The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 23, 2004
Filed:
Jul. 12, 2001
Willem Griffioen, Ter Aar, NL;
Arie Van Wingerden, Hendrik Ido Ambacht, NL;
Cornelis Van 'T Hul, Den Hoorn, NL;
Pieter Lock, 's-Gravenhage, NL;
Willem Greven, Delfzijl, NL;
Frans Robbert Bakker, Wagenborgen, NL;
NKF Kabel B.V., Gouda, NL;
Abstract
A filling body is inserted together with a loose bundle of guide tubes during installation in an existing protective duct, thus enlarging the bundle diameter (which reduces the buckling risk) and making crossing of the guide tubes impossible. The guide tubes are positioned along the outside of the filling body, providing access to the guide tubes during post-installation branching. The filling body may include radially projecting spacer ribs that separate the guide tubes, thereby preventing crossing movement and helical stranding. The guide tubes are thus constrained and carried along with the filling body in alignment with the spacer ribs, so that buckling, helical stranding and three-dimensional restrictions or tangles cannot occur. The filling body may include a thin tubular sidewall enclosing a longitudinal airflow passage that may be pressurized during installation, and deformable when unpressurized, thus providing mechanical protection against damage of the protective duct after installation.