FR2493055A1 - Trunking incorporating power, lighting, and communication cabling - uses extruded aluminium multiple compartments in carry light, cabling, pipework, and provide light - Google Patents

Abstract

The trunking is mfd. from anodised extruded aluminium and is bolted to the walls. An upper chamber contains fluorescent lamp tubes which provide indirect lighting through an upper translucent cover. Below the lamp chamber an intermediate chamber contains light current communications and entertainment cabling. The heavy current cables are in the bottom chamber. A bolted cover protects the light and heavy cabling. The front of the lighting compartment is an integral part of the extrusion and carries brackets for medical gas piping. A clip over cover provides the architectural facing for the trunking.

Description

 The present invention relates to a continuous sheath, called "technical", intended in particular for hospital rooms, clinics, hotels, said sheath containing in its enclosure at least one equipment for the distribution of at least one function. technical in the rooms.

 It is well known, in particular for hospitals, clinics and hotels, to provide a maximum of servitudestech nics in the rooms of patients and customers - for example the power supply in strong currents and weak currents, the power supply - in medical fluids, the assistance request devices, the telephone, the alarm clock- by embedding all the electrical conductors, the pipes and the distribution outlets of each other in continuous technical sheaths most generally arranged applied to- above the beds of patients and clients, in all rooms to be fitted.

 The conductive targets and the pipes for supplying medical fluids are concealed in the sheaths, and consequently they do not affect the aesthetics of the parts to be fitted.

 On the other hand, it is not the same for distribution outlets for electricity, for the telephone, and especially for medical fluids which, discosed on the front for reasons of convenience of access and use, considerably harm has aesthetics.

 In some cases, in order to avoid having in the rooms to be fitted with distribution outlets for unattractive technical easements, we have been led to prefer a provision "below" the technical ducts, but then access to the outlets proves to be quite difficult, as does the operation of the conductors and the pipes which may have to be placed downstream of said sockets, for example to bring oxygen to patients or more simply to plug a male plug into one female sockets of the sheath which ensures the supply of strong or weak electric current.

 The present invention aims to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks and, to this end, it provides a continuous technical sheath which is both aesthetic in terms of its distribution outlets and is convenient to use whenever it it is necessary to plug an accessory element into one of said distribution sockets.

 The present invention therefore relates to the new industrial product that constitutes a continuous sheath, containing in its enclosure at least one equipment for the distribution of at least one technical function, said sheath being intended in particular for hospital rooms, clinics , of hotels, to be arranged most generally in surface above the beds, and being characterized in that all the distribution outlets are in front of the sheath and in that a strip, also continuous, is associated with said sheath, covering its facade, said strip comprising, in line with the distribution outlets, movable shutters whose operation authorizes access to the outlets, normally concealed by the strip.

 In a first alternative embodiment, the strip comprises at least one movable flap by pivoting. In this case, the flap pivots at its upper part around two axes, respectively right and left, integrated in the parts of the strip adjacent to said flap. The shutter is then advantageously cut from the strip, in an area the lower part of which is completely free of travel with respect to the sheath which it covers.

 In a second variant embodiment, the strip which covers the front sheath comprises at least one movable flap by longitudinal sliding.

 In this case, such a strip includes windows pierced in line with the distribution outlets and each window is associated with a sliding shutter in two slides provided on the strip, respectively above and below the window.

 Advantageously, the sliding shutter is provided with a handle allowing it to be maneuvered from its closed position -oA it conceals the distribution outlets- in its open position -or it allows free access of said outlets- and vice versa.

 To facilitate on site, by knocking down, the realization in the strip of the cutouts appropriate to the installation to be made, the vertical and horizontal lines along which the tilting opening shutters will be cut, or the windows for access to the sliding shutters, are previously machined. so as to form lines of least resistance.

 In other alternative embodiments, the underside of the sheath may have two angled returns constituting longitudinal slides for the assembly of a profile or complementary box, this arrangement being authorized as soon as all the distribution outlets are in facade and that the inner face of the sheath is therefore completely bare.

 Finally, the continuous strip which covers the front sheath is advantageously fixed to said sheath by simple hooking in the upper part and screwing in the lower part.

To better understand the object of the present invention, there will be described below, by way of purely illustrative and nonlimiting examples, two embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings in which
FIG. 1 represents a profile view of a sheath according to the invention covered on the front with a continuous strip comprising a flap movable by pivoting,
FIG. 2 represents a front view of the strip of the assembly of FIG. 1,
FIG. 3 represents a profile view of a variant of construction of a strip in which the flap is movable by longitudinal sliding, and
FIG. 4 represents a front view of the variant strip of FIG. 3.

 Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1, it can be seen that the continuous technical sheath equipped according to the invention has been designated by 1 as a whole.

 This sheath 1, of a constant profile over its entire length, is preferably made of anodized aluminum and it has been obtained by extrusion.

In its construction given by way of example in FIG. 1, it delimits three compartments intended respectively to receive
- In the upper compartment 2, indirect ambient lighting by one or more tubes 5, fluorescent or incandescent, the support 6 of which has an H section is made integral with the profile of the sheath 1 by several assembly devices each composed of a bolt 7 and its complementary nut 8,
in the intermediate compartment 3, the wires 9 carrying low currents, and
- in the lower compartment 4, the wires lp conducting strong currents.

 This list of equipment for the distribution of technical functions is obviously neither exhaustive nor compulsory, that is to say that, without departing from the scope of the present invention, it is possible to conceive of other distributions of technical easements, by possibly removing one of the three aforementioned, or on the contrary by adding the distribution of the telephone, an intercom, speakers, calls for services such as those of a nurse, a night light , lighting for reading, the cables and conduits required for the aforementioned additional equipment all being embedded in a sheath 1 of a slightly different profile adapted to the number and size of said cables and said conduits.

 Whatever the technical functions to be distributed, that is to say whatever the number and the possibilities of combinations, the characteristic common to the constructions according to the invention will be that all the sockets ensuring the distribution of said technical functions in the room will be arranged in front of the sheath 1.

 By taking as an example for the rest of the description, the construction of FIG. 1, it can be seen that a distribution of medical gases has also been provided from the pipes 11 fixed by welding or by bolting on the face outer wall of the front wall of the upper compartment 2, a wall which is deliberately inclined forwards upwards to promote lighting.

Said upper compartment 2 is further closed in the upper part by a window 12, made of transparent or translucent material and still allowing good ambient lighting, or alternatively, when said compartment is not used for lighting, it will then simply be closed by a panel 12 pierced with ori plugs to ensure high ventilation of all built-in equipment
Advantageously, the window or the panel 12 slides longitudinally between two U-shaped grooves, respectively rear 13 and front 14, the groove 14 being clearly below the groove 13, so that the window or the panel 12 is inclined d '' about 15 degrees on the horizontal, which on the one hand promotes the sending of light towards the center of the room and on the other hand makes it impossible to place an object above the technical sheath.

 A shutter 15 extending vertically over the entire length of the sheath closes the compartments 3 and 4 inside which are embedded the weak and strong current conductors. This shutter rests against the extreme wings of a C channel slide 16 provided by construction at the end of the horizontal partition 17, said slide 16 receiving the bolt heads 18 whose rods pass through the shutter 15 at the level of orifices. 19 drilled substantially in its middle part and cooperate with nuts 20 to maintain the shutter.

 A plate 21 intended to support all the distribution outlets for the technical functions extends in front of the shutter 15, either continuously over the entire length of the sheath 1, or and preferably discontinuously, it is a say only in the parts where it is useful to provide sockets for medical gases such as 22, sockets of weak currents such as 23, sockets of strong currents such as 24, or any other type of socket (not shown) for the telephone, signaling, a request for assistance such as a nurse's call for example.

 The wires 25 for supplying weak currents extending from compartment 3 to sockets 23 and the wires 26 for supplying strong currents extending from compartment 4 to sockets 24 pass through the shutter 15 at the orifices shown respectively in 27 and 28.

 In the exceptional case where the plate 21 will be continuous, said plate will also be pierced on its upper face with orifices allowing the passage of flexible pipes connecting the pipes 11 to the sockets 22.

 On the other hand, in the most frequent case where the plate 21 will be discontinuous, the flexible pipes 29 bringing for example the medical fluids will pass on the side outside the plate, which will avoid drilling, to then be slid under the upper face horizontal 21a of said plate and be connected at sockets 22.

 The base 30 of the sheath 1 will advantageously be provided wide enough so that the volume 31 available between the plate 21 and the shutter 15 is sufficient to, on the one hand, allow the supply of the electrical wires 25 and 26 and the descents 29 fluids and lead them to the sockets 22 to 24 and, on the other hand, possibly authorize any manipulation of the operators under each section of platen 21.

 The different sections of the discontinuous plate 21 being able to be placed in any places along the sheath 1, these places being according to the wishes of the users as for the position of the distribution outlets inside the room to be equipped, it it is good that the elements for fixing the sections of the plate on the sheath 1 are themselves continuous.

 In this spirit, there is provided by spinning on the sheath 1 an upper angle 32 whose return is oriented downward to form an inverted U with the front wall of the sheath and a lower groove 33 of U-shaped cross section formed on the lower horizontal face 30 between two internal vertical returns which run over the entire length of the sheath 1.

 In a particularly interesting construction, the return framing on the outside the groove 33 is extended, also of spinning, of an angle iron 34 which forms with it a second groove with a straight section in the shape of an inverted U which will be used for fixing the banner, as will be explained later.

 Each section of the plate 21 comprises a horizontal wing 35, of small width, facing the inside of the sheath.

 This wing is completed by two returns 90, turned downwards, respectively 36 and 37, able to cooperate with the groove 33 and the outside of the angle iron 34.

 When each section rests on the sheath 1 by cooperation of the wings and grooves 33 to 37, the fixing of each section is ensured at the upper face 21 by the operation of a needle screw 38 which can be easily screwed by placing the hand on the side of the plate until sufficient penetration into the groove 39 provided under the angle iron 32, then locking of said screw in the bottom of said groove.

 By the construction defined above, all of the distribution sockets of the fittings integrated inside the sheath are in front arrangement, with the advantage of being easy to access, but with the drawback of being particularly unsightly.

 The sheath 1 and the plate 21, discontinuous or continuous, are therefore supplemented by a continuous strip 40 disposed on the front of the sheath in covering of the sockets 22 to 24, and fixed to said sheath by its upper part and by its lower part.

 To this end, the upper front face of the sheath is extended in front of the groove 14 of a return 41 itself extended by several returns forming a groove 42 with a U-shaped cross section, all of the above returns being obviously obtained from spinning to be continuous.

 The strip 40 is essentially formed by a plate substantially of the same height and the same length as the sheath 1, said plate extending inwardly in the form of two returns, respectively upper 43 and lower 44, used for fixing the strip on the sheath.

 Thus, the return 43 inclined by about 15 degrees on the horizontal, always with the aim of avoiding the pause of objects above the sheath, is itself extended by a return 45 which turns downwards which cooperates with the groove 42: there is here simple ac hooking of the strip 40, oar its upper part, on the sheath.

 At the same time, the lower return 44 is pierced with several orifices in which are arranged captive screws 46 whose rods cooperate with the inverted U-shaped groove provided under the returns 34 to complete blocking the strip 40 on the sheath.

 Because it covers the entire sheath on the front 1.

the continuous strip 40 defined above normally conceals the sockets such as those shown in 22 to 24.

 To allow access to said sockets, the strip 40 also comprises movable flaps which are arranged at least in line with the sockets, therefore at least in line with the platinum sections 21, in the event that it is discontinuous, and which are easy to operate so that access to the sockets is simple and immediate.

 In this regard, two variants of the movable shutter construction have been given by way of examples, with reference to FIGS. I and 2 for the variant with tilting opening shutters, and to FIGS. 3 and 4 for the variant with sliding shutters.

 Preferably, the strip 40 is originally the same, so that once again, on site, the user has the choice between one and the other variants of shutters; in these conditions, the arrangement of the original strip 40 in its variant with tilting shutters or in its variant with sliding shutters must be provided, so that the installer has a minimum of operations, simple in addition, to perform at the time of assembly of the technical sheath.

 To do this, the strip includes both means for equipping it with tilting shutters as well as means for equipping it with sliding shutters.

All these means are shown in Figure 1 we observe that
10) there is provided on the visible face of the strip, slightly above the upper horizontal face 21a of the plate 21, a horizontal rib 47, profiled in
20) there is provided behind the hidden face of the strip an upper groove 48 and a lower groove 49, parallel and horizontal, respectively profiled slightly above and slightly below the sections of the plate 21, therefore clearly above and in below sockets 22 to 24.

 it should be noted that the upper groove 48 is located above the rib 47.

 The rib 47 is used for the variant with tilting flaps.

 In this variant, one or more tilting flaps 50 are produced on the strip 40 by cutting, sawing or knocking out the strip along a horizontal line 51 and along two vertical lines, respectively right 52 and left 53.

 Two axes, respectively right 54 and left 55, are integrated in the bottom of the rib 47 and they overlap the cutting lines 52 and 53, so that the flap 50 can pivot relative to its two adjacent parts, respectively 56 and 57 .

 Naturally, in this variant, the lower part of each rocking element 50 must be free relative to the sheath 1, that is to say that there is no screw 46 in the rocking parts.

 The movements authorized for each tilting flap are represented in FIG. 1, where the lifting movement of the lower part of each flap 50 has been indicated by arrow 58 and the slight diving movement of the upper part by arrow 59 of the shutter when the latter pivots around the axes 54 and 55 which, advantageously, will be nylon parts to reduce friction, noise and maintenance.

 In its diving movement 59, the upper part of the flap passes exactly below the groove 48.

 The grooves 48 and 49 are used in the variant with sliding shutters. In this variant, first of all, in the strip 40, at the level of the sockets 22 to 24, windows such as 60 are produced by sawing, cutting or smashing the strip along two vertical lines, respectively 61 and 62, and of two horizontal lines, respectively 63 and 64 drawn, for the first slightly below the rib 47, and for the second slightly above the return 44, therefore of the groove 49.

 At each of the aforementioned windows, there is associated with the strip a flap 65 sliding in the grooves 48 and 49, a flap which is hardly wider than the distance separating the vertical cutouts 61 and 62, so that, by the operation of 'A handle 66 which projects slightly forward towards the plane of the strip 40, it is easy to pass from a closed position, or the flap 65 conceals the dispensing sockets, in an open position where it allows the 'free access of said sockets.

 Given that it is desirable that the installer can produce on site, on request, the variant with tilting shutters or the variant with sliding shutters, the various vertical and horizontal lines 51 to 53 and 61 to 64 are previously machined , so as to form lines of least resistance facilitating the knocks appropriate to the installation selected.

 Due to the front arrangement of all the technical distribution sockets, the lower horizontal face 3C of the sheath 1 is completely bare, therefore now available.

 The arrangement of two angled returns, resoectively rear 67 and front 68, allows the constitution of two longitudinal slides for, optionally, the subsequent assembly of a profile or complementary box 69 in which other accessories can for example be integrated.

 The sheath according to the invention can be closed at its two ends by end caps, for example made of anodized aluminum, full or drilled.

 The arrangement with drilled ends is preferable since it allows ventilation of the sheath, at the level of all its compartments 2, 3, 4 and 31.

 By acceleration by a silent turbine, ventilation can for example be done with air inlet at one end of the duct, in the lower part of compartment 4, and air outlet at the other end of the duct, in upper part of compartment 2.

 At the inlet and outlet of the air, there can be a UV emitter, which will act as an air freshener. This arrangement additionally makes the service of avoiding the accumulation of pathogenic dust inside the sheath. The electric power supply to the generators W will then advantageously be cut off by a simple safety contactor, each time that the strip 40 is disassembled.

 Naturally, the invention is not limited to the modes of application any more than to the embodiments which have been mentioned and one could conceive of various variants without thereby departing from the scope of this invention.

 This is particularly the case with the provision of other grooves such as 70 which will allow the introduction on the strip 40 of reinforcement bars or decorative elements.

Claims (5)

CLAIMS 10) Continuous sheath containing in its enclosure at least one equipment for the distribution of at least one technical function, said sheath being intended in particular for hospital rooms, clinics, hotels, and being most generally applied in the above the bed, characterized in that all the distribution outlets are on the front of the sheath and in that a strip, also continuous, is associated with said sheath, covering its front, said strip comprising, in line with the distribution outlets, mobile shutters whose operation allows access to outlets, normally concealed by the strip.  20) Continuous sheath according to claim 1 characterized in that its strip comprises at least one movable flap by pivoting.  30) Sheath according to claim 2, characterized in that the flap pivots at its upper part about two axes, respectively right and left, integrated in the parts of the strip adjacent to said flap.  4) Sheath according to claim 3 characterized in that the flap is cut from the strip, in an area whose lower part is of a totally free movement relative to the sheath which it covers.  50) Sheath according to claim 1, characterized in that its strip comprises at least one movable flap by longitudinal sliding.  60) Sheath according to claim 5, characterized in that the strip which covers it comprises windows pierced in line with the distribution outlets, and in that each of said windows is associated with a sliding shutter in two slides provided on the strip, respectively above and below the window.  7) Sheath according to claim 6, characterized in that the sliding shutter is provided with a handle allowing it to be maneuvered from its closed position, od it conceals the distribution outlets, in its open position, or it allows the 'free access to said sockets, and vice versa.  8) Sheath according to any one of claims 4, and 7, characterized in that the vertical and horizontal lines along which the tilting opening shutters are cut or the windows for access to the sliding shutters, are previously machined so as to constitute lines of least resistance facilitating knocks appropriate to the installation to be carried out.  90) Sheath according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that its underside has two angled returns constituting longitudinal slides for the assembly of a profile or complementary box.  10) Sheath according to any one of claims 1 to 9 characterized in that the continuous strip which covers it on the front is fixed to said sheath by simple hooking in the upper part and screwing in the lower part.