WO2002033794A1

WO2002033794A1 - Cable sheath device for electric equipment

Info

Publication number: WO2002033794A1
Application number: PCT/EP2001/011943
Authority: WO
Inventors: William Odisio
Original assignee: P.A.S. Italia Srl
Priority date: 2000-10-19
Filing date: 2001-10-16
Publication date: 2002-04-25
Also published as: ITTO20000184V0; ITTO20000184U1; IT249251Y1; AU2002218241A1

Abstract

A sheat device for cables (1) of electric equipments (G) consisting of a flexible ribbon (2) to the longitudinal borders of which respective hook-and-loop stripes (3, 4) are applied which are adapted to enable the closing of said ribbon (2) into a tubular configuration. The hook-and-loop stripes (3, 4) are conveniently located on the same face of the flexible ribbon (2).

Description

"Cable sheath device for electric equipment"

* * *

Field of the invention This invention refers to electric equipments and appliances in general, and more particularly to equipments used in offices or for daily household help, having several cables for their connection to sockets for connection to the mains. More in detail, the innovation concerns data processing stations, that include computers and other auxiliary equipments such as videos, printers, scanners etc...

In this stations, or in similar grouped electric or electronic equipments (as for instance, stereo apparatus for sound and/or video reproduction) , the main problem is to find a proper accommodation to the several cables going out from the back of such equipments, grouping them into a bundle and as far as possible hiding them for aesthetical reasons as well as in order to facilitate cleaning.

Until now, mere fastening systems consisting for instance of spaced-apart bands applied at intervals along cables were used to solve this kind of problem. This solution, not only was uncomfortable in connection with the application of the bands, but does- not solve aesthetically the problem. Moreover, if one of the equipments has to be removed from the rest of the group, all the bands must be cut in order to enable separation of the related cables, and then the bands shall have to be again applied. These are boring and very uncomfortable operations . Summary of the invention The purpose of this invention is to eliminate such drawbacks, providing a sheath for cables of electric equipments that is simple, practical, unexpensive, designed to be installed and removed in a simply way, and that is also pleasant aesthetically.

According to invention, the sheath according to the invention is primarily characterized by the fact that it consists of a flexible ribbon to the longitudinal borders of which respective hook-and-loop stripes are applied which are adapted to enable the closing of said ribbon into a tubular configuration.

In practice the flexible ribbon, cut to the required size from a roll of indefinite length, is placed around the cables grouped into a bundle a band and then it is closed by means of mutual engagement of the two hook-and-loop stripes. These stripes can be kept separated from each other in the entrance/exit area of cables : in order to make this operation more comfortable, the two hook-and-loop stripes are conveniently arranged on the same face of the flexible ribbon .

The flexible ribbon can be made of plastic cloth, and its external surface can be used advantageously for the application of advertising and the like. Besides, according to invention, the sheath can be provided as a kit including at least one covering device composed of flexible hook-and-loop shutters applicable on the exit side of cables from the electric equipment or equipments . Brief description of the drawings

The invention is here described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, purely provided by way of non limiting example, wherein: - figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view that shows the back area of a group of electric equipments provided with a cable sheath device according to the invention, - figure 2 is a view similar to figure 1, in a reduced scale, exemplifying the application/removal modalities of the device, and

- figures 3 and 4 are two perspective views that illustrate in a larger scale some device components. In the drawing, reference 6 generally indicates a data processing station consisting in a conventional way of a number of electronic equipments including, for instance, a computer C and the related video N, a printer P, a scanner S and other possible hardware peripheric units. The pieces of equipments of the station G are connected to one another and to an electrical connection socket P through a number of conductor cables C.

These cables C are grouped into a bundle and are located inside a tubular cable sheath device 1 according to invention.

The cable sheath device 1 is composed by length of a flexible ribbon 2 along the longitudinal borders of which respective closing hook-and-loop (Nelcro ®) stripes are applied, through which the ribbon 2 can be closed into the tubular configuration around the cables bundle C and re-opened if necessary, for example to consent the removal or the insertion of one or more cables C. In the areas where the cables C have access into the sheath device 1, the hook-and-loop stripes 3, 4 are separated from each other. These two stripes 3, 4 are more conveniently applied on the same face (i.e on the inner surface) of the ribbon 2, as to avoid tangles along the longitudinal borders thereof .

The ribbon 2 can be constituted by a plastic cloth, and its external face can be used advantageously as an advertising means, through the application of promotional writings or wordings.

The ribbon 2 is manufactured expediently in rolls of indefinite length, that can be cut into stocks in conformity with the required length. According to another aspect of the invention, the sheath device 1 can be provided with other flexible protective coverings applicable onto the cable outlet back side of one or more of the pieces of equipment of the station G, as to form a kit designed to provide a global fit, under functional and aesthetic outlines, of the exit of the cables from the station G.

In the illustrated example, one of these coverings is indicated by the number 5 and is applied on the rear side of the computer E. In detail, as shown in the figure 4, the covering 5 is composed by two flexible shutters 5a, 5b each of which is applied along one respective outer vertical side of the back of the computer E through a bi-adhesive tape 6, and has along its inner vertical side a hook-and-loop strip (Velcro ®) 7. In this way, the two flexible parts, 5a, 5b can be closed and opened on the outlets of the cables C of the computer E .

Figure 2 exemplifies the modalities by which the sheath device 1 and the protection covering 5 can be opened rapidly to consent prompt access to the cables

C.

Obviously, the features and the forms of realization of the emergency indicator according to the invention can be changed widely with respect to what has been disclosed and illustrated, without thereby departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A sheat device for cables (1) of electric equipments (G) , characterized by the fact that it consists of a flexible ribbon (2) to the longitudinal borders of which respective hook-and-loop stripes (3, 4) are applied which are adapted to enable the closing of said ribbon (2) into a tubular configuration.

2. Sheath according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that said hook-and-loop stripes (3, 4) are located on the same face of the flexible ribbon (2) .

3. Sheath according to claim 1 or 2 , characterized by the fact that it is made of plastic cloth.

4. Sheath according to any of the foregoing claims, characterized by the fact that it provides an advertising means.

5. Sheath according to any of the foregoing claims, characterized by the fact that the flexible ribbon (2) is prepared in rolls of indefinite length that can be cut off into lengths of required size.

6. A kit for electric equipments (G) , characterized by the fact that it comprises a sheat device (1) according to any of claims 1 through 5 and at least one further covering device (5) formed by flexible hook-and-loop shutters (5a, 5b) applicable on the exit side of cables from an electric equipment .