TURNABLE INSTALLATION DUCT

Technical field

The present invention relates to a device which is intended for the installation of electrical coupling devices and which includes an installation duct and a supportive means, wherein the installation duct is adapted to accommodate electrical conductors and electrical outlets.

Background of the invention

In keeping with the increase in the number of auxiliary devices for facilitating internal and external communication and to render the work carried out in work places more effective, there is also an increase in the number of electrical connections required for electrical, telephonic and computer connections in these work places. When the activity of the company concerned tends to require changes to be made at successively shorter intervals and when the work places are increasingly designed to suit individual purposes, it is highly desirable that the office locations are flexible and adaptable. Consequently, it is important in respect to present day office locations that electrical, telephone and data connections are readily accessible so as to enable mobile work stations and temporary work places to be created in a simple fashion, for instance in a conference room or a guest work place. At present, access to electric sockets is achieved generally through the aid of desk-mounted boxes. The table-mounted boxes are designed so that their fronts will be angled towards a user, so as to simplify connection of the box. A so-called table box may also constitute a supplement to the fixed installation in the case of a fixed workplace where the user needs to move a given apparatus between different work places, for example a mobile telephone charger, a portable computer charger, etc. One drawback with these earlier known table boxes is that they cannot be moved readily between different work stations and that they cannot be adapted for several users on different sides of a table due to the front of the box being angled towards a user. Another drawback with prior art table boxes is that they are often screwed, nailed or sometimes even glued firmly to a table top, therewith requiring some form of tool for both preparing the attachment point and

for fixedly mounting the box to the tabletop. The use of nails screws and glue in this regard also results in ugly and undesirable marks in the tabletop, as is well known. There is thus a need for a table box which can be moved readily and which can be adapted for different types of work stations, particularly for workstations where more than one user is in need of the same table box.

Object of the invention

The object of the present invention is to provide a solution to the aforesaid problem and thus to propose an improved table box or installation device of the kind described above.

Summary of the invention

The object of the invention is achieved by means of the present invention as defined in the independent claim 1. Suitable embodiments of the invention are defined in the subordinate claims.

Thus, there is defined, in accordance with the present invention, an installation means for electrical coupling devices comprising an installation duct and a supportive means, wherein the installation duct is designed to accommodate electrical conductors and electrical outlets, and wherein the installation duct is rotatable about its longitudinal axis at said supportive means, characterized in that the supportive means includes two support elements which are disposed at end parts of said installation duct and at least one of which support elements includes an opening which in the mounted state of the support element includes a cable transit for facilitating mounting of cables through said opening.

Because the installation duct can be rotated about its longitudinal axis, the present invention affords the benefit of enabling the installation device and its electric outlets or sockets to be accessed more readily by more than one user, for example by two users seated on their respective side of a table. Moreover, it is possible for a user to adapt the electrical outlets such that they become more accessible to apparatus, for instance to electrical, telephonic and data apparatus.

Furthermore, there is obtained in this way a more mobile installation device that can be readily placed in a user-desired position, and an installation device that can be readily moved without requiring tools for securing the device to the table or for preparing necessary device-attachment points. Because no tools are required with regard to the use of the device, the invention also affords the benefit that no ugly marks will remain on the table after moving the installation device to a different place. Mounting of cables through said opening is also facilitated and the cables will also accompany the installation duct as it rotates.

According to another beneficial embodiment of the invention, the support element can be fastened with the aid of a fastening element. This enables a user to fasten the installation device with the support elements directed upwards if he or she so desires, for example on a shelf, ceiling, roof, etc.

According to another beneficial embodiment, the surface of the support element which in the mounted state of the support is disposed against an underlying surface may be provided with a rubber element. This results in a satisfactory frictional force between the support element and the tabletop, meaning that the installation device will be supported steadily on the tabletop without risk of the device beginning to slide along the tabletop when the device is subjected to load.

According to another beneficial embodiment of the invention, the support elements may be joined together by an elongate element that extends generally parallel with said installation duct. This affords the benefit of increasing the stability of the installation device.

According to a further beneficial embodiment of the invention, the elongate element may be detachably mounted at the support element. The support element may also be detachably arranged at the end parts of the installation duct. This enables the installation device to be mounted and demounted when so desired, for instance in respect of after-installations.

According to another beneficial embodiment of the invention, the support elements may have adjustable lengths. By this is meant that the part of the support

elements that extend generally at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the installation duct can be adjusted. This beneficially enables a user to adjust the height of the installation device to suit his or her purposes.

According to another beneficial embodiment of the invention, each support element can include an outwardly projecting portion which, in the mounted state of the support element, can extend through an opening in a respective end portion of the installation duct and in towards the interior of the duct. In addition, each outwardly projecting portion may include screw threads and the installation device may include nut elements which can be screwed onto respective outwardly projecting threaded portions. This enables the support elements to be properly mounted to the installation duct, thereby obtaining a steady installation device.

According to another beneficial embodiment of the invention, the installation device can include locking washers which, in the mounted or assembled state of the installation device may be disposed between the nut elements and the inner surface of the end portions of the installation duct, wherewith the washers may be designed so as to enable them to be detachably fastened to respective nut elements. The upper surface of the nut elements may also include axially extending recesses or openings distributed around the periphery of the nut element, and each locking washer may include at least one tab which can be folded down into at least one of said recesses in the assembled state of the locking washer. The benefit afforded by this arrangement is that the nut elements cannot be unscrewed after the installation duct has been subjected to rotation over a given time period.

According to another beneficial embodiment f the invention, the surface of an end portion that defines the opening of said end portion may be provided with axially extending grooves distributed around said surface and the outwardly projected part of a respective support element may include at least one resilient element that is disposed resiliently in said outwardly projecting part, wherewith at least one resilient element follows said groove radially. For instance, the resilient element may have the form of a ball or a cylinder. This enables the installation duct to be rotated stepwise about its longitudinal axis.

According to one beneficial embodiment of the invention, at least one of said support elements may be dividable into two parts. The benefit of producing the support elements in two parts instead of one part is that a user when so desiring is able to insert into the installation duct a contact which, because of its size, cannot be inserted through the opening in the support element. The use of two parts relieves the user of the necessity of first demounting the electrical contact from the cable in order to enable the cable to be passed through the opening in a support element, and then re-mounting the same contact on the cable so as to enable the contact to be mounted in the installation duct.

Another benefit afforded in this way is that it is simpler from a molding or casting aspect to produce a support element in two parts instead of in one part.

According to another beneficial embodiment of the invention, each end part of the surface which will face towards the inner surface of the installation duct in an assembled state is provided with stop shoulders and each locking washer is conveniently provided with at least one projection. This projection stops against said stop shoulders when a user rotates the installation channel excessively around its longitudinal axis and therewith prevents rotation of the installation duct.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to an exemplifying embodiment thereof and also with reference to the figures of the accompanying drawings of which

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an installation device according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a support element, a cable transit, an end portion with a locking washer and a nut element;

Fig. 3 is a front view of part of an assembled installation device; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a support element according to figure 2, and shows the support element fitted to an end portion.

Detailed description of the invention

Figures 1-4 illustrate an exemplifying embodiment of the present invention applied in respect of means for the installation of electrical coupling devices. It will be understood, however, that the invention is in no way limited to these types of installation devices, but can be applied with any type of installation device.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an installation device 1 according to the present invention.

In the case of the illustrated embodiment, the installation device 1 includes two support elements 2, 3 which are detachably disposed at respective end portions 5, 6 of an installation duct 4. In the case of the illustrated embodiment the two support elements 2, 3 include two feet 7, 8 which are angled towards one another so that the installation duct 4 will stand stably against an underlying surface. The installation duct 4 is rotatably mounted on its two support elements 2, 3. In order to further stabilize the installation device 1 , the two support elements 2, 3 are mutually joined by an elongate element 9. In the case of the illustrated embodiment the elongate element 9 is detachably secured at the two support elements 2, 3 and extends generally parallel with the installation duct 4. A number of recesses are provided at the front opening 10 of the installation duct 4 (as will be evident from figure 3). The number of recesses that shall be included in the front opening 10 of the installation duct 4 and the type of recesses provided may, of course, be controlled in accordance with the wishes of a user.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a support element and a cable transit 11 and an end portion 5 provided with a locking washer 12 and a nut element 14. The figure shows the various components in a non-assembled state. In the case of the illustrated embodiment the support element 2 is comprised of

two parts including a threaded outwardly projecting part 16. When fastening the support element 2 to the installation duct 4, the outwardly projecting part 16 is inserted through an opening 17 in the end portion 5 of the installation duct 4 and screwed fast with the aid of the nut element 14. In order to prevent the nut element 14 from backing off after repeated rotations of the installation duct 4, a locking washer 12 is placed between the inner surface of the end portion 5 and the nut element 14 and is finally detachably fastened to the nut element 14. The outer surface of the outwardly projecting part 16 of the support element 2 is provided with a ball 18 that is resiliently mounted in the outwardly projecting portion 16. The ball 18 is intended to follow axially extending grooves 19 provided in the surface of the end portion 5 that defines the opening 17 of the end portion 5, so as to enable the installation duct 4 to be rotated stepwise about its longitudinal axis. In order to facilitate mounting of cables in the installation duct 4 both the support element 2 and the end portion 5 are provided with an opening 20, 17 at least on one side of the installation duct 4.

Figure 3 is a front view of part of an installation device 1 in a mounted state. In this view, the front opening 10 of the installation duct 4 is open thereby enabling it to be seen how the support element 2 has been mounted at one end portion 5 of the installation duct 4 with the aid of a nut element 14 that has been fastened to the outwardly projecting portion 16 (not visible) of the support element 2.

Figure 3 also shows how a cable 21 , or cable stocking, passes through the rotational center of the installation duct 4, through the opening 17 in the end portion and the opening 20 in the support element. Figure 3 also shows how the support element 2 is joined to a second support element 3 (not visible in figure 3) with the aid of an elongate element 9 that extends horizontally with and beneath said installation duct 4.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a support element 2 mounted on an end portion 5. The figure shows only one of the two support elements 2, 3 in a mounted state. Neither does figure 4 show the elongate element 9 that joins together the support elements 2, 3. In the case of this embodiment, the locking washer 12 is provided with a tab 22 and two projections 23, 24. In the illustrated case, the outer surface

of the nut element 14 includes a number of axial openings 25 distributed around the periphery of the nut element 14. The figure shows the tab 22 folded down into one of the openings 25 on the nut element 14, thereby preventing the nut element 14 from "backing-off" or unscrewing. Figure 4 also shows that the installation duct 4 has been rotated to one of its two end positions, by virtue of one projection 24 being shown in engagement with a stop shoulder 24 on the end portion 5. In the case of the illustrated embodiment, the end portion 5 includes two stop shoulders 26, 27 which define two stop positions. It is not possible to further rotate the installation duct 4 in these stop positions, which thus prevent rotation of the installation duct 4 when in these positions. As will be understood, the end portion 6 may be of the same design as the end portion 5, with two stop shoulders 26, 27 that define two stop positions.