Abstract:
A device used to guide cables or wires through walls. The device includes a maintaining device connected to two or more cable maintaining elements. The maintaining elements surround, in a frame-like manner, a through-opening, and the cable maintaining elements are arranged in the region of the through opening. According to this invention, at least one of the cable maintaining devices or at least two groups of cable maintaining devices can be connected to the maintaining device independently from one or more of the remaining cable maintaining devices by connecting elements which are associated with the cable maintaining devices, in order to improve the ease of mounting of this type of device.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This invention relates to a device for guiding cables or wires through walls, having a holding device, with which two or more cable holders are connected, wherein the holding device surrounds a feed-through opening in a frame-like manner, and the cable holders are arranged in the area of this feed-through opening. 
         [0003]    2. Discussion of Related Art 
         [0004]    A device is known from German Patent Reference DE 92 11 740 U1. Here, a frame-like holding device is used and forms the feed-through opening. The holding device has a circumferential strip surrounding the feed-through opening. Cable holders made of an elastic rubber material can be placed on this strip. 
         [0005]    The cable holders cover a partial area of the feed-through opening. A bracing element is placed into the remaining partial area, by which the individual cable holders can be braced transversely with respect to the cable feed-through opening direction. 
         [0006]    It is not possible with this device to use the partial area into which the bracing element is inserted for cable guidance. For bracing it, the bracing element must be accessible from the front and rear of the device. 
         [0007]    In the installed state, it is necessary to keep the wall in which the device is installed accessible at the rear. Also, two persons are required for the mounting operation. One person braces the bracing elements at the front, and a second person stands behind the wall and counters the bracing element. 
         [0008]    With the bracing element released, it can occasionally occur that the cable holders fall uncontrolled out of the holding device, so that the mounting has no problems. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    It is one object of this invention to provide a device of the type mentioned above but which is distinguished by an ease of operating. 
         [0010]    This object is attained if at least one of the cable holders, or at least two groups of cable holders, can be connected, independently of the one or the remaining cable holders, with the holding device by connecting elements assigned to the cable holders. 
         [0011]    The user can release the desired cable holder in a directed manner because individual cable holders are fixed in place on the holding device by individually assigned connecting elements. The remaining cable holders remain fixed in place. The manipulation of the device is thus clear and assembling or disassembling of the cable holders is possible in a simple manner. 
         [0012]    In accordance with this invention, it is possible to assign respectively one connecting element to each cable holder, or a group of cable holders can be fixed in place by a connecting element. 
         [0013]    In accordance with a preferred embodiment of this invention, the holding device has a wall attachment side, by which it can be connected with a wall, the connecting elements are releasably connected with the holding device via a locking arrangement, and the connecting element can be displaced into the locking position, or released therefrom, from the side facing away from the wall attachment side. 
         [0014]    Thus, the cable holders can always be released or fixed in place from the direction of the front of the wall, which allows a one-person mounting. Also, the installation conditions on the rear of the wall can be designed independently of the cable passage. 
         [0015]    In order not to restrict the free passage of cables equipped with plugs through the feed-through opening, in accordance with this invention, the connecting elements are arranged outside of the feed-through opening. 
         [0016]    A dependable support and strain relief of the cable holders simply results if the cable holders are positively connected in the cable feed-through direction with the holding device and are supported opposite the cable feed-through direction by each of the connecting elements. 
         [0017]    It is thus possible for the cable holders to be placed with a support section on a support section which surrounds the feed-through opening at least in part, and for a fastening piece of the connecting elements to extend over the cable holders on their side facing away from the support section. 
         [0018]    A simple locking of the connecting element without the use of tools can be achieved if in the locked position the connecting element is fixed in place on the holding device by a snap-in connection. 
         [0019]    It is possible to achieve an exact positioning of the cable holders and to maintain it if the connecting elements and/or the holding device have positional receptacles at which the cable holders are maintained transversely to the cable feed-through direction. 
         [0020]    A dependable sealing of the cable holders can be achieved if the holding device and/or the connecting elements have clamping pieces, which sealingly brace the cable holders in the mounted position transversely to the cable feed-through direction. In this way, a functional separation of locking and sealing is achieved by the connecting elements and the clamping pieces. 
         [0021]    It is thus possible to achieve a large degree of IP sealing if the holding device supports the clamping pieces, the clamping pieces can be displaced transversely with respect to the cable feed-through direction, and in the mounted position the displacement movement of the clamping pieces is blocked by the connecting elements. 
         [0022]    In accordance with a preferred embodiment of this invention, the cable holders have a non-deformable cable enclosure body, which is circumferentially surrounded by a seal and is maintained on the holding device, and the seal is placed against a circumferential sealing face of the holding device and against the seals of the one or several adjoining cable holders, the rigid cable enclosure body, which for example can include one or several plastic injection-molded parts, can be dependably supported on the holding device. For performing its function, the properties and shape of the seal can then be designed independently of the cable enclosure body. 
         [0023]    In a conceivable embodiment of this invention, the cable holder includes a cable enclosure body, which surrounds at least one cable feed-through and has two or more partial bodies, which can be adjusted with respect to each other, by which the cable feed-through can be opened transversely to the cable feed-through direction, and the cable enclosure body is directly fixed in place on the holding device. 
         [0024]    It is thus possible to insert pre-assembled cables with plugs already placed on them into the cable feed-through of the cable enclosure body which can be opened. Because the cable enclosure body is directly connected with the holding device, it is possible to accomplish a simple compact construction with few components. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0025]    This invention is explained in greater detail in view of exemplary embodiments represented in the drawings, wherein: 
           [0026]      FIG. 1  is a lateral view of a holding device for conducting cables or wires through a wall; 
           [0027]      FIG. 2  shows the holding device in accordance with  FIG. 1 , in a top view; 
           [0028]      FIG. 3  shows the holding device in accordance with the section line identified by III-III in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0029]      FIG. 4  shows the holding device in accordance with  FIGS. 1 to 3 , in an isometric view; 
           [0030]      FIG. 5  shows a cover in an isometric view; 
           [0031]      FIG. 6  shows the cover in accordance with  FIG. 5 , taken along the section line identified by VI-VI in  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0032]      FIG. 7  shows the cover in a top view; 
           [0033]      FIG. 8  shows an arrangement with the holding device in accordance with  FIGS. 1 to 4  and with the cover in accordance with  FIGS. 5 to 7 , as well as with a cable holder and a connecting element, taken along the section line identified by VIII-VIII in  FIG. 9 ; 
           [0034]      FIG. 9  shows the arrangement in accordance with  FIG. 8 , in a top view; 
           [0035]      FIG. 10  shows the arrangement in accordance with  FIG. 9 , taken along the section line identified by X-X in  FIG. 9 ; and 
           [0036]      FIGS. 11 to 15  show a connecting element in various views. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0037]    A holding device  10  embodied as a one-piece plastic injection-molded part is shown in  FIGS. 1 to 4 . With lateral elements  12  and  13  extending in the linear and transverse direction, the holding device  10  forms a frame  11  that surrounds a feed-through opening  14 . In this case, the feed-through opening  14  is only bordered by a support section  15 , which projects at a right angle away from the lateral elements  12 ,  13 . On its front, the support section  15  has positioning receptacles  16  designed as recesses that are spaced apart from each other in a modular dimension. 
         [0038]    As  FIG. 3  shows, clamping pieces  17  are formed on the lateral elements  12  in the connecting area of the support section  15 . Here, the clamping pieces  17  extend continuously between the lateral elements  13 , and their ends are connected with them. In this way, the clamping pieces  17  and the lateral elements  13  form a circumferential sealing face  17 . 1 ,  13 . 1  facing the feed-through opening  14 . The clamping pieces  17  protrude with gripping elements from the front of the holding device  10 . In the area facing away from the feed-through opening  14 , a free space  18  is formed at the rear behind the clamping pieces  17 . The clamping pieces  17  are or can be pivoted in a spring-elastic manner into it around the connecting section formed in the transition area between the clamping pieces  17  and the support section  15 . 
         [0039]    The lateral elements  13  have two shoulders  10 . 1 , which face away from the feed-through opening  14  and which are embodied in a box shape and are bordered by a protruding edge  10 . 1  and two screw receptacles  10 . 4  penetrate through them. 
         [0040]    The shoulders  10 . 2  are respectively laterally equipped with a snap-in element  10 . 3 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , for example, the holding device  10  has a wall attachment side, which is formed by a flat contact face  10 . 5 . With this contact face  10 . 5  it is possible, with the interposition of a seal, to attach the holding device  10  around a wall opening to a wall so that the wall opening and the feed-through opening  14  are aligned. 
         [0041]    As  FIG. 8  shows, it is possible to introduce connecting elements  40  into the free space  18  behind the clamping pieces  17 . The details of the design of the connecting elements  40  can be taken from  FIGS. 11 to 15 . As these drawings show, the connecting element  40  has a strip  43  and a handle  41  formed at right angles on it. The strip  43  also has a fastening piece  42  on the side facing away from the handle  41  which is also arranged at right angles with respect to the strip  43 . On an underside the fastening piece  42  has a recess  44 , with dimensions that correspond to the positioning receptacles  16  of the support section  15  of the holding device  10 . 
         [0042]    On its end facing away from the fastening piece  42 , the strip  43  has an opening, at which it supports a snap-in element  46  formed on it. An obliquely-shaped element  47 , as well as two laterally projecting stops  45 , are also provided in the area of or near the free end of the strip  43 . The stops  45  are embodied as cylindrical pegs. 
         [0043]    As  FIG. 8  shows, the strip  43  of the connecting elements  40  can be inserted into the free space  18 . In the area facing the contact face  10 . 5 , the free space  18  is delimited by an oblique surface, which works together with the obliquely-shaped element  47  of the connecting element  40 . Accordingly, the obliquely-shaped element  47  slides up on the oblique surface, so that in the assembled position the strip  43  rests against the back of the clamping piece  17 . The snap-in element simultaneously snaps into an associated snap-in receptacle  19 , which is cut in the form of an opening into the lateral element  12  of the holding device  10 . 
         [0044]    Snapping-in can be accomplished in a simple manner if the connecting element  40  is merely pushed into the free space  18  with the aid of the handle  41 . 
         [0045]    As  FIG. 8  shows, a cover  20  is connected with the holding device  10 , which fixes the connecting elements  40  directly on the holding device  10  in a manner secure against loss. The embodiment of the cover  20  is shown in detail in  FIGS. 5 to 7 . As  FIG. 5  shows, the cover  20  has two strips  21 , which are arranged parallel with respect to each other and have comb-like protrusions  24 . On their longitudinal ends the strips  21  are connected with box-like borders  23 . Screw receptacles  22  pass through the borders  23 . 
         [0046]    The cover  20  can be placed on the holding device  10  and during this the borders  23  extend around the shoulders  10 . 2  of the holding device  10 . The cover  20  can be pushed onto the holding device  10  until it makes contact with the edge  10 . 1 . In this position, the snap-in elements  10 . 3  of the holding device  10  snap into snap-in receptacles  25  of the cover  20 , so that the cover  20  is maintained secure against loss. In this case, the screw receptacles  22  of the cover  20  are also arranged aligned with the screw receptacles  10 . 4  of the holding device  10 . 
         [0047]    As  FIG. 8  shows, the strips  21  of the cover  20  are placed on the lateral elements  12  of the holding device  10 , and the protrusions  24  cover the free space  18 . The distance between the protrusions  24  is matched to the spacing of the stops  45  of the connecting element  40 . The connecting element  40  can be brought out of the locking position represented in  FIG. 8  into an unlocked position. To this end, the snap-in element  46  is released by a suitable tool pushed through the snap-in receptacle  19 , and the connecting element  40  can be pulled out in the direction facing away from the contact face  10 . 5  with the aid of the handle  41 . The pull-out movement is limited by the stops  45 , which come to rest against the protrusions  24  of the cover  20 . 
         [0048]    As  FIG. 8  shows, the free space  18  is widened in the area facing the cover  20 , so that in the pulled-out state the connecting element  40  can be pivoted outward to a limited extent in the direction of the extension of the handle  41 . Then the fastening piece  42  is located outside of the cable feed-through area, so that cable holders  30  can be comfortably inserted. 
         [0049]      FIGS. 8 to 10  show the design of the cable holders  30  which include two cable halves, which can be snapped together. The cable holder  30  encloses a cable feed-through  31 . A sealing element receptacle  32  is provided, centered in the cable feed-through  31 . A sealing element is inserted into the latter and sealingly encloses a cable inserted into the cable feed-through  31 . The cable holder  30  forms a strain relief, which fixes the cable in place so it cannot be axially shifted. At their longitudinal ends, the cable holders  30  form support sections  34  with shoulders  33  formed thereon around the cable feed-through  31 . The dimensions of the shoulders  33  are matched to the shape of the positioning receptacles  16  of the holding device  10 , or to the recesses  44  of the connecting elements  40 . 
         [0050]    The cable holders  30  are embodied symmetrically with respect to the center transverse plane. A circumferential sealing element  35  made of a flexible material surrounds the cable holder  30  in the center transverse plane. 
         [0051]    The procedure for mounting the device for the feed-through of cables is described as follows. 
         [0052]    Initially, the housing halves of the cable holder  30  are placed around a cable, which can have pre-installed plugs, and are snapped together. Then the cable is sealingly fixed in place. Thereafter the cable, if applicable together with the plug, is pushed through the feed-through opening  14 . The feed-through opening is sufficiently large so that even large-size plugs can be inserted. Subsequently, the cable holder  30  is placed into the desired position at the holding device  10 . In this case, the support section  34  of the cable holder  30  is seated on the support section  15  of the holding device  10 . Here, exact positioning is achieved by shoulders  33  of the cable holder  30 , which engage the positioning receptacles  16  of the support section  15 . Thereafter, the associated connecting element  40  is pushed into the locking position by the handle  41 . In the process, the shoulder  33  facing the fastening piece  42  of the connecting element  40  engages the recess  44 . In the mounted position, the cable holder  30  is positively fixed in place in the direction of the cable feed-through on the fastening piece  42  and the support section  15 . 
         [0053]    Additional cable holders  30  or blank pieces are inserted, besides the cable holder  30  as shown in  FIG. 9 . 
         [0054]    In this case, the cable holders  30  can all have the same geometry, or cable holders  30  are employed, which occupy several installation locations in the holding device  10 . Here, the dimensions of the cable holders  30  extending in the drawing plane and represented in accordance with  FIG. 9  are selected to be kit-like in the longitudinal and the transverse direction. 
         [0055]    Accordingly, the longitudinal and/or transverse extension always corresponds to a whole-number multiple of the cable holders  30  as shown in  FIG. 9 . 
         [0056]    In other words, the dimensions of the cable holders  30  are always selected so that the longitudinal and/or transverse extension corresponds to a whole-number multiple of the grid pattern predetermined by the positioning receptacles  16 . 
         [0057]    Thus, it is possible to fill the cable feed-through area completely with cable holders  30  or, in case no cable feed-through is desired, with blank pieces. At least one connecting piece  40  is assigned to each cable holder  30  or blank piece. 
         [0058]    In the contact area with the holding device  10 , the cable holders  30 , or the blind pieces, are sealed by a circumferential seal  35  against the sealing face  13 . 1 , or  17 . 1 , of the holding device  10 . The adjoining cable holders  30  or blank pieces provide sealing by seals  35  placed against each other. 
         [0059]    As mentioned above, the device can be installed surrounding a wall opening in a wall. Thus, screws are extended through the screw receptacles  24  of the cover and the screw receptacles  10 . 4  of the holding device  10  aligned therewith, and are braced in the wall.