US 4,247,225 A · Alignment device

Abstract

An alignment device adapted to position an elongated member such as a cable or the like within the interior of an associated enclosure. The device includes a hollow collar adapted to be placed in a close surrounding relationship with an axial section of the elongated member. The collar includes a longitudinal split in the side wall thereof between opposed spaced apart collar peripheral ends. These ends may be moved apart from each other for installing the device on the elongated member and then moved back toward each other to place the device in a close surrounding operative position thereon. An adjustable locking means facilitates locking the collar at the peripheral ends in the operative position and simultaneously prevents axial displacement of the peripheral ends relative to each other. A plurality of supporting legs extend outwardly of the collar at spaced intervals therearound and include support feet. These support feet are configured and positioned to cooperate with the interior walls of an associated enclosure when the device is inserted thereinto for maintaining the elongated member in some desired spaced relationship therein. Inwardly extending gripping means may be included on the collar interior for engaging the elongated member in the collar operative position for reducing the potential for relative movement therebetween. The alignment device preferably comprises a one piece molded plastic construction. Typically, a plurality of the devices are affixed to the elongated member at spaced intervals therealong for positioning it within an elongated enclosure over the coextensive lengths thereof.

Claims22

Dependent claims

An alignment device adapted to position an elongated member in some predetermined manner within the interior of an associated enclosure, said alignment device comprising:

a hollow collar adapted to be placed in a surrounding relationship with an axial section of an elongated member, said collar being generally longitudinally split to define a peripheral space between spaced apart opposed peripheral ends, said ends adapted to be selectively moved apart from each other to assume a collar mounting position allowing said collar to be placed over a desired axial section of the elongated member and to then be moved toward each other into a collar operative position wherein said collar is in a generally close surrounding relationship with the axial section;
locking means disposed adjacent said collar opposed peripheral ends for permitting selective locking of said collar peripheral ends in said operative position;
and,
a plurality of supporting legs extending outwardly from said collar a distance whereby said device is adapted to be received within the interior of an associated enclosure with the outermost ends of said supporting legs cooperating with the interior walls of the enclosure to establish a predetermined position for the elongated member therein.

1 more element

An arrangement for maintaining an elongated member in some predetermined desired position within a hollow receiving enclosure, said arrangement comprising in combination:

an outer enclosure including a receiving passage therein defined by a passage side wall having a first cross-sectional dimension;
an elongated member having a second cross-sectional dimension less than said first cross-sectional dimension with at least a portion of said elongated member generally axially received in said receiving passage;
and,
at least one alignment device interposed between said elongated member and said receiving passage side wall for maintaining said elongated member in a predetermined position within said receiving passage, said device including a hollow collar disposed in an operative position generally surrounding an axial section of said elongated member and supporting legs disposed in supporting cooperation between said collar and said receiving passage side wall, said collar being generally longitudinally split to define a peripheral space between spaced apart opposed peripheral ends for allowing said peripheral ends to be selectively moved apart from each other in order that said device may be placed in a cooperative condition with said elongated member axial section prior to insertion of said elongated member and device into said receiving passage;
locking means disposed adjacent said collar peripheral ends for locking said collar in said operative position;
and, a plurality of said supporting legs disposed at spaced intervals around said collar to extend outwardly therefrom, said supporting legs being dimensioned so that the outermost ends thereof cooperative with said receiving passage side wall for positively locating said elongated member in a predetermined position relative thereto.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Alignment device

Life of this patent

Alignment device

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims22