Electricity: conductors and insulators – Conduits – cables or conductors – Plural duct
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-27
2001-06-12
Riley, Shawn (Department: 2838)
Electricity: conductors and insulators
Conduits, cables or conductors
Plural duct
C174S135000, C361S813000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06246004
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to an electrical wiring frame designed to house electrical devices and the wiring thereof, comprising at least two vertical members arranged in parallel planes and at least one horizontal rail coupled to the vertical members by at least two generally omega-shaped stirrups, the base of the stirrups determining the distance between the horizontal rail and the vertical members, the internal space defined by these stirrups being used as a cable duct, the horizontal rail being provided with a standardized support designed to house the electrical devices and with at least one binding post comb arranged parallel to the support designed to fix in position the electric cables connected to said electrical devices.
This type of wiring frame is well known and generally used in switch cabinets. It allows the wiring to be organized in an orderly, clear and tidy manner, with the cables being positioned on the binding post combs and grouped together in the lateral ducts formed by the omega-shaped stirrups. Wiring is made significantly easier, as is the access to the electrical devices and their cables. Nevertheless, known frames are made using metal sections assembled with screw-nut systems which require relatively long installation times and appropriate tools. These installation times are twice as long when the position of the members and the rails has to be altered or adapted in relation to one another. Furthermore, the center distance between two consecutive horizontal rails can not be continuously adjusted given the fact that the fixing holes are provided at regular intervals. It is therefore not always possible to achieve an optimum layout of the switch cabinet. Moreover, the number of parts required to build this type of frame is relatively large given the considerable number of conceivable variations.
The present invention proposes to improve the currently known frames by proposing an assembly system which is quick, simple and requires no tools, making it possible to considerably reduce installation costs and times. Furthermore, this assembly system makes it possible to alter and adapt the position of the parts in relation to one another at will, to continually alter their center distances, particularly by making them slide in relation to one another, and to adjust the frame's architecture according to requirements. The parts making up this frame have been designed to adapt to various alternatives so as to limit the number thereof and therefore the cost of manufacturing the whole set.
This objective is achieved by a frame as described in the introduction and characterized in that the assembly of the stirrups on the vertical members, the horizontal rail on the stirrups, the support and the binding post comb on the horizontal rail is achieved by fitting and locking them together in a removable manner, the elements to be assembled together respectively comprising matching fitting and locking means designed to cooperate with one another.
These matching fitting and locking means can be arranged to co-operate with one another by bringing said elements together in a movement of translation perpendicular to said elements and/or in a rotation.
In a preferred form of embodiment of the invention, the vertical member is formed by a metal section, one side of which comprises a rounded pivot on one of the edges and a groove on the other edge. This vertical member can have a substantially square overall cross-sectional area which is symmetrical in relation to a center plane parallel to said side provided with the pivot and the groove.
In the preferred form of embodiment, on its branch located on the vertical member side, the stirrup comprises an external projection forming a rounded hook designed to fit onto the pivot provided on said vertical member and an outwardly curved free end forming an elastic tongue provided with a nose arranged to lock into the groove provided on said vertical member by fitting into it after the stirrup has rotated around said pivot, the distance between the hook and the nose being less than or equal to the distance between the pivot and the groove, the stirrup and/or the vertical member comprising reliefs in the interlocking zone, designed to form stops.
On its branch located on the vertical member side, the stirrup advantageously comprises at least one hole designed to receive a fastening device mounted to slide in a groove provided in the vertical member and designed to lock the position of said stirrup.
On its branch located on the horizontal rail side, this stirrup also comprises a free end which is outwardly curved forming an angle of approximately 90° with its branch and is provided with a groove.
Preferably, the horizontal rail is formed by a metal section comprising a C-shaped longitudinal groove on its rear face, the free end of one of the branches being curved and having an enlargement designed to fit onto a first edge of the corresponding branch of said stirrup and the free end of the other branch forming an elastic tongue provided with a nose designed to lock onto the second edge of the corresponding branch of said stirrup by fitting onto it after said horizontal rail has rotated around said first edge, the distance between the two branches of the C-shaped groove being at most equal to the width of the stirrup's branch, the stirrup and/or the horizontal rail comprising reliefs in the interlocking zone, designed to form stops. This horizontal rail also comprises an upside down T-shaped longitudinal groove on the front.
In the preferred form of embodiment, the support is formed by a metal section and on the rear face it comprises two elastic catching tabs and a boss, the tabs are arranged to fit into the T-shaped groove provided on the front of the horizontal rail after a rotation around the boss while resting on said rail, the end of one of the tabs being curved to rest on the bottom of the groove and the end of the other tab having a hook to lock itself at the rear of the corresponding free end of said groove, the outside distance defined by the two tabs being at least equal to the space between the two free edges of the groove and the distance between the boss and the tab's hook being at most equal to the thickness of said free edge.
Advantageously, the horizontal rail comprises, on its longitudinal edges, at least one U-shaped longitudinal groove provided with at least one longitudinal recess in one of its branches, and the binding post comb comprises a fastening foot provided with two elastic tongues, one of which has a notch designed to lock into the longitudinal recess provided in said U-shaped groove by fitting the fastening foot after the binding post comb translates in the direction of the horizontal rail.
This binding post comb preferably comprises a rear extension ended with a heel designed to fit onto the rear part of the horizontal rail, the space between the heel and the fastening foot being less than or equal to the width of said rail in the interlocking zone.
The binding post comb also comprises a plurality of teeth parallel to one another, each of which comprises on its sides at least one cell for a housing between two consecutive teeth to receive an electrical cable and keep it in position.
In the preferred form of embodiment, the frame comprises an insulating cover designed to cover at least partially said stirrup, comprising at least one large branch coupled to the branch located on the vertical member side and provided with a groove on its free end.
This frame can also comprise at least one cover arranged to cover the gap between two frames placed side by side, said cover comprising at least one groove on its longitudinal edges, which is designed to fit onto the corresponding free ends of the branches of the stirrup and the insulating cover.
Preferably, this cover comprises at least in a central zone, deformable longitudinal undulations arranged to adapt the width of the cover to the gap between the two frames and make up the difference in levels between the two frames.
In order to close the side
Davis & Bujold P.L.L.C.
Riley Shawn
LandOfFree
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