FIELD OF INVENTION

[001] The present invention is generally related to cable grippers. More particularly, the present invention relates to cable grippers for suspension lighting.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

[002] A Gripper is a sophisticated piece of hardware that allows an electrician to adjust the height of a fixture without utilizing tools. As a cable slides through the gripper, a plunger and three balls within the gripper surround the outside diameter and catch the cable as it passes through the gripper. When mounted and weight is applied to the gripper, the tension forces the balls to grab the cable in a pinching movement.

[003] In general, conventional single cable grippers have many applications in Cable/Wire suspension or making loops etc. But all existing cable grippers, including all the parts of the gripper, are made of metal, including metal type locking part, such as gripping ball etc. Using such metal grippers for two core/three core electric wire hanging is not sustainable and advantageous, because whenever a load is hanged using the grippers, the metal balls may cut through insulation of wire, which is usually plastic. Thus, such incidents may result in faults, such as short circuit, or breaking of wires, etc. Short circuiting of wires may occur because of metal type balls. [004] However, there exists a need to develop a gripper for cable wires, where the gripper can firmly hold the cable wires, without cutting or distorting them under stress or tension. OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION

[005] It is an objective of the present invention to provide a gripper for a cable wire which can firmly hold a cable wire under tensile stress, without cutting or distorting them. [006] An objective of the present invention is to provide a gripper which can be used with a cable wire, reducing the chances of faults like, short circuiting, or breaking of wire.

[007] An objective of the present invention is to provide a gripper of non-conductive material, which can hold a cable wires as firmly as a gripper of conductive material conventionally available.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[008] An aspect of the present invention includes a gripper for holding cable wires under tension, comprising: a body acting as a housing; a spring-loaded tapered plunger, inside the body, having: a central through hole along length of the plunger to insert a cable wire through it, and plurality of holes, each hole holds at least one gripping ball for firmly gripping the cable wire, inserted through the central hole, under tensile stress, wherein gripping balls are made of non-conductive material; a spring, situated under the plunger, for supporting up and down movement of the plunger caused whenever a load is applied and released on the cable wire; a knurling nut, situated around outer of the body, for holding the body when the gripper is holding the cable wire; and a locking nut, situated around outer of the body and above the plunger, for locking the plunger at a locking position, when the cable wire is passed through the central hole of the plunger and a load is applied on the cable wire to bring the cable wire under tensile stress, wherein the locking position of the plunger is held and secured by the locking nut.

[009] Another aspect of the present invention includes the non-conductive material of the gripping balls is at least plastic or Teflon or rubber, or a combination of all.

[0010] Another aspect of the present invention includes where the gripper further includes a washer, situated below the plunger and the spring at one end of the body, that locks the spring and the plunger inside the body.

[0011] An aspect of the present invention includes the plunger including plurality of gripping components instead of the ball shaped gripping balls, such that these gripping components are suitable to be fit into the holes of the plunger and are successful in firmly gripping a cable wire under tensile stress, and wherein the gripping components have shape of at least semi-spherical, or oval, or trapezoidal, or rectangular or square.

[0012] An aspect of the present invention includes the spring is tapered compression spring. [0013] An aspect of the present invention includes the body is cylindrical in shape.

[0014] Another aspect of the present invention provides the gripper is moved along length of the cable wire by adjusting the plunger further by screwing and un-screwing the locking nut to release and secure the plunger at the locking position, thus preventing any accidental loosening of the grips.

[0015] Another aspect of the present invention provides the plunger is an oval plunger for gripping cable wires, and wherein the cable wires are flat wires.

[0016] Another aspect of the present invention provides the plunger has 3-6 holes and 3- 6 gripping components, such as the gripping balls.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS [0017] For a better understanding of the embodiments of the systems and methods described herein, and to show more clearly how they may be carried into effect, references will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals represent like elements/components throughout and wherein:

[0018] FIGs. 1-3 illustrate an exemplary environment showing an assembly of a gripper with two or three core wire, where FIG. 1 illustrates top view, FIG.2 illustrates sectional perspective view and FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; [0019] FIGs. 4-11 illustrate individual parts of the gripper and the cable wire, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and [0020] FIGs. 12-13 illustrate an exemplary environment showing an assembly of a gripper with two or three flat core wire, where FIG. 12 illustrates an assembled view, FIG. 13 illustrates an additional plunger that can be used with the gripper of FIG. 12, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

[0021] This patent describes the subject matter for patenting with specificity to meet statutory requirements. However, the description itself is not intended to limit the scope of this patent. The principles described herein may be embodied in many different forms. [0022] Illustrative embodiments of the invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all embodiments of the invention are shown. Indeed, the invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.

[0023] The present invention provides a gripper for holding cable wires under suspension. At least one part of the gripper is made of non-conductive material. In an embodiment, balls of the gripper are made of non-conductive material. In an embodiment, the non-conductive material is plastic.

[0024] The non-conductive parts of the gripper does not damage the cable wires during locking and even if balls cut through the wire through insulation, the non-conductive parts do not cause any faults, such as short circuit etc. because of the non-conductive locking parts.

[0025] The gripper comprises a body having a single tapered bore inside, wherein runs a tapered spring loaded plunger with a central hole and with radial holes. In an embodiment, the body is cylindrical. In an embodiment, the radial holes are three-six in number. These radial holes hold plastic balls of appropriate size, when a cable wire moves along the tapered hole of the body under spring pressure, the balls grip the cable wire pushed through the central hole of the plunger. In an embodiment, three-six numbers of balls are generally employed with three-six radial holes. It may be obvious to a person skilled in the art, that the gripper may have less or more number of radial holes, or balls, than 6 holes or balls, depending on the design and requirement of the gripper, without deviating from the meaning and scope of the present invention. [0026] While the balls grip the cable wire, the cable wire is firmly gripped under tension of the suspended cable. After assembly, the wire is easily released/ adjusted by pressing the plunger. Further, the plunger can be locked in that gripping position by screwing a locking ring on the plunger, where the locking ring is positioned outside the body, thus preventing any accidental loosening of the grips. [0027] FIGs. 1-3 illustrate an exemplary environment showing an assembly of a gripper with two or three core wire, where FIG. 1 illustrates top view of the assembly, FIG.2 illustrates sectional perspective view of the assembly and FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of the assembly, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The FIGs 1-3 shows a gripper for holding cable wires under tension, comprising: a body acting as a housing; a spring-loaded tapered plunger, inside the body, having: a central through hole along length of the plunger to insert a cable wire through it, and plurality of holes, each hole holds at least one gripping ball for firmly gripping the cable wire, inserted through the central hole, under tensile stress, wherein gripping balls are made of non-conductive material; a spring, situated under the plunger, for supporting up and down movement of the plunger caused whenever a load is applied and released on the cable wire; a knurling nut, situated around outer of the body, for holding the body when the gripper is holding the cable wire; and a locking nut, situated around outer of the body and above the plunger, for locking the plunger at a locking position, when the cable wire is passed through the central hole of the plunger and a load is applied on the cable wire to bring the cable wire under tensile stress, wherein the locking position of the plunger is held and secured by the locking nut. [0028] The gripper 100 comprises a main body 102. The main body 102 is a housing for sub parts or internal parts of the gripper 100. The main body 102 plays a very important role for gripping a cable or a wire due to presence of tapered angle inside the body 102. The gripper 100 further comprises a plunger 104, which carries gripping balls 112 for wire fixing. In an embodiment, the gripper 100 may have three-six balls. The balls 112 are made of non-conductive material. In an embodiment, the non-conductive material is plastic. The balls 112 are critical component of the gripper 100 acting as a grip lock for a wire and the wire doesn’t get slip under tension. The gripping balls 112 firmly hold the cable wire under tensile stress. It may be apparent to a person skilled in the art, that the plunger 104 may have different shape of the gripping components instead of the balls 112, such that these gripping components are suitable to be fit into the holes of the plunger and are successful in firmly gripping cable wire under tensile stress for example may be semi-spherical, or oval, or trapezoidal, or rectangular or square, without deviating from the meaning and scope of the present invention.

[0029] The gripper 100 further comprises a spring 204, and the spring 204 is a type of tapered compression spring which helps for movement of plunger 104 up and down by applying little downward force on the plunger 104 and the spring 204 returns back after releasing the loaded force, on the cable, to get its initial position. The gripper 100 includes a washer 208, and the washer 208 locks spring 204 and plunger 104 inside the main body 102.

[0030] Furthermore, the gripper 100 includes a knurling nut 206; the knurling nut 206 holds the main body 102 during usage of the gripper 100 with lighting parts, such as a pendant lighting. [0031] The gripper 100 also includes a locking nut 202, which locks the plunger 104 at a locking position, when the wire is passed through the plunger 104 and return load is applied on the wire. At this time, position of the plunger 104 is tightened by the help of the locking nut 202.

[0032] The gripper 100 holds a two or three core electrical cable 106 which is covered with a non-conductive insulation.

[0033] In FIG. 13, the assembly of the gripper 100 and the cable 106 may also include an additional oval plunger 1300 for gripping cable wires 106. In an embodiment, the wires 106 are flat wires.

[0034] The gripper 100 shown in the FIGs. 1-13 has at least one internal component or part made of non-conductive material. In an embodiment, the balls 112 of the gripper are made of non-conductive material for gripping the electric cable/cord. The gripper 100 is adjustable around the cables 106. Even if, the balls cut through the insulation of the cable wires under tensile stress, the balls 112 do not result in faults, such as short circuiting, because of non-conductive material of the balls 112. It may be obvious to a person skilled in the art that the internal components, such as balls 112 of the gripper 100, may be made of other non-conductive material present in the market, than plastic, such as rubber, Teflon, and the like, without deviating from the meaning and scope of the present invention. It may also be obvious to a person skilled in the art that other or all the internal components of the gripper may be made of non-conductive material, without deviating from the meaning and scope of the present invention. [0035] Further, the gripper 100 includes the plunger 104 which is simple in design and adjustable using a screw for easily gripping the cable/cord/wire. Furthermore, in an embodiment, the oval plunger 1300 may be used for flat cable/cord with 2-4 balls for gripping the cable/cord.

[0036] Advantageously, the gripper of the present invention, made of non-conductive material may be more particularly used for suspension lighting. The gripper may be easily fitted in quick, easy, convenient and cost-effective way for various fitments of pendants lighting, thus save assembly time and associated costs.

[0037] While certain embodiments have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Indeed, the novel methods, devices, and systems described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions, and changes in the form of the methods, devices, and systems described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure.