WO2000001277A1

WO2000001277A1 - Method for masking wiring and self-adhesive structure for implementing same

Info

Publication number: WO2000001277A1
Application number: PCT/FR1999/001625
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jean-Michel Camus
Original assignee: Camus Jean Michel
Priority date: 1998-07-06
Filing date: 1999-07-05
Publication date: 2000-01-13
Also published as: FR2780824A1; AU4623799A

Abstract

The invention concerns a method for efficiently and easily masking wiring adaptable to any addition or modification on a given work station by incorporating the wiring in self-adhesive materials formed by mutually adherent strips. The invention is characterised in that said self-adhesive structure comprises adhesive strips (10, 10') of two different types, having adhesive surfaces (10i, 10'i) with elements of a first and second adherence type, the wiring being arranged in a trench (11) substantially formed on the median axis (X'X) of the strips between two surfaces of different adherence type, the elements of different adherence type mutually adhering outside the trench. An adhesive resin layer (21) covers at least one surface opposite (10e) the adhesive surface (10i) of a strip (10).

Description

WIRING CAMOUFLAGE METHOD AND SELF - GRIPPING STRUCTURE FOR IMPLEMENTATION.

The invention relates to the field of office automation, in particular to the management of cables between the terminals of a workstation and the plugs for connection to the various networks, comprising cables for electrical, computer and telephone supply. By office terminals, it is understood below the computer tools and their peripherals, such as central unit, keyboard, screen, mouse, printer, modem, fax, Minitel ' ⁰ , scanner, sampler, etc.

The multiplication of the number of connections necessary for the operation of a workstation due to the development of IT resources has led to the multiplication of the number of cables for the same workstation. In addition, the improvement of existing tools also results in the periodic change of these tools and their wiring. Thus, these developments make it difficult to identify cables, cause increasing congestion and neglected presentation of workstations.

In order to organize and camouflage this type of complex and bulky cabling, also due to the use of extension cords, intermediate connection boxes, electrical ramps, adapters, transformers, etc., it is known practice to arrange hollow plinths at the bottom of the partitions or walls delimiting the rooms in which the workstations are arranged. It is for example known from patent FR 1475876 a plastic rod for hiding and isolating electrical cables of all kinds comprising a gutter part, from document FR 2752304 a storage enclosure comprising pivoting plates and covered with a tubular cover, from patent FR 2555423 a channel equipped with a tilting cover and having an elastic bead, or from published application WO 9746139 a hollow and solid support disposed on the office panels. The documents of the state of the art describe fixed and permanent camouflage structures which do not allow the adaptation or the rearrangement of an existing installation according to a change of location of the post, a change of sound wiring, or additional wiring that it must receive, without being, at least partially, constantly redone.

Existing installations are therefore incapable of correctly camouflaging the cabling, in particular on the workstations themselves, while this need for camouflage becomes more and more pressing as the development of IT tools causes a renewal installation of these tools.

The invention aims to solve these problems by proposing an efficient wiring camouflage method that is easily adaptable to any addition or modification to a given work station. To do this, the wiring is integrated into hook-and-loop materials, such as those known under the name "velcro" and formed by mutual fastening strips, in hooks and loops. On the one hand, such structures have sufficient flexibility to be able to adapt to any spatial configuration located on the wiring path, between the office terminals and the connection plugs, and sufficiently rigid to allow effective adhesion to any support of said support. configuration.

More specifically, the subject of the invention is a method of camouflaging cabling in a space located between office terminals of a work station and the plugs for connection to power supply networks external to the work station, characterized in that it consists of enclosing the wiring, over almost its entire length, in hook-and-loop structures, and of linking these structures to at least one support located in said space. Preferably, in the case where the work station mainly comprises one or more desks composed of a tray horizontal on which the terminals are arranged and a vertical rear apron, the hook-and-loop structures are linked by adhesion respectively to the rear of the apron and under the work station tray. This latter configuration is favored when the tray is equipped with an opening arranged to pass certain cables directly. According to one embodiment, the wiring is disposed between two gripping faces of a first and a second type, each side belonging to a surface of a strip comprising a base in synthetic polymer having on one side gripping elements respectively d 'a first and a second type, these two types of elements being able to grip each other and, at least on a face opposite to a gripping face, a layer of adhesive resin.

Advantageously, the gripping strips have a width greater than or equal to approximately 100 mm. According to a particular embodiment, several gripping strips of the first type, arranged in a juxtaposed manner, are gripped with several strips of the second type, the strips of the first and second type overlapping.

According to a particular characteristic, the strips of the first and second types are not gripped to each other over a limited length of the wiring path, in particular at the level of connection boxes, in order to promote heat dissipation.

According to another particular characteristic, the outer edge of the gripping strips has a cut adapted to the spatial configuration of the wiring path between the terminals and the connection plugs, for example rounding, ovals or particular angles. In particular, the strips of a first type of gripping forming a base surface of greater dimension, for example equal to the surface of the underside of a work platform or of an apron to which it is glued, the strips of the second type are cut and positioned on said base surface. Such an arrangement allows easy repositioning of the camouflage by cutting new strips adapted to a new configuration of the workstation.

According to another embodiment, the hook-and-loop structure is formed from a single strip with two faces, having on the end edge of a first face gripping elements of a first type, and on the opposite edge of the other side of the gripping elements of a second type, the wiring being wrapped in the strip wound on itself and closed by self-gripping of the gripping edges disposed one against the other. This embodiment advantageously applies when the work station being formed of at least one horizontal plate, on which terminal elements are arranged, and support feet of the plate, the wiring is arranged along at least l 'one of these feet and a Velcro strip is arranged around this foot so as to wrap it and the current wiring along it.

According to a particular embodiment, the Velcro strip with two types of Velcro elements is partially covered on the external face, with a layer of adhesive resin so as to be able to be fixed on any support disposed on the wiring path. In particular, such a structure can adhere, thanks to this layer of resin, under the horizontal worktop, behind it, along one foot of the latter, along a plinth disposed between the workstation. and network connection plugs, or in this plinth designed to accommodate cables. Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the embodiment which follows, with reference to the appended figures which represent respectively:

- Figure 1, the rear view of an example of "free" wiring workstation; - Figure 2, the rear view of this workstation with wiring installed in accordance with the method according to the invention; - Figure 3, the installation according to Figure 1 relating to the camouflage of the wiring around a foot of the workstation and along a plinth of junction to the network connection plugs;

- Figure 4, a bottom view of a work station equipped with the hook-and-loop structure in accordance with the invention;

- Figure 5, a sectional view of a hook-and-loop structure in accordance with the invention formed from two types of gripping strips;

- Figure 6, a sectional view of a hook-and-loop structure according to the invention composed of more than two hook-and-loop faces of different type;

- Figure 7, a sectional view of a Velcro structure according to the invention composed of a single Velcro strip.

In FIG. 1, a work station composed of a desk 1 and a table 2 is illustrated in order to visualize a state of “free” wiring, comprising connection cables 3 and extension cables 4 before the implementation of the method according to the invention. The desk 1 mainly comprises a horizontal work table 5, a rear apron 6 and feet P, the table 2 a table 5 ′ and feet P. On the horizontal table 5, office terminals 7 are arranged, comprising two microcomputers 7a and 7b, and a telephone handset 7c. On table 2 there is a fax machine 8.

In an installation of this type, the cables 3 are left in the open air and connect the various terminal elements to the connection plugs 9 of the various external networks by means of extensions, ramps and relays 4. This results in a tangle cables and an unflattering presentation, which generates the problems mentioned above.

In Figure 2, the same workstation is shown after installation of hook-and-loop structures according to the invention. On the rear apron of office 1 has been fixed a strip 10 with hook-and-loop first type (with hooks), on which the gripping face of a strip 10 'of the second type (with loops) adheres. The strips are about 100 mm wide.

The cables 3 (FIG. 1) are arranged substantially along the median axis X'X of the gripping strips, the space of non-adhesion of these strips forming a modular channel 11. From the connection sockets 12 of the office terminals arranged on the work station, the cables access laterally the channels 11 by non-adhesion of the gripping strips on a transverse path 13 to the axis X'X, arranged substantially with regard to the connection sockets 12 to the various terminals 7.

The intermediate elements 4 (FIG. 1) are arranged under the plate 5 ′ of the table 2, in a self-gripping assembly having a width of approximately 200 mm and forming a housing. In this exemplary embodiment, two gripping strips of the first hook type are glued under the table top, and two gripping strips of approximately 100 mm wide of the second loop type adhere to the hook strips.

FIG. 3 shows more precisely the installation of the wiring under the table 2. The two gripping strips of the first type 10 are glued under the plate 5 ′, using a layer of known resin. The second type gripping strips 10 'grip the glued strips, except over a length sufficient to allow the housing of the ramps and relays 4. Therefore, this housing 14 also has lateral openings for heat dissipation.

Between the housing 14 and the plugs for connection to the external networks which appear in the background of FIG. 3, the wiring follows a foot P and a plinth 15 along a wall 16, inside hook-and-loop structures as described hereinafter with reference to FIG. 4. In FIG. 4, the cables 3, coming from the housing 14 extended by the end of the hook-and-loop straps, run along the foot P by holding in a sheath 20, enveloping this foot. This sheath is formed by a Velcro strip whose opposite edges of the opposite faces are equipped with complementary Velcro elements. Such a sheath constitutes a second embodiment of a hook-and-loop structure according to the invention and will be described below.

At the end of the foot P, the cables are arranged, in the direction of the connection plugs 9, in the central channel formed between two gripping strips 10-10 ', one of which is glued to the plinth 15 by its outer face. The cables 3 emerge laterally from the gripping strips by transverse grooves 13 formed by the strip 10 'around the cables and arranged opposite the connection plugs, similarly to the outlet of the cables at their other end, opposite the connection sockets at the office terminals 7, 8 of the work station (Figure 2). It is possible to improve camouflage wherever the cables are visible, for example at the inlet and outlet of the sheath 20, by providing hook-and-loop strips, of the second type of embodiment of the invention, of length adapted by cutting.

FIG. 5 shows in section the arrangement of the cables between two gripping strips 10-10 ′, formed from braided polyamide material of constant thickness of the order of a millimeter. The strip 10 has on its external face 10e a layer of adhesive resin 21. Once glued to the suitable support, located on the cable path located between the office terminals and the network connection plugs, the cables 3 are arranged on a median part of the internal face 10i of the strip 10, approximately along its median axis X'X. The internal face 10i is furnished with hooks 22, polyamide fibers, approximately 1 mm long, and serving as gripping elements of the first type.

The other gripping strip 10 ′ is then fixed to the first strip 10, except at the place where the cables 3 are arranged so as to form a central channel 11. The strip 10 ′ has loops on its inner face 10 ′ high density 23, formed from polyamide yarns, constituting the gripping elements of the second type which come to grip strongly on the hooks of the internal face 10i of the strip of the first type of gripping to form a self-gripping assembly.

In places where intermediate connecting elements, ramps, extensions, transformers and relays, etc. must be concealed, it is advisable to use several gripping strips of the first and second type, the strips of the first type having a layer of resin. to be able to fix these strips to the appropriate support. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the strips of the same type 10 are juxtaposed edge to edge and those of different type, respectively 10 and 10 ′, overlap in order to obtain good adhesion along the edges 30 of these strips. This configuration can also advantageously be applied when the number of cables of the wiring is large compared to the available width of the base bands which cover them. FIG. 7 illustrates in section the hook-and-loop structure used along the leg P of the table 2. This structure is formed of a single hook-and-loop strip 40, equipped over the same width with its edges 41 and 42, with hook-and-loop elements of the first and of the second type, respectively on the internal 40i and external 40e face of the strip 40. The invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown. It is for example possible to use any solid support: wall, floor, ceiling, to serve as support for hook-and-loop structures in order to. camouflage according to the invention. The gripping strips can have any shape adapted to the spatial configuration where the camouflage takes place, by simply cutting the strips.

In particular, in particular along the walls or at the angles thereof, the chutes usually used for the transport of cables can be made interchangeable, for example by replacing larger chutes, by providing for the use of a hook-and-loop structure with two bands of a different type: a first gripping strip, for example with loops, is glued to the back of the chute and the second strip, for example with hooks, is glued to the wall, the two strips being joined by hook-and-loop fastening. When changing a chute, for example to have a chute twice as wide and whose back is provided with a gripping strip substantially of the same width, it suffices to glue a second gripping strip on the wall, along of the first, to obtain a self-gripping adapted to the new chute.

The use of two-strip or single-strip hook-and-loop structures depends on the adaptability to the environment: for example, it is possible to use two-strip structures along the desk legs, by gluing one of the bands on part or almost all of the foot.

Furthermore, in order to obtain camouflage between the different parts of the wiring path - rear and underside of desk, foot, plinth and / or chute - it is possible to provide hook-and-loop strips having at least partly improved elasticity so to make a precise junction of these parts. Such elasticity can be obtained by adding suitable polymer materials in the composition of the strips, for example by adding elastane ^® .

In addition, in order to facilitate installation, it is recommended to use the openings already made in the worktops of offices intended to receive computer equipment, the plinths which run along the walls of the locations in which the workstations are arranged, for example using the hook-and-loop structure with a single and enveloping strip comprising a layer of adhesive resin on the external face so as to be glued in the plinth or on any suitable support.

Claims

1.- Method for camouflaging wiring in a space located between office terminals (7,8) of a work station (1, 2) and connection plugs (9) to networks outside the work station, characterized in that it consists in enclosing the wiring (3) over substantially its entire length, in hook-and-loop structures (10, 10 ′, 40), and in binding these structures to at least one support located in said space.

2. A camouflage method according to claim 1, characterized in that, the work station comprising at least one horizontal plate supported (5.5 ′) by feet (P) and a vertical rear apron (6), the structures Velcro fasteners (10,10 ', 40) are partially linked by adhesion to the rear of the deck (6), under the plate (5,5') and / or along at least one support leg (P).

3.- Camouflage method according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that, between the different parts of the wiring path, the hook-and-loop structures have at least partly improved elasticity in order to join these parts.

4. Velcro structure for implementing the camouflage method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises gripping strips of two types,. having gripping faces having elements of a first and a second type of gripping, a gripping strip of a first type is glued to the back of a cable transport chute and a gripping strip of the second type is glued on the support, the two strips being joined by self-gripping.

5. Velcro structure for implementing the camouflage method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises gripping strips (10, 10 ') of two different types, having faces gripping (10i, 10'i) having elements first and second type of gripping, the wiring being disposed in a channel (11) formed substantially on the median axis of the strips (X'X) between two faces of different type of gripping, the elements of a different type of grip gripping each other outside the channel, and in that a layer of adhesive resin (21) covers at least one face opposite (10e) to the gripping face (10i) of a strip ( 10).

6. Velcro structure according to claim 5, characterized in that several gripping strips of the first type, arranged juxtaposed along their edge (30), are gripped with several strips of the second type, the strips of the first and second overlapping type.

7. Velcro structure according to claim 5, characterized in that the strips of the first and second type (10,10 ') are not gripped to each other over a limited length of the wiring path to form a housing (14 ) at the intermediate wiring connection boxes.

8. Velcro structure according to claim 5, characterized in that the strips of the first type of gripping form a base surface of greater dimension, the strips of the second type are cut and positioned on said base surface to facilitate the repositioning of the camouflage.

9. Velcro structure according to any one of claims 5 to 8, characterized in that the outer edge of the gripping strips is cut to adapt to the spatial configuration of the wiring path (3) between the terminals (7,8 ) and connection plugs

(9).

10. Velcro structure for implementing the camouflage method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it is formed of a single strip (40) with two faces (40e, 40i), having on an end edge (41) of a first face (40i) of the gripping elements of a first type, and on the opposite edge of the other face of the gripping elements of a second type, the wiring (3) being wrapped in the strip (40) wound on itself and closed by self-gripping of the gripping edges (41, 42) arranged under stress against one another.

11. Velcro structure according to claim 10, characterized in that it is arranged around a support foot (P) of at least one horizontal plate (5.5 ′), on which the terminal elements are arranged, the wiring then running along the foot so as to be wrapped in this structure (40).

12.- Velcro structure according to one of claims 10 or

11, characterized in that the Velcro strip (40) with two types of Velcro elements is partially covered on the outer face with a layer of adhesive resin to be fixed on or in any solid support arranged on the wiring path.