Flexible cable guide with two-directional joints

The flexible cable guide consists of a plurality of double-T shaped elements having curved flanges defining aligned cylindrical spaces, separated from one another by a central web of the shaped element, the elements being connected to each other by two-directional joints, a plurality of electrical supply, communications and the like cables being lodged in the cylindrical spaces defined by the curved flanges.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
In furniture for offices, such as desks, work tables and the like, as well 
as in other furnishing items, there is a need for equipment of various 
types which require electrical supply and/or connections by means of 
electrical cables to other equipment physically remote from them. Examples 
of such items of equipment are telephone apparatuses, computers, 
calculating machines, illuminating equipment and so on, which are 
frequently present, often simultaneously, on desks and similar articles 
furniture. Frequently, therefore, there are large numbers of cables which 
must reach different zones of the furniture and which it is undesirable to 
allow to hang freely from the furniture itself, both for aesthetic and for 
safety reasons. 
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a cable guide which 
will enable such cables to be housed in a single element, keeping them 
aligned and separate from one another, and which moreover can be arranged 
along the profile of the wall of the furniture by which the cable guide 
must be carried, following variations in direction. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
This object is achieved with the present invention, which provides a 
flexible cable guide which is constituted of a plurality of shaped 
I-section members with curved flanges, defining aligned cylindrical spaces 
separated from one another by the central web of the shaped element, the 
elements being connected together by two-directional joints, i.e. joints 
having two mutually perpendicular pivot axes at each joint, it being 
possible for several electrical supply cables, communication cables and 
the like to be housed in the cylindrical spaces bounded by the curved 
flanges. 
Each shaped element possesses, on each of its base surfaces, a pair of lugs 
projecting from the central web parallel to the axis of the element 
itself, spaced from one another and, adapted for receiving in articulated 
manner at the end a pair of pins of an articulation element. The 
articulation element is constituted of an annular body having two pairs of 
pins projecting radially in mutually perpendicular directions, the lugs of 
a contiguous shaped element, rotated through 90.degree. with respect to 
the first, being capable of being connected to the second pair of pins of 
the articulation element, the pairs of lugs and the articulation element 
connected to them constituting the two-directional joint, of cardan type, 
for connecting together contiguous shaped elements. 
The web of the shaped element possesses an axial hole, which, in the 
assembled position, is aligned with the central hole of the articulation 
element, permitting a stiffening cable to be inserted into said aligned 
holes. 
In a median plane of the flanges of the shaped element, there is a groove 
having undercut re-entrant edges, into which groove shaped profiles for 
securing the cable guide to fixed members may be locked.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION 
As FIGS. 1-3 show, the cable guide according to this invention is 
constituted of an articulated chain of shaped elements, which is flexible 
in every direction; the articulated elements possess seats for receiving 
and holding a plurality of electrical and signal cables in position, but 
separated in orderly manner. 
In particular, the cable guide comprises a plurality of shaped elements 1, 
connected together by the interposition of an articulation element 2; both 
the articulated elements 1 and the articulation elements 2, as can be 
better seen from FIGS. 4 and 7, are axially traversed by holes and through 
these holes it is possible to insert a central guide cable 3. 
Each element 1 is constituted of a substantially I-section body, in which 
the opposed flanges 4 are curved towards each other to form, in 
cooperation with the central web 5, four substantially cylindrical, 
defined spaces 6, intended for housing the cables and accessible from 
outside through the open zone 7. 
On the central web there are formed the projections 8, each formed at the 
end with a hole 9a, as shown in FIGS. 4 to 6 or, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 
to 3, equipped with a fork 9b having re-entrant ends. Into the holes 9a or 
the forks 9b, the opposed radial pins 10a of the articulation element 2 
are inserted in locked manner, the articulation element being composed of 
an annular member from which two pairs of mutually perpendicular pins, 10a 
and 10b, project radially outwards. 
The pins 10b engage into the holes or forks of a following element 1, 
angularly offset through 90.degree. with respect to the preceding one, 
thus forming a joint of the cardan type which enables the axes of the two 
consecutive shaped elements 1 to be oriented at an angle relative to each 
other in any plane. The cable guide according to this invention is 
therefore composed of a plurality of shaped elements and of articulation 
elements connected alternately, constituting a flexible structure adapted 
to be curved according to requirements, as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, and 
3. 
The spaced 6 of the consecutive shaped elements 1 are aligned with one 
another and therefore can each house one or more cables 11, indicated in 
broken lines in FIG. 4 which are separated from one another by the webs 5 
of the successive shaped elements 1. 
The insertion and removal of the cables 11 into and out of the cable guide 
is effected through the openings 7, utilizing the flexibility of the 
cables themselves and of the cable guide. It is also possible to lead out 
through the openings 7 branches of the cables to some apparatus connected 
to them, or to lead in new cables at an intermediate position in the cable 
guide. 
With advantage, the flanges 4 of the shaped body 1 comprise the grooves 12, 
of substantially cylindrical form, having re-entrant external edges 
undercut in respect of the maximum width of the groove. In this groove, 
which, in the contiguous shaped elements rotated through 90.degree. 
relative to each other, is aligned with the openings 7, shaped profiles 13 
or the like may be inserted in locked manner, by means of which the cable 
guide may be secured to fixed structures, such as items of furniture, 
walls and the like, by adhesive, screws, locking-in or similar fixing 
means, depending upon the surface to which the profiles 13 are fixed.