Coupler for cable trough

{
  "publication_number": "US10114189B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Coupler for cable trough",
  "abstract": "Couplers for a cable trough system including a terminal end sized to receive a terminal end of a trough member along a longitudinal direction of the body. A spring may be coupled to the body for securing the terminal end of the trough member to the coupler, the spring including first and second spring arms extending generally in opposition to one another in a plane generally parallel to the longitudinal direction. The spring may be received in a slot formed by the trough member. Also included may be a spring release mechanism coupled to the body, the spring release mechanism sliding in the longitudinal direction between a locked position, such that the first and second spring arms engage the terminal end of the trough, and an unlocked position, such that the first and second fingers release the first and second arms of the spring.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A cable trough system comprising: a trough member having a terminal end and including opposing longitudinally-extending first and second sidewalls coupled to a bottom wall generally forming a trough, an exterior surface of the first sidewall of the trough member including opposing longitudinally-extending channel walls projecting outwardly from the exterior surface, extending along a longitudinal direction of the trough member, and defining a slot therebetween, wherein the slot extends from the terminal end to an opposing terminal end of the trough member; a coupler including a body including a bottom wall and two opposing longitudinally-extending side walls defining a trough, the body having a body terminal end defining an overlap region, the overlap region being sized to slideably receive the terminal end of the trough member along a longitudinal direction of the body; and a spring comprising at least one resilient spring arm coupled to an outer surface of one of the two side walls of the coupler; wherein the entirety of the spring is received between the opposing channel walls in the slot when the trough member is inserted into the coupler; and wherein the spring is biased to resiliently expand in a plane parallel to the first sidewall such that the spring engages at least one of the opposing channel walls within the slot to couple the trough member to the coupler.",
    "2. The system of claim 1, wherein an exterior surface of the second sidewall of the trough member defines a second slot, and the system further comprises a second spring coupled to the outer surface of the coupler to be received in the second slot.",
    "3. The system of claim 1, wherein the slot of the trough member is a T-slot.",
    "4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a spring release mechanism coupled to the coupler body, wherein the spring release mechanism releases engagement of the spring with the trough member when the spring release mechanism is slid in the longitudinal direction of the first sidewall to compress the spring."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates to a system for the management and routing of telecommunication cables, and, more particularly, to a coupler for joining two or more trough members.\n\nIn the telecommunications industry, the use of optical fibers for signal transmissions is accelerating. With the increased utilization of optical fiber systems, optical fiber cable management requires industry attention.\n\nOne area of optical fiber management that is necessary is the routing of optical fibers from one piece of equipment to another. For example, in a telecommunications facility, optical fiber cables may be routed between fiber distribution equipment and optical line terminating equipment. In buildings and other structures that carry such equipment, the cable routing can take place in concealed ceiling areas or in any other manner to route cables from one location to another.\n\nWhen routing optical fibers and other cables such as copper wires, it is desirable that a routing system will be readily modifiable and adaptable to changes in equipment needs. Accordingly, such routing systems include a plurality of components, such as trough members and couplers, for defining the cable routing paths. The trough members are joined together by couplings. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,067,678, 5,316,243, and 5,752,781 teach cable routing systems that include a plurality of trough members and couplers.\n\nVarious concerns arise in the use of couplers for coupling trough members. One concern is that a plurality of hardware is used for joining the trough members. This hardware can be cumbersome.",
  "cpc": [
    "G02B 6/4461",
    "F16B 5/0016",
    "G02B 6/4439",
    "H02G 3/0608",
    "Y10T 29/49824",
    "Y10T 29/49844",
    "Y10T 29/49845",
    "Y10T 403/32631",
    "Y10T 403/55",
    "Y10T 403/551",
    "Y10T 403/599",
    "Y10T 403/606",
    "Y10T 403/7117"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "F16B 5/00",
    "F16L 3/26",
    "G02B 6/44",
    "H02G 3/06"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Commscope Technologies LLC"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Matthew D. Ferris",
    "Alex Watts"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2015-07-06",
  "publication_date": "2018-10-30",
  "grant_date": "2018-10-30",
  "priority_date": "2002-03-27",
  "application_number": "US-201514791589-A",
  "family_id": "28452662",
  "cited_by_count": 2,
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