Fastening device for a terminal connector in a cable conduit

A holder device for fastening a terminal connector 20 in a cable conduit 10 comprising a generally U-shaped strap having a yoke 22 and sidepieces 24 projecting from the ends of the yoke 22, said installed yoke 22 being seated on the bottom 12 of the conduit 10 and extending in the longitudinal direction of the conduit 10 whereby the terminal connector 20 can be attached to the free ends 36 of the sidepieces 24.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Cable conduits are used for a variety of purposes. For example, cable 
conduits are used in the installation of power cables, data cables and 
telecommunications cables in buildings and the like. In these 
applications, terminal connectors are installed in the cable conduit so 
that the terminal units can be connected at the desired locations to the 
cable laid in the cable conduit. 
Holders for securing the terminal connectors securely in place in the cable 
conduit are known in the prior art. These holders are attached to the 
bottom of the cable conduit so that they project up from the bottom. The 
holding elements of the holding mechanism are designed as closed cups made 
of plastic into which the terminal connector is placed. More specifically, 
the terminal connector is fastened to the upper edge of the cup, for 
example, by means of a support ring or support tabs on the connector 
screwed to the cup edge. The cups are provided with openings so that the 
cable laid in the cable conduits can be passed through to the desired 
terminal connector. In other words, the cup openings allow the cable to 
pass into the cup and thus to the terminal connector. It has been found 
that this installation process has certain disadvantages and drawbacks, 
particularly when the cables are very stiff and must be passed with 
relatively short bending radii through the openings in the cup-like 
holders. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
With the foregoing in mind, it is an object of the present invention to 
provide an improved fastening device or holder for the attachment of 
terminal connectors in a cable conduit characterized by novel features of 
construction and arrangement making it easier to install and connect the 
terminal connector. To this end, the holder is designed as a U-shaped 
strap consisting of a yoke and two sidepieces which are molded into the 
ends of the yoke whereby when the holder is installed, the yoke is seated 
on the bottom of the conduit and extends in the longitudinal direction of 
the conduit whereby the terminal connector can be attached of the free 
ends of the sidepieces. 
The basic idea of the present invention is to design the holder as a 
U-shaped strap which is fastened in the cable conduit in such a way that 
its plane extends in the longitudinal direction of the cable conduit. The 
holder is fastened to the cable conduit with its yoke resting on the 
bottom so that the two sidepieces of the U-shaped holder project up at 
right angles from the bottom of the cable conduit. The terminal connector 
can then be inserted between the two sidepieces of the holder and attached 
to the free ends of the sidepieces. By this arrangement, the terminal 
connector is freely accessible from both sides so that the cables laid in 
the cable conduit can be easily connected to the terminal connector. The 
cable ends to be connected can be clamped to the terminal connector while 
they are still outside the cable conduit. Thereafter, the terminal 
connector is placed in the holder and fastened in place. Thus, the 
connected cables can be laid freely in the cable conduit without impeding 
the insertion of the terminal connectors in the holder. 
It is preferable to insert the cup-like half-shells into the holder by 
attaching them to the sidepieces. Most preferably they are pushed into 
guideways on the sidepieces. Each of the inserted cup half-shells seals 
off one side of the terminal connector installed in the holder. 
Accordingly, the terminal connector can be shielded if necessary from 
other cables in the conduit passing by the terminal connector but not 
connected to it by reason of the inserted cup half-shells. If necessary, 
the cup half-shells can be used only on one of the two sides of the 
holders are on both sides. 
In accordance with a specific feature of the invention, the holders can be 
aligned in a row in the longitudinal direction of the cable conduit. By 
this arrangement, it is possible to install several terminal connectors 
next to one another at the given modular dimension.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is 
shown a cable conduit generally designated by the numeral 10 which is 
preferably made of plastic and is of a U-shaped configuration comprising a 
generally rectangular bottom 12 having elongated, upstanding sidewalls or 
sidepieces 14 extending upwardly from the outer side edges of the bottom 
12. The sidepieces 14 are of a configuration to define a locking 
configuration for a cover 16 comprising an elongated, depending flanges 
14a, 16a and a upwardly facing elongated groove 14b. The cover 16 is 
generally rectangular cover having a pair of longitudinally extending, 
depending flanges 16b designed to snap-fit over the shaped locking 
configuration of the sidepieces 14 in the manner shown in FIG. 1. 
An elongated profile 18 is mold onto the inside surface of bottom 12, 
extending in the longitudinal direction of cable conduit 10. This profile 
18 as shown consists of side by side T-shaped sections wherein the 
adjacent crosspieces 18a are spaced apart to form a groove 21, which is 
undercut on both sides. Terminal connectors 20 of a data or 
telecommunications network are laid in cable conduit 10, and fastened in 
cable conduit 10 by means of a holder, generally designated by the numeral 
19. 
The holder is designed as a U-shape strap, preferably injection-molded of 
plastic. The holder has a yoke 22, on the two ends of which sidepieces 24 
are molded, which project up at a right angle. When the holder is inserted 
in cable conduit 10, yoke 22 rests on profile 18 and extends in the 
longitudinal direction of profile 18. Receptacles 26 are mounted on the 
bottom surface of yoke 22 one at each end which are open toward profile 
18. A clamping device 28 is inserted into each of these receptacles 26. 
Each clamping device has two latching looks 30, which can be spread apart 
from each other. When yoke 22 is set down onto profile 18, latching hooks 
30 engage in the undercut groove 18a of profile 18. A screw 32 passes from 
the top surface of yoke 22 through yoke 22 to engage a threaded nut 28a of 
clamping device 28 and ends up between latching looks 30. Screw 32 thus 
holds clamping device 28 permanently in the holder. After latching hooks 
30 of clamping 28 have been inserted into the groove 18.sub.a in profile 
18, screw 32 is tightened, and thus its free end moves down between 
latching hooks 30 and spreads them out. Latching hooks 30 thus lock into 
the undercuts of the groove of profile 18, as a result of which yoke 22 
and the holder itself are permanently clamped to profile 18 and thus held 
securely in cable conduit 10. 
Extension arms 34, furthermore, project out at right angles toward both 
sides from the two ends of yoke 22. Extension arms 34 are parallel to 
bottom 12 of cable conduit 10 and are supported on bottom 12 by their 
ends, which are bent over at an angle to face the bottom. The holder is 
thus supported in cable conduit 10 by extension arms 34 in such a way that 
it cannot be tipped over. 
A thick block 36 is molded on each of the upper free ends of sidepieces 24 
of the holder. Each block 36 is provided with a hole 36.sub.a parallel to 
sidepieces 24. To attach a terminal connector 20 to the holder, the 
terminal connector 20 is placed between sidepieces 24, and the support 
ring or support tabs 24.sub.a of the connector are seated on blocks 36 of 
sidepieces 24. The support ring or support tabs 24.sub.a are fastened by 
means of screws 40, which are screwed into the holes 36.sub.a. 
As illustrated in FIG. 2, sidepieces 24 have a guide groove 42 along each 
of their two outside edges. These grooves 42 are open at the free end of 
sidepieces 24 and extend over the entire length of sidepieces 24. If 
necessary, cup-like half-shells 44 made of plastic can be inserted into 
these guide grooves 42 to cover one or both sides of terminal connector 20 
after it has been inserted into the holder. Cup half-shells 44 have a 
semi-cylindrical wall 44.sub.a and a closed bottom 44.sub.b. Guide rails 
46 are provided along the longitudinal edges of the semi-cylindrical wall 
44.sub.a. Upon insertion of cup half-shells 44 in the holder, these rails 
engage in guide grooves 42 in sidepieces 24. In addition, a projecting 
bottom rail 48 is also molded on the free edge of the bottom of cup 
half-shells 44. This rail engages in corresponding recesses 22.sub.a in 
the top of yoke 22 to provide additional security against the topping of 
cup half-shells 44 in the holder. 
If necessary, a cup half-shell 44 can be placed on the one or the other 
side of the holder or on both sides of the holder before terminal 
connector 20 is inserted. As soon as terminal connect 20 has been inserted 
and seated by its support ring or support tabs on block 36 and fastened 
down by means of screws 40, the support ring or support tabs 24a block the 
open, upper end of guide grooves 42, so that cup half-shells 44 are fixed 
in place in guide grooves 42 and thus to sidepieces 24. 
At the upper, free end of each sidepiece 24 there is a projection 50, which 
extends outwardly and which is off-center with respect to the longitudinal 
center plane P--P of the holder. A receptacle 52, which corresponds to 
projection 50 and is a mirror image of it with respect to the longitudinal 
central plane P--P, is also provided on the free end of each sidepiece 24. 
When several holders are mounted next to each other in a row in cable 
conduit 10, the outside surfaces of sidepieces 24 of the adjacent holders 
rest against each other so that a projection 50 of one holder engages in a 
receptacle 52 of the next holder, alternating thus from side to side. 
Thus, it is ensured that the sidepieces 24 of the holders resting against 
each other do not shift laterally with respect to one another and that 
terminal connectors 20 inserted in the holders are installed with the 
exact modular dimension between them. 
Even though a particular embodiment of the invention has been illustrated 
and described herein, it is not intended to limit the invention and 
changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the 
following claims.