Cable management devices
OwnerVicent Ripoll Agullo, Brian S. Wares +1inventors
InventorsVicent Ripoll Agullo, Brian S. Wares, Tyler Grushkowitz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Cable management devices for use in photovoltaic (PV) module systems are described, including a cable support clip, a cable support stand, and a cable support tray. The cable management devices may be easily mounted on support surfaces, e.g., a roof or a frame rail, to lock electrical wiring in place and prevent contact with external structures. Furthermore, the cable management devices may be fabricated from low-cost and weather-resistant materials, e.g., spring wire or recycled automobile tires.
Claims20
A cable support clip, comprising:
- a cable retainer;
- a pair of clip portions, each clip portion having a respective upper contact surface and a respective lower contact surface;
- and
- a pair of arms, each arm extending from a respective first end at the cable retainer to a respective second end at a respective clip portion;
- wherein the upper contact surfaces are aligned along an upper contact axis, wherein the lower contact surfaces are aligned along a lower contact axis, wherein the upper contact axis is below the lower contact axis when the pair of arms are in a free state, and wherein the upper contact axis is above the lower contact axis when the pair of arms are in a deflected state.
A cable support stand, comprising:
- a base having a top surface vertically offset from a bottom surface;
- and
- a plurality of retention fingers extending from the top surface, the plurality of retention fingers including a first retention finger and a second retention finger separated by a gap extending along a plane orthogonal to the top surface, wherein
- the first retention finger includes a first lateral surface and a first lower surface defining a first portion of a cable channel above the top surface,
- the second retention finger includes a second lateral surface and a second lower surface defining a second portion of the cable channel, and
- the first lateral surface and the second lateral surface face the cable channel in opposite directions.
A cable support tray, comprising:
- a trough having:
- a bottom wall extending in a longitudinal direction, wherein the bottom wall includes a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge,
- a first lateral wall extending upward from the first lateral edge to a first upper edge, wherein the first lateral wall includes a plurality of first protrusions separated in the longitudinal direction by a first notch, and
- a second lateral wall extending upward from the second lateral edge to a second upper edge, wherein the second lateral wall includes a plurality of second protrusions separated in the longitudinal direction by a second notch, and wherein the second notch is aligned with the first notch in a transverse direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.