GB2228147A

GB2228147A - Electric cable trunking

Info

Publication number: GB2228147A
Application number: GB8928060A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Reginald Paul Canning
Original assignee: MCKECHNIE CONSUMER PROD
Current assignee: MCKECHNIE CONSUMER PROD
Priority date: 1988-12-12
Filing date: 1989-12-12
Publication date: 1990-08-15
Also published as: GB8828962D0; GB8928060D0

Abstract

A trunking system has a plurality of attachment clips 5 (Figure 3) and a channel-sectioned elongate cover 6 which is releasably attached thereto. Each clip has an adhesive pad and/or nail holes (52) and/or screw holes (53) for enabling the clip to be attached to a wall or similar surface. Cable holding hooks 54 hold the cable 4 in the clip, and barbs 64 are provided on the cover 6 for engaging shoulders 59 on the clip 5 to retain the cover in position covering the clips and cable held therein. The clips 5 generally comprise two hooks 54 and can receive covers end to end or at night angles (Figs 3 to 5). Corresponding covers for making right angles and T-junctions (Figs 7 to 10) are disclosed. <IMAGE>

Description

DESCRTPTION CABLE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.

The present invention relates to cable management systems andr more particularly, to cable management systems which include a duct or channel to house and hide electrical cables.

It is known to provide cable management systems comprising a pair of elongate members! one of which is usually in the form of a U-shaped channel and the other providing a cover to the channel to form an enclosed duct in use.

In use, and particularly when there is more than one cable in such a duct! opening the cover along the length of the system usually results in one or more of the cables falling out of the duct. This is a particular problem when new cables are being inserted into the duct as it makes it extremely difficult to re-fit the cover. Additionally! when it is required to lead a cable out from the side of the duct, a slot or hole has to be formed in the side of the channel member through which the cable can pass.

This is usually unsightly and, of course, is also time consuming.

There is a need therefore for a cable management system which can overcome these prior art problems.

According to the present invention there is provided a cable management system comprising a plurality of attachment clips and a channel-sectioned elongate cover which is releasably attached thereto, each of the clips carrying or including means for attaching the clip to a wall or similar surface, cable holding means for holding the cable in the clip, and means for engaging the cover to retain it in position covering the clips and cable held therein in use.

Each of the clips may include a self-adhesive strip secured to a rear surface and/or else apertures for nails or screws, in order that the clips can be secured to a supporting surface. The clips are preferably also configured so that the cable can be snap-fitted into the cable holding means.

Preferably, the clips and cover are formed from a synthetic plastics material which has an inherent resilience, whereby the cable holding means can be formed by the sides of a box-section closed at all except one point, cable being pushed through between the members of the box section on each side of the opening or slit which is provided.

It is also an advantage if each of the clips comprises a pair of cable holding means appropriately aligned so that a clip may be positioned at the junction between two covers and the covers accurately aligned. Similarly, if the clip has a pair of cable holding means and is bendable about a central point, the cable management system can easily be extended around both internal and external corners.

By providing covers of different depths, each attachable to the same cable clip, the problem of expanding the available duct volume to carry more cables than initially expected can also be met by removal of the original cover and attachment -of a deeper cover, new cables being attached to existing ones to hold them in place.

In order to allow for connection of the covers and the extension of cable away from the run of the cable management system, jointing pieces of various shapes may be provided, the jointing pieces being configured appropriately depending on the type of joint required. Straight, angled or 'T'-shaped jointing pieces can be provided for example. As an alternative to jointing pieces of fixed configuration, a generally straight jointing piece may include a flexible central portion which can allow the jointing piece to connect covers loining at angles and which is shaped so as to provide an aperture between it and the wall or other surface in use so that the cable may be directed sideways therefrom.Preferably, the flexible jointing piece has sufficient flexibility to enable it to be used in a folded position at corners to provide a neat surface finish between adjacent sections of cover and, of course, the jointing piece may be used on straight sections of the cable management system to join adjacent covers.

An example of a cable management system constructed in accordance with the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows the general layout of the system; Figures 2A to 2C are detailed perspectives of different parts of the system during different stages of installation; Figures 3, 4 and 5 show cable clips in different orientations/arrangements; Figure 6 shows a view of a modified clip and two adjacent cover sections; Figures 7 to 10 show four different covers or jointing pieces for use at junctions.

Figure 1 shows three wall surfaces 1,2,3 along which a cable 4 is to be directed and positioned. At a number of spaced-apart positions cable clips 5 are attached as shown in inserts 2A, 2B and 2C, each of the clips may be secured to the respective wall by means of a self-adhesive backing strip (not shown).

It can be seen that each of the clips is sufficiently flexible about a centre point to enable it to extend around the corner between two of the wall surfaces 1,2 or 2,3 (see also Fig. 5). After attachment of the cable clips the wire or wires 4 are pushed into the clips as illustrated in insert 2B. Thereafter (figure 2C) a channel-sectioned elongate cover 6 is snap-fitted over the cable clips and at the junctions between adjacent lengths of the cover a jointing piece or joint cover 70-73 is similarly attached to mask the joint between the cover sections 6.

Turning now to Figure 3, each of the clips 5 is formed of a synthetic plastics material which is preferably injection molded. A central section 51 has a cut-out 51' in order to simplify bending of the clip in use. At each end the clip includes an aperture 53 through which a fixing nail or screw may be inserted. A pair of cable holders 54 are provided by the base part 55 of the clip and depending flanges 56,57 and 58 which substantially form hook shaped sockets into which a cable can be snap-fitted by being pushed between the flanges 57 and 58 against their natural resilience. Raised bosses 52 with central recesses 52' are also provided to give additional or alternative nailing points. Shoulders 59 are formed at the base of the flanges 58 and the bosses 52 to allow snap-on fixing of covers 6 as will be described.

Figure 4 shows the clip cut through at the section 51 and then bent through 900 in the plane of the base 55 to allow the cable to be routed around a 90 bend, and figure 5 shows how the cable clip can be folded out of the plane of the base about its centre line to accomodate extension of the cable management system around an external corner, folding in the opposite direction allowing extension around internal corners.

Figure 6 shows elongate cable covers 6 formed from a PVC extrusion, the cable cover 6 being channel-shaped and having a pair of side walls 61 depending from a face wall 62. At the free edge of each side wall 61 a barb 63 is formed to cooperate with the cable clips 5, more particularly with the the shoulders 59 formed at the rear edge of the flanges 58 and bosses 52, in order to retain the cover on the clips. The cover 6 also includes a longitudinal recess 64 adjacent the free edge of each side wall 61, by means of which jointing pieces 70-73 are attached.

The jointing pieces 70-73 are shown in figures 7 to 10, and each includes side walls 74 and a face 75, the side walls 74 having barbs 76 for engagement in the reccesses 64 of the covers 6 to hold the jointing piece on the cover. The jointing piece 70 (figure 7) is substantially T-shaped to accomodate branching of the cable (as seen in figure 1) and the jointing piece 71 (figure 8) is L-shaped to allow the cable run to be bent at 90 . Figures 9 and 10 illustrate external bend 72 and internal bend 73 jointing pieces respectively for accomodating passage of the cable run around external (wall 1 to wall 2) and internal (wall 2 to wall 3) 900 corners respectively. A further straight jointing piece (not shown) is used to connect the ends of adjacent covers when they are aligned as in Figure 6.

Claims

CLATMS

1. A cable management system comprising a plurality of attachment clips and a channel-sectioned elongate cover which is releasably attached thereto, each of the clips carrying or including means for attaching the clip to a wall or similar surface, cable holding means for holding the cable in the clip, and means for engaging the cover to retain it in position covering the clips and cable held therein in use.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein each of the clips includes a self-adhesive strip secured to a rear surface.

3. A system according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein each of the clips includes apertures for nails or screws, in order that the clips can be secured to a supporting surface.

4. A system according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the clips are configured so that the cable can be snap-fitted into the cable holding means.

5. A system according to any of claims l-to 4, wherein the clips and cover are formed from a synthetic plastics material which has an inherent resilience.

6. A system according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein each of the clips comprises a pair of cable holding means appropriately aligned so that a clip may be positioned at the junction between two covers and the covers accurately aligned in use.

7. A system according to claims 1 to 6, further including one or more jointing pieces for connecting adjacent ends of adjacent covers.

8. A system according to claim 1, substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.