GB2312994A - Cross-over for cable trunking - Google Patents

Abstract

A module for use in a cable management system, comprises a base plate 1, the plate comprising at least one lower channel 9, 10 for receiving a cable, and at least one raised channel 2, 3 for receiving a cable, the raised channel being locatable above the base plate and extending at approximately 90{ to the extension of the lower channel. One channel 2 is used for data, the other 3 for power. The raised channel may be releasably secured to the base plate. The module may comprise a deck panel (18 Figures 6 to 8) for location over the raised channel, and be supported on screw jacks 22. The plates may have stringers (19 Figure 4) beneath them for extra strength and adjacent plates be connected by fish-plates (13 Figure 1) in slots (11). If the base plates are made of plastics then the cables do not need to be double insulated.

Description

Title of Invention: "Cable Management Systems" THE PRESENT INVENTION relates to systems of management of cables and pipes, notably management of underfloor cabling, particularly in large office buildings.

As buildings, particularly office buildings, become more technologically sophisticated, there is an increasing need for management of cables and/or pipes within the building. The need for such cable management has grown extensively in the recent past, following the increase in use of individual personal computers at work, particularly when such computers are networked. The cabling required to network such computers, alongside cabling required to power the electrical devices within an office and the fibre optic and telecommunications cables, is extensive and complex.

For this reason, various methods have been proposed for managing cabling within buildings.

Cabling management systems initially started with the incorporation, into the floors of office buildings, of ducts with exit points scattered around the floor, the various cables having to be fed along those ducts.

Subsequently, the concept of raised flooring was introduced, in which floor panels were laid adjacent each other raised above the main floor, so as to form a raised floor with a gap thereunder in the same way as a suspended ceiling has a gap between the main ceiling and the ceiling tiles. Cables would be laid in the gap between the raised floor and the main floor, access to the cables being afforded by removal of individual floor panels.

However, this still posed the problem of management of the cables. Given the necessity to avoid tangling of the cables and, more importantly, to segregate the various types of cables (data cables, fibre optic cables, power cables and telecommunications cables) gradually a system of cable management using ducted modules developed. A good example of such a ducted module is produced by Crosstrack Australia Pty Limited under the name Crosstrack. This comprises a series of moulded ducted modules retained within the spacing within the raised floor. The modules comprise three longitudinal ducts, separated by integrally moulded spacers, the ducts being positioned at different heights to allow space for cables to be fed out of the side of ducts so as to change direction.

The presently used modules present several disadvantages. The first is that, because the ducts are all raised to some extent, the space between the top of the ducts and the floor panels of most raised flooring is insufficient to allow the incorporation of electrical bus bars into the cable management system formed by the modules. This causes extreme difficulty with the laying of certain electric cabling systems.

Furthermore, passage of the cables in directions perpendicular to the direction of the ducting means that the cables are in contact with the main floor. For this reason, all cables must be double insulated.

The system, using a single module moulded from plastics, comprising the three ducts together with the plastic spacers therebetween is extremely complex and expensive to manufacture.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cable management system which overcomes one or more of the above problems, given greater flexibility of use and ease of manufacture.

According to the present invention there is provided a module for use in a cable management system, which module comprises a base plate, which base plate comprises at least one lower channel for receiving a cable, and at least one raised channel, for receiving a cable, which raised channel is locatable above the base plate and extends at approximately 900 to the direction of the at least one lower channel.

It is preferred that at least one raised channel is releasably securable in relation to the base plate. It is further preferred that the module further comprises a deck panel for location in use, over the module.

In one embodiment of the present invention, at least two parallel ridges are formed in the base plate to define the at least one lower channel therebetween.

Preferably the top of at least one ridge is flat. The at least one raised channel may be received in a corresponding recess formed in at least one of said ridges.

It is particularly preferred that the top of the at least one raised channel is co-planar with the top of at least one wall defining the at least one lower channel.

In one embodiment of the present invention the base plate is load bearing. However, in other embodiments, the base plate is not load bearing and the system further comprises load bearing means. Preferably those load bearing means comprise stringers and/or screw-jack pedestals.

The module may further comprise height adjustment means such as, for example, screw-jack pedestals which may also be load-bearing. In a related embodiment of the present invention, the invention further comprises screw jack pedestals comprising a load bearing plate for supporting the module.

The module may be manufactured from any suitable material, such as metal, a plastics material, or ceramics.

The present invention further provides a raised floor containing at least one module according to the present invention therein.

The module of the present invention provides a simplified system for management of cables. In this respect, whilst reference is made through the present Application to management of cables, the system may be adapted to management any elongate member, such as, for example, pipes for carrying fluids such as water or gas.

Again, whilst the modules are primarily designed for use within the space under a raised floor, they may equally be located to manage cables and the like in a hollow wall or a suspended ceiling.

The cable management system provided by the ducted modules of the present invention have many advantages over the prior art. One particular advantage is that the main distribution channels, being the at least one lower channel in the base formed by the base plate, are at the lowest possible level, resting on the main floor. The depth of the modules is such to allow the incorporation of bus bars or bus bar systems into the at least one lower channel formed by the base plate so as to be retained within the space of a raised floor. This is a major advantage over the cable management system of the prior art, in which bus bars were not able to be incorporated within the channels because of their depth.

Because of the presence of the base plate, all cables managed by the system formed by these modules are retained within channels along their entire length. For this reason, because the cables do not come into contact with the main floor, in certain embodiments of the invention, there is no need to double insulate cables managed by the system formed by the modules of the present invention.

The modules of the present invention are of a considerably simpler design than those of the prior art.

Particularly in the embodiments in which the at least one raised channel is releasably securable in relation to the base plate, the modules are, themselves, modular allowing greater flexibility with regard to the precise system formed by the modules and, equally importantly, making the modules even easier to manufacture because the simplicity of the design of the individual components.

Because of the presence of the at least one raised channel running perpendicular to the direction of the at least one lower channel, the modules of the present invention give greater support to the raised floor positioned thereon than the prior art modules which tend to be arranged in a more linear fashion. In this respect, greater load-bearing properties are achieved by the top of the at least one raised channel being co-planar with the top of at least one side wall of the at least one lower channel.

It is envisaged that the modules of the present invention may be used with either new raised flooring or to replace a cable management system already in place under an existing raised flooring. Because of the modular nature of the system, the system may be designed to cover the whole floor area or be concentrated in those areas in which cable management is required.

The present invention will now be described further with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 shows an exploded perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 shows an end view of the embodiment of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a side view of the embodiment of Figure 1; Figure 4 shows an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 shows an exploded perspective view of a third embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 shows an end view of a fourth embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 shows a top plan view of the embodiment illustrated in Figure 6; and Figure 8 shows a detailed end view of screw-jack pedestal of the fourth embodiment.

Figure 1 shows a module according to one embodiment of the present invention, for use in a cable management system. The module comprises a base plate 1 and two bridging channels, 2,3. The first bridging channel 2 is a data bridge and the second bridging channel 3 is a power bridge.

The base plate 1 is formed from a rectilinear sheet of plastics material and has, formed therein, three parallel ridges 4,5,6, running the length of the base plate 1. The first parallel ridge 4 is formed adjacent a first side 7 of the base plate 1, the third ridge is formed adjacent the second side 8 of the base plate 1 and the second ridge 5 is formed adjacent the centre line of the base plate 1, offset towards the first side 7 of the base plate 1.

In this way, the three ridges 4,5,6, running the length of the base plate 1, form two channels 9,10 therebetween. These channels are of a differing size, the smaller power channel 9 being located adjacent the first side 7 of the base plate 1 and the larger data and communications channel 10 being located adjacent the second side 8 of the base plate 1.

At each end of the ridges 4,5,6, are formed slots 11, in the opposing side walls 12 of each ridge 4,5,6. The slots extend from the end of each ridge 4,5,6, toward the centre of the ridge 4,5,6 in a direction parallel to the plane of the base plate 1. These slots 11 are sized to accept connecting means such as a fish plate connector 13 which may be used to connect modules by insertion of the fish plate connector 13 into the slots 12 in the ends of bridges 4,5,6 so as to locate a plurality of modules in relation to each other.

The two bridging channels 2,3 are formed from elongate sheets of the plastics material from which the base plate 1 is also manufactured. Each connecting bridge has upstanding side walls 14,15 running along each side thereof, which side portions 14,15 are formed with inwardly-directed flanges 32,33 at the top thereof, angled at 90" to the side walls 14,15. The connecting bridges 2,3, comprise a data bridge 2 and a power bridge 3, the data bridge 2 being wider than the power bridge 3. These press-fit into corresponding grooves 16,17 formed in the ridges 4,5,6 so as to accept the connecting bridges 2,3 in an orientation at 900 to the channels 9,10 formed between the ridges 4,5,6. The connecting bridges 2,3 may be removed from the grooves 16,17 of the base plate to allow easy access to the channels 9,10 formed in the base plate.

Figure 2 shows an end view of the embodiment of Figure 1 and further shows an end view of a deck plate 18 which is laid on top of the cable management system after the cables have been laid, to form the raised floor. The module is load bearing, so the deck plates are supported directly by the modules. The flat tops of the ridges 4,5,6 are co-planar with the flanges 32,33 of the bridging channels 2,3, so as to provide a large support surface to allow the module to support the floor directly.

When forming a cable management system from modules of the present invention, the base plates 1 are first laid, end to end, across the required area of flooring. The base plates 1 are connected by use of fish plate connectors 13 located within appropriate slots 11 in the ridges 4,5,6.

Once the required number of base plates 1 have been laid, a series of channels 9,10 running parallel across the required area of flooring are formed. Suitable power cables may be laid in the smaller channel 9 and data and communication cables may be laid in the larger channel 10.

It should be noted that the channels 9,10 are of a depth so as to incorporate larger entities such as, in particular, bus bars in the power channel 9.

Because the presence of the plastics base plate 1 forming channels 9 and 10, the cables located within these channels 9,10 need not be double insulated because at no stage do the cables come into contact with the floor.

Subsequent to the required cables being laid in the deeper channels 9,10 located within the base plate 1, further channels, running crosswise, may be constructed by incorporation of appropriate data bridges 2 and/or power bridges 3 into the grooves 16,17 formed within the ridges 4,5,6 of the modules that have been laid, so as to form channels 2,3 running in a direction perpendicular to the channels 9,10 formed by the base plates 1. Because the data bridges 2 and power bridges 3 are releasably securable within the grooves 16,17 located within ridges 4,5,6, as many of such additional bridges 2,3 may be laid as are required, giving great flexibility in the layout. When the required bridging channels 2,3 have been formed in the cable management system, cables may then be laid within the appropriate channels 2,3, as required.

Once the cables have been laid, the appropriate deck panels 18 are then laid over the cable management system formed by the modules to form a solid even floor above the duly laid cables. The deck panels 18 may, of course, incorporate, where required, power points, communication points, and openings to allow egress of cables therethrough. They may also be appropriately marked to indicate the position of cables or pipes under the deck panel 18.

Figure 4 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the base plate 1 is not load bearing. Instead the module further comprises load bearing entities called stringers, 19. These load bearing stringers 19 are formed so as to fit snugly into the indentations in the base plate 1 formed by the raised ridges 4,5,6, incorporating the grooves 16,17. In this respect, the ridges 4,5,6 each fit neatly over a stringer 19 and it is the stringer 19, lying underneath the ridges 4,5,6 that bears the load of the deckpanels 18. The stringers 19 have, in their ends, grooves 20, which correspond in shape and position to the slots 11 in the end of the ridges 4,5,6, to allow insertion of appropriate connecting means such as a fish plate connector 13, to allow connection of a number of base plates 1 to each other. In this embodiment of the present invention it is not the base plate 1 that bears any load placed upon the deck panels 18, lying on the module, but, rather, the stringers 19 lying underneath the base plate 1, in the ridges 4,5,6. However, it should be noted that, even in this embodiment, the presence of the bridging channels 2,3 running perpendicular to the deeper channels 9,10 give increased strength to the overall structure.

Figure 5 shows a further embodiment of the present invention in which, once again, the base plate 1 is not load bearing. In this particular embodiment, however, the outer ridges 4 and 6 are not positioned adjacent the sides 7,8 of the base plate 1 but are, in fact, contiguous therewith. The depending sides 7,8 of the base plate 1 of this embodiment have been cut away at each corner. A hole 21 is formed in the upper surface of each corner of the ridges 4,6, forming the corners of the base plate 1, to allow the base plate 1 to be secured to standard screw-jack pedestals 22. In this way, the entire module, incorporating the base plate 1, the bridging channels 2,3 and the deck panel 18 is supported by the screw jack pedestals 22 located at each corner of base plate 1.

Because the corner holes 21 of the base plate 1 are fixed to a corner of the upper surface 23 of the screw jack pedestal 22, this allows four corners of adjacent base plates 1 to be supported by a single screw-jack pedestal 22 thereby allowing the screw-jack pedestal 22 to act as an appropriate device for locating the base plates 1 in relation to each other, so as to form the cable management system. For this reason, this embodiment of the present invention may not require the use of connecting means such as fish plate connectors 13 or slots located in the end of the ridges 4,5,6.

Finally, a fourth embodiment of the present invention, is shown in Figures 6,7,8. This embodiment encompasses the load bearing concepts of both the second and third embodiment, using both the stringers 19 of the second embodiment and the concept of a screw-jack pedestal 24 from the third embodiment. This embodiment is designed to give high load bearing capacities, particularly for use in raised flooring which is required to bear heavy loads, and the flexibility of height of the cable management system which is of particular use in flooring which has already been laid and, therefore, of which the height may already be fixed.

In this embodiment, the side ridges 4,6 of the base plate 1 are arranged as in Figure 5, with the corners cut away. However, rather than the corners being supported directly by a screw-jack pedestal 24, the entire ridge 4,6 is supported by a stringer 19 as in Figure 4. The stringer 19 is located within the ridge 4,6 but, rather than resting on the floor, rests on the load bearing plate 29 of a screw jack pedestal 24 specifically designed for use with the present invention. The screw jack pedestal 24 of the present invention is most clearly shown in Figure 8 and comprises a base 25, a threaded shaft 26 extending normally away from the base 25, and an internally threaded cap 27 which is threaded on the shaft 26 for adjustable positioning therealong. The cap 27 comprises a threaded cylindrical portion 28 from which extends radially the load bearing plate 29, contiguous with the open end of the cylindrical portion 28 such that when the cylindrical portion 28 is screwed down as far as possible on the shaft 26 the load bearing platform 29 rests over the base 25.

As can be seen from the embodiment shown in Figure 6, the loading bearing plate 29 of the screw-jack pedestal 24 may comprise a series of locating studs 30 regularly spaced around the centre of the face of the load bearing platform 29 remote from the base 25. The stringers 19 have, in the bottom face thereof, a row of indentations 31, at least one of said indentations being married with at least one locating stud 30 when the stringer 19 is in position on the load bearing plate 29, so as to fix a stringer 19 in position with respect to the load bearing platform 29. In this way, the screw jack pedestals 24 may be adjusted by screwing the cylindrical portion 28 of the cap 27 onto the shaft 26 so as to adjust the height of the load bearing plate 29 to allow the base plate 1 to be located at a predetermined height in the flooring. It should be noted that the stringer 19 is sized so as to accommodate the cylindrical portion 28 of the cap 27 of the screw-jack pedestal 24 therebetween, allowing adjacent base plates 1 to be located close to each other.

It will be appreciated that the present invention displays a great deal more flexibility than the cable management systems of the prior art by virtue of the base plates comprising at least one channel which will be deep enough to incorporate large items such as bus bars.

Furthermore, the removal nature of the bridging channels allows flexibility in the cable management system, and improved support for raised floor panels as well as ease of access to the lower channels.

Finally, because of the removable nature of the bridging channels and the relatively simple structure of the base plate, modules of the present invention are easier and more economical to manufacture than those in the prior art.

Claims (19)

1. A module for use in a cable management system, which module comprises a base plate, which base pate comprises at least one lower channel for receiving a cable, and at least one raised channel, for receiving a cable, which raised channel is locatable above the base plate and extends at approximately 900 to the direction of the at least one lower channel.

2. A module according to Claim 1 wherein at least one raised channel is releasably securable in relation to the base plate.

3. A module according to Claim 1 or 2 wherein at least two parallel ridges are formed in the base plate to define the at least one lower channel therebetween.

4. A module according to Claim 3 wherein the top of at least one ridge is flat.

5. A module according to Claim 2 or 3 wherein the at least one raised channel is be received in a corresponding recess formed in at least one of said ridges.

6. A module according to any one of Claims 1 or 5 wherein the top of the at least one raised channel is coplanar with the top of at least one wall defining the at least one lower channel.

7. A module according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a deck panel for location over the at least one raised channel.

8. A module according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the base plate is load bearing.

9. A module according to any one of Claims 1 to 7 wherein the module further comprises load bearing means.

10. A module according to Claim 9, wherein said load bearing means comprises stringers.

11. A module according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the module further comprises height adjustment means.

12. A module according to Claim 11, wherein the height adjustment means comprise a screw-jack pedestal.

13. A module according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the module comprises metal, a plastics material or a ceramic material.

14. A screw jack pedestal for use with a module according to any one of the preceding claims comprising a load bearing plate for supporting the module.

15. A screw jack pedestal according to Claim 14, wherein the plate is remote from both ends of the pedestal.

16. A raised floor containing at least one module according to any one of Claims 1 to 13 therein.

17. A module substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to, and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

18. A screw jack pedestal substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to, and as shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8 of the accompanying drawings.

19. Any novel feature or combination of features described herein.