Hinge for cable trough cover

• US 7,612,300 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2008
• Issued: 11/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bison Patent Licensing, LLC
• Original Assignee: ADC Telecommunications Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Barnes, Thomas L., Norris, Jeffrey J., Owens, Ryan J.
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, DHIRUBHAI R
• Application Number:
  US12/183,195
• Publication Number:
  US 20090032280A1
• Time in Patent Office: 460 Days
• Field of Search: 174/480, 174/481, 174/68.1, 174/68.3, 174/72.A, 174/72.C, 174 95- 98, 174/135, 174/101, 522/201, 522/205, 522/207, 385/100, 385/134, 439/207
• US Class Current: 174/480
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4459 Ducts; Conduits; Hollow tubes for air blown fibres
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/0437 Channels

Abstract

A cable trough system includes a trough member including a base wall and first and second sidewalls extending from the base wall to form a trough. The system also includes a cover including a main body with a first end and a second end, and first and second hinge portions coupled to the first and second ends of the main body. Each of the first and second hinge portions includes a first member that extends to an end positioned to contact an inner surface of the first sidewall, a second member that defines an arm that is positioned to at least partially contact the first sidewall, and an extension member that extends from the second member in a direction opposite to that of the arm. The first and second members have a space therebetween sized to receive a portion of the first sidewall.

Claims

1. A cover for a cable trough system, the cover comprising:

a main body that defines a planar surface with a first end and a second end;

a first hinge portion coupled to the first end of the main body, and a second hinge portion coupled to the second end of the main body, wherein each of the first and second hinge portions includes;

a first member that extends to an end positioned to contact an inner surface of a wall of a trough member;

a second member that defines an arm that is positioned to at least partially contact the wall of the trough member; and

an extension member that extends from the second member in a direction opposite to that of the arm;

wherein the first and second members define a space therebetween sized to receive a portion of the trough member; and

wherein the first hinge portion is a mirror image of the second hinge portion.

2. The cover of claim 1, wherein the cover is coupled to the trough member that extends in a vertical direction.

3. The cover of claim 1, further comprising a member that extends perpendicularly from the extension member.

4. The cover of claim 3, wherein a second space is defined between the member, the extension member, and the second member, the second space being sized to receive at least a portion of a user'"'"'s finger.

5. The cover of claim 3, further comprising a curved member that extends from the main body to the second member.

6. The cover of claim 5, wherein the curved member includes a reduced thickness.

7. The cover of claim 1, further comprising a curved member that extends from the main body to the second member.

8. The cover of claim 7, wherein the curved member includes a reduced thickness.

9. A cover for a cable trough system, the cover comprising:

a main body that defines a planar surface with a first end and a second end;

a first hinge portion coupled to the first end of the main body, and a second hinge portion coupled to the second end of the main body, wherein each of the first and second hinge portions includes;

a first member that extends to an end positioned to contact an inner surface of a wall of a trough member;

a second member that defines an arm that is positioned to at least partially contact the wall of the trough member;

an extension member that extends from the second member in a direction opposite to that of the arm;

a curved member that extends from the main body to the second member, wherein the curved member includes a reduced thickness; and

a member that extends perpendicularly from the extension member;

wherein the first and second members define a space therebetween sized to receive a portion of the trough member; and

wherein a second space is defined between the member, the extension member, and the second member, the second space being sized to receive at least a portion of a user'"'"'s finger; and

wherein the first hinge portion is a mirror image of the second hinge portion.

10. A cable trough system, the system comprising:

a trough member including a base wall and first and second sidewalls extending from the base wall to form a trough; and

a cover including;

a main body that defines a planar surface with a first end and a second end;

a first hinge portion coupled to the first end of the main body, and a second hinge portion coupled to the second end of the main body, wherein each of the first and second hinge portions includes;

a first member that extends to an end positioned to contact an inner surface of the first sidewall of the trough member;

a second member that defines an arm that is positioned to at least partially contact the first sidewall of the trough member; and

an extension member that extends from the second member in a direction opposite to that of the arm;

wherein the first and second members define a space therebetween sized to receive a portion of the first sidewall of the trough member; and

wherein the first hinge portion is a mirror image of the second hinge portion.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the first sidewall of the trough member includes a trough hinge portion, the trough hinge portion having a hook member and a side extension member that extends from the first sidewall, the hook member and the side extension member defining a second space into which extends a portion of the second member of the cover.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the hook member and the side extension member extend from the first sidewall in a direction away from the second sidewall of the trough member.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the end of the first member of the first hinge portion of the cover rides along an inner surface of the first sidewall as the cover is pivoted from a closed position to an open position about the first hinge portion of the cover and the trough hinge of the first sidewall of the trough member.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the end of the first member rides along the hook member of the trough hinge portion as the cover is pivoted to the open position.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the second sidewall includes a second trough hinge portion that is a mirror image of the first trough hinge portion.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the trough member and the cover extend in a vertical direction.

17. The system of claim 10, further comprising a member that extends perpendicularly from the extension member of each of the first and second hinge portions of the cover, wherein a second space is defined between the member, the extension member, and the second member, the second space being sized to receive at least a portion of a user'"'"'s finger.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising a curved member that extends from the main body to the second member of each of the first and second hinge portions.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the curved member includes a reduced thickness.

20. The system of claim 10, further comprising a curved member that extends from the main body to the second member of each of the first and second hinge portions, wherein the curved member includes a reduced thickness.