Cable trough cover

• US 6,934,456 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2004
• Issued: 08/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ADC Telecommunications Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Ferris, Matthew D., Fisher, Joel T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Healy, Brian M.
• Application Number:
  US10/771,125
• Publication Number:
  US 20040218884A1
• Time in Patent Office: 567 Days
• Field of Search: 385/134, 385/135, 385/136, 385/100, 248/49, 248/68.1, 174/48, 174/68.3
• US Class Current: 385/134
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4459 Ducts; Conduits; Hollow tubes for air blown fibres
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/0418 Covers or lids; Their fastenings
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 9/04 in surface ducts; Ducts or covers therefor

Abstract

A cable trough cover assembly and method of assembly including a cover plate and a hinge piece. The cover plate includes a pivot member along at least one edge, and the hinge piece defines a pocket for releasably receiving the pivot member. The pocket and pivot member arrangement allow the cover plate to be rotated relative to a cable trough to which the hinge pieces may be mounted.

Claims

1. A method of covering a cable trough, the method comprising the steps of:

a) providing a cover plate having a pivot member, and providing a hinge member having a recess shaped for receiving a sidewall of the cable trough;

b) attaching the hinge member to the sidewall of the cable trough;

c) positioning the pivot member of the cover plate within a pocket of the hinge member;

d) rotating the pivot member within the pocket of the hinge member to cover or uncover the cable trough.

2. The method of claim 1, further including positioning a portion of the hinge member within a slot formed through the cover plate.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the pivot member is a first pivot member and the hinge member is a first hinge member, and wherein the cover plate includes a second pivot member positionable within a pocket of a second hinge member, the method further including rotating the second pivot member within the pocket of the second hinge member to cover or uncover the cable trough, the first and second hinge members being located on opposite sidewalls of the cable trough.

4. The method of claim 3, further including selectively snapping the first pivot member in and out of the pocket of the first hinge member to cover and uncover the cable trough.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first hinge member includes first and second arms that define the pocket, the method further including pushing a push tab located on one of the arms to flex that arm away from the other of the arms and releasing the first pivot member of the cover plate from the pocket of the first hinge member.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the pivot member is a first pivot member and the hinge member is a first hinge member, and wherein the cover plate includes a second pivot member positionable within a pocket of a second hinge member, the method further including rotating the first pivot member about a first axis of rotation, and rotating the second pivot member about a second, different axis of rotation.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein attaching the hinge member to the sidewall of the cable trough includes positioning a fastener through a hole formed in the hinge member and fastening the hinge member to the sidewall of the cable trough.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein attaching the hinge member to the sidewall of the cable trough includes snap-fitting the hinge member to the sidewall of the cable trough.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein positioning the pivot member of the cover plate within the pocket of the hinge member includes snapping the pivot member within the pocket of the hinge member.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the hinge member includes a pedestal, the method further including positioning the hinge member at a central region within the cable trough.

11. The method of claim 10, further including adhesively secure a bottom surface of the pedestal to the cable trough at the central region.

12. A method of covering a cable trough member to protect cables placed inside the cable trough member, the cable trough member having two sidewalls, the method comprising:

snapping a hinge clip onto a first sidewall of the cable trough member, the hinge clip defining a socket;

positioning a cover plate including a first pivot member over an open portion defined by the cable trough member; and

snapping the first pivot member of the cover plate into the socket of the hinge clip to allow the cover plate to pivot about the first pivot member between open and closed positions.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

snapping a second hinge clip onto a second sidewall of the cable trough member, the second hinge clip defining a socket; and

moving a second pivot member of the cover plate into the socket of the second hinge clip to place the cover plate in the closed position.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the cover plate is a first cover portion, and the method further comprises:

snapping a second hinge clip onto a second sidewall of the cable trough member;

positioning a second cover portion including a second pivot member over the open portion of the cable trough member; and

snapping the second pivot member of the second cover portion into a socket of the second hinge clip to allow the second cover portion to pivot about the second pivot member of the second cover portion between open and closed positions.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing multiple hinge clips at intervals along the first sidewall of the cable trough member.

16. A cover and hinge assembly for covering cables placed in a cable trough member, the cable trough member having a base and two sidewalls, the assembly comprising:

a hinge clip configured to be detachably coupled to a first sidewall of a cable trough member, the hinge clip defining a receiving portion; and

a cover plate including a main body having first and second ends, the cover plate including a pivot member at the first end;

wherein the pivot member is received in the receiving portion of the hinge clip to allow the cover plate to be pivoted about the pivot member from an open position to a closed position.