Conduit insert for optical fiber cable

A multi-channeled woven insert for fiber optic cable conduits comprising at least four woven strips of material superimposed one upon the other, each of said strips being elongated and having the warp yarn thereof extending in the longitudinal direction, said warp yarn being a monofilament in the range of 200-1000 denier and means joining said longitudinal edges of strips of fabric to form channels between each adjacent strip;

• wherein said fourth woven strip has its edges overlapping the edges of said one, second and third woven strips and being sewn thereto.

Apparatus comprising:

• a conduit containing a flexible innerduct structure configured to contain a cable within said conduit, said innerduct structure comprising a pair of adjacent strip-shaped layers of flexible material that are joined along their longitudinal edge portions to define a channel through which the cable can extend longitudinally through said innerduct structure between said layers;
• said layers having differing widths between said longitudinal edges, whereby the wider layer bulges away from the narrower layer to impart an open configuration to said channel;
• wherein a cable extends longitudinally through said channel, said cable having a sheath formed of a plastic material that has first melting temperature, each of said layers being formed of a material that has a second melting temperature not lower than said first melting temperature.

Apparatus comprising:

• a flexible innerduct structure configured to contain a cable within a conduit, said innerduct structure comprising a pair of adjacent strip-shaped layers that are joined along their longitudinal edge portions to define a channel through which the cable can extend longitudinally through said innerduct structure between said layers;
• each of said layers being formed of a flexible material that has a transversely directed crimp resistance recovery angle within a range of about 50 degrees to about 130 degrees.

Apparatus comprising:

• a flexible innerduct structure configured to contain a cable within a conduit, said innerduct structure comprising a pair of adjacent strip-shaped layers that are joined along their longitudinal edge portions to define a channel through which the cable can extend longitudinally through said innerduct structure between said layers;
• each of said layers being formed of a flexible woven fabric having warp yarns that together provide said woven fabric with a first crimp recovery angle and fill yarns that together provide said woven fabric with a second, greater crimp recovery angle.

Apparatus comprising:

• a flexible innerduct structure configured to contain a cable having a plastic sheathing material, said innerduct structure comprising a pair of adjacent strip-shaped layers of flexible plastic material that are joined along their longitudinal edge portions to define a channel through which the cable can extend longitudinally through said innerduct structure between said layers;
• said flexible plastic material being specified with reference to the plastic sheathing material on the cable so as to have a melting temperature not lower than the melting temperature of the plastic sheathing material.

Apparatus comprising:

• a flexible innerduct structure configured to contain a cable within a conduit, said innerduct structure comprising a pair of adjacent strip-shaped layers that are joined along their longitudinal edge portions to define a channel through which the cable can extend longitudinally through said innerduct structure between said layers;
• each of said layers being formed of a flexible material that has a dry static coefficient of friction, based on high density polyethylene on said material with a longitudinal line of action, within the range of about 0.010 to about 0.500.

Apparatus comprising:

• a flexible innerduct structure configured to contain a cable within a conduit, said innerduct structure comprising a pair of adjacent strip-shaped layers that are joined along their longitudinal edge portions to define a channel through which the cable can extend longitudinally through said innerduct structure between said layers;
• each of said layers being formed of a flexible material that has a dry sliding coefficient of friction, based on high density polyethylene on said material with a longitudinal line of action, within the range of about 0.0050 to about 0.1250.

Apparatus comprising:

• a flexible innerduct structure configured to contain a cable within a conduit, said innerduct structure comprising a pair of adjacent strip-shaped layers of flexible material, said layers being joined along their longitudinal edge portions to define a channel through which the cable can extend longitudinally through said innerduct structure between said layers;
• each of said layers being formed of a flexible material such that a 0.25 inch diameter polypropylene rope will not burn through a test sample of said innerduct structure when pulled through said test sample in a pull line duct cutting test at 100 feet per minute and 450 pounds tension for at least 90 seconds.

Apparatus comprising:

• a flexible innerduct structure configured to contain a cable within a conduit, said innerduct structure comprising a pair of adjacent strip-shaped layers of flexible material that are joined along their longitudinal edge portions to define a channel through which the cable can extend longitudinally through said innerduct structure between said layers;
• said layers having differing widths between said longitudinal edges such that the wider layer bulges away from the narrower layer to provide said innerduct structure with a free-standing condition from which it is compressible to a flattened condition upon flattening deflection of said wider layer;
• said innerduct structure having a property of compression recovery such that said innerduct structure, having been compressed from said free-standing condition to said flattened condition under a first peak test load, will not undergo a next subsequent compression to said flattened condition under a second peak test load that is less than about 85 percent of said first peak test load.

Apparatus comprising:

• a pair of strips of innerduct layer material that are configured to be joined along their longitudinal edge portions to define a channel through which a cable can extend longitudinally between said strips;
• each of said strips being formed of a flexible woven fabric having warp yarns that together provide said woven fabric with a first crimp recovery angle and fill yarns that together provide said woven fabric with a second, greater crimp recovery angle.

Apparatus comprising:

• a pair of strips of innerduct layer material that are configured to be joined along their longitudinal edge portion to define a channel through which a cable can extend longitudinally between said strips;
• each of said strips being formed of a flexible material having a first rigidity resisting bending about a longitudinally extending fold line and having a second, greater rigidity resisting bending about a transversely extending fold line.

Apparatus comprising:

• a flexible structure configured to enclose and carry at least one cable, said structure comprising flexible material adjoined in such a way as to define at least two longitudinal channels, each channel configured to enclose and carry a cable;
• said flexible material exhibiting elongation of less than 40 percent at peak tensile load;
• wherein said structure is formed to be resiliently biased toward an open channel configuration, and is also readily collapsible in a transverse direction.

A flexible structure configured to enclose and carry at least one cable, said structure comprising flexible material adjoined in such a way as to define at least two longitudinal channels, each channel configured to enclose and carry a cable, the improvement comprising:

• said structure being formed from material that exhibits elongation of not more than about 25 percent at peak tensile load;
• and
• said structure being resiliently biased toward an open channel configuration, and also being readily collapsible in a transverse direction.