Cable tray assembly

Abstract

A cable tray assembly comprises at least two cable tray segments and at least one connection piece. The cable tray segments have a bottom and lateral walls extending from the bottom, which form a substantially U-shaped cross-section. On both ends of each cable tray segment have the same end portion. The connection piece has a bottom and lateral walls extending from the bottom, which form a substantially U-shaped cross-section, which is adapted to receive the end portions of two of said cable tray segments to be interconnected. The lateral walls of the cable tray segments have cut-outs formed in them. The lateral walls of the connection piece each have at least one snap member formed in one piece with said lateral wall by cutting and bending. The snap member is adapted to snap in one of said cut outs when the cable tray segments and the connection piece are assembled.

Description

[0001] Title: Cable tray assembly

[0002] The invention relates to a connection for cable trays

[0003] From the prior art there are known several ways to connect cable trays having a substantially U-shaped cross section.

[0004] In one type of connections the end portions of two cable trays are abutted against each other and a separate, substantially U-shaped connection piece is provided on the abutted end portions and fastened to the respective end portions.

[0005] DE 197 40 833, KR 10-1617703, DE 2353471 and GB 2536971 show solutions in which a substantially U-shaped connection piece is fastened to the abutted end portions of the cable trays by means of threaded fasteners such as screws or bolts and nuts. The threaded fasteners have the disadvantage that they form separate and loose parts which make the assembly of the connection more time consuming, more complex and more prone to losing fasteners during assembly work.

[0006] GB 2476569 addresses the problems of screwed connections and proposes a solution with loose clips. It shows in FIG. 3 a U-shaped connection piece which is arranged on the inside of two cable tray segment ends butting against each other. Separate and loose spring clips are used as fastening elements to fasten the connection piece to the respective end portions of the cable trays. In US 2022 / 0060007 A1 are used separate snap members to fasten the U- shaped connection piece, which is arranged on the outside of two cable tray segment ends butting against each other. The separate fastening elements proposed in these publications have the disadvantage that they are separate and loose parts which make the assembly of the connection more complex to handle and more prone to losing fasteners during assembly work.

[0007] In US 2022 / 0360061 A1 fasteners, such as spring operated clamping members, which are fixed to the connection piece, are used to fasten the connection piece to the respective end portions of the cable trays. The fasteners are assembled from multiple parts, i.e. a stem with a head, a collar and a coil spring, which have to be assembled and which have be mounted to the connection piece before the connection piece is operational. The production of this connection piece is thus time consuming and relatively expensive. The invention has for an object to provide an easy to manufacture cable tray assembly which overcomes at least partially the above-mentioned issues of the prior art.

[0008] This object is achieved by a cable tray assembly comprising:

[0009] - at least two cable tray segments comprising a bottom and lateral walls extending from the bottom, which form a substantially U-shaped cross-section, and having on both ends of each segment an end portion, said end portions on both ends being the same,

[0010] - at least one connection piece comprising a bottom and lateral walls extending from the bottom, which form a substantially U-shaped cross-section, which is adapted to receive the end portions of two of said cable tray segments, wherein the lateral walls of the cable tray segments have cut-outs formed in them, and wherein each of the lateral walls of the connection piece has at least one snap member formed in one piece with said lateral walls by cutting and bending, said at least one snap members being adapted to snap in one of said cut-outs when the cable tray segment and the connection piece are assembled.

[0011] The cut-outs in the lateral walls of the cable tray are there for the purpose of ventilation. In the assembly according to the invention the “female” sockets, that cooperate with the “male” snap members on the connection piece for forming the snap connection, are constituted by the same cut outs in the lateral walls of the cable tray segment. By using the cut-outs already present for ventilation as a snap connection socket, no additional features have to be formed on the cable tray segments, which thus can be produced quickly and cost-effectively for example using a cold rolling process, in which profiling wheels provide the metal sheet provided with cut-outs with a profile. Moreover, when a cable tray segment is cut to length to fit in a certain situation, the female connection features remain. Thereby the cable tray segments can be provided in one standard length, which the user can shorten if necessary. The need for different lengths of cable tray segments is eliminated. When assembling the cable tray segments with the connection piece, only snap connections with integrally snap members have to be established. No loose fasteners, such as screws or bolts and nuts have to be applied.

[0012] Preferably the connection piece is symmetrical with respect to a symmetry plane that perpendicularly intersects the bottom and lateral walls of the connection piece in the middle, wherein the symmetry plane divides the connection piece into two identical receiving sections. In a further embodiment each lateral wall of the receiving section has at least two of said snap members formed in it.

[0013] In a further embodiment at least one of the snap members is configured and adapted to engage the corresponding cut-out from an outside of the lateral wall of the cable tray segment and at least one of the snap members is configured and adapted to engage the corresponding cut-out from the inside of the lateral wall of the cable tray segment.

[0014] In a further embodiment the snap member that engages from the outside comprises an elongate tongue which is cut out of the material of the lateral wall and has one longitudinal end that is connected with the lateral wall.

[0015] In a further embodiment the elongate tongue is bent to a generally L-shaped snap member, which protrudes obliquely on the inner side from the lateral wall.

[0016] In a further embodiment the snap member that engages from the inside is formed on a spacer hook member, which extends inwardly from the inside of the lateral wall of the connection piece. Preferably said spacer hook member forms a stop for the end edge of the corresponding lateral wall of the cable tray segment.

[0017] In a further embodiment the snap member, which is configured and adapted to engage the corresponding cut-out from the inside of the lateral wall of the cable tray segment, is at least partially bendable by a user to a bent state, such that said snap member in the bent state is bent further through the corresponding cut-out in the lateral wall of the cable tray segment.

[0018] In another embodiment each lateral wall of each of the receiving sections has at least one bendable tongue formed in it, which is at least partially bendable by a user to a bent state, such that the tongue in the bent state engages the lateral wall of the cable tray segment. The at least one tongue on the lateral wall of the connection piece and a cut-out in the lateral wall of the cable tray segment may be aligned, such that the at least one tongue is at least partially bendable through the cut-out in the lateral wall of the cable tray segment.

[0019] In an embodiment the bottom of the connection piece has at least one tongue which extends inwardly from the inside of the bottom of the connection piece, which tongue forms a stop for the end edge of the corresponding bottom of the cable tray segment. In a further embodiment the at least one tongue is at least partially bendable by a user to a bent state, such that the tongue in the bent state engages the bottom of the cable tray segment. The at least one tongue on the connection piece and a cut-out in the bottom of the cable tray segment may be aligned, such that the at least one tongue is at least partially bendable through the cut-out in the bottom of the cable tray segment.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment the cable tray segments are made of sheet metal.

[0021] In a preferred embodiment the at least one connection piece is made of sheet metal.

[0022] The invention also relates to a connection piece for a cable tray assembly, said connection piece comprising a bottom and lateral walls extending from the bottom, which form a substantially U-shaped cross-section, which is adapted to receive end portions of two cable tray segments to be interconnected, wherein each of the lateral walls of the connection piece has at least one snap member formed in one piece with said lateral wall by cutting and bending, said at least one snap member being adapted to snap in one of the cut outs in one of the lateral walls of a cable tray segment when the connection piece is assembled with the cable tray segments.

[0023] Preferred embodiments of the connection piece are laid down in the dependent claims 17-25.

[0024] The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing a cable tray assembly, comprising the following steps:

[0025] - forming cable tray segments from a sheet metal blank by cutting cut-outs in the sheet and by cold forming the sheet such that a cable tray segment comprising a bottom and lateral walls extending from the bottom, which form a substantially U-shaped cross-section results,

[0026] - forming connection pieces from a sheet metal blank defining a plane, by cutting tongues in the blank and by bending the tongues out of the plane of the blank to form snap members, and by bending the blank such that a connection piece comprising a bottom and lateral walls extending from the bottom, which form a substantially U-shaped cross-section, results, adapted to receive the end portions of two of said cable tray segments to be interconnected.

[0027] The invention will be further elucidated with reference to the drawing, in which:

[0028] Fig. 1 shows in an isometric view a cable tray segment of a cable tray assembly according to the invention, Fig. 2 shows in an isometric view an embodiment of a connection piece of a cable tray assembly according to the invention,

[0029] Figs 3 and 4 illustrates how the connection piece of Fig. 2 is connected to the cable tray segment of Fig. 1,

[0030] Fig. 5 shows in an isometric view in more detail the connection piece of Fig 2,

[0031] Fig. 6 shows in an isometric view a part of the connection piece of Fig. 2 and 4 in more detail,

[0032] Fig. 7 shows in an isometric view a snap connection between the connection piece and the cable tray segment,

[0033] Fig. 8 shows in a isometric view another embodiment of a connection piece that is connected to the cable tray segment in a cable tray assembly according to the invention,

[0034] Fig. 9 illustrates how a further cable tray segment is connected to the connection piece,

[0035] Fig. 10 illustrates in an isometric view a cable tray segment which is coupled to a curved connection piece, and

[0036] Fig. 11 illustrates in an isometric view a cable tray segment which is coupled to a height adjustable connection piece.

[0037] Fig. 1 shows a cable tray segment 1 comprising a bottom 11 and lateral walls 12 extending from the bottom 11. The bottom 11 and the lateral walls 12 of the cable tray segment 1 form a substantially U-shaped cross-section. On both ends the cable tray segment 1 has an end portion 1A. The end portions 1A on both ends are the same. In particular, the end portions 1A have the same cross section and configuration as the remainder of the cable tray segment 1. The cable tray segment 1 has longitudinal and transverse symmetry.

[0038] The lateral walls 12 are slightly diverging from the bottom 11 towards their upper end 12A, whereby the cable tray segments 1 can advantageously stacked in a nesting manner, which saves space during storage or transport. The upper end 12A of the lateral walls 12 may be folded over to an outwardly extending edge having substantially a U-shaped cross-section. This outwardly extending edge provides additional rigidity to the lateral walls 12. In the lateral walls 12 cut-outs 13 are provided. In the particular embodiment shown in the figure the cut-outs 13 are embodied as oblong holes or slotted holes. In the specific embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the lateral walls 12 have two longitudinally extending rows of slotted holes 13, which rows are arranged above each other.

[0039] Also, cut-outs 14 are provided in the bottom 11 , in this example embodied as slotted holes. The slotted holes 13 and 14 in the walls 12 and bottom 11 provide ventilation passages for air, which allows warm air in the cable tray to escape.

[0040] The cable tray segment 1 is made preferably of sheet metal using a cold rolling process. The sheet metal blank is provided with the cut-outs 13 and 14 by a cutting process. The sheet metal blank having the cut-outs is formed into the generally U-shaped profile by a profiling wheel in a cold rolling device. In the bottom 11 , several rills 15 may be formed by the cold forming process, which provide additional rigidity to the cable tray segment 1. The rills 15 can have different widths or can all have the same width. The rills 15 provide the bottom 1 with a corrugated profile.

[0041] Figs. 2 and 4 show a connection piece 2. The connection piece 2 comprises a bottom 21 and lateral walls 22 extending from the bottom 21, which form a substantially U-shaped crosssection. The U-shaped connection piece 2 is adapted to receive the end portions 1A of two cable tray segments 1 to be connected.

[0042] The connection piece 2 is symmetrical with respect to a symmetry plane 100 (cf. Fig. 2) that perpendicularly intersects the bottom 21 and lateral walls 22 of the connection piece 2 in the middle, wherein the symmetry plane 100 divides the connection piece 2 into two identical receiving sections 27. The connection piece 2 thus has longitudinal symmetry.

[0043] The lateral walls 22 are slightly diverging from the bottom 21 towards the free upper end 22A thereof, whereby the connection pieces 2 can receive the end portion 1A of the cable tray segment 1, which also has diverging lateral walls 12. Advantageously the connection pieces 2 can also be stacked in a nesting manner, which saves space during storage or transport.

[0044] The lateral walls 22 of the connection piece 2 have “male” snap members 23 and 24 formed in one piece with said lateral walls 22 by cutting and bending. The snap members 23 and 24 in each of the receiving sections 27 are adapted to snap in the cut-outs 13 in the lateral walls 12 of a cable tray segment 1 when the cable tray segment 1 and the connection piece 2 are assembled, which is shown in Fig. 9. The upper snap member 23 is an elongate tongue which is cut out of the material of the lateral wall 22 and remains connected with one longitudinal end with the lateral wall 22. The tongue is bent to a generally L-shaped snap member 23, which protrudes obliquely on the inner side from the lateral wall 22, as is best seen in Fig. 6.

[0045] The lower snap member 24 is formed as an extending longitudinal tongue which is formed on a hook member 25, which comprises an inwardly extending portion 25A transverse to the inner surface of the lateral wall 22, and a portion 25B which extends substantially parallel to the inner surface of the lateral wall 22. At an end of the portion 25B remote from the inwardly extending portion 25A, a tongue shaped lower snap member 24 is formed which forms an extension of the portion 25B. The snap member 24 has a kink 26, whereby, seen from the joint with the portion 25B, it first extends towards the inner surface of the lateral wall 22 and from the kink 26 extends obliquely inwards, away from the inner surface of the lateral wall 22. This oblique orientation of the snap member 24 catches and guides the edge 12B of the lateral wall 12 of the cable tray segment 1 when the connection piece 2 is slid on the cable tray segment 1.

[0046] The lower snap member 24, which is configured and adapted to engage a corresponding cutout 13 from the inside of the lateral wall 12 of the cable tray segment 1, is in some embodiments at least partially bendable by a user to a bent state, such that said snap member 24 in the bent state is bent further through the corresponding cut-out 13 in the lateral wall 12 of the cable tray segment 1. By bending the snap member 24 further through the cutout 13 after the snap connection is established, the connection piece 2 and the cable tray segment 1 can be firmly secured to each other.

[0047] In the bottom 21 a number of inwardly extending gripping tongues 28 are formed, in the shown embodiment three gripping tongues 28. The gripping tongues 28 are cut from the bottom material and then bent to a bit offset position with respect to the bottom 21 such that the bottom 11 of the cable tray segment 1 fits between the gripping tongue 28 and the bottom 21 of the connection piece 2.

[0048] In use the connection piece 2 can be positioned from below with a longitudinal end of one receiving section 27 against the end portion 1A of a cable tray segment 1 as is illustrated in Fig. 3 and indicated with arrows 50. When the connection piece 2 is in position it is moved in the longitudinal direction as indicated in Fig. 4 with arrows 51. The bottom 21 of one receiving section 27 of the connection piece 2 then slides under the bottom 11 of the cable tray segment 1. Furthermore the lateral walls 22 of the same receiving section 27 slide on the outside of the lateral walls 12 of the cable tray segment 1.

[0049] The gripping tongues 28 formed on the bottom 22 of the connection piece 2 grip the edge of the bottom 11 of the cable tray segment 1 and move over said bottom 11 until the edge of the bottom 11 contacts the offset portion of the tongue 28. Although Fig. 8 shows a slightly different embodiment of the connection piece, this is as such visible in Fig. 8.

[0050] Also, the snap member 24 and the portion 25B of the hook member 25 slide on an inner side of the lateral wall 12 of the cable tray segment 1. When the snap member 24 moves over a slotted hole 13 it snaps outwardly into the hole 13. The upper snap member 23 slides on an outer side over the lateral wall 12 of the cable tray segment 1. When the snap member 23 reaches a slotted hole 13, it snaps inwardly into the slotted hole 13, which is shown in Fig. 7.

[0051] In the locked position shown in Figs 7, 8 and 9 the snap member 23 blocks longitudinal movement of the connection piece 2 relative to the cable tray segment 1 in a direction opposite the direction indicated by arrows 51 (cf. Fig. 4). Furthermore the inwardly extending portions 25A of the hook members 25 block an end edge 12B of the lateral wall 12 in a direction indicated by arrows 51. Moreover, the offset portion of the tongues 28 blocks an end edge 11 A of the bottom 11 of the cable tray segment 1 in the direction indicated by arrows 51. Thus, in this connected state the combined snap members 23 and 24 and the tongues 28 block the mutual longitudinal movement of the connection piece 2 and the cable tray segment 1.

[0052] The snap members 23, 24 and the tongues 28 also provide an interlocking in an upward / d own ward direction (thus according to arrows 50 and opposite thereto, cf. Fig. 3). Also an upper edge 22A of the transverse walls 22 of the connection piece 2 may be slid in the U-shaped folded out edge 12A of the cable tray segment 1 during assembly (see Figs 4, 7 and 8), which, in the connected state, blocks an upward movement of the connection piece 2 relative to the cable tray segment 1.

[0053] The tongues 28 on the connection piece 2 and a cut-out 14 in the bottom 11 of the cable tray segment 1 are preferably aligned. The tongues 28 are bendable such that at least a portion 28A can be bent through a cut-out 14 in the bottom 11 of the cable tray segment 1 and through the cut-out 30 (cf. Fig. 6) underneath the tongue 28 in the bottom 21, which is formed by cutting out the contour of the tongue 28. The bent tongues 28 thus provide an interlocking between the bottom 21 of the connection piece and the bottom 11 of the cable tray segment and secure the bottoms 11 and 21 of the two parts firmly to each other.

[0054] After the connection piece 2 is connected to one cable tray segment 1 , a further cable tray segment 1 can be coupled to the other receiving section 27 by longitudinally sliding it into the receiving section 27 as indicated by arrows 52 as is shown in Fig. 9. The connection between the end portion of the cable tray segment 1 and the receiving section 27 is established in the same manner as described in the above.

[0055] In Fig. 8 is shown another connection piece 102 coupled to a cable tray segment 1. This connection piece 102 is similar to the connection piece 2 shown in the figures 2-7. The only difference is that the snap member 24 which is on the hook member 25 is replaced by a bendable tongue 29, which can be bent about a bending line 29A. The tongue 29 is initially already bent slightly inwards at the bending line 29A, such that when the connection piece 2 is slid on the end of the cable tray segment 1 , the tongue 29 catches and guides the edge 12B of the lateral wall 12 of the cable tray 1. The other features of the connection piece 102 are the same as on the connection piece 2. For a description of those features is referred to the above description with reference to Figs 2-7.

[0056] In Fig. 10 is shown another connection piece, in particular a curved connection piece 202, which has the same receiving sections 227 as the receiving sections 27 of the connection piece 2 shown in Figs 2-7. The portion between the receiving sections is a curved portion 228 which allows to build a cable tray with curves. The receiving sections 227 have the same layout as the receiving sections 27 with the same snap members 23 and 24. For a description is thus referred to the above.

[0057] In Fig. 11 is shown a height adjustable connection piece 302, which has the same receiving sections 327 as the receiving sections 27 of the connection piece 2 shown in Figs 2-7. The portion between the receiving sections is a hinging portion 328 which allows to build a cable tray with height differences. The receiving sections 327 have the same layout as the receiving sections 27 with the same snap members 23 and 24. For a description is thus referred to the above.

[0058] It is noted that the connection pieces 202 and 203 could alternative embodiments according to the invention also be provided with bendable tongues 29 as described with reference to Fig. 8 instead of snap members 24.

Claims

CLAIMS1. Cable tray assembly comprising:- at least two cable tray segments (1) comprising a bottom (11) and lateral walls (12) extending from the bottom (11), which form a substantially U-shaped cross-section, and having on both ends of each cable tray segment (1) an end portion (1A), said end portions (1 A) on both ends of the cable tray segment (1) being the same,- at least one connection piece (2) comprising a bottom (21) and lateral walls (22) extending from the bottom (21), which form a substantially U-shaped cross-section, which is adapted to receive the end portions (1 A) of two of said cable tray segments (1) to be interconnected, wherein the lateral walls (12) of the cable tray segments (1) have cut-outs (13) formed in them, and wherein the lateral walls (22) of the connection piece (2) each have at least one snap member (23, 24) formed in one piece with said lateral wall (22) by cutting and bending, said at least one snap member (23, 24) being adapted to snap in one of said cut outs (13) when the cable tray segments (1) and the connection piece (2) are assembled.

2. Cable tray assembly according to claim 1, wherein the connection piece (2) is symmetrical with respect to a symmetry plane (100) that perpendicularly intersects the bottom (21) and lateral walls (22) of the connection piece (2) in the middle, wherein the symmetry plane (100) divides the connection piece (2) into two identical receiving sections (27).

3. Cable tray assembly according to claim 2, wherein each lateral wall (22) of each of the receiving sections (27) has at least two of said snap members (23, 24) formed in it.

4. Cable tray assembly according to claim 3, wherein at least one (23) of the snap members is configured and adapted to engage the corresponding cut-out (13) from an outside of the lateral wall (12) of the cable tray segment (1) and at least one (24) of the snap members is configured and adapted to engage the corresponding cut-out (13) from the inside of the lateral wall (12) of the cable tray segment (1).

5. Cable tray assembly according to claim 4, wherein the snap member (23) that engages from the outside comprises an elongate tongue which is cut out of the material of the lateral wall (22) and has one longitudinal end that is connected with the lateral wall (22).

6. Cable tray assembly according to claim 5, wherein the elongate tongue is bent to a generally L-shaped snap member (23), which protrudes obliquely on the inner side from the lateral wall (22).

7. Cable tray assembly according to any one of the claims 4-6, wherein the snap member (24) that engages from the inside is formed on a spacer hook member (25), which extends inwardly from the inside of the lateral wall (22) of the connection piece (2).

8. Cable tray assembly according to claim 7, wherein said spacer hook member (25) forms a stop for the end edge (12B) of the corresponding lateral wall (12) of the cable tray segment (1).

9. Cable tray assembly according to any of the claims 4-8, wherein the snap member (24), which is configured and adapted to engage the corresponding cut-out (13) from the inside of the lateral wall (12) of the cable tray segment (1), is at least partially bendable by a user to a bent state, such that said snap member (24) in the bent state is bent further through the corresponding cut-out (13) in the lateral wall (12) of the cable tray segment (1).

10. Cable tray assembly according to claim 2, wherein each lateral wall (22) of each of the receiving sections (27) has at least one bendable tongue (29) formed in it, which is at least partially bendable by a user to a bent state, such that the tongue (29) in the bent state engages the lateral wall (12) of the cable tray segment (1).

11. Cable tray segment according to claim 10, wherein the at least one tongue (29) on the lateral wall (22) of the connection piece (2) and a cut-out (13) in the lateral wall (12) of the cable tray segment (1) are aligned, such that the at least one tongue (29) is at least partially bendable through the cut-out (13) in the lateral wall (12) of the cable tray segment (1).

12. Cable tray assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the bottom (21) of the connection piece (2) has at least one tongue (28) which extends inwardly from the inside of the bottom (21) of the connection piece (2), which tongue forms a stop for the end edge (11 A) of the corresponding bottom (11) of the cable tray segment (1).

13. Cable tray assembly according to claim 12, wherein the at least one tongue (28) is at least partially bendable by a user to a bent state, such that the tongue in the bent state engages the bottom (11) of the cable tray segment (1).

14. Cable tray assembly according to claim 13, wherein the at least one tongue (28) on the connection piece and a cut-out (14) in the bottom (11) of the cable tray segment (1) are aligned, such that the at least one tongue (28) is at least partially bendable through the cutout (14) in the bottom (11) of the cable tray segment (1).

15. Cable tray assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cable tray segments (1) are made of sheet metal.

16. Cable tray assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one connection piece (2) is made of sheet metal.

17. Connection piece (2) for a cable tray assembly, said connection piece comprising a bottom (21) and lateral walls (22) extending from the bottom (21), which form a substantially U-shaped cross-section, which is adapted to receive end portions (1 A) of two cable tray segments (1) to be interconnected, wherein the lateral walls (22) of the connection piece (2) each have at least one snap member (23) formed in one piece with said lateral walls (22) by cutting and bending, said at least one snap member (23) being adapted to snap in one of the cut-outs cut outs (13) in one of the lateral walls of a cable tray segment when the connection piece (2) is assembled with the cable tray segments (1).

18. Connection piece according to claim 17, wherein the connection piece (2) is symmetrical with respect to a symmetry plane (100) that perpendicularly intersects the bottom (21) and lateral walls (22) of the connection piece (2) in the middle, wherein the symmetry plane (100) divides the connection piece (2) into two identical receiving sections (27).

19. Connection piece according to claim 18, wherein each lateral wall (22) of the receiving section (27) has a first snap member (23) and a second snap member (24) formed in it.

20. Connection piece according to claim 19, wherein the first snap member (23) comprises an elongate tongue which is cut out of the material of the lateral wall (22) and has one longitudinal end that is connected with the lateral wall (22).

21. Connection piece according to claim 20, wherein the elongate tongue is bent to a generally L-shaped snap member (23), which protrudes obliquely on the inner side from the lateral wall (22).

22. Connection piece according to any one of the claims 19-21 , wherein the second snap member (24) is formed on a spacer hook member (25), which extends inwardly from the inside of the lateral wall (22) of the connection piece (2), such that the second snap member (24) is spaced apart from the inner side of the lateral wall (22).

23. Connection piece according to claim 22, wherein said spacer hook member (25) forms a stop for the end edge (12B) of the corresponding lateral wall (12) of the cable tray segment (1) in an assembled state.

24. Connection piece according to any one of the claims 17-23, wherein the bottom (21) of the connection piece (2) has at least one tongue (28) which extends inwardly from the inside of the bottom (21) of the connection piece (2), which tongue forms a stop for the end edge(11A) of the corresponding bottom (11) of the cable tray segment (1) in an assembled state.

25. Connection piece according to claim 24, wherein the at least one tongue (28) is at least partially bendable by a user to a bent state, such that - in use - the tongue (28) in the bent state engages the bottom (11) of the cable tray segment (1).

26. Connection piece according to any one of the claims 17-25, wherein the connection piece (2) is made of sheet metal.

27. Method for manufacturing a cable tray assembly, comprising the following steps:- forming cable tray segments (1) from a sheet metal blank by cutting cut-outs in the sheet and by cold forming the sheet such that a cable tray segment comprising a bottom (11) and lateral walls (12) extending from the bottom (11), which form a substantially U-shaped cross-section results,- forming connection pieces (2) from a sheet metal blank defining a plane, by cutting tongues in the blank and by bending the tongues out of the plane of the blank to form snap members, and by bending the blank such that a connection piece comprising a bottom (21) and lateral walls (22) extending from the bottom (21), which form a substantially U-shaped cross-section, results, adapted to receive the end portions (1A) of two of said cable tray segments (1) to be interconnected.

28. Method according to claim 27, wherein the cold forming comprises cold rolling.

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