GB2186319A

GB2186319A - Improvements in and relating to cable retaining devices

Info

Publication number: GB2186319A
Application number: GB8701094A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Keith Rowbottom
Original assignee: Mines & West Ltd
Current assignee: Mines & West Ltd
Priority date: 1986-02-06
Filing date: 1987-01-19
Publication date: 1987-08-12
Also published as: GB8701094D0; GB8602916D0

Abstract

A cable retaining device 4 for clamping a cable 5 to a surface, e.g. the undersurface 3 of a support member, e.g. a desk top 1, for electrical or electronic equipment, comprises an elongate retaining strip 7 attached to the surface 3 by attachment means 9, and compressible material 8 which is interposed between the strip 7 and the surface 3, a cable being clamped between strip 8 and surface 3. Material 8 may be in form of a strip fixed e.g. adhered to strip 7. The strip 7 may comprise a plurality of portions 7a, 7b, 7c hinged together and each provided with attachment means for attachment to the surface, to enable a portion only of the strip 7 to be released at any one time-a number of possibilities are disclosed. Attachment means may comprise respective bolts 9 with associated spacer elements 10 and threaded bushes 11 countersunk into undersurface 3. The spacer elements 10 are of such length to permit compression of strip 8. Other attachment means e.g. threaded shafts with nuts are disclosed. As shown attachment means are arranged to one side of strip 8 but strip 8 may be same width as strip 7. Strip 7 may be aluminium and strip 8 may be neoprene. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in and relating to cable retaining devices This invention relates to a cable retaining device for clamping a cable to a surface, particularly but not exclusively for use with support units for electrical or electronic equipment, such as desks or tables.

With the widespread use in offices of electrical and electronic equipment there is often a not inconsiderable number of associated electrical cables present around the support unit on which the equipment is placed. It has been proposed to provide ducting for such cables from the floor to the undersurface of the support unit. However, each cable then has to cross from the undersurface of the unit to the support surface to reach the equipment thereon.

According to the present invention there is provided a cable retaining device for clamping a cable to a surface comprising an elongate retaining strip, compressible material, and attachment means for attaching the retaining strip to the surface with the compressible means and a cable to be retained interposed therebetween.

The strip may comprise at least two strip portions hingedly connected together, each portion being associated with at least one attachment means. One of the portions of the retaining strip may be intended not to be released from the surface in use and the one portion may be a short portion and arranged at one end of the retaining strip.

Alternatively, the strip may comprise three portions of which one portion is a short portion arranged generally centrally of the strip and is intended not to be released from the surface in use.

Spacer means may be provided, advantageously each associated with an attachment means, for spacing the retaining strip from the surface. The compressible material may also be in the form of a strip attached to the retaining strip.

The above described cable retaining device may be associated with the support member of a support unit for electrical or electronic equipment and be attached to and extend along an edge of the support member. Preferably it is associated with the undersurface of the support member and extends along an edge of the undersurface.

Embodiment of cable retaining devices according to the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an isometric view of an embodiment of a cable retaining device associated with a support unit according to the present invention; Figure 2 shows the cable retaining device of Figure 1, partially cutaway, in front elevation along the line Il-Il of Figure 1; and Figures 3 and 4 are sections on the lines Ill-Ill and IV-lV of Figure 2.

In the drawings, there is shown a support unit in the form of a desk comprising a support member or worktop 1 and leg structures 2. The leg structures 2 may include conduits for receiving cables extending from the floor to the level of the worktop 1. Attached to the undersurface 3 of the worktop along one side edge is a cable retaining device 4 for clamping one or more cables extending from below to above the worktop. By way of illustration, two cables 5, which may extend through the cable conduits in the leg structures 2, and may be of varying diameter, are shown passing from the region of the undersurface 3 of the worktop 1, through the retaining device 4, to the top surface 6 for connection to electrical or electronic equipment (not shown) on the surface 6.

The retaining device 4, shown in detail in Figures 2 to 4, comprises an elongate retaining strip 7, which may for example be made from a suitable metal, for example aluminium, or from a suitable plastics material, and a strip 8 of compressible material, which may for example be neoprene. The strip 8 has substantially the same length as the retaining strip7 and is, in use, interposed between the retaining strip 7 and the undersurface 3 of the worktop with the or each cable 5 to be retained being held between the strip 8 and the surface 3, locally compressing the material of the strip 8. For convenience, the strip 8 may be fixed, e.g. adhered, to strip 7.

For attaching the retaining device 4 to the worktop, at least two attachment means, for example bolts 9, are provided spaced longitudinally apart along the length of strip 7. Each bolt 9 passes through a hole 7x in the retaining strip 7, through a spacer element 10, which may for example be of nylon, into a threaded bush 11 countersunk into the undersurface 3 of the worktop. As shown, the width of the strip 8 is less than that of the retaining strip 7 and the holes 7x in the retaining strip 7 are positioned to one side of the strip 8. The holes 7x may be oval or elongate to facilitate aiignment of the bolts 9 with the bushes 11 during attachment of the device 4 to the worktop.The spacer elements 10 are of a length to permit slight compression of the strip 8 but yet prevent it being over-compressed, and to maintain the retaining strip 7 substantially parallel to the surface 6. The spacer elements 10 may be arranged to retain the bolts 9 through the provision of a captive nut or O-ring arrangement.

The bolts 9 may be provided with enlarged heads (not shown) to facilitate their manual rotation. Other suitable attachment means may alternatively be used, for example threaded shafts may protrude from the undersurface 3 of the worktop, the retaining strip 7 being retained by nuts screwed on to these shafts.

While, as described above, bolts 9 or other attachment means are arranged to one side of the strip 8, the bolts 9 with their spacers 10 may be arranged to extend through the strip 8 which is then appropriately apertured to receive them. The strips 7,8 may then have the same width. In a modification, the retaining strip 7 may be laterally extended beyond strip 8 to underlie a substantial area of the undersurface 3 oftheworktop 1.

With the retaining device 4 in use attached to the undersurface of the worktop, it may be necessary to remove, add, or reposition a piece of electrical or electronic equipment on the desk. This may involve the removal, addition or repositioning in the retaining device 4 of the associated electrical cable and this is effected by at least partially releasing the retaining strip 7.

To avoid the need to completely remove the strip 7 at any one time, the strip 7 may, as shown, comprise at least two strip portions 7a, 7b, which are hinged together and each of which is provided with one or more attachment means for attachment to the worktop. With such an arrangement, one portion of the strip 7 can be released at any one time, swung downwardly, pivoting about the hinge, to allow the removal, addition or repositioning of a cable, the other portion of the strip 7 remaining in place.

The hinge may be a conventional type of hinge 12 fixed to adjacent strip portions, for example as shown, or may be formed by a reduction in section of the retaining strip 7 when made, for example, from a plastics material.

The hinge 12 may be provided in approximately the centre of the length of the retaining strip 7, with both portions of the strip intended to be released in use. Alternatively, the hinge may be arranged adjacent one end of the strip 7 to provide a short strip portion at one end of the strip which, in use, is not intended to be released from its attachment to the worktop, the remaining length of the strip being then used to clamp cables.

Alternatively, a second hinge 13, shown in broken lines in Figure 2, may be provided adjacent hinge 12 to provide a short strip portion 7c between strip portions 7a and 7b and which is not intended in use to be released from its attachment to the worktop.

With this arrangement, both strip portions 7a and 7b can be released and swung downwardly simultaneously or separately, strip portion 7c remaining attached to the worktop.

While as shown the retaining device 4 is associated with a desk, it will of course be appreciated that the device 4 can be used with other forms of support units. It will also be appreciated that a cable retaining device as described above may be provided on one or more or all of the edges of a support unit and may extend over the full length of the edge or over a length less than the full length.

There is thus provided a cable retaining device which is simple and easy to use and, when not required, can be removed in totality leaving no remains visible from above the support unit.

Claims

1.A A cable retaining device for clamping a cable to a surface comprising an elongate retaining strip, compressible material, and attachment means for attaching the retaining strip to the surface with the compressible material and a cable to be retained interposed therebetween.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 including spacer means for spacing the retaining strip from the surface by a distance such that the compressible material is slightly compressed.

3. A device as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2, wherein a plurality of attachment means are provided each associated with spacer means for spacing the retaining strip from the surface and spaced apart along the length of the retaining strip.

4. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the strip comprises at least two strip portions hingedly connected together, each portion being associated with at least one attachment means.

5. A device as claimed in claim 4, wherein one portion of the retaining strip is not intended to be released from its attachment to the surface in use.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the one portion is provided at one end of the strip.

7. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the retaining strip comprises three portions hingedly connected together, one of the portions being arranged generally centrally of the strip is not intended to be released from its attachment to the surface in use.

8. A device as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the one portion of the retaining strip is relatively short.

9. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the compressible means comprises a strip of compressible material which is attached to the retaining strip.

10. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the attachment means comprise bolts which are threaded into the surface.

11. A cable retaining device substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

12. A support unit for electrical or electronic equipment comprising a support member for the equipment and a cable retaining device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims extending along an edge of the support member for retaining a cable relative to a surface of the support member

13. A support unit as claimed in claim 12, wherein the cable retaining device is attached to the undersurface of the support member adjacent the edge thereof.

14. A support unit for electrical or electronic equipment comprising a support member for the equipment and a cable retaining device substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.