GB2330458A - Thermoplastic cable mounting device with straps - Google Patents

Abstract

A cable mounting device suitable for use in mounting radio signal cables comprises a thermoplastic stand-off base (1) having two ends separated from each other; a thermoplastic cable cleat/clamp/tie (2) connected to one of said ends; and a thermoplastic connector (3), suitable for attaching said base to a support mounted on a wall, floor or ceiling, connected to the other said end. The device is characterised in that said thermoplastic connector (3) comprises at least one set of four walls (8, 9, 10, 11) which together define a channel which passes through said connector (3) and has dimensions to receive a zip-strap (12, Fig 5), or a hook type cable support (13). A second channel defined by walls (4,5,6,7) may be provided. The device is particularly suitable for use in mounting a radio signal cable (radiating feeder) to a wall, floor or ceiling of a tunnel or subway, which wall floor or ceiling is fitted with a cable support (13).

Description

Cable Mounting Device This invention is concerned with a cable mounting device. In particular, though not exclusively, this invention is concerned with a device suitable for mounting radio signal cables (radiating feeders) within confined environments, such as within subways and tunnels.

Tunnels and subways have often been used as conduits through which cables, such as communication or power cables, can be passed. Typically, such cables have been mounted by metal cable supports, such as cable hooks or ladders, attached on the walls or ceilings. However, such supports are not convenient for laying radiating feeders as the supports and/or their close proximity to the walls can reduce the efficiency of a radiating feeder by breaking the integrity of the radiation field around the feeder.

Though breaking the integrity of the radiation field around a feeder may not be too problematical under normal circumstances (mobile phone users will be very familiar with the loss of signal as they pass through a particular section of a tunnel, which signal then reconnects either automatically or by redialing, for example when signal strength permits within the given area or by entering a different section further along the tunnel), the effective lack of a radio signal (radio black spots) in a section of the tunnel can cause severe problems to the emergency services should, for example, an incident or accident occur in that section.

To overcome the problems of radio black spots in tunnels and subways, it has been determined that radio signal cables should be mounted away from the wall of the tunnel or from any metal support. This has lead to the introduction of a new cable mounting system, especially designed to mount radio signal cables and comprising a thermoplastic stand-off base having two ends separated from each other by at least 50mm, wherein one end of said stand-off base is connected to a thermoplastic cable cleat/clamp/tie and wherein the opposite end of said stand-off base is connected to a thermoplastic connector suitable for interlocking attachment of the base to a support, such as a cable tray or 'Uni-Strut' type support, secured to the tunnel wall or ceiling. Though this system enables radio blackspots to be substantially eliminated in a tunnel, it is a customised system wherein the connector and cable support have to be specifically matched for them to interlock with each other. Further, if the tunnel is not already fitted with an appropriate "interlockable" cable support, it can be relatively time consuming and expensive to install one.

It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a system for mounting radiating feeders in a tunnel, which system can be fitted at least as quickly as, if not quicker than, the prior art system and which can be considered "universal" in that it can be used in association with any known cable support conventionally used in a tunnel or subway (i.e. a system which does not essentially rely upon the use of an "interlocking" cable support).

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a mounting device suitable for use in mounting radio signal cables comprising a thermoplastic stand-off base (1) having two ends separated from each other; a thermoplastic cable cleat/clamp/tie (2) connected to one of said ends; and a thermoplastic connector (3), suitable for attaching said base to a support mounted on a wall, floor or ceiling, connected to the other said end; characterised in that said thermoplastic connector (3) comprises at least one set of four walls (8, 9, 10, 11) which together define a channel which passes through said connector (3) and has dimensions to receive a zip-strap, and optionally a thermoplastic zip-strap fastener (12).

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for mounting a radio signal cable to a wall, floor or ceiling, which wall floor or ceiling is already fitted with a cable support, said method comprising the steps of: (a) attaching a mounting device, which device is suitable for use in mounting radio signal cables and comprise a thermoplastic stand-off base (1) having two ends separated from each other; a thermoplastic cable cleat/clamp/tie (2) connected to one of said ends; and a thermoplastic connector (3) comprising at least one set of four walls (8,9,10,11) which together define a channel which passes through said connector (3) and has dimensions suitable for receiving a zip-strap fastener, and optionally a thermoplastic zipstrap fastener (12), to said cable support by either engaging said zip-strap fastener into said channel and then fastening said zipstrap fastener to said support or engaging a part of said support into said channel; and (b) fastening said cleat/clamp/tie (2) around said radio signal cable.

The mounting device of the present invention advantageously offers the cable layer the ability to quickly mount radio signal cables in tunnels through the use of conventional cable supports, which supports may already be mounted in the tunnel: the mounting device of present invention may be considered "universal" because of its compatibility with all known conventional cable supports found in tunnels.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the connector comprises two sets of walls, (4,5,6,7) and (8,9,10,11), which define two channels passing through the connector at an angle substantially perpendicular to one another and each channel having dimensions to receive a thermoplastic zip-strap fastener.

The stand-off base (1) and the connector (3) are preferably formed integrally, or they may be formed as two or three separate parts which can be fitted together prior to use.

The connector may be supplied with the zip-strap fastener (12) integral therewith. For example, the zip-strap fastener may be held in the channel in the connector by an adhesive, or the connector (3) and zip-strap fastener (12) may be formed by injection moulding the parts together.

The cleat/clamp/tie may be formed integrally with the stand-off base.

Preferably, the cleat/clamp/tie (2) is a zip-strap fastener.

In a preferred embodiment, the cleat/clamp/tie comprises a zipstrap fastener which may be received by a channel defined by a set of walls formed in the stand-off base at the end of the stand-off base remote from the connector (3). In this embodiment, the connector (3) preferably comprises two channels. The channels each have dimensions to receive a zip-strap. The mounting device is assembled by threading one zip-strap through the channel at one end of the base and by threading the other zip-strap through one of the other channels in the connector at the other end of the base.

Preferably, all components of the mounting device are moulded from a low-smoke thermoplastic material. Preferably, all components of the mounting device are moulded from a zerohalogen material. Thermoplastic materials which are "Lowsmoke" and/or "zero-halogen" are well known to the specialist plastics compounder.

The invention will now be further described by way of exemplification and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG 1 is a schematic view of a radio signal cable mounted by a first embodiment of a clamping device in accordance with the present invention upon a cable support; FIG 2 is a schematic view of a second embodiment of a clamping device in accordance with the present invention secured upon a hook-type cable support; FIG 3 is a schematic view of the second embodiment of a clamping device in accordance with the invention secured upon a pipe cable support; FIG 4 & 5 is a schematic view of a third embodiment of a clamping device in accordance with the present invention secured upon a hook-type cable support (FIG 4) and a pipe cable support (FIG 5); and FIG 6 is a schematic view of a fourth embodiment of a clamping device in accordance with the present invention secured upon a hook-type cable support.

Referring now to FIG 1, a first embodiment of a clamping device in accordance with the present invention consists of a stand-off base (1) having a thermoplastic cable cleat/clamp/tie in the form of a zip-strap (2) connected to one end of said base and a connector (3) connected to the other end of said base. The connector (3) comprises a set of four walls, (8),(9),(10) and (11), which defines a channel which passes through the connector, and thermoplastic zip-strap (12), which is engaged into the channel and fastened around a hook-type cable support (13). Once the device is secured to the cable support, the radio signal cable (100) is mounted upon the device and held in position by fastening the zip-strap (2) around the cable. To assist locating the clamping device into the correct position on the cable support (13), the end (20) of the connector (3) is profiled so that it may fit snugly onto the cable support with the channel extending substantially parallel to the longest dimension of the cable 100.

Referring now to FIG 2, a second embodiment of a clamping device in accordance with the present invention consists of a stand-off base (1) having a thermoplastic cable cleat/clamp/tie in the form of a zip-strap (2) connected to one end of said base and a connector (3) connected to the other end of said base. The connector (3) comprises a set of four walls, (8),(9),(10) and (11), which defines a channel which passes through the connector, and which is engaged around a hook-type cable support (13).

Referring now to FIG 3, the second embodiment of a clamping device in accordance with the present invention consists of a stand-off base (1) having a thermoplastic cable cleat/clamp/tie in the form of a zip-strap (2) connected to one end of said base and a connector (3) connected to the other end of said base. The connector (3) comprises a set of four walls, (8),(9),(10) and (11), which defines a channel which passes through the connector, and thermoplastic zip-strap (12), which is engaged into the channel and fastened around a pipe-type cable support (13). Once the device is secured to the cable support, the radio signal cable is mounted upon the device and held in position by fastening the zip-strap (2) around the cable.

Referring now to FIG 4, a third embodiment of a clamping device in accordance with the present invention consists of a stand-off base (1) having a thermoplastic cable cleat/clamp/tie in the form of a zip-strap (2) connected to one end of said base and a connector (3) connected to the other end of said base. The connector (3) comprises two sets of four walls, (4), (5), (6) and (7) and (8),(9),(10) and (11), each of which defines a channel which passes through the connector. One of the channels engages a hook-type cable support (13).

Referring now to FIG 5, the third embodiment of a clamping device in accordance with the present invention consists of a stand-off base 1 having a thermoplastic cable cleat/clamp/tie in the form of a zip-strap (2) connected to one end of said base and a connector (3) connected to the other end of said base. The connector (3) comprises two sets of four walls, (4),(5),(6) and (7) and (8),(9),(10) and (11), each of which defines a channel which passes through the connector and which is capable of receiving zip-strap (12). The zip-strap can be engaged into the channel and fastened around a pipe-type cable support (13).

Referring now to FIG 6, a fourth embodiment of a clamping device in accordance with the present invention consists of a stand-off base 1 having a thermoplastic cable cleat/clamp/tie in the form of a zip-strap (2) connected to and formed integrally with one end of said base and a connector (3) connected to and formed integrally with the other end of said base. The connector (3) comprises a set of four walls, (8),(9),(10) and (11), which defines a channel which passes through the connector and which, in use, engages around a hook-type cable support (13).

Claims (10)

1. Claims 1. A mounting device suitable for use in mounting radio signal cables comprising a thermoplastic stand-off base (1) having two ends separated from each other; a thermoplastic cable cleat/clamp/tie (2) connected to one of said ends; and a thermoplastic connector (3), suitable for attaching said base to a support mounted on a wall, floor or ceiling, connected to the other said end; characterised in that said thermoplastic connector (3) comprises at least one set of four walls (8, 9, 10, 11) which together define a channel which passes through said connector (3) and has dimensions to receive a zip-strap, and optionally a thermoplastic zip-strap fastener (12).
2. 2. A method for mounting a radio signal cable to a wall, floor or ceiling, which wall floor or ceiling is already fitted with a cable support, said method comprising the steps of: (a) attaching a mounting device, which device is suitable for use in mounting radio signal cables and comprise a thermoplastic stand-off base (1) having two ends separated from each other; a thermoplastic cable cleat/clamp/tie (2) connected to one of said ends; and a thermoplastic connector (3) comprising at least one set of four walls (8,9,10,11) which together define a channel which passes through said connector (3) and has dimensions suitable for receiving a zip-strap fastener, and optionally a thermoplastic zipstrap fastener (12), to said cable support by either engaging said zip-strap fastener into said channel and then fastening said zipstrap fastener to said support or part thereof or engaging said support or part thereof into said channel; and (b) fastening said cleat/clamp/tie (2) around said radio signal cable.
3. 3. A device as claimed in claim 1 or a method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the connector (3) comprises two sets of walls, (4,5,6,7) and (8,9,10,11), which define two channels passing through the connector at an angle substantially perpendicular to one another and each channel having dimensions to receive a thermoplastic zip-strap fastener.
4. 4. A device or method as claimed in any relevant preceding claim, wherein the stand-off base (1) and the connector (3) are formed integrally or as two or three separate parts which can be fitted together prior to use.
5. 5. A device or method as claimed in any relevant preceding claim, wherein the cleat/clamp/tie is formed integrally with the stand-off base.
6. 6. A device or method as claimed in any relevant preceding claim, wherein the cleat/clamp/tie (2) is a zip-strap fastener.
7. 7. A device or method as claimed in any relevant preceding claim, wherein the connector (3) comprises two channels, said channels each having dimensions to receive a zip-strap.
8. 8. A device or method as claimed in any relevant preceding claim, wherein all components of the mounting device are moulded from a low-smoke thermoplastic material.
9. 9. A device or method as claimed in any relevant preceding claim, wherein all components of the mounting device are moulded from a zero-halogen material.
10. 10. A device or method substantially as described herein with reference to the drawings.