Cable management system for a raised floor grid system

• US 7,954,287 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2008
• Issued: 06/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panduit Corporation
• Original Assignee: Panduit Corporation
• Inventors: Nelson, Kevin L., Dukes, Joseph Allen, Johnson, Rhonda, Davis, David R., Waszak, Dennis J., Bravo, Rey, Swett, Brett A., Brzezniak, Stanley A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Glessner; Brian E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Buckle, Jr.; James J
• Application Number:
  US12/142,265
• Publication Number:
  US 20090090073A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,083 Days
• Field of Search: 522/201, 522/202, 522/207, 522/205, 522/63, 523/021, 523/022, 174/19, 174/47, 174/48, 174/60, 174/135, 248/49, 248/175
• US Class Current: 52/220.1
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/0247 Screw jacks
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/0443 formed by wire or analogous netting
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/0608 Joints for connecting non cylindrical conduits, e.g. channels
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/083 Inlets
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/22 Installations of cables or lines through walls, floors or ceilings, e.g. into buildings
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/385 in modular floors, e.g. access floors

Abstract

A cable management system for managing electrical cables in a raised floor grid system is provided. The cable management system includes a cable enclosure including side walls and a base together defining an enclosure cavity. Each of the side walls defines a cable opening and a plurality of bracket openings in communication with the enclosure cavity. The cable management system also includes a sealing assembly installed in each of the cable openings, and a plurality of equipment brackets mountable to the sidewalls via the bracket openings, which are configured to enable mounting of the equipment brackets in vertical and angled orientations. The cable management system further includes a plurality of support brackets connectable to support structure of the raised floor grid system for supporting the cable enclosure on the support structure. The cable enclosure can be installed in the raised floor grid system by removing only a single floor tile.

Claims

1. A cable enclosure for managing electrical cables in a raised floor grid system, the cable enclosure comprising:

a plurality of side walls and a base together defining an enclosure cavity, each of the plurality of side walls defines a cable opening in communication with the enclosure cavity; and

a sealing assembly installed in each of the cable openings;

the sealing assembly comprising a flexible sleeve configured to receive at least one electrical cable therethrough, the flexible sleeve including a first end and a second end, the first end positionable around a cable and the second end securable to the side wall; and

a grommet positioned adjacent the second end of the flexible sleeve, the grommet having a first wall and a second wall that extends perpendicular to the first wall, wherein the first wall of the grommet comprises a plurality of apertures for connecting the grommet to the side wall;

the second wall of the grommet extends away from the flexible sleeve and through the cable opening in the sidewall.

2. The cable enclosure of claim 1, wherein the plurality of side walls includes a plurality of bracket openings;

and

at least one equipment bracket mounted to an inside surface of the enclosure cavity via the plurality of bracket openings.

3. The cable enclosure of claim 2, wherein the plurality of bracket openings enable the mounting of the at least one equipment bracket to the side wall in a vertical orientation or an angled orientation.

4. The cable enclosure of claim 1, wherein the second wall of the grommet is flexible for protecting cables from sharp edges associated with the cable opening in the side wall.

5. The cable enclosure of claim 1, wherein the flexible sleeve moves between an external position, in which the first end is positioned externally of the enclosure cavity, and an internal position, in which the first end is positioned in the enclosure cavity.

6. The cable enclosure of claim 1, wherein the flexible sleeve includes a hook and loop fastener attached to the first end of the sleeve.

7. The cable enclosure of claim 6, wherein:

each flexible sleeve is formed from a sheet of material having a top edge, a bottom edge, a first side edge, and a second side edge, and further comprises;

a second hook and loop fastener attached to the flexible sleeve adjacent the first side edge; and

a third hook and loop fastener attached to the flexible sleeve adjacent the second side edge;

wherein

the second and third hook and loop fasteners engage to position the flexible sleeve around at least one cable.

8. The cable enclosure of claim 1, wherein the flexible sleeve is electrically conductive.

9. The cable enclosure of claim 1, wherein a first pair of the side walls are opposite to one another and each has a single cable opening defined therethrough, and a second pair of the side walls, different than the first pair, are opposite to one another and each has two cable openings defined therethrough.

10. The cable enclosure of claim 9, wherein the cable openings in the first pair of side walls are polygonal and the cable openings in the second pair of side walls are circular.