Supports – Pipe or cable
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-27
2001-11-20
King, Anita (Department: 3632)
Supports
Pipe or cable
C248S068100, C248S058000, C248S065000, C248S089000, C211S026000, C211S041300, C174S0720TR, C174S0720TR, C174S068100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06318680
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to an arrangement for retaining individual cables or wires inside a cable trough.
2. Discussion of the Known Art
Troughs are generally known for use in retaining and routing wires or cables over desired paths between racks of electrical or communication equipment. For example, a cable management system offered by Panduit Network Systems Group, includes 83-inch high vertical panels that are fixed along sides of equipment racks housing fiber optic distribution shelves. Retaining fingers are provided at certain intervals over the height of the vertical panels, to retain cables within bounds of the panels. See also U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/427,900 filed Oct. 27, 1999, entitled “Cable Management Assembly for Equipment Racks”, which application is assigned to the assignee of the present application and invention.
A vertical cable retainer made by Chatsworth Products is also known. The retainer is in the form of a trough that confines inserted cables on three sides, and uses swing arms at the front of the trough to retain the cables in the trough. Thus, in order to insert or withdraw cables into or out of the trough, the swing arms must be moved out of a retaining position, and then swung back into position when cable insertion/withdrawal is complete.
A so-called 110 Jumper Trough, available from Lucent Technologies Inc. (product nos. 110A2, 110B1), is intended for routing cables horizontally between wiring blocks. The trough has aligned pairs of resilient retaining fingers extending from opposite side walls over the length of the trough. Confronting ends of each pair of fingers may be spread apart to insert or withdraw cables into and out of the trough.
A cable trough having retainer fingers that are fixed, rather than movable and subject to failure from repeated use, would be very desirable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention, an arrangement for retaining wires or cables inside a trough having a base wall, and first and second side walls that extend generally parallel to one another from the base wall, includes one or more pairs of generally trapezoidal retainer plates supported on the side walls of the trough so that each pair of retainer plates are arranged in confronting relation to one another above the trough. Each retainer plate has a base portion, and an end portion forming an outside edge which defines an approximately 45-degree angle with respect to parallel side edges of the plate. The outside edges of each pair of confronting plates define a gap through which wires or cables can be inserted into and withdrawn from the trough, the gap defining an acute angle with respect to the side walls of the trough. Inserted wires or cables routed along the direction of the trough are thus retained by each pair of confronting retainer plates.
According to another aspect of the invention, a retainer plate is provided for use on a cable trough having a base wall, and first and second side walls that extend from the base wall. The plate has a base portion, and an end portion forming an approximately 45-degree angle with respect to parallel side edges of the plate, wherein the plate is constructed and arranged to mount on a support arm that projects from a side wall of the trough.
For a better understanding of the invention, reference is made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing and the appended claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2896009 (1959-07-01), Caveney
patent: 2921607 (1960-01-01), Caveney
patent: 3643133 (1972-02-01), Towell
patent: 4109300 (1978-08-01), Reimer
patent: 4579310 (1986-04-01), Wells et al.
patent: 5918837 (1999-07-01), Vicain
patent: 5954301 (1999-09-01), Joseph et al.
patent: 6102214 (2000-08-01), Mendoza
patent: 6118075 (2000-09-01), Baker et al.
patent: 6140584 (2000-10-01), Baldissara
patent: 6242698 (2001-06-01), Baker, III et al.
Panduit, The New Standard for Cable Management (Adv't), Cabling Business Magazine (Apr. 1999) at p. 11.
Lucent Technologies, “Systimax” type 110 Jumper Troughs, Internet Adv't (Jan. 19, 2000).
Lucent Technologies, Type 110 Patch Panel System Backboard, Photo of model 188D3 Backboard (undated).
Benedict Deanna S.
Brown Reed Scott
Drexler Leonard H.
Wild Ronald L.
Avaya Technology Corp.
King Anita
Law Office of Leo Zucker
Marsh Steven
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