AU2017100554A4 - Cable guide and assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract A cable guide for retaining and guiding cables, the guide comprising a base having an outward facing surface and a wall mounting surface; and fingers of hook-like form extending from opposite sides of the outward facing surface, the fingers extending 5 across at least a centre portion of the base to form a cable-receiving channel between the base and the fingers. Figure 1 120 116 Figure 2

Description

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Cable Guide and Assembly

Field of the invention

The invention relates to the field of cable management, and particularly to an apparatus for guiding and protecting cables across a surface.

Background of the Invention

There is often a need to run cables such as telephone or power cables between two locations which the cables are to be secured along a wall or a surface. Conventional cable holders consist of staple-like structures which are fastened over cables in use. However, a drawback with such staple-like structures is that it is often 10 difficult and time consuming to install. A person installing a conventional cable holder is required to first pin the holder to a surface while holding a cable against the wall before the holder can be secured to the wall using appropriate fasteners. In addition, conventional cable holders are not particularly suited for running cables in a curved or non-linear path along a surface. 15 The applicant has determined that it would be advantageous to provide an improved cable guide apparatus and assembly that is suitable for guiding and protecting cables across a surface. The present invention seeks to at least in part alleviate the problems identified above.

Summary of the invention 20 According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cable guide for retaining and guiding cables, the guide comprising a base having an outward facing surface and a wall mounting surface; and fingers of hook-like form extending from opposite sides of the outward facing surface, the fingers extending across at least a centre portion of the base to form a cable-receiving channel between the base and the 25 fingers.

Preferably, the guide is adapted to be coupled to a like guide in an end-to-end relation by complementary engagement formations at each end of the guide.

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Preferably, the ends of the base have a reduced thickness such that a combined thickness of the like guides when coupled is no more than about the greatest thickness of the base. ΙΛ^ ΙΛ^ Ο Ο Ο (Ν

Preferably, the guide is adapted to be pivotably movable relative to the coupled like guide.

Preferably, the first and second longitudinal ends of the base are of rounded form.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cable guide assembly comprising several cable guides as previously described being 10 engaged in an end-to-end configuration.

As used herein, except where the context requires otherwise, the term "comprise" and variations of the term, such as "comprising", "comprises" and "comprised", are not intended to exclude further additives, components, integers or steps. 15 Further aspects of the present invention and further embodiments of the aspects described in the preceding paragraphs will become apparent from the following description, given by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to 20 the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top perspective view of a cable guide in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a bottom perspective view of the cable guide of Figure 1; 25

Figure 3 is a plan view of the cable guide of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a front view of the cable guide of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a side view of the cable guide of Figure 1; H:\eJ lMutcrvK)vcD\NRI’yribiMX<'\EJL\i4i90i)i6_l.docx-17/05/2017

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Figure 6 is a top perspective view of a cable guide in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 7 is a bottom perspective view of the cable guide of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a plan view of the cable guide of Figure 6;

Figure 9 is a front view of the cable guide of Figure 6;

Figure 10 is a side view of the cable guide of Figure 6;

Figure 11 is an exploded perspective view showing a cover to be installed over the cable guide of Figure 6; and

Figure 12 is an exploded rendered image showing various covers to be installed 10 over the cable guide of Figure 6.

Detailed description of the embodiments

Figures 1 to 5 show a preferred embodiment of cable guide 100 for running lengths of a cable along a surface having a base 110 and hook-like fingers 120 projecting from opposing sides of the base 110. More specifically, with reference to 15 Figure 1, the base 110 has an outward facing surface 112, and a wall mounting surface 114 which is oriented towards a wall or a surface in use. The base 110 can be a thin plate of rectangular shape. Although it is to be appreciated that the base may be of any other suitable shape for supporting at least a partial length of a cable. In one embodiment, the base 110 is provided with numerous cavities along its longitudinal 20 length to reduce materials required for manufacture.

Fingers 120 are configured to project from opposing sides of the outward facing surface 112 of the base 110. The fingers 120 extend across at least a centre portion of the base 110 to form a cable-receiving channel 130 between the base 110 and the fingers 120. In some configurations the fingers 120 extend in a transverse direction 25 across the base 110. It is to be appreciated that the fingers 120 may extend from or near the side of the base 110, and not necessarily required to extend from the edges of the base 110.

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As shown in Figure 1, the fingers 120 are configured to individually project from the base 110 in an alternating arrangement to form the channel 130. In particular, the fingers 120 project upwards from the base 110 to provide sufficient height to accommodate cables before bending across towards an opposing side of the base 110. 5 In one embodiment, the fingers 120 are bent in a right-angle configuration, while in other embodiments the fingers 120 are bent in a curved configuration. It is to be appreciated that the fingers 120 may extend across substantially the width of the base 110. There is provided a gap between the fingers 120 to allow a cable to be threaded along its length between the fingers 120 and retained within the channel. The gap is 10 preferably dimensioned to be of at least the diameter of the cable. The distance between each finger 120 should be about the width of the fingers 120 or sufficiently proximate to retain threaded cables in the channel 130 in use. The fingers 120 are also configured with a sufficient width to help retain threaded cables in the channel 130.

The guide 100 is modular and is adapted to be assembled with other like guides. 15 The guide 100 can be coupled to a like guide in an end-to-end relation by having complementary engagement formations 140, 142 located at each longitudinal end portions 118, 116 of the base 110. Referring to Figure 2, it can be seen that end portion 118 of the base 110 is configured with an aperture formation 140, and end portion 116 is configured with a complementary formation 142 in the form of a cylindrical protrusion 20 projecting from the wall mounting surface 114 of the base 110. It is to be appreciated that any other suitable complementary engagement formation and geometries may be used. The guides 100 may be assembled in use by coupling any one of the engagement formations 140, 142 to complementary engagement formations 140, 142 of like guide 100 at each end portions 118, 116 of the base 110. A guide assembly may 25 be formed by the coupling of several guides 100 in the manner described. It is to be appreciated that guides 100 coupled with complementary engagement formations 140, 142 of a circular geometry are pivotably movable relative to each other. This advantageously allow any cable retained in the channel 130 of the guide 100 in use to be easily guided along complex or non-linear pathways across a surface. 30 In some configurations, the end portions 118, 116 of the base 110 has a reduced thickness so that when the guides 100 are coupled in an assembly, the combined thickness of the assembled guides 100 is no more than about the greatest thickness of H:\ejl\fetaTTOVLTi\j\RPoribriDC<'\E/L\14iy()9 ΐ6_ 1 ilocx-17/05/2017 O H O (N δ' r-

o o o (N 15 -5- the base 110. In addition, it is also preferable for the end portions 118, 116 to be configured with rounded ends or edges so that when the guides 100 are engaged in an end-to-end arrangement, the edges of the end portions 118, 116 would not interfere or abut the ends or edges of the end portions 118, 116 of like guides.

In use, the guides 100 may be installed to a wall with the use of appropriate fasteners through fastening apertures 144. Additional guides 100 are then coupled to the installed guide in an end-to-end arrangement with any positional adjustments made by pivotably moving the guides 100 if necessary. Lengths of a cable are then fed into the channel 130 by looping or threading the longitudinal length of the cable between the projecting fingers 120. Alternatively, the cable may be fed through to the channel 130 of a guide assembly first and before mounting the assembly to a surface. This advantageously provides easier method of installation compared to conventional cable holders, as a person installing the guide assembly with cables already threaded through the channel 130 would not be required to perform the time consuming act of feeding a cable through a cable holder during or after the mounting of such a cable holder to a surface.

Referring now to Figures 6 to 10, there is shown an alternative embodiment of the guide 200. The guide 200 has a base 210 and projecting fingers 220 extending from opposing sides of the base 210. The guide 200 has a connecting portion 215 20 between two adjacent bases 210. The connecting portion 215 is formed with a projecting finger 220 shared between two adjacent bases 210. The base 210 and the fingers 220 form a cable-receiving channel 230. The guide 200 is provided with formations 244 for securing to a wall using suitable fasteners. In use, a plurality of guides 200 can be secured individually on a wall or surface with a cable guided along 25 the wall or surface between the channels 230 of the guides 200.

Referring to Figures 11 and 12, in a further configuration, the guide 200 is provided with a cover 300 that is adapted to be installed over the guide 200 for shielding cables running through the channels 230 of the guides in use. The cover 300 can be in the form of an arched channel extrusion and configured with rims along the edges of the 30 channel for slidably engaging the base 210 of the guide 200. Various configurations of H;'cjl\lutcrwovcD\NRI’oribrax:OE/L\i4i909i6_l.il<K;x-l7/05/'20l7 o (N S'

in in O o o (N 15 the cover can be provided. For example, corner cover 310 and corner cover 320 could be used to shield guides 200 when it is configured to run along corners.

The guide 100, 200 can be moulded as single-piece and may be of plastic moulding construction.

It will be understood that the invention disclosed and defined in this specification extends to all alternative combinations of two or more of the individual features mentioned or evident from the text or drawings. All of these different combinations constitute various alternative aspects of the invention.

In the description and drawings of this embodiment, same reference numerals are used as have been used in respect of the first embodiment, to denote and refer to corresponding features.

While various embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not by way of limitation. It will be apparent to a person skilled in the relevant art that various changes in form and detail can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the present invention should not be limited by any of the above described exemplary embodiments.

Claims (6)

1. THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:

   1. A cable guide for retaining and guiding cables, the guide comprising a base having an outward facing surface and a wall mounting surface; and fingers of hook-like form extending from opposite sides of the outward facing surface, the fingers extending across at least a centre portion of the base to form a cable-receiving channel between the base and the fingers.
2. 2. A cable guide according to claim 1, wherein the guide is adapted to be coupled to a like guide in an end-to-end relation by complementary engagement formations at each end of the guide.
3. 3. A cable guide according to claim 2, wherein the ends of the base have a reduced thickness such that a combined thickness of the like guides when coupled is no more than about the greatest thickness of the base.
4. 4. A cable guide according to either claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the guide is adapted to be pivotably movable relative to the coupled like guide.
5. 5. A cable guide according to claim 4, wherein the first and second longitudinal ends of the base are of rounded form.
6. 6. A cable guide assembly comprising several cable guides according to any one of claims 2 to 5 joined in an end-to-end configuration.