1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the fields of wiring and wire management. More particularly, it concerns methods and apparatuses for placing wiring into split loom tubing.
2. Description of Related Art
As more equipment requires wiring to operate, the management of those wires becomes important. Having an excessive number of loose wires in an area is not only unsightly, but can also be dangerous. In particular, loose wires may present a tripping hazard. Additionally, loose wires may wrap around and tangle with other equipment, which may make it difficult if not impossible to operate that other equipment.
In view of at least the foregoing, several devices have been introduced for managing or organizing loose wires. One of the most popular and prevalent among these is split loom tubing. Generally speaking, split loom tubing is a tube that has a split running along its length. Wires may be placed within the tube by inserting them through the split. Once inserted, the tube holds the wires together in one place, reducing the mess (and hazards) associated with loose wires. Most typically, split loom tubing is made of flexible, corrugated plastic, similar in appearance to the tubing commonly found on vacuum cleaners and/or their attachments.
Although useful in managing loose wiring, split loom tubing is often difficult to xe2x80x9cload.xe2x80x9d Specifically, inserting wires into the tubing, through its split, may be problematic in its own rite. Depending upon the tightness of the split, the user may have to use two hands to load the wirexe2x80x94one hand to hold open the tubing while the other hand feeds the wire into the tubing. Further, many times the tubing may twist during loading, which forces the user again to use two handxe2x80x94one hand to keep the tubing straight (untwisting it) while the other hand feeds the wire. Still further, the act of manually inserting the wiring into the tubing may cut a user""s hands. Yet still further, the entire process of loading wires into the tubing may be very time consuming and, given the other problems listed above, frustrating.
In view of the foregoing, it would be advantageous to have an apparatus to facilitate the loading of wiring into split loom tubing.
The referenced shortcomings listed above are not intended to be exhaustive, but rather are among many that tend to impair the effectiveness of previously known techniques concerning wire management. Other noteworthy problems may also exist; however, those mentioned here are sufficient to demonstrate that methodology appearing in the art have not been altogether satisfactory and that a need exists for the technology disclosed herein.
Shortcomings listed above are reduced or eliminated by the techniques disclosed herein. These techniques are applicable to a vast number of applications, including any application involving wires that require management.
In one embodiment, the invention is an apparatus for placing a wire into split loom tubing. The apparatus includes a partial enclosure, a longitudinal channel, and a flared wedge. The partial enclosure has a proximal end and a distal end. The longitudinal channel runs from the proximal end to the distal end, and the channel has a width sufficient to guide the wire as it is placed into the split loom tubing. The flared wedge is coupled to the proximal end, and the wedge has a width sufficient to stretch open an interior of the split loom tubing to facilitate transferring the wire from the channel into the split loom tubing.
In other embodiments, the partial enclosure may include a cylindrical tube. The partial enclosure may have a length of about 6 inches. The channel may have a width of about 0.25 inches. The flared wedge may have a shape of an arrow-head. The flared wedge may have a maximum width of about xe2x85x9e inches. The flared wedge may have a wedge angle of about 15 degrees. The flared wedge may be welded to the proximal end of the partial enclosure. The flared wedge may be integral with the proximal end of the partial enclosure.
In another embodiment, the invention is a wire enclosure system, including the apparatus described above along with split loom tubing.
In another embodiment, the invention is an apparatus for placing a wire into split loom tubing, including a cylindrical tube, a longitudinal channel, and a flared wedge. The cylindrical tube has a proximal end and a distal end. The longitudinal channel runs from the proximal end to the distal end, and the channel has a width between about {fraction (1/16)} inches and about 0.5 inches and is configured to guide the wire as it is placed into the split loom tubing. The flared wedge is coupled to the proximal end, and the wedge has a wedge angle between about 5 degrees and about 30 degrees and a maximum width between about ⅙ inches and about 1.5 inches. The flared wedge is configured to stretch open an interior of the split loom tubing to facilitate transferring of the wire from the channel into the split loom tubing.
In other embodiments, the cylindrical tube may have a length of about 6 inches. The flared wedge may have a shape of an arrow-head. The flared wedge may be integral with the proximal end of the cylindrical tube.
In another embodiment, the invention is a method for placing a wire into split loom tubing. An apparatus is obtained, which includes a partial enclosure, a longitudinal channel, and a flared wedge. The partial enclosure has a proximal end and a distal end. The longitudinal channel runs from the proximal end to the distal end, and the flared wedge is coupled to the proximal end. At least a portion of the wire is placed into the channel. The flared wedge is inserted into the split loom tubing to stretch open an interior of the split loom tubing. And, the flared wedge is moved along the length of the interior of the split loom tubing to guide the wire into the split loom tubing.
As used herein, xe2x80x9cwirexe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cwiringxe2x80x9d shall be interpreted broadly to encompass cables, lines, leads, and the like. It should be noted that in this document (including the claims), the terms xe2x80x9ccomprisexe2x80x9d (and any form thereof, such as xe2x80x9ccomprisesxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9ccomprisingxe2x80x9d), xe2x80x9chavexe2x80x9d (and any form thereof, such as xe2x80x9chasxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9chavingxe2x80x9d), and xe2x80x9cincludexe2x80x9d (and any form thereof, such as xe2x80x9cincludesxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cincludingxe2x80x9d) are open-ended transitional terms. Thus, a thing (such as a device or a system) that xe2x80x9ccomprises,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9chas,xe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cincludesxe2x80x9d one or more elements possesses those one or more elements, but is not limited to only possessing those one or more elements. For example, claims directed to an apparatus for placing xe2x80x9caxe2x80x9d wire into split loom tubing encompass apparatuses in which more than one wire is placed into split loom tubing.