Patent ID: 12247684

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Systems and devices described herein are related to a wire management clip that may secure to a modular rail system for securing and positioning wires and/or cables or other such components relative to the modular rail system. In some examples, the modular rail system may include an extruded metal rail system, such as shown and described in U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/162,454, filed Mar. 17, 2021, titled “Mounting Systems for Mounting Solar Panel Modules Including Components Thereof,” the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference. The wire management clip described herein may enable one or more cables, wires, or other components to be positioned and secured relative to the modular rail system. The wire management clip may, for example, be used to secure wires for carrying power from a solar panel to other components of a solar array system. The wire management clip may be positioned by inserting into an open edge of the modular rails system and may be positioned along the length of the modular rail by moving the wire management clip. Friction between the wire management clip and the modular rail may resist movement of the wire management clip once placed on the modular rail. The wire management clip includes a securing device for securing one or more wires or components to the wire management clip and may include, for example, a cable tie, a hook and loop fastener, magnetic fastener, or other such releasable or permanent securing devices. The securing device secures the wires or other components to the wire management clip, which is in turn positioned due to the interface between the modular rail system and the wire management clip.

The figures illustrate wire management clips that may be used as described above to secure and position wires or other components relative to a modular rail system.FIG.1illustrates an example of a wire management clip102installed on a modular rail104, according to the instant disclosure. As shown inFIG.1, the wire management clip102is intended to be installed on the modular rail104by spanning the width of the channel between the respective vertically extending ends of the two opposing side walls. In an embodiment, the wire management clip102may be generally symmetrical, as shown, about a plane128that bisects the modular rail104, where the plane extends into the page ofFIG.1, i.e., along a length of the modular rail104. In an embodiment, the wire management clip102may also be generally symmetrical, as shown, about a second plane130that is perpendicular to a length of the modular rail104. For the sake of conciseness, the following description of elements of the wire management clip102refer to features that are associated with one half of the symmetrical shape of the wire management clip102. That is, the features that are described below, which are focused on the labeled reference numbers on the right side ofFIG.2, for example, including reference numbers106,108,110, may be considered to be equally and mirror-symmetrically found on the left side of the device inFIG.2, unless otherwise stated.

Each side of the wire management clip102includes a lower interface portion106and an upper interface portion108that contact and enclosingly conform to the modular rail104at an inside edge110of the vertically extending open end of the respective side walls thereof. While the specific shapes of the ends of the side walls of the modular rail104and the lower interface portion106and the upper interface portion108of the wire management clip102do not have to be the same,FIG.2illustrates an embodiment in which the interfacing shapes thereof conform to each other, which may provide greater security due to the additional surface friction involved therebetween. In this manner, the wire management clip102may be secured to and positioned on the modular rail104and generally anywhere along the length of the modular rail104by sliding the wire management clip102along the edge110. The friction between the lower interface portion106, the upper interface portion108, and the edge110resists movement of the wire management clip102relative to the modular rail104after being slid to position. Any modular rail system or opening may be compatible with the wire management clip102so long as the upper interface portion108and the lower interface portion106may engage with an edge of the opening or of a device or system to resist movement of the wire management clip102.

The lower interface portion106and the upper interface portion108engage, as shown in the figures, with the edge110to resist movement of the wire management clip102after installation. A middle interface portion132, positioned between the lower interface portion106and the upper interface portion108engages with the edge110while the lower interface portion106and the upper interface portion extend beyond the edge110to partially surround the edge110in combination with the middle interface portion132and thereby retain the wire management clip102in position. During installation, a tapered end134of the lower interface portion106contacts the edge110as the wire management clip102is installed and causes the lower interface portion106and middle interface portion132to flex, enabling the lower interface portion to pass the edge110to secure against and underside and/or backside of the edge110. The lower interface portion106includes a bulbous portion and/or a surface that engages with the underside and/or backside of the edge110when installed. In this manner, when the wire management clip102is installed, after the lower interface portion106passes the edge110, the lower interface portion106and/or the middle interface portion132returns partially or wholly to the unflexed position, thereby “snapping” into place and securing the wire management clip102into the modular rail104.

The wire management clip102includes a securing portion112that defines a concave surface136against which wires or other devices may rest when secured. The concave surface136may be curved around a single axis perpendicular to the direction of the length of the modular rail104(such as depicted inFIG.1). The concave surface136may include a continuous or semi-continuous curvature and/or other geometry that forms a concave shape such that wires or other components secured against the wire management clip102are at least partially maintained in place by the concave surface136. In some examples the single axis may be parallel with or at an angle relative to the direction of the length of the modular rail104. The securing portion112may include a securing device such as a cable tie interface, hook and loop fastener, magnetic clasp, or other releasable or non-releasable securing interfaces. In some examples the securing device may be aligned along the direction of the length of the modular rail104such that the single axis of the concave surface is perpendicular to the securing device. The securing device may, due to the perpendicular arrangement, securely hold a wire, cable, round element, or other device against the concave surface to secure it in place relative to the modular rail104.

FIG.2illustrates an end view of the wire management clip102and modular rail104ofFIG.1, according to the instant disclosure. The lower interface portion106and upper upper interface portion108are shown partially surrounding edge110and the resulting friction resists movement of the wire management clip102. The wire management clip102also includes a brace114that may serve as a lower surface of the securing portion112in some examples, for example to provide a lower surface such that a loose end of a cable tie may be inserted between the securing portion112and the brace114to secure the securing device around a wire or other component. The brace114may also provide an outward force against the edge110that results in additional frictional force. For example, the brace114may be formed such that the brace114causes the width of the wire management clip102at the position of the brace114is wider than a distance between edges of the opening in the modular rail104. In this manner, the brace114is compressed when the wire management clip102is inserted in the opening and provides additional frictional force against the edge110.

The wire management clip102defines a passage120through the wire management clip102through which a cable tie or other securing device may be inserted. The passage is enclosed by the brace114and the securing portion112such that a securing device may be inserted through passage120to secure a wire to the wire management device. The passage may be sized and configured to receive a plurality of different securing devices including cable ties, twist ties, hook and loop fasteners, magnetic fasteners, and other such securing devices.

In an embodiment, the wire management clip102may be installed by sliding the wire management clip into the opening at an end of the modular rail and then sliding to position along the length of the modular rail104. In some examples the wire management clip102may be pushed into the opening, in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the length of the modular rail104such that the wire management clip102snaps into place due to the width of the lower securing portion being greater than the width of the opening in the modular rail104. The wire management clip102may be formed, at least in part of a plastic material or other flexible material that may allow the lower interface portion106to flex when inserted before returning to its original shape or near its original shape after insertion.

FIG.3illustrates an example of a wire management clip102with a cable tie for a securing device, according to the instant disclosure. Though other securing devices, including those listed above, among other such securing device, may be used in connection with the wire management clip102, the example shown inFIG.3is illustrative of using a cable tie, and it is appreciated that other securing devices will perform in a similar manner though using different securing mechanisms. An end138of the cable tie may be inserted through the passage120(shown inFIG.3) and the cable tie may then be secured around the wire or other component, as illustrated inFIG.4.

In some examples, the wire management clip102includes an integral cable tie that is connected at a first end to the wire management clip102. The cable tie includes a locking surface118and an end138while the wire management clip102includes a locking surface116as part of the securing portion112. The end138of the cable tie is inserted into the securing portion112, for example between an upper surface of the securing portion112and the brace114or another surface beneath the securing portion112. The end138does not include a locking surface and is used to feed through the locking surface of the securing portion112until the locking surface118comes in contact with the locking surface116. The contact between the two locking surfaces enables movement of the end138in a single direction (e.g., through the securing portion) but resists or prevents withdrawal of the end138or reversing direction of the cable tie. In this manner, the cable tie may be used to securely hold wires in place by tightening the cable tie and relying on the interaction between the locking surfaces to resist or prevent loosening of the cable tie. An end of the cable tie opposite from end138may be secured to the wire management clip102, for example at or beneath the securing portion112.

FIG.4illustrates an example of a wire management clip102installed on a modular rail104and including a cable tie122for securing multiple wires126, according to the instant disclosure. The wire management clip102is shown installed on the modular rail104as shown and described with respect toFIGS.1-2. A cable tie122is inserted through the passage120of the wire management clip102such that the cable tie is aligned parallel to the length of the modular rail104. The end138of the cable tie122is then inserted through a cable tie lock124where the locking surfaces of the cable tie122interact to allow the end138to proceed through the cable tie lock124to tighten around the wires126while also preventing or resisting loosening of the cable tie122once secured.

While the foregoing invention is described with respect to the specific examples, it is to be understood that the scope of the invention is not limited to these specific examples. Since other modifications and changes varied to fit particular operating requirements and environments will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention is not considered limited to the example chosen for purposes of disclosure, and covers all changes and modifications which do not constitute departures from the true spirit and scope of this invention.

Although the application describes embodiments having specific structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the claims are not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described. Rather, the specific features and acts are merely illustrative some embodiments that fall within the scope of the claims.