AU2000268874A1 - Housing for electrical and data wire management - Google Patents

Description

TITLE OF I NVENTION

HOUS I NG FOR E LECTRICAL AND DATA WI R E MANAGEME NT

FIELD OF I NVENTION

The present invention relates to a housing for electrical and data wire management for use in an office panel system.

DESCRI PTI ON OF RELATED ART

Present day office furniture are mod ular i n design. Such desig n makes use of modular pieces which are fitted into each other easily, allowi ng users to add or take out pieces to fit the office space and working requirements . Wires for connection of personal computers and other office equipment would then have to be laid to such equipment through or under the modular pieces .

There have been office panel systems with spaces for wires to be laid. However, such wires for office equipment are usually pulled through i n an unorganized manner. This makes wire re-laying and re-wiring difficult. OBJ ECT AN D S UMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention was made to solve the above problems.

Accordingly, a first object of the invention is to provide a housing for electrical and data wiring management slidably fitted into a panel rail with one or more apertures for use in a office panel system , the panel with a rail on each side, the housing comprising a linear groove on each side; an aperture for the passage of wires; a recess to receive a fastening means; a fastening means; a tightening means; and means to connect the housi ng to other parts of the office panel system characterised in that the housing is slidably fitted into the groove of the panel rail , the aperture of the housi ng then aligned with the aperture in the panel slide, said housing being locked into its position vis-a-vis with the slide rail of the office panel by the fastening means , to allow the passage of electrical wires.

A second object of the invention is to lock the housing in place when fitted into the panel slide with a fastening means comprising of a fastener with two resilient shoulders, a tightening means comprising of a tightening screw which is inserted into a hole at each end of the housing wherein the fastener is inserted into the recess to receive the fastener, the shoulder of the fastener facing the panel rail is held in place when the tightening screw is screwed into the housing , exerting pressure on each shoulder of the fastener causing the shoulder to push out against the panel rail and the housing is then held in place. A third object of the invention is to further allow the housing to be connected to other parts of the office panel system with a means to connect the housing to other parts of the office panel system comprising of a cable harness rail holder, hinge, hollow tube holder, snap lock for hollow tube holder, snap lock for hinged cover and a hinged cover.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention are hereinafter described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the housing in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the housing viewed from the back with hinged cover detached.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the housing viewed from the front

Fig. 4 is a cross section view of the housing from the back

Fig. 5 is a cross section view of the housing from the front

Fig. 6 is a cross section view of the housing from the top

Fig. 7 is a cross section view of the housing from one side DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the housing 5 with other parts of the office system. The housing 5 has a cable access aperture 9 and a slide groove 1 0 on each side. The panel rail has one or more apertures and a linear slot 3 on each side. The housing is slid into the linear slot 3 of the panel rail . The aperture of the panel rail is then aligned with the cable access aperture 9 of the housing 5 and held in place with fastening and tightening means .

The housi ng also has means to connect the housing to other parts of the office panel system comprising of a cable harness rail holder 15 , hi nge 14, hollow tu be holder 1 9, snap lock for hol low tube 18, snap lock for hinged cover 20 and a hinged cover 4.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the housing 5 viewed from the back. A fasteni ng means which is a fastener 1 1 with two resilient shoulders 1 6 is inserted into a recess 1 3 to receive the fastener 1 1 before the housing is to be slid into the panel rail.

The housi ng 5 has a slide groove 1 0 on each side, which slides fittingly into the li near slot 3 of the panel rail. After sliding into the linear slot of the panel rail , the cable access aperture 9 of the housing is aligned with the aperture of the pa nel rail. A tighten ing means in the form of a screw 1 2 is then inserted into a hole 2 located at the top of the housing and tightened , exerting pressure on the two resilient shoulders 16 of the fastener. The two resilient shoulders 16 then expand , pushing out against the panel rail, holding the housing in its place. A simi lar operation is repeated for the second hole located at the bottom of the housing.

The combined effect of the tightening means at the top and bottom of the housing against the panel rail holds the housing in place, with its cable access aperture 9 aligned with the aperture of the panel rail , th us allowing wires to be pulled through. Since the housing and the panel slide are connected to other pieces of a office panel system, electrical wires could be pulled th rough the cable access apertures and through other hollow spaces within the other pieces of the office panel system to allow con nection to personal computers and other office equipment.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the housing 5 viewed from the front. The front of the housing is connected to other parts of the office panel system such as a hollow tube 7 and cable harness rail holder 1 5 and also the hinged cover 4 and locked firmly in place by the hollow tube 7 and snap lock 20. The hinge cover 4 and snap lock for cover 20 is held in place by the hinge 15 and snap lock for cover 20. This wil l allow other pieces of the office panel system and the electrical wires to be laid throug h the hollow spaces of pieces of the office panel system and held in place securely.

Fig . 4 is a cross section of the housing viewed from the back without the fasteni ng means nor tightening means. The top and bottom of the housing has a recess 1 3 to receive the fastener with its two resilient shoulders 1 6. The housi ng 5 has a slide groove 1 0 on each side, which slides into the linear slot 3 of the panel rail. Fig. 5 is a cross section view of the housing 5 from the front. The cable harness rail holder 1 5, hollow tube holder 1 9, snap lock for hollow tube holder 18, snap lock for snap lock cover 20 and a cable access aperture 9 are shown .

Fig. 6 is a cross section view of the housing from the top. A recess hole 2 for the tightening screw 12 allows the tightening screw to be inserted into the housing through the recess hole. A similar hole to allow a second screw to be inserted into the housing is located at the bottom of the housing. The tightening screw 1 2 is only tightened onto the fastener when the cable access aperture of the housing and panel rail are aligned. The tightening action of the front portion of the tightening screw 12 exerts pressure on the shoulder 1 6 of the fastener. As the shoulder 16 of the fastener is resilient, the pressure of the screw on the fastener forces the shoulder 1 6 to push out against the front of the panel rail. It should be noted that panel rail and housing are always in a vertical position and unless held in place, the aperture of the panel rail and the aperture of the housing would tend to be out of alignment causing the wires to be damaged or out of place. However, the combined force of each shoulder of the fastener 16 exerted on the panel rail is sufficient to hold the housing 5 in its place.

One advantage of this housing is to allow flexible and systematic laying of wires within a modular panel office system. Another advantage is this housing allows easier maintenance of wires since the wires are all held in place neatly in an organized manner.

It will be understood that the housing described herein is a preferred embodiment and should not be construed as limiting in its scope of working.

Claims (6)

1 . A housing for electrical and data wiring management slidably fitted into a panel rail with one or more apertures for use in a office panel system, the panel with a rail on each side,

the housing comprising

a linear groove on each side;

an aperture for the passage of wires;

a recess to receive a fastening means;

a fastening means;

a tightening means; and

means to connect the housing to other parts of the office panel system

characterised in that the housing is slidably fitted into the linear slot of the panel slide, the aperture of the housing then aligned with the aperture in the panel slide, said housing being held in position by the fastening means , to allow the passage of electrical wires.

2. A housi ng as claimed in Claim 1 wherei n the fastening means comprise of a fastener with two resilient shoulders.

3. A housing as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the tightening means comprise of a tightening screw which is inserted into a hole at each end of the housi ng .

4. A housing as claimed in the preceding claims wherein the fastener is inserted into the recess to receive the fastener, the shoulder of the fastener faci ng the panel rail is held in position when the tightening screw is screwed into the housing, exerting pressure on each shoulder of the fastener causing the shoulder to push out against the panel rail and the housing is then held in place.

5. A housing as claimed in the preceding claims wherein the means to connect the housing to other parts of the office panel system comprise of a cable harness rail, hinge cover, hollow tube and snap lock cover.

6. A housing as claimed in the preceding claims is moulded in plastics .