WO2000079663A1

WO2000079663A1 - Duct for a wire cable pathway and wire cable pathway fitted with at least one duct

Info

Publication number: WO2000079663A1
Application number: PCT/FR2000/001608
Authority: WO
Inventors: Michel Durin
Original assignee: Metal Deploye S.A.
Priority date: 1999-06-18
Filing date: 2000-06-09
Publication date: 2000-12-28
Also published as: FR2795250A1; FR2795250B1; AU5541500A

Abstract

A duct which is used to locally fit a wire cable path way comprising two different types of wires in the form of a mesh, whereby at least one wire is a longitudinal wire running in a longitudinal direction for the entire length thereof, and the other type consists of transversal U-shaped wires which are arranged across the length of said longitudinal wire and are secured thereto, whereby the unit thus created forms three panels similar to a chute and consists of one base panel and two side panels. The duct exists in the form of a semi-spherical hollow hood (20) whereby the top part thereof is provided with a cross-shaped orifice delimiting two grooves (21,22), one of which (21) receives a longitudinal wire and the other (22) receives a transversal wire at the intersection between both wires, whereby said cross-shaped orifice at least partially defines four essentially triangular horn-shaped elements (23).

Description

"Weir for wire cable tray and wire cable tray equipped with at least one such weir"

The present invention relates generally to cable trays in wires.

As is known, these wire cable trays comprise, in a meshed form, wires of two different types, namely, on the one hand, longitudinal wires, commonly called warp wires, which run, longitudinally, from rectilinear or almost rectilinear manner, over their entire length, and, on the other hand, established transversely from place to place along these longitudinal wires, being duly subject to them, transverse wires shaped as U, commonly called wires frame, the assembly generally forming three panels, in practice planes or substantially planes, namely, a bottom panel and two side panels, commonly called wings.

These wire cable trays are commonly used to provide, like a chute, support, housing and protection of electric cables or the like.

By electric cables is meant here, and in what follows, not only cables suitable for the transport and distribution of electrical energy, but also cables and fibers suitable for transmitting information electrically, optically or other. With regard to such electric cables, cable trays with wires have many advantages which make them appreciated by electrician installers, and, in particular, advantages of ease of laying, and therefore of economy, of flexibility, electric cables. can be pulled out by any of their meshes, transparency, and, therefore, location of electric cables, ventilation, cleanliness, security, both for electric cables and for users, and performance. When electrical cables are installed in a cable tray, they must come out, at one place or another, to reach an equipment for example.

In such a cable tray made of wires, the exit of the cables through one of its meshes is carried out with folds or too tight angles which can injure or cut the wired core of the electric cables.

This is particularly the case for electrical cables with internal capillary cabling suitable for connection networks of computer equipment for which the diameter of the electrical conductors is only a few tenths of a millimeter.

We have already proposed, for example in document DE-A- 1 95 31 658, a device, or weir, avoiding too tight folds or angles at the exit. Here, the weir is in the form of an inverted gutter and its stable fixing to the cable tray requires the presence of at least two longitudinal wires; thus, it cannot be used for small section cable trays, the bottom panel of which consists only of one longitudinal wire and several transverse wires; moreover, it allows a protected exit of the cables only in the direction perpendicular to the direction of its generators.

The object of the present invention is to avoid such drawbacks. According to the invention, a weir intended to locally equip a cable tray with wires of the kind comprising, in a meshed form, wires of two different types, namely, on the one hand, at least one longitudinal wire, which runs longitudinally on its entire length, and, on the other hand, established transversely along this longitudinal wire, while being duly subject thereto, transverse wires shaped as a U, the assembly generally forming, in the manner of a chute, three panels, namely a bottom panel and two side panels, is characterized in that it is in the form of a hollow semi-spherical cap whose top part is provided with a cross light materializing two grooves adapted to receive the '' a longitudinal wire and the other a transverse wire at the crossing of these two son, said cross light at least partially delimiting four generally triangular horns.

Thanks to these provisions, the weir according to the invention can equip any type of cable tray with wires, including a cable tray with wires, the bottom panel of which has only one longitudinal wire.

In addition, the spherical shape of the spillway allows cables, in too many folds or angles, to exit in all directions.

Advantageously, one of the grooves is deeper than the other.

Preferably, the depth of the deepest groove is at most equal to the sum of the diameters of the wires in line with their crossing.

Advantageously, the difference in the depths of the two grooves is substantially equal to the diameter of the wire installed in the deepest groove.

Preferably, the width of each groove corresponds to the diameter of the wire that it is adapted to receive.

For its fixing to the cable tray, the weir is associated with a fixing element in the form of a jumper; advantageously, when one of the grooves is deeper than the other, the jumper is adapted to allow the weir to be supported by the wire installed in the deepest groove by being at least partly disposed between, on the one hand , said wire and, on the other hand, the inner face of the horns.

Advantageously, the fixing jumper is U-shaped, curved or folded, having a core and two wings defining a notch.

Preferably, the width of the notch corresponds approximately to the diameter of the wire installed in the shallowest groove.

Advantageously, at least one edge of the wings of the fixing jumper is provided with a rim whose height is slightly increasing from their free end, in the direction of the core.

According to one embodiment, the fixing jumper is made of sheet metal and obtained by generally cylindrical bending of a cut plate; alternatively, it is made of molded plastic. Advantageously, the weir is made of metal, for example stamped sheet metal; alternatively, it is made of plastic.

The present invention also relates to a wire cable tray equipped with at least one weir, the weir being of the above type. The bottom panel of the wire cable tray may have only one longitudinal wire.

The characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description which follows, by way of example, with reference to the appended schematic drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cable tray made of wires ; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a weir according to the invention; Figure 3 is a sectional view along III-III of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a sectional view along IV-IV of Figure 2; Figure 5 is a perspective view of a fixing jumper according to the invention; Figure 6 is an elevational view of the fixing jumper of Figure 5; Figure 7 is a side view of the fixing jumper of Figure 5; Figure 8 is a plan view of the fixing jumper of Figure 5 before shaping; Figure 9 is a perspective view of the weir of Figure 2 attached to the cable tray of Figure 1; Figure 1 0 is a sectional view along XX of Figure 9; Figure 1 1 is a sectional view along XI-XI of Figure 9; Figure 1 2 is a perspective view of a variant of fixing jumper according to the invention; Figure 1 3 is an elevational view of the fixing jumper of Figure 1 2; Figure 1 4 is a sectional view along XIV-XIV of Figure 1 3; Figure 1 5 is a perspective view of a weir according to the invention fixed on the cable tray of Figure 1 by the fixing jumper of Figure 1 2; Figures 1 6 and 1 7 are sectional views along X VI-XVI and XVII-XVII, respectively, of Figure 1 5. As illustrated in these figures, it is, overall, the equipment d 'a cable tray 10 son shown alone in Figure 1.

In a manner known per se, this cable tray of wires 10 comprises, in a meshed form, wires 1 1, 1 2 of two different types, namely, on the one hand, longitudinal wires 1 1, which run, longitudinally, rectilinear or substantially rectilinear, over its entire length, and, on the other hand, established transversely from place to place, in a regular pitch, along these longitudinal wires 1 1, being duly subject thereto, transverse wires 1 2 shaped into a U, the assembly forming, overall, in the manner of a chute, three panels 1 3, 14, namely, a bottom panel 1 3 and two side panels 14.

In practice, the wires 1 1, 1 2 are metallic wires, and, more precisely, steel wires, and, at their crossing 1 6, they are secured to each other by welding.

By construction, the wires 1 1, 1 2 cross at different levels. In practice, the longitudinal wires 1 1 are at a lower level and are called lower wires, and the transverse wires 1 2 are at a higher level and are called upper wires.

In other words, the longitudinal wires 1 1 extend outside the transverse wires 1 2; but, of course, it could be otherwise, the transverse wires 1 2 then extending outside the longitudinal wires 1 1.

In the embodiment shown, all these wires 1 1, 1 2 are round wires; in other words, they all have a circular cross section; but other forms of section are possible: square, rectangular, round with flats, polygonal or other; the concept of diameter within the meaning of the present application covers that of width or thickness of the wire according to the shape of its section. For example, and as shown, the diameter of the latter is the same for all, but it is not necessarily always so.

In the embodiment shown, the bottom panel 1 3 comprises two longitudinal son 1 1 and, at each step, these longitudinal son 1 1 define, with the transverse son 1 2 corresponding, a mesh.

But, as before, the number of longitudinal wires 1 1 that this bottom panel 1 3 comprises, and, therefore, the number of meshes that they form at each step, may be different; in particular, this bottom panel 1 3 could comprise, in a variant not shown, only a longitudinal wire 1 1.

In the embodiment shown, each of the side panels 14 has only two longitudinal wires 1 1, namely, an intermediate longitudinal wire 1 1, which intervenes substantially at mid-height, and a longitudinal edge wire 1 1. But, as before, this number of longitudinal wires 1 1 may be different.

In particular, the side panels 14 can, like the bottom panel 1 3, form meshes, of the same extension as the meshes of this bottom panel 1 3 or of different extension.

In the embodiment shown, the longitudinal wire 1 1 of the edge of the side panels 14 comprises, from place to place, according to the pitch, corrugations 1 5 by means of which it abuts the transverse wires 1 2, but it does not this is not necessarily always the case.

Figures 2 to 4 show a weir 20 intended to be associated with a cable tray in son, such as for example the cable tray 1 0, under the conditions described below.

The weir 20 is in the form of a hollow semi-spherical cap; it is provided, in its top part, with a cross light embodying two grooves 21, 22 adapted to receive one 21 a longitudinal wire 1 1, the other 22 a transverse wire 1 2 in line with one of their crosses 1 6; the wires 1 1 and 1 2 being superimposed on the crossing 1 6, one of the grooves, here the groove 21, is deeper than the other groove 22; thus, the two grooves 21, 22 delimit four generally triangular horns 23. The width of each groove 21, 22 corresponds to the diameter of the wire 1 1, 1 2 respectively that it is adapted to receive.

Advantageously, the depth of the deepest groove, here the groove 21, is at most equal to the sum of the diameters of the wires 1 1 and 1 2, in line with their crossing 1 6: thus, one is sure that the top part of the weir 20, which in particular comprises the tips of the horns 23 of triangular shape, will not exceed, inside the cable tray, the upper level of the upper wires, here the transverse wires 1 2: thanks to this arrangement, the cables are not likely to be injured, when they are put in place or in service, in particular by said points.

The overflow 20 can be made of metal, for example stamped sheet metal, or plastic.

For its attachment to the cable tray 10, a fixing element in the form of a jumper is provided.

Figures 5 to 7 show an example of a fixing jumper; this fixing jumper 30 is obtained by generally cylindrical bending of a plate 31, FIG. 8, cut in a U having a core 32 and two wings 33 defining a notch 34 with a circular bottom, the width of which corresponds approximately to the diameter of a transverse wire 1 2, or even is slightly lower than this.

To fix the weir 20 to the cable tray 10, we proceed as follows.

We present the weir 20, concavity directed downwards, under the cable tray 1 0, in line with a crossing 1 6 of two wires 1 1 and 1 2, and we lift it towards the cable tray 1 0 to make penetrate each of the wires 1 1 and 1 2 into its corresponding groove 21, 22; the fixing jumper 30 is then presented inside the weir 20; the fixing jumper 30 is held by its core 32, playing the role of a gripping core, the concavity of the fixing jumper 30 being directed downwards; it then suffices to slide the wings 33 of the fixing jumper 30 between the horns 23 and the longitudinal wire 1 1 while placing on either side of the transverse wire 1 2; Figures 9 to 1 1 show the weir 20 thus fixed to the cable tray 1 0.

To take account of manufacturing tolerances, it is desirable that a wedging effect accompany the introduction of the wings 33; to do this, they have an edge provided with a flange 35 whose height is slightly increasing from the end of the wings 33, in the direction of the core 32; here, the flanges 35 are on the side of the notch 34, but they could also be or only outside of it; here, the flanges 35 extend from the convex side of the wings 33, they could extend from the concave side; the height of the edges, although variable, is minimal, so that they do not interfere with the bending operation; it is for this reason that the flanges 35 are not visible in FIGS. 9 to 11.

It should be noted that thanks to the cross arrangement of the grooves 21 and 22, the weir 20 is naturally immobilized in rotation. Advantageously, the difference in the depths of the two grooves

21, 22 is substantially equal to the diameter of the lower wire, installed in the deepest groove 21, here a longitudinal wire 11, so that it is practically certain that the two wires are in contact with the bottom of the two grooves 21, 22. The difference in level of the longitudinal and transverse wires makes it possible to obtain a clearance under the horns 23 into which the fixing jumper 30 can be introduced.

Figures 1 2 to 14 show a variant of fixing jumper; here, the fixing jumper 40 is made of plastic; it is in the shape of a folded U having a core 42 and two wings 43 defining a notch 44; to implement such a fixing jumper 40, the grooves 21 and 22 of the weir 20 are obviously deeper than those of the previous variant to take into account the thickness of the wings 43 which is greater than that of the wings 33 in sheet metal. The fixing of the weir 20 to the cable tray 1 0 using the fixing jumper 40 is carried out in the same way as above and illustrated by FIGS. 1 5 to 1 7.

Advantageously, the tabs 43 have a boss 45 on their face facing the notch 44: thus, the fixing jumper 40 is somehow clipped onto the longitudinal wire 11 of the cable tray 10.

According to a variant not shown, the plastic jumper has wings 43 of height slightly increasing from their free end, in the direction of the core, if one wishes to obtain a wedging effect, in the manner of that which is obtained by the edges 35 of the sheet metal jumper 30 above.

As will be understood, the weir according to the invention being fixed to the cable tray in wires below the latter, the assembly operation of the weir can be carried out even when the cables are already in place in the path cables.

Claims

1. Weir intended to locally equip a cable tray (10) with wires of the kind comprising, in a meshed form, wires (1 1, 12) of two different types, namely, on the one hand, at least one longitudinal wire (1 1), which runs longitudinally over its entire length, and, on the other hand, established transversely along this longitudinal wire (1 1), being duly subject thereto, transverse wires (1 2) shaped as U , the assembly (10) generally forming, in the manner of a chute, three panels (1 3, 14), namely a bottom panel (1 3) and two side panels (14), characterized in that '' it is in the form of a hollow semi-spherical cap (20) the top part of which is provided with a cross light embodying two grooves (21, 22) adapted to receive one (21) a longitudinal wire (1 1) and the other (22) a transverse wire (1 2) in line with a crossing (1 6) of these two wires (1 1, 1 2), said cross light delimiting at least p artificially four generally triangular horns (23).

2. Spillway according to claim 1, characterized in that one (21) of the grooves is deeper than the other (22).

3. Spillway according to claim 2, characterized in that the depth of the deepest groove (21) is at most equal to the sum of the diameters of the son (1 1, 12) at their crossing point (16).

4. Spillway according to one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that the difference in the depths of the two grooves (21, 22) is substantially equal to the diameter of the wire (1 1) installed in the deepest groove (21 ).

5. Spillway according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the width of each groove (21, 22) corresponds to the diameter of the wire (1 1, 1 2) that it is adapted to receive.

6. Spillway according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, for its attachment to the cable tray (10), it is associated with a fixing element in the form of a jumper (30,40).

7. spillway according to claim 6 taken in combination with one of claims 2 to 4, or with claim 5 taken per se, characterized in that the jumper (30,40) is adapted to allow to support the weir (20) by the wire (1 1) installed in the deepest groove (21) being at least partially disposed between, on the one hand, said wire

(1 1) and, on the other hand, the inner face of the horns (23).

8. Spillway according to claim 7, characterized in that the fixing jumper (30.40) is U-shaped, curved or folded, having a core (32,42) and two wings (33) defining a notch ( 34).

9. Weir according to claim 8, characterized in that the width of the notch (34) corresponds approximately to the diameter of the wire (1 2) installed in the shallowest groove (22).

10. Spillway according to one of claims 8 or 9, characterized in that at least one edge of the wings (33) of the fixing jumper (30,40) is provided with a flange (35) whose height is slightly increasing from their free end, towards the web (32,42).

1 1. Spillway according to one of claims 6 to 10, characterized in that the fixing jumper (30) is made of sheet metal and obtained by generally cylindrical bending of a cut plate (31).

1 2. Spillway according to one of claims 6 to 10, characterized in that the fixing jumper (40) is made of molded plastic.

1 3. Spillway according to one of claims 1 to 1 2, characterized in that it is made of metal.

14. Spillway according to one of claims 1 to 1 2, characterized in that it is made of plastic.

1 5. Wire cable tray equipped with at least one weir, characterized in that the weir is according to one of claims 1 to 14.

16. Wire cable tray according to claim 1 5, characterized in that the bottom panel (1 3) has only one longitudinal wire (1 1).