Cable clip

• US 9,341,285 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2013
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thomas & Betts International LLC (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: Thomas & Betts International LLC (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Magno, Joey D. Jr., Dorn, Randy, Gauvain, Garrett
• Primary Examiner(s): King, Anita M
• Application Number:
  US13/969,224
• Publication Number:
  US 20140061396A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,005 Days
• Field of Search: 248/72, 248/73, 248/74.1, 248/74.2, 248/74.5, 248/228.7, 248/231.81
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 29/083 Devices for suspending handbags from tables, chairs or the like
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 3/10 divided, i.e. with two or more members engaging the pipe, cable or protective tubing
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/08 Devices for easy attachment to any desired place, e.g. clip, clamp, magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/32 using mounting clamps
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

A cable clip is provided for mounting cables onto solar modules. The cable clip is a one piece assembly that is comprised of two main sections: a first recess for clipping onto a solar module and a second recess for receiving a cable from a solar module. The cable clip may be designed in either a parallel or perpendicular configuration which gives installers of solar modules maximum flexibility when mounting cables onto modules. A multi-level clip is also described for cases when a multitude of cables are required to be mounted onto a solar module.

Claims

1. A cable clip for mounting at least one cable onto a solar module, the cable clip comprising:

a single top wall, a middle wall, and a single bottom wall;

wherein the top wall and middle wall are connected by a first rear wall to form a first recess which is open on three sides;

wherein the middle wall and bottom wall are connected by a second rear wall to form exactly one second recess which is open on three sides, the second recess extending a length of the first rear wall;

wherein the first rear wall of the first recess and the second rear wall of the second recess are perpendicular to one another such that the first recess and the second recess are oriented perpendicular to one another and such that the first recess opens towards a first plane and the second recess opens towards a second plane perpendicular the first plane; and

wherein the first recess receives an edge of the solar module and the second recess receives at least one cable which extends from the solar module.

2. The cable clip of claim 1, wherein the first recess is further comprised of teeth for gripping and engaging onto the edge of the solar module.

3. The cable clip of claim 1, wherein the cable clip further comprises a cable restraining lip which protrudes downward from an edge of the middle wall adjacent to the open side of the second recess which is opposite the second rear wall for restraining a cable which has been received by the second recess and a second cable restraining lip which protrudes upward from an edge of the bottom wall adjacent to the open side of the second recess which is opposite the second rear wall for restraining a cable which has been received by the second recess,

wherein the second cable restraining lip which is protruding upwards from the edge of the bottom wall is located directly below the cable restraining lip which protrudes downward from the edge of the middle wall.

4. The cable clip of claim 1, wherein the open side of the second recess which is opposite the second rear wall has a chamfered entry extending symmetrically upwards from the bottom wall and downwards from the middle wall that allows for easy insertion of the cable into the second recess of the cable clip.

5. The cable clip of claim 1, wherein the cable clip is comprised of a high impact thermoplastic material, the high-impact thermoplastic being heat stabilized and UV resistant.

6. The cable clip of claim 1, wherein the cable clip is a one-piece assembly.

7. The cable clip of claim 1, wherein the cable clip is able to slide along the edge of the solar module if an installer desires to reposition the cable after installation onto the solar module for adjustment of the cable with respect to its clipped position on the solar module.

8. The cable clip of claim 1, wherein the second recess which receives the cable is further comprised of a plurality of cable restraining ribs which hold the cable in position within the second recess once it has been received by the clip, each cable restraining rib being a member of a pair of cable restraining ribs.

9. The cable clip of claim 8, wherein the plurality of cable restraining ribs number exactly six forming three pairs of ribs.

10. A cable clip for mounting at least one cable onto a solar module, the cable clip comprising:

a single top wall, a middle wall, and a single bottom wall;

wherein the top wall and middle wall are connected by a first rear wall to form a first recess which is open on three sides;

wherein the middle wall and bottom wall are connected by a second rear wall to form exactly one second recess which is open on three sides, the second recess extending a length of the middle wall;

wherein the first rear wall of the first recess and the second rear wall of the second recess are parallel to one another such that the first recess and the second recess are oriented parallel to one another in opposing directions and such that the first recess opens towards a first plane and the second recess opens towards a second plane parallel the first plane; and

wherein the first recess receives an edge of the solar module and the second recess receives at least one cable which extends from the solar module.

11. The cable clip of claim 10, wherein the first recess is further comprised of teeth for gripping and engaging onto the edge of the solar module.

12. The cable clip of claim 10, wherein the cable clip further comprises a cable restraining lip which protrudes downward from an edge of the middle wall adjacent to the open side of the second recess which is opposite the second rear wall for restraining a cable which has been received by the second recess and a second cable restraining lip which protrudes upward from an edge of the bottom wall adjacent to the open side of the second recess which is opposite the second rear wall for restraining a cable which has been received by the second recess,

wherein the second cable restraining lip which is protruding upwards from the edge of the bottom wall is located directly below the cable restraining lip which protrudes downwards from the edge of the middle wall.

13. The cable clip of claim 10, wherein the open side of the second recess which is opposite the second rear wall has a chamfered entry extending symmetrically upwards from the bottom wall and downwards from the middle wall that allows for easy insertion of the cable into the second recess of the cable clip.

14. The cable clip of claim 10, wherein the cable clip is comprised of a high impact thermoplastic material, the high-impact thermoplastic being heat stabilized and UV resistant.

15. The cable clip of claim 10, wherein the cable clip is a one piece assembly.

16. The cable clip of claim 10, wherein the cable clip is able to slide along the edge of the solar module if an installer desires to reposition the cable after installation onto the solar module for adjustment of the cable with respect to its clipped position on the solar module.

17. The cable clip of claim 10, wherein the second recess which receives the cable is further comprised of a plurality of cable restraining ribs which hold the cable in position within the second recess once it has been received by the clip, each cable restraining rib being a member of a pair of cable restraining ribs.

18. The cable clip of claim 17, wherein the plurality of cable restraining ribs number exactly six forming three pairs of ribs.

19. A cable clip for mounting at least one cable onto a solar module, the cable clip comprising:

a top wall, a first middle wall, a second middle wall, and a bottom wall;

wherein the top wall and first middle wall are connected by a first rear wall to form a first recess which is open on three sides;

wherein the first middle wall and second middle wall are connected by a second rear wall to form a second recess which is open on three sides;

wherein the second middle wall and bottom wall are also connected by the second rear wall to form a third recess which is open on three sides;

wherein the first recess receives an edge of the solar module and the second and third recesses can receive a plurality of cables which extend from the solar module;

wherein the cable clip is a one-piece assembly;

wherein the first recess is further comprised of teeth for gripping and engaging onto the edge of the solar module; and

wherein the first rear wall of the first recess and the second rear wall of the second and third recesses are arranged perpendicular to one another and such that the first recess opens towards a first plane and the second recess and the third recess open towards a second plane perpendicular the first plane.

20. The cable clip of claim 19, wherein the second and third recesses which receive the plurality of cables are further comprised of a plurality of cable restraining ribs which hold the cables in position within the second and third recesses once they have been received by the clip, each cable restraining rib being a member of a pair of cable restraining ribs.

21. The cable clip of claim 19, wherein the open sides of the second and third recesses which are opposite the second rear wall each have a chamfered entry extending symmetrically that allows for easy insertion of the plurality of cables into the second and third recesses of the cable clip, the chamfered entries of the second and third recesses extending an equal distance from the second rear wall.