RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is the U.S. National Stage of International Patent Application No. PCT/ES2017/070704, filed Oct. 20, 2017, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the electrical field, and more specifically to devices or apparatus for installing and supporting electrical lines, particularly by means of wire cable trays.

The main object of the present invention is a cable tray section that can be successively coupled to another tray section having similar features, thereby forming a cable support duct, without requiring any additional tool or accessory, all of which furthermore takes up minimal space and considerably helps the operator in installation tasks.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Different attachment models for forming wire trays, which are intended for supporting electrical cables, are known today. More specifically, anchoring systems based on the use of zip ties installed between every two tray sections to keep the transverse metal wires attached with lugs are known.

On the other hand, other systems keeping the base and the walls of two contiguous tray sections secured by means of jointly securing the last transverse metal wire with a plate, a screw and the complementary nut are known. However, these systems have the enormous drawback that in addition to requiring the installation of several accessories and components, they also require considerable precision in the assembly of the tray, which is generally done at the installation site, with the installer being on a ladder in an uncomfortable position and/or with little available space.

Taking these problems into account, anchoring systems for tray sections without additional devices or accessories with sections that are coupled to one another have been designed. In this sense, technical solutions are known in which the tray sections have different ends, the height and the width of one of such sections are tapered with respect to the other one, and the largest end has at least two transverse metal wires that are located very close to one another for introducing the transverse metal wire of the smallest end between these metal wires in the next tray section. The drawback of trays of this type is the work, skill and expertise required for making all the bends in the smallest end, which further entails the operator taking longer to complete the installation.

An example of anchors of this type is described in European patent translation ES2575408 T3, belonging to the same proprietor as the present invention. However, the fundamental problem of anchors of this type is the need for a certain working angle (α), like that shown inFIG. 1, between every two tray sections to be attached. So in most cases there is not enough space to be able to operate and work suitably, so it is impossible to obtain said required working angle (α), and accordingly the coupling between two tray sections is impossible.

Furthermore, European patent application EP2816687 A1 relates to a cable-tray section with transverse locking, a cable tray comprising such sections and a method for manufacturing the same.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The technical problem discussed above is solved by means of the present invention by providing a cable tray section particularly configured for being successively attached and/or coupled to another contiguous tray section having similar features, without needing additional accessories or any requirements with respect to the working angles on the horizontal plane. This favors a quick, comfortable and simple assembly of several tray sections to form a cable support duct, which is particularly useful in small spaces, while at the same time entailing a simple and cost-effective manufacture.

More specifically, the tray section of the invention comprises: longitudinal metal wires; U-shaped transverse metal wires attached to the longitudinal metal wires; at least one anchoring element installed between the longitudinal metal wires, on the same vertical plane as the side walls of the tray section, where said anchoring element is attached to the last and next to last transverse metal wires, as will be explained below in detail.

In turn, the aforementioned anchoring element comprises: a single metal wire close to the next to last transverse metal wire; and a pair of straight sections parallel to one another; where the upper straight section of the anchoring element projects outwardly with respect to the last transverse metal wire of the tray section, forming an S-shaped section perpendicular to the straight sections, such that there is established a free space located between the last transverse metal wire and said S-shaped section; and where said space has a dimension corresponding to the thickness of a transverse metal wire of the tray section.

It should be pointed out at this point that when reference is made to the “last” transverse metal wire, reference is being made here to the transverse wire located closest to the coupling region between two tray sections, i.e., the transverse wire located closest to the aforementioned S-shaped sections of one and the same tray section.

Preferably, the S-shaped sections of the side walls of the tray section are opposite one another, symmetrically arranged with respect to the longitudinal axis of the tray section. This particular feature provides an advantageous dual effect, namely, on one hand it allows defining a recess having flexibility and on which a given force can be applied so as to allow the insertion of the corresponding transverse metal wire, as will be explained below; and on the other hand it allows assuring a fixed, secure and stable position of the two tray sections once they are attached and assembled, without there being unwanted movements, preventing any possible decoupling between both tray sections.

Furthermore, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, it has been provided that the tray section herein described can additionally comprise at least one additional anchoring element, located on the horizontal plane of the lower wall of the tray section, and attached to the last and next to last transverse metal wires. Preferably, said additional anchoring element is structurally similar to the anchoring element of the side walls of the tray section.

