Patent ID: 7029195

Claim:
A coupler for a cable trough system, the coupler comprising: a body including a bottom wall and two side walls defining a trough, the body having a body terminal end defining an overlap region, the overlap region being sized to slideably receive a terminal end of a trough member along a longitudinal direction of the body; a locking element including a spring and a spring release mechanism, the spring including first and second spring arms extending generally in opposition to one another in a plane generally parallel to the longitudinal direction, the spring release mechanism including first and second fingers configured to slide in the longitudinal direction between a locked position, such that the first and second spring arms engage the terminal end of the trough member, and an unlocked position, such that the first and second fingers disengage the first and second spring arms from the terminal end of the trough member, and the locking element defining a hole, wherein the locking element further includes a clip to couple the locking element to the body of the coupler, the clip including first and second arms with detents formed on ends of each of the arms to engage the body of the coupler; and a fastener extending through the hole in the locking element, wherein the fastener is positioned to maintain the first and second arms of the clip in a direction generally away from one another so that the locking element is retained on the body.