Technical Field

The present invention concerns a wedge for a lead-through system, which comprises a handle. Prior Art

The present invention is mainly intended for a lead-through system comprising a frame, a number of modules, stay plates and a wedge. The modules, stay plates and the wedge are placed inside the frame. The modules are made of a compressible material and each module is to receive a cable, pipe or wire. The function of the stay plates is to hinder the modules from going out of the frame in use. The wedge is a compression means which is to compress the modules in order for them to seal inwardly against the pipe, cable or wire and outwardly against other modules, stay plates and/or the frame, depending on the placement inside the frame.

Lead-through systems of this kind are used in many different environments, such as for cabinets, technical shelters, junction boxes and machines and also decks and bulkheads of ships. They are used in different industrial environments, such as automotive, telecom, power generation and distribution as well as marine and offshore. They may have to seal against fluid, gas, fire, rodents, termites, dust, moisture etc.

In one wedge according to prior art (WO 96/1 1353), the wedge is moved between a non-compression state and a compression state by means of two screws, whereby each screw has threads with opposite pitches. The screws are connected to two wedge elements, which are moved towards each other if the screws are turned in a first direction and away from each other if the screws are turned in the opposite direction. The threads of the screws are in mesh with threads of the wedge elements, whereby the threads of one of the wedge elements are in mesh with threads of a first pitch of the screws and the threads of the other wedge element are in mesh with threads of an opposite pitch of the screws. Two further wedge elements are placed on sloping surfaces on opposite sides of the two first wedge elements, whereby the two further wedge elements will be moved towards and away from each other depending on the movement of the two first wedge elements. When the two further wedge elements are moved away from each other the thickness of the wedge increases, giving a compression force when placed inside the frame.

Wedges of prior art are often cumbersome to place inside the frame and to withdraw from the frame. The wedge is normally the last part to be placed inside a frame at installation. When and if a cable, wire or pipe is to be replaced, inserted or removed from the lead-through transition, the wedge is often taken out from the frame. In the prior art it is known to provide a special tool to withdraw a wedge from within a frame. Such a tool often uses openings for compression screws, which means that the compression screws have to be removed before such a tool can be used.

In order to be able to identify specific installation and possibly connect them to a specific material batch, a specific manufacturing facility etc. it is common to mark different parts. One type of such marking is to use so-called RFID tags. Such tags should be placed in relatively protected positions and as free of disturbances as possible.

Summary

In view of the above, one object of the present invention is to provide a compression wedge that is relatively easy to insert into and remove from within a frame.

Another object is to accomplish a suitable placement for tags, such as RFID tags. Such tags should be placed in a relatively protected position. Furthermore, the function of the tags should not be compromised by the material of surrounding parts.

According to one aspect of the present invention a handle is provided for a wedge of a lead-through system for cables, pipes or wires. The lead-through system further comprises a frame and one or more modules. The wedge and the one or more modules are placed inside the frame. The modules are to receive the cables, pipes or wires. The thickness of the wedge is adjustable to compress the modules inside the frame. The wedge has a handle, which handle is accessible from one side of the frame with the wedge placed inside the frame.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be obvious to a person skilled in the art when reading the detailed description below of at present preferred embodiments.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The present invention will be described further below by way of example and with reference to the enclosed drawings. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a lead-through system of prior art, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a compression wedge of the present invention, which could be used in a system according to Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view corresponding with Fig. 2, with parts removed,

Fig. 4 is a side view of the wedge of Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the wedge of Figs. 2 and 4,

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the wedge along the line A-A in Fig. 5, with the wedge in a non-compressing state,

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the wedge along the line A-A in Fig. 5, with the wedge in a compressing state,

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a screw forming a part of the wedge of Figs. 2-7,

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a socket forming a part of the wedge of Figs. 2-

7,

Fig. 10 is a sectional view of the socket of Fig. 9,

Fig. 11 is a plan view of a locking ring, to be used with the socket of Figs. 9 and 10, and

Figs. 12-14 are perspective views of wedges having handles of different embodiments.

Detailed Description of Embodiments

The wedge of the present invention is intended for use in a lead-through system as exemplified in Fig. 1. The exact form of the different parts of the lead-through system may vary. In the shown embodiment a frame 101 receives a number of modules 102. The frame 101 is to be placed in a transition, such as a wall, roof or floor, and each module 102 is to receive a cable, wire or pipe. To assist in holding the modules 102 in place inside the frame 101 a number of stay plates 103 are arranged between each row of modules 102 inside the frame 101. The stay plates 103 are arranged moveable in longitudinal direction inside the frame 101, i.e. up and down as shown in Fig. 1. A wedge 104 according to prior art is placed at one inner end of the frame 101, with a stay plate 103 between the wedge 104 and the adjacent row of modules. The prior art wedge 104 is a compression unit and by means of screws 105 the wedge 104 can be expanded inside the frame 101. The expansion of the wedge 104 will act on the modules 102 inside the frame 101, whereby the modules 102 will be pressed against each other, against the stay plates 103, against the inner sides of the frame 101 and/or against any cable etc. received inside a module 102, depending on the placement of respective module 102. The wedge of the present invention comprises a first wedge element 1, a second wedge element 2, a third wedge element 3 and a fourth wedge element 4. The wedge further comprises a handle 5, a screw 6, a socket 7 and a nut 8.

The first wedge element 1 has a core 9 of a harder material than the surrounding material. In the same way the second wedge element 2 has a core 10 of harder material, the third wedge element 3 has a core 11 of harder material and the fourth wedge element 4 has a core 12 of harder material. The wedge elements 1 , 2, 3, 4 are made of the same material and the core 9, 10, 11 , 12 of each wedge element 1 , 2, 3, 4 is made of the same material. Each wedge element 1, 2, 3, 4 is made of an elastic, compressible rubber material and the core 9, 10, 11 , 12 of each wedge element 1, 2, 3, 4 is made of a composite material . The core 9, 10, 1 1, 12 of respective wedge element 1 ,

2, 3, 4 is made to be strong enough to withstand the expected forces without being compressed.

In other embodiments one or more of the wedge elements 1 , 2, 3, 4 are made solely of a compressible material, such as rubber. In one embodiment only the first wedge element 1 has a core 9 of harder material. In a further embodiment both the first and the second wedge elements 1, 2 have a core 9, 10 of harder material, while the third and fourth wedge elements 3, 4 are made solely of a rubber material. In still a further embodiment all the wedge elements 1 , 2, 3, 4 are made solely of a rubber material.

The first and second wedge elements 1 , 2 are arranged in line with each other and moveable towards and away from each other. The third and fourth wedge elements

3, 4 are placed above each other and moveable towards and away from each other. The third and fourth wedge elements 3, 4 are placed between the first and second wedge elements 1, 2. The first wedge element 1 abuts the third wedge element 3 and the fourth wedge element 4 along sloped surfaces. The second wedge element 2 abuts the third wedge element 3 and the fourth wedge element 4 along sloped surfaces. The wedge elements 1, 2, 3, 4 and their co-operating sloped surfaces are arranged in such a way that when the first wedge element 1 and the second wedge element 2 are moved toward each other the third wedge element 3 and the fourth wedge element 4 are moved away from each other. Correspondingly, when the first wedge element 1 and the second wedge element 2 are moved away from each other the third wedge element 3 and the fourth wedge element 4 are allowed to move toward each other. The first wedge element 1 and the second wedge element 2 each have a through opening. Said through openings are placed in line with each other in the assembled wedge. The screw 6 of the wedge is placed in the through openings of the first wedge element 1 and the second wedge element 2, respectively. The end of the screw 6 placed inside the second wedge element 2 has an outer thread 13. The opposite end of the screw 6, i.e. the end placed at the first wedge element 1, has also an outer thread 14.

The socket 7 of the wedge has a tubular part 15 and forms a nut 16 at one end opposite the tubular part 15. A flange 17 is formed between the tubular part 15 and the nut 16, which flange 17 projects outwardly around the circumference of the tubular part 15 and is perpendicular to the tubular part 15. The socket 7 is made in one piece. A groove 18 is arranged on the outside of the tubular part 15, which groove 18 goes all around the circumference of the tubular part 15. The groove 18 is placed at a short distance from the flange 17 of the socket 7. The socket 7 has a through opening 19.

The handle 5 is integrated with the core 9 of the first wedge element 1 in the show embodiment. The handle 5 comprises an arc 20, an attachment plate 21 and two struts 22, 23, extending between the arc 20 and the attachment plate 21. The attachment plate 21 abuts the outer softer material of the first wedge element 1 and extends over the total width of the wedge. The arc 20 is placed at opposite ends of the attachment plate 21 and goes via two bent parts over into a straight part. The straight part of the arc 20 is placed at a distance from the attachment plate 21 and is parallel with the attachment plate 21. The straight part of the arc 20 has a through opening 24 placed in the centre of said straight part. Also the attachment plate 21 has a through opening 25 placed in line with the through opening of the arc 20. The struts 22, 23 are placed at a distance from each other on opposite sides of the through openings 24, 25 of the arc 20 and the attachment plate 21, respectively. The distance between the struts 22, 23 should be at least big enough to give room for the socket 7. Furthermore, the attachment plate 21 has tag holders 26 placed on the side facing away from the first wedge element 1. As shown in Fig. 4 the wedge has chamfers 27 around the edges at the outer end of the second wedge element 2, in order to facilitate insertion of the wedge into a frame. Normally all of the handle 5 and the core 9 of the first wedge element 1 are made in one piece. The handle 5 is placed to be accessible from one side of the frame, when the wedge is placed inside the frame.

For the embodiments where the first wedge element 1 is made solely of a rubber material, the attachment plate 21 of the handle 5 is attached to the first wedge element 1 by means of an adhesive. The third and fourth wedge elements 3, 4 are connected to each other by means of two spring arrangements. By means of said spring arrangements the third and fourth wedge elements 3, 4 will be urged in a direction towards each other.

A tag 28, such as a RFID tag, can be placed in one of the tag holders 26 of the handle 5. Due to the arc 20 of the handle 5 the tag 28 is relatively well protected. To not risk disturbing the function of the tag 28 the handle 5 is made in a suitable composite material having no metal causing disturbance to the tag 28.

In the shown embodiment the nut 8 is held firmly inside the second wedge element 2 and is hindered from doing any axial or rotational movements in relation to the second wedge element 2. One end of the screw 6 is inserted into the nut 8. The screw 6 is screwed into an inner opening of the nut 8, by means of co-operation between the thread 13 of the screw 6 and the thread of the inner opening of the nut 8. The end of the screw 6 is locked from rotating inside the threaded opening of the nut 8 by means of a thread-locking fluid or threadlocker.

As stated above the screw 6 goes through a through opening of the first wedge element 1. In the assembled condition of the wedge the screw 6 goes between the third wedge element 3 and the fourth wedge element 4, respectively.

The socket 7 is placed going through the central through opening 24 of the arc 20 of the handle 5 and through the central through opening 25 of the attachment plate 21 of the handle 5. The end of the screw 6 opposite the nut 8 is received inside the socket 7, whereby the thread 14 at said end of the screw 6 is received in the thread in the through opening 19 of the socket 7. Thus, by means of the thread of respective part the position of the end of the screw 6 may be varied inside the through opening 19 of the socket 7. The socket 7 is held at the arc 20 of the handle 5 by means of a locking ring 29 being placed in the groove 18 on the outside of the tubular part 15 of the socket 7. The socket 7 is held by the locking ring 29 in a rotatable way. The arc 20 is placed between the flange 17 of the socket 7 and the locking ring 29 placed in the groove 18 of the socket 7. To hold the socket 7 at the handle 5 the distance between the flange 17 and the groove 18 of the socket 7 should about correspond with the thickness of the arc 20 of the handle 5.

In the assembled wedge the screw 6 is held stationary in relation to the second wedge element 2, without any rotation or axial movement, but may move axially in relation to the socket 7, and thereby the first wedge element 1, by means of rotation for the socket 7 on the screw 6. In use the wedge is moveable between two extremes. In a first extreme, as shown in Fig. 6, an upper surface of the third wedge element 3 is about flush with an upper surface of the first wedge element 1 and an upper surface of the second wedge element 2 and a lower surface of the fourth wedge element 4 is about flush with a lower surface of the first wedge element 1 and a lower surface of the second wedge element 2. This first extreme of the wedge could be called a flattened out position, as the wedge is as thin as it gets in that position. In said extreme the third and fourth wedge elements 3, 4 are abutting or are placed close to the screw 6. In a second extreme, as shown in Fig. 7, the first and second wedge elements 1, 2 are moved as close to each other as they can be moved and the third and fourth wedge elements 3, 4 are moved as far apart from each other as they can be moved. In the second extreme the wedge is as thick as it gets. In use the wedge may assume any position between the extremes, and including said extremes.

Stop edges of the screw 6, the through opening of the first wedge element 1 and the through opening 19 of the socket 7, respectively, co-operate to define the first and second extremes of the wedge. The stop edges of the screw 6 are formed at opposite ends of the thread 14 placed at the end opposite the nut 8. The stop edges of the through opening of the first wedge element 1 and the through opening 19 of the socket 7 are formed by means of respective through opening having parts with different inner diameters. The stop edge of the through opening of the first wedge element 1 defines the first extreme of the wedge, in co-operation with one of the stop edges of the screw 6. The second extreme of the wedge is defined by co-operation between the other stop edge of the screw 6 and the stop edge of the through opening 19 of the socket 7.

The wedge is normally placed inside the frame 101 with the wedge in the first extreme, whereby no compression force will be exerted on the modules 102 inside the frame 101. When the wedge is in the second extreme it will exert maximal compression force on the modules 102 inside the frame 101.

By rotating the socket 7, e.g. by means of a wrench placed on the nut 16 of the socket 7, in a first direction the wedge will go towards the first extreme and by rotating the socket 7 in the opposite direction the wedge will go towards the second extreme. By rotation of the socket 7 the screw 6 will be moved axially in relation to the socket 7. This relative axial movement between the screw 6 and the socket 7 is given by cooperation between the threads of the screw 6 and the through opening 19 of the socket 7. By said relative axial movement between the screw 6 and the socket 7 the first and second wedge elements 1 and 2 are given a corresponding relative axial movement, moving the first and second wedge elements 1 , 2 towards or away from each other, depending on the rotational direction of the socket 7. When the first and second wedge elements 1, 2 are moved towards each other the third and fourth wedge elements 3, 4 will be forced away from each other, sliding along the sloped surfaces of the first and second wedge elements 1 , 2, respectively. When the first and second wedge elements 1, 2 are moved away from each other the third and fourth wedge elements 3, 4 are allowed to move toward each other, sliding along the sloped surfaces of the first and second wedge elements, 1 , 2, respectively.

The wedge is normally inserted into a frame in the flattened out condition, which is the first extreme of the wedge as defined above. The chamfers 27 at the outer end of the second wedge element 2 facilitate insertion of the wedge into the frame. If the wedge is to be removed from the frame the wedge is brought to the first extreme and then the wedge is drawn out by gripping the handle 5. The handle 5 facilitates general handling of the wedge.

The exact from of the handle may vary and in Figs. 12-14 three further examples of embodiments of the handle are indicated.

In the embodiment of Fig. 12 the handle 30 has an arc form with the ends of the arc fastened to the first wedge element. The handle 30 is placed close to the socket 7 and in contrast to the embodiment described above, there are no struts.

In the embodiment of Fig. 13 the handle 31 has the form of a plate connected to the first wedge element by means of two struts 32. In the centre of the handle 31 a screw 33 is received, which screw 33 is used to manipulate the wedge.

In the embodiment of Fig. 14 the handle 34 has the form of a plate. The handle 34 has a shaft 35 which is received in a holder 35, fastened to the first wedge element. The wedge has two screws 37 for manipulation of the wedge.