Surface accessible wiring system and assembly
First Claim
1. An enclosure comprising a channel of a given axial length having a transverse base with upstanding sides extending along said given length and terminated by lips directly inwardly parallel to said base, each lip including a rounded surface of a given radius, a further mating element adapted to be snap-fitted to said channel to form said enclosure, said mating element including an interior surface at each side thereof and there adjacent a pair of stiff projections, one for each side extending along the length thereof with each projection including a concave surface of a radius adapted to receive in mating engagement the said rounded surface of each lip, said further element being loaded in compression and said upstanding sides of said mating element being loaded in bending when the further element is mated with the upstanding sides of the transverse base, the length of said upstanding sides being substantially less than the height of said mating element so that the upstanding sides remain relatively inflexible, so that said further element is tightly secured to the base said further mating element being snap fittable between said upstanding sides by hand applied pressure and said further element being removable only upon the application of a force applied by a tool having a lever arm, wherein there is provided means allowing said further element to be positioned loosely attached to said channel at one side thereof permitting inspection of the interior of said channel prior to said further element being snapped into closing position on said enclosure.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A surface accessible wiring system for the distribution of power and signal conductors such as telephone or data conductors is disclosed. A raceway comprises a channel member having a plurality of compartments, a cover which can be securely snapped to the raceway channel and a plurality of connector housings. Each raceway component is extruded from a material such as aluminum. Ribs on the cover and the connector housings are securely snapped into engagement with lips on the channels so that the covers can only be removed with the use of a tool. The channels are shallow so that the raceway assembly can be mounted substantially flush with the exterior surface of a wall or a wall panel, either at the base or top of the wall or at desk level.
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Citations
33 Claims
- 1. An enclosure comprising a channel of a given axial length having a transverse base with upstanding sides extending along said given length and terminated by lips directly inwardly parallel to said base, each lip including a rounded surface of a given radius, a further mating element adapted to be snap-fitted to said channel to form said enclosure, said mating element including an interior surface at each side thereof and there adjacent a pair of stiff projections, one for each side extending along the length thereof with each projection including a concave surface of a radius adapted to receive in mating engagement the said rounded surface of each lip, said further element being loaded in compression and said upstanding sides of said mating element being loaded in bending when the further element is mated with the upstanding sides of the transverse base, the length of said upstanding sides being substantially less than the height of said mating element so that the upstanding sides remain relatively inflexible, so that said further element is tightly secured to the base said further mating element being snap fittable between said upstanding sides by hand applied pressure and said further element being removable only upon the application of a force applied by a tool having a lever arm, wherein there is provided means allowing said further element to be positioned loosely attached to said channel at one side thereof permitting inspection of the interior of said channel prior to said further element being snapped into closing position on said enclosure.
- 9. A raceway enclosure assembly for accommodating conductors for termination to electrical outlets, said enclosure assembly including a channel having interiorly thereof projections defining slots extending along the length of said channel, a plurality of conductor guides having end portions adapted to fit within said slots and be held affixed to said channel prior to insertion of said conductors and further portions extending outwardly of said channel to guide the insertion of conductors therein, the said guide elements including flexible portions foldable into said channel following the insertion of conductors therein and having projections adapted to fit in further slots in said channel to hold said conductors in position therewithin.
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13. An enclosure for conductors, including a channel adapted to be attached to a fixed surface, said channel having a transverse base and side portions terminated in lip portions and there adjacent surfaces parallel to said base, a further element including stiff projections having concave surfaces that fit the said lip portions and further including beveled portions extending inwardly to engage said lip portions upon attachment of said further element to said channel whereby to cam the said side portions of said channel outwardly to permit seating of said lip portions within said concave surfaces to tightly hold such channel and further element together, said channel including further means defined by projections extending from within said channel adapted to engage the end of a said stiff projection and hold said further element loosely attached to said channel at an angle permitting inspection interiorly thereof.
- 14. A raceway assembly for accommodating power and data conductors in separate compartments, said assembly including a channel having at least one center projection adapted to define at least two compartments, a cover element including means at the edges of said cover element to lock such cover element to said channel and means interiorly thereof to engage such projection to enclose said two compartments, a first outlet housing means for accommodating a given electrical connector device including a rear wall apertured to be aligned with one of said compartments, and a second outlet housing means for accommodating a further electrical connector device and including a rear wall apertured to be aligned with another of said compartments whereby conductors in a given compartment can be connected to devices through such rear wall apertures in said outlet housing means.
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25. A surface accessible raceway for accommodating conductors, the raceway being suitable for mounting on a structural wall having a wall finish layer of predetermined thickness covering the structural wall, the raceway including a channel, a cover securable to the front of the channel and means for securing the channel to the structural wall:
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the channel further comprising a base with upper and lower sides having a depth approximating the thickness of the wall finish layer so that the front of the channel is substantially flush with the surface of the wall finish layer, each of the sides having inwardly directed lips oriented parallel to the base, the channel also having a center partition extending parallel to the sides and dividing the channel into two compartments, each compartment being at least partially open on the front and having a height substantially greater than the depth of the compartment, with means being located at the front of each compartment for retaining conductors in the channel prior to securing the cover to the channel; the cover further comprising a flat planar plate having opposed stiff projections protruding from an inner surface of the flat planar plate adjacent the edges thereof, the stiff projections engaging the inwardly directed lips on the interior of the sides to secure the cover to the channel so that the raceway protrudes beyond the wall finish layer to a distance no greater than the thickness of the flat planar member, wherein the means for retaining conductors in the channel prior to securing the cover to the channel comprises flexible conductor retainer guides insertable in each compartment, the lower end of each flexible conductor retainer guide being held in its associated compartment and the upper end of each flexible conductor retainer guide initially extending beyond the front of the associated compartment so that the conductors can be laid into associated compartments, the upper end of each flexible conductor retainer guide being insertable into the associated compartment after the conductors are laid in the proper compartment. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. An enclosure comprising a channel of a given axial length having a transverse base with upstanding sides extending along said given length and terminated by lips directly inwardly parallel to said base, each lip including a rounded surface of a given radius, a further mating element adapted to be snap-fitted to said channel to form said enclosure, said mating element including an interior surface at each side thereof and there adjacent a pair of stiff projections, one for each side extending along the length thereof with each projection including a concave surface of a radius adapted to receive in mating engagement the said rounded surface of each lip, said further element being loaded in compression and said upstanding sides of said mating element being loaded in bending when the further element is mated with the upstanding sides of the transverse base, the length of said upstanding sides being substantially less than the height of said mating element so that the upstanding sides remain relatively inflexible so that said further element is tightly secured to the base, said further mating element being snap fittable between said upstanding sides by hand applied pressure and said further element being removable only upon the application of a force applied by a tool having a lever arm, wherein said channel includes a further surface interiorly thereof projecting to engage a surface of the said projection of said further element to permit said further element to be loosely attached to said channel in a position at an angle to the plane of the base thereof whereby to permit inspection of the interior of said channel while said further element is loosely attached thereof.
Specification