Self-supported cable assembly and method for packaging a cable

Abstract

The invention relates to a self-supported cable assembly (1, 1') comprising a cable (11) wound around a central axis (AA ') of the assembly so as to form a winding, the winding comprising a first turn (s1) and a second turn (s2) adjacent to the first turn (s1), the assembly (1, 1') comprising an adhesive (10) arranged on a cable (11) and in contact with the first turn (s1) and the second turn (s2) so as to keep the first turn (s1) fixed with respect to the second turn (s2).

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] TITLE OF THE INVENTION:

[0003] SELF-RETAINING CABLE ASSEMBLY AND METHOD OF CONDITIONING A CABLE

[0004] TECHNICAL FIELD

[0005] The invention relates to the packaging of cables, preferably electrical or optical, for the transport, storage and unwinding of such cables.

[0006] STATE OF THE ART

[0007] Generally, the cables are packaged on a winding support (e.g. reel or spool) which allows the organized storage of the cable wound in turns in long lengths (a few dozen meters to a few kilometers). However, there are variants which consist of arranging the cable wound in a crown, without support but tied to hold the turns during storage and transport, but these have the disadvantage, when unwinding, of not keeping the turns well organized.

[0008] STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0009] An object of the present invention is to facilitate the handling and storage of cables.

[0010] In this respect, the invention relates, according to a first aspect, to a self-supporting cable assembly comprising a cable wound around a central axis of the assembly so as to form a winding, the winding comprising a first turn and a second turn adjacent to the first turn (s1), the assembly comprising an adhesive arranged on a cable and in contact with the first turn and the second turn so as to keep the first turn fixed relative to the second turn. Other characteristics, aims and advantages of the invention will emerge from the description which follows, which is purely illustrative and non-limiting, and which must be read in conjunction with the appended drawings in which:

[0011] - the adhesive comprises a line of adhesive parallel to the axis of the cable, the first turn and the second turn being in contact with the line of adhesive;

[0012] - the adhesive comprises adhesive dots spaced apart from each other, the first turn and the second turn being in contact via the adhesive dots;

[0013] - it includes a support around which the cable is wound, for example a reel or a spool;

[0014] - the second turn is wound with a diameter greater than or equal to that of the first turn;

[0015] - the winding comprises a third turn wound with a diameter greater than or equal to that of the second turn, the adhesive keeping the third turn fixed relative to the second turn;

[0016] - the adhesive comprises a physically or chemically setting glue configured to withstand a tearing force such that the coils do not detach by themselves.

[0017] The invention relates according to a second aspect to a self-supporting cable crown consisting solely of an assembly according to the first aspect of the invention.

[0018] According to a third aspect, the invention relates to a method of packaging a cable comprising winding the cable around a winding axis so as to form a winding, the winding comprising a first turn and a second turn adjacent to the first turn, and during the winding, the method comprises depositing an adhesive on the cable prior to its winding so as to be in contact with the first turn and the second turn in order to keep the first turn fixed relative to the second turn.

[0019] Advantageously, the adhesive is a mechanically or chemically cured glue, the process comprising, after depositing the glue, a waiting step so that the glue crosslinks or cools.

[0020] The advantages of the invention are numerous. The cable remains in its wound position until it is pulled out, and eliminates the need for tying.

[0021] The cable wound according to the invention avoids the jamming of the turns during storage, transport and unwinding. This cable can be used with or without a reel. In this case, this eliminates the cost and environmental footprint of supports (such as reels) and reels by winding the cable, which is self-supporting and does not require tying, without presenting any risk of detention or jamming of the turns during storage, transport and unwinding.

[0022] Indeed, the use of reels or spools represents an economic and environmental cost: They are often destined to be destroyed after the first use (first unwinding of the cable), this is particularly the case for packaging with reduced dimensions which allow them to be handled or moved manually (without lifting equipment), gross mass typically less than 20kg. There is no tie waste for the installer. The use of a reel is therefore not essential, which limits the waste linked to the reel.

[0023] Unwinding is accelerated, saving the operator time. The self-supporting coil is lighter and requires no packaging. The size is scalable as the cable is unwound. In addition, the cable wound according to the invention allows unwinding while unwinding and unwinding and allows unwinding from the outside and from the inside.

[0024] Also, the invention allows for a packaging cost proportional to the length (unlike packaging which provides a fixed cost for a range of lengths).

[0025] PRESENTATION OF FIGURES

[0026] Other characteristics, aims and advantages of the invention will emerge from the following description, which is purely illustrative and non-limiting, and which must be read in conjunction with the appended drawings in which:

[0027] - figure 1 illustrates an assembly according to a first embodiment of the invention;

[0028] - Figure 2 illustrates an assembly according to a second embodiment of the invention; - Figure 3a, Figure 3b, Figure 3c and Figure 4 illustrate views of a cable which is wound according to the invention;

[0029] - figure 5a, figure 5b, figure 5c and figure 5d illustrate several arrangements of a wound cable according to the invention;

[0030] - figure 6 illustrates an implementation of a method of winding a cable to obtain an assembly according to the invention;

[0031] - figure 7 illustrates steps of a method of winding a cable to obtain an assembly according to the invention.

[0032] In all figures, similar elements have identical references.

[0033] DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] Self-retaining cable assembly

[0035] Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a self-supporting cable assembly 1, 1' according to a first embodiment and a second embodiment respectively. Figures 3a, 3b, 3c and Figure 4 illustrate a cable 11 which is wound according to Figures 1 and 2 and 3.

[0036] According to these two embodiments, the assembly 1, the self-supporting cable is obtained by winding on itself around a central axis AA' of the assembly so as to form a winding. The winding comprises several turns s1, s2. In particular, the winding comprises a first turn s1 and a second turn s2 adjacent to the first turn s1. The first turn s1 is wound around the axis AA' according to a first diameter and the second turn s2 is wound around the axis AA' according to a second diameter greater than or equal to the first diameter. Therefore, the second turn s2 is wound around the first turn s2 or is superimposed above it. The first turn s1 is for example in a first plane p1 while the second turn s2 is in a second plane p2. The first and second planes p1, p2 are located at a distance from each other and superimposed.

[0037] A third turn s2 is wound with a diameter greater than or equal to that of the second turn s2 and so on for other turns. For example, the second diameter is the initial diameter of the winding to which is added twice the diameter of the cable 11 and so on as the diameter increases as the turns are wound.

[0038] The set 1, 1' therefore has a radius R defined by the different turns s1, s2 and a height H defined by the stages of turns s1, s2 on top of each other.

[0039] To connect the turns s1, s2 together, the assembly 1, 1' comprises an adhesive 10 arranged on the cable 11 and which is in contact with the first turn s1 and the second turn s2 so as to keep the first turn s1 fixed relative to the second turn s2.

[0040] According to the first embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the assembly 1 is in particular a self-supporting cable crown 1 and does not include a reel or spool type support around which the cable 11 is wound. Such a crown 1 has, for example, the appearance of a cylinder that is wider than it is tall.

[0041] According to the second embodiment illustrated in Figure 2, the assembly 1' comprises a support 20 of the reel or spool type to facilitate the unwinding of the cable 11. It should be noted that in this case, the presence of the support 20 does not serve to keep the cable wound up.

[0042] In relation to Figure 3a, the wound cable 11 comprises for example an electrical or optical conductor consisting of a conductive core 12 covered with an outer sheath 14 made of polymer or polymer-based composite material. The outer sheath 14 is for example made of polyethylene. The conductive core 12 is made of copper wires or optical fibers made of silica or polymer.

[0043] The cable 11 is preferably of circular geometry and extends along a longitudinal axis XX'. Alternatively, the cable 11 is of oblong shape.

[0044] Furthermore, the outer diameter of the cable 11 is between 1 mm and 35 mm, preferably between 1 mm and 12 mm.

[0045] In order for the assembly 1, 1' to be self-maintained, that is to say that it is maintained without the aid of any external element such as a reel or ligatures, the turns s1, s2, s3 of the assembly are in contact via the adhesive 10 which is arranged on the cable 11.

[0046] According to the embodiment of Figure 3a, the adhesive 10 comprises a line LA of adhesive parallel to the axis XX' of the cable 11, the first turn s1 and the second turn s2 being in contact by the line LA of adhesive 10. According to the embodiment of Figure 3b, and alternatively, the adhesive 10 comprises points PA of adhesive spaced from each other and aligned parallel to the axis XX' of the cable 11, the first turn s1 and the second turn s2 being in contact by means of these points of adhesive. According to the embodiment of Figure 3c, and alternatively, the adhesive 10 comprises a cloud of diffuse points PA around the axis XX' of the cable 11.

[0047] Advantageously, the adhesive (continuous or discrete) is arranged along contact lines L. The lines L extend for example longitudinally along the cable 11 and the adhesive 10 is arranged along at least one of these contact lines L so as to hold the adjacent turns together. In this way the turns s1, s2 are held together at one or more contact lines L of the turns between them. The contact lines L are defined by the winding of the cable 11.

[0048] Figure 4 illustrates a front view of a cable 11 on which several contact lines L1, L2, L3, L4, L5 are defined, distributed around the cable 11. In this figure, several possibilities are shown for these contact lines which depend on the winding of the cable 11. Two lines L1, L2 are diametrically opposed, a third line L3 is at 90 degrees relative to the two lines L1, L2, a fourth line L4 and a fifth line L5 are at 45° relative to the lines L1, L2 respectively.

[0049] Figures 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d illustrate several winding arrangements. In Figure 5a, the turns s1, s2, s3, s4 of the cable 11 are well superimposed. One turn s2 can be in contact with up to four turns. In Figure 5b the turns s1, s2, s3, s4 are nested, one turn can be in contact with up to six adjacent turns. In Figure 5c, the turns are staggered and one turn can be in contact with up to four adjacent turns. In Figure 5d, the cable 11 is oblong in shape, and the winding is similar to that of Figure 5b.

[0050] It is noted that the positioning of the adhesive 10 is such that it can fall between the turns but that there will be enough adhesion points to maintain the assembly.

[0051] Preferably, provision is made to arrange the adhesive on at least two lines 11 of adhesive to maximize the adhesion of the turns of the cable 11 (for example diametrically opposed). The adhesive 10 is preferably a physically setting glue which, during installation, is heated to become liquid and which will create a bonding of the turns as soon as the glue cools and hardens. A tearing force will then be necessary to separate the turns of the cable from the assembly. Alternatively, the adhesive 10 is a chemically setting glue or, more generally, is any means for holding the turns together without damaging the cable 11 and which withstands a minimal tearing force to prevent the turns from detaching themselves when they are wound. In particular, the tearing force is proportional to the surface area of ​​the bonding line created between the turns. A tearing force is, for example, less than 25 N.

[0052] Physically curing adhesive is an adhesive in which the polymer already exists in its final form, but before application it must be in a liquid form in a solvent, in water or in the molten form of a HOTMELT (hot melt adhesive). No chemical reaction occurs. Chemically curing adhesive is an adhesive in which a polymer is formed by a chemical reaction (polymerization or crosslinking). The chemical reaction is caused by humidity, temperature, UV, hardeners, etc.

[0053] In this way, the cable is held in place without tying, and it can be stored, transported, and unwound to its last turns, without the risk of the turns becoming jammed. In addition, this eliminates the environmental footprint of spools, reels, and ties. In addition, the self-supporting assembly can be positioned on a reel for easier handling.

[0054] Packaging process

[0055] Figures 6 and 7 illustrate the winding of a cable 11 according to one embodiment.

[0056] As illustrated in these figures, an unwound cable 11 is brought (step E1) onto a removable support (not shown) to be wound around this support. The support is rotated and allows the cable 11 to be wound around this support (step E2). When the cable 11 is wound around the removable support, the adhesive 10 is deposited on the cable 11 and in particular on the sheath 14 which passes between two nozzles 2 allowing the adhesive 10 to be deposited. The passage between these nozzles 2 makes it possible to define lines LÀ of adhesives or points PÀ of adhesives along the cable 11 prior to the cable 11 being brought into contact with itself (step E3). The winding of the cable will define the lines of contact between the turns, some of which will correspond to the positions of the adhesive 10.

[0057] The adhesive 10 is preferably constituted by a thermal glue which is first heated (to a temperature above 85°C) to be liquid and to be deposited by the nozzles 2 connected to a reservoir 3 of glue in the liquid state.

[0058] In the case of glue, the wound turns are held for the entire time necessary for the glue to harden (mechanical setting) or crosslink (chemical setting) and to hold the turns together (step E4). Once the turns are held together, the assembly is removed (step E5) from the removable support. The cable 11 is held together by its turns, which are linked to each other.

[0059] For its unwinding, when unrolled, the self-supporting cable assembly 1, 1' will be placed on a reel. The operator will only have to pull on the outer end to cause the cable to be torn off and the assembly to rotate.

[0060] In addition, as many nozzles 2 are provided as there are locations for depositing the adhesive 10. The position of the wound cable 11 relative to the nozzles (or vice versa) will depend on the type of winding required as illustrated in figures 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A self-supporting cable assembly (1, 1') comprising a cable (11) wound around a central axis (AA') of the assembly so as to form a winding, the winding comprising a first turn (s1) and a second turn (s2) adjacent to the first turn (s1), the assembly (1, 1') comprising an adhesive (10) disposed on the cable (11) and in contact with the first turn (s1) and the second turn (s2) so as to hold the first turn (s1) fixed relative to the second turn (s2), the adhesive consisting of adhesive dots spaced from each other and distributed along the sheath (14) of the cable (11), the adhesive comprising a physically setting or chemically setting glue configured to - withstand a minimal tearing force such that the turns (s1, s2) do not detach themselves when the cable is wound while allowing the cable to be unwound when the cable is pulled by an operator.

2. Assembly (1') according to claim 1, comprising a support (20) around which the cable (11) is wound, for example a reel or a spool.

3. Assembly (1, 1') according to any one of claims 1 to 2, in which the second turn (s2) is wound with a diameter greater than or equal to that of the first turn (s1).

4. Assembly (1, 1') according to any one of the preceding claims, the winding comprising a third turn (s3) wound with a diameter greater than or equal to that of the second turn (s2), the adhesive (10) keeping the third turn (s3) fixed relative to the second turn (s2).

5. Self-supporting cable crown (1) consisting solely of an assembly (1, 1') according to any one of the preceding claims.

6. Method for packaging a cable (11) comprising a winding (E3) of the cable (11) around a winding axis (AA') so as to form a winding, the winding comprising a first turn (s1) and a second turn (s2) turn (s2) adjacent to the first turn (s1), and during winding, the method comprises depositing (E3) an adhesive (10) on the cable (11) prior to its winding so as to be in contact with the first turn (s1) and the second turn (s2) in order to keep the first turn (s1) fixed relative to the second turn (s2).

7. Method according to claim 6, in which the adhesive (10) is a mechanically or chemically setting glue, the method comprising, after the deposition (E3) of the glue, a step (E4) of waiting so that the glue crosslinks or cools.

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