Mechanism for low profile enclosures

A cable-supporting cable port of an electrical or similar box comprises two mating hollow semi-cylindrical members. The two members join, when the box is closed to form a unified cable port through which various cables or wires travel. Each semi-cylindrical member comprises a sidewall. In the rear member, the sidewall defines an aperture. A barbed projection extends from an internal edge of the sidewall into the aperture. The edge and the barbed projection define a channel for accepting an intermediate portion of a tie strap which has been bent into substantially a U-shape. The barbed projection has a longitudinal portion and a substantially horizontal barb portion. The tie strap is secured about the longitudinal portion, and prevented from disengaging the projection by engaging the barb portion. In this manner, the cable is secured to the projection by tightening the tie strap. The cable is securely held in place, without requiring access to the rear of the cable port.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
 The invention relates generally to a cable supporting device. More
 specifically, the invention relates to a cable port which facilitates the
 use of a cable tie strap without requiring access to the rear or wall
 facing portion of the cable port.
 DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
 The electrical and wiring industries have long been plagued by the problem
 of stray or loose wires, and how to secure them. Electrical boxes have
 been developed which typically have one or more cable ports which are
 essentially cylindrical conduits which allow cables to pass into the
 electrical box. Often, the electrical box is a bi-valve construction, and
 the cable port is divided in half, yielding two semi-cylindrical mated
 portions. Invariably, the box is attached to a wall, and one of the
 semi-cylindrical cable port members has a rear surface facing the wall or
 other mounting surface. As advancements in electrical box and the
 electrical component design occur, the electrical box itself has become
 more and more narrow. Consequently, the cable port has become closer and
 closer to the wall.
 Typically, wires are secured to the cable port via a cable tie strap. The
 tie strap is well known in the industry and generally is a locking nylon
 strap. Typically, one end of the strap is inserted through the front of
 the cable port through a slot passing to the rear of the cable port. The
 tie strap is then turned and passed through a second slot from the rear to
 the front. Cable is then run longitudinally through the cable port and
 secured by the cable strap. Unfortunately, with the low profile electrical
 boxes in use today, there is frequently no longer room for an operator to
 place his fingers between the cable port and the mounting wall.
 Accordingly, it has become necessary to remove the entire electrical box
 from the wall to gain access to the rear surface of the cable port to
 secure the tie straps. This is a timely, costly and labor intensive effort
 which can be avoided.
 FIG. 6 shows an example of a typical prior art device. The device provides
 for a central portion about which a tie strap is oriented. The central
 portion defines two opposed slot areas through which the tie strap is
 passed. One can readily see from the figure that although this example
 does not show an electrical box structure, it would be quite difficult for
 an operator to insert his or her fingers into the support channel to push
 the tie strap through the respective slots. This particular design may
 enable the operator to insert the tie strap before inserting the support
 member into the support channel. This, however, is a luxury that is not
 generally found in other devices including electrical boxes.
 Accordingly, it would be beneficial to provide a cable port, especially for
 use with electrical boxes, that facilitates the use of a cable tie strap
 without requiring access to the rear of the cable port.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 A cable-supporting cable port of an electrical or similar box comprises two
 mating hollow semi-cylindrical members. The two members join, when the box
 is closed to form a unified cable port through which various cables or
 wires travel. Each semi-cylindrical member comprises a sidewall. In the
 rear member, the sidewall defines an aperture. A barbed projection extends
 from an internal edge of the sidewall into the aperture. The edge and the
 barbed projection define a channel for accepting an intermediate portion
 of a tie strap which has been bent into substantially a U-shape. The
 barbed projection has a longitudinal portion and a substantially
 horizontal barb portion. The tie strap is secured about the longitudinal
 portion, and prevented from disengaging the projection by engaging the
 barb portion. In this manner, the cable is secured to the projection by
 tightening the tie strap. The cable is securely held in place, without
 requiring access to the rear of the cable port.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
 A cable supporting cable port of the invention is shown throughout the
 various figures wherein reference numerals designate like elements
 throughout.
 The cable port is generally made up of two mating semi-cylindrical members
 which are front and rear portions of the cable port. The front and rear
 portions 40, 20 meet to create an open passageway into an electrical box
 or housing H. Other configurations can be used, but the cylindrical port
 is most common. The two semi-cylinders compliment each other to form an
 internal pathway for routing cable C when two portions of a bi-valve box,
 of which they are a part, are closed.
 A rear portion 20 of the cable port is the primary focus of this invention.
 This portion corresponds to the wall mounted half of the electrical box H.
 The rear portion 20 comprises a sidewall 22, which defines, by its
 semi-circular nature, a longitudinal path along its front surface 26 for
 routing cable C. A rear surface 24 is disposed such that it faces the
 mounting wall W.
 The sidewall 22 contains an aperture, which passes completely through the
 sidewall 22 from front to rear. Preferably, as seen in the FIGS., the
 aperture has a substantially square shape, although others may be used.
 The aperture is defined by an internal edge 30 of the sidewall 22 which
 defines the periphery of the aperture.
 From the internal edge 30 of the sidewall 22 extends a barbed projection
 32. The projection 32 extends longitudinally into the aperture, and is in
 substantial alignment with the sidewall 22. The projection 32 itself is
 made up of a longitudinal portion 34 extending from the internal edge 30
 of the sidewall 22 and a lateral barbed portion 36 at an opposite end. The
 longitudinal portion 34 is substantially parallel to the path of the cable
 C, while the lateral portion 36 is substantially perpendicular to the
 longitudinal portion 34. An open space is located between the barbed end
 36 of the projection 32 and the sidewall 22, for receiving a standard tie
 strap T. The projection provides a mounting surface for the tie strap used
 to secure cables. The barbed portion prevents the tie strap from
 unintentionally sliding off of the longitudinal projection.
 FIG. 3 shows the steps involved in inserting the tie strap T. The tie strap
 T is bent by the user as shown in FIG. 3a so that an intermediate portion
 forms a U-shape, which passes between the sidewall 22 and the barbed end
 36 of the projection 32. The U-shaped strap is passed completely through
 the aperture so that the U portion extends beyond the rear surface 24 of
 the rear portion 20 of the cable port, as shown above in FIG. 3b. The tie
 strap T is then pushed past the barbed portion 36 of the projection 32 and
 engaged with the longitudinal portion 34 of the projection 32, with end
 portions of the tie strap T extending toward the front of the cable port
 member, as shown in FIG. 3c.
 In this manner, a tie strap T is secured to the cable port in a transverse
 direction to the path of the cable C to be held. FIG. 3d shows the cable C
 secured within the cable port by securing the ends of the tie strap T
 around the cable. Once secured, the cable C is held in place by the
 tension of the tie strap T, which is prevented from moving longitudinally
 or becoming unhooked by the barbed portion 36 of the projection 32.
 Holding the cable securely also relieves strain often caused by gravity,
 or bending of cable prior to entering the box.
 In one embodiment, the longitudinal projection 34 forms a T-shape. As shown
 in FIGS. 3 and 4, the cable tie T is inserted adjacent to the lateral
 portion of the T, and passed around that same portion to engage the
 longitudinal portion 34 of the projection 32. Once secured, the T acts as
 a guard against dislodgement of the tie strap T from the projection 32.
 In an alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 5, two opposed projections 52a,
 52b are provided. Each projection extends longitudinally from opposed
 sides of the internal edge 30 of the sidewall 22. Each projection extends
 into the aperture, adjacent the other, to a position beyond the other. The
 overlapping portions provide a base on which the cable tie T is secured.
 The projections 52a, 52b are also provided with a barbed portion 54a, 54b,
 which prevent the tie strap from moving longitudinally in either direction
 the opposed nature of the projections 52a, 52b.
 Between the two projections, a tie-strap receiving space is defined. As
 described above, a tie-strap bent into a U-shape is inserted into the
 space. In this embodiment, however, should be turned about the tie strap
 90.degree. after insertion so that each leg of the U-shaped strap passes
 around one of the projections 52a, 52b. The tie-strap is then positioned
 in the area of overlap of the two projections. The respective barb
 portions prevent the tie-strap from rotating out of position. Finally, a
 cable C is inserted, and the tie-strap T secured around the cable. As in
 the previous embodiment, this arrangement secures the cable without
 requiring access to the rear of the cable port.
 Accordingly, the invention provides a mechanism by which a cable tie may be
 inserted for securing cables and the like without requiring access to the
 rear portion of the mechanism.