MXPA99011588A - Preset insert housing for underfloor raceways - Google Patents

Abstract

A preset is provided for providing access at selected locations to an underfloor electrical distribution system of the type consisting of at least one raceway panel adapted to be positioned in a concrete floor. The raceway panel defines an interior passage adapted to carry service cables and has an exterior wall defining a preset opening that provides access to the interior passage. The presets can be located at any location where an opening is punched in the raceway panel, with 12 inch or 24 inch intervals being mostcommon. The preset includes a housing having aninterior compartment, a concrete cap, and a knockout section. The concrete cap and the knockout section can be removed to provide access to the interior compartment of the preset housing. The knockout is positioned to align with and lockingly engage with the preset opening to secure the preset to the raceway panel during pouring of the concrete floor. Upon hardening of the concrete floor, the concrete above the preset can be broken away to permit removal of the concrete cap. The knockout can then be removed to provide access to the interior passage of the raceway panel through the preset. Alignment clips are provided for securing and aligning presets carried by adjacent raceway panels. The side walls of the preset are beveled inwardly such that the base of the preset is larger than the top. This design further restricts vertical movement of the preset after the concrete has hardened.

Description

PREFERRED INSERTION BOX FOR LOWER FLOOR TRACKS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention is generally concerned with subfloor electrical distribution systems and more particularly with a preframed subfloor box. Modern office buildings require electrical power, communication and computer data services in various combinations at a large number of locations. In many instances, these needs are solved by subfloor distribution systems that consist of a network of ducts or trays that are mounted on concrete floors. Access to subfloor service trays is obtained through pre-drilling that is mounted on the trays at regular intervals, usually 24 inches in the center, before the concrete floor is poured. The pre-setting defines a hollow interior compartment that is interconnected with the interior of the conduit to provide access to services that are carried by the conduit. The pre-setting includes a cover for the detachable sludge that is generally parallel to the floor surface and positioned slightly below the surface of the concrete floor. The cover for the mud serves to prevent the concrete from entering the inner compartment of the pre-drilled when the floor is poured. After the concrete floor has hardened, the concrete above the mud cover is broken and the REF: 31828 cover for the mud is removed to provide access to the inside of the pre-set. An activation assembly that provides data and power outputs can then be installed over the pre-set. In the past, the prefraguados have commonly connected to the conduits through grouting or rivets. The connection of the prefraguados in this way is intense and expensive work, especially in large office complexes where a large number of prefraguados is required. Additionally, if the incorrect size pre-drilled is installed on the duct, it is difficult to remove the pre-drilled without damaging the duct.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION An object of the invention is to provide a pre-fix that can be connected to a tray panel without the use of fasteners, rivets or grouting. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a pre-setting that can be removed from a tray panel without damaging the tray panel. A further object of the invention is to provide a way to interconnect and align prefrags carried by adjacent tray panels.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a pre-setting that is economical to manufacture in mass production and easily installable in the field without fasteners. One or more of the foregoing objects to provide access to an electrical supwise distribution system of the type consisting of at least one tray panel adapted to be positioned on a concrete floor. The tray panel defines an interior passage adapted to carry service cables and has an exterior wall defining an opening of the pre-setting that provides access to the interior passage. The pre-setting includes a box that has an interior compartment, a concrete cover (that is, a lid for the mud) and a section of a plunger. The concrete cover and the section of the dumper can be separated to provide access to the interior compartment of. the pre-set box. The punch is positioned to align with and securely engage with the pre-set opening to secure the pre-drilled to the tray panel during pouring of the concrete floor. After the hardening of the concrete floor, the concrete above the pre-set can be broken to allow the separation of the concrete cover. Then, the dripper can be separated to provide access to the interior passage of the tray panel through the pre-drilled. An alignment fastener can be used to secure and align the pre-cuffs carried by adjacent tray panels.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a pre-assembled insertion box according to the present invention, shown in combination with a sub-floor wiring conduit. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the pre-assembled insertion box in a poured concrete floor, prior to installation of the activation assembly. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the pre-assembled insertion box, illustrating the removal of the concrete cover and the section of the plunger. Figure 4A is a top perspective view of a pre-assembled insertion box according to the present invention. Figure 4B is a bottom perspective view of a pre-assembled insertion box according to the present invention. Figure 5 is a top view of the locking tabs. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of one of the locking tabs.

Figure 7 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the installation of an activation assembly to the pre-assembled insertion box. Figure 8 is a top perspective view of the assembly of figure 4, after it has been installed on a concrete floor. Figure 9 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a pair of pre-grouped insertion boxes grouped according to the present invention. Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of a pair of grouped pre-assembled insertion boxes installed in a poured concrete floor, prior to activation of the pre-set. Figure 11 is a perspective view of a wire retainer-which can be used in conjunction with the pre-assembled insert case.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION While the invention will be described in conjunction with one or more embodiments, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to those embodiments. On the contrary, the invention includes all alternatives, - modifications and equivalents that may be included in the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

With reference to FIGS. 1-8, a subfloor electrical distribution system 10 includes a plurality of tray panels 12 (one shown) adapted to be positioned in a subfloor prior to pouring the concrete floor 13. The tray panels 12 are arranged according to a predetermined geometric shape or configuration to route service cables to desired locations in the building. Each tray panel 12 consists of a metal conduit with a generally rectangular cross section. The tray panel 12 has a bottom wall 14, a pair of opposite side walls 16 and an upper wall 18 defining an interior passage 20 for carrying the service cables. Openings 22 of the pre-drilled are formed in the upper wall 18 of the tray panel 12 to provide access to the interior passage 20. - The prefrags 24 (shown in Figure 1) are configured to be mounted in the apertures 22 of the prefixed and for providing access to the interior passage 20 of the tray 12 from the upper surface of the concrete floor 13. The prefix 24 defines a hollow interior compartment 26 that is interconnectable with the interior passage 20 of the tray panel 12 to provide access to the service cables that are carried in the tray panel 12. In the illustrated embodiment, the prefixed 24 has a generally rectangular box consisting of a lower wall 30, a vertical side wall 32 defining an upper opening 34 and an upper opening 34 and a concrete cover 36 (ie, a lid). for the mud) which is removably mounted in the upper opening 34. Although a rectangular box is illustrated, it should be appreciated that the box could be cylindrical, for example, without departing from the scope of the present invention. Preferably, the side wall 32 of the pre-assembled housing is angular or bevelled inwards a slight amount, for example approximately 1.0 degrees from the vertical, to prevent upward movement of the box once the concrete floor has hardened. As shown in Figure 2, after the installation of the pre-drilled 24 and the pouring of the concrete floor 13, the concrete cover 36 is generally parallel with the surface of the concrete floor and is positioned slightly below the surface of the concrete floor. concrete floor. The concrete cap 36 serves to prevent the concrete from entering the inner compartment 24 of the pre-hardened 24 when the concrete floor 13 is poured in. After the concrete floor 13 has hardened, the concrete above the lid 36 of concrete is broken and the concrete cover is removed to provide access to the interior 26 of the pre-set 24 (see Figure 3). As explained later herein, an activation assembly that accepts a duplex receptacle or other wiring device may then be installed on the pre-drilled 24. A perforator section 40 is formed in the bottom wall of the pre-assembled case 24. The puncher section 40 is positioned to align with and securely engage the pre-drilled opening 22 to secure the pre-drilled 24 to the tray panel 12 before and during pouring of the concrete floor 13. For this purpose, the lower edge of the perforator section 40 includes a beveled protrusion 42 (see for example Figures 2 and 4B) extending beyond the plane of the lower wall 30 of the pre-set and to the opening 22 of the pre-set. The prefix 24 is further secured in the opening 22 by a radial flange 43 extending downwardly from the bottom wall 30 along the periphery of the plunger 40 on the side opposite that of the bevelled boss 42. The radial flange 43 is configured to engage against the front edge of the pre-drilled opening 22 when the pre-drilled is mounted on the tray panel. The prefixed 24 further includes a plurality (three in the illustrated embodiment) of locking tabs 44 extending from the lower wall 30 and configured to slidably engage with - reciprocal openings 46 formed in the tray panel 12 adjacent the opening 22 of the pre-set. Each fastening tab 44 consists of a downwardly extending leg 47 and a flange 48 extending generally perpendicular from the lower end of the leg, that is, generally parallel with the lower wall 30 of the pre-harness 12. The way wherein the prefix 24 is attached to the tray panel 12 is better understood by reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. Initially, the securing tabs 44 are aligned with the reciprocal openings 46 in the tray panel 12. Then, the tongues 44 are inserted downwardly to the openings 46, while the pre-prong is made to slide simultaneously in the direction of the arrow 50. As the tongues 44 move downwardly to the openings 46, the lower edge of the protrusion 42 engages against the upper wall 18 of the tray panel 12. Further downward movement of the prefixed 12 urges the protrusion 42 upwards. The pre-drilled 24 is slid in the direction of the arrow 50 until the trailing edge of the protrusion 42 extends beyond the edge of the pre-drilled opening 22, at which time the protrusion 42 jumps downward to fix the pre-drilled 24 a the opening 22 of the pre-setting (see figure 2) . In this position, the lower flanges 48 of the • locking tabs 44 extend below the upper wall 18 of the tray panel 12, to further secure the pre-drilled 24 to the tray panel 12. The ribs 51 formed on the upper surface of the flanges 48 (see FIGS. 5 and 6) are compressed between the flanges 48 and the upper wall of the tray as the pre-drilled 24 is slid into position to form good connection continuity. ground between the pre-drilled 24 and the tray 12. As can be seen in Figure 6, the ribs 51 can be beveled or tapered at an increased height near the trailing edge of the flange 48. A plurality of ribs 52 (see generally Figure 10). ) can be formed on the outer surface of the lower wall 30 of the pre-harness 24. As the pre-prong 24 slides in place, the ribs 52 abrade against the outer surface of the tray panel 12 to form a good connection conductivity. to ground between the pre-set and the tray panel. The ribs 51A along the sides or legs 47 (Figure 4B) can also provide good continuity of ground connection and impede lateral movement. The additional movement in the direction of the arrow 50 is restricted by the interface between the legs 47 and the walls of the openings 46 and also by the butt or splice connection of the radial flange 43 against the edge - front 45 of opening 22 of pre-set. Conversely, the movement in the direction opposite to the arrow 50 is restricted by the splicing or abutting of the protrusion 42 against the trailing edge 49 of the opening 22. If necessary, the pre-set 24 can be separated before the pouring of the floor of concrete when leveraging the dropper section 40 or by bending the trailing edge of the boss 42 upwards and by sliding the pre-drilled 24 in the direction opposite to the arrow 50. The pre-drilled 24 is preferably formed of a cast metal and in particular from Zamark 3 which is commercially available from a variety of suppliers including Eastern Alloys of Maybrook, New York, ARCO Alloys Corporation of Detroit Michigan and Imperial Zinc Corporation of Chicago Illinois. Zamark 3 is an alloy of zinc, aluminum, magnesium and copper. Alternatively, the prefix 24 could be formed of other metals or plastic. Figures 9 and 10 illustrate the use of alignment fasteners 60 for interconnecting and aligning the prefrags carried by adjacent tray ducts 12. Each alignment fastener 60 has an upper portion 61 and three legs 62, 64, 66 extending downwardly from the upper portion. The legs 62, 64, 66 are separated by vertical grooves or slits 68, 70 which are configured to engage around the tabs 72 extending from the corners of the pre-harnesses 24. In addition to interconnecting the pre-guards 24, the alignment fasteners 60 they maintain a uniform space between the prefrags 22 and hence the adjacent tray panels 12. The alignment fasteners 60 are installed by aligning the vertical slits 68, 70 with the tabs 72 on the pre-drilled 22. As the alignment clamp 60 is driven or directed downward, the teeth 74 formed on the lower edges of the legs 62-66 are engaged against the upper edges of the tabs 72. The downward pressure continuing on the alignment clamp 60 causes the teeth 74 to abrade the tabs 72 which are formed from relatively softer Zamak 3 material, thereby allowing the fastener to slide into place on the tabs 72. (The fasteners 60 could alternatively be configured to be inserted in place around the tabs 72). The heads 76 formed on the "ends of the tabs 72 further secure the fastener 60 in place on the tabs 72. The installation of the pre-set activation equipment 24 is illustrated in Figures 3, 7 and 8.

Specifically, when a pre-set 24 is going to be activated, the concrete superimposed on the pre-set is broken for , provide access to the concrete cover 36. Then, the lid 36 of concrete is expelled from the pre-drilled (as shown in figure 3). The tapping of the cover 36 for the mud at 78 with a cold screwdriver or chisel will deflect the edge inward to assist in the separation of the concrete cover. Once the concrete cover 36 is removed, the puncher 40 is removed to gain access to the interior passage 20 of the tray 12, as shown in Fig. 1. The puncher 40 can be ejected by inserting a screwdriver into the slits 80. formed on the periphery of the puncher and by rotating the screwdriver to break the retaining tabs 82. An arcuate member 84 extends upwardly from the center of the plunger 40. A wire can be hooked through the arcuate member 84 to prevent the plunger 40 from falling to the pan panel 12, as the plunger 40 is levered from the pre-plunger. Another function of the puncher is to prevent tapes to pass electrical cables through a pipe entering the inactivated openings. Ribbons for passing electrical cables through a pipe can be driven through the tray panel for 30 meters (one hundred feet) or more. With the prefraguados on centers of 24 inches, the ribbon for passing electrical cables through a pipe will easily pass through the inactivated prefrags. Removal of the puncher creates an opening 101 that overlaps the aperture 22 of the pre-drilled in the tray panel 12. Service cables 89 (e.g., electrical wires, fiber optic cables, telephone lines, etc.) can be routed in and out of the tray panel through the openings 22, 101. The upper opening 34 in the pre-set 24 is configured to receive a variety of activation mounts. In Figures 7 and 8, the activation assembly is illustrated as an electrical duplex mounting output to the level. However, it will be appreciated that numerous other trigger assemblies may be employed with the pre-drilled without departing from the scope of the claimed invention. The duplex activation assembly includes link strips 85, a carpet ridge 88, a duplex receptacle 90 and a concrete cover 92. The linking strips 85 are secured in the inner compartment 26 of the pre-drilled 24 with self-tapping screws 93 which are screwed into reciprocal perforations 94 formed in upwardly extending protrusions 96 located in the corners of the inner compartment 26. The flange 88 of the carpet is superimposed on the upper part of the pre-drilled 24 and is secured thereto by screws 98 which are screwed into the openings 100 in the link strips 85. The service cables 89 carried on the tray panel 12 are channeled through the opening 101 of the puncher and into the inner compartment 26 of the pre-set 24. The excess wire can be entangled around the wire holding fasteners 102 which are positioned. around the periphery of the puncher opening 101. The wire retaining clips 102 are formed from a non-conductive material such as nylon and are adapted to be inserted in place in reciprocal mounting brackets formed in the lower wall of the inner compartment. As can be seen in Figure 10, the wire retaining clips 102 are generally U-shaped and have lower fork legs 106 that slide into the mounting brackets 104. An inner ring 108 can be secured in the opening 101 of the puncher to provide a smooth, non-abrasive surface for pulling wires in and out of the tray panel 12. The inner ring 108 is made of a non-conductive material, such as nylon, and is constructed to be inserted into place in the opening 101 after the puncher 40 has been removed. The wires 89 are appropriately connected to the electrical outlet 90 and the outlet is secured in place by mounting screws 110 which are screwed into the openings 112 in the carpet rim 88. The concrete cover 92 is generally rectangular and is dimensioned to fit within reciprocal recesses formed in the upper portion of the carpet rim. The fasteners 114 extend through the openings 116 in the corners of the concrete cover 92 and are screwed into reciprocal openings 118 in the carpet ring 88 to secure the concrete cover in place. A rubber gasket 120 can be interposed between the concrete cover 92 and the carpet flange 88 to prevent contaminants from entering the interior compartment. The concrete cover 92 has hinged doors 122 that can be turned upward to access the outlets in the duplex receptacle 90 (see Figure 8). A threaded opening 86 extends through the lower wall of the prefixed one and is superimposed on the upper wall 18 of the tray. A screw 87 is screwed through the opening 86 and until it securely engages against the top wall 18 of the tray 12 to provide continuity of ground connection between the pre-set and the tray. As shown in Figure 7, an extension sleeve 124 can be interposed between the box 24 of the pre-drilled and the carpet rim 88 to increase the depth of the pre-drilled 22 when a thicker concrete floor is required. The extension sleeve 124 is generally rectangular and includes a downwardly extending side wall 126 dimensioned to fit within the sidewall of the pre-harness 24. The protuberances 128 are positioned in the extension sleeve 124 to align with the protuberances 96. The extension sleeve 124 is secured in place by engagement rings 94 which are snapped between the protrusions 94 and 96. Alternatively, the extension sleeve can be secured in place by self-tapping screws (not shown) that extend through the protrusion 94 and are screwed into the protuberances 96. It is noted that, with respect to this date, the best The method known by the applicant for carrying out said invention is the conventional one for the manufacture of the objects to which it refers.

Claims (18)

1. CLAIMS Having described the invention as above, it is claimed as property, what is contained in the following claims: 1. A box pre-arranged to provide access to a sub-floor electrical distribution system, the sub-floor electrical distribution system is characterized in that it comprises at least less a tray panel adapted to be positioned on a concrete floor, the tray panel defines an interior passage adapted to carry service cables and that has an exterior wall that defines a prefixed opening that provides access to the interior passage, the box Pre-assembled comprises: a box that has an interior compartment, a concrete lid and a section of the plunger, the concrete lid and the perforator section are separable to provide access to the inner compartment of the pre-fixed housing, the perforator is configured to be aligned with and securely fixed with the pre-drilled opening in the char panel wave to ensure the pre-drilled to the tray panel during the pouring of the concrete floor, whereby, after the hardening of the concrete floor, the concrete above the pre-fixed can be broken to allow the removal of the concrete cover, after which the puncher can be removed to provide access to the interior passage of the tray panel through the prefix.
2. 2. A pre-assembled box to provide access to a sub-floor electrical distribution system, the sub-floor electrical distribution system comprises at least one tray panel adapted to be positioned on a concrete floor, the tray panel defines an interior passageway adapted to carry service cables and having an outer wall defining a pre-setting opening providing access to the interior passage, the pre-setting comprises: a box defining an interior compartment, the box having a bottom wall, a side wall extending from the side wall and defining an opening superior to the interior compartment. and a removably mounted concrete cover in the upper opening, the lower wall further defines a separable dropper section positioned to align with the pre-set opening and after its separation, to provide access to the tray passage through the interior compartment. of the pre-set, the punch section includes a prominent portion that is configured to mate with the , tray opening to secure the tray during the pouring of the concrete floor.
3. 3. A pre-assembled box according to claim 2, characterized in that it further comprises a fixing tab extending from the lower wall of the box, the fixing tab is adapted to slidably engage with the tray panel as the protrusion The dripper is attached to the tray opening to further secure the pre-drilled to the tray panel.
4. 4. A pre-assembled box according to claim 2, characterized in that the pre-fixed housing is formed of plastic.
5. 5. A pre-assembled housing according to claim 2, characterized in that the pre-fixed housing is formed of metal.
6. 6. A pre-packaged box. according to claim 2, characterized in that it further comprises ribs extending from the lower wall of the prefixed box, the ribs are adapted to be coupled against the surface of the tray panel when the pre-drilled is mounted on the tray panel to provide continuity of ground connection between the tray panel and the prefixed one.
7. 7. A pre-assembled box according to claim 2, characterized in that the pre-set box is generally rectangular.
8. 8. A pre-assembled box according to claim 2, characterized in that it further comprises wire retaining clips mountable in the inner compartment around the periphery of the puncher section.
9. 9. A pre-packaged box according to claim 2, characterized in that the upper opening of the box is adapted to receive an access assembly after the separation of the concrete cover.
10. 10. A subfloor electrical distribution system for placement in a concrete floor, characterized in that it comprises: a pair of tray panels adapted to be positioned on a subfloor before the pouring of the concrete floor, each tray panel defines a passage interior and a plurality of prefixed apertures that provide access to the interior passage; a plurality of pre-fixed boxes mountable in the prefixed openings and to provide access to the inner passage of the tray from the upper surface of the concrete floor, each box having a concrete cover and a section of the plunger, the concrete cover and the Dopper section are separable to provide access to an inner compartment of the pre-set box, the dumper is configured to be aligned with and fixedly engaged with the pre-drilled opening to ensure pre-drilled to the tray panel during pouring of the concrete floor , whereby, after hardening of the concrete floor, the concrete above the setting can be broken to allow separation of the concrete cover, after which the bollard can be removed to provide access to the interior passage of the concrete panel. tray through the pre-drilled; and a plurality of alignment fasteners, each alignment fastener is adapted to secure and align a prefixed ported by a first of the tray panels with a second pre-drift carried by a second of the tray panels.
11. An electrical subfloor distribution system according to claim 10, characterized in that each pre-drilled box comprises a lower wall, a side wall extending from the base and defining an upper opening configured to receive the concrete cover. .
12. 12. An electric subfloor distribution system according to claim 10, characterized in that it further comprises a fixing tab extending from the lower wall of the box, the fixing tab is adapted to be slidably coupled with the opening of the box. Tray panel as the protrusion of the tray is coupled with the tray opening.
13. 13. A subfloor electrical distribution system according to claim 10, characterized in that the pre-set boxes are formed of plastic.
14. 14. A subfloor electrical distribution system according to claim 10, characterized in that the pre-set boxes are formed of metal.
15. 15. A subfloor electrical distribution system according to claim 14, characterized in that each pre-drilled box further includes a plurality of ribs extending from its lower wall, the ribs being adapted to mate against the surface of the pan panel when The pre-drilled is mounted on the tray panel to provide continuity of ground connection between the tray panel and the pre-drilled one.
16. 16. A subfloor electrical distribution system according to claim 10, characterized in that the pre-drilled boxes are generally rectangular.
17. 17. A subfloor electrical distribution system according to claim 10, characterized in that the pre-setting also comprises wire retaining fasteners removably mountable in the inner compartment around the periphery of the punching section.
18. 18. A subfloor electrical distribution system according to claim 10, characterized in that the upper opening of the box is adapted to receive an access assembly after the separation of the concrete cover. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A prefixed to provide access to selected sites is provided to a subfloor electrical distribution system of the type consisting of at least one tray panel adapted to be positioned on a concrete floor. The tray panel defines an interior passage adapted to carry service cables and has an exterior wall defining an opening of the pre-setting that provides access to the interior passage. The prefraguados can be located in any place where an opening is punched or perforated in the panel of tray, the intervals of 12 or 24 inches are the most common. The pre-setting includes a box that has an interior compartment, a concrete cover and a section of the plunger. The concrete cover and the perforator section can be removed to provide access to the inner compartment of the pre-fixed housing. The pusher is positioned to align with and securely engage the prefixed opening to secure the pre-drilled to the tray panel during pouring of the concrete floor. After the concrete floor has hardened, the concrete above the pre-hardened concrete can be broken to allow the removal of the concrete cover. Then he , can be removed to provide access to the interior passage of the tray panel through the pre-drilled. Alignment clips are provided to secure and align prefrags carried by adjacent tray panels. The prefragmented side walls are bevelled inwards, so that the base of the pre-set is larger than the top. This design further restricts the vertical movement of the pre-set after the concrete has hardened.