GB2604373A

GB2604373A - Supporting elongate objects

Info

Publication number: GB2604373A
Application number: GB2103018.4A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Calvert Christopher
Original assignee: Ellis Patents Holdings Ltd
Current assignee: Ellis Patents Holdings Ltd
Priority date: 2021-03-03
Filing date: 2021-03-03
Publication date: 2022-09-07
Also published as: GB202103018D0

Abstract

A composite base assembly 200 for a cable cleat, comprising a polymer support member 204 for supporting a plurality of cables, and a metal mounting member 202 for mounting the support member to a support surface, wherein the support member 204 is fixed to the mounting member by at least one moulding operation. Aspects include a cable cleat 100 including the base assembly and a method of manufacturing the base assembly. The support member may be formed by a first moulding operation and fixed to the mounting member by a second moulding operation. Securely anchoring the polymer support member 204 to the metal mounting member 202 by the two-stage moulding process creates a composite base assembly 200 comprising a one-piece polymer support member 204 and a metal mounting member 202 without the need for mechanical fasteners or clips or adhesive (all of which may fail during a high-voltage short circuit event).

Description

SUPPORTING ELONGATE OBJECTS

The present invention relates to supporting elongate objects, such as electrical cables or pipes, in a desired location. In particular, but not exclusively, the present invention relates to supporting and clamping electrical cables in a cable clamp with respect to a support surface.

Tightening metal or fabric bands around pipes, cables and other elongate structures and then locking the band when tensioned is known. Applications include the clamping of high-voltage electrical cables together so that they can withstand the high forces induced when a short-circuit occurs. If the cables are tied down with a fixing of insufficient strength, such as a nylon cable tie for example, then in the event of a short-circuit the cables will break away from the fixing, causing significant damage to the surroundings and the cables themselves. The cables therefore need to be securely held together with a device strong enough to hold them together until the circuit-protection measures are enabled. It is therefore known to use cable clamps, otherwise known as cleats, to secure three-phase cables together and often with respect to a support surface, such as floor, wall or support strut.

0B2261014A describes a cleat having a solid base member and a strap of steel sheet formed into a loop around the three cables or cores. The loop is tightened using a bolt which pulls one of the ends of the strap tight. A solid base is needed in order to fix cable to a support surface, such as a cable ladder. However, to contain the cable in the event of a high short-circuit current it may be necessary to restrain the cable every 0.6m, for example. For ease of installation and economy, the cleats may be spaced at intervals of for example 1.8m and at each intermediate point a 'floating' strap or tie is provided that holds the cables together but does not support them. EP2526331A describes a strap for use as a 'floating' strap to securely hold a number of electrical cables together. However, improvements to such conventional cable cleats and straps are required, particularly in relation to protecting the cables from relatively sharp edges of the strap during a short circuit event, in relation to support of the cable/s in a cleat with respect to a support surface, and in relation to the ease of assembly and security of a cleat.

It is an aim of certain embodiments of the present invention to provide a support member for use with a cable strap to thereby securely locate the strap and cable/s therein with respect to a support surface.

It is an aim of certain embodiments of the present invention to provide a support member for use with a cable strap and which provides a secure and stable support surface for supporting a number of cables thereon and which is configured not to compromise the integrity of the cables in a short circuit event.

It is an aim of certain embodiments of the present invention to provide a support member for use with a cable strap and which is configured to easily and quickly attach to a support surface such as a floor, wall or support member.

It is an aim of certain embodiments of the present invention to provide a support member for use with a cable strap and which is a substantially stronger than conventional bases for such cable straps to thereby withstand a short circuit event.

It is an aim of certain embodiments of the present invention to provide a cable cleat comprising a support member and a cable strap which are efficient and non-complex 20 to assemble.

It is an aim of certain embodiments of the present invention to provide a method of manufacturing a base support member for a cable strap wherein the method is efficient in terms of time and energy, number of components and material used, ease of assembly, and overall strength and performance of the assembled cleat, particularly in a short circuit event.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a composite base assembly for a cable cleat, comprising: a polymer support member for supporting a plurality of cables; and a metal mounting member for mounting the support member to a support surface, wherein the support member is fixed to the mounting member by at least one moulding operation.

Optionally, the support member is formed by a first moulding operation and fixed to the mounting member by a second moulding operation.

Optionally, the mounting member comprises an upper support portion on which the support member is formed and wherein the support member comprises at least one conduit defining an inlet opening for introducing molten polymer material and at least one outlet opening aligned with a through hole in the upper support portion of the mounting member.

Optionally, the at least one outlet opening comprises at least one upper outlet in an upper surface of the support member and at least one lower outlet in a lower surface of the support member wherein the lower outlet is aligned with the through hole in the upper support portion of the mounting member.

Optionally, the at least one upper outlet comprises a pair of laterally spaced apart upper outlets in each end region of the support member and the at least one lower outlet comprises a pair of laterally spaced apart lower outlets in each end region of the support member.

Optionally, each upper outlet is axially aligned with a corresponding one of the lower outlets and connected by a first conduit coupled to the inlet opening by at least one further conduit.

Optionally, each first conduit is oriented substantially vertically and each adjacent pair of first conduits is connected together by a second conduit extending substantially laterally and perpendicularly to the first conduits.

Optionally, the second conduit is connected to the inlet opening by a third conduit oriented substantially perpendicularly to the second conduit, and wherein the inlet opening is located in an end surface of the support member.

Optionally, the end surface of the support member comprises an enlarged recessed region located below and extending into the inlet opening for receiving molten polymer material.

Optionally, the support member comprises an upper support surface for supporting a trefoil arrangement of cables and comprising four corner regions each extending upwardly and outwardly to provide a substantially concave surface for engagement with a respective one of the lower cables of the trefoil arrangement.

Optionally, the support member comprises a pair of flexible liner portions each extending outwardly in opposed directions from a respective side region of the support member for locating between a plurality of cables located on the support member and a strap assembly for securing the cables to the base assembly.

Optionally, the mounting member comprises a pair of flange portions each connected to a respective side of the upper support portion by a wall portion, wherein each flange portion comprises at least one hole for securing the mounting member to a support surface.

Optionally, each wall portion comprises an aperture to allow a strap assembly for securing the cables to the base assembly to pass through the wall portions and under the upper support portion.

Optionally, the flange portions extend outwardly or inwardly in opposed directions.

Optionally, the mounting member comprises a pair of opposed upper side wall regions extending upwardly and inwardly from an upper support portion of the mounting member to respectively define a pair of opposed elongate and tapered recesses in which correspondingly shaped outwardly extending base regions of the support member engage to provide a dove-tail connection between the support member and the mounting member.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a cable cleat comprising a base assembly according to the first aspect of the present invention.

Optionally, the cleat comprises a strap assembly for securing a plurality of cables to the base assembly.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of manufacturing a base assembly for a cable cleat, comprising: fixing by at least one moulding operation a polymer support member to a metal mounting member, wherein the support member is configured to support a plurality of cables and the mounting member is configured to mount the support 10 member to a support surface.

Optionally, the method comprises forming the support member by a first moulding operation and fixing the support member to the mounting member by a second moulding operation.

Optionally, the first moulding operation forms at least one conduit in the support member defining an inlet opening for introducing molten polymer material by the second moulding operation and at least one outlet opening aligned with a through hole in an upper support portion of the mounting member on which the support member is located during the second moulding operation.

Optionally, locating comprises engaging a pair of elongate and outwardly extending tapered base regions of the support member into a pair of opposed elongate and tapered recesses respectively defined by a pair of opposed upper side wall regions extending upwardly and inwardly from an upper support portion of the mounting member to thereby provide a dove-tail connection between the support member and the mounting member.

Optionally, a polymer material used in the second moulding operation is the same as the polymer material used in the first moulding operation.

Optionally, the polymer material is substantially flexible.

Optionally, the method comprises homogeneously bonding the polymer material used in the first and second moulding operations such that the support member comprises a homogeneous monolith structure.

Optionally, the method comprises forming the mounting member from sheet metal to define a substantially top-hat cross section comprising an elongate upper support portion, a pair of laterally spaced apart wall portions, and a flange portion extending from each wall portion for attaching the mounting member to a support surface.

Description of the Drawings

Certain embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure la illustrates an isometric view of a first example of a cable cleat according to certain embodiments of the present invention; Figure lb illustrates a first cross sectional view through the cable cleat of Figure la including a trefoil arrangement of cables therein; Figure lc illustrates a second cross sectional view through the cable cleat of Figure la including a trefoil arrangement of cables therein; Figure ld illustrates an underside view of the cable cleat of Figure la; Figure le illustrates the mounting member without the support member located thereon; Figures lf and lg illustrates upper and lower isometric views of the base assembly in Figures la to ld in an open state; Figure lb illustrates an isometric view of the polymer material used to secure the support member of the composite base assembly to the steel mounting member of the composite base assembly; Figure 2a illustrates an isometric view of a further example of a base assembly and cable cleat according to certain embodiments of the present invention; and Figure 2b illustrates a first cross sectional view through the cable cleat of Figure 2a including a trefoil arrangement of cables therein.

Detailed Description

As illustrated in Figure la, a cable cleat 100 according to certain embodiments of the present invention includes a base assembly 200 and a strap assembly 300. The strap assembly 300 is a conventional strap assembly, such as the device described in EP2526331A.

The strap assembly 300 includes an elongate, stainless steel band 302 having a winding mechanism 304 attached to a first end region of the band and a free second end region which is located in a slot of a shaft of the winding mechanism 304 and wound around the shaft to thereby tighten up the band. The winding mechanism is configured to lock the shaft when a desired tension has been applied to the band and in turn a desired clamping force applied to an arrangement of cables located inside the band. A conventional spanner or socket is typically used to tighten or loosen the strap in use.

The base assembly 200 includes a mounting member 202 and a support member 204 located thereon. According to certain embodiments of the present invention, the support member 204 is formed by plastic injection moulding or the like before being secured to the mounting member 202, as described further below, to provide a composite base assembly 200 for use with a strap assembly 300 to form a cable cleat 100.

The support member 204 is a one-piece component formed by moulding from a polymeric material, such as a substantially flexible, low smoke zero halogen (LSOH) material. The support member 204 provides an upper support surface 206 for locating a plurality of cables on. The upper support surface 206 is aptly substantially rectangular having a longitudinal axis in line with a corresponding axis of the cables located thereon in use. Alternatively, the support surface may be other suitable shapes such as a square. A plurality of laterally oriented and axially spaced apart ribs 208 are provided on the upper support surface 206 to provide grip in the axial direction to the cables located thereon.

As illustrated in Figures 1a to 1g, each upper corner region 210 of the support member 204 extends upwardly and outwardly from the upper support surface 206 and provides a substantially concave inner engagement surface 212 for correspondingly engaging the outer surface of the lower cables in a trefoil arrangement. The concave surfaces of the corner regions 210 help to contain the cables on the upper support surface 206 and also minimise/eliminate any undesirable stress concentrations on the outer sheaf of the cables, particularly in the event of a short circuit. The longitudinally spaced apart pairs of corner regions 210 also act as stops to axially constrain the strap assembly 300 of the cleat 100 located between adjacent pairs of the corner regions when fitted around the base assembly 200 in use.

As illustrated in Figures la to 1g, an elongate liner portion 213 extends outwardly from each side of the upper support surface 206 and between the respective corner regions 210. Each liner portion 213 is aptly the same polymer material as the base of the support member and is relatively thin to be substantially flexible to conform at least partially around the outer profile of a trefoil of cables located in the cleat. The band of the strap assembly 300 engages with the outer surface of the liner portions 213 in use to thereby protect the cables from the strap assembly, particularly in the event of a short circuit. Providing integral liner portions 213 desirably speeds up installation and eliminates the risk of losing a liner, installing an incorrect liner, or locating a liner incorrectly on the support member and/or between the cables and the clamp assembly.

As best illustrated in Figure lc, end regions 214 of the support member 204 extend down over the ends of the mounting member 202 to thereby prevent the support member 204 moving longitudinally with respect to the mounting member 202.

A central hole 216 is formed through the support surface 206 to allow a socket to extend through the hole and engage with a bolt head or the like for attaching the base assembly 200 to a suitable support surface when the mounting member 202 is configured differently as illustrated in Figures 2a and 2b and as described further below. Providing a central aperture in the base member 202 and the mounting member 204 simplifies manufacturing and reduces material and parts, whilst allowing a single mould to be used for manufacturing both embodiments. Whilst the central apertures provided in the embodiment illustrated in Figures la to lg are not used for attaching the base assembly to a support surface/member, they do save on material and help to reduce weight.

As illustrated in Figure la, a pair of laterally spaced apart through holes 218 are formed by a first moulding operation in the end regions of the support member 204 which are later used for fixing the base member 204 to the support member 202, as described further below. Each corresponding pair of these through holes 218 is connected by a conduit formed in the end region by the first moulding operation which extend laterally between the two corresponding holes. A further conduit extends perpendicularly from the lateral conduit and terminates at the end surface of the respective end region of the support member to define an opening 219 in each end region. The opening 219 extends into a larger recess 221 formed in end surface of the support member 204 by the first moulding operation. The recess 221 may also extend into the end region of the under surface of the support member 204. The opening 219 and recess 221 in each end surface of the support member 204 aptly defines an inverted T-shape as best illustrated in Figures la and 1f. The through holes 218, conduits, opening 219 and recess 221 are all formed by the first moulding operation, such as by using mould tooling cores defining the features and passageways to be formed in ends of the support member, i.e. an element resembling the polymer feature illustrated in Figure 1h which is formed by a second moulding operation as described further below to secure the mounting member to the support member.

The mounting member 202 according to certain embodiments of the present invention is illustrated in Figure le. The mounting member 202 is made from a metal material, such as aluminium or stainless steel, and is formed from sheet material by punching/machining and folding, or the like. Aptly, the sheet material is around 3mm thick. The mounting member 202 includes an upper portion 220 providing a substantially flat upper surface 222, a pair of spaced apart wall portions 224 extending substantially downwardly from respective edge regions of the upper portion and oriented substantially parallel to each other, and a pair of flange portions 226 each extending outwardly from a lower end region of a respective one of the wall portions 224. The flange portions 226 are substantially perpendicular to the wall portions 224 and substantially parallel to the upper portion 220. The mounting member 202 thereby has a substantially top-hat cross section, as illustrated in Figure 1 b, which provides strength and stiffness to the mounting member, particularly in the downward direction when supporting cables. Alternatively, the wall portions and/or the flange portions may be oriented at an angle to the upper portion which is not perpendicular to suit a particular technical application. For example, the wall portions may be angled outwardly from the perpendicular and/or the flange portions may be angled with respect to the upper portion of the mounting member to allow the mounting member to be attached to a correspondingly angled support surface. The upper portion, and support surface provided thereby, are substantially rectangular in plan profile to define a central longitudinal axis which, in use, is oriented in an axial direction with respect to a plurality of cables 400 located thereon, as illustrated in Figure 1 b.

Each flange portion 226 has at least one hole 228 for attaching the mounting member 202 to a support surface/member by bolts or the like. As illustrated in Figures 2a and 2b, an alternative embodiment of the cable cleat 500 includes a support member 502 having inwardly extending flange portions 526 wherein the holes 528 therein are aligned to allow a suitable fastener, such as a bolt or the like, to attach the support member 502 to a support surface/member. For example, the fastener may comprise a bolt and channel nut for attaching the cable cleat to a support strut or rail defining a channel for receiving the channel nut. A central through hole 516 is provided in the upper portion of the mounting member 502 and the support member 504 to allow a socket to be located therethrough for engaging the head of a bolt to attach the base assembly of the cleat to a support surface/member, as described above.

As illustrated, each wall portion 224 of the mounting member 202 includes a slotted aperture 230 to allow the free end region of the band 302 to pass through each wall portion and under the upper portion 220 of the mounting member 202. As illustrated in Figures lb and le, an upper region 232 of each wall portion 224 is bent, e.g. by folding, upwardly and inwardly to provide a curved engagement surface for the band 302 of the strap assembly 300 to engage with and conform around to minimise any stress concentrations thereon, and in turn on the cables, in use. Each upper wall region 232 extends longitudinally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the upper portion 220. As best illustrated in Figure lb, each upper wall region 232 also defines an elongate and tapered recess 234 on the inner side of the respective wall portion 224. The opposed tapered recesses 234 define a dovetail-type channel in cross section into which the correspondingly shaped base region of the plastic support member 204 is flexibly urged into during assembly to securely fix the support member 204 to the metal mounting member 202 and provides resistance in both vertical and lateral directions to prevent the two components separating during storage and transit, and particularly during a short circuit event.

The upper portion 220 of the mounting member 202 further includes a pair of laterally spaced apart through holes 236 proximal to each end region of the upper portion 220. The through holes 218 formed in the support member 204 align with the through holes 236 formed in the mounting member 202 when the support member 204 is located on the mounting member 202 during assembly and manufacture. Alternatively, particularly for relatively lightweight applications, a single through hole may be provided proximal to each end region of the upper portion 220 of the mounting member 202 and likewise in the support member 204.

As an example, the mounting member 202 illustrated in Figure la is aptly around 105mm wide between the ends of each flange 226 and around 75mm long in a direction of cables supporting on the support member 204. The upper portion 220 of the support member 202 is around 60mm wide and each wall portion 224 is around 10-15mm high from the underside of the respective flange to the upper support surface 222 of the upper portion 220. The cable cleat illustrated in Figure la is suitable for trefoil of cables each having a diameter of around 30-41 mm. However, the cable cleat can be sized according to its intended application without departing from the invention described herein. It is also understood that whilst cable cleats to support electrical cables have been used to describe certain embodiments of the present invention, the base assembly according to certain embodiments of the present invention can be used for supporting other elongate objects, such as pipes or the like.

To manufacture the base assembly 200 according to certain embodiments of the present invention, the metal mounting member 202 is formed by suitable techniques, such as punching and pressing. The plastic support member 204 is formed by a first moulding operation, such as by plastic injection moulding. Aptly, the support member is formed separately to the mounting member, but it could be formed on the mounting member such as by over-moulding. Aptly, the polymer support member is then located on the metal mounting member. As described above, the end regions 214 of the support member 204 extend downwardly beyond the ends of the mounting member 202, whilst the central portion of the support member 204 is supported on the upper surface 222 of the mounting member 202 and the tapered side regions thereof flexibly and resiliently engage into the correspondingly shaped tapered recesses 234 formed by the angled upper wall regions 232. Aptly, this ensures the under surface of the upper portion 220 of the metal mounting member 202 remains exposed for direct engagement with the band of the strap assembly 300 for maximum strength and durability, particularly in the event of a short circuit.

A second moulding operation is then performed wherein the same plastics material, such as a flexible polymer, as the support member 204 is formed from is introduced under pressure into each of the openings 219 in the end surface of the support member 204 either in a single operation or separate operations. The molten polymer flows through the conduits and into the through holes 218 to flow upwardly and downwardly therein until the polymer reaches the upper and lower surfaces of the support member 204. The molten polymer will pass through the holes 236 in the mounting member 202 as it flows towards the lower surface of the support member 204. The molten polymer introduced into the conduits and through holes 218 stops flush with the upper surface of the support member 204 as illustrated in Figures la and 1f. The molten polymer material is allowed to extend beyond the holes 236 in the upper portion of the mounting member 202 such that an enlarged boss portion 253 of the polymer material is allowed to cure over and beyond the limits of each hole akin to a bolt head to prevent pull-through in use, particularly during a short circuit event. The introduced molten polymer fuses homogeneously with the polymer defining the through holes 218, the conduits and the openings/recesses 219,221 of the support member 204 formed by the first moulding operation.

Once the polymer has cured/solidified, a homogeneous, solid structure is created to securely attach the support member 204 to the mounting member 202. The form created by and flow paths of the second moulding operation are illustrated by the 'peg' 250 shown in Figure if which homogeneously bonds with the surrounding polymer formed by the first moulding operation. The arrangement of the internal conduits and the inverted T-shaped recess and opening 219,221 provided at each end of the support member 204 further act to securely anchor the support member 204 to the mounting member 202. Furthermore, as illustrated by the 'peg' 250 in Figure 1f, the through holes 218 are countersunk, i.e. wider, at the upper surface of the support member 204 compared to a narrower central section of each of the through holes terminating at the lower surface of the support member. The enlarged upper end regions of the through holes 218 provide a relatively large area for homogeneous bonding of the plastic injection material provided in the separate moulding operations and they also further act to securely anchor the support member 204 to the mounting member 202 particularly in the vertical axis. Each peg 250 includes portions extending in all three axes to securely anchor the support member to the mounting member in all three corresponding directions. The enlarged end regions 252 formed by the corresponding enlarged upper regions of the holes 218 in the support member 204, and also the enlarged boss portions 253 on the underside of the mounting member 202, along with the enlarged T-shaped tab portion 254 filling the recess 221 and opening 219, further anchor the support member 204 to the mounting member 202.

Securely anchoring the polymer support member 204 to the metal mounting member 202 by the above-described two-stage moulding process desirably creates a composite base assembly 200 comprising a one-piece polymer support member 204 and a metal mounting member 202 without the need for mechanical fasteners or clips or adhesive all of which are known to fail during a high-voltage short circuit event. Material and component parts are minimised and manufacturing time, cost and energy is reduced. The base assembly 200 is pre-manufactured eliminating the need for the base assembly to be assembled before or during an installation. Desirably the base assembly 200 may be used with an array of compatible strap assemblies 300 depending on the intended application for the cleat.

Certain embodiments of the present invention therefore provide a base assembly 200 for a cable cleat 100 which provides a secure and stable platform for supporting a number of cables thereon and which is configured not to compromise the integrity of the cables in a short circuit event. The base assembly is configured to easily and quickly attach to a support surface, such as a floor, wall or support member, e.g. a channel strut, cable ladder or tray, and to efficiently locate cables thereon before securing the same with a strap assembly locatable on the base assembly to provide a cable cleat. The base assembly is substantially stronger than conventional bases used with such cable straps to thereby better withstand a short circuit event. Certain embodiments of the present invention therefore provide a cable cleat comprising a support member and a cable strap which is efficient and non-complex to assemble and install. Certain embodiments of the present invention also provide a method of manufacturing a base assembly for a cable cleat wherein the method is efficient in terms of time and energy, number of components and material used, ease of assembly, and overall strength and performance of the assembled cleat, particularly in a high-voltage short circuit event.

Claims

Claims 1. A composite base assembly for a cable cleat, comprising: a polymer support member for supporting a plurality of cables; and a metal mounting member for mounting the support member to a support surface, wherein the support member is fixed to the mounting member by at least one moulding operation.
2. The base assembly according to claim 1, wherein the support member is formed by a first moulding operation and fixed to the mounting member by a second moulding operation.
3. The base assembly according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the mounting member comprises an upper support portion on which the support member is fixed and wherein the support member comprises at least one conduit defining an inlet opening for introducing molten polymer material and at least one outlet opening aligned with a through hole in the upper support portion of the mounting member.
4. The base assembly according to claim 3, wherein the at least one outlet opening comprises at least one upper outlet in an upper surface of the support member and at least one lower outlet in a lower surface of the support member wherein the lower outlet is aligned with the through hole in the upper support portion of the mounting member.
5. The base assembly according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the at least one upper outlet comprises a pair of laterally spaced apart upper outlets in each end region of the support member and the at least one lower outlet comprises a pair of laterally spaced apart lower outlets in each end region of the support member.
The base assembly according to claim 5, wherein each upper outlet is axially aligned with a corresponding one of the lower outlets and connected by a first conduit coupled to the inlet opening by at least one further conduit.
The base assembly according to claim 6, wherein each first conduit is oriented substantially vertically and each adjacent pair of first conduits is connected together by a second conduit extending substantially laterally and perpendicularly to the first conduits.
The base assembly according to claim 7, wherein the second conduit is connected to the inlet opening by a third conduit oriented substantially perpendicularly to the second conduit, and wherein the inlet opening is located in an end surface of the support member.
The base assembly according to claim 8, wherein the end surface of the support member comprises an enlarged recessed region located below and extending into the inlet opening for receiving molten polymer material.
The base assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the support member comprises an upper support surface for supporting a trefoil arrangement of cables and comprising four corner regions each extending upwardly and outwardly to provide a substantially concave surface for engagement with a respective one of the lower cables of the trefoil arrangement.
11. The base assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the support member comprises a pair of flexible liner portions each extending outwardly in opposed directions from a respective side region of the support member for locating between a plurality of cables located on the support member and a strap assembly for securing the cables to the base assembly.
12. The base assembly according to claim 3, wherein the mounting member comprises a pair of flange portions each connected to a respective side of the upper support portion by a wall portion, wherein each flange portion comprises at least one hole for securing the mounting member to a support surface. 6. 7. 8. is 9. 10.
13. The base assembly according to claim 12, wherein each wall portion comprises an aperture to allow a strap assembly for securing the cables to the base assembly to pass through the wall portions and under the upper support portion.
14. The base assembly according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the flange portions extend outwardly or inwardly in opposed directions.
15. The base assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the mounting member comprises a pair of opposed upper side wall regions extending upwardly and inwardly from an upper support portion of the mounting member to respectively define a pair of opposed elongate and tapered recesses in which correspondingly shaped outwardly extending base regions of the support is member engage to provide a dove-tail connection between the support member and the mounting member.
16. A cable cleat comprising a base assembly according to any preceding claim.
17. The cable cleat according to claim 16, comprising a strap assembly for securing a plurality of cables to the base assembly.
18. A method of manufacturing a base assembly for a cable cleat, comprising: fixing by at least one moulding operation a polymer support member to a metal mounting member, wherein the support member is configured to support a plurality of cables and the mounting member is configured to mount the support member to a support surface.
19. The method according to claim 18, comprising forming the support member by a first moulding operation and fixing the support member to the mounting member by a second moulding operation.
20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the first moulding operation forms at least one conduit in the support member defining an inlet opening for introducing molten polymer material by the second moulding operation and at least one outlet opening aligned with a through hole in an upper support portion of the mounting member on which the support member is located during the second moulding operation.
21. The method according to claim 20, wherein locating comprises engaging a pair of elongate and outwardly extending tapered base regions of the support member into a pair of opposed elongate and tapered recesses respectively defined by a pair of opposed upper side wall regions extending upwardly and inwardly from an upper support portion of the mounting member to thereby provide a dove-tail connection between the support member and the mounting member.
22. The method according to claim 20 or 21, wherein a polymer material used in the second moulding operation is the same as the polymer material used in the first moulding operation.
23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the polymer material is substantially flexible.
24. The method according to claim 22 or 23, comprising homogeneously bonding the polymer material used in the first and second moulding operations such that the support member comprises a homogeneous monolith structure.
25. The method according to any of claims 18 to 24, comprising forming the mounting member from sheet metal to define a substantially top-hat cross section comprising an elongate upper support portion, a pair of laterally spaced apart wall portions, and a flange portion extending from each wall portion for attaching the mounting member to a support surface.