CABLE ENTRY

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a cable duct, in particular a fire protection cable duct, for passing at least one cable through a wall.

[0002] Various cable bushings are known from the state of the art. One example is US201 1088342, published in 2011. . This describes a cable penetration with a first and a second half-shell. Each half-shell contains a split foam insert. The half-shells are provided with barbs on the outside to facilitate installation in the wall. The foam can be intumescent.

[0003] DE10126998A1 discloses a device for passing installation elements, such as cables, through openings in building walls and ceilings, comprising at least one outer casing element, at least one inner wall element and at least one inflation pressure element arranged between the casing element and the inner wall element.

[0004] Such cable penetrations known from the prior art have the disadvantage that they do not reliably seal against smoke. Furthermore, such cable penetrations are only partially suitable for applications with strong vibrations and / or noise.

[0005] An object of the invention is to provide a cable feedthrough which improves at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art.

[0006] The cable entry according to the invention serves to lead at least one cable through a wall. The cable entry according to the invention is particularly suitable for walls in vehicles, such as ships or rail vehicles. These applications generally require increased sound insulation. Furthermore, vibrations, for example caused by the ship's engine, often make it difficult to reliably seal the cable through, e.g. against smoke. Such walls are also frequently made of metal and have sharp edges at the wall opening, which can damage the cable(s) inserted when the cable entry is installed. In the context of this application, a cable is understood to mean, for example, an electrical cable (such as a cable or wire), a conduit, a hose, an optical cable (such as a fiber optic cable), or the like.

[0007] The cable entry device according to the invention comprises a housing and an insert arranged within the housing. The housing comprises a tubular outer shell extending in an axial direction from a front end to a rear end. Tubular is understood to mean both circular and angular cross-sections of the outer shell. At the front end, an edge of the housing can be arranged, projecting laterally from the outer shell, for resting against the wall. The edge thus prevents the cable entry device from slipping through the wall opening and / or protects the cable from sharp edges at the wall opening. The insert arranged within the housing can be designed integrally with the housing (e.g., it can be molded onto the inside of the outer shell) or designed separately from the housing.In an integral design, the cable feedthrough can be an injection-molded part made of two different injection-molded materials. In this case, a hard plastic material is suitable for the housing and / or an intumescent and / or soft-elastic material for the insert, at least in certain areas. If the insert is designed separately from the housing, the insert can be connected to the housing, for example, by a material fit (e.g., adhesive bond) and / or a form-fitting connection. The housing can comprise hard plastic and / or metal. In this case, the insert can also comprise an intumescent and / or soft-elastic material in certain areas.

[0008] If the insert includes an intumescent material at least in part, it can also be generally referred to as a fire protection pipe penetration rather than a pipe penetration. In this case, the entire insert advantageously encompasses the intumescent material. However, a soft-elastic and intumescent material is particularly advantageous, since purely intumescent materials are often brittle and sealing pipes during normal operation (no fire event) is difficult.

[0009] According to the invention, the insert further comprises at least one sealing membrane with (each) a through-opening for the passage of a respective line. The through-opening also extends in the axial direction. The sealing membrane thus surrounds the respective through-opening. Advantageously, the respective sealing membrane is designed such that the corresponding through-opening adapts flexibly to the respective line diameter of the inserted line. For this purpose, the through-opening can, for example, be expandable. This can be achieved by a suitable choice of the material of the insert (e.g., a soft-elastic material) and / or by choosing a suitable material thickness for the sealing membrane.

[0010] Depending on the application, the respective sealing membrane can have several thin spots running towards the corresponding feed-through opening to further improve adaptation to the respective cable diameter (particularly to particularly large cable diameters). The thin spots are designed in such a way that they tear depending on the cable diameter of the inserted cable. The multiple thin spots can be arranged on a front and / or a rear side of the sealing membrane. (The rear side of the sealing membrane points towards the rear end of the housing.) Advantageously, the multiple thin spots are arranged in such a way that they divide the respective sealing membrane into several lamellae. When the cable is inserted, the lamellae serve to nestle against the inserted cable and seal it. The lamellae are therefore preferably elastically deformable. For this purpose,a triangular or trapezoidal shape of the respective slats. To further improve the deformation of the sealing membrane or slats, a circumferential notch can be arranged next to the respective sealing membrane (e.g., on the inner shell described below).

[0011] The respective sealing membrane can furthermore be aligned substantially perpendicular to the axial direction or be funnel-shaped or conical in the axial direction. For good passability and sealing of the line, the cross-section of the conical or funnel-shaped sealing membrane preferably tapers in the axial direction away from the front end. This arrangement particularly facilitates the front insertion of lines into a line penetration already installed in the wall. With such a configuration, the notch described above is advantageously arranged in the axial direction on the front side (facing the front end) of the sealing membrane. Alternatively, however, the cross-section of the sealing membrane can also taper in the axial direction towards the front end. The notch can then be arranged in the axial direction on the rear side of the sealing membrane.

[0012] For universal sealing even without an inserted cable, it is advisable to close the respective feed-through opening in an initial state (i.e. before the cable is fed through) with a detachable and / or pierceable area. The detachable and / or pierceable area can comprise at least one (further) thin spot. The at least one (further) thin spot can run at least partially around the detachable area. Alternatively or additionally, several (further) thin spots can also be provided. These can, for example, intersect at a puncture point of the pierceable area. Combinations of these designs are also conceivable (circumferential thin spot and intersecting thin spots forming a puncture point).

[0013] The at least one sealing membrane is surrounded by a tubular inner shell of the insert. The sealing membrane can protrude radially inward from this. The inner shell extends in the axial direction and at least partially along the outer shell of the housing. The inner shell advantageously extends in the axial direction over 90 to 100% of the entire length of the outer shell. If an intumescent material is used for the insert, the inner shell made of the intumescent material ensures large-area foaming and sealing of the feed-through opening(s) in the event of a fire. In the case of a feed-through opening for a single line, the inner shell can be arranged coaxially to the outer shell. If several feed-through openings are provided, each for the passage of a single line, the insert can also have several tubular inner shells, each surrounding a corresponding sealing membrane.The multiple tubular inner shells can be connected to one another by a stiffening structure of the insert. In a design with multiple through-openings, it is also advisable for the housing and / or the insert to have an end face at the front end. The inner shells can extend from the end face of the insert.

[0014] Inner shells extend at least partially through the cable duct in the axial direction. The end face of the housing advantageously merges into the previously described edge of the housing, i.e., the edge and the end face are located at the same position in the axial direction.

[0015] Depending on the design, the housing can have cutouts extending through the outer shell. Clamping ribs of the insert can extend radially outward through these cutouts. The clamping ribs can be designed integrally with the inner shell of the insert. The clamping ribs serve to securely position the cable entry in the wall and absorb vibrations. The cutouts and the clamping ribs are therefore advantageously distributed around the circumference of the housing.

[0016] To simplify installation of the cable in the cable feedthrough, the cable feedthrough can comprise two half-shells. The half-shells can preferably be operatively connected to one another along a first parting plane extending in the axial direction. The half-shells can each comprise a housing half and an insert half. As already described above, the housing can be integrally connected to the insert. In the case of half-shells, the corresponding insert half and the corresponding housing half of a respective half-shell can therefore be molded onto one another. Alternatively, the corresponding insert halves and housing halves can also be designed separately from one another. The first parting plane advantageously extends centrally through the cable feedthrough. In this case, the first parting plane can extend (in particular centrally) through one, two or more feedthrough openings.At least one of the two half-shells or both half-shells may also have at least one further through-opening arranged entirely within the corresponding half-shell. For the lateral insertion of a cable into these through-openings, a tearable thin section or a slot can be provided which extends from the first parting plane of the half-shells to the respective through-opening arranged entirely within this half-shell. The tearable thin section or the slot advantageously extends perpendicularly from the first parting plane and in the axial direction. An arrangement with two through-openings, each half arranged on a half-shell, and one through-opening arranged entirely within the corresponding half-shell is particularly advantageous.This through-opening, arranged entirely within the half-shell, can have a center point that, viewed from the axial direction, is located between the centers of the through-openings arranged on the parting plane. The tearable thin section or slit then runs from the parting plane between the through-openings arranged on the parting plane to the corresponding through-opening arranged entirely within the half-shell.

[0017] Depending on the design, particularly if more than two feedthrough openings are planned, the respective half-shells can also be made up of several parts. In this case, the half-shells can, for example, each comprise at least two segments. Such segments then each comprise a housing part and an insert part, which is preferably molded onto the housing part. The housing parts together form the housing and the insert parts together form the insert. If two segments are provided per half-shell, these can be operatively connected further along a second parting plane extending in the axial direction through the cable feedthrough. In this case (in the assembled state) the two half-shells would abut one another along the first parting plane and the corresponding segments of the two half-shells would abut one another in pairs opposite one another along the second parting plane.In such a design, it is advisable for the second parting plane to extend through at least one through-opening, but preferably through one through-opening per half-shell. The first and second parting planes are preferably perpendicular to one another. If two half-shells, each with two segments, are present, it is advantageous for the respective segments to form a through-opening on the circumference with each adjacent segment. In total, there are then four through-openings through which either the first or the second parting plane runs. In a design with half-shells and possibly segments, the parting plane can also run through the at least one sealing membrane. To ensure good sealing when the cable feedthrough is assembled, the respective parts of the sealing membrane of the corresponding half-shells, or if present, the corresponding segments, can overlap.

[0018] For a stable design, the cable bushing can have operative connection means that operatively connect the half-shells and / or the segments to one another. The operative connection means are advantageously arranged on the housing, in particular on the outer shell of the housing. The operative connection means can be locking elements and / or clamping elements. For each segment and / or half-shell, operative connection means are preferably arranged at the front end of the outer shell as well as at the rear end of the outer shell.

[0019] Depending on the application, positioning aids can be provided on the half-shells and / or segments as an alternative or additional feature. These positioning aids serve to align the half-shells and / or segments for effective connection.

[0020] For a secure connection to the wall, fasteners can also be arranged along the edge. These fasteners serve to secure the cable entry to the wall. For example, the fasteners can be designed as fastening holes arranged in the edge. Alternatively or additionally, the fasteners can be designed as snap-in hooks arranged at the rear of the edge (pointing toward the rear end). The latter is particularly suitable for thin-walled metal walls.

[0021] Aspects of the invention are explained in more detail with reference to the exemplary embodiments shown in the following figures and the associated description. They show: Fig. 1A first variant of a cable bushing according to the invention in a perspective exploded view; Fig. 2The first variant of the cable bushing according to Figure 1 in a front view; Fig. 3The first variant of the cable feedthrough according to Figure 1 in a view from behind; Fig. 4A section A -A through the first variant of the cable feedthrough according to Figure 2 ; Fig. 5A second variant of a cable bushing according to the invention in a perspective exploded view; Fig. 6The second variant of the cable bushing according to Figure 5 from the front; Fig. 7A section B - B through the second variant of the cable feedthrough according to Figure 6 ; Fig. 8A third variant of a cable feedthrough according to the invention in a perspective view; Fig. 9The third variant of the cable feedthrough in a perspective exploded view; Fig. 10A fourth variant of the cable feedthrough in a perspective view.

[0022] Figure 1 to Figure 4show a first variant of a cable bushing 1 according to the invention for passing a cable through a wall. The cable bushing 1 comprises a housing 2 with a tubular outer shell 3 extending in an axial direction from a front end 4 to a rear end 5. The housing 2 can further comprise an edge 18 projecting laterally from the outer shell 3 at the front end 4 for resting on the wall. Attachment means 27 (e.g., in the form of snap-in hooks) for attaching the cable bushing 1 to the wall can be arranged at the rear of the edge, as shown in Figure 4can be seen. An insert 6, which may comprise an intumescent material, is arranged within the housing 2. The insert 6 may, as shown, comprise a tubular inner shell 9, which extends in the axial direction and at least partially along the outer shell 3 of the housing 2. A sealing membrane 7 is arranged in the insert, which surrounds a through-opening 8 for the passage of the line. The sealing membrane 7 protrudes radially inward from the inner shell 9 and tapers conically in the axial direction away from the front end 4.

[0023] The sealing membrane 7 is advantageously designed such that the through-opening 8 is expandable and flexibly adapts to the respective diameter of the inserted cable. For this purpose, it can comprise a soft-elastic (and possibly intumescent) material. For good adaptation to particularly large cable diameters, the sealing membrane 7 can also have several thin spots 14 running towards the through-opening 8, which are designed such that they tear depending on the diameter of the inserted cable. Depending on the design, the several thin spots 14 can be arranged, for example, on a rear side 16 of the sealing membrane 7, as in Figure 3The multiple thin spots 14 can divide the conically tapered sealing membrane 7 into several triangular lamellae 15. To promote deformation of the lamellae 15, a circumferential notch 10 can also be arranged next to the sealing membrane 7 on the inner shell 9 (cf. Figure 4 ).

[0024] In the first variant, the cable bushing 1 has only one through-opening 8. In order to be able to easily install pre-assembled cables, which for example already have a plug mounted at one end, in the cable bushing 1, the latter can comprise two half-shells 19, 20, which can be operatively connected to one another along a first parting plane 21 extending in the axial direction through the cable bushing 1 (see Figure 1 ).The first separation plane 21 extends through the through-opening 8 and, when the cable bushing 1 is disassembled, allows the pre-assembled cable to be easily inserted into the two half-shells 19, 20.

[0025] In the illustrated case, operative connection means 28 in the form of latching hooks for operatively connecting the half-shells are arranged on the respective housing halves 31 of the half-shells 19, 20. Furthermore, each half-shell 19, 20 can comprise at least one positioning aid 29 for aligning the half-shells 19, 20 with each other prior to operative connection.

[0026] Figure 5 to Figure 7show a second variant of a cable bushing 1 according to the invention. The second variant differs from the first variant in that it is suitable for the passage of four cables. For this purpose, the cable bushing 1 shown comprises four passage openings 8, each in a conically shaped sealing membrane 7. In the case shown, the respective sealing membranes 7 taper in the axial direction towards the front end 4. Equivalently, the plurality of thin spots 14 running towards the respective passage opening 8 are located on a front side 17 of the sealing membrane 7, as in Figure 6 to see.

[0027] Although four through-openings 8, 8' are present, the second variant of the cable bushing 1 also has only two half-shells 19, 20, each comprising a housing half 31 and an insert half 32. While the (first) parting plane 21 extends through two of the four through-openings 8, there is one through-opening 8' arranged entirely within each half-shell 19, 20 (see Figure 5 ). However, a pre-assembled cable can also be introduced into this through-opening 8', since in the present case there is a tearable thin spot or alternatively a slot 30 which extends from the first parting plane 21 to the respective through-opening 8' arranged entirely in this half-shell 19, 20.

[0028] Figure 8 and Figure 9show a third variant of a cable bushing 1 according to the invention. In contrast to the second variant, in the third variant, the two half-shells 19, 20 can each be divided into two segments 23, 24, which facilitates the installation of the cables into the respective through-openings 8 of the cable bushing 1. The segments 23, 24, like the half-shells 19, 20, can be operatively connected to one another via operative connection means 28 (here: locking hooks). In the assembled state, the two half-shells 19, 20 abut one another along the first parting plane 21, with the corresponding segments 23, 24 of the respective half-shells 19, 20 abutting one another in pairs opposite one another along a second parting plane 25 (see Figure 8 ). In the present example, the first and second separation planes 21, 25 are perpendicular to each other.

[0029] The second parting plane 25 extends, as can be seen, through a total of two through-openings 8 (one through-opening 8 per half-shell 19, 20). The first parting plane 21 also extends through a total of two through-openings 8 (one through-opening 8 per pair of segments 23, 23 and 24, 24). In total, there are then four through-openings 8, through which either the first or the second parting plane 21, 25 runs centrally. As with the first variant, the respective conical sealing membranes 7 taper in the axial direction away from the front end 4.

[0030] Figure 10shows a fourth variant of a cable bushing 1 according to the invention for passing through a cable. The fourth variant of the cable bushing 1, like the first variant, is intended for passing through only one cable. However, the fourth variant differs from the first variant in that the sealing membrane 7 is not conical, but in the present case is oriented essentially perpendicular to the axial direction.

[0031] This configuration is particularly advantageous for variants where no intumescent material is used. However, the material of the insert 6 is advantageously still flexible, in order to elastically deform the sealing membrane 7 (or the through-opening 8) to insert lines of different diameters. To prevent the sealing membrane 7 from tearing in this case, as shown, it can have a bead 22 surrounding the through-opening 8. The configuration of the housing 2 can be selected to be equivalent to the previously described variants.

[0032] In all variants shown here, the housing 2 can have cutouts 12 extending in the axial direction and through the outer shell 3, through which a clamping rib 13 of the insert 6 extends radially outward. Such a configuration is particularly useful in the case of increased vibrations. Furthermore, all variants can provide that the through-opening 8 is closed in an initial state before the respective cable is passed through by a detachable and / or punchable area 11. In this way, the cable feedthrough 1 prevents the passage of, for example, smoke through the cable feedthrough 1, even if no cable is installed through it. LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0033] 1 Cable feedthrough 17 front 2 Housing 18 edge 3 Outer shell 19 First half shell 4 Front end 20 Second half shell 5 Rear end 21 First separation level 6 Mission 22 bead 7 Sealing membrane 23 First segment 8 Through opening 24 Second segment 9 inner shell 25 Second separation level 10 Outer Zone 26 frontal surface 11 Pierceable / detachable area 27 Fasteners 28 Active fasteners 12 Excerpt 29 Positioning aid 13 clamping rib 30 slit (or thin spot) 14 Thin spot 31 Housing half 15 slat 32 Insert half 16 back

Claims

1. Line feedthrough (1) for feeding at least one line through a wall, with a. a housing (2) with a tube-shaped outer shell (3) extending in an axial direction from a front side end (4) to a rear side end (5), and b. an insert (6) arranged inside the outer shell (3) of the housing (2) and having at least one sealing membrane (7) which surrounds a feed-through opening (8) for feeding through a line, and c. the at least one sealing membrane (7) is surrounded by a tube-shaped inner shell (9) of the insert (6), which extends in the axial direction and at least in some areas along the outer shell (3) of the housing (2), and characterized in that d. the housing (2) has cut-outs (12) extending through the outer shell (3), through each of which a clamping rib (13) of the insert (6) extends radially outwards.

2. Line feedthrough (1) according to patent claim 1, characterized in that the insert (6) comprises an intumescent material at least in some regions.

3. Line feedthrough (1) according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that the insert (6) comprises a soft elastic material at least in some regions.

4. Line feedthrough (1) according to patent claim 3, characterized in that the at least one sealing membrane (7) is designed such that the respective feed-through opening (8) is expandable in order to adapt flexibly to a respective line diameter of the inserted line.

5. Line feedthrough (1) according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that the at least one sealing membrane (7) is conical or funnel-shaped in the axial direction, at least in some regions.

6. Line feedthrough (1) according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that the at least one sealing membrane (7) tapers conically in the axial direction away from the front side end (4) or towards the front side end (4).

7. Line feedthrough (1) according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that the respective feed-through opening (8) is closed in an initial state, before the respective line is fed through, by a detachable and / or pierceable region (11).

8. Line feedthrough (1) according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that the at least one sealing membrane (7) has a plurality of thinner areas (14) running towards the respective feed-through opening (8), which are designed such that they tear depending on the diameter of the line of the line introduced.

9. Line feedthrough (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that the plurality of thinner areas (14) subdivides the at least one sealing membrane (7) into a plurality of preferably triangular or trapezoidal lamellae (15).

10. Line feedthrough (1) according to patent claim 9, characterized in that a circumferential notch is arranged on the inner shell (9) adjacent to the at least one sealing membrane (7), which is designed such that it allows the corresponding sealing membrane (7), in particular the lamellae (15), to be deformed when the respective line is fed through.

11. Line feedthrough (1) according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that the housing (2) comprises an edge (18) at the front side end (4) laterally protruding from the outer shell (3) for resting on the wall.

12. Line feedthrough (1) according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that the line feedthrough (1) comprises two half shells (19, 20) which can be interconnected along a first separation plane (21) extending in the axial direction through the line feedthrough (1).

13. Line feedthrough (1) according to patent claim 12, characterized in that the first separation plane (21) extends through the at least one feed-through opening (8), preferably through two feed-through openings (8).

14. Line feedthrough (1) according to patent claim 12 or 13, characterized in that the half shells (19, 20) each comprise at least two segments (23, 24) which are interconnectable along a second separation plane (25) extending in the axial direction through the line feedthrough (1).

15. Line feedthrough (1) according to claim 14, characterized in that the second separation plane (25) extends through the respective feed-through opening (8), preferably through two feed-through openings (8).