This application claims priority of European Application No. 01302310.6 filed on Mar. 13, 2001.
The invention relates to a cable for being used in ducts or tubes comprising an inner core of signal transmitting means and an outer jacket of protective material covering the signal transmitting means, and to a method of installing such cables in ducts or tubes. The term “cable” is intended to include also a single fiber unit covered by a jacket, or a bundle of fibers defining a profile outline.
Communication cables are often installed in ducts or empty tubes provided to lead the communication cable on difficult installation routes having bends or changes in direction. Several methods are in use to install the cable, among them installation using a pushing force and compressed air which drags the cable along the duct. The method is limited by the friction between cable and inner wall of the duct, and the pushing force. Depending on parameters of the duct and the cable a maximum force exists which can be used for advancing the cable. When such maximum force is exceeded, the cable may buckle and stall.
It is an object of the invention to create a cable which shows lower friction when being installed in ducts or tubes.
It is a further object of the present invention to improve on parameters of the cable to be installed using compressed air.
According to the invention, the outer jacket of the cable is formed with ribs which are spaced around the periphery of the jacket and extend along the length of the cable.
The invention also proposes a method of installing cables in ducts or tubes wherein a cable is used having ribs which extend along the cable. One end of the ribbed cable is introduced in the duct and fed forward. Simultaneously, compressed air is admitted into the duct and flows along the length of the ribbed cable. This has a dragging effect on the cable. The effect is increased by the fact that the surface of the cable is increased by the ribs. Furthermore, the flowing air finds flow channels between the ribs and adjacent inner walls of the ducts, and since the lower channels are narrower than the upper channels, pressure in the lower channels is higher than in the upper channels where the velocity of the flowing air is higher than in the lower channels. This makes a lifting effect onto the cable thus decreasing the pressure of the contact surfaces between the cable and the lower duct walls. Decreasing contact pressure means lowering the friction between cable and duct wall.
The invention allows to reduce the installation time (time reduction of approximately 10 per cent or more). Furthermore, installation can be carried out for longer distances (approximately 20 to 30 per cent or more) due to the fact that the feed forward force and air pressure remain stable at lower levels for greater distances.
The jacket has an outer periphery 3 which is profiled, that is, it shows webs or ribs 4. Each rib 4 has an inner root end and an outer ridge end which is preferably rounded. As shown, the ribs converge from the root end to the ridge end. Furthermore, the ribs 4 are evenly distributed around the periphery 3 of the jacket 1. The distances between adjacent ribs 4 are preferably larger than the thickness of the ribs at the root end. Each cm length in circumference of the cable may carry fife to twenty ribs. The height of the ribs 4 may vary in a range from 0.1 to 2 mm. Cables of the kind described may have an outer diameter in the range of 1 to 30 mm and preferably between 5 and 20 mm. Dependent on the diameter of the cable, the jacket may include 15 to 90 ribs.
A conventional cable has a smooth surface without any ribs so that the contact area with the inner duct wall in case of a standard cable is larger than in case of a novel cable of invention. On the other hand, the ribbed cable of invention has an increased contact pressure at reduced contact surfaces. It is known that friction depends from the contact area and the contact pressure. There is no general rule which factor prevails. However, the inventors have shown that the novel cable can be installed with lower friction on the inner walls of the ducts than with conventional cables. This is proved by the several diagrams of
With invention, communication cables in the range of 1 to 30 mm outer diameter, and preferably in the range of 5 to 20 mm outer diameter are considered to be installed—as single cables or in combination with other cables—in ducts or tubes having an inner diameter, in the range of 2 to 50 mm.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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01302310 | Mar 2001 | EP | regional |
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