GB2420023A

GB2420023A - Supporting system

Info

Publication number: GB2420023A
Application number: GB0522418A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gregory Floyd; Stephen James
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-11-03
Filing date: 2005-11-03
Publication date: 2006-05-10
Anticipated expiration: 2025-11-03
Also published as: GB0522418D0; GB0424329D0; GB2420023B

Abstract

The invention provides a support for holding cables, the support being formed from a non-conducting material and comprising a body 2 having a pair of open-ended curved end sections 4, 6 linked by a substantially straight section 8, one of the curved end sections being larger than the other, the smaller 6 of the curved end sections of the body 2 being twisted relative to the remainder of the body; and wherein the substantially straight section 8 and the larger curved section 4 are each provided with a moulded hole 12, 16 to enable fixing of the support 2 to a wall, ceiling or similar structure.

Description

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SUPPORT SYSTEM

This invention relates to a support system for cables such as electrical cables.

Trailing electrical cables on building sites, in buildings undergoing refurbishment and other locations can represent a substantial hazard to personnel in the vicinity.

Leaving trailing cables lying around can lead to people tripping over the cables with the result that either a person may suffer injury or the cable may be damaged.

Moreover, if a cable is damaged or has bared wires and is not stowed in a safe manner, there exists the possibility of people coming into contact with the bared wires and being electrocuted.

The present invention seeks to overcome the aforementioned problems by providing a means of stowing cables safely on a temporary or permanent basis so that they do not cause injury to people working in the locality.

Accordingly, in a first aspect, the invention provides a support for holding cables, the support being formed from a non-conducting material and comprising a body having a pair of open-ended curved end sections linked by a substantially straight section, one of the curved end sections being larger than the other, the smaller of the curved end sections of the body being twisted relative to the remainder of the body; and wherein the substantially straight section and the larger curved section are each provided with a moulded hole to enable fixing of the support to a wall, ceiling or similar structure.

In another aspect, the invention provides a support system for cables, the support system having a tubular section and being formed from a nonconducting material such as a plastics material, the support system comprising a body having two open ended curved sections linked by a straight section, one of the open ended curved sections being larger than the other, the straight section and the larger curved section having moulded holes to allow fixing of the support system to a wall, ceiling or similar structure, and the smaller of the two curve sections having a twist to facilitate attachment and removal of cables from the support. : *

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S.. ** S.. S I In a further aspect, the invention provides a support for holding cables, the support being formed from a non-conducting material and comprising a substantially S- shaped body; the S-shaped body comprising a pair of open-ended curved sections one of which is larger than the other, the smaller of the curved sections of the body being twisted relative to the remainder of the body; and wherein the larger curved section and a portion of the body between the two curved sections are each provided with a moulded hole to enable fixing of the support to a wall, ceiling or similar structure.

The non-conducting (electrically non-conducting) material from which the support is made can be a plastics material. The non-conducting nature of the material prevents or reduces the risk of electrocution if the cables that are being supported are damaged or have bare wires showing.

The supports of the invention are advantageous in that they are versatile and can be secured in a variety of ways to structures or surfaces commonly found in building sites or in buildings undergoing refurbishment.

Thus, the larger of the two open-ended sections can be used to hook over an existing structure or fixture such as a suspended ceiling grid, ceiling joist or scaffold.

The smaller of the open-ended curved sections is typically used to support the cables and is twisted relative to the remainder of the body. The twist in the smaller section facilitates attachment or removal of the cables, particularly when the body of the support is secured against a flat surface.

The moulded holes in the larger curved section and the straight section can be used in conjunction with a screw or other fixing element such as a nail to secure the support to a surface such as a ceiling, wall or similar surface.

In another aspect, the invention provides a method of supporting cables, which method comprises securing a support or support system as hereinbefore defmed to a wall, ceiling or other surface or to a ceiling grid, ceiling joist or scaffold or similar S S 55 S.. S *. a S S * *5 * I I ** S * . . a * * U * S I ** .:. ..* * * structure and then placing the cable on the smaller of the open ended curved sections.

The invention will now be illustrated in greater detail by reference to the specific embodiments described below and illustrated in the drawings, Figures 1 to 3.

Figure 1 is a side view of a support according to one embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a view from above of the support of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view from below of the support of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings, the support according to the invention comprises an integrally moulded S-shaped plastics body 2 having a pair of curved open-ended sections 4 and 6 linked by a substantially straight section 8. The lower curved section 6 is smaller than the upper (larger) section 4.

As can be seen from Figures 2 and 3, the smaller curved section 6 is twisted out of plane with respect to the larger curved section 4 and the substantially straight section 4.

Located on the straight section 8, nearest the larger curved section 4, is a moulded boss 10 through which passes a hole 12. A second moulded boss 14 is located at the top of the curve on the larger curved section 4. Boss 14 also has a hole 16 passing through it.

The support illustrated in the drawings can be used to support cables in a variety of ways.

Where there are exposed floor joists, ceiling joists, ceiling grids or scaffolding poles, the larger curved section 4 can be hooked over the joist, grid or pole and a cable suspended from the support using the smaller curved section 6.

If no structures are available over which the larger curved section 4 can be hooked, the support can be fixed to a suitable surface such as a wall or ceiling by means of a screw, bolt or nail passing through either of the holes 12 or 16. I,

S.. * I. S S S S 55 * . I 55 * : * * * * * * : * * * * * * *8* ** The twist in the body of the support, by virtue of which the smaller curved section 6 is twisted out of the plane of the body, enables cables to be attached to or removed from the support more easily, particularly when the support is secured against a flat surface by means of a securing fixture such as a screw through the hole 12 in the straight section.

The moulded holes 12 and 16 may also be used when cables are intended to be supported on a more permanent basis.

It will be appreciated from the above description and the drawings that the invention provides a means of tidying up and supporting cables off the floor so that they are not left in positions where they can be tripped over by passers by.

It will readily be apparent that numerous modifications and alterations may be made to the specific embodiments of the invention described above without departing from the principles underlying the invention. All such modifications and alterations are intended to be embraced by this application.

Claims

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1. A support for holding cables, the support being formed from a nonconducting material and comprising a body having a pair of open-ended curved end sections linked by a substantially straight section, one of the curved end sections being larger than the other, the smaller of the curved end sections of the body being twisted relative to the remainder of the body; and wherein the substantially straight section and the larger curved section are each provided with a moulded hole to enable fixing of the support to a wall, ceiling or similar structure.

2. A support system for cables, the support system having a tubular section and being formed from a non-conducting material such as a plastics material, the support system comprising a body having two open ended curved sections linked by a straight section, one of the open ended curved sections being larger than the other, the straight section and the larger curved section having moulded holes to allow fixing of the support system to a wall, ceiling or similar structure, and the smaller of the two curve sections having a twist to facilitate attachment and removal of cables from the support.

3. A support for holding cables, the support being formed from a nonconducting material and comprising a substantially S-shaped body; the Sshaped body comprising a pair of open-ended curved sections one of which is larger than the other, the smaller of the curved sections of the body being twisted relative to the remainder of the body; and wherein the larger curved section and a portion of the body between the two curved sections are each provided with a moulded hole to enable fixing of the support to a wall, ceiling or similar structure.

4. A support according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the support is made from a plastics material.

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5 5. A support according to any one of claims ito 4 wherein the moulded hole in the larger of the open ended curved sections is located at the top point of the curved section.

6. A support for cables substantially as described herein with reference to the drawings.

7. A method of supporting cables, which method comprises securing a support or support system as defined in any one of the preceding claims to a wall, ceiling or other surface or to a ceiling grid, ceiling joist or scaffold or similar structure and then placing the cable on the smaller of the open ended curved sections.

8. A combination of a cable suspended on a support as defined in any one of claims 1 to 6.

9. A scaffold having mounted thereon a support according to any one of claims 1 to 6, and optionally having a cable suspended on the support.