US 4,907,767 AGranted

Stackable modular duct assemblies

AssigneeHubbell Incorporated

InventorsPaul J. Corsi, Richard H. Russell

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Abstract

A duct assembly for enclosing conduits therein comprising a base and a pair of opposing side walls extending substantially perpendicular thereto, and a cover having an intermediate portion with a pair of generally parallel end portions extending substantially perpendicular thereto. The side walls of the base each have a tapered rib extending outwardly therefrom for engaging a U-shaped groove in the end portions of the cover to snap-fit the cover to the base. The ribs and grooves cooperate to provide first and second coupled positions. When the duct assembly is in its first position, a recess is formed for inserting a coupling member therein to join a substantially identical duct assembly thereto in a side by side relation. When the duct assembly is in its second position, the ribs and grooves are secured together to provide a smooth outer surface between the cover and the base. The bottom of each base can be snap fitted to the top of an identical base.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A duct assembly for enclosing conduits, the combination comprising:

a base, having a generally uniform cross section along its longitudinal axis, including a central portion and a pair of opposed side walls extending substantially perpendicular to said central portion;
a cover, having a generally uniform cross section along its longitudinal axis, including an intermediate portion and a pair of generally parallel end portions extending substantially perpendicular to said intermediate portion;
and
means, coupled to said side walls and said end portions, for releasably coupling said cover to said base,
said means for releasable coupling including complementary coupling means of each of said side walls and said end portions for selectively coupling said base and said cover in first and second spaced, but coupled positions,
each of said complementary coupling means comprising abutment means for resisting relative outward movement of said cover and said base by interlocking engagement when in said first coupled position, and for resisting relative outward movement of said cover and base by interlocking engagement when in said second coupled position,
one of said side walls being coupled to one of said end portions and the other of said side walls being coupled to the other of said end portions for defining a recess between coupled side walls and end portions when in said first coupled position, and for forming a substantially continuous, smooth, outer surface between coupled and contiguous side walls and end portions when in said second coupled position.

4 more elements

A modular duct assembly for enclosing conduits, the combination comprising:

two bases, each having a generally uniform across section along its longitudinal axis, including a central portion and a pair of opposed side walls extending substantially perpendicular to said central portion;
two covers, each having a generally uniform cross section along its longitudinal axis, including an intermediate portion and a pair of opposed end portions extending substantially perpendicular of said intermediate portion;
means, coupled to each of said side walls and said end portions, for releasably coupling each of said covers to one of said bases, thereby forming first and second ducts;
and
a coupling member having a generally uniform cross section along its longitudinal axis for coupling said first and second ducts together in a side by side relationship,
each of said means for releasably coupling including complementary coupling means on each of said side walls and said end portions for selectively coupling each of said bases and each of said covers in first and second spaced, but coupled, positions,
each of said complementary coupling means comprising abutment means for resisting relative outward movement of each of said covers and each of said bases when in their said first coupled positions, and for resisting relative outward movement of each of said covers and each of said bases when in their said second coupled positions,
one of said side walls of each of said bases being coupled to one of said end portions of each of said covers and the other of said side walls of each of said bases being coupled to the other of said end portions of each of said covers for defining a recess to releasably receive a part of said coupling member therein between coupled side walls and end portions when in their said first coupled positions, and for forming a substantially continuous, smooth, outer surface between coupled side walls and end portions when in their said second coupled positions.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.