Support member for a cabling and associated equipment enclosure

• US 6,423,898 B1
• Filed: 10/16/2000
• Issued: 07/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CommScope Inc. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: APW, Ltd.
• Inventors: Croker, Brian A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Reichard, Dean A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Estrada, Angel R.
• Application Number:
  US09/688,905
• Time in Patent Office: 645 Days
• Field of Search: 174/50, 174/68.3, 174/72.A, 174/101, 174/49, 174/48, 174/60, 174/67, 220/3.2, 220/3.8, 220/3.3, 220/4.02, 220/4.01, 361/826, 385/134, 385/135, 385/136, 385/137, 248/68.3, 248/74.2
• US Class Current: 174/50
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4452 Distribution frames
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4478 Bending relief means
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/06 Cable ducts or mountings specially adapted for exchange installations
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2201/10 Housing details

Abstract

An enclosure for housing cabling and associated equipment has a frame structure including one or more elongated support members. The support members are formed with an arcuate flange extending in a direction away from the uppermost edge of the support member. The arcuate flange will support any cables that are laid over the top of the support member, with the cable following the smooth arc of the flange. This gradual transition from the vertical plane to the horizontal plane means the cable will not deform or form kinks. Cabling entering the enclosure from a direction above the flange of a support member will be less likely to be caught inadvertently in U-shaped attachment slots because of the oblique angle of the slots and the presence of the cantilever tongues.

Claims

1. A sheet metal support member for a cabling enclosure, the support member comprising an arcuate flange forming a substantially arcuate cable support surface and an elongate body plate contiguous with the arcuate flange, the arcuate flange having attachment means comprising an aperture extending through the arcuate flange.

2. A sheet metal support member as claimed in claim 1, wherein the aperture is a slot that extends in a direction that is askew from a curvature of the arcuate flange, that is, the longitudinal centerline of the slot does not lie in a transverse plane of the arcuate flange.

3. A sheet metal support member as claimed in claim 2, wherein the longitudinal centreline or the slot is at an oblique angle to said plane.

4. A sheet metal support member as claimed in claim 2, wherein the slot has a U-shape that defines a cantilever member.

5. A sheet metal support member as claimed in claim 4, wherein the cantilever member is directed towards a free edge.

6. A sheet metal support member as claimed in claim 1 wherein the arcuate flange is formed with a plurality of cable attachment means.

7. A sheet metal support member for a cabling enclosure as claimed in claim 1, wherein a radius of curvature of the cable-support surface is greater than 10 mm and is most preferably greater than 15 mm.

8. A sheet metal support member as claimed in claim 1 wherein the aperture is a slot having a U-shape that defines a cantilever member.

9. A sheet metal support member as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body plate and the arcuate flange are formed from a single blank.

10. An enclosure for cabling and associated equipment, the enclosure comprising a support frame structure and a plurality of panels at least some of the panels being detachably mounted on the frame structure, the support frame structure comprising at least one support member comprising an arcuate flange forming a substantially arcuate cable-support surface and an elongate body plate contiguous with the arcuate flange;

wherein the arcuate flange has attachment means comprising an aperture extending through the arcuate flange.

11. An enclosure for cabling and associated equipment as claimed in claim 10, wherein the aperture is a slot that extends in a direction that is askew from the curvature of the arcuate flange, that is, a longitudinal centreline of the slot does not lie in a transverse plane of the arcuate flange.

12. An enclosure for cabling and associated equipment as claimed in claim 11, wherein the longitudinal centreline of the slot is at an oblique angle to said plane.

13. An enclosure for cabling and associated equipment as claimed in claim 11, wherein the slot has a U-shape that defines a cantilever member.

14. An enclosure for cabling and associated equipment as claimed in claim 13 wherein the arcuate flange is formed with a plurality of cable attachment means.

15. An enclosure for cabling and associated equipment as claimed in claim 13, wherein the cantilever member is directed towards a free edge.

16. An enclosure for cabling and associated equipment for a cabling enclosure as claimed in claim 10, wherein a radius of curvature of the cable-support surface is greater than 10 mm and is most preferably greater than 15 mm.

17. An enclosure for cabling and associated equipment as claimed in claim 10, wherein the body plate and the arcuate flange are formed from a single blank.

18. An enclosure for cabling and associated equipment as claimed in claim 10 wherein the aperture is a slot having a U-shape that defines a cantilever member.