WO2020099676A1

WO2020099676A1 - Cable guide apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2020099676A1
Application number: PCT/EP2019/081635
Authority: WO
Inventors: Dale Barrett
Original assignee: Electro Expo Ltd; MOULE, Peter
Priority date: 2018-11-16
Filing date: 2019-11-18
Publication date: 2020-05-22
Also published as: GB2580301B; GB201818724D0; GB2580301A

Abstract

Cable guide apparatus comprises a rectangular open-topped elongate cable tray having a floor section bordered on two opposed sides by upstanding wall sections (14) and a plurality of spaced cross members (16) of adjustable length which extend between and are supported at each end by said elongate walls sections (14). Each end of each cross member (16) includes attachment means for connection to an adjoining side of said cable tray. At least one upstanding support member (52) of adjustable height is provided for attachment at one end to the floor section (12) of the tray and at its other end to a cross member (16) to provide support therefore.

Description

CABLE GUIDE APPARATUS

Field of the Invention This invention relates to cable guide apparatus and to a method of guiding and containing electrical cabling employing such apparatus.

Background to the invention

Cable guides are well known and generally include a solid lid to close off the cable guide interior thereby to retain cables positioned in the cable guide. The solid lid increases both material and installation costs and leads to increased installation time.

Our earlier patent GB2498596 concerns an improved cable guide which includes an elongate back plate on which is located a frame work comprising a plurality of pivotal hooped support elements which extend laterally across the back plate, and a plurality of elongate struts which interconnect the hooped support elements. While this cable guide provides enhanced access to cables, it is relatively costly to produce.

The present invention is directed to improved cable guide apparatus which is relatively simple to assemble and use and which is essentially open-topped to provide ready access to cabling located in the cable guide.

Summary of the Invention

In one aspect the invention provides cable guide apparatus which comprises a rectangular open-topped elongate cable tray having a floor section bordered on two opposed sides by upstanding wall sections and a plurality of spaced cross members of adjustable length which extend between and are supported at each end by said elongate wall sections, and at least one upstanding support member of adjustable height for attachment at one end to said floor section of the tray and at its other end to said cross member to provide support therefore. Each end of each cross member preferably includes attachment means for connection to an adjoining side of said cable tray. Preferably each said attachment means is of adjustable length.

The cable tray may comprise an open framework comprising a plurality of wire rods which extend along the length of the cable tray and a plurality of wire rods which extend across the width of the cable tray, the ends of the width-wise extending wire rods being angled to define the sides of the cable tray.

In another aspect the invention provides a method of guiding and containing electrical cabling which comprises the steps of locating said cabling within a rectangular open- topped tray of open framework having a floor section bordered on two sides by upstanding wall sections and a plurality of spaced cross members of adjustable length which extend between and are supported at each end by said elongate wall sections, and at least one upstanding support member of adjustable height for attachment at one end to said floor section of the tray and at its other end to said cross-member to provide support therefore.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:-

Figure 1 is an isometric view of a cable tray in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is an isometric view of a cable retention member which forms part of the cable tray illustrated in Figure 1 ;

Figures 3 and 4 are respectively a plan view from above of the cable retention member illustrated in Figure 2 and a side view of that member;

Figures 5 and 6 are respectively front and side views of a post member which forms part of the illustrated cable tray;

Figure 7 is a front view of a slider member which forms part of the illustrated cable tray; Figures 8 and 9 are respectively side and isometric views of the slider member illustrated in Figure 7;

Figure 10 is a front view of a housing for the slider member illustrated in Figures 7 to 9; Figures 1 1 and 12 are respectively side and isometric views of the housing illustrated in Figure 10; and

Figure 13 is an isometric view of a divider member which forms part of the illustrated cable tray.

Detailed Description of the Invention

As illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings, the cable tray is both open-topped and open- ended and comprises a plurality of wire rods 10, 12 which extend respectively along the length and across the width of the cable tray. The sides 14 of the tray are defined by the three outermost longitudinally extending wire rods 10 of each side of the tray and the ends of the width-wise extending rods 12 which are each turned through approximately 90 degrees.

The rods 10 12 are connected by, for example, a spot welding technique. Other known techniques can, however, be employed.

The ends of the cable tray are open and can readily be connected by clips or otherwise to the ends of additional identical or similar cable trays to extend the overall tray length at will. Alternatively, the open ends of the cable tray may simply lie adjacent to the ends of such additional cable trays, no physical connections being provided.

Whereas the illustrated cable tray construction is preferred, other forms of open- topped cable tray produced from metal, plastics or other suitable materials can readily be employed provided they replicate the features and overall shape of the illustrated cable tray.

Extending across the width of the cable tray are cross members 16 which, in use, assist retention of cables within the cable tray. The features of these cross members can best be seen from Figures 2 to 4 of the drawings. As illustrated in Figures 2 to 4, each cross member 16 comprises one or a series of interconnected hollow elongate members 20 each formed with a generally flat upper surface 22 and a curvilinear under-surface 24. The ends of each member 20 are connected to and supported by the ends of the rods 12 which define the sides 14 of the cable tray. Clips are provided to effect the required connection between each rod 12 and the respective end of the respective elongate member 20.

The overall length of each cross member 16 can be changed to match the width of any given cable tray by means of a member 26 of adjustable length which protrudes from one or each end of each member 20. In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 2 to 4 of the drawings, a slide member 26 of adjustable length protrudes from only one end of each member 20. Alternatively, a slide member 26 may protrude from each end of the member 20.

An adjustable length member 26 is shown in greater detail in Figures 7 to 12 of the accompanying drawings. Each member 26 comprises an elongate outer body 28 and a slider member 30 which locates within one end of the outer body 28 and is movable relative to the outer body 28.

The body 28 includes at one end an end piece 32 dimensioned to define a relatively tight sliding fit within an adjoining open end of a selected cross member 16, and at its other end a receptor 34 for receiving one end of a slider member 30. The receptor 34 includes inwardly projecting rails 38 which engage side track members 40 of the slide member 30. Thus, the members 30 can slide relative to the receptor thereby to vary the length of the respective cross member.

One face 42 of each slider member 30 is formed with serrations 44 which co-operate with serrations 46 formed in the internal surface of the receptor 34 for location purposes.

Each slider member 30 includes at its end remote from the end piece 32 a pair of clips 48 dimensioned to clip over the adjoining side of the cable tray. Similar clips 50 protrude from the opposite end of each cross member 16 for connection to the opposite side of the cable tray. Support posts 52 are provided to support each cross member 16. Each support post 52 includes an upper connector 54 (shown in greater detail in Figure 13) shaped to engage a cross member 16 and is formed with a hollow interior into the open end of which the respective connector projects. The lower end of each support leg includes one or more clips which clip over the rod 1 2 which lies below the respective cross piece.

In use, a series of end to end cable trays are employed to receive a plurality of cables of a building, the cables being retained in place within the trays by the cross members 16. The trays may be aligned horizontally within, for example, a roof space or vertically between walls of a building.

It will be appreciated that the foregoing is merely exemplary of apparatus in accordance with the invention and that various modifications can be made thereto without departing from the true scope of the invention as set out in the appended claims.

Claims

1. Cable guide apparatus which comprises a rectangular open-topped elongate cable tray having a floor section bordered on two opposed sides by upstanding wall sections and a plurality of spaced cross members of adjustable length which extend between and are supported at each end by said elongate walls sections, and at least one upstanding support member of adjustable height for attachment at one end to said floor section of the tray and at its other end to said cross member to provide support therefore.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein each end of each cross member includes attachment means for connection to an adjoining side of said cable tray.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein each said attachment means is of adjustable length.

4. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the cable tray has an open framework comprising a plurality of wire rods which extend along the length of the cable tray and a plurality of wire rods which extend across the width of the cable tray, the ends of the width-wise extending wire rods being angled to define the sides of the cable tray 5. A method of guiding and containing electrical cabling which comprises the steps of locating said cabling within a rectangular open-topped tray of open framework having a floor section bordered on two sides by upstanding wall sections and a plurality of spaced cross members of adjustable length which extend between and are supported at each end by said elongate wall sections, and at least one upstanding support member of adjustable height for attachment at one end to said floor section of the tray and at its other end to said cross-member to provide support therefore.