various features from the various embodiments may when suitable be combined in a single device. Also, it will be appreciated that the various ways of combining and mounting cable supports, described above with regard to FIGS. 5-17, apply to the following devices as well.

Referring now to FIGS. 18-20, an alternate embodiment cable support 210 includes many of the features described above with regard to the cable support 10 (FIG. 1). The cable support 210 includes a semicircular saddle 212 having a curved inner surface 216. At a distal end of the saddle 212, away from a backbone 214, a hinged part 262 can rotate relative to the saddle 212 about a hinge 258. The hinged part 262 has a stem 264 and a resilient finger tab 266. The stem 264 has a width that is less than the width of the saddle 212. The finger tab 266 has tab portions 272 and 274, and fits into a slot 268 in a housing 270. This allows an opening 267 to a cylindrical cable-receiving area 222 to be separately closed off, securing cables or other items in the cable-receiving area 222. The housing 270 has a central rib 271 for structural strength, midway between sides 288 and 289 of the housing 270. The rib 271 has a notch 291 to allow entry of the finger tab 266 into the slot 268.

A wedge 280 on the upper tab portion 272 is used to engage the slot 268, to prevent the tab 266 from accidentally being dislodged from the slot 268. The wedge 280 has a central opening 292 between a left wedge part 294 and a right wedge part 296. When the tab 266 is inserted into the slot 268, the housing central rib 271 is received in the central wedge opening 292. Optionally, a second wedge, also with a central opening, may be provided on the lower tab portion 274.

The backbone 214 includes an upper backbone part 230 and a lower backbone part 240. The backbone parts 230 and 240 are configured to interfit, in a manner similar to the backbone parts 30 and 40 of the cable support 10 (FIG. 1), to allow tree connections to be made between multiple of the cable supports 210.

Unlike the cable support 10 (FIG. 1), the cable support 210 has a pair of circular insert guide rails 310 and 312 on opposite axial (longitudinal) sides of the saddle 212 and the housing 270. The circular insert guide rails 310 and 312 run along outside surfaces of the saddle 212 and housing sides 288 and 289. The insert guide rails 310 and 312 have a substantially constant radius from a central longitudinal axis 314 of the cable-receiving area 222. The radius for the insert guide rails 310 and 312 is slightly greater than the radius of the part of the curved saddle surface 216 that is farthest from the axis 314. The insert guide rails 310 and 312 flare out and away from the cable-receiving area 222. The cable support 210 also has a bendable tab 316, hingedly coupled to a blunt tip 290 of the housing 270 at a hinge connection 318. The insert guide rails 310 and 312, and the bendable tab 316, are used for engaging an insert that may be placed in the cable support 210.

With reference now in addition to FIGS. 21-23, an insert 320 may be placed in the cable support 210 to divide the cable-receiving area 222 into a plurality of cable-receiving pockets 322. The insert 320 is sometimes referred to herein as part of the cable support 210, although it is a separate part that fits into the saddle 212. The division of the cable-receiving area 222 into multiple pockets advantageously may be used to reduce cross-talk between multiple cables of a cable run supported by the cable support 210, as explained in greater detail below. In addition, the insert 320 may reduce heat build-up in a cable run of multiple cables supported by the cable support 210. The insert 320 may ameliorate heat build-up in multiple ways. First, separation of cables into different pockets 322 reduces the number of cables in contact with other cables, and increases the heat-rejecting surface area of the cables. In addition, the insert 320 itself may act as a series of fins, receiving heat from the cables and expelling heat to the surrounding environment.

In the illustrated embodiment the insert 320 divides the cable-receiving area 222 into five pockets 322, but it will be appreciated that the insert may be configured to divide the area 222 into a greater or lesser number of pockets. Different inserts forming different numbers of pockets may be configured for insertion into the same cable support, to allow a user to choose how many pockets 322 the cable-receiving area 222 is divided into. In addition, it will be appreciated that different sizes of the cable support 210 may have different corresponding inserts 320 for dividing different sizes of cable-receiving areas 222 into different numbers of the pockets 322.

The insert 320 includes a pair of separate plastic hollow halves 324 and 326. The insert halves 324 and 326 are inserted from opposite ends of the cable-receiving area 222, and snap together inside the cable-receiving area 222 to form the insert 320. The insert half 324 has three protruding fingers 330 that are inserted into the insert half 326 as the halves 324 and 326 are brought together. The fingers 330 have wedge tabs 332 at their ends. The wedge tabs 332 engage corresponding holes 336 in the insert half 326. The wedge shape of the tabs 332 causes the fingers 330 to be pushed radially inward as they progress into the insert half 326. When the ends of the fingers 330 reach the holes 336 the tabs 332 spring outward, engaging the holes 336. This outward movement of the tabs 332 may be accompanied by an audible click that informs the user that the insert halves 324 and 326 have been properly coupled together. The wedge shape of the wedge tabs 332 provides a locking function, preventing the insert halves 324 from being separated from one another by a simple axial pulling. In order to separate the insert halves 324 and 326, the wedge tabs 332 may be pressed radially inward, to disengage them from the holes 336. The inward pressing of the wedge tabs 332 may be accomplished using fingers, or by use of a screwdriver or other tool. After the wedge tabs 332 have been disengaged from the holes 336, the insert halves 324 and 326 may be pulled apart.

The insert halves 324 and 326 have keyed shapes that prevent rotation of one of the insert halves 324 and 326 relative to the other. The insert half 326 has a series of protruding ridges 340 that correspond to the shape of portions of a hollow 342 of the insert half 324. The shape of the ridges 340 also corresponds to portions of the cross-sectional shape of the insert half 326, with the ridges 340 being thinner continuations of portions of the body of the insert half 326. The ridges 340 are curved, with radial inward central portions and ends that are farther from a central axis of insert half 326. When the insert halves 324 and 326 are coupled together the ridges 340 are inside the hollow 342. The ridges 340 engage corresponding parts of the body of the insert half 324, and prevent relative rotation between the insert halves 324 and 326.

External surfaces 344 and 346 of the insert halves 324 and 326 may be symmetrical with one another, and may be continuous, without exposed edges or other discontinuities, when the halves 324 and 326 are joined together. The smooth transition between the external surfaces 344 and 346 aids in preventing damage to cables that may come in contact with the insert 320.

Since the external surfaces 344 and 346 are continuous, and may be identical, the external configuration of the insert 320 will now be described without regard to the separate insert halves 324 and 326. The insert 320 has five legs 350 emanating from an axially central insert body 352. The legs 350 provide the division between the various cable-receiving pockets 322 of the cable support 210. The central insert body 352 has rounded surfaces 354, not presenting any flat surfaces or sharp edges to cables that may contact the central body 352. The helps prevent damage to cables that rest on or may be pulled across the central body 352.

The insert legs 350 also have many rounded surfaces in areas where cables may rest and/or be pulled across. The legs 350 have respective narrow necks 356 where the legs 350 merge into the central body 352. The necks 356 may have rounded surfaces 358 that merge seamlessly and continuously into the rounded surfaces 354 of the central body 352.

The legs 350 spread out, becoming wider in an axial (longitudinal) direction as one travels further in a radial direction from the central body 352. The legs 350 have rounded edges 360 and 362 facing in the opposite longitudinal directions, the directions along which cables enter and leave the pockets 322. The legs 350 also have flat side surfaces 364 and 366 that transition smoothly to the rounded edges 360 and 362.

At distal ends 368, farthest from the central body 352, each of the legs 352 has a pair of hooks 370 and 372, with a curved surface 374 between the hooks 370 and 372. When the insert 320 is installed in the cable support 210 the curved surfaces 374 are against the curved saddle surfaces 216. The curved surfaces 374 may have substantially the same shape as the curved saddle surface 216, enabling a close fit between the curved insert surface 374 and the curved saddle surface 216. There may be a gap of at most 0.01 inches (0.254 mm) between the curved insert surface 374 and the curved saddle surface 216. The gap may be 0.005 inches (0.127 mm) or less. The close fit between the insert surface 374 and the saddle surface 216 helps in keeping cables from getting caught or pinched between the legs 352 and the saddle 212.

The hooks 370 and 372 fit around and engage the insert guide rails 310 and 312 on the cable support 210. The hooks 370 and 372 aid in keeping the insert 320 properly positioned on the cable support 210, within the cable-receiving area 222. The hooks 370 and 372 are curved protrusions, having a curvature about the same as that of the insert guide rails 310 and 312. The hooks 370 and 372 of each of the legs 352 protrude toward each other, in directions substantially perpendicular to the housing side walls 288 and 289.

The insert guide rails 310 and 312 do not extend a full 360 degrees around the cable support 210. The insert guide rails 310 and 312 do not extend on the stem 264, nor could they, since the stem 264 needs to be movable to close and open the opening 267, after installation of the insert 320. However, the hooks 370 and 372 on some of the legs 352 will always be in engagement with the insert guide rails 310 and 312 when the insert 320 is installed in the cable support 210.

The bendable tab 316 may be used to prevent rotation of the insert 320 in at least one direction, after the insert 320 is installed on the cable support 210. The bendable tab 316 is biased toward being out of cable-receiving area 322. While the tab 316 is outside of the cable-receiving area 322, the insert 320 is free to rotate within the cable-receiving area 322. When the bendable tab 316 is pushed downward, such as by being pushed down by the finger of a user, part of the bendable tab 316 enters the cable-receiving area 322. The bendable tab 316 in the cable-receiving area 322 limits rotation of the insert 320 within the cable-receiving area 322. As the insert 320 rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow 376 in FIG. 21, the rotation is stopped when one of the flat side surfaces 364 contacts the bendable tab 316. The insert flat side surface 364 presses against the bendable tab 316, driving the bendable tab 316 against the blunt tip 290, further pushing it into the cable-receiving area 322 and keeping it from bending back out of the cable-receiving area 322.

The cable support 210 may be made of molded plastic or of metals such as those described above with regard to the cable support 10. The cable support 210 may have any of a variety of sizes, for example having producing cable-receiving areas having diameters of 3 inches (7.6 cm), 4 inches (10.2 cm), or 6 inches (15.2 cm).

Turning now to FIG. 24A, details are given regarding the use of the insert 320 in an installation 378 of a cable run that includes plural cables 380 running from a first location 382 to a second location 384. The inserts 320 may be used to reduce alien crosstalk problems between individual of the cables 380. Crosstalk is electrical interference that happens between wire pairs in the same cable. Installation methods have little or no effect on crosstalk, other than providing a generous bend radius that prohibits a sharp bend, thus avoiding flattening of the cable geometry. In contrast, alien crosstalk occurs between wire pairs of different cables in close proximity. Running cables parallel and close makes them act as a high frequency transformer. Alien crosstalk problems become an increasing concern with higher performance communication cable that allows transmission of signals at higher rates. The inserts 320 may also be used to increase heat dissipation from the cables 380. Heat dissipation is an increasing concern in specifications, such as power over Ethernet, that allow transmission of power along cables. In the following discussion alien crosstalk reduction is discussed at length, and then heat dissipation is addressed. It will be appreciated that the alien crosstalk reduction techniques described below may also be applied to reduce or eliminate other electrical problems, such as electrical noise. The discussion with regard to alien crosstalk should therefore be interpreted as broadly applying to other defects in electrical signals.

As shown, the cable run 380 is supported by six cable supports 210 at locations 391-396. In supporting a run of cables 380, alien crosstalk between individual of the cables 380 may be less of a concern in the middle of the cable run, away from the end locations 382 and 384. For example alien crosstalk may be less of a concern more than 20 meters from one of the end locations 382 and 384. Thus in the illustrated installation 378 no inserts 320 are used in the central locations 393 and 394. In the locations 393 and 394 only the cable supports 210 are used to support the cable run 380.

In contrast, inserts 320 are used in conjunction with cable supports 210 at the locations near the ends 382 and 384 of the cable run 380. In the illustrated embodiment these are locations 391, 392, 395, and 396. Only two supports are shown in each of the near-end regions near the cable end locations 382 and 384. However this is for illustration purposes only, and it will be appreciated that in actual practice there may be many more cable supports used to support such a length of a cable run.

Installation is simple for the locations 393 and 394 that do not use the inserts 320. At these locations the cables 380 are inserted into the cable-receiving area 322 through the opening 267 (FIG. 21). The opening 267 is then closed off by inserting the tab 266 into the slot 268.

In installing the cables 380 into the inserts 320 and the cable supports 210, first the insert 320 is mounted into the cable support 210. Then some of the cables 380 are inserted through the opening 267 and into the first cable-receiving pocket 322. The insert 320 is then rotated in the direction 398, with more of the cables 380 inserted in one or more other of the cable-receiving pockets 322. The insert 320 can be rotated further in the direction 398 after insertion of all of the cables 380. The bendable tab 316 is pushed down into cable-receiving area 222, and the insert 320 and the cable bundle 380 are release. This causes some back-rotation of the insert 320, in a direction 399 that is opposite the direction 398, which results in pressure against the bendable tab 316, pinning the bendable tab 316 against blunt tip 290 of the housing 270. This locks the bendable tab 316 in place within the cable-receiving area 322, preventing further back-rotation of the insert 320. Finally the finger tab 266 is inserted into the slot 268, closing the opening 267 of the cable support 210.

The above procedure may be repeated for the other locations that utilize the inserts 320. The cables 380 may be initially randomly assigned to the pockets 322, being placed by the user without regard to which of the cables 380 are placed together, and without regard to whether the same cables are placed together in different of the cable supports 210. There is an additional variable element in that the user may be instructed to apply different amounts of rotation to the inserts 320 at different locations, perhaps by providing a variable amount of twist to the insert 320 after all of the cable 380 have been loaded.

Random assignment of the cables 380 to the pockets 322, and variable amounts of rotation of the inserts 320, may be sufficient to avoid cross talk problems between the cables 380. The inserts 310 may reduce alien crosstalk by any of a variety of mechanisms. The inserts 320 separate the cables 380, which tends to reduce alien crosstalk. Also, the presence of the inserts 320 reduces the number of cables 380 that the cable support 210 can accept, in comparison with a cable support 210 without an insert. Further, the inserts 320 cause the cables 380 to run along different paths with different lengths, thus varying the lengths of individual cables.

After initial installation, varying the placement of the cables 380 and the twisting of the inserts 320 without conscious selection, the performance of the cable run 380 may be tested, and if necessary improved. Performance can be tested by use of a suitable tester such as Fluke DTX-1800 CABLEANALYZER tester, available from Fluke Networks Corporation, of Everett, Wash., USA. Such a tester analyzes the alien crosstalk between twisted wire pairs in different cables, and is able to identify individual cables or pairs of cables that are encountering alien crosstalk problems. This may be useful in situations where individual cables are tagged or otherwise easily identifiable.

If a alien crosstalk problem is identified in testing, any of a variety of remedial actions may be used to try to ameliorate the alien crosstalk problem. One method is to twist one or more of the inserts 320. The twisting may be in the original twist direction 398. The bendable tab 316 may require reengagement into the cable-receiving area 322 after the twisting, in order to keep the insert 320 from back rotating.

Alternatively, one or more of the inserts 320 may be rotated in the direction 399. This may be done by actively turning the insert 320 or by allowing pent-up forces on the cables 380 to back-rotate the insert 320 in the direction 398. In either case the bendable tab 316 may need to be retracted before rotation in the direction 399 is possible.

Another alternative may involve shifting one or more cables 380 between the pockets 322. For example, if one of the cables 380 is encountering a alien crosstalk problem with another of the cables 380 in the same cable-receiving pocket 322, the cable encountering the problem may be shifted to another of the pockets 322. This is of course the simplest pocket-shifting that might occur, and it will be appreciated that the principle of ameliorating alien crosstalk by pocket shifting may be extended to a wide variety of more complex situations and pocket-shifting remedies.

A further possible method of handling alien crosstalk problems is to add or change inserts 320. Although the inserts 320 generally may not be needed except for cable supports within a certain distance of ends of the cables, additional inserts 320 may remedy alien crosstalk problems that are uncovered during testing. Inserts 320 may be added at to the cable supports 210 at one or more central locations, such as the locations 393 and 394, by: 1) disengaging the tab 266 from the slot 268; 2) coupling together the insert halves 324 and 326 in the cable-receiving area 322; 3) loading the cables 380 in the cable-receiving pockets 322 while rotating the insert 322, as described above; and 4) reengaging the tab 266 in the slot 268.

Alternatively the inserts 320 may be installed without removing the cables 380 from the cable support 210. The insert halves 324 and 326 may be placed within the cables 380 on opposite sides of the cable support 210, with the cables located between adjacent pairs of the insert legs 350. The insert halves 324 and 326 may then be joined together at the center of the cable-receiving area 222, with the cables 380 already distributed among the cable-receiving pockets 322. If desired, the insert 320 may then be twisted.

In addition to adding inserts 320 where none were previously in use, alien crosstalk may also be eliminated or reduced by replacing one type of insert 320 with another type of insert 320. For example an may be replaced by an insert having a greater number of pockets, or an insert having pockets that are more spatially isolated from one another.

It will be appreciated that the various methods described above may be used individually or in combination to reduce or eliminate instances of alien crosstalk. The same method or methods may be repeated until satisfactory test results are achieved, with alien crosstalk within acceptable limits. If desired, a hierarchy of the methods may be utilized, perhaps first trying easier steps, like twisting one or more of the inserts 320, before progressing to more involved steps like redistributing the cables 380 between the various cable-receiving pockets 322 of one of the inserts 320. A retesting may be performed after each step to see if alien crosstalk problems have been satisfactorily resolved before progressing to the next step.

It will also be appreciated that the methods described above may be applied to situations where multiple of the cable supports 210 are coupled together in tree configurations and/or in back-to-back configurations. Additional methods of reducing alien crosstalk may be applicable to such situations, for example shifting a cable from one cable support to another.

As noted above, the inserts 320 also improve heat dissipation from the cables 380. Heat dissipation becomes more of a concern for specifications that allow power to be transmitted over cables. An example is the IEEE standards on power over Ethernet, which allow up to 30 watts of energy to be transmitted along a cable that is part of a bundle. Since a bundle may contain 30 cables, for example, it will be appreciated that a cable bundle may produce a significant amount of heat, depending of course on the number of cables in the bundle that transmit power.

The inserts 320 may improve the heat dissipation from the cables 380 in a number of ways. The inserts 320 spread the cables 380 apart by dividing them up to run through the cable-receiving pockets 322. This allows more air space around the separated groups of the cables 380, allowing more air flow through the cables 380, and thus increasing heat dissipation from the cables 380 to the surrounding air.

In addition, heat dissipation may be increased by contact between the cables 380 and the insert 320. The legs 350 act as fins in dissipating heat transferred from the cables 380 to the insert 320. For improving heat dissipation from the inserts 320, the inserts 320 may be used in conjunction with supports 210 made out of metal, such as die cast aluminum or zinc. Steel cable supports would also have good heat dissipation, but have poorer characteristics in terms of preventing or reducing alien crosstalk.

The increased heat dissipation from use of the inserts 320 provides a substantial advantage over many other devices for installing cables. Conduits for cables often have poor heat transfer characteristics because little or no air flow occurs within the conduit. Solid-bottom or closed cable trays also restrict air flow around cables, which also makes for poor heat transfer between the cables and the surrounding air. Wire cable trays allow for some air flow, but still have the shortcoming of running all of the cables grouped together. This reduces the cable area available for dissipating heat to the environment, and concentrates the heat-producing cables together in a group.

FIGS. 24B-24D illustrate other ways to improve performance, by placement of inserts 320 between adjacent of the cable supports 210, or between an end of the cables 380 and a first or last cable support 210 supporting the cables 380. The inserts 320 are placed at sag locations 400 and 401 of the cables 380, where the cables 380 sag to some extent between cable support locations 392, 393, and 394. At the sag locations 400 and 401 the cables 380 may sag an allowed amount relative to the locations where the cables 380 are supported by the cable supports 210. For example, the permissible amount of the sag may be around 6 inches (15.2 cm), and may be as much as 12 inches (30.5 cm). The inserts 320 spread the cables 380 apart, allowing more air flow between the cables 380. This allows more heat to be dissipated out of the cables 380.

With reference to FIG. 24C, the insert 320 may be placed on its own among the cables 380, separating the cables 380 out from each other. The weight of the insert 320 may be adequately supported by the cables 380. There may be enough tension in the cables 380 to keep the cables 380 in the pockets 322 between the legs 350 of the insert/separator 320, without the need for any device to keep the cables 380 in place.

However a device to keep the cables 380 in place may be employed, as shown in FIG. 24D. FIG. 24D shows a cable spreader or separator 404 that includes a strap 406 that wraps around the circumference of the insert 320. The strap 406 wraps around the outer curved surfaces 374 of the legs 350. The strap 406 does not cinch or pinch the cables 380, and may not even touch any of the cables 380. The strap 406 does keep the cables 380 from coming out of the pockets 322. The strap 406 may be any of a variety of devices that surround the insert 320, and keep the cables 380 in place. The strap 406 may be any of a variety of flexible devices that surround the insert 320, and secure the strap 406 around the insert 320. For example, the strap 406 may be a VELCRO strap, a tie down, or a ratcheting ridged plastic band securing device, such as a device sold under the trademark SLAP SNAP by DT Search & Design, LLC, of St. Joseph, Mo., USA. The ratcheting device allows the insert 320 to be rotated relative to the strap 406, and maintained in the same location it has been rotated to. This feature allows the insert 320 to be rotated within a ratcheted or otherwise securable strap 406 to alleviate alien crosstalk problems.

As shown in FIGS. 24B-24D, the inserts or cable spreaders 320 may be placed in the cables 380 without any direct connection to any structure. However alternatively the inserts 320 may be linked to structure.

FIG. 25 illustrates a second alternate embodiment cable support 410. The cable support 410 is similar in many respects to the cable support 10 shown in FIG. 1. However, the cable support 410 has backbone parts 430 and 440 that overlap in making a tree connection between multiple of the cable supports 410. With reference now in addition to FIG. 26, the cable support 410 has a step 441 at a top end of the lower of the lower backbone part 440, where the lower backbone part 440 joins with a saddle 412. The top backbone part 430 of a cable support 410′ is received on the lower backbone part 440 of the cable support 410. An edge 443 of the top backbone part 430 is touching or close to the step 441 of the lower backbone part 440. This prevents (or limits) pivoting of the cable support 410′ relative to the cable support 410, in the plane of the backbone 414, when the cables supports 410 and 410′ are connected together in a tree configuration.

FIG. 27 shows a third alternate embodiment cable support 460. The cable support 460 is similar in most respects to the cable support 210 (FIG. 18). The cable support 460 shares with the cable support 410 (FIG. 25) the overlapping feature for a tree configuration. The cable support 460 has a top backbone portion 490 configured to overlap a bottom backbone portion 500 of another cable support to form a tree configuration.

FIG. 28 shows a fourth alternate embodiment cable support 510. The cable support 510 has a continuous backbone 514 from the top of the support 510 to the bottom of the support 510. The backbone 514 is hollow except for one or more supporting ribs, such as a rib 515. The support 510 also has a right-angle connection 517 between the backbone 514 and a saddle 512. The right angle connection 517 serves much the same function as the step 441 of the cable support 410 (FIG. 25), preventing pivoting of an upper backbone portion 530 of the support 510 relative to the lower backbone portion 540 of another support 510, when the portions 530 and 540 to couple together the supports in a tree configuration.

FIG. 29 shows a pair of fifth alternate embodiment cable supports 610 and 610′, coupled together in a tree configuration. The cable support 610 has a pair of opposed holes 611 and 613 in a backbone 614 and a stem 664. The holes are used to receive a pulley 675. The backbone 614 also a pair of notches 677 and 678 for receiving ends of a wire 679 coupled to the pulley 675. The pulley 675 may be used to facilitate pulling cables along a cable run. After the cables are pulled into place the pulley 675 may be removed. The cables may then be secured within a saddle 612 by engaging a finger tab 666 in a slot 668. The slot 668 is in an angled metal piece 669 that is secured to the backbone 614 by insert molding.

The saddle 612 is a partially hollow piece of molded plastic, with a central spine of material running along the center of the saddle 612 from the backbone 614 to the stem 664. The saddle 612 has a corrugated-like structure on either side of this central spine, with hollows 681 alternating with ribs 683. This structure reduces the weight of the cable support 610 and the amount of plastic needed, while still providing good strength.

The cable support 610′ has a saddle 612′ with a similar corrugated-like structure. The saddle 612′ has a generally rectangular shape, in contrast to the semicircular shape of the saddle 612.

FIGS. 30 and 31 shows a cable support 710 that includes a pinned hinge connection 758 between a pair of separate portions, a saddle 712 and a hinged part 762. The hinged part 762 has a forked end 765 with through openings 767. The forked end 765 fits around a saddle end 769 with an opening 771, lining up the opening 771 with the openings 767. A hinge pin 775 fits into the openings 767 and 771. The hinge pin 775 is secured to allow the hinged part 762 to hingedly pivot relative to the saddle 712. The parts of the cable support 710 may all be molded plastic parts.

FIG. 32 shows an insert 820 that can be used in a manner similar to the insert 320 (FIG. 21). The insert 820 has longitudinally forward and aft blunt ends 823 on the halves 824 and 826, and the ends of the legs 850. The blunt ends 823 are more comfortable than sharp ends for gripping by a user to turn the inset 820.

FIG. 33 shows another alternative insert or cable separator 870. The insert or cable separator 870 has plural substantially-parallel walls 872 emerging from a curved bottom 874. The walls 872 define between them separate plural cable-receiving spaces, chambers, or pockets 876. Placing cables in the chambers or pockets 876 separates the cables from one another, helping to prevent alien cross talk or other electrical interference between cables.

Each of the walls 872 has a thin neck portion 880 between a bottom thick portion 882 and distal tabs or fingers 884 at the free end of the wall 872. In the illustrated embodiment each of the walls 872 has four tabs or fingers 884a-884d, although it will be appreciated that the walls 872 may alternatively have a greater or lesser number of the fingers or tabs 884. The tabs 884 are separated from another, allowing the individual tabs 884a-884d to flex about the neck 880, which acts as a hinge.

The tabs 884a-884d have respective ramps 890a-890d on one side of each of the tabs, with the tabs 884a-884d being narrower at the top, furthest away from the curved bottom 874. Down the ramps 890a-890d, toward the neck portion 880, the ramps 890a-890d increasingly protrude into the chambers or pockets on either side of the wall 872. In the illustrated embodiment the outer ramp 890a and 890d face one direction, with the middle ramps 890b and 890c facing the opposite direction. It is advantageous to have the ramps 890 on either side of a chamber or pocket 876 face each at corresponding tabs. Thus in one of the chambers or pockets 876 the middle ramps 890b and 890c on each adjoining wall 872 may protrude inward into that chamber or pocket. In the next chamber or pocket 876 the outer ramps 890a and 890d from each of the adjoining walls 872 may protrude inward into that chamber or pocket.

The ramps 890 are used for retaining cables in the chambers or pockets 876. As the cables are pressed down into the chambers 876 the cables press against the surfaces of the ramps 890 that protrude into those chambers 876. This presses the corresponding tabs 884 outward to allow the cables to pass by them and into the main cable-receiving areas of the chambers or pockets 876. Once the cables pass by the tabs 884 and into the chambers or pockets 876, the tabs 884 resiliently spring back into place. Now the ramps 890 aid in retaining the cables in the chambers or pockets 876, since the cables must get past the thick ends of the ramps or wedges 890 into order to get out of the chambers or pockets 876. The thick ends of the ramps 890 are not sloped to aid in pressing apart the corresponding tabs 884. This acts to lock the cables in place in the chambers or pockets 876.

The insert 870 may be configured to fit into and be secured in a J-hook cable support. In the illustrated embodiment the insert 870 has a pair of flanges 894 and 896 extending out from the curved bottom 874 and from the end walls 898 of the insert 870. The flanges 894 and 896 extend from an opposite major surface of the curved bottom 874 than the major surface from which the walls 872 extend. The flanges 894 and 896 may be configured to extend around opposite edges of a J-hook cable support when the insert 870 is placed in a cable-receiving area defined by a cable-receiving saddle of the cable support. It will be appreciated that the insert 870 may be securable with a cable-receiving area of a cable support by other suitable structures and/or mechanisms.

In addition, the insert or cable separator 870 may also be used outside of cable supports. In a manner similar to that shown in FIG. 24B, the insert 870 may be used to separate cables of a cable run between cable supports, for example at sag locations between cable supports. Inserts 870 at sag locations may be placed at any of a variety of orientations to separate cables in any of a variety of directions. It will be appreciated that it may be appropriate to refer to the inserts described here as “cable separators,” since they can be used other than as inserts in cable supports.

The insert 870 may be made from a single piece of plastic. The insert 870 may be formed by injection molding or another suitable process.

It will be appreciated that the curved bottom 874 may be replaced by other support structures for linking and supporting the walls 872. Such alternative support structures may have other shapes, and may be part of the same single piece of plastic as the walls 872.

Although the invention has been shown and described with respect to a certain preferred embodiment or embodiments, it is obvious that equivalent alterations and modifications will occur to others skilled in the art upon the reading and understanding of this specification and the annexed drawings. In particular regard to the various functions performed by the above described elements (components, assemblies, devices, compositions, etc.), the terms (including a reference to a “means”) used to describe such elements are intended to correspond, unless otherwise indicated, to any element which performs the specified function of the described element (i.e., that is functionally equivalent), even though not structurally equivalent to the disclosed structure which performs the function in the herein illustrated exemplary embodiment or embodiments of the invention. In addition, while a particular feature of the invention may have been described above with respect to only one or more of several illustrated embodiments, such feature may be combined with one or more other features of the other embodiments, as may be desired and advantageous for any given or particular application.

Claims

1. A cable support comprising:

a cable-receiving saddle; and

a hinged part hingedly coupled to the saddle;

wherein the hinged part rotates about the saddle at a hinge.

2. The cable support of claim 1,

wherein the hinged part and the saddle are at least in part made from a continuous single piece of material;

wherein the hinge is a weakened portion of the single piece of material that is weaker than adjacent portions of the saddle and the hinged part;

wherein the hinged part includes a tab that is selectively engaged with a slot in the cable support to selectively close an opening providing access to the saddle; and

wherein the tab is a resilient finger tab having an upper tab portion that is hingedly coupled to a lower tab portion.

3. A cable support comprising:

a cable-receiving saddle that defines a cable-receiving area; and

an insert that fits into the cable-receiving saddle;

wherein the insert divides the cable receiving area into a plurality of cable-receiving pockets.

4. The cable support of claim 3, wherein the insert is a plastic insert.

5. The cable support of claim 3,

wherein the insert has plural substantially-parallel walls; and

wherein the pockets are between respective adjacent pairs of the walls.

6. The cable support of claim 5,

wherein the walls include tabs with ramps; and

wherein the ramps aid in securing cables within the cable-receiving pockets.

7. The cable support of claim 3,

wherein the insert includes a central body and plural legs extending outward from the central body; and

wherein the plural legs define the cable-receiving pockets.

8. A method of installing cables comprising:

placing the cables in plural cable supports, wherein at least one of the cable supports includes an insert that divides a cable-receiving area into plural cable-receiving pockets;

testing the cables for alien crosstalk; and

if necessary, reconfiguring the cables within the cable supports to reduce alien crosstalk.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the reconfiguring includes twisting the insert.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the reconfiguring includes moving at least one of the cables to another of the pockets.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the reconfiguring includes adding an additional insert to one of the cable supports that did not previously have an insert.

12. A method of installing cables comprises:

spreading the cables apart using inserts that define plural cable-receiving pockets, wherein the cables each pass through one of the pockets; and

supporting the cables with plural cable supports.

13. The method of claim 12,

wherein the inserts each include a central body and plural legs extending outward from the central body; and

wherein the plural legs define the plural cable-receiving pockets.

14. The method of claim 12,

wherein the inserts each include plural substantially-parallel walls; and

wherein the pockets are between respective adjacent pairs of the walls.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the cables include one or more power transmitting cables.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein at least some of the inserts are in respective of the cable supports.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising rotating the at least some of the inserts relative to the cable supports.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein at least some of the inserts are in sag portions of the cables, not in the cable supports.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the inserts in the sag portions of the cables are each surrounded by a strap that retains the cables in cable-receiving pockets of the inserts.

20. The cable support of claim 1,

wherein the hinge includes a pin that fits into openings in the saddle and the hinged part.

21. The cable support of claim 20, wherein the hinged part includes a tab that is selectively engaged with a slot in the cable support to selectively close an opening providing access to the saddle.

22. A cable separator comprising:

plural first structures that define plural cable-receiving pockets between respective adjacent pairs of the structures; and

a second structure connected to and supporting all of the first structures.

23. The cable separator of claim 22, wherein at least part of all of the first structures and at least part of the second structure are parts of a single plastic piece.

24. The cable separator of claim 22,

wherein the second structure is a central body; and

wherein the first structures are plural legs extending outward from the central body

25. The cable separator of claim 22, wherein the first structures are substantially-parallel walls extending from the second structure.