GB2479137A - Sub-duct for cables having lines of flexibility for expansion and contraction - Google Patents
Sub-duct for cables having lines of flexibility for expansion and contraction Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2479137A GB2479137A GB1005258A GB201005258A GB2479137A GB 2479137 A GB2479137 A GB 2479137A GB 1005258 A GB1005258 A GB 1005258A GB 201005258 A GB201005258 A GB 201005258A GB 2479137 A GB2479137 A GB 2479137A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- duct
- sub
- lines
- flexibility
- panels
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
- 230000008602 contraction Effects 0.000 title 1
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 33
- 238000003780 insertion Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 13
- 230000037431 insertion Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 13
- 229920002725 thermoplastic elastomer Polymers 0.000 claims abstract description 6
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 claims description 18
- 229920000642 polymer Polymers 0.000 claims description 4
- 230000008707 rearrangement Effects 0.000 claims description 4
- OWNRRUFOJXFKCU-UHFFFAOYSA-N Bromadiolone Chemical compound C=1C=C(C=2C=CC(Br)=CC=2)C=CC=1C(O)CC(C=1C(OC2=CC=CC=C2C=1O)=O)C1=CC=CC=C1 OWNRRUFOJXFKCU-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims 1
- 230000001419 dependent effect Effects 0.000 claims 1
- 238000009434 installation Methods 0.000 description 6
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 5
- 238000007664 blowing Methods 0.000 description 3
- 239000000835 fiber Substances 0.000 description 3
- 238000012545 processing Methods 0.000 description 3
- 239000004743 Polypropylene Substances 0.000 description 2
- 230000008901 benefit Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000004049 embossing Methods 0.000 description 2
- -1 polypropylene Polymers 0.000 description 2
- 229920001155 polypropylene Polymers 0.000 description 2
- 150000001875 compounds Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 230000006835 compression Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000007906 compression Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000001125 extrusion Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000012805 post-processing Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000002407 reforming Methods 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
- B29C48/00—Extrusion moulding, i.e. expressing the moulding material through a die or nozzle which imparts the desired form; Apparatus therefor
- B29C48/16—Articles comprising two or more components, e.g. co-extruded layers
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
- H02G—INSTALLATION OF ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES, OR OF COMBINED OPTICAL AND ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES
- H02G3/00—Installations of electric cables or lines or protective tubing therefor in or on buildings, equivalent structures or vehicles
- H02G3/02—Details
- H02G3/04—Protective tubing or conduits, e.g. cable ladders or cable troughs
- H02G3/0462—Tubings, i.e. having a closed section
- H02G3/0481—Tubings, i.e. having a closed section with a circular cross-section
-
- B29C47/04—
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
- B29C59/00—Surface shaping of articles, e.g. embossing; Apparatus therefor
- B29C59/02—Surface shaping of articles, e.g. embossing; Apparatus therefor by mechanical means, e.g. pressing
- B29C59/04—Surface shaping of articles, e.g. embossing; Apparatus therefor by mechanical means, e.g. pressing using rollers or endless belts
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G02—OPTICS
- G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
- G02B6/44—Mechanical structures for providing tensile strength and external protection for fibres, e.g. optical transmission cables
- G02B6/4439—Auxiliary devices
- G02B6/4459—Ducts; Conduits; Hollow tubes for air blown fibres
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G02—OPTICS
- G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
- G02B6/46—Processes or apparatus adapted for installing or repairing optical fibres or optical cables
- G02B6/50—Underground or underwater installation; Installation through tubing, conduits or ducts
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
- H02G—INSTALLATION OF ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES, OR OF COMBINED OPTICAL AND ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES
- H02G1/00—Methods or apparatus specially adapted for installing, maintaining, repairing or dismantling electric cables or lines
- H02G1/06—Methods or apparatus specially adapted for installing, maintaining, repairing or dismantling electric cables or lines for laying cables, e.g. laying apparatus on vehicle
- H02G1/08—Methods or apparatus specially adapted for installing, maintaining, repairing or dismantling electric cables or lines for laying cables, e.g. laying apparatus on vehicle through tubing or conduit, e.g. rod or draw wire for pushing or pulling
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
- H02G—INSTALLATION OF ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES, OR OF COMBINED OPTICAL AND ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES
- H02G3/00—Installations of electric cables or lines or protective tubing therefor in or on buildings, equivalent structures or vehicles
- H02G3/02—Details
- H02G3/04—Protective tubing or conduits, e.g. cable ladders or cable troughs
- H02G3/0462—Tubings, i.e. having a closed section
- H02G3/0487—Tubings, i.e. having a closed section with a non-circular cross-section
Landscapes
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Optics & Photonics (AREA)
- Architecture (AREA)
- Civil Engineering (AREA)
- Structural Engineering (AREA)
- Details Of Indoor Wiring (AREA)
Abstract
A sub-duct 101 for holding a cable 2 within a main duct 4, has a wall 112 formed from a polymeric material and has longitudinally extending lines of flexibility 110, 110'. These lines define panels 114, 114' in the material. The lines of flexibility, which may be formed by a local thinning of the wall or by co-extruded lines of a thermoplastic elastomer, allow each of the panels to be folded and unfolded with respect to each other along the lines of flexibility. In use, the panels 114, 114' can first be folded to reduce the interior volume 108 and thereby aid insertion of the sub-duct 101 into the main duct 4 and then unfolded to aid insertion of a cable down the length of the interior volume, and then folded again to reduce the interior volume.
Description
Sub-duct for Cables
BACKGROUND
a. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for processing the outer surface of cylindrical members, such as tubes and conduits, and in particular to the processing of such members to form a collapsible sub-duct for installation inside a larger main duct into which cable may be inserted.
b. Related Art There is often the need to install cables into existing main ducts, which may run for hundreds of metres between access points. Such main ducts will, in general, house previously installed cables and may only have limited room to accommodate any additional cables.
There are a number of different installation methods for running new cables through an existing duct network. Compressed gas can be use to blow a cable down a main duct. Usually, the cable is pushed by a traction apparatus at the same time as the compressed air is blown into the main duct. However, when space becomes limited this can become impractical.
One solution to this problem is disclosed in patent document WO 03/092134, in which a sub-duct is formed using a highly flexible material which may be inflated using a compressed gas and which naturally deflates when the gas pressure is relieved. The sub-duct is first installed in a main duct while in a collapsed state and then when inflated the highly flexible material stretches to increase the cross-sectional area of the sub-duct. A cable, for example a fibre optic cable, may then be blown down the length of the sub-duct. When the inflation pressure is released, the sub-duct collapses, thereby increasing the space available inside the main duct for any future instaUation of additional sub-ducts.
A limitation of this system is that because the material is highly flexib'e, it is not possible to push the sub-duct down a main duct, even when the sub-duct is fully collapsed.
Therefore, this system requires that high'y flexible material folded back on itself so the inner surface of the duct is outermost. Compressed gas is then blown in between the opposed outer surfaces of the sub-duct where this is folded back against itself, causing the sub-duct to unfurl inside the main duct as the fold point advances down the length of the main duct.
While this is an effective installation method, the highly flexible material is prone to damage either during installation or afterwards if this becomes caught on any sharp surfaces. Another limitation stems from the requirement to inflate the instaUed sub-duct prior to blowing a cable, for example a fibre optic cable, down the length of the sub-duct. Because the material of the sub-duct is flexible, the inflated sub-duct wall can be pinched together at points by any obstructions in the main duct, thereby hindering insertion of the cable down the length of the sub-duct.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a sub-duct that addresses these issues and also a method of manufacturing such a sub-duct.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a sub-duct for holding a cable within a main duct, comprising an elongate tubular member having an outer wall and within the outer wall an interior volume extending along the length of said tubu'ar member for ho'ding said cable, the wall being formed from a polymeric material having in said material a plurality of longitudinally extending lines of flexibility, said lines defining a plurality of panels in said material, said lines of flexibility allowing each of said panels to be folded and unfolded with respect to each other along said lines of flexibility, wherein in use said panels can first be folded to reduce said interior volume and thereby aid insertion of the sub-duct into a main duct and then unfolded to expand said interior volume to aid insertion of a cable down the length of said interior volume, and then folded again to reduce said interior volume and thereby reduce the volume occupied by the sub-duct in the main duct.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of forming a sub-duct for holding a cable within a main duct, comprising the steps of: -forming in a polymeric material an elongate tubular member having an outer wall and within the outer wall an interior volume extending along the length of said tubular member for holding said cable; and -forming in said wall a plurality of longitudinally extending lines of flexibility, said lines defining a plurality of panels in said material, said lines of flexibility allowing each of said panels to be folded and unfolded with respect to each other along said lines of flexibility.
According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of installing a cable inside a main duct using a sub-duct according to the first aspect of the invention, comprising the steps of: -folding said panels to reduce the interior volume of the tubular member and then inserting the sub-duct into a main duct; -unfolding said inserted sub-duct to expand said interior volume and then inserting a cable down the length of said expanded interior volume; and -after said insertion of the cable folding said panels again to reduce said interior volume and thereby reduce the volume occupied by the sub-duct in the main duct.
The polymeric material will, in general, comprise polymer chains. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the step of forming the lines of flexibility comprises a rearrangement of the polymer chains to increase the flexibility of the polymeric material along the lines of flexibility.
This rearrangement may be effected by a local thinning of said wall, for example, by a processing step in which the walls is compressed to inelastically deform the wall.
In a second embodiment of the invention the lines of flexibility are created by co-extruding stripes of a flexible thermoplastic elastomer along the length of the elongate tubular member so that they form the total wall thickness in those regions between the panels. The thermoplastic elastomer being a compatible material to the polymeric material of the panels and forming a homogeneous bond between adjacent panels.
The lines of flexibility preferably permit the panels to be folded against an adjacent panel.
Ii is preferred if the sub-duct has an even plurality of at least six of said panels, and a corresponding even plurality of lines of flexibility. The panels are preferably all have the same size in terms of width in the circumferential dimension.
Therefore, when there are six panels, each panel occupies up to one-sixth the circumference of the tubular member. When the tubular member is unfolded and approximately circular in cross-section, each panel then extends across an angle of up to 60° as viewed from a central portion of the interior volume.
Also in a preferred embodiment of the invention, alternate ones of said lines of flexibility have a tendency or are adapted to fold in opposite directions inwards or outwards relative to said interior volume. The alternate panels may be oppositely curved in a circumferential direction when the panels are unfolded so that a pair of the alternate panels adjacent to each other both curve in the same direction when folded together. The folded arrangement is then star-shaped in cross-section with the points of the star being formed by the outwardly folding lines of flexibility, and the bases of each point being formed by the adjacent inwardly folding lines of flexibility.
Preferably, each of said pairs of said panels when folded together curve around a central region of said interior volume when the panels are folded together. This helps to minimise the volume occupied by the sub-duct when the walls have been collapsed in this way.
The lines of flexibility which are adapted to fold inwards each preferably extend to a central region of the interior volume when the panels are folded. This helps to close up the interior volume when the walls have been folded together.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the following Figures, in which: Figure 1 shows a sub-duct for holding a cable within a main duct according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention, having six similar longitudinal panels separate by six similar lines of flexibility; Figure 2 shows a sub-duct for holding a cable within a main duct according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention, having six longitudinal panels separate by six lines of flexibility, alternating panels being oppositely curved and alternating lines of flexibility having an alternating tendency to fold either inwards or outwards; Figures 3 to 5 show in end on view the sub-duct of Figure 2 as this is progressively collapsed; Figure 6 shows schematically a first stage of manufacture of the sub-duct of Figures 1 or 2; Figures 7 shows schematicaUy a second stage of manufacture of the sub-duct; and Figure 8 shows schematicaUy a third stage of manufacture of the sub-duct.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Figure 1 shows a sub-duct 1 for holding a cable 2, which may be a fibre optic cable withki a main duct 4, which may be part of the cabling routkig infrastructure in a telecommunications network. There may be more than one cable 2 inside a sub-duct, but in general there will be a number of other similar sub-ducts inside the main duct 4.
The sub-duct 1 s in the form of an elongate tubular member having a thin outer wall 6 (typically between 0.5 and 4mm thick) and within the outer wall an interior volume 8 extending along the length of the tubular member for holding the cable 2.
When expanded as drawn, the diameter of the sub-duct s about (typically between 12 and 25 mm outer diameter). The wail is formed from a polymeric material, for example a polypropylene compound and has six similar longitudinally extending lines of flexibility, which are here grooves 10 in an outer surface 12 of the wall 6. The lines of flexibility 10 form live hinges positioned symmetrically around the circumference of the tubular member.
The lines of flexibility define a six corresponding panels 14 in the material of the wall. These lines of flexibility 10 are grooves in the external surface 12 that allow each of the panels to be folded and unfolded with respect to each other along these lines.
The sub-duct is substantially rigid in the longitudinal direction, as compared with the radial direction in which the sub-duct is collapsible.
In use, the panels 14 are first folded together to reduce the interior volume 8 and thereby aid insertion of the sub-duct into a main duct 4. Because the sub-duct is substantially rigid in the longitudinal direction it may be nserted down the length of main duct 4 by pushing the sub-duct with a traction apparatus (not shown) into the main duct, aided if needed by blowing air down the main duct at the same time.
Once in place, the sub-duct 2 is expanded, for example by blowing air or another gas into the sub-duct, which expands the interior volume 8 to aid insertion of the cable 2 down the length of said interior volume. Compressed air or another gas may used to aid the insertion of the cable 2, or the cable may be pushed into place, or the cable may be pulled into place using a pre-installed pull cord.
After insertion of the cable, the sub-duct is allow to collapse or actively collapsed, for example by residual tension left in the hinges 10, 110, 110' or by sucking air or gas out of the interior volume 8 or by the application of compressed air to a second or subsequent sub-duct or the installation of a subsequent cable. This causes the panels 14 to fold back towards or against one another, to reduce the interior volume and thereby reduce the volume occupied by the sub-duct in the main duct 4.
Figure 2 shows a second embodiment of a sub-duct 101 similar to that of Figure 1.
Features which correspond with those of Figure 1 are indicated by reference numerals incremented by 100. The main difference with the first embodiment 1 is that there are two types of lines of flexibility 110, 110' forming live hinges. One type 110 of hinge has a propensity to fold inwards, and the other type 110' has a propensity to fold inwards, whereas in the first embodiment, the lines of flexibility may fold either inwards or outwards. The other difference is that the panels 114, 114' are alternatingly oppositely curved, so that when the sub-duct collapses, as shown by Figures 3 to 5, the oppositely curved panels come together to minimise the space occupied by the sub-duct within the main duct 4.
As shown in Figure 3, this arrangement allows the live hinges along the tubular member 101 to be creased or folded longitudinally into a non-circular format, in this example, a three pointed star. A greater number of hinges would permit a greater number of points to the star shape. Preferably, the arms of the star are such that they cooperatively wrap around each other as shown in Figures 4 and 5 to create a tight cylinder, thereby reducing to a minimum the interior volume 108 and the external circumference of the creased tubular member.
The sub-duct 102 is installed in the same manner as described above.
Figures 6 to 8 show how the tubular member 1, 101 can be formed with lines of flexibility as described above by passing a tube 20 having a uniform wall thickness through suitable forming dies and rotating rollers 22, 22 to compress the wall 6, 106 at points on opposite side where the rollers have tips 24, 24 in the form of a rotating blunt knife.
The polymeric material undergoes molecular re-alignment during compression between the rollers in which the material is longitudinally embossed. It has been found that the molecular re-alignment of discrete longitudinal hinges within the wall of an extruded tube provides lines of flexibility which do not fracture or tear in normal use, and which retain some memory of a preferred collapsed orientation, so that after installation of the cable the sub-duct reverts naturally to a compact form.
The gap between the pair of rollers 22, 22 is such that the combined wall thickness of the flattened tubular member 20 is reduced to typically 50% by the embossing process. This causes the nitial molecular re-alignment. Further molecular re-alignment is encouraged by flexing the embossed grooves and this occurs by passing the flattened tube through a die that re-shapes it back to a circular section, followed by flattening the tube 20 at 90 degrees to the embossed grooves as shown in Figure 7.
As shown in Figure 8, secondary grooves are then embossed by a pair of rotating roUers 26, 26', 27' 27' provided with double blunt circular knife edges 28, 28'.
A further process of reforming and flattening the tube in several planes is enacted to complete the molecular realignment of each and aU of the live hinges. Finally a process of forming the processed tube into the required star shape and subsequent collapsed format is achieved with suitable dies and longitudinal rollers.
As an alternative to the embossing process described above the tubular member 1, 101 including the lines of flexibility can be formed by co-extruding stripes of a relatively flexible thermoplastic elastomer together with a relatively inflexible polymeric material along the length of the elongate tubular member. An advantage of this approach is that the total wall thickness in the hinge regions is the same as that of the panels. The thermoplastic elastomer is preferably a compatible material to the polymeric material of the panels and forms a homogeneous bond between adjacent panels. With such an arrangement it is possible to perform the extrusion with the tubular member being configured in a collapsed orientation so that the tubular member is naturally biased towards this orientation without the need for any post-processing.
The invention described above provides several benefits. The reduced volume of the collapsed sub-duct enables many more sub-ducts to be installed into a rigid main duct than can normally be accommodated when using conventional tubular rigid wall sub-ducts. The use of a resilient and durable material such as polypropylene, which is substantially rigid in the longitudinal direction, helps to eliminate the possibility of the wall being damaged or torn, as would be the case with a flexible material wall. This enables more cables to be accommodated in the rigid duct and enables a higher utilization factor and efficiency of use to be achieved.
The invention therefore provides a convenient sub-duct for holding a cable within a main duct and also a method of manufacturing such a sub-duct.
Claims (18)
- CLAIMS1. A sub-duct for holding a cable within a main duct, comprising an elongate tubular member having an outer wall and within the outer wall an interior volume extending along the length of said tubular member for holding said cable, the wall being formed from a polymeric material having in said material a plurality of longitudinally extending lines of flexibility, said lines defining a plurality of panels in said material, said lines of flexibility allowing each of said panels to be folded and unfolded with respect to each other along said lines of flexibility, wherein in use said panels can first be folded to reduce said interior volume and thereby aid insertion of the sub-duct into a main duct and then unfolded to expand said interior volume to aid insertion of a cable down the length of said interior volume, and then folded again to reduce said interior volume and thereby reduce the volume occupied by the sub-duct in the main duct.
- 2. A sub-duct as claimed in Claim 1, in which said lines of flexibility are a local thinning of said wall.
- 3. A sub-duct as claimed in Claim 1, in which said lines of flexibility are a plurality of co-extruded stripes of a thermoplastic elastomer creating flexible hinges along the said wall.
- 4. A sub-duct as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3, in which said lines of flexibility permit said panels to be folded against an adjacent panel.
- 5. A sub-duct as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4, in which there is an even plurality of at least six of said panels, and a corresponding even plurality of lines of flexibility.
- 6. A sub-duct as claimed in Claim 5, in which alternate ones of said lines of flexibility are adapted to fold in opposite directions inwards or outwards relative to said interior volume. -11 -
- 7. A sub-duct as claimed in Claim 6, in which alternate panels are oppositely curved in a circumferential direction when the panels are unfolded so that a paft of said alternate panels adjacent to each other both curve in the same dftection when folded together.
- 8. A sub-duct as claimed in Claim 7, when dependent from Claim 4, in which said each of said pairs of said panels when folded together curve around a central region of said interior volume when the panels are folded.
- 9. A sub-duct as claimed in any one of Claims 6 to Claim 8, in which said lines of flexibility which are adapted to fold inwards each extend to a central region of said interior volume when the panels are folded.
- 10. A method of forming a sub-duct for holding a cable within a main duct, comprising the steps of: -forming in a polymeric material an elongate tubular member having an outer wall and within the outer wall an interior volume extending along the length of said tubular member for holding said cable; and -forming in said wall a plurality of longitudinally extending lines of flexibility, said lines defining a plurality of panels in said material, said lines of flexibility allowing each of said panels to be folded and unfolded with respect to each other along said lines of flexibility.
- 11. A method of forming a sub-duct for holding a cable within a main duct as claimed in Claim 10, wherein the polymeric material comprises polymer chains, the step of forming said lines of flexibility comprises a rearrangement of said polymer chains to increase the flexibility of the polymeric material along said lines of flexibility.
- 12. A method of forming a sub-duct for holding a cable within a main duct as claimed in Claim 11, said rearrangement is effected by a local thinning of said wall.
- 13. A method of forming a sub-duct for holding a cable within a main duct as claimed in any one of Claims 10 to 12, wherein the step of forming said lines of flexibility comprises the steps of: -first forming a first pair of said ines of flexibility at circumferentially opposite points along the length of the tubular member and then folding said tubular member along said lines of flexibility to flatten opposite portions of said wall together; and -forming in said flattened portions at least two additional pairs of said lines of flexibility in said flattened opposite portions of said wall, wherein said lines of flexibility define therebetween a corresponding plurality of panels in said wall.
- 14. A method of forming a sub-duct for holding a cable within a main duct as claimed in Claiml3, comprising additionally the step of forming in alternate ones of said lines of flexibility a tendency to fold in opposite directions inwards or outwards relative to said interior volume.
- 15. A method of forming a sub-duct for holding a cable within a main duct as claimed in Claim 13 or Claim 14, comprising additionally the step of forming in alternate ones of said panels an opposite curvature as viewed in a circumferential direction when the panels are unfolded so that a pair of said alternate panels adjacent to each other both curve in the same direction when folded together.
- 16. A method of installing a cable inside a main duct using a sub-duct as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 9, comprising the steps of: -folding said panels to reduce the interior volume of the tubular member and then inserting the sub-duct into a main duct; -unfolding said inserted sub-duct to expand said interior volume and then inserting a cable down the length of said expanded interior volume; and -after said insertion of the cable folding said panels again to reduce said interior volume and thereby reduce the volume occupied by the sub-duct in the main duct.
- 17. A sub-duct for holding a cable within a maki duct, substantiaUy as herein described, with reference to or as shown in the accompanying drawings.
- 18. A method of forming sub-duct for holding a cable within a main duct, substantially as herein described, with reference to or as shown in the accompanying drawings.17. A method of installing a cable inside a main duct using a sub-duct, substantially as herein described, with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Priority Applications (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB1005258A GB2479137A (en) | 2010-03-29 | 2010-03-29 | Sub-duct for cables having lines of flexibility for expansion and contraction |
| PCT/GB2011/050647 WO2011121349A1 (en) | 2010-03-29 | 2011-03-29 | Sub-duct for cables |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB1005258A GB2479137A (en) | 2010-03-29 | 2010-03-29 | Sub-duct for cables having lines of flexibility for expansion and contraction |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB201005258D0 GB201005258D0 (en) | 2010-05-12 |
| GB2479137A true GB2479137A (en) | 2011-10-05 |
Family
ID=42228527
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB1005258A Withdrawn GB2479137A (en) | 2010-03-29 | 2010-03-29 | Sub-duct for cables having lines of flexibility for expansion and contraction |
Country Status (2)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2479137A (en) |
| WO (1) | WO2011121349A1 (en) |
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| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPS5931902A (en) * | 1982-08-16 | 1984-02-21 | Nippon Telegr & Teleph Corp <Ntt> | Optical interior wiring accessory |
| WO2002007279A1 (en) * | 2000-07-14 | 2002-01-24 | Milliken & Company | Optic cable conduit insert and method of manufacture |
| WO2003069211A1 (en) * | 2002-02-15 | 2003-08-21 | Lattice Intellectual Property Ltd | Method for lining a pipe or main |
| US6634388B1 (en) * | 1998-07-22 | 2003-10-21 | Safetyliner Systems, Llc | Annular fluid manipulation in lined tubular systems |
| US20040081411A1 (en) * | 2002-08-28 | 2004-04-29 | Federal-Mogul World Wide, Inc. | Cable guide sleeving structure |
| WO2010015872A1 (en) * | 2008-08-08 | 2010-02-11 | Beofsics Gyoergy | Aid with improved characteristics for facilitating the movement of signal transmitting cables in cable ducts |
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| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3508587A (en) * | 1966-09-29 | 1970-04-28 | Hans A Mauch | Tubular structural member |
| US3720235A (en) * | 1970-09-30 | 1973-03-13 | Moore & Co Samuel | Composite tubing |
| US5141360A (en) * | 1989-09-18 | 1992-08-25 | David Zeman | Irrigation tubing |
| EP0952306A1 (en) * | 1998-04-23 | 1999-10-27 | Shell Internationale Researchmaatschappij B.V. | Foldable tube |
| US6304698B1 (en) * | 1999-09-22 | 2001-10-16 | Milliken & Company | Conduit insert for optical fiber cable |
| US7866022B2 (en) | 2002-04-23 | 2011-01-11 | British Telecommunications Public | Method and system of subduct and cable installation |
| WO2004044469A2 (en) * | 2002-11-13 | 2004-05-27 | Wellstream International Limited | Collapsible flexible pipe and method of manufacturing same |
-
2010
- 2010-03-29 GB GB1005258A patent/GB2479137A/en not_active Withdrawn
-
2011
- 2011-03-29 WO PCT/GB2011/050647 patent/WO2011121349A1/en active Application Filing
Patent Citations (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPS5931902A (en) * | 1982-08-16 | 1984-02-21 | Nippon Telegr & Teleph Corp <Ntt> | Optical interior wiring accessory |
| US6634388B1 (en) * | 1998-07-22 | 2003-10-21 | Safetyliner Systems, Llc | Annular fluid manipulation in lined tubular systems |
| WO2002007279A1 (en) * | 2000-07-14 | 2002-01-24 | Milliken & Company | Optic cable conduit insert and method of manufacture |
| WO2003069211A1 (en) * | 2002-02-15 | 2003-08-21 | Lattice Intellectual Property Ltd | Method for lining a pipe or main |
| US20040081411A1 (en) * | 2002-08-28 | 2004-04-29 | Federal-Mogul World Wide, Inc. | Cable guide sleeving structure |
| WO2010015872A1 (en) * | 2008-08-08 | 2010-02-11 | Beofsics Gyoergy | Aid with improved characteristics for facilitating the movement of signal transmitting cables in cable ducts |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| WO2011121349A1 (en) | 2011-10-06 |
| GB201005258D0 (en) | 2010-05-12 |
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| WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |