TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a cable spacer arrangement. The invention also relates to a cable spacer and a cable arrangement comprising such a cable spacer arrangement. The invention is applicable on vehicles, in particularly vehicles comprising hollow beams or tubes, such as e.g. buses. Although the invention will mainly be described in relation to a buss, other vehicles are also conceivable. Other applications are also conceivable such as e.g. wind turbines, ships, etc.

BACKGROUND

In connection with vehicles, such as e.g. buses, cars or heavy duty vehicles, cables are often routed within different structures of the vehicle. The cables can, for example, be routed within the door frame or under the seats of the vehicle, etc. For some vehicles, cables are often routed within a tube, tube-like frame structure or a pipe. These structures are common in the field of buses where the bus comprises a plurality of tubes or tube-like structures defining the frame structure of the vehicle. It is thus particularly suitable to route cables in these tubes as it provides a relatively protected environment for the cable.

However, the cables may be movable relative to the tube in which they are positioned. This may be caused by the fact that the cable may be connected to e.g. a movable portion of the vehicle and a relative motion between the cable and the tube is thus created. Hereby, there is a risk that the cable is worn out due to chafing of the cable against the inner surface of the tube, etc.

According to the prior art, a solution for the above described problem is to cover the cable in a protective and flexible hose or the like. The flexible hose may be arranged to cover the entire cable or portions of the cable positioned near corners or other positions of the tube at which there is an increased risk of chafing the cable.

However, the prior art presents a solution which is relatively complex and difficult to assemble to the pipe. There is thus a need to provide a protective arrangement for a cable which is less complex and thus easier to connect to the cable.

SUMMARY

It is an object of the present invention to provide a cable spacer arrangement which is easier to assemble to a cable in comparison to the solutions presented by the prior art. The object is at least partly achieved by a cable spacer arrangement according to claim1.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cable spacer arrangement mountable to a cable of a vehicle; the cable spacer arrangement comprising a cable spacer comprising a circumferentially arranged cable fixing portion having an inner surface arranged to face the cable when mounted thereto, and an outer surface arranged on an opposite side of the cable fixing portion relative to the inner surface; a plurality of circumferentially arranged cable spacing elements, each cable spacing element extending from the cable fixing portion in an at least partially radial direction therefrom, wherein a portion of the cable spacing element is arranged to abut an inner surface of a tube in which the cable is to be positioned, wherein the cable fixing portion further comprises first and second end portions in the circumferential direction such that the cable fixing portion is non-continuous in the circumferential direction thereof.

The wording “first and second end portions in the circumferential direction” should be understood to mean that the cable fixing portion comprises a cut-through portion, or opening, extending substantially in the axial direction thereof between the end portions.

An advantage of the present invention is thus that the cable spacer arrangement can be connected to the cable via the cut-through portion between the first and second end portions in the circumferential direction. Hereby, an improved connection of the cable spacer arrangement is provided, which is particularly beneficial for relatively long cables. A substantial improvement is thus provided in comparison to the prior art which has to assemble the flexible hose to the cable from an end portion of the cable, which is a more time consuming time process.

A further advantage is that the circumferentially arranged cable spacing elements will continuously keep the cable at a certain distance from an inner surface of the pipe, thus reducing the risk of chafing the cable.

According to an example embodiment, the cable fixing portion may comprise a circumferentially arranged protrusion positioned at an opposite axial end portion of the cable fixing portion relative to the plurality cable spacing elements.

The circumferentially arranged protrusion may extend around the entire circumferential surface of the cable fixing portion, or extend at least partially around the circumferential surface of the cable fixing portion. The circumferentially arranged protrusion may also be provided to the axial end portion of the cable fixing portion in a piece wise manner, such that alternatingly ridges and grooves are provided at the axial end portion.

An advantage of the circumferentially arranged protrusion is that a cable spacer fixing device, which will be described further below, is prevented from moving in the axial direction and loose its connection to the cable fixing portion. Thus, it is further secured that the cable spacer fixing device will not fall off from the cable fixing portion.

According to an example embodiment, the cable fixing portion may be provided with a plurality of axially extending indications of fracture, each of the plurality of indications of fracture being arranged between a respective pair of cable spacing elements in the circumferential direction.

The wording “indication of fracture” should be understood as a portion at which it is easier to tear off the cable fixing portion into sub-portions. The indication of fracture may, for example, be arranged as a perforation in the cable fixing portion.

According to an example embodiment, each of the plurality of indications of fracture may extend between axial end portions of the cable fixing portion.

An advantage of the plurality of indications of fracture is that the cable spacer arrangement can be easily provided into different sizes. Hereby, a universal cable spacer arrangement is provided which can be efficiently fitted to cables of various thicknesses. Also, the plurality of indications of fracture can contribute to an improved bending characteristic of the cable spacer arrangement, and in particular the bending characteristics of the cable fixing portion such that it can bend and follow the surface of the cable it is connected to.

According to an example embodiment, the cable spacer arrangement may further comprise a cable spacer fixing device provided in abutment with the outer surface of the cable fixing portion for fixating the cable spacer to the cable.

An advantage of providing an external fixing device is that improved connection to the cable is provided.

The cable spacer fixing device may, for example, be a clamping device or the like providing a circumferential clamping force between the cable and the inner surface of the cable fixing portion.

According to an example embodiment, each of the plurality of cable spacing elements may be arranged in a wave-shaped pattern.

An advantage is that the cable spacer arrangement is better balanced in the pipe. Also, the wave-shaped pattern provides for simplified assembly in the pipe as the cable with the arrangement attached thereto merely needs to be guided into the pipe wherein the wave-shape will form against the inner surface of the pipe.

According to an example embodiment, a radially outer end portion of each of the plurality of cable spacing elements may be provided with a hook-shaped portion, the hook-shaped portion having a ridge portion radially facing away from the cable fixing portion.

An advantage is that the outer end portions are directed away from the pipe, thus reducing the risk of damaging the internal structure of the pipe. Also, as the ridge portion will be arranged in abutment with the inner surface of the pipe, the cable spacing elements may be movable within the pipe in an improved manner. Furthermore, it is also possible to provide the outer end portion with a cover for either increasing or reducing the friction against the inner surface of the pipe. For some applications it may be desirable to increase the friction to keep the cable spacing elements in position, while in other applications it may be desirable to reduce the friction to further simplify the positioning of the cable spacing element into the tube.

According to an example embodiment, the cable fixing portion may be a first cable fixing portion, wherein the cable spacer further comprises a second circumferentially arranged cable fixing portion axially spaced apart from the first cable fixing portion, wherein the plurality of circumferentially arranged cable spacing elements extends between the first and second cable fixing portions.

An advantage is that the cable spacing elements provides for improved stability over time due to the first and second cable fixing portions. Thus, the cable spacing element is less affected by relaxation/creep of the material in the cable spacing elements as they are connected at both axial ends thereof. Furthermore, it is also possible to adjust the axial displacement between the first and second cable fixing portions. Hereby, the clamping force against the inner surface of the pipe can be controlled. Also, adjustment to various pipe dimensions is further increased.

Moreover, using two cable fixing portions reduces the risk of chafing the cable in corners or pipe entrances if positioning the cable spacer arrangement at these positions.

According to an example embodiment, the plurality of circumferentially arranged cable spacing elements may form a first and a second ball shaped portion.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cable spacer for a cable of a vehicle, the cable spacer comprising a flexible cable fixing portion at a first end portion thereof and a plurality of cable spacing elements spaced apart from each other and extending away from the flexible cable fixing portion in a first direction, wherein the cable spacer extends between a first end portion and a second end portion in a second direction, wherein the second direction is substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

Hereby, an improved cable spacer is provided which can be easily provided and connected to a cable.

According to an example embodiment, the flexible cable fixing portion may be bendable around a geometric axis extending in the first direction.

An advantage is that the flexible cable fixing portion can be bendable around a cable and attached thereto.

According to an example embodiment, each of the plurality of cable spacing elements may be bendable around a geometric axis extending in the second direction and located at an interface between the respective cable spacing element and the flexible cable fixing portion.

Hereby, the cable spacing elements are adapted to fit tubes of different size and configuration, thus providing a cable spacer which is suitable for pipes of various size and dimension.

According to an example embodiment, each of the plurality of cable spacing elements may have a stiffness which is greater in a direction perpendicular to the first and second directions compared to a stiffness in the second direction.

An advantage is that a sufficient compression force against the inner surface of the pipe may be achieved.

According to an example embodiment, the cable spacer may be bendable and have a shape such that it is formable into a cone-shaped form when being wind up around a geometric axis parallel to the first direction.

An advantage of a cone-shaped form is that the cable can be arranged in a center thereof and thus at all positions provided at a distance from the pipe.

According to an example embodiment, the cable fixing portion may comprise a plurality of indications of fracture extending in the first direction, wherein each of the plurality of indications of fracture is arranged between a respective pair of cable spacing elements as seen in the second direction.

An advantage is that the cable spacer easily can be provided in different sizes to fit cables of substantially any diameter thickness. Hence, the cable spacer can be cut into different sizes for substantially all different cables in a vehicle.

According to an example embodiment, each of the plurality of cable spacing elements may extend in the first direction in a wave-shaped pattern.

Further effects and features of the second aspect are largely analogous to those described above in relation to the first aspect of the present invention.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cable arrangement comprising a cable configured to be mounted within a tube of a vehicle, and a cable spacer arrangement according to any of the embodiments described above in relation to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the cable spacer arrangement circumferentially enclosing a portion of the cable.

Effects and features of the third aspect are largely analogous to those described above in relation to the first and second aspects of the present invention.

Further features of, and advantages with, the present invention will become apparent when studying the appended claims and the following description. The skilled person realize that different features of the present invention may be combined to create embodiments other than those described in the following, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

