US 12,283,802 B2
Integrated cable tray splice
Jacob L. Johnson, New Baden, IL (US); Harshad N. Keskar, Pune (IN); Joseph V. Vogel, O'Fallon, IL (US); and Amol A. Khalkar, Nashik (IN)
Assigned to EATON INTELLIGENT POWER LIMITED, Dublin (IE)
Filed by Eaton Intelligent Power Limited, Dublin (IE)
Filed on Jan. 19, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/156,486.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/300,879, filed on Jan. 19, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0231367 A1, Jul. 20, 2023
Int. Cl. H02G 3/06 (2006.01); F16B 5/02 (2006.01); F16L 3/26 (2006.01); H02G 3/04 (2006.01)
CPC H02G 3/06 (2013.01) [F16B 5/02 (2013.01); F16L 3/26 (2013.01); H02G 3/0456 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A cable tray assembly comprising:
first and second cable tray sections having longitudinal ends, each cable tray section comprising right and left rails and a plurality of rungs extending between the right and left rails, each of the right and left rails including an upper flange, a lower flange, and a vertical web extending between the upper and lower flanges, wherein the vertical web has opposite inboard and outboard sides; and
a splice plate assembly connecting the first and second cable tray sections to one another such that longitudinal ends of the first and second cable tray sections oppose one another, the splice plate assembly including
a first right splice plate having upper and lower ends and defining upper and lower fastener openings adjacent the upper and lower ends, wherein a first right fastener is received in the vertical web of the right rail of the first cable tray section and at least one of the upper and lower fastener openings of the first right splice plate to secure the first right splice plate to the outboard side of the vertical web of the right rail of the first cable tray section adjacent the longitudinal end of the first cable tray;
a first left splice plate having upper and lower ends and defining upper and lower fastener openings adjacent the upper and lower ends, wherein a first left fastener is received in the vertical web of the left rail of the first cable tray section and at least one of the upper and lower fastener openings of the first left splice plate to secure the first left splice plate to the outboard side of the vertical web of the left rail of the first cable tray section adjacent the longitudinal end of the first cable tray;
a second right splice plate having upper and lower ends and defining upper and lower fastener openings adjacent the upper and lower ends, wherein a second right fastener is received in the vertical web of the right rail of the second cable tray section and at least one of the upper and lower fastener openings of the second right splice plate to secure the second right splice plate to the outboard side of the vertical web of the right rail of the second cable tray section adjacent the longitudinal end of the second cable tray;
a second left splice plate having upper and lower ends and defining upper and lower fastener openings adjacent the upper and lower ends, wherein a second left fastener is received in the vertical web of the left rail of the second cable tray section and at least one of the upper and lower fastener openings of the second left splice plate to secure the second left splice plate to the outboard side of the vertical web of the left rail of the second cable tray section adjacent the longitudinal end of the second cable tray;
a right splicing fastener connecting the first and second right splice plates to one another; and
a left splicing fastener connecting the first and second left splice plate to one another,
wherein each of the first right fastener, the first left fastener, the second right fastener, and the second left fastener includes a head and a shaft extending from the head,
wherein the head of the first right fastener is on the inboard side of the vertical web of the right rail of the first cable tray section, and the shaft of the first right fastener extends through the vertical web of the right rail of the first cable tray section and into the at least one of the upper and lower fastener openings of the first right splice plate,
wherein the head of the first left fastener is on the inboard side of the vertical web of the left rail of the first cable tray section, and the shaft of the first left fastener extends through the vertical web of the left rail of the first cable tray section and into the at least one of the upper and lower fastener openings of the first left splice plate,
wherein the head of the second right fastener is on the inboard side of the vertical web of the right rail of the second cable tray section, and the shaft of the second right fastener extends through the vertical web of the right rail of the second cable tray section and into the at least one of the upper and lower fastener openings of the second right splice plate,
wherein the head of the second left fastener is on the inboard side of the vertical web of the second rail of the second cable tray section, and the shaft of the second left fastener extends through the vertical web of the left rail of the second cable tray section and into the at least one of the upper and lower fastener openings of the second left splice plate, and
wherein the shafts of the first right fastener, the first left fastener, the second right fastener, and the second left fastener do not extend through corresponding outboard sides of the first right splice plate, the first left splice plate, the second right splice plate, and the second left splice plate, respectively.