Optical cable exit trough
DC CAFCFirst Claim
1. A cable exit trough mountable to a lateral trough section, the lateral trough section including an upstanding side terminating at a top edge, the exit trough comprising:
- an upper portion having a bottom trough surface and two curved side walls extending from opposite sides of the bottom trough surface to define a cable exit pathway;
a lower portion engageable with the lateral trough section;
the cable exit trough being releasably mountable to the lateral trough section without cutting the top edge and corresponding upstanding side;
wherein, when mounted to the lateral trough, the cable exit pathway extends transversely over the top edge of the upstanding side of the lateral trough section so that cable can be routed upwardly from the lateral trough section over the top edge of the lateral trough section.
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Reexamination
Accused Products
Abstract
A cable exit trough is mountable to a lateral trough section either during initial assembly of the cable routing system, or at a later date. The exit trough includes a bracket portion mountable to the top edge of one of the sides of the lateral trough section. Two lead-ins are provided to lead the cable in an upward direction from the lateral trough section to the exit trough. The exit trough includes an exit trough portion extending from the bracket portion upwardly away from the lateral: trough section. The exit trough portion includes a convexly curved bottom trough surface, and two convexly curved upstanding sides. The exit trough portion and the lead-ins define a cable pathway from the lateral trough section to an exit point of the exit trough portion which can either lead downwardly relative to the lateral trough section, or horizontally.
48 Citations
67 Claims
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1. A cable exit trough mountable to a lateral trough section, the lateral trough section including an upstanding side terminating at a top edge, the exit trough comprising:
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an upper portion having a bottom trough surface and two curved side walls extending from opposite sides of the bottom trough surface to define a cable exit pathway;
a lower portion engageable with the lateral trough section;
the cable exit trough being releasably mountable to the lateral trough section without cutting the top edge and corresponding upstanding side;
wherein, when mounted to the lateral trough, the cable exit pathway extends transversely over the top edge of the upstanding side of the lateral trough section so that cable can be routed upwardly from the lateral trough section over the top edge of the lateral trough section.
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2. A cable exit trough mountable to a lateral trough section, the lateral trough section defining a cable pathway and having an upstanding side of substantially uniform height;
- the exit trough comprising;
a body having a bottom surface, the bottom surface including a curved portion leading upwardly with respect to the lateral trough section while maintaining a cable minimum bend radius;
the body further having an upper surface positioned above a bottom of the lateral trough section when the exit trough is mounted to the lateral trough section, the upper surface having a curved portion which leads upwardly with respect to the lateral trough, the curved portion being sufficiently curved to maintain the cable minimum bend radius;
wherein, when mounted to the lateral trough, the bottom surface of the exit trough defines a curved cable exit pathway that leads over the upstanding side of the lateral trough section. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
- the exit trough comprising;
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8. A cable exit trough mountable to a lateral trough section, the lateral trough section including an upstanding side having substantially uniform height and terminating at a top edge, the exit trough comprising:
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an upper portion having a curved bottom trough surface and two curved side walls extending from opposite sides of the bottom trough surface to define a cable exit pathway, the curved bottom trough surface being sufficiently curved to maintain a cable minimum bend radius;
the cable exit trough being releasably mountable to the lateral trough section;
wherein, when mounted to the lateral trough, the cable exit pathway extends transversely over the top edge of the upstanding side of the lateral trough section so that cable can be routed upwardly from the lateral trough section over the top edge of the lateral trough section. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A cable routing system comprising:
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a lateral trough section, the lateral trough section having a bottom portion and two upstanding sides extending from the bottom portion to define a cable pathway, at least one of the upstanding sides having substantially uniform height and terminating at a top edge spaced from the bottom portion; and
a cable exit trough, the cable exit trough including a cable guiding portion having a curved cable exit surface and two side walls extending therefrom to define a cable exit pathway;
wherein the cable exit trough is releasably mountable to the lateral trough section with the cable exit pathway extending over the top edge of the lateral trough section so that cable can be routed upwardly from the lateral trough section, and then over the top edge of the lateral trough section. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A cable routing system comprising:
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a lateral trough section, the lateral trough section having a bottom portion and two upstanding sides extending from the bottom portion to define a cable pathway, the upstanding sides terminating at a top edge spaced from the bottom portion; and
a cable exit trough, the cable exit trough including a cable guiding portion having a cable exit surface and two side walls extending therefrom to define a cable exit pathway, the exit surface and at least one sidewall being curved to maintain a cable minimum bend radius;
wherein the cable exit trough is releasably mountable to the lateral trough section with the cable exit pathway extending over the top edge of the lateral trough section so that cable can be routed upwardly from the lateral trough section, and then over the top edge of the lateral trough section;
wherein the cable exit trough mounts to the lateral trough section without cutting the top edge and corresponding upstanding side.
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37. A cable exit trough mountable to a lateral trough section, the lateral trough section defining a cable pathway and having an upstanding side of substantially uniform height, the exit trough comprising:
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a bottom surface having a curved portion leading upwardly with respect to the lateral trough section while maintaining a cable minimum bend radius;
a side wall surface extending from the bottom surface, the side wall surface having a curved portion leading from a direction generally parallel to the cable pathway toward a direction generally perpendicular to the cable pathway while maintaining the cable minimum bend radius;
wherein, when mounted to the lateral trough, the bottom and side wall surfaces of the exit trough define a cable exit pathway that leads over the upstanding side of the lateral trough section. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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52. A cable routing system comprising:
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a lateral trough section, the lateral trough section having a bottom and two upstanding sides extending from the bottom to define a cable pathway, at least one of the upstanding sides having substantially uniform height; and
a cable exit trough removably mounted to the lateral trough section, the cable exit trough including;
a bottom surface having a curved portion leading upwardly with respect to the lateral trough section while maintaining a cable minimum bend radius;
a side wall surface extending from the bottom surface, the side wall surface having a curved portion to guide a cable in a direction transverse to the upstanding side of the lateral trough section while maintaining the cable minimum bend radius, the side wall surface with the bottom surface defining a cable exit pathway;
wherein the cable exit pathway extends over the upstanding side of the lateral trough section having substantially uniform height. - View Dependent Claims (53)
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54. A cable routing system comprising:
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a lateral trough section, the lateral trough section having a bottom and two upstanding sides extending from the bottom to define a cable pathway, at least one of the upstanding sides having substantially uniform height; and
a cable exit trough mounted to the lateral trough section, the cable exit trough including;
a bottom surface having a curved portion leading upwardly with respect to the lateral trough section while maintaining a cable minimum bend radius;
a side wall surface extending from the bottom surface, the side wall surface having a curved portion leading from a direction generally parallel to the cable pathway toward a direction generally perpendicular to the cable pathway while maintaining the cable minimum bend radius, the side wall surface with the bottom surface defining a cable exit pathway;
an upper surface positioned above a bottom of the lateral trough section when the exit trough is mounted to the lateral trough section, the upper surface having a curved portion which leads upwardly with respect to the lateral trough, the curved portion being sufficiently curved to maintain the cable minimum bend radius; and
wherein the cable exit pathway extends over the upstanding side of the lateral trough section having substantially uniform height. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56)
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57. An optical fiber cable trough mountable to a lateral trough section, the lateral trough section defining a cable pathway and having an upstanding side of substantially uniform height, the cable trough comprising:
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a bottom surface having a curved portion leading upwardly with respect to the lateral trough section while maintaining a cable minimum bend radius;
a side wall surface extending from the bottom surface, the side wall surface having a curved portion leading from a direction generally parallel to the cable pathway toward a direction generally perpendicular to the cable pathway while maintaining the cable minimum bend radius;
wherein, when mounted to the lateral trough, the bottom and side wall surfaces of the cable trough define a cable pathway that leads over the upstanding side of the lateral trough section. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67)
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Specification