Electricity: conductors and insulators – Conduits – cables or conductors – Single duct conduits
Reexamination Certificate
2001-05-30
2002-08-20
Reichard, Dean A. (Department: 2831)
Electricity: conductors and insulators
Conduits, cables or conductors
Single duct conduits
C174S101000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06437244
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The present invention generally relates to a wiring cable duct system including a base section and a cover. More specifically, the invention relates to a duct system cover and base hinge arrangement that allows the cover to rotate from a fully closed position to a fully open position with the ability to selectively hold the duct cover in various ones or all of the positions in between.
2. Description of Related Art
A wide variety of wiring duct and raceway systems are known for routing various types of wires and cables. Typical duct or raceway systems consist of a base member and a cover that may be hinged, snap latched, or otherwise engageable with the base. In operation, it often becomes necessary to remove or open the cover to allow access to the cable containing area of the base member. Frequently, an installer needs to repair, reconfigure or install new cables in the system. Removal, storage and replacement of the cover over the entire system during this process can be time consuming and otherwise problematic. Therefore, many such systems use a hinged duct cover.
Certain duct covers suffer from the inability to open to at least 90° to provide complete access to the base member. Additionally, when a duct cover that fully opens is used, it is more likely to encounter situations due to a restricted area of space in which the cover cannot be fully opened over a portion or portions of the duct system. Thus, an installer needing to lay cables or remove cables can only open the cover along the system up to the obstruction and then is required to hold the restricted cover portion manually in order to continue with the addition and/or removal of cables. An improved duct system is desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide an improved wiring or cable duct system.
It is another object of the invention to provide a hinge arrangement for a duct cover and base member that provides the ability to selectively hold the duct cover in any of several positions from closed to fully open.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a duct system with a double hinged cover that may be held in several positions.
Various ones of the above and other objects of the invention are achieved by a duct system with a hinged cover, comprising a base member and a duct cover. The base member has a bottom wall and sidewalls defining a receiving channel. A distal end of at least one of the sidewalls includes a base hook having an inwardly directed flange portion and a convex portion extending outwardly from the receiving channel towards the at least one sidewall. A distal end of the convex portion is spaced from the flange portion to define a cavity therebetween. The duct cover is hingedly attached to the at least one sidewall. The duct cover includes at least one curved end portion forming a hinge end section. The hinge end section includes a cover hook having a distal end receivable in the base member cavity and a cover flange spaced inwardly from the cover hook. When the duct cover is mounted to the base member the cover flange abuts the convex portion of the base hook with a pre-load pressure that creates a point of contact pressure engagement point on the convex portion. The duct cover is pivotal about the hinge end section between open and closed positions and the cover flange maintains a substantially continuous point of contact force against the convex portion sufficient to retain the duct cover in any of various positions between the open and closed positions.
Various ones of the above and other objects of the invention are also achieved by a duct system with a double hinged cover, comprising a base member and first and second duct cover halves. The base member has a bottom wall and sidewalls defining a receiving channel. A distal end of a first one of the sidewalls includes a base hook having an inwardly directed flange portion and a “J” shaped convex portion extending outwardly from the receiving channel towards the at least one sidewall. A distal end of the convex portion is spaced from the flange portion to define a cavity therebetween. A distal end of a second one of the sidewalls includes a base hook. The first duct cover half is hingedly attached to the first sidewall. The first cover half includes at least one curved end portion forming a hinge end section and an opposite end portion forming a base hook. The hinge end section includes a cover hook having a distal end receivable in the base member cavity and a cover flange spaced inwardly from the cover hook. The second duct cover half is hingedly attached to the base hook of the first duct cover half. The second duct cover half includes at least one curved end portion forming a hinge end section and an opposite end portion forming a latching end. The latching end includes a hook that latchingly engages with the base hook on the second sidewall. The hinge end section includes a cover hook having a distal end receivable in the cavity of the first duct cover and a cover flange spaced inwardly from the cover hook. When the hinge end sections of the first and second cover halves are mounted to respective base hooks, the cover flanges abut respective base hooks with a pre-load pressure that creates a point of contact pressure engagement point that retains the first and second duct cover halves at a desired rotational position.
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Clancy Christopher S.
McCann Robert A.
Nino Adolfo
Panduit Corp.
Reichard Dean A.
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