GB2269201A

GB2269201A - Clip for a plurality of pipes or tubes.

Info

Publication number: GB2269201A
Application number: GB9312876A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ronald David Broughton
Original assignee: B & H Ltd
Current assignee: B & H Ltd
Priority date: 1992-07-31
Filing date: 1993-06-22
Publication date: 1994-02-02
Anticipated expiration: 2013-06-22
Also published as: GB2269201B; GB9312876D0

Abstract

A spacer clip (4) for securing together a plurality of pipes or tubes comprises a plurality of integrally formed, resilient clip members (5). Each clip member (5) is dimensioned and configured closely to receive a pipe or tube. The clip is of particular utility in optical fibre cable assemblies, and the cable ducts are preferably secured to the clip by ultrasonic welding. <IMAGE>

Description

Title - Clip This invention relates to a clip for securing together tubes or pipes, in particular to a clip for securing together cable ducts.

Fibre optic or electrical cables used for the transmission of television or other telecommunications signals are generally protected by tubular cable ducts and buried in the ground.

Commonly, four such ducts are secured together in a spaced apart relationship as a bundle. The bundle is held together by a former to which the ducts are cemented.

Figure 1 shows a sectional view of such a prior art assembly.

The former 1 is a star-shaped plastics extrusion having four concave outer surfaces, each dimensioned to abut a cable duct 2.

The ducts 2 are secured to the former 1 by adhesive, typically a solvent-based cement. The ducts 2 may be several metres in length and several formers 1, each 5cm or so long, are positioned at intervals along the assembly.

A disadvantage of the prior art assembly shown in Figure 1 is that fixing of the ducts 2 to the former 1 is a laborious and time-consuming process.

There has now been devised a clip for securing together cable ducts or other pipes or tubes which overcomes or substantially mitigates the disadvantages associated with the prior art.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a spacer clip for securing together a plurality of pipes or tubes, the clip comprising a plurality of integrally formed, resilient clip members, each clip member being dimensioned and configured closely to receive a pipe or tube.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided an assembly comprising a plurality of pipes or tubes held in spaced apart relationship by a spacer clip comprising a plurality of integrally formed, resilient clip members, each clip member closely receiving one of said pipes or tubes.

According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided an optical fibre cable assembly comprising a plurality of cable ducts, each containing a fibre optic cable, the ducts being held in spaced apart relationship by a spacer clip comprising a plurality of integrally formed, resilient clip members, each clip member closely receiving one of said ducts.

The spacer clip according to the invention is advantageous primarily in that it facilitates the assembly of bundles of tubes or pipes such as cable ducts.

The spacer clip most preferably comprises four clip members, though larger or smaller numbers may also be useful.

The clip members are preferably radiussed to have a close fit with the pipes, ducts or tubes, though other forms providing resilient engagement are also possible.

The clip members are most preferably part-tubular, subtending more than 1800 of arc, eg about 2100, in cross-section. The clip members are most preferably symmetrically disposed about the longitudinal axis of the clip.

The spacer clip is preferably manufactured by injection moulding, although other techniques, eg extrusion, may be used. The spacer clip is preferably manufactured of plastics materials, most preferably of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) or polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

For securing together a plurality of optical fibre cable ducts, which may have a diameter of the order of 4cm, the spacer clip may be about 5cm in length.

The tubes or ducts may be held sufficiently securely by the resilience of the clip members alone, or a more secure bond may be achieved by the use, in addition, of adhesive. Even where adhesive is used, assembly is substantially easier than in the prior art method described above.

It is strongly preferred, however, that the tubes or ducts are secured to the spacer clip by ultrasonic welding. This has the advantage of providing a stronger joint, especially where the tubes or ducts and the spacer clip are of dissimilar plastics materials. The ultrasonic welding technique also presents fewer safety problems than does the use of adhesive, and is easter to automate. ~ It is also possible to vary the strength of the joint so as to optimise it. This is useful since, although a strong bond is normally desirable, it may be necessary during installation to separate the tubes or ducts from the spacer clips, which may be difficult if the joint is too strong.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of forming an assembly of pipes or tubes held in spaced apart relationship by a spacer, which method comprises the steps of applying a plurality of pipes or tubes to the spacer, and ultrasonically welding the pipes or tubes to the spacer.

The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of illustration only, with reference to the accompanying Figures 2, 3 and 4, of which Figure 2 is a sectional view of a first embodiment of a spacer clip according to the invention, Figure 3 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a spacer clip according to the invention, and Figure 4 is a sectional view of a third embodiment of a spacer clip according to the invention.

Referring first to Figure 2, a spacer clip 4 is injection-moulded from ABS. The clip 4 has an overall width of about 92mm and-a length of about 50mm. The clip 4 includes four radiussed parttubular sockets 5, the concave surface of each of which has a radius of 21mm and subtends approximately 2100 of arc.

In use, up to four cable ducts (shown by the dashed lines in Figure 2) are pressed into the sockets 5. Generally, several clips 4 will be used to secure together the ducts, the clips 4 being used at intervals of perhaps one metre or so along the length of the ducts.

For extra security of the assembly, a small amount of a solventbased cement may be applied to the edges of the sockets 5 where these adjoin the ducts. Alternatively, and preferably, the ducts are secured to the sockets 5 by ultrasonic welding at the points indicated by the arrows in Figure 2.

Figure 3 shows a second embodiment of clip 21, similar to that of Figure 2 with the exception that the sockets are provided with longitudinal ribs 25. To facilitate withdrawal of the clip from the mould during manufacture it may be desirable for the surfaces of the sockets to taper slightly from one end to the other. The ribs 25, however, may be perpendicular.

Figure 4 shows a third embodiment of clip 31, in which the sockets are not truly radiussed, but have planar surfaces which approximate to a part-circular configuration.

Claims

1. A spacer clip for securing together a plurality of pipes or tubes, the clip comprising a plurality of integrally formed, resilient clip members, each clip member being dimensioned and configured closely to receive a pipe or tube.

2. A spacer clip as claimed in Claim 1, which comprises four clip members.

3. A spacer clip as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the clip members are radiused to have a close fit with the pipes or tubes.

4. A spacer clip as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the clip members are part tubular, subtending more than 1800 of arc in cross section.

5. A spacer clip as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the clip members are symmetrically disposed about the longitudinal axis of the clip.

6. A spacer clip as claimed in any preceding Claim, which is of plastics material.

7. A spacer clip as claimed in Claim 6, which is injection moulded.

8. An assembly comprising a plurality of pipes or tubes held in spaced apart relationship by a spacer clip comprising a plurality of integrally formed, resilient clip members, each clip member closely receiving one of said pipes or tubes.

9. An assembly as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the pipes or tubes are held in place by the resilience of the clip members alone.

10. An assembly as claimed in Claim 8 wherein the pipes or tubes are held in place by means of adhesive.

11. An assembly as claimed in Claim 8 wherein the pipes or tubes are secured to the spacer clip by ultrasonic welding.

12. A method of forming an assembly of pipes or tubes held in spaced apart relationship by a spacer, which method comprises the steps of applying a plurality of pipes or tubes to the spacer, and ultrasonically welding of the pipes or tubes to the spacer.

13. An optical fibre cable assembly comprising a plurality of cable ducts, each containing a fibre optic cable, the ducts being held in spaced apart relationship by a spacer clip comprising a plurality of integrally formed, resilient clip members, each clip member closely receiving one of said ducts.

14. A spacer clip substantially as hereinbefore described.

15. A spacer clip substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying figures.

16. An assembly comprising a plurality of pipes or tubes in spaced apart relationship substantially as hereinbefore described.

17. An optical fibre cable assembly substantially as hereinbefore described.

18. A method of forming an assembly of pipes or tubes held in spaced apart relationship by a spacer, substantially as hereinbefore described.