Conduit assembly and method of installation

• US 20010037835A1
• Filed: 06/29/2001
• Published: 11/08/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ibiden Co., Ltd., Mirai Industry Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ibiden Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Shimizu, Shohachi
• Granted Patent: US 6,668,864 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 138/106
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 5/04 to form a firebreak device
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 5/14 for double-walled or multi-channel pipes
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/22 Installations of cables or lines through walls, floors or ceilings, e.g. into buildings

Abstract

A conduit assembly for a partition for receiving wires, hoses, or cables. The conduit assembly includes passages and foaming material, which expands on the outer surface of the conduit assembly. The conduit assembly is arranged in a through hole, which is formed in the partition. The foaming material expands when heated, thus fixing the conduit assembly in the partition. The conduit assembly further includes spare passages. Detachable plugs close the spare passages. When adding more wires, hoses, or cables to the conduit assembly, the plugs are removed.

Claims

1. A conduit assembly for permitting an elongated object to pass through a through hole formed in a partition, the conduit assembly comprising:

a conduit located within the through hole, wherein the conduit has first and second openings; and

a detachable plug located within at least one of the first and the second openings for defining a port for receiving the elongated object inside the associate opening, wherein the plug has an elastic wall that selectively opens the port.

2. The conduit assembly according to

claim 1

, wherein the plug is formed by first and second plug structures connected endwise to one another.

3. The conduit assembly according to

claim 2

, wherein the elastic wall is formed by a first elastic lip formed in the first plug structure and a second elastic lip formed in the second plug structure.

4. The conduit assembly according to

claim 3

, wherein the first elastic lip has a length substantially equal to that of the second elastic lip, and wherein when the port receives the elongated object, the first and the second elastic lips deforms and support the elongated object at center of the port.

5. The conduit assembly according to

claim 1

, further comprising a fire-resistant seal material for closing the port in cooperation with the plug, wherein the seal material is contact with the plug.

6. The conduit assembly according to

claim 5

, wherein the lip is located inside the conduit and at a predetermined distance from an edge of the opening to prevent an inward flow of the sealing material.

7. The conduit assembly according to

claim 5

, wherein the plug has an opened boxy shape, and wherein the sealing material fills inside the plug.

8. The conduit assembly according to

claim 1

, wherein the sealing material seals a space between the plug and the port.

9. The conduit assembly according to

claim 1

, wherein the conduit is one of a plurality of conduits.

10. The conduit assembly according to

claim 1

, wherein the plug is one of a plurality of plugs.

11. A conduit assembly for permitting an elongated object to pass through a through hole formed in a partition, the conduit assembly comprising:

a conduit located within the through hole, wherein the conduit has first and second openings;

a divider located within at least one of the first and the second openings for defining a plurality of ports in the associate opening;

a first removable plug attached a first one of the ports;

a fire-resistant seal material for closing the first port in cooperation with the first plug, wherein the seal material is contact with the first plug and is removed by removing the first plug to open the first port for receiving an elongated object;

a second removable plug attached at a second one of the ports, wherein the second removable plug permits to pass through an elongate object.

12. The conduit assembly according to

claim 11

, wherein the first plug has a shutter plate fitted in the port and a handling rod extending perpendicularly from the shutter plate, wherein the distal end of the handling rod projects from the associate end, and the seal material fills a space defined by the shutter plate and the port.

13. The conduit assembly according to

claim 11

, wherein the first plug includes a tubular support filled with a fire-resistant filler, wherein the support has an engaging clip that engages with an edge of the port.

14. The conduit assembly according to

claim 11

, wherein the second plug has an elastic lip that supports the elongated object and shuts a space between the port and the elongated object.

15. An insert for a conduit, the insert comprising:

a frame that defines a passage, wherein the frame is constructed to fit inside an end of the conduit;

opposed flexible shutter members extending inward from the frame from two opposite sides of the frame, wherein the flexible shutter members are separated from a first end of the passage such that a space is formed between the flexible shutter members and the first end of the passage, and wherein, when an elongated member is passed through the conduit, the flexible shutter members are constructed to deform and support the flexible member.

16. The insert according to

claim 15

, wherein a flange is formed on the frame at the first end of the passage, and the flange extends outward from the frame.

17. A removable plug for a conduit, the plug comprising:

a wall member for substantially blocking the conduit at a location inside the conduit and separated from the end of the conduit such that a space is formed between the wall member and the end of the conduit;

a handle projecting from the wall member, the handle being constructed and arranged to project from the end of the conduit when installed to facilitate removal of the plug.