US 5,254,809 AGranted

Segmented flexible housing

AssigneeW. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.

InventorJames D. S. Martin

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Abstract

A flexible housing for use as a cable management system for a submarine mast is capable of flexing in a plane between predetermined limits. It comprises a conduit contained within a flexible outer jacket and formed of a plurality of abutting segments, each having an opening therethrough and forming a passage for containing transmission cables or lines. Each segment has a first pair of butting surfaces at each end on one side of the passage and a second pair of butting surfaces at the other side of the passage which prevent flexing of the housing beyond predetermined limits. The segments are coupled together by a pair of endless ligament loops which pass through channels in the segments and over pulleys at each end of the housing. The segments are of bi-concave and bi-convex complementary configurations arranged alternately along the length of the conduit.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A flexible housing capable of flexing in a plane between predetermined limits for use in protecting a transmission line in a pressurised environment, which comprises:

a conduit contained within encasing means;
the conduit being constructed of a plurality of abutting segments, each segment having an opening therethrough defining a longitudinal axis, the abutting segments being arranged in series in such a way that the opening through each segment is in communication with the openings through each of the adjacent segments so as to provide a passage to contain the transmission line, each segment being provided at each opposed longitudinal end with a first butting surface situated to one side of the opening and spaced inwardly of the external surface of the conduit, the first butting surfaces of adjacent segments preventing flexing beyond one predetermined limit;
and coupling means flexibly interlinking the segments, wherein the coupling means comprises first and second continuous non-stretching ligaments which pass through channels provided respectively on each side of the opening of each segment, the channels lying in a plane which is substantially parallel to the plane of the flexing of the conduit;
the first and second ligaments being connected together at the ends of the housing to form an endless loop.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.