GB2194975A

GB2194975A - Outlet boxes for raised floors

Info

Publication number: GB2194975A
Application number: GB08619857A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Brian Pugh
Original assignee: ACKERMANN ELECTRICAL SYST
Current assignee: ACKERMANN ELECTRICAL SYST
Priority date: 1986-08-14
Filing date: 1986-08-14
Publication date: 1988-03-23
Anticipated expiration: 2006-08-14
Also published as: GB2194975B; GB8619857D0

Abstract

A flooring system incorporating electrical distribution boxes at floor level, Comprises a plurality of floor panels 10, 36 and 38 supported by adjustable platforms 46 with open-topped ducting extending below the panels. The boxes are mounted in selected floor panels and connected to junction boxes in the ducting by flying leads 54 to 60 to enable relocation of a distribution box with another floor panel. Each box preferably includes a hinged lid to which a carpet tile insert (40) may be secured, as by adhesive. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in and relating to electrical outlet boxes for raised floors Field of invention This invention concerns electrical outlet boxes for electrical power and communications networks of the type which are installed in office and workshop floors and are served by cables from underfloor trunking systems.

Background to the invention It is known to provide electrical sockets and other electrical outlets at floor level. It is also known to incorporate such sockets into panels which are let into the floor and may for example be covered by carpet until required for use.

It is a common problem with all such outlets that their position is relatively fixed and it is a major upheaval to relocate such an outlet should this be desired.

With the tendency to provide carpet tiles in modern offices and workshops, an improved distribution system and flooring system for offices has been developed which will enable the relocation of distribution outlets as desired with minimal interference with the wiring.

Summary of the invention According to one aspect of the present invention in a flooring system which incorporates floor level distribution boxes for electrical power and communication systems, the floor is subdivided into a plurality of equally sized panels supported at each corner by a corresponding plurality of height adjustable platforms and open topped ducting extends immediately below the floor panels, the latter serving to bridge and close the ducting to form trunking along which cables can extend to serve distribution boxes in the floor, wherein the distribution boxes are mounted in selected ones of the panels in the floor and are connected to junction boxes in the trunking by flying leads so that it is possible to lift the panel and the distribution box therein and relocate the panel and distribution box to a different position in the floor, the panel previously occupying that position being relocated to fill the gap left by the panel containing the distribution box.

Conveniently the distribution box includes a lid which when closed lies flush with the upper surface of the panel in which the distribution box is located and which when lifted exposes sockets into which electrical power plugs and communication and data plugs can be fitted as required.

To simplify the carpet fitting. the distribution box conveniently includes a rebate and the carpet tile fitted to the upper side of a panel containing the distribution box is cut so as to fit tightly within the rebate around the upper edge of the distribution box, the latter including an outwardly directed flange for fitting over the cut edge of the carpet.

Conveniently the hinged lid may be in the form of a tray having a peripheral wall equal in height to the thickness of the carpet tile and the central area of the carpet tile removed to accommodate the distribution box can be trimmed and set into the tray.

An adhesive may be used to secure the carpet tile to the tray and to the panel.

It will be seen that when the lid is in its down position, the only evidence of the distribution box will be the small peripheral lip to the distribution box.

An advantage of this aspect of the invention lies in the provision of a relocatable floor panel in which a distribution box is located and the connection of the latter to a below floor distribution system by means of a flying lead which enables the panel to be located at a plurality of different positions relative to the distribution system without the need for rewiring. According to a further aspect of the invention, an electrically compatible unit to the distribution box so far described albeit in a different housing and connectable via flying leads through a vertical length of trunking may be provided for extending the facilities at floor level to desk top or workbench level.The vertical trunking may communicate with an aperture in a floor panel of the type described and may for example be securable to the said floor panel to cover the aperture to enable flying leads connected to the distribution system below the floor to communicate through the floor panel and the trunking, up to the desk top or workbench.

Alternatively the lower end of the trunking may communicate with a distribution box of the type previously described to enable the desk top unit to be relocated by unplugging the connections from one distribution box and moving them to another distribution box or as previously described by moving the entire floor panel containing the distribution box to a different location within the floor.

According to a preferred feature of this aspect of the invention, the underfloor trunking is to advantage to the same design as that of the trunking described in our copending patent application filed concurrently herewith relating to Trunking (ref: C273/A).

According to another aspect of the invention each distribution box may comprises a shallow outer rectangular box of metal or plastics material having a lower inwardly directed flange to serve as a seating for three elongate shallow trays when laid side by side, each of the said tray walls presenting an electrical barrier between the volume enclosed and the adjoining trays, at least two upper opposed external flanges for mounting the shallow box either above or below the rectangular aperture in a floor panel, a frame including an out wardly directed peripheral lip attachable to the upper edge of the frame and adjustable in height relative thereto so as to enable different thicknesses of carpet to be accommodated below the peripheral lip and the floor panel onto which the shallow box is fitted, and a lid hingeably secured to the frame and in its down position fitting depth wise completely within the depth of the frame, the lid comprising a shallow tray into which a piece of carpet can be fitted for finish.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a floor panel and carpet tile having a distribution box fitted therein, in accordance with the invention, Figure 2 is a cross-section through the floor panel and carpet tile and underfloor support and illustrates the connection of cabling to the distribution box Figure 3 comprises an exploded perspective view of the component parts of the distribution box of Figures 1 and 2, Figure 4 illustrates by way of a perspective view an arrangement by which the facilities can be extended vertically to a desk top or worktop unit, and Figure 5 illustrates in a cut away view the open topped ducting located below the floor to form the trunking for the cables.

Description of the drawings Referring first of all to Figure 1, a combined floor panel and distribution box comprises a square metal panel 10 having a central aperture (not shown) into which is fitted the shallow box-like exterior of a distribution box generally designated 12 having an outwardly extending peripheral flange 14 overlying the cut edge of the carpet defining the opening in a carpet tile overlying the panel 10.

The distribution box includes a hinged lid 18 in the form of a shallow tray having a peripheral wall the height of which is equal to the depth of the carpet tile 16 and can receive a rectangular piece of carpet tile to maintain the integrity of the carpeted floor when the lid 18 is in its down position.

The floor of the box 12 is made up of three shallow metal boxes 20, 22 and 24 into which are set electrical sockets such as those denoted at 26 and 28 for an electrical power supply. Sockets can also be mounted in the cover plate 30 shown fitted to the central box 22 and telephone sockets and the like can be fitted into the apertures 32 in the third cover plate 34 of the third box 24.

The manner of mounting the floor panels is best seen in Figure 2. In this figure three panels can be seen namely 36, 10 and 38.

The panel 10 includes the distribution box and is cut away to reveal the lower parts of the distribution box and the ends of the three elongate boxes 20, 22 and 24 previously referred to.

The peripheral flange 14 is clearly seen overlying the carpet tile 16 and with the lid in its lowered position, the carpet tile insert 40 can be seen covering the lid and largely disguising the presence of the distribution box at that point in the floor.

The floor panels 10, 36 and 38 are supported at their corners on platforms 42 and 44 at the upper ends of screwjacks generally designated 46 and 48 having feet 50 and 52 for engaging a subfloor (not shown). During installation, the screwjacks are located on the subfloor and adjusted in height until all of the platforms 42, 44 etc are at the same height at which stage the panels such as 10, 36 and 38 etc can be located on the platforms and fine adjustments made to achieve a perfectly fiat floor surface.

Flying leads such as 54, 56, 58 and 60 extend through knock-out holes at 62, 64, 66 and 68 in the end walls of the boxes 20, 22 and 24 respectively. The flying leads terminate in a junction box (not shown) forming part of an underfloor trunking system of the type described in our copending application concerned with Trunking (ref: C273/A).

It will be seen that if the panel 10 is lifted and the flying leads 54 etc are of sufficient length, the panel and distribution box can be relocated for example in place of the panel 36, 38 or even further afield, the panel which is being replaced being inserted back in the position of the panel 10 to complete the floor.

If each panel is itself covered with a carpet tile then the act of moving the distribution box from one point to another in the floor entails minimal upheaval and does not alter the decor or flooring in any way.

The construction of the distribution box is best seen in Figure 3. This comprises a shallow square box of metal 70 having opposed laterally extending L-section flanges 72 and 74 having screw holes as at 76 for securing the flanges and thereby the box 70 into a square aperture in a floor panel such as 10 as shown in Figure 1. The flanges 72, 74 include three pairs of holes such as 73, 75 and the match box 70 includes corresponding pairs of holes 77, 79. Screws (not shown) secure the flanges to the side walls of the box at different heights depending on the choice of pair of holes 73, 75. This enables different floor tile depths to be accommodated.

The base of the box is cut away to leave a small inwardly directed internal lip 78 and the latter provides a ledge to which two elongate members 80 and 82 are secured as by screws or rivets through an outer line of holes such as 84. The inner line of holes provide fixings for screws or rivets for securing in place the three open topped boxes 20, 22 and 24 which also have flanges which extend beyond the two shorter ends of the boxes and are denoted by aperture in the flooring panel at the lower end of the trunking 144 or may themselves be terminated in plugs adapted to be connected into the sockets within a distribution box of the type described located conveniently near the lower end of the trunking 144.

The underfloor trunking is conveniently in the form of a shallow open topped ducting as at 100 and 64 having three channels 166, 168 and 170. The channels are defined by two outer walls 172 and 174 which are of reduced height relative to two internal dividing walls 176 and 178.

Cables such as 54, 56, 58 etc extend along the different channels and by utilising the central channel 168 for electrical power supply cables so these are totally contained within a box when the floor panels are fitted in position with the underside of the panels resting on the upper edges of the intermediate dividing walls 176, 178.

Where this type of ducting is incorporated, it is important that at least the underside of each flooring panel is of a conducting material such as metal if not entirely formed from metal.

As shown, the walls 172, 174, 176 and 178 may include apertures to facilitate the securing thereto of other elements of underfloor trunking all as described in our copending patent application entitled Trunking System reference C273/A.

Claims

1. A flooring system which incorporates floor level distribution boxes for electrical power and communication systems, the floor being subdivided into a plurality of equally sized floor panels supported at each corner by a corresponding plurality of height-adjustable platforms, and open-topped ducting extending immediately below the floor panels, the latter serving to bridge and close the ducting to form trunking along which cables can extend to serve the distribution boxes in the floor, the distribution boxes being mounted in selected ones of the panels in the floor and being connected to junction boxes in the trunking by flying leads, whereby it is possible to lift a panel and a distribution box therein and relocate the panel and distribution box to a different position in the floor, the panel previously occupying that position being relocated to fill the gap left by the panel containing the distribution box.

2. A flooring system according to claim 1 in which each distribution box includes a lid which when closed lies flush with the upper surface of the panel in which the distribution box is located and which when lifted exposes sockets into which electrical power, communication and/or data plugs can be fitted as required.

3. A flooring system according to claim 2 in which said lid is hinged and is in the form of a tray having a peripheral wall equal in height to the thickness of the carpet tile, so that the central area of the carpet tile which is removed to accommodate the distribution box can be trimmed and set into the tray.

4. A flooring system according to any one preceding claim, in which each distribution box includes a rebate and in which a carpet tile fitted to the upper side of a panel containing the distribution box is cut so as to fit tightly within the rebate around the upper edge of the distribution box, the latter including an outwardly directed flange for fitting over the cut edge of the carpet.

5. A flooring system according to claim 4, in which said carpet tile is secured by adhesive to said panel.

6. A flooring system according to any preceding claim and further comprising a distribution box mounted at desktop or workbench level and connectable with a floor panel via flying leads through a vertical length of trunking.

7. A flooring system according to claim 6, in which said trunking communicates with an aperture in a said floor panel and is securable to said floor panel to cover the aperture and to enable flying leads connected to the distribution system below the floor to communicate through the floor panel and the trunking up to the desktop or workbench.

8. A flooring system according to claim 6 or claim 7, in which said trunking communicates with a said distribution box to enable the desk top unit to be relocated by unplugging the connections from one distribution box and moving them to another distribution box or by moving the entire floor panel containing the distribution box to a different location within the floor.

9. A flooring system according to any one preceding claim, in which said distribution box comprises a shallow outer rectangular box of metal or plastics material having a lower inwardly directed flange to serve as a seating for three elongate shallow trays when laid side by side, each of the said tray walls presenting an electrical barrier between the volume enclosed and the adjoining trays, at least two upper opposed external flanges for mounting the shallow box either above or below the rectangular aperture in a floor panel, a frame including an outwardly directed peripheral lip attachable to the upper edge of the frame and adjustable in height relative thereto so as to enable different thicknesses of carpet to be accommodated below the peripheral lip and the floor panel onto which the shallow box is fitted, and a lid hingeably secured to the frame and its down position fitting depthwise completely within the depth of the frame, the lid comprising a shallow tray into which a piece of carpet can be fitted for finish.

10. A flooring system according to any one preceding claim in which at least the underside of each floor panel comprises an electrically conducting material, such as metal.

11. A flooring system according to any one preceding claim, and in which said opentopped ducting is as claimed in copending application No: 8819858.

12. A flooring system which incorporate floor level distribution boxes substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.