Electricity: conductors and insulators – Conduits – cables or conductors – Single duct conduits
Reexamination Certificate
1998-05-06
2002-04-30
Reichard, Dean A. (Department: 2831)
Electricity: conductors and insulators
Conduits, cables or conductors
Single duct conduits
C174S0720TR, C174S101000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06380484
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is for a cable routing duct, and more particularly, pertains to a cable routing duct having a series of accessible chambers and adjacent accommodation slots for cables or like-shaped elements.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Routing of cables is like unraveling fishing line or uncoiling a rattlesnake. Cable management has always been a time consuming, labor intensive task, usually requiring dexterity and patience, and extensive manual time-consuming labor.
The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a cable routing duct which can be easily installed with simple tools, such as a drill and screwdriver, and with simple hardware, such as screws or nuts and bolts, and which can easily be configured by a simple cutting device, such as a saw or shears.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The general purpose of the present invention is to provide a cable routing duct.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a one-piece cable routing duct, including a series of rectangular-shaped chambers having common back, top and bottom planar members. Each chamber includes an access panel which includes, at one end, a living hinge of co-injected plastic materials, and at the other end, a latch member. The latch member engages a hook member to provide a secured chamber. A three-sided wire or cable accommodation slot separates adjacent chambers and provides for branching of cables, or like-shaped elements, such as wire, tubes, optical fibers, etc., from the interior of the chambers for routing to external components or devices. Any number of chambers can be opened in succession or on an individual basis, as desired, to easily insert or remove cables without disturbing other branched cables which are contained by unopened chambers. The access panels, when opened for cable insertion, spring to an open position about the co-injected living hinges to allow passage of cables to the interior of the chambers without interference from the access panel, which is conveniently held out of the way by the spring memory of the co-injected material living hinges.
An alternate embodiment discloses a cable routing duct having angular and memory relationships between planar members which promote positive locking of planar members.
One significant aspect and feature of the present invention is a cable routing duct having a series of accessible chambers separated by cable accommodation slots.
An additional significant aspect and feature of the present invention is access panels which secure by hook and latch engagement.
Another significant aspect and feature of the present invention is access panels having co-injected living hinges.
Still another significant aspect and feature of the present invention is a cable routing duct where the required number of chambers may be opened for access while at the same time leaving other chambers and cables undisturbed.
A further significant aspect and feature of the present invention is co-injected hinges exhibiting a spring-open memory to provide for positioning of access panels for non-interfering access to a chamber.
Another significant aspect and feature of the present invention is a cable routing duct which can be manufactured in various sizes, each with the same general profile and capabilities, to retain various sizes and numbers of cables.
Another significant aspect and feature of the present invention is a cable routing duct with a flat rear surface to provide a mounting means for attaching to frames or other media via holes punched in the rear mounting surface or by two-sided adhesive tape.
Another significant aspect and feature of the present invention is the incorporation of an angle between the planar back member and the planar bottom member for providing a positive locking method between planar members of the accessible chambers.
Having thus described significant aspects and features of the present invention, it is the principal object of the present invention to provide a cable routing duct.
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Sweere Harry C.
Theis John W.
Ergotron, Inc.
Reichard Dean A.
Schwegman Lundberg Woessner & Kluth P.A.
Walkenhorst W. David
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