Cable pusher guiding system, method and device

Abstract

A steerable head for guiding a pusher rod through ducting. The pusher rod is then used for drawing cables, wires, lines or pipes through the ducting. The steerable head includes remotely operable mechanisms for steering the rod through junctions or around obstacles in the ducting. In a further refinement, the steerable head includes a coupling mechanism adapted to co-operate with a corresponding coupling mechanism mounted on a second rod, thereby allowing the pushing of rods through longer or more obstructed ducts.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A method of causing a first distal portion of a first longitudinal flexible member as a first rod to meet a second distal portion of a second longitudinal flexible member as a second rod, within a ducting having restricted access, wherein
 the first distal portion and/or the second distal portion include a remotely steerable head,   the first distal portion includes a first coupling means, and the second distal portion includes a second coupling means for mechanically coupling to the first coupling means,   the remotely steerable head enables an operator to remotely rotate and/or move laterally within the ducting the first distal portion and/or the first coupling means with respect to the second distal portion and/or the second coupling means, and wherein   the first distal portion and/or the second distal portion further includes visual feedback means for informing the operator of a relative disposition of the first coupling means and the second coupling means,   the method comprising:   a first step of pushing the first rod into the ducting through a first ducting access point, such that the first distal portion is advanced through the ducting towards a second ducting access point;   a second step of pushing the second rod into the ducting through the second ducting access point, such that the second distal portion is advanced through the ducting towards the first ducting access point;   a third step of determining, using the visual feedback means, when the first distal portion and second distal portion are within a predetermined proximity of each other, and thereupon halting the first and second steps; and   a fourth step of using the remotely steerable head and the visual feedback means to guide the first coupling means to meet the second coupling means.   
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 16 , wherein the ducting includes a branching configuration including a main duct,
 wherein a first branch duct, the first ducting access point affording external access for feeding or withdrawing the first rod in the main duct, the second ducting access point affording external access for feeding or withdrawing the second rod along the first branch duct, and a distal end of the first branch duct communicating with the main duct at a first branch point along the length of the main duct,   wherein a second branch duct includes a third ducting access point affording external access for feeding or withdrawing a third rod along the second branch duct, a distal end of the second branch duct communicating with the main duct at a second branch point along the length of the main duct,   and wherein the second step of pushing the second rod into the ducting through the second ducting access point is executed such that the second distal portion is advanced through the ducting towards the first distal portion,   the method further comprising:   a fifth step of pushing the third rod, including a third distal portion including a third coupling means into the second branch duct through the third ducting access point, such that the third coupling means is advanced through the second branch duct towards the first distal portion;   a sixth step of moving the first rod along the main duct, with the first coupling means coupled to the second coupling means, and moving the third rod along the second branch duct, while determining, using a second visual feedback means, when the first and third distal portions are within a predetermined proximity of each other, and thereupon halting movement of the first and third rods; and   a seventh step of using a remotely steerable head provided at the third distal portion, and the second visual feedback means, to guide the third coupling means to meet the first coupling means.   
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 16 , wherein
 the first and/or third steps include releasably attaching at the distal portion of at least one of the rods a cable to be fed through the ducting, such that the cable is then conveyed with the at least one rod through the ducting,   wherein one of the first second and third coupling means is attached to the cable such that the cable may be coupled to a further one of the first second and third coupling means,   and wherein the fourth and/or seventh step includes using a remotely steerable head to cause the one of the first second and third coupling means to couple to the further one of the first second and third coupling means.   
     
     
         19 . A system for feeding cables through a ducting having restricted access, the ducting including a first access opening and a second access opening, the system comprising:
 a first flexible rod for inserting into the first access opening, the first flexible rod including a first distal portion, being a part of the first flexible rod inserted into the ducting, and a first proximal portion, being a portion of the first flexible rod remaining outside the ducting;   a second flexible rod for inserting into the second access opening, the second flexible rod including a second distal portion, being a part of the second flexible rod inserted into the ducting, and a second proximal portion, being a portion of the second flexible rod remaining outside the ducting;   coupling means for mechanically coupling the first distal portion and second distal portions,   wherein the coupling means comprises a first coupling head for mounting at the distal end of the first flexible rod and a second coupling head for mounting at the distal end of the second flexible rod, the first and second coupling heads being operable to, under control of an operator, cooperate with each other so as to provide a mechanical coupling between the distal ends of the first and second flexible rods, and   at least one of the first and second coupling heads comprises remote guiding means for enabling the operator to remotely guide the at least one of the first or second coupling heads relative to the other of the first and second coupling heads.   
     
     
         20 . A system according to  claim 19 , wherein the remote guiding means comprises a remotely steerable head provided at one or each of the first or second distal portions of the first and/or second rods, the remote guiding means being capable of, under control of an operator, being rotated about a longitudinal axis of the one or each first and/or second rod and/or being angled away from the longitudinal axis of the one or each first and/or second rod. 
     
     
         21 . A system according to  claim 19 , wherein one of the first or second coupling heads includes multiple coupling means such that a plurality of other coupling heads may be coupled to the multiple coupling means. 
     
     
         22 . A guide device for use in the method of  claim 16 , the guide device being for mounting at a distal end of a first longitudinal flexible member as the first rod, the first rod being for feeding through an enclosed space with restricted access, the guide device comprising:
 a main body part for mounting to the distal end of the first rod;   a steerable head part;   a flexible linkage for mechanically linking the steerable head part to the main body part;   communication means for communicating steering information from an operator to the guide device; and   the main body part, the steerable head part, and the flexible linkage being arranged so as to enable the steerable head part to be moved, under control of the operator, between a straight orientation, in which a principal axis of the steerable head part is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the first rod, and an angled orientation, in which the principle axis of the steerable head part is angled away from the longitudinal axis of the first rod.   
     
     
         23 . A guide device according to  claim 22 , further comprising means for rotating the main body part and/or the steerable head part substantially about the longitudinal axis of the first rod. 
     
     
         24 . A guide device according to  claim 23 , in which the means for rotating the main body part and/or the steerable head part comprises an electric motor and a gearing means. 
     
     
         25 . A guide device according to  claim 22 , wherein the steerable head part includes a coupling means for mechanically coupling to a second coupling means provided at a distal portion of a second rod. 
     
     
         26 . A guide device according to  claim 22 , further comprising visual feedback means for providing the operator with visual information about at least one of:
 a rotational position of the main body part and/or the steerable head part about the longitudinal axis of the pusher rod;   an angled orientation of the steerable head part with respect to the longitudinal axis of the pusher rod;   a position of the first coupling means with respect to the second coupling means.   
     
     
         27 . A guide device according to  claim 26 , wherein the visual feedback means comprises a camera mounted on or within the steerable head, the main body part, or the first coupling means. 
     
     
         28 . A guide device according to  claim 26 , further comprising gravitational sensor means for providing information enabling the operator to judge up/down orientation of the visual information from the visual feedback means. 
     
     
         29 . A coupling device for cooperating with one or more guide devices according to  claim 22 , wherein the coupling device is for mounting at the distal portion of the second rod and comprises one or more of the second coupling means, the or each second coupling means being for mechanically cooperating with the first coupling means of the one or more guide devices. 
     
     
         30 . A coupling device according to  claim 29 , wherein the one or more second coupling means are arranged such that, when two or more first coupling means of two or more guide devices are coupled to the coupling device and while being pulled through the ducting, the two or more guide devices are distributed in a substantially non-overlapping arrangement along the ducting.