Patent Description:
The present invention relates to a bracket for a wire basket, and more particularly to a trapeze support bracket for wire baskets in a wire basket system.

Wire basket systems generally provide support for cables such as electrical wiring, conduit and data transmission lines. Each wire basket is formed from interconnected metal wires. The wire baskets are connected to other wire baskets at intersections to route the cables and form a wire basket system. The intersections may be three-way intersections, or T-intersection, or four-way intersections. The wire basket system may be supported on cabinets in data center. The wire basket system may also be supported by wall mount brackets or trapeze brackets secured to a ceiling.

It is desirable to provide an improved trapeze support bracket capable of being installed at multiple locations on the wire basket. It is also desirable to provide an improved trapeze support bracket that enables wire baskets to be hung where standard brackets will not fit due to building obstructions.

<CIT> describes, according to its abstract, a cable basket (<NUM>) which may be attached to a series of depending rods (<NUM>) by locating on each depending rod (<NUM>) a swivellable support member sized so that in one orientation it may be passed through a gap in the floor of the cable basket and so that when swivelled about the axis of the depending rod, it can no longer pass through the aperture in the floor of the cable basket.

<CIT> describes, according to its abstract, a cable routing device (<NUM>), which is designed to maintain functionality in the event of a fire (<NUM>), comprising a cable duct (<NUM>) which has a duct base (<NUM>) and duct walls (<NUM>, <NUM>) adjoining it on both sides, which, in particular cables, limit the channel opening (<NUM>) provided. The cable routing device (<NUM>) further comprises at least one fastening device (<NUM>) provided with a segment anchor (<NUM>) and used for mounting the cable duct (<NUM>) on a building ceiling (<NUM>). According to the invention, a mechanical cover element (<NUM>), by means of which at least the cables laid in the cable duct (<NUM>) are protected against the effects of concrete parts, and/or an insulating thermal cover element (<NUM>) is held above the cable duct (<NUM>), by means of which, in the event of a fire, the effect of heat on the building ceiling is reduced and the loosening of concrete parts is counteracted.

<CIT> describes, according to its abstract, a device for fixing a wire cable raceway onto a threaded rod (<NUM>) including: a body (<NUM>) with support members (<NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM>') featuring a first support surface and a second support surface opposite the first support surface, elements for fixing onto a threaded rod (<NUM>) including two elastic arms (<NUM>) each provided with a notch (<NUM>), the bottom of which is intended to cooperate with the thread of the threaded rod (<NUM>) in order to assure locking of the fixing device onto the threaded rod (<NUM>).

<CIT> describes, according to its abstract, a suspension bracket which can be mounted on a rod, such as a screwthreaded rod, and has a metal body including a hook-shaped support part and, opposite the support part, a substantially plane fixing part including a notch. At the entry of the notch, a retaining lug upstanding from one of its edges extends obliquely to the plane of the notch at a distance from the opposite edge of the notch, enabling the rod to pass between them.

<CIT> describes, according to its abstract, a quick-fixing element for fastening guide rails on lattice-like lateral parts including an upper holding section which reaches at least partially around a first rod of a lateral part, and a lower holding section which reaches at least partially around a second rod of the lateral part which extends essentially parallel to the first rod. A nose is provided between the upper and the lower holding section, which nose rests on the second lower rod or rods of the lateral part. The quick-fixing element is held securely on the lateral part and can also be used for different lattice types.

The invention to which this European patent relates is defined in the appended claims.

A support bracket for securing a wire basket to a threaded rod secured to a ceiling in a wire basket system as defined in claim <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates a perspective view of the trapeze support bracket <NUM> of the present invention. The trapeze support bracket <NUM> has a main member <NUM> with a top <NUM>, a bottom <NUM>, a first end <NUM>, a second end <NUM>, a first side <NUM> and a second side <NUM>. The center of the main member <NUM> includes an opening <NUM> that extends from the top <NUM> of the main member <NUM> to the bottom <NUM> of the main member <NUM>. The opening <NUM> receives a threaded rod <NUM> (shown in <FIG>) to enable the trapeze support bracket <NUM> to be secured to a ceiling. An alternate installation to the rod secured to the ceiling is that the rod may be supported from below. For example, the rod may be anchored to a cabinet in the data center (not illustrated). The opening <NUM> in the main member <NUM> is designed to receive ¼", <NUM>/<NUM>", or ½" threaded rods.

The trapeze support bracket <NUM> includes a first arm <NUM> that extends downward from the first side <NUM> of the main member <NUM> and a second arm <NUM> that extends downward from the second side <NUM> of the main member <NUM>. The first arm <NUM> and the second arm <NUM> extend beyond the first end <NUM> of the main member. The first arm <NUM> and the second arm <NUM> each include a J-shaped hook <NUM>, <NUM>, respectively. The J-shaped hooks <NUM>, <NUM> of the first arm <NUM> and the second arm <NUM>, respectively, are aligned with each other to enable the trapeze support bracket <NUM> to receive a longitudinal wire <NUM>, <NUM>, or <NUM> of the wire basket <NUM>.

The first end <NUM> of the main member <NUM> includes an outer edge <NUM> and an indented edge <NUM>. The indented edge <NUM> is centered between the first side <NUM> and the second side <NUM> of the trapeze support bracket <NUM>. A latch <NUM> extends from the indented edge <NUM> at an angle towards the extended first and second arms <NUM>, <NUM>, respectively. The latch <NUM> includes a curved upper member <NUM> that leads to a generally rectangular bottom member <NUM>. As discussed below, the latch <NUM> extends between the first and second arms <NUM>, <NUM>, respectively, such that the latch <NUM> engages the longitudinal wire <NUM>, <NUM>, or <NUM> of the wire basket <NUM> when the longitudinal wire <NUM>, <NUM>, or <NUM> is positioned in the aligned J-hooks <NUM>, <NUM> of the first and second arms <NUM>, <NUM>, respectively.

<FIG> illustrate a wire basket <NUM> and the trapeze support bracket <NUM> installed on the wire basket <NUM>. The wire basket <NUM> is formed from a plurality of parallel and perpendicular metal wires that form a mesh pattern. The wire basket <NUM> includes a plurality of transverse or cross wires <NUM> that extend from one side, across the bottom of the wire basket, to the opposite side. The wire basket <NUM> also includes a plurality of parallel longitudinal wires <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> that extend the length of the wire basket <NUM>. Bottom longitudinal wires <NUM> are positioned along the bottom of the transverse wires <NUM> to form the bottom <NUM> of the wire basket <NUM>. An upper longitudinal wire <NUM> and a lower longitudinal wire <NUM> are positioned along the tops and each side of the transverse wires <NUM> to form the side walls <NUM> of the wire basket <NUM>. As a result, the mesh pattern forms a wire basket <NUM> that supports cables and routes cables along the length of the wire basket <NUM>.

The wire baskets are often supported by trapeze brackets that extend under the wire basket, wall mount brackets or brackets secured to threaded rods affixed to ceilings. The trapeze support bracket of the present invention engages threaded rods in various positions along the wire basket to support the wire basket.

As illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>, the trapeze support bracket <NUM> engages the upper longitudinal wire <NUM> of one of the side walls <NUM> of the wire basket <NUM>. <FIG> illustrate the installation of the trapeze support bracket <NUM>. A threaded rod <NUM> with a washer <NUM> and nut <NUM> is installed in the center opening <NUM> of the main member <NUM> of the trapeze bracket <NUM>. A second washer <NUM> and nut <NUM> are installed on the threaded rod <NUM> and positioned to engage the bottom <NUM> of the main member <NUM> of the trapeze support bracket <NUM> once fully installed. As illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>, the trapeze support bracket <NUM> is positioned below the upper longitudinal wire <NUM> with the upper longitudinal wire <NUM> positioned against the outer edge <NUM> of the main member <NUM> above the J-hooks <NUM>, <NUM> in the first and second arms <NUM>, <NUM>, respectively. As illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>, the trapeze support bracket <NUM> is raised so it is snapped onto the upper longitudinal wire <NUM>. The upper longitudinal wire <NUM> is positioned within the J-hooks <NUM>, <NUM> in the first and second arms <NUM>, <NUM> and the latch <NUM> engages the upper longitudinal wire <NUM>. Once the trapeze support bracket <NUM> has been snapped into place, the bottom nut <NUM> and washer <NUM> are raised to engage the bottom <NUM> of the main member <NUM> of the trapeze support bracket <NUM> and the top nut <NUM> and washer <NUM> are lowered to engage the top <NUM> of the main member <NUM> of the trapeze support bracket <NUM> to secure the trapeze support bracket <NUM> to the threaded rod <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates the trapeze support bracket <NUM> installed on the lower longitudinal wire <NUM> of the side wall <NUM> of the wire basket <NUM>. As discussed above, the trapeze support bracket <NUM> is designed to capture one of the longitudinal wires <NUM>, <NUM>, or <NUM> of the wire basket <NUM>. The trapeze support bracket <NUM> is snapped onto the lower longitudinal wire <NUM> of the wire basket side wall <NUM> in the same fashion as described above with respect to the upper longitudinal wire <NUM>.

<FIG>, <FIG> illustrate the trapeze support bracket <NUM> installed on one of the bottom longitudinal wires <NUM>. The trapeze support bracket <NUM> is snapped onto the bottom longitudinal wire <NUM> in the same fashion as described above with respect to the upper longitudinal wire <NUM> and the lower longitudinal wire <NUM>.

The ability for the trapeze support bracket <NUM> to snap on to the bottom longitudinal wires <NUM> provides extra support for the wire basket <NUM>. This is important when the wire basket sections intersect, and sidewalls of the wire basket are cut to accommodate the intersections. When sidewalls of the wire basket are removed, the wire baskets require extra support to safely maintain the cables routed therein. When the trapeze support bracket <NUM> of the present invention is installed on a bottom longitudinal wire <NUM> in the middle of the wire basket intersection, the trapeze support bracket <NUM> greatly improves the strength of the wire basket <NUM> and reduces deflection of the wire basket <NUM>. This provides support for a greater cable load routed in the wire basket system.

<FIG> illustrate a cross sectional view of the trapeze support bracket <NUM> before it is installed on the bottom longitudinal wire <NUM>. <FIG> illustrates a cross sectional view of the trapezes support bracket <NUM> partially installed on one of the bottom longitudinal wires <NUM>. The bottom longitudinal wire <NUM> snaps into the J-hooks <NUM>, <NUM> of the first and second arms <NUM>, <NUM>, respectively, and the latch <NUM> engages the bottom longitudinal wire <NUM>. The trapeze support bracket <NUM> does not protrude into the wire basket <NUM> which allows for safely routing the cables within the wire basket <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A support bracket (<NUM>) for securing a wire basket (<NUM>) to a threaded rod (<NUM>) secured
to a ceiling in a wire basket system, the support bracket comprising:
a main member (<NUM>) having a top (<NUM>), a bottom (<NUM>), a first end (<NUM>), a second end (<NUM>), a first side (<NUM>), and a second side (<NUM>);
a first arm (<NUM>) extending downwardly from the first side of the main member, the first arm including a J-shaped hook (<NUM>); and
a second arm (<NUM>) extending downwardly from the second side of the main member, the second arm including a J-shaped hook (<NUM>);
wherein the first end of the main member has an outer edge (<NUM>),
wherein a latch (<NUM>) extends at an angle away from the outer edge of the first end of the main member,
whereby the J-shaped hook of the first arm and the J-shaped hook of the second arm are aligned enabling the support bracket to receive a wire (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) of the wire basket in the wire basket system,
wherein the support bracket is arranged to be positioned below the wire, when the wire is positioned against the outer edge of the main member above the J-hooks in the first and second arms, and wherein the support bracket is arranged to be raised and snapped on to the wire, the latch being arranged to engage the wire.