NO329211B1 - Cable lining section in the form of a drain and method for mounting said cable lining - Google Patents

Abstract

The cable tray has its edges shaped to provide a clip fixing to mountings. The edge profile has grooves (13) and tongues (14) to attach to the mounting. The cable tray lengths can be joined with a clip that fits over the edge profiles to provide a removable coupling.

Description

The present invention relates to a cable routing section in the form of a channel and a method for mounting silk channels within the technical area comprising systems for carrying cables and in particular electrical cables and/or telecommunications cables or equivalent devices.

Three major types of carriers for cables are known in technology: cable bridges, cable guides of wire grids and channels.

The present invention relates more particularly to flowing or technical channels which form cable guides.

By "flowing" here is meant cableways that are formed by joining profiles comprising at least one wall that forms a base and two wings in that the profiles particularly have a U- or C-shaped cross-section.

The present invention relates in particular to gutters of the above-mentioned type where the walls, in whole or perforated, are shaped along the free edge to receive a lid, for example intended for snapping on.

The gutter profiles are classically made of polymer material and especially of the extruded type, or of a metal alloy.

When it comes to such chutes, one can particularly refer, for example, to the following documents: - The French patents, published under the numbers: 1 471 497.2 290 063.2 306 552, 2 313 786, 2 365 902, 2 383 539.2 395 449, 2 406 327, 2 435 844,2 478 389, 2 481 015, 2 536 219,2 610 145, 2 610 769, 2 615 587, 2 683 403, 2 686 142, 2 621, 279 605 .2,691,228, 2,712,831, 2,734,956, 2,749,912, 2,749,913, 2,749,914.2,769,761.2,481,015; - European patents published under the numbers: 054 456, 083 089, 113 981, 208 924, 278 923, 292 389, 315 531, 348 285, 403 440, 518 404, 570 272, 657 672, 695, 3089, 3081, 3309; - the international application with publication number 93/23694.

The joining of profiles to form gutter sections is usually achieved by flat rails or plates, possibly bent, or by angles.

A distinction is made between three general types of placement and fastening of these rails:

- bolting; - bending of pawls which are previously inserted into perforations in the chute sections;

- interception.

Thus for example;

- FR-A-I 584 328 describes rails which are realized in the form of plates equipped with protrusions that engage perforations on the gutter sections where the protrusions are hollow to be able to receive pins acting as hooks; - EP-A 0 461 974 describes another way of fixing rails in the perforations on the wings of the gutters where each locking tab of the rails is folded across after passing through a perforation in a gutter wing; - FR-A-2 686 141 describes rails in the form of angles, held by snapping in relation to the inner surface of the wings of the chute; - FR-A-2 606 843 describes rails in the form of angles where a wing is bent to be used when snapping over the entire height of the outer surface of a side wing of each of the two profiles to be joined.

Other joining examples for gutter sections can be found, for example, in the following documents: EP-A-0 520 583, EP-A-0 552 117, EP-A-0 721 243, FR-A-2 633 031, FR-A- 2 408 748, FR-A-2 653 608, FR-A-2 686 141, FR-A-2 713 737, FR-A-2 723 167, FR-A-2 735 557, WO-A-92/ 04755, WO-A-91/03090.

The gutters that are known in the art all have shortcomings, none of the proposed solutions completely and optimally satisfy the wishes of installers and users, in particular: - easy joining and separation of the gutter sections; - easy assembly and disassembly of gutters on carriers such as consoles; - easy placement and suspension of equipment on the chutes;

too high resistance to external influences. By such external influences is meant here the influence of the profile wings under the influence of heavy load, which can lead to a bending of the bottom wall.

The present invention aims to propose a new concept for such gutters which satisfy the above-mentioned wishes and which do not exhibit the shortcomings that accompany the gutters according to the known technique.

The present invention thus relates in a first aspect to a cable routing section in the form of a channel with a cross-section generally in a U- or C-shape, characterized by the fact that at least one of the peripheral walls is equipped with at least one outer recess in the form of a dovetail slot intended for the reception of a joining rail for channel sections arranged against each other, the longitudinal recess on the section being essentially placed in continuity and in line, the opening of the track facing the outside of the cable guide section.

This cable routing section in the form of a channel is called the channel section in the following for the sake of simplicity.

According to various embodiments, this gutter section exhibits the following characteristics, possibly in combination: - it comprises a bottom, and two side wings arranged above each other where at least one of the two wings is equipped with at least one of the aforementioned outer recesses which form a mounting pin hole with dovetail shape; - the bottom is equipped with at least one of the outer recesses which form a mounting pin hole with a dovetail shape; - the two wings are essentially symmetrical in relation to a plane perpendicular to the bottom; - at least one of the perimeter walls is equipped with at least one internal recess which forms a mounting pin hole where this internal recess forms a dovetail-shaped mounting pin hole; - the bottom of the gutter is equipped with a transverse wave which constitutes reinforcements and intended for to support means for holding the cables in position in the channel; they are formed in a material selected from among metal alloys, polymer materials or composites; - a first embodiment, the chute is given a generally straight, elongated profile obtained by extrusion, coextrusion, pultrusion or any other equivalent process;

in a second embodiment it is formed in a generally curved profile where the profile is obtained by casting, injection molding or any other equivalent process;

in a special embodiment, it is formed in a pultruded composite material.

In a second aspect, the present invention relates to a gutter formed by the assembly of gutter sections as described above, the assembly being achieved in particular by means of rails placed in at least one of the aforementioned outer recesses which form dovetail-shaped mounting pin holes.

In one embodiment, the chute comprises reinforcing ribs placed on the bottom of at least one of the chute sections.

In a third aspect, the invention relates to a method for mounting a gutter as described above in that this method comprises a step of pre-assembling at least one rail, on a gutter section, this rail being arranged in a retracted position in an outer recess that forms a dovetail groove as this opening opens at an end edge of the chute section.

In a particular embodiment, the assembly process comprises a fixing step of at least one gutter section on a carrier, for example a console, by means of clamps which rest on an edge of an outer recess or opening.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description below read in conjunction with the attached figures where: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a chute section according to an embodiment of the invention; - Fig. 2 is a detailed view in cross section of an upper outer part of the chute section as shown in figure 1 on which a cover is mounted; Fig. 3 is a detailed view in cross-section of a means of attachment to a frame for the chute section as shown in Fig. 1; - Fig. 4 is a schematic detail drawing in cross-section of the principle for attaching accessories or a rail on a chute according to the invention; Figures 5 to 9 are schematic partial cross-sections of design variants of chute sections according to the invention; - Figure 10 is a schematic partial cross-section of an embodiment of a gutter cover according to the invention.

Reference is first made to Figure 1.

In this figure, a chute section according to the invention is shown in perspective.

For the sake of simplicity, the following description will apply to a chute section which is essentially straight and which runs in the direction Dl, called the longitudinal direction. The gutter section is described with reference to figure 1, where it is also said that this direction Dl is horizontal.

It should be understood that this direction Dl is not necessarily horizontal when the chute section is in practical use.

It should also be clear that the gutter section can be curved.

This curvature can be "in the plane", that is to say that the chute section includes, for example: - a bottom which essentially follows one and the same plane; - two curved side wings or walls whose radius of curvature is possibly but not necessarily constant in that the profile section comprises a curvature or several successive curvatures.

This curvature for the cable routing can also be "out of plane" in that the channel section includes, for example: a concave or convex bottom with possibly a constant radius of curvature and with

a curvature or several successive curvatures;

- two side walls or wings arranged opposite each other from the bottom.

The term "gutter section" as used in the following description includes rectilinear profile sections (as shown in figure 1) but also curved profiles as defined above.

The term "gutter section" as used in the following description also relates to parts that make up crossings or angles in the gutters or the technical enclosures that form the cable routes to the extent that these strengthen these segments and especially end segments for assembly with shapes that are identical or equivalent what is described and required.

These crossing or angle pieces for cableways can, for example, be T-, X- or Y-shaped.

The gutter section shown in Figure 1 has a free end which extends in a transverse plane P substantially perpendicular to the direction D1. This chute section, seen in a transverse plane such as plane P, generally has a U or C shape.

The gutter section 1 comprises a bottom 2 and two side wings or walls 3,4 arranged above each other.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the bottom 2 is essentially flat and runs parallel to a plane Q which is defined by the direction D1 and a direction D2 essentially perpendicular to D1.

In the following description and for the sake of simplicity, this plane Q is considered horizontal so that the chute section is open upwards. The expressions "high", "low", "up", "down", "up", "down", "side", "inner" or "outer" are used in relation to an observer O placed in the middle of the channel being defined of the chute section.

However, the chute section, as the person skilled in the art will easily realize, can be placed so that the opening does not face upwards but, for example, to the side. Likewise, the bottom can be inclined in relation to the horizontal plane.

The two side walls 3,4 extend from the edges of the bottom 2 along a substantially vertical direction D3. This direction D3 forms a direct trihedron with the directions D1 and D2 as defined above.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the two side walls 3,4 are essentially symmetrical in relation to a central vertical plane S which runs through the point O.

In other embodiments not shown, the two walls or wings are not symmetrical in relation to such a plane S. For example, the two walls may have different thicknesses, different heights or different profiles.

For the embodiment shown in Figure 1 and since the side walls or wings 3,4 are symmetrical, only one of these will be described in detail.

If one proceeds from the wall's lower attachment at the inner surface 5 of the bottom 2, this side wall shows along the inner surface; - a first part 6 which is essentially planar and vertical; - a second part 7 which is essentially horizontal or inclined in relation to the horizontal plane and which projects towards the interior of the chute section 1.

Starting from the wall attachment at the lower surface 8 on the outside of the base 2, this side wall 4 shows along the outer surface: - a recess 9 which forms a receiving opening when mounted with a dovetail shape, as this recess 9 has the shape of a trapezoid seen in cross-section; - a substantially planar and vertical part 10; - an essentially flat and horizontal part 11 which projects inwards into the chute section.

In order to maintain an essentially constant thickness for the wall 4, this is equipped with two narrowings or indentations, namely: - an internal indentation 12 which extends between the first and second parts 6,7 on the inner surface of the wall and arranged at the same height as the planar vertical portion 10 of the outer surface of the wall; - an outer indentation 13 extending between the vertical plane part 10 and the horizontal part 11 on the outer surface of the wall and arranged at a height that is higher than the inner indentation 12.

The essentially constant thickness of the wall 4 allows, in addition to an improved material economy, to form a bending zone by controlled, elastic deformation.

This bending zone 14 essentially delimits the upper edge of the recess 9 downwards.

This bending zone 14 is essentially delimited upwards by the flat carrier 15 for the chute cover.

The stiffness of this bending zone 14 can be reduced for a given material by increasing the depth of the inner indentation 12 or the outer indentation 13.

The wall 4 may comprise more than one inner and/or more than one outer indentation, possibly arranged at the same height, in order to provide thinner zones which constitute bending zones of the hinge type.

In a first embodiment, the indentations 12,13 and the recess 19 extend over the entire length of the profile section, this being provided by extrusion, pultrusion or any other equivalent method chosen as a function of the chosen material.

In another embodiment, the indentations 12, 13 and/or the recess 9 do not extend over the entire length of the profile section, as this is formed, for example, by casting, injection molding or any other equivalent method chosen as a function of the material making up the channel.

This material can be selected from the group comprising metal alloys and in particular steel and aluminum alloys, polymer materials, composite materials, for example a polymer matrix and a metallic reinforcement.

For example, the gutter sections are hot-dip galvanized steel and/or coated with resins such as epoxy or polyester resins. As a variant, the gutter sections can be of an aluminum alloy of type AG3 or of stainless steel of type Z8C17, Z2CN18-10, or Z6CNDT17-12.

In a particular embodiment, the chute sections are made of composite material, in particular pultruded composite material.

In another embodiment, the chute sections are formed from two coextruded polymer materials. Thus, the lower part of the walls, equipped with mounting dovetail grooves, can be formed of a substantially rigid polymer material while the upper part of the walls is formed of a polymer material of greater softness which facilitates the controlled, elastic deformation during the application of the cover.

In a first embodiment, the walls 3,4 and the bottom two are of the same material.

In a second embodiment, at least one wall 3,4 is joined together with the bottom, for example by gluing, soldering or any other equivalent method chosen as a function of the material used.

In a particular embodiment and when the walls 3,4 are connected to the base 2, the base comprises transverse undulations embedded in the material or as a result of the deformation of the base.

As a variant, reinforcement profiles are arranged on the bottom and these are perforated as appropriate to allow the cables to be fixed without having to perforate the bottom of the channel.

In this embodiment, the bottom and walls of the chute section are essentially flat and a similarly flat cover is placed on the chute sections. This design ensures as complete protection as possible for the cables against the environment.

If you go to figures 2-4, these show some of the advantages of the profile structure shown in figure 1.

Figure 2 shows an assembly method by snapping a cover 20 onto the chute. This lid 20 comprises a substantially flat bottom 21, edged by a side projection 22. This lid comprises a second projection 23, placed at a distance dl which is somewhat less than or substantially equal to the width d2 of the receiving surface 15.

The protrusions 22, 23 can run longitudinally over the entire length of the lid or can be discontinuous.

The height of the projections 22,23 can be less than that of the receiver plate 15 as shown in Figure 2. As a variant, the side projection 22 can be arranged for placement against the essentially vertical part 10 of the outer surface of the wall and thereby cover it outer indentation 13.

The outer dovetail shape for at least one wing 2,3 allows, as schematically shown in Figure 4, to embed a rail 30 which can be pre-assembled in the inserted position as required and also pulled halfway out while joining the gutter section between them.

Thus, when two chute sections of the type shown in Figure 1 are to be joined together, more particularly the operator will place them against each other where the longitudinal recesses 9 are essentially arranged in continuity and in line.

The operator will then shift the rails contained in the recesses in each chute section so that part of the length of these rails is embedded in the recess in the next rail section.

By the expression "half-extended" is meant here the fact that essentially half of the length of the 1 rails is located beyond the end transverse plane of the first chute section and where the protruding part of the rail engages in the recesses in a second adjacent chute section.

It should be clear that the rails can be telescoped over a greater or lesser length than half the length dimension.

The outer dovetail shape for at least one wall 3,4 is then allowed to attach accessories for various equipment of any type that can be pushed or snapped into the slot.

As is further shown in Figure 3, this outer dovetail shape also allows gutter sections to be attached to supports such as consoles by means of various types of clamps 40 without having to penetrate or perforate the base 2. By "clamp" here is meant a small piece of metal which provisionally holds the ends of two gutter sections to be joined together to facilitate the completion of the final joining.

The shape of the walls 3,4, in the upper part, not only allows the lid to be snapped in as shown in Figure 2 but also to provide a significant mass in the transverse direction and thereby counteract twisting and the like of the walls 3,4.

Reference should then be made to the figures 5 below which show different variants for carrying out the invention.

Figure 5 schematically shows the possibility of a free upper edge 16 which is substantially flat and vertical for the wall which carries the dovetail groove.

In the chute section shown in figure 6, one of the walls is equipped with at least 1 indentation facing outwards and carrying at least one second dovetail groove 17, facing outwards, as this second groove 17 can be supported by the base 2.

In Figure 7, a drawing is analogous to Figure 6, but where the gutter section that is schematically shown in cross-section on at least one of the walls is equipped with at least one dovetail groove facing outwards and where the bottom of the gutter comprises at least one dovetail groove 18, facing inwards towards the gutter.

In certain variants not shown, the bottom is equipped with at least two dovetail grooves, at least one of which faces the outside of the chute.

In the variant shown in Figure 8, at least one of the walls of the chute section is equipped with two dovetail grooves 9a, 9b, both facing outwards. These two tracks 9a and 9b may possibly be identical both in terms of shape and dimensions. Figure 9 shows a further embodiment of the free end of the walls of the chute section. Figure 10 shows an embodiment of a gutter cover in that this comprises two end parts which are essentially identical to what is shown in Figure 2.

Only one of these end parts is shown in figure 10.

This cover has a shape like a circumflex accent seen in cross-section. This form allows to limit the collection of dust and/or the retention of water. The shape is achieved by joining a rigid part 50 with a certain bow or kink and two outer parts 51 where the connection is made by means of thin flat parts 52, for example glued.

As an embodiment that is not shown, the lid has a corrugated, U-shaped, pseudo-V-shaped or pseudo-U-shaped cross-section.

The gutter sections described above have numerous advantages.

In particular, the presence on the walls and bottom of dovetail grooves for assembly where the openings face outwards from the gutter sections facilitates: - mutual joining and separation of gutter sections without having to resort to significant interventions in the gutter walls; assembly and disassembly of gutters on carriers such as consoles without piercing or changing the gutter walls; - placing accessories on the gutters without disassembling them and without significant intervention.

In addition to an increased resistance to twisting for the channels achieved by joining sections of the type described above, an improved protection of the cables is also achieved, including necessary maintenance.

Claims (20)

1. Cable routing section in the form of a channel with a generally U- or C-shaped cross-section, characterized in that at least one of the perimeter walls (2,3,4) is equipped with at least one external recess in the form of a dovetail slot (9,17) intended for recording of a joining rail for channel sections arranged against each other, the longitudinal recess on the section being substantially placed in continuity and in line, the opening of the track (9,17) facing the outside of the cable guide section. 2. Section according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a bottom (2) and two side walls (3,4) arranged opposite each other where at least one of the two walls (3,4) is equipped with at least one of the aforementioned outer recesses which constitute dovetail groove (9). 3. Section according to claim 2, characterized in that the bottom (2) is equipped with at least one outer recess in the form of a dovetail groove (17). 4. Section according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the two walls (3,4) are essentially symmetrical in relation to a plane (S) which is vertical to the bottom (2). 5. Section according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that at least one of the peripheral walls (2,3,4) is equipped with at least one internal mounting recess (18) in the form of a dovetail slot. 6. Section according to claim 5, characterized in that the inner recess (18) is a dovetail groove. 7. Section according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that the bottom (2) is equipped with a transverse wave which forms reinforcement profiles and is adapted to support means for holding the cables in position in the gutter sections. 8. Section according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that they are made of a material selected from the group of metal alloys, polymer materials or composite materials. 9. Section according to claim 8, characterized in that it has a generally rectilinear elongated shape, obtained by extrusion, coextrusion, pultrusion or any other equivalent process. 10. Section according to claim 8, characterized in that it has a generally curved shape and is obtained by casting, injection molding or any other equivalent process. 11. Section according to claim 8, characterized in that it is made of a pultruded composite material. 12. Section according to any one of claims 2 to 11, characterized in that at least one wall (4) of the chute section (1), from the rounded lower connection (5) with the inner surface of the bottom (2) on the inner surface exhibits: - a first substantially planar and vertical part (6); - a second essentially horizontal or slightly inclined part (7) which projects inwards towards the chute. 13. Section according to claim 12, characterized in that the wall (4) on the outer surface, from the rounding for lower connection (8) towards the outer edge of the bottom (2), exhibits: - a recess (9) which forms a dovetail groove in the the recess has a trapezoidal shape seen in cross-section; - a substantially planar and vertical part (10); - an essentially flat and horizontal part (11) which projects towards the interior of the chute. 14. Section according to claim 13, characterized in that the wall (4) is equipped with two indentations, namely: - an internal indentation (12) which extends between the first and second part (6,7) on the inner surface of the wall and arranged on the same height as the vertical part (10) of the outer surface of the wall; - an outer indentation (13) extending between the planar, vertical part (10) and the horizontal part (11) of the outer surface of the wall, and arranged at a height above the inner indentation (12). 15. Section according to any one of claims 2 to 14, characterized in that it comprises a cover (20) which can be snapped onto the upper parts of the walls (3,4). 16. Section according to claim 15, characterized in that the lid (20) in cross-section has the shape of a V, a U, a pseudo V or a pseudo U. 17. Section according to any one of claims 1-16, characterized in that the composition is achieved by means of rails (30), which are located in at least one of the dovetail grooves (9,17). 18. Section according to claim 17, characterized in that it comprises reinforcement profiles arranged on the bottom (2) of at least one gutter section. 19. Method for mounting a gutter as described in claim 17 or 18, characterized in that it comprises a step of pre-assembling at least one rail, on a gutter section, the rail being arranged in a retracted position in an outer recess which forms a dovetail groove, the recess (9,17) mouths at an end edge of the chute section. 20. Method for assembly according to claim 19, characterized in that it comprises a step of fixing at least one gutter section on a carrier, for example a console, by means of clamps (40) which come into contact with an edge of an outer recess (9, 17).