EP2255696A1 - Cable duct - Google Patents

Abstract

The duct has two cable duct-pieces linked with each other and positioned in upright or in an angular orientation to each other around an axis in a linked region of the duct-pieces. The axis is perpendicular to a mounting surface. The pieces have a fixing unit for fixing at the mounting surface, and a spring unit is provided between a carrying- and fixing device and the duct pieces. The pieces are moved away from the mounting surface against force of the spring unit. Cable duct-side walls (7) run transverse or perpendicular to a cable duct-base (5) and/or to the mounting surface.

Description

The invention relates to a cable duct according to the preamble of claim 1.

It is known to provide on the underside of table tops of office and work desks cable channels in which the power and network cables, telephone cables, etc. required for the electrification or for the transmission of data and information, for connecting PC's or notebooks, etc. are laid can.

According to the WO 2007/128432 A1 Therefore, an improved furniture, in particular an improved table with a cable channel has been proposed, in which on a support means in the longitudinal direction of the cable channel offset to each other base body are provided. At these basic bodies, a holding rail can be tilted about a pivoting axis between a suspended cabling position and a holding position extending at least substantially parallel to the cable channel. In functional position, the cable duct is raised so far that virtually no further cables can be inserted or removed in the cable duct. To lay new cables or remove laid cables, the cable duct can then be brought into a lowered wiring position.

Although this cable channel has proven very successful, it is only suitable for a straight running cable channel.

A cable channel arrangement is for example also from the EP 1 810 595 A1 known. According to this prior publication, a single cable channel piece is proposed with a cable channel bottom and two cable channel walls laterally delimiting the cable channel. This cable duct piece is held in each case by a spiral spring device which engages in the end face region of the cable duct and is supported on the underside of the tabletop by a holding part. To insert the cable, the cable duct piece can be set up at an angle, so that longitudinally extending cables can be inserted on one longitudinal side of the one-piece cable duct piece. The cable duct piece has a relevant partial length of the corresponding table top length.

A generic cable channel arrangement is for example from the DE 40 14 082 A1 known. This cable channel can be mounted, for example, on the underside of the desk to lay here cables for electrical and electronic devices concealed. Since many desks are also designed in the manner of angle combinations, a cable channel is proposed according to the above-mentioned prior publication, which can be straight, but also angularly arranged. To avoid that in addition to straight Kabelkanalstükken angled cable duct pieces must be kept ready, a cable duct arrangement is realized according to this prior publication, in which the cable channel bottom on the one hand and provided on the two longitudinal sides of the channel side walls are formed separately to the other must be joined together to form a cross-sectionally U-like cable channel. The two channel side walls in this case comprise wall sections which each comprise a joint which runs perpendicular to the cable channel bottom.

The cable channel is supported by the two, in the lateral distance from each other, mounted under the table top channel side walls. By this construction, the insertion of cables is relatively complex and cumbersome.

In contrast, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved cable duct assembly for mounting on a support, in particular for mounting on a piece of furniture or office furniture, preferably on the underside of a desk or work desk. In this case, the cable duct arrangement according to the invention should be as flexible as possible in terms of construction and use, so that the cable duct can be laid, for example, on a tabletop underside but also on an angled or curved path according to the circumstances.

The object is achieved according to the features specified in claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the subclaims.

The present invention takes a completely new approach. In the context of the invention it is provided that the cable channel consists of at least two cable channel pieces, which can be linked together. The chaining can be done in a "straight" way. Depending on requirements, the individual cable duct pieces but be aligned in an angular orientation to the respective previous or subsequent cable duct piece, so that can be installed in wide areas of the cable channel of any route following.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the concatenation takes place via plug-in pins, which can be done at the same time an angular orientation to each other by relative pivoting two adjacent cable channel pieces.

It also proves to be advantageous that the individual cable duct pieces can be fastened via spring-loaded fastening devices, for example on the underside of the desk top. As a result, the individual cable duct pieces can be displaced downwardly away from the plane of the table top underside against the force of a spring accumulator, thereby increasing the distance between the side walls of the single cable duct piece and the underside of the table top to allow the insertion or removal of cables into the cable duct of cables from the cable duct.

The cable channel according to the invention is easy to handle by its construction and at the same time offers a number of advantages.

Figur 1 :

eine schematische räumliche Darstellung eines erfindungsgemäßen Kabelkanals unter Verwendung von drei miteinander verkette- ten Kabelkanalstücken;

Figur 2a :

eine Draufsicht auf das Ausführungsbei- spiel gemäß Figur 1;

Figur 2b :

eine Seitenansicht auf das Ausführungsbei- spiel gemäß Figur 2a;

Figur 3 :

eine vergrößerte räumliche Darstellung eines einzelnen erfindungsgemäßen Kabelkanal-Stückes einschließlich der zu- gehörigen Befestigungseinrichtung in ex- plosionsartiger Darstellung;

Figur 4 :

zwei winklig miteinander verkettete Kabelkanal-Stücke eines erfindungsgemäßen Ausführungsbeispiels in räumlicher Dar- stellung;

Figur 5 :

eine auszugsweise Querschnittsdarstellung zweier miteinander verkettete Kabelkanal- Stücke, bei denen der eine Boden-Endab- schnitt des Kabelkanal-Stückes mit leich- ten Stufenabsatz auf dem Kabel-End- abschnitt des nächsten Kabelkanal-Stückes aufliegt;

Figur 6 :

eine schematische axiale Querschnittsdar- stellung durch ein Kabelkanalstück senk- recht zur Bodenfläche im Bereich des einen Kabel-Endabschnittes mit einer dort vor- gesehenen im Schnitt gezeigten Befesti- gungshülse für die Verkettung mit einem nächsten Kabelkanalstück;

Figur 7 :

eine räumliche Darstellung der erfindungs- gemäßen Befestigungseinrichtung mit da- zugehöriger Federeinrichtung;

Figur 8 :

eine axiale Längsschnittdarstellung durch die Befestigungseinrichtung, wie sie in Figur 5 gezeigt ist;

Figur 9 :

eine axiale Längsschnittdarstellung durch einen Ausschnitt eines erfindungsgemäßen Kabelkanal-Stückes mit zugehöriger Befes- tigungseinrichtung im montierten Zustand an der Unterseite einer Tischplatte;

Figur 10 :

eine entsprechende Darstellung zu Figur 7, bei der jedoch das betreffende Kabelkanal- Stück von der Tischplattenunterseite weg entgegen der Kraft der Federeinrichtung der Befestigungseinrichtung herabgedrückt ist, um Kabel leichter ein- oder ausführen zu können;

Figur 11 :

eine ausschnittsweise, axiale Quer- schnittsdarstellung durch zwei miteinander verketteter Kabelkanal-Stücke und die im Verkettungsbereich vorgesehene Befesti- gungseinrichtung im montierten Zustand bei einem abgewandelten Ausführungsbeispiel; und

Figur 12 :

eine entsprechende Darstellung zu Figur 11 bei entgegen der Kraft der Federspeicher- einrichtung von der Tischplattenunterseite herabgedrückten Kabelkanal-Stücken, um in den Kabelkanal Kabel leichter einzuführen oder herauszunehmen.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to embodiments. In detail:

FIG. 1:

a schematic spatial representation of a cable channel according to the invention using three interconnected th cable duct pieces;

FIG. 2a:

a plan view of the Ausführungsbei- game according to FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 2b:

a side view of the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 2a ;

FIG. 3:

an enlarged spatial representation of a single cable duct piece according to the invention including the associated fastening device in explosionsartiger representation;

FIG. 4:

two cable duct pieces of an embodiment according to the invention which are linked at an angle to one another in a spatial representation;

FIG. 5:

an excerpts cross-sectional view of two interconnected Kabelkanal- pieces in which one bottom end portion of the cable duct piece with a light stepped shoulder rests on the cable end portion of the next cable duct piece;

FIG. 6:

a schematic axial cross-sectional view through a cable duct piece perpendicular to the bottom surface in the region of the one cable end portion with a there provided in section fastening sleeve for concatenation with a next cable duct piece;

FIG. 7:

a spatial representation of the inventive fastening device with associated spring means;

FIG. 8:

an axial longitudinal section through the fastening device, as in FIG. 5 is shown;

FIG. 9:

an axial longitudinal section through a section of a cable duct piece according to the invention with associated fastening device in the mounted state on the underside of a table top;

FIG. 10:

a corresponding representation too FIG. 7 in which, however, the cable duct piece in question is pushed away from the underside of the tabletop counter to the force of the spring device of the fastening device in order to be able to insert or remove cables more easily;

FIG. 11:

a fragmentary, axial cross-sectional view through two interconnected cable channel pieces and provided in the concatenation fastening device in the assembled state in a modified embodiment; and

FIG. 12:

a corresponding representation too FIG. 11 in contrary to the force of the spring-loaded device pressed down from the table top underside cable duct pieces to introduce easier in the cable channel or remove cables.

In FIG. 1 is shown in a schematic spatial representation of an embodiment of a cable duct 1 according to the invention, which is composed of three cable channel pieces 3.

Already from the spatial representation according to FIG. 1 and the plan view according to Figure 2a, 2b It can be seen, for example, that the first two cable channel pieces 3a and 3b are concatenated in straight extension to one another, whereas the third cable channel piece 3c is arranged at an angle to the preceding cable channel piece 3b. The angular position can be set differently in a wide range.

As can be seen in particular from the further illustration according to FIGS. 3 and 4 shows, the individual cable channel pieces each have a cable channel bottom 5, which extends in the longitudinal direction of the cable duct piece, wherein in a central part length at the cable channel bottom 5 at the two longitudinal sides of the cable channel piece 3 each a cable channel side wall 7 connects , which is generally aligned transversely and in particular perpendicular to the plane of the cable channel bottom 5.

As can be seen from the drawings, the cable channel pieces 3 in the longitudinal direction offset from each other (ie in the direction in which laid the cable to be) bottom end portions 11a, 11b, which form a concatenation 11, which will be discussed in more detail below. These bottom end portions 11a, 11b are circular, disc or dish-shaped in the embodiment shown. In this case, the one bottom end section 11a comes via a small stepped shoulder 13 (FIG. FIG. 5 ) to the central portion 5 'of the cable channel bottom 5 to be slightly higher than the opposite second bottom end portion 11b, so that when concatenating two cable channel pieces 3 of the step shoulder 12 slightly higher end portion 11a on the next cable channel piece. 3 rests on the ground end portion 11 b provided there, and thereby come to lie both so concatenated cable channel pieces 3 viewed from its bottom bottom side at exactly the same altitude. The mentioned small stepped shoulder 13 at the one bottom end portion 11b opposite to a slightly lower lying bottom end portion 11a of a next concatenated cable duct piece is in cross-sectional illustration in FIG FIG. 5 shown.

In order to concatenate two consecutive cable channel pieces 3, a plug-in sleeve 13 is provided in the embodiment shown on the one bottom end piece 11a. This sits centrally in the one circular, plate-shaped or similarly formed bottom end portion 11a (which is slightly higher than the opposite bottom end portion 11b). This plug-in sleeve 13 is aligned perpendicular to the plane of the cable channel bottom 5 and is provided at the level of the cable channel bottom, ie the bottom end portion 11 a with an internal passage opening 15.

The somewhat lower-lying bottom end portion 11a has in the illustrated embodiment, two upwardly projecting finger-like and elastically yieldable locking pin 17, which are provided at their free ends with radially mutually pioneering locking lugs 17 '. The concatenation is effected by a cable duct piece is placed with its bottom end portion 11 a and the receptacle 12 formed thereon on the opposite bottom end portion 11 b of a next cable channel piece 3, so that the mentioned locking pin 17, the passage opening 15 in the Pass through socket 13 of the other cable channel piece 5 and then completely overlap then with their locking lugs 17 'the upper edge 13' of the socket 13 overlap.

As can also be seen from the drawings, the cable duct pieces 5 have in their central region 5 'on a mounting column 23 which is hollow inside and provided in its upper end portion with an inwardly projecting annular shoulder 23', whereby a passage opening At the same time, a mounting, abutment or holding surface 26 is created by the front-side edge 26 of the fastening sleeve 23, with which a corresponding cable duct piece 3 can be fastened, for example, to a table underside 35 'of a table top 35 also to the extracts cross-sectional representation according to FIG. 6 referenced, in which an excerpt longitudinal section perpendicular to the plane of the cable channel bottom 5 by the mentioned mounting column or the mounting cylinder 23 is shown. It can also be seen that the annular shoulder 23 'is provided slightly below the overhead free end face of the mounting sleeve 23.

For the attachment further a pin or cylindrical or similar spring receptacle 29 is required, as for example in FIG. 3 explosive and in FIGS. 7 and 8 can be seen in a spatial representation and in axial longitudinal section. This spring retainer 29 has lying down, so on the opposite side in the assembled state to the aforementioned assembly, investment or holding surface 26, a radially outwardly projecting support shoulder or a support flange 29 ', wherein the pin-shaped spring retainer 29, a coil spring 31 slid is, whose lower spring portion is supported on said support shoulder or the support flange 29 '. Thus, the spring is held captive on the cylindrical spring receptacle 29 as possible, adjacent to the support shoulder 29 'radially outwardly one or more holding nubs 33 may be formed, which are engaged behind by the last turn of the coil spring. The support shoulder or the support flange 29 'of the screw receptacle 29 thus defines in the embodiment shown a so-called mounting plane or mounting surface M, to which the cable duct pieces described can be mounted. This mounting plane or mounting surface M then usually coincides with the table top underside 35 'of a table top 35 when the cable ducts described there are to be mounted on such a piece of furniture. In the subsequently described in detail embodiment variant is then at this mounting plane or mounting surface M in the basic position then the mounting sleeve 23, which is pressed by the force of said spring 31 until it stops at a table top underside 35 'of a table top 35, so on the mounting plane or mounting surface M defined thereby.

The spring receptacle 29 thus formed is then inserted into the mounting column 23 from below via the lower opening 24 until the upper end face 29 "of the cylindrical spring receptacle 29, for example, on the underside of the table 35 'of the cable channel holding carrier, for example, a bottom 35' a Table top 35 rests, as is fundamentally from the illustration according to FIG. 9 can be seen.

In this position, then, one, the cylindrical spring retainer 29 centrally, namely by the axial bore 29a, passing through screw 37 (the axial length is greater than the axial length of the cylindrical spring retainer 29) into the material of the carrier, usually the table plate 35, screwed ,

From the axial sectional view according to FIG. 8 It can also be seen that now the coil spring 31 is supported between the support shoulder 29 'of the cylindrical spring receptacle 29 on the one hand and on the ring bottom, ie the annular shoulder 23' on the mounting column 23 to the other and thereby the mounting column 23 and, moreover, the entire cable channel Piece 5 in the direction of the underside of the table top 35 ', which is held under load with force.

The dimensions are such that the height H of the cable channel side walls 7 is equal to or preferably smaller than the axial length of the cylindrical spring receptacle 29. In this case, when the height H of the cable channel side wall 7 is smaller than the axial length or height of the cylindrical spring receptacle 29, the results in the cross-sectional view according to FIG. 9 reproduced mounting position in which a small distance A1 between the upper edge 7 'of the cable channel side wall 7 and the bottom 35' of the table top 35 results. The underside 35 'of the table top 35 thus coincides with the contact or holding surface 26 at the free end face of the mounting column 23, so that this results in a subsequently defined as a holding and / or mounting plane M level. The distance A1 can be zero in extreme cases, when the side wall 7 rests with its upper edge 7 'on the table top underside 35'.

Since the cylindrical spring receptacle 29 is dimensioned with its outer diameter so that this outer diameter is smaller than the inner diameter of the passage opening 23 'in the annular shoulder 23' of the mounting column 23, it is now possible to take the cable duct piece in total and under compression of the coil spring 31 to press down from the table top 35, for example, starting from the in FIG. 9 shown basic position in the in FIG. 10 reproduced position. During this adjustment, the effective distance A1 between the upper edge 7 'of the cable channel side wall 7 and the bottom 35' of the table top 35 is now increasingly larger, ie even so large that in this position easily and comfortably electrical cable, telephone cable, data or Computer cable etc. inserted into the interior of the cable channel 1 or appropriate cables can be led out and removed. Subsequently, the relevant cable duct piece can be released, so that under relaxation of the coil spring 31 via the force of the spring means 31, the relevant cable duct piece is then raised again in the direction of the table top 35, ie in the direction of carrier or mounting plane M until lying in the table top direction Assembly, investment or holding surface or flange 26 of the mounting sleeve 23 on the underside 35 'of the carrier, preferably in the form of the table top 35, abuts, ie on the mounting surface or - level 11th

Due to the chaining, the adjacent cable ducts are partially depressed by pushing down the individual cable ducts, in other words pushed away from the underside of the table top, so that the insertion and removal of cables can be made very easily. When laying a cable then successively adjacent cable channel pieces can also be taken and each section a cable inserted into the cable channel or removed from the cable channel. The respective cable channel is limited stroke so far away from the tabletop underside movable until the coil spring device is completely compressed, i. the individual turns rest on each other. The adjustment path should preferably be at least 5 mm, in particular at least 10 mm, 15 mm or at least 20 mm.

Based on Figures 11 and 12 a slightly modified embodiment is shown. In this embodiment, the plug-in sleeve 13 also serves as a concatenation device for the concatenation of two adjacent cable channel pieces. In other words, in this embodiment, the respective fastening column 23 is not centrally located in the cable duct piece, but provided on the one bottom end portion 11b, but otherwise with the same construction and design, as in the previously explained embodiment.

In other words, therefore, in this embodiment, instead of the locking pin 17 mentioned in the preceding embodiments, at the one bottom end portion 11b, the mentioned fastening sleeve 23 is used with the described construction, which then also serves as locking device 117. This tubular or cylindrical locking device 117 in the form of the fastening sleeve 23 interacts with the already explained in the previous embodiments at the respective second bottom end portion 11a formed plug sleeve 13, which in this embodiment, however, has an axial length corresponding to the axial length of the mounting sleeve 23 corresponds. In Figures 11 and 12 are the corresponding axial sectional views perpendicular to the plane of the cable tray 5 reproduced for this embodiment, whereby the differences from the corresponding axial sectional views according to the Figures 9 and 10 can be seen for the previous embodiment.

For simultaneous concatenation of two adjacent cable channel pieces while the mounting sleeve 23 is inserted from below into the socket 13, which is formed on the other bottom end portion 11a, until the two cable bottom portions 11a, 11b of two interlinked cable pieces 3 to each other lie. The outer diameter of the mounting sleeve 23 corresponds to the inner diameter of the receptacle 13 or is slightly smaller, so that a good pivotability between the two cable channel pieces is ensured without the frictional forces are too large or on the other hand, the game is too big. As a result, on the one hand, the concatenation of two adjacent cable channel pieces 5 causes the so formed central axis Z are pivotable relative to each other in a large angular range. At the same time can set here the corresponding fastening device by the cylindrical spring receptacle 29 is introduced as in the previous embodiments, starting from the cable channel bottom in the downwardly open and plugged into the receptacle 13 from below mounting column 23 until the upper end face 26th or in this case also the annular flange 23 'is located together with the upper edge 13' of the socket 13 in the common mounting plane M, in the illustrated embodiment of the table bottom 35 'of the table top 35 abuts.

Also in this embodiment, then the respective cable channel against the force of the spring means 31 (under compression of the coil spring) from the mounting plane M, ie moved away from the table top bottom down to introduce or remove cables in the cable channel. In FIG. 12 is that too FIG. 11 shown corresponding position of the cable channel when the cable channel in question is pressed down from the mounting plane M away and thereby the distance A1 between the upper edge 7 'of the cable channel side walls 7 and the mounting plane M (ie the table top bottom 35') is increased.

Claims (13)

Cable duct for attachment to a carrier (35), in particular office furniture, wherein the cable duct (1) can be mounted on a mounting surface (M) running straight or at an angle, with the following features: - The cable channel (1) comprises at least two cable channel pieces (3), - The at least two cable channel pieces (3) are interconnected or interlinked, - in the linking region (11) of two cable channel pieces (3), the two cable channel pieces (3) about a substantially perpendicular to the mounting surface (M) standing axis (Z) are positioned straight or angularly aligned to each other, - The cable duct pieces (3) comprise a fastening device for attachment to the mounting surface (M), - Between the supporting and fastening means and the cable channel piece (3) is provided a spring means (31), whereby the cable channel piece (3) against the force of the spring means (31) of the mounting surface (M) is adjustable away. Cable duct according to claim 1, characterized in that the cable channel piece (3) cable duct side walls (7) which extend transversely or perpendicular to the cable channel bottom (5) and / or the mounting surface (M), wherein the mounting surface (M) facing edge region (7 ') of the cable channel side walls (7) in the assembled state in the mounting surface (M) ends or at a distance (A1) thereto. Cable duct according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a cable duct piece (3) counter to the force of the spring means (31) from the mounting surface (M) away stop limited adjustable that the distance between the edge (7 ') of the cable Side walls (7) and the mounting surface (M) relative to the mounted base position is increased. Cable duct according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that a cable duct piece (3) against the force of the spring means (31) by at least 5 mm, preferably by at least 10 mm, 15 mm or at least 20 mm is adjustable. Cable duct according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the carrying and fastening device comprises a fastening sleeve (23) which is fixedly connected to the cable duct piece (3) or part of the cable duct piece (3), the axial orientation transversely or perpendicular to the mounting surface (M), and in that the fastening sleeve (23) provided in the interior of the mounting sleeve (23) stop or provided annular shoulder (23 '), and that in the interior of the mounting sleeve (23) has a spring receptacle with a stop or to the annular shoulder (23 ') offset stop shoulder or stop flange (29') sits, so that between the stop or the annular shoulder (23 ') of the mounting sleeve (23) and the stop shoulder or the stop flange (29') of the spring retainer (29 ) a spring means (31), preferably in the form of a coil spring under pressure load, wherein a spring receiving (29) passing through axial fastening means is preferably provided in the form of a screw (37), whose screw shank on the mounting surface (M) this is enforceable anchored. Cable duct according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the stop shoulder forming the annular shoulder (23 ') in the mounting sleeve (23) at the upper free end end (29') of the mounting sleeve (23) or at an axial distance therefrom within the mounting sleeve (23 ) is provided. Cable duct according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the mounting surface (M) is defined by the free end face (26) of the fastening sleeve (23) or by the annular shoulder (23 ') provided in this region. Cable duct according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the fastening sleeve (23) to the interlinking regions (11) offset lying in the central region (5 ') of the cable duct piece (3) is provided. Cable duct according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the fastening sleeve (23) with the cable channel bottom (5) is fixedly connected, preferably integrally formed. Cable duct according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that for concatenation of two cable channel pieces (3) at the one cable channel end portion (11a) with a through opening (13 ') in the cable channel bottom (5) provided with plug sleeve (13 ) Is provided and that at the opposite thereto each cable channel end portion (11 b) on the cable channel bottom (5) upwardly projecting locking elements or -Zapfen (17, 117) are provided, which are in a plug-in sleeve (13) of a chained, adjacent cable channel piece (3) anchored immersed. Cable duct according to claim 10, characterized in that the locking device or pin (17) are provided with elastically deformable latching elements (17 '), which are latchably engaged at corresponding latching sections preferably at the free end edge (13') of the plug-in sleeve (13) , Cable duct according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the locking device (117) from the mounting sleeve (23) with the seated therein spring receptacle (29) and the spring receptacle (29) passing through screw (37) is formed, which is the receptacle (13) penetrated axially. Cable duct according to claim 12, characterized in that the axial length of the fastening sleeve (23) and the axial length of the plug-in sleeve (13) are equal.

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