Duct transition converter and flexible connectors including same

Claim 2

A wiring duct converter for making a transition connection between an end of a multi-sided ducting member and an end of a cylindrical ducting member, said converter comprising: an elongate generally tubular converter body having a first end with a resilient cuff portion for clamping engagement about said multi-sided duct end and having an opposed second end with a sleeve portion including means for cooperatively engaging the end of said cylindrical duct member, said converter body defining an internal passageway for receiving a plurality of wires or cables, said converter body further including means for providing lateral access to said passageway to permit wires or cables to be added or removed from said passageway in use.

Claim 3

A converter as in claim 1, wherein said multi-sided duct end and said cuff portion have a four-sided configuration.

Claim 4

A converter as in claim 2, wherein said four-sided configuration is rectangular.

Claim 5

A converter as in claim 2, wherein said four-sided configuration is square.

Claim 6

A converter as in claim 1, wherein said converter body is a unitary, one-piece body.

Claim 7

A converter as in claim 5, wherein said access means includes an axial slit extending the entire length of said body, such that said body has a resilient, generally C-shaped cross-sectional configuration.

Claim 8

A converter as in claim 1, wherein said converter body comprises a unitary thermoplastic molded body.

Claim 9

A converter as in claim 1, wherein said converter body comprises a pair of matable body parts including releasable interlocking means.

Claim 10

A converter as in claim 8, wherein each said body part is a unitary thermoplastic molding.

Claim 11

A converter as in claim 8, wherein said body parts are hermaphroditic body halves.

Claim 12

A converter as in claim 10, wherein each hermaphroditic body half includes a pair of parallel elongate edges extending between the first and second ends.

Claim 13

A converter as in claim 11, wherein said releasable locking means includes a resilient tab extending perpendicularly from a first elongate edge having a lock aperture defined therein and a tab receiving recess with a centrally disposed lock projection defined in an outer surface of said body half adjacent the other elongate edge, said tab and said lock projection being positioned such that when two said hermaphroditic body halves are assembled together so that their elongate edges are in abutting relation, the lock projections on each body half are received in the tab apertures of the other body half.

Claim 14

A converter as in claim 12, wherein said tab and lock projection are disposed intermediate the cuff portion of the body half.

Claim 15

A converter as in claim 12, wherein said releasable locking means further includes a resilient latch arm having a free end with a locking barb cantilevered outwardly therefrom, said latch arm extending upwardly from one said elongate surface and a latch window deposed in a sidewall adjacent the opposing elongate edge, said latch arm and latch window being disposed intermediate the sleeve portion of said body half such that when two said body halves are assembled together so that their elongate edges are advanced into abutting relation, the latch arms are deflected inwardly by a portion of the sidewall intermediate the elongate edge and said window, until the barbs clear said window, permitting the latch arms to resile outwardly causing the barbs to be lockingly engaged within the windows.

Claim 16

A converter as in claim 1, wherein said cuff portion is adapted to telescopingly receive the multi-sided duct end within the cuff portion, and said converter body further includes a shoulder in said passageway spaced from the first end for defining a forward stop in said cuff portion.

Claim 17

A flexible transition connector for connecting end portions of a pair of spaced apart wiring duct members, said connector comprising: a length of flexible tubing having a pair of opposed ends and having a longitudinally extending axial slit extending the length thereof defining an interior space accessible through said slit for receiving a plurality of wires or cables in loose or bundled form; a pair of transition converters, each transition converter including an elongate generally tubular converter body having a first end with a resilient cuff portion having a first cross-sectional configuration for clampingly engaging an end portion of one said wiring duct and having an opposed second end with an elongate sleeve portion having a second generally circular cross-sectional configuration, said converter body defining an internal passageway for receiving a plurality of wires or cables, the sleeve portion of each transition converter being telescopically received in and engaging an end of said flexible tubing, each said transition converter further including means for cooperatively engaging the respective end of said flexible tubing, each said transition converter body further including means for providing lateral access to said passageway to permit wires or cables to be added or removed from said passageway in use; and clamp means for releasably securing each tubing end to one said sleeve portion, whereby said connector may be installed by pushing the first end of each converter onto the end portions of said pair of wiring ducts so that each end portion is telescopically received in and clampingly engaged in a cuff portion.

Claim 18

A flexible transition connector for connecting end portions of a pair of spaced apart wiring duct members, said connector comprising: a length of flexible tubing having a pair of opposed ends and having a longitudinally extending axial slit extending the length thereof defining an interior space accessible through said slit for receiving a plurality of wires or cables in loose or bundled form; a pair of transition converters, each transition converter including an elongate generally tubular converter body having a first end with a resilient cuff portion having a first cross-sectional configuration for clampingly engaging an end portion of one said wiring duct and having an opposed second end with an elongate sleeve portion having a second generally circular cross-sectional configuration, said converter body defining an internal passageway for receiving a plurality of wires or cables, the sleeve portion of each transition converter being telescopically received in and engaging an end of said flexible tubing, each said transition converter further including means for cooperatively engaging the respective end of said flexible tubing, each said transition converter body further including means for providing lateral access to said passageway to permit wires or cables to be added or removed from said passageway in use; and clamp means for releasably securing each tubing end to one said sleeve portion, whereby said connector may be installed by pushing the first end of each converter onto the end portions of said pair of wiring ducts so that each end portion is telescopically received in and clampingly engaged in a cuff portion.

Claim 19

A connector as in claim 16, wherein said flexible tubing is flexible convoluted tubing including a continuous peripheral sidewall having an inner facing surface defined by a plurality of spaced-apart ribs alternating with a plurality of spaced-apart grooves.

Claim 20

A connector as in claim 17, wherein said flexible convoluted tubing includes a longitudinally extending slit defined therein extending between the ends, such that said tubing has a resilient, generally C-shaped cross-sectional configuration.

Claim 21

A connector as in claim 17, wherein said cooperative engagement means on said sleeve portion comprises a plurality of radially spaced-apart vanes projecting circumferentially outwardly from the sleeve portion for biasingly engaging a said groove in the inner surface of said flexible convoluted tubing when said converter is resiliently inwardly compressed and the sleeve portion is telescopically inserted into an end of said convoluted tubing.

Claim 22

A kit of parts for making a flexible transition connector for connecting end portions of a pair of spaced apart wiring ducts, said kit comprising: a length of flexible tubing having a pair of opposed ends and having a longitudinally extending axial slit extending the length thereof defining an interior space accessible through said slit for receiving a plurality of wires or cables in loose or bundled form; a pair of transition converters, each transition converter including an elongate generally tubular converter body having a first end with a resilient cuff portion having a first cross-sectional configuration for clampingly engaging an end portion of one said wiring duct and having an opposed second end with an elongate sleeve portion having a second generally circular cross-sectional configuration, said converter body defining an internal passageway for receiving a plurality of wires or cables, the sleeve portion of each transition converter being adapted to be closely telescopically received in and engaging an end of the flexible tubing, each said transition converter further including means for cooperatively engaging the respective end of said flexible tubing, each said transition converter body further including means for providing lateral access to said passageway to permit wires or cables to be added or removed from said passageway in use; and a pair of clamps receivable over the ends of said tubing for releasably securing each tubing end to one said sleeve portion.

Claim 23

A kit of parts for making a flexible transition connector for connecting end portions of a pair of spaced apart wiring ducts, said kit comprising: a length of flexible tubing having a pair of opposed ends and having a longitudinally extending axial slit extending the length thereof defining an interior space accessible through said slit for receiving a plurality of wires or cables in loose or bundled form; a pair of transition converters, each transition converter including an elongate generally tubular converter body having a first end with a resilient cuff portion having a first cross-sectional configuration for clampingly engaging an end portion of one said wiring duct and having an opposed second end with an elongate sleeve portion having a second generally circular cross-sectional configuration, said converter body defining an internal passageway for receiving a plurality of wires or cables, the sleeve portion of each transition converter being adapted to be closely telescopically received in and engaging an end of the flexible tubing, each said transition converter further including means for cooperatively engaging the respective end of said flexible tubing, each said transition converter body further including means for providing lateral access to said passageway to permit wires or cables to be added or removed from said passageway in use; and a pair of clamps receivable over the ends of said tubing for releasably securing each tubing end to one said sleeve portion.

Claim 24

A wiring duct converter for making a transition connection between an end of a multi-sided ducting member and an end of a cylindrical ducting member, said converter comprising: an elongate generally tubular converter body having a first end with a resilient cuff portion for clamping engagement about said multi-sided duct end and having an opposed second end with a sleeve portion including means for cooperatively engaging the end of said cylindrical duct member, said converter body defining an internal passageway for receiving a plurality of wires or cables, said converter body further including means for providing lateral access to said passageway including an axial slit extending the entire length of said body to permit wires or cables to be added or removed from said passageway in use and providing said body with a resilient, generally C-shaped cross-sectional configuration.

Claim 25

A wiring duct converter for making a transition connection between an end of a multi-sided ducting member and an end of a cylindrical ducting member, said converter comprising: an elongate generally tubular converter body having a first end with a resilient cuff portion for clamping engagement about said multi-sided duct end and having an opposed second end with a sleeve portion including means for cooperatively engaging the end of said cylindrical duct member, said converter body defining an internal passageway for receiving a plurality of wires or cables, said converter body further including means for providing lateral access to said passageway including an axial slit extending the entire length of said body to permit wires or cables to be added or removed from said passageway in use and providing said body with a resilient, generally C-shaped cross-sectional configuration.

Claim 26

A wiring duct converter for making a transition connection between an end of a multi-sided ducting member and an end of a cylindrical ducting member, said converter comprising: an elongate generally tubular converter body having a first end with a resilient cuff portion for telescopically receiving and clampingly engaging said end of said multi-sided duct and having an opposed second end with a sleeve portion including means for cooperatively engaging the end of said cylindrical duct member, said converter body defining an internal passageway for receiving a plurality of wires or cables, said converter body further including means for providing lateral access to said passageway to permit wires or cables to be added or removed from said passageway in use.

Claim 27

A wiring duct converter for making a transition connection between an end of a multi-sided ducting member and an end of a cylindrical ducting member, said converter comprising: an elongate generally tubular converter body having a first end with a resilient cuff portion for telescopically receiving and clampingly engaging said end of said multi-sided duct and having an opposed second end with a sleeve portion including means for cooperatively engaging the end of said cylindrical duct member, said converter body defining an internal passageway for receiving a plurality of wires or cables, said converter body further including means for providing lateral access to said passageway to permit wires or cables to be added or removed from said passageway in use.