Cable trough system and method

• US 7,668,433 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2008
• Issued: 02/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ADC Telecommunications Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Bayazit, Yilmaz, Tinucci, Thomas, Rapp, David E., Sayres, Derek
• Primary Examiner(s): Wood; Kevin S
• Application Number:
  US12/275,979
• Publication Number:
  US 20090158578A1
• Time in Patent Office: 459 Days
• Field of Search: 385134-137, 385/147
• US Class Current: 385/135
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4459 Ducts; Conduits; Hollow tubes for air blown fibres
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/0437 Channels
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/0456 Ladders or other supports
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/0608 Joints for connecting non cylindrical conduits, e.g. channels
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49876 by snap fit

Abstract

A telecommunications cable management system includes trough elements including a planar top surface and sides for cable routing and management. The trough elements are made from separate parts assembled together with a mating arrangement. The mating arrangement allows assembly of the system on site, such as by snapping the parts together. The trough elements are then assembled together to form the cable management system.

Claims

1. A method of assembling a component in a cable routing system, the method comprising:

providing a first component including a first base element and at least one first upstanding side extending vertically above the first base element, the first base element including a first mating edge with a first portion having at least one first socket and a second portion having at least one first snap;

providing a second component including a second base element and at least one second upstanding side extending vertically above the second base element, the second base element including a second mating edge with a first portion having at least one second socket and a second portion having at least one second snap;

positioning the first snap of the first component above the second socket of the second component, and the second snap of the second component above the first socket of the first component; and

rotating the first component relative to the second component about an axis of the first component to mate the first snap to the second socket and the second snap to the first socket to form the component, wherein the component includes a first cable pathway extending from a first end to a second end of the component, and the component includes a second cable pathway extending transversely relative to the first cable pathway.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first component includes a plurality of first snaps and first sockets, and the second component includes a plurality of second snaps and second sockets.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising forming the first component by:

providing a first quarter component including a first quarter base element and at least one first quarter upstanding side extending vertically above the first quarter base element, the first quarter base element including a first quarter mating edge with a plurality of first quarter sockets;

providing a second quarter component including a second quarter base element and at least one second quarter upstanding side extending vertically above the second quarter base element, the second quarter base element including a second quarter mating edge with a plurality of second quarter snaps;

positioning the second quarter snaps of the second quarter component above the first quarter sockets of the first quarter component; and

moving the second quarter component vertically relative to the first quarter component to form the first component.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the first component is a longitudinal section.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the component is a Tee component.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the component is a cross component.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the first snaps of the first component include tabs that engage the second sockets of the second component.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the first component is identical to the second component.