WO2016203032A1

WO2016203032A1 - Retainer for cable raceway

Info

Publication number: WO2016203032A1
Application number: PCT/EP2016/064105
Authority: WO
Inventors: Roy Macnaughton; Tomasz KOPINSKI
Original assignee: Tyco Electronics Uk Ltd
Priority date: 2015-06-19
Filing date: 2016-06-17
Publication date: 2016-12-22
Also published as: GB2539492B; GB201510777D0; GB2539492A

Abstract

A retainer assembly for a cable raceway (10) comprises a bridge member (15) configured to extend an upper part of channels (12) of the raceway and to be retained thereby one or more flexible cable ties (18) passing around the outside of the raceway. Retaining feet (16) are mounted on the bridge member and are movable downwards into the cable channels to retain wires or cables (100) therein. The retaining feet engage the bridge member with a ratchet mechanism which prevents reversal of their downward movement into the channel while the bridge member is in place.

Description

RETAINER FOR CABLE RACEWAY

[0001] This invention relates to a system for retaining cable bundles in raceways.

[0002] In many fields of engineering, notably aircraft manufacture, bundles of cables such as electric wires or fibre optic cables run in raceways, which comprise open channels typically of extruded aluminium. The bundles are retained in the channels at intervals by retainers locked into the channels. Often a raceway section comprises several parallel channels in a single extrusion, and it is important to ensure that the wires or cables are securely retained in their respective channels and do not become entangled with one another but break out of their respective channels at the desired positions.

[0003] US-A-4993669 discloses a cable or bundle tie

arrangement comprising a plastic tie strap and a tie head. The tie head includes a housing having a pair of spaced apart slots forming a pair of strap-receiving passageways. Each passageway has an entrance opening and at least one of them has an exit opening. A pawl-receiving channel extends through the housing and intermediate the passageways and has at least one channel opening disposed substantially normal to the entrance opening where an intermediate portion of the channel intersects each of the passageways. A pawl member is mounted in the channel through the channel opening and includes a base portion and a pair of arms extending from opposite sides of the base, each of these arms having a free end with a blade section to engage an inner surface of a strap passing through one of the passageways. The strap can thus be pulled tight around a wire bundle and lockingly maintain the tension around the article or bundle being tied. [0004] WO 2014/060773 discloses a cable tie system comprising a tie member and a retainer. The tie member comprising a base having upper and lower sides, the lower side being provided with means for securing it within a cable raceway and the upper side having a pair of elongate ties projecting upwardly therefrom, the retainer comprising a housing with a pair of passages dimensioned and positioned each to receive a respective one of said ties, each of said passages having a resilient engaging member to engage a tie passing through said passage and each of said resilient engaging members being connected to a release member which can be actuated to release the tie from the engaging member. The projection is preferably in the form of a resilient barbed projection to engage the underside of the raceway to retain the base in place.

[0005] The latter system relies for retention of the cable tie system on a projection through an aperture in the bottom surface of the raceway, which can be difficult to remove if the underside of the raceway is not easily accessible, since removal typically involves using a tool to engage the

projection under the raceway. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to have a retainer system which could easily be released at the top or side of the raceway.

[0006] The present invention provides a cable retainer assembly comprising a bridge member configured to extend in a first direction transversely across an open channel of a cable raceway and to be retained there by means of a cable tie, and at least one retaining foot mountable on said bridge member to be movable relative thereto in a second direction transverse to said first direction to engage wires or cables in said channel and to be retained in a cable-retaining position relative to said bridge member, the retaining foot engaging said bridge member in such a way as to prevent reversal of said movement in the second direction.

[0007] The assembly preferably comprises a plurality of said retaining feet, arranged to engage said bridge member in parallel spaced apart positions to retain wires or cables in a plurality of adjacent channels of a cable raceway. The bridge member and retaining feet may suitably be of a

resilient plastics material, and may be injection moulded.

[0008] The bridge member is typically of elongate shape and may include an open or closed cable tie channel to enable a flexible cable tie to pass along the channel and around the outside of a raceway, whereby securing the ends of the cable tie together retains the bridge member on the raceway with the retaining foot extending into a channel of the raceway to hold a wire or cable bundle in position.

[0009] In some embodiments, the bridge member may have a cable tie integrally formed therewith extending from one end of the bridge member, whereby the cable tie may pass around a cable raceway and engage and be secured by passing through an aperture at the opposite end of the bridge member.

[0010] The engagement between the bridge member and the or each retaining foot preferably includes a ratchet engagement allowing relative movement in one direction only. More preferably, two such ratchet engagements are provided, spaced from one another.

[0011] The or each retaining foot preferably comprises a base having an underside forming a wire-engaging surface and a pair of leg members extending from the opposite side of the base and configured to engage respective opposite sides of the bridge member and to be retained thereby. The leg members preferably have lower ends connected together by the base portion and upper ends connected together by a top portion, thereby forming a central opening through which the bridge member can extend. The leg members preferably engage the bridge member by means of respective toothed ratchet surfaces arranged to engage corresponding ratchet surfaces on the sides of the bridge member whereby they can be pushed down into a cable channel and into a cable retaining

position, in which they are held against reverse movement by the ratchet mechanism. The bridge member may have formations on one side thereof to engage corresponding formations on a cable raceway to fix its position relative to the raceway.

[0012] Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein :

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the separate parts of a cable retaining assembly in accordance with one

embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an underside view of a bridge member of the assembly of Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is a more detailed perspective view of a bridge member and one retaining foot of the assembly of Figure 1 ;

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing how the retaining foot of Figure 3 is mounted on the bridge member;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the bridge member and three retaining feet of Figure 1, assembled and ready for use ; Figure 6 is an end elevation of the bridge member and retaining foot of Figure 4 ;

Figure 7 shows the assembly of Figure 6 with the retaining foot pushed down relative to the bridge member;

Figure 8 shows the assembly of Figure 5 inserted into a cable raceway;

Figure 9 shows the assembly of Figure 8 with two cable ties in place;

Figure 10 shows the assembly of Figure 9 with the retaining feet pushed down to engage a bundle of wires in each channel of the raceway;

Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view on the line XI to XI in Figure 10;

Figure 12 shows an end elevation of a retaining foot of the invention mounted on a bridge member and pushed down into its release position; and

Figure 13 shows a bridge member for an assembly in accordance with a further embodiment of the invention.

[0013] Referring first to Figure 1, a section of cable raceway generally indicated by 10 comprises three parallel channels 12 separated by spacer sections 13 on the upper surfaces of which apertures 14 are provided at intervals to accommodate bridge members such as 15, forming part of a raceway assembly in accordance with the present invention. The raceway section is also provided with feet 17 having screw holes to secure the raceway section in its desired position . [0014] The retainer assembly of this embodiment comprises a bridge section 15, three retaining feet 16, one for each channel 12 of the raceway, and two flexible cable ties 18.

[0015] Figure 2 shows the underside of the bridge member 15 of Figure 1, on which are provided two projecting formations 22 to engage the apertures 14, so that the bridge member can be placed across the upper edges of the channels as shown in Figures 8 to 10 and retained against horizontal movement along or across the raceway.

[0016] The bridge member also has, spaced along its

longitudinal outer edges, pairs of foot-engaging portions 24 each comprising a pair of side members 23 having inwardly turned free ends 27 with a gap 28 between them, defining an opening 25. Within each opening 25 is an outwardly facing ratchet surface 26 on the side of the bridge member to engage a corresponding ratchet surface on one of the retaining feet 16. The spacing between the pairs of foot-engaging portions corresponds to the spacing between the channels 12 of the raceway 10.

[0017] The bridge member also comprises a pair of

longitudinal channels 20 extending right through it for passage of the cable ties 18 which may be of conventional type. The latter are made of a flexible material, suitably plastics, elongate in shape and each having at one end a locking section through which the opposite end of the tie may be inserted having passed around the raceway, to be locked against withdrawal by a locking mechanism within the channel 19.

[0018] Referring now to Figure 3, a retaining foot 16 comprises a wire-engaging base portion 30, a pair of upright legs 32 and a top section 35 joining the legs, thus forming a generally quadrilateral shape with a central opening through which the bridge member can pass. Ratchet surfaces 34 are provided on the inner sides of legs 32, facing one another and spaced from the legs 32 on which they are mounted by narrow elongate neck portions 60. Widened sections 36, 38 are provided respectively below and above the ratchet

surfaces 34.

[0019] The retaining foot 16 can be mounted on the bridge member 15 by aligning its lower widened section 36 as seen in Figure 3 with the bridge member and passing it along the bridge member to an engagement position shown in Figure 4. Figure 6 is an elevational view showing the alignment of the foot 16 with the bridge member 15 on insertion.

[0020] In the position shown in Figures 4 and 6, the foot- engaging portions 24 are aligned with the leg portions 32 so that each ratchet surface 34 is above a space 25 with its neck portion 60 aligned with the gap 28, the width of which corresponds approximately to that of the neck portion.

[0021] Also in the position shown in Figure 4, the ratchet surfaces of the bridge member and the retaining foot are aligned so that the retaining foot can be pushed downwardly until its ratchet surfaces engage the corresponding ratchet surfaces 26 within the spaces 25 of the foot engaging

portions 24. The retaining foot can then be pushed downwards relative to the bridge member, for example to a position such as that shown in elevation in Figure 7. The teeth of the ratchet surfaces are oriented so as to prevent any reversal of this movement.

[0022] Figure 5 shows the assembly ready for insertion into a raceway, with the three retaining feet 16 threaded on to the bridge member to engage the three pairs of foot-engaging members 24, the retaining feet being pushed down slightly to engage the ratchet members .

[0023] Figure 8 shows the bridge member 15 of Figures 1 to 7 positioned across three channels 12 of a raceway 10 with three retaining feet mounted on it, one said foot extending downwardly into each of the channels. As can be seen in this figure, the length of the bridge member 15 corresponds at least approximately to the width of the raceway.

[0024] Referring now to Figure 9, two cable ties 18 are passed through the respective parallel channels 20 of the bridge member and around the outside of the raceway, the free end of each tie being drawn through its respective locking head 19 to secure the bridge member 15 tightly in position.

[0025] Figure 10 shows wire bundles 100 arranged in each of the three channels of the raceway, the three retaining feet 16 being pushed down over the bridge member to retain them in position. The ratchet engagement between the retaining feet and the bridge member prevents the feet from being withdrawn until the whole assembly is removed by cutting or otherwise releasing the cable ties 18.

[0026] The cross-sectional view of Figure 11 shows how the retaining foot 16 engages a wire bundle 100 with its base surface 30 and is retained against upward movement by

engagement of its ratchet surfaces 34 with respective ratchet surfaces 25 of the bridge member 15. The bridge member itself is held against movement by the tightened cable ties 18 passing through channels 20 of the bridge member and around the raceway 10, and is furthermore held against longitudinal movement along the raceway by engagement of the projections on its underside in corresponding apertures in the upper surface of the raceway between the channels. [0027] To remove a retainer assembly from the raceway, the cable ties 18 are cut or otherwise released, enabling the bridge member 15 with its three retaining feet 16 to be removed from the raceway. The retaining feet can be removed from the bridge member by pushing them downwards relative to the bridge member to the position shown in Figure 12, wherein the bridge member is in the upper widened section 38 of the retaining foot and thus clear of the ratchet surfaces, enabling the bridge member to slide axially relative to the retaining feet.

[0028] Finally, Figure 13 shows another embodiment of a bridge member in which a flexible cable tie 118 is attached to a bridge portion 115 at the opposite end of which is a retaining slot 119 for the cable tie. Engaging members 124 with ratchet surfaces 125 are positioned at intervals along each side of the bridge member as in the previously described embodiment, and raceway engaging projections 122 are provided on the underside of the body 115 of the bridge member.

[0029] The bridge member of Figure 13 works in the same way as that of the previously described embodiment, being

positioned across a raceway with retaining feet mounted thereon, the flexible tie 118 then being passed around the outside of the raceway and inserted through the locking end 119 to retain the bridge member in place.

Claims

1. A cable retainer assembly comprising a bridge member

configured to extend in a first direction transversely across an open channel of a cable raceway and to be retained there by means of a cable tie, and at least one retaining foot mountable on said bridge member to be movable relative thereto in a second direction transverse to said first direction to engage wires or cables in said channel and to be retained in a cable-retaining position relative to said bridge member, the retaining foot engaging said bridge member in such a way as to prevent reversal of said movement in the second direction.

2. An assembly according to claim 1 comprising a plurality of said retaining feet, arranged to engage said bridge member in parallel spaced apart positions to retain wires or cables in a plurality of adjacent channels of a cable raceway .

3. An assembly according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the bridge member includes an open or closed cable tie channel extending in said first direction to enable a flexible cable tie to pass along the channel and around the outside of a raceway, whereby securing the ends of the cable tie together retains the bridge member on the raceway with the retaining foot extending into a channel of the raceway.

4. An assembly according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the bridge member has a cable tie integrally formed therewith and extending from one end of the bridge member, whereby the cable tie may pass around a cable raceway and engage and be secured by passing through an aperture at the opposite end of the bridge member.

5. An assembly according to any preceding claim wherein the engagement between the bridge member and the or each retaining foot includes a ratchet engagement allowing relative movement in one direction only.

6. An assembly according to claim 5 wherein two said ratchet engagements are provided, spaced from one another.

7. An assembly according to any preceding claims wherein the or each retaining foot comprises a base portion having an underside forming a wire-engaging surface and a pair of leg members extending from an upper side of the base portion and configured to engage respective opposite sides of the bridge member and to be retained thereby.

8. An assembly according to claim 7 wherein the leg members have lower ends connected together by the base portion and upper ends connected together by a top portion, thereby forming a central opening through which the bridge member can extend.

9. An assembly according to claim 7 or claim 8 wherein the leg members engage the bridge member by means of

respective toothed ratchet surfaces arranged to engage corresponding ratchet surfaces on the sides of the bridge member .

10. An assembly according to any preceding claim wherein the bridge member has formations on one side thereof to engage corresponding formations on a cable raceway to hold the bridge member against horizontal movement relative to the raceway.

11. A cable raceway comprising an elongate channel for the passage of wires or cables and at least one retainer assembly according to any of the preceding claims, the bridge member of said assembly being securable

transversely across an upper part of the cable channel by means of a cable tie passing around the outside of the channel and a retaining foot mounted on said bridge member and movable downwardly into said channel to retain wires or cables therein, to be retained there by

engagement with said bridge member.

12. A cable raceway assembly according to claim 11 wherein the raceway comprises a plurality of parallel cable channels, a plurality of retaining feet being mounted on the bridge member of the retaining assembly and extending into said parallel channels.