Extruded wire duct end cap

• US 7,544,893 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2007
• Issued: 06/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thomas & Betts International LLC (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: Thomas & Betts International Incorporated (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Laporte, Richard, Wallgren, Robert L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Chau N
• Application Number:
  US11/880,996
• Publication Number:
  US 20090025957A1
• Time in Patent Office: 685 Days
• Field of Search: 174/93, 174/66, 174/67, 16/95.R
• US Class Current: 174/93
• CPC Class Codes: H02B 1/202 Cable lay-outs
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/0418 Covers or lids; Their fastenings

Abstract

The present invention provides a wiring duct assembly including a duct base, a cover, and an end cap. The end cap is attached to the open end of the duct base with a friction fit to prevent any objects from accidentally entering the inside of the wiring duct. The cover attaches to the duct base forming an enclosure for holding the wiring therein. The end cap is designed to fit on the inside of the duct base so that the end cap does not interfere and add to the overall size of the wiring duct.

Claims

1. An end cap for enclosing an end of a wiring duct comprising:

a panel section having an interior surface and an exterior surface, said panel section is substantially planar, said panel section is adapted to cover the end of the wiring duct, said panel is aligned flush with the end of the wiring duct, said panel is adapted to extend within said end of the wiring duct to prevent external interference and reduce size; and

a single pair of protrusions extending from the interior surface of the panel section, said single pair of protrusions angled away from each other providing frictional attachment to said wiring duct, said single pair of protrusions extend along at least a portion of the length of the panel section, said pair of protrusions is adapted to extend within the end of the wiring duct.

2. The end cap of claim 1 wherein said panel section and said pair of protrusions is a unitary extruded body.

3. The end cap of claim 2 wherein said unitary extruded body is plastic.

4. The end cap of claim 2 wherein said unitary extruded body is rubber.

5. The end cap of claim 1 wherein said pair of protrusions are substantially parallel.

6. The end cap of claim 1 wherein said pair of protrusions is inset on said interior surface of said panel.

7. The end cap of claim 1 wherein said panel section is the same size as the wiring duct cross-section to block the end of the wiring duct.

8. The end cap of claim 1 wherein said panel section is sized to encompass the cross-sectional area of the wiring duct and a wiring duct cover to block the end of the wiring duct and the wiring duct cover.

9. The end cap of claim 1 wherein said panel section is a solid planar section.

10. The end cap of claim 1 wherein said panel section includes a means of securing said end cap to the wiring duct.

11. The end cap of claim 1 wherein said pair of protrusions extends from said panel section defining a width, said width provides frictional contact against the wiring duct interior walls.

12. The end cap of claim 11 wherein said protrusions extend uninterrupted along their length.

13. An end cap for enclosing an end of a wiring duct comprising:

an extruded end cap comprising a panel section and a pair of protrusions, said panel section includes an interior surface, an exterior surface and a pair of length edges, said panel section is adapted to at least cover the end of the wiring duct, said panel section has a cross-sectional area the same size as the cross-sectional area of the wiring duct and a wiring duct cover to block the end of the wiring duct and the wiring duct cover, said pair of protrusions extend from the interior surface at an obtuse angle away from each other and frictionally engaged with the wiring duct, said pair of protrusions extend alone at least a portion of the length of the panel section, said pair of protrusions are substantially parallel and said pair of protrusions is inset from said pair of length edges.

14. The end cap of claim 13 wherein said panel section is a solid planar section.

15. The end cap of claim 13 wherein said panel section includes a means of securing the end cap to the wiring duct.

16. The end cap of claim 13 wherein said pair of protrusions extends from the panel section defining a width, said width provides a frictional contact against the wiring duct interior walls.

17. The end cap of claim 13 wherein said end cap is plastic.

18. The end cap of claim 13 wherein said end cap is rubber.

19. The end cap of claim 13 wherein said protrusions extend uninterrupted along their length.