Electricity: conductors and insulators – Overhead – Towers – poles or posts
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-19
2001-11-27
Reichard, Dean A. (Department: 2831)
Electricity: conductors and insulators
Overhead
Towers, poles or posts
C174S0450TD, C174S068100, C439S114000, C052S220100, C052S220300
Reexamination Certificate
active
06323421
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to raceway systems of the type which are adapted to be wall mounted, and which carry both data and communication wiring as well as other communication conductors such as fiber optic cabling or the like. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved raceway system having widely separated data communication channels and power channels in the raceway.
Typical prior art raceway systems provide separate channels for data communication and for power lines as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,336,849. However, such raceway systems generally provide contiguous channels for the power and data communication lines rather than separating these wireway channels to prevent interference, particularly electra-magnetic interference from the power lines into the data lines. Data signals can be corrupted by transient spikes from the power lines that are coupled to the data lines.
In such prior art raceway systems as that shown in the above-identified '849 patent, provision is made for devices and connections to and from the conductors in each of these separate channels within the channel itself. For example, and with particular reference to
FIG. 1
of the '849 patent, it will be apparent that an electrical outlet plug must be mounted in an associated bracket, which bracket is in turn provided in the base of the raceway with the result that the cross sectional area of the raceway channel that is available for the through conductors is severely limited. It is an important feature of present day raceways that many such outlet plugs and other connectors be made available in closely spaced relationship along the elongated raceway. Consequently, the reduction in cross section for wiring has led to larger raceways.
In order to alleviate this problem of reducing the cross sectional area of the raceway channels by providing devices in the raceway, raceway manufacturers generally have resorted to increasing the depth of the raceway as suggested in U.S. Pat. No. 5,086,194, for example, with the result that the raceway protrudes unnecessarily into the space defined by the wall structure on which the raceway is to be provided.
Typical prior art raceway systems which fail to leave adequate room for installing devices in the raceway to meet present day demands is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,024,614.
FIG. 14
of this disclosure in the '614 patent shows the lack of space afforded for installing the devices when the raceway or wireway channels are provided with a cable density for which they are designed. As a result of taking up virtually the entire raceway cross section no space is afforded for installation of the devices in the channels without cramming the cables into their associated raceways.
Still another solution to this problem is suggested in U.S. Pat. No. 4,952,163 wherein the outlet device is provided in a protrusion that extends outwardly from the channel defining portion of the raceway itself. See for example
FIG. 2
of the '163 patent where the depth of the raceway is more than doubled as a result of installing an electrical device outside the channels carrying the raceway wiring.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The foregoing disadvantages of the prior art are overcome as a result of the present invention by providing the data and communication lines power lines in separated channels of the raceway, and creating a third channel therebetween for accommodating both the electrical devices used with the power lines, and data communication sockets or jacks of the type used with fiber optic cabling or data and telecommunication wiring.
In accordance with the present invention, an elongated raceway is provided having longitudinally extending base elements, each of which has a rear wall adapted for mounting to an existing wall structure, either directly to the studs of the wall, or to the wall cover material generally provided on these studs. The raceway base elements include marginal edge portions that define upper and lower boundaries respectively of top and bottom raceway channels, respectively. Raceway dividers are provided in the base, as well, and these define a third elongated channel which is wide enough to accommodate present day electrical devices such as a duplex outlet plug or other standard electrical device of current or anticipated standard dimensions.
The dividers further define elongated shelf defining doors which are integrally formed with the dividers themselves and preferably with the raceway base. These elongated shelves or doors are integrally connected to the dividers by hinge lines, and the raceway dividers and/or the shelves are provided with lines of weakening for shearing segments thereof to allow wiring from each of the top and bottom raceways to be fed into the center channel for connection to electrical devices mounted therein.
The present invention provides a unique mounting system for the electrical device or other devices to be installed in the center or third channel of the raceway. More particularly, the bracket is designed with readily deformable wing portions that define abutment surfaces which interact with ribs provided for this purpose in the raceway base so as to permit snap-in assembly of the device bracket. The device bracket itself is so constructed as to receive the device in a snap-in assembly step as suggested in prior art U.S. Pat. No. 5,594,205 issued to the assignee herein and incorporated by reference herein.
In the preferred embodiment, the cover components of the raceway assembly define a concave external or front contour which affords maximum cross section for the channels carrying the power lines and other cabling, but which affords only the necessary space for accommodating the devices to be installed in the center or third channel. Actually, the device may protrude slightly from this third channel through an opening provided for this purpose in the concave cover of the raceway, and a trim plate is designed to fit the concave contour of the raceway and yet afford a generally flat configuration for the raceway at the spaced locations for the various electrical devices.
The concave configuration of the raceway cross section affords a maximum depth in the area of the wireway channels. This geometry not only allows for optimal wire fill capacity, but also affords an increase in the bend radius for these wires at both internal and external corner L-shaped elbow connectors. Such a feature has added advantages where fiber optic cabling is carried in one of these channels.
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Cancellieri Salvatore A.
Pawson Steven E.
Shapiro Yesfim
McCormick Paulding & Huber LLP
Patel Dhiru R
Reichard Dean A.
The Wiremold Company
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