Cable connection into tube

Disclosed is a cable installation in an office layout having a raised floor forming a plenum having air conditioned air charged therein. The conditioned air is lead through the floor by way of flexible tubes that are guided to the various office stations located above the floor. Wherever needed, the flexible tubes are connected above the floor and below the floor to rigid tubes that are located in the replaceable tiles in the raised floor. This installation requires that various cables also must be installed. It has been found that the most convenient way to accomplish this is to lead the cables through the flexible tubes to wherever they are needed. The cables are conveniently located under the floor. The rigid tube installed in the tile of the floor has a lower rigid extension. An opening is placed laterally into the rigid tube, a special plate is placed to cover the opening including a sealing element. The special plate has an opening therein so that a cable can be passed into the interior of the rigid tube and from there to the office station above the floor. Special precautions are taken to protect the cable from any damage and to prevent excessive air leakage. The cable installation can be used with either rigid or flexible tubes wherever feasible and practical.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention involves a connector plate that is used to lead cable into the interior of a flexible hose. The flexible hose delivers conditioned air from an under floor plenum through a raised floor to an air distribution system that is placed on top of the raised floor. The idea of a raised floor is to simplify the installation of an office layout on an open floor in a large office building and to enhance the office architecture. In such an arrangement everything is kept under the raised floor which in itself is a plenum containing air conditioned air. The air conditioned air is delivered to an above located desk, for example, by a flexible tube that is connected to an air distribution system located within the desk and is being controlled by an occupant sitting at the desk. An example of such an arrangement is found in applicant's prior U.S. Pat. No. 0,000,000. The problem with such an arrangement is that cables need to appear on top of such a raised floor, such as electric wires for appliances being operated on top of a desk, telephone and computer wires.

SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is particularly difficult to bring wires that are located in an under floor air conditioned plenum to a location above the floor in a sound and code conforming manner so that the electrical wires, for example, do not create a hazard, such as short circuits and so on. Therefore, the inventive concept eliminates such problems by using a removable plate in the flexible duct system to alleviate any problems enumerated above.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Turning now toFIG. 1which shows the overall inventive concept. ThisFIG. 1shows a supported floor1which forms an air plenum below the floor which is charged with conditioned air which can be tapped into at any desired location above the floor depending on the layout of the floor architecture. The floor is supported by a multiple of stanchions2. At any desired location there is rigid tube3which passes through the floor so that any location can be chosen. The prior patent mentioned above shows how various tiles can be interchanged with the rigid tubes already installed. At the lower end of the rigid tube3there is a flexible or rigid tube4installed which may derive conditioned air from a fan plenum located below the raised floor. The flexible tube4is fastened to the lower end of the rigid tube by way of a tension adjustable band4a. A cable6is passed into the interior of the rigid tube by way of a plate7which will be explained in more detail below. By passing through the rigid tube3, the cable6ends up in the interior of the upper flexible tube5which is fastened to the upper end of the rigid tube5by way of the tension adjustable band5a. Now it can be seen that the cable6is passed from a loose condition under the elevated floor1into the interior of the upper end of the rigid tube3to wherever the flexible tube5is destined to lead.

InFIG. 2there is shown the outline of a personal air conditioning plenum8which is installed under the desk top14and which has a lower flexible or rigid tube attached thereto by way of the tension adjustable band4a. In this installation, the loose cable6within the tube4enters the air plenum8to be installed in plugs on top of the desk (not shown) and for the cable6to continue under the desk to wherever it is needed, such as telephone and computer devices and cables.9represents a grommet for the protection of the cable. The front of the air plenum has adjustable air outlets15which can be controlled by the knob10.

FIG. 3illustrates a plate11that fills the opening10in the rigid tube3. The plate11can be made of a flexible material such as a foam that will easily fit the void of the opening10to thereby seal the same. The plate11has a slit11atherein that ends in a central hole11bto receive the cable6therein.

FIG. 4shows the plate7(FIG. 1) or11(FIG. 3) having multiple apertures12and13therein to accommodate different types of cables therein such, as for example, telephone or computer cables. When not in use, the apertures12and13are plugged to create an air tight seal.

FIG. 5illustrates a plate31that is installed in the rigid tube3having an opening30therein. The bottom opening30callows the plate31to be slid into the opening30of the rigid tube3. This is accomplished by modifying the plate by having alternating tines31aand32b. These tines alternate in their orientation so that the tines31awill move behind the edge30band the tines32bwill move in front of the edge30bwhen the plate31is pushed into the opening30of the rigid tube3.

FIG. 6shows the plate31installed in the rigid tube3. Included in this installation is a grommet32for the cable6to ensure the integrity of the cable6according to the electrical code. In an exploded view is shown an insulating foam plate34. When the installation is completed, as is shown inFIG. 7, the insulation foam plate34will cover the inserted plate31ofFIGS. 5 and 6completely to ensure integrity within the air conditioned system.

FIGS. 8-10show a somewhat different insertion plate42which may be inserted in a rigid tube3which has an opening30intermediate its ends. The plate42is clean (no tines) at all its sides except for an upper handle piece36. In this instance, the edges of the opening30are modified to have forward40and rearward retention tines41.FIGS. 9 and 10. By grasping the handle36, the plate30is merely inserted into the opening in the rigid tube3and will be kept in place by the inner retention tines41and the outer retention tines40. Included in this installation is the grommet32, again to maintain the integrity of the electrical cable.