Enclosures and power and data routing

Abstract

A system for distributing power and / or data through a seating arrangement, which has a rail 15 on which seats can be secured, the rail supporting the seats. Enclosures 10 for housing transformer or transmitter or junction boxes have an interlocking profile corresponding to the profile of the rail 15 to attach the enclosure 10 to the rail. At least two enclosures may be are included, being linked with a power and / or data transmitting cable 18, and the rail includes channels or cavities in which the cable or cables can be contained. The rail 15 may comprise an I-shaped bar where the enclosure comprises grooves corresponding to the protrusions of the I-shaped bar.

Description

The present invention relates to enclosures and power and data routing, that is, compartments to house components for distributing power and components for routing data. In stadia and similar venues equipped with seats, it is increasingly desirable to provide the audience with a wireless network, and to provide power to their seats or the area in which they are seated. Power can be used to supply such things as heater pads, USB or inductive technology for device charging, LCD screens and immersive technology to 'shake' seats. The components for such networking and power distribution must be housed in enclosures to protect the components. Known systems are difficult and expensive to install, often requiring securement to be made to the concrete floor or riser structure of the stadia, such securement often requiring drilling of the concrete base structure. The problem with these methods which typically involve a separate conduit to be instated on the floor or riser is that the wires must then be routed to the seats in protective flexible conduits which are vulnerable to damage, costly and ugly. In the specific case of WIFI multiple routers are used and may require position adjustment after installation to optimise coverage throughout the venue. The object of the present invention is to provide a convenient apparatus and system for fitting either a power or data network particular to a seating system or similar area that makes positional adjustability of enclosures simple and easy. According to the present invention, there is provided an apparatus and system according to claim 1. In order that the present invention may be more fully understood a specific embodiment will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment showing a WIFI distribution system; Figure 2 shows a sectional view of the rail and part of one of the boxes of the first embodiment; Figure 3 shows a perspective view of one of the boxes of the first embodiment; Figure 4 shows a perspective view of one of the boxes of the first embodiment with a cover; Figure 5 shows a sectional view of anther of the boxes of the first embodiment; Figure 6 shows a perspective view of the box in figure 5; Figure 7 shows a perspective sectional view of a detail of the box; Figure 8 shows a perspective exploded view of a second embodiment showing a power distribution system; and Figure 9 shows a perspective view of a second embodiment assembled. Referring to figure 1, enclosures 10, 12 are secured to seating rails 15. The rails 15 are held by stanchions 14 which are secured to either the floor or the riser surface of a concrete base 16. A suitable cable for carrying data, such as a Cat 6 (Category 6) cable 18 is fed through apertures formed (for example by drilling) in the concrete base 16 to enter the junction boxes 10. From each junction box 10, further Cat 6 cable then runs from the junction box 10 to further WIFI router enclosures 12 that are distributed along the rail 15 these further lengths of Cat 6 cable being housed inside the rail 15 as will be described below. Referring to figures 2 and 3, the support rail 15 is essentially an I-beam comprising two parallel flanges 22, 23 separated by two parallel webs26, 27, so that the support rail 15 has two opposite channels 28, 29. The flanges 22,23 and webs 26, 27 define a volume divided into two cavities 31, 32 by a partition wall 30, which lies parallel to the flanges 22, 23. The upper flange 22 provides a means with which to engage seats (for example through use of a clamping means that engages with the flange in a similar manner to the retaining members 41, 42 described below) on the support rail 15, with the support rail bearing the all or the majority of the weight of each seat; the seats do not then require further securement. The lower portion of the rail 15 includes two slots 33, 34, which run along the length of the rail 15. These slots are generally circular, with part of each slot being open along the surface of the lower flange 23, with the width of the open part of each of the slots 33, 34 being less than the internal diameter of each of the slots. The shape of the slots enables them to hold a circular rubberised cable (in the case of power) or a circular elongate section to make fitting less conveniently shaped data or multiple phono cables into the slots without additional retention hardware. Cable to be installed in each slot may be pressed through the open part of each slot along the length of the slot which is to hold the cable. Further retention means or covering means could be provided to shield the cable so installed in the slots 33,34. Referring to figure 3, the junction box 10 comprises a main housing 35, clamps 36, 37 and a cover 38 (shown in figure 5). The main housing 35 comprises a generally rectilinear box 40 and two retaining members 41, 42. Referring also to figure 4, the retaining members 41, 42 each have a vertical face 43, a horizontal base surface 44, and a notch 45 where the face 43 and base surface 44 meet. Similarly, the clamps 36, 37 each have a face 47 and notch 49. The retaining members 41, 42 and the clamps 36, 37 can be attached to the rail 15, with the two protruding portions of the lower flange 23 of the rail 15 interlocking with the notch 45 of the retaining members 41, 42 and notch 49 of the clamps 36, 37 respectively. The clamps 36, 37 each have threaded bores 52 and retaining members 41, 42 each have two corresponding aligned threaded bores 51, by which means each of the clamps 36, 37 may be secured to each of the retaining members 41,42 with bolts inserted and tightened in each threaded bores 51, 52. By this means, the junction box 10 can easily be secured firmly to the rail 15. As will be described below, it also allows the position of the junction box 10 to be moved adjusted or moved conveniently. Referring to figure 4, after being placed on the rail 15, the cat 6 cable 18 is fed through an aperture 54 into the box 40 of the junction box 10, the free and of the cat 6 cable 18 being connected to an OEM connector 56; some slack in the cable can be wound and accommodated in the space in the box 40. A further length of cat 6 cable is then connected to the OEM connector 56, and fed through a gland 57 located at the top of the box 40, before being fed onwards through the rail 15. This further length of cat 6 cable can be pressed into one of the slots 33, 34. A cover 38 is secured on the box 40 using bolts 59 inserted through bolt holes 58 on the cover 38 and threaded bores 60 on the box 40. Referring to figures 5 and 6, the WIFI router enclosure 12 is arranged similarly to the junction box 10. As for the junction box 10, the WIFI enclosure 12 comprises a box 40 formed with two retaining members 41, 42, and attached to the rail 15 with two clamps 36, 37. The retaining members 41, 42 and clamps 36, 37 have the same shape as for the junction box 10, so that the profiles of the retaining members 41, 42 and clamps 36, 37 grip the profile of the rail 15 when the clamps 36, 37 are secured to the retaining members 41, 42. The box 40 of the WIFI router enclosure 12 is larger, and accommodates a router 62. The WIFI router enclosure 12 has a gland 57 at the top of the box through which a cat 6 cable from the junction box 10 is fed. The router 62 may be mounted and secured on mounting bolts 65 which engage in slots 64 in the box 40, so that the position of the router 62 can be adjusted within the box. Each WIFI router enclosure may splice the incoming cat 6 cable 18 with a suitable termination so that as well as being connected to the router 62, the incoming cat 6 cable 18 is connected to a further cat 6 cable 18 leading out from the WIFI router enclosure 12, to supply another WIFI router enclosure 12, thus several WIFI router enclosure 12 can be 'daisy-chained' to one junction box 10. Referring to figure 7, the gland 57 comprises two gland halves 68 which are retained in an aperture in the box 40, such as where two sections making up the box 40 meet, and they may be retained on upwardly extending walls 70, 71 around the aperture. The two gland halves are formed of resilient flexible material, such as an elastomer, and meet to seal the aperture. The two gland halves 68 are shaped so that together, they include a pocket 69, which helps guide the further length of cat 6 cable 18 to be pushed through the gland. A groove 72 in one of the walls 71 may contain a gasket 73 to further seal the aperture. Thus, a length of cat 6 cable 18 may be pushed through the gland by pressing the end into the pocket 69, whereupon the two gland halves 68 will part slightly to allow the cat 6 cable 18 to be fed through. The gland halves 68 will however close tightly upon the outer circumference of the cat 6 cable 18, so that water ingress into the junction box 10 or WIFI enclosure 12 is prevented. Referring back to figure 1, it will be seen that the WIFI router enclosures 12 can be easily distributed along the rails 15, and positioned and adjusted as necessary, without having to secure the WIFI enclosures 12 to the concrete base 16. The same principle can be applied to power distribution. Referring to figures 8 and 9, a power distribution system includes a power box with isolator 110 and a series of power 04 03 24 boxes 112. A 240V power cable 118 from a 240V power source is fed through an aperture 154 of the power box with isolator 110 and connected to an isolator switch 167. The isolator switch 167 is connected to a distribution block 120 which splits the 240V power into two lines, one line being connected to a transformer 162 and the other to a 240V extender cable 5   124, which leads out of the power box with isolator 110 to the next power box 112. It will be seen that a plurality of enclosures may be provided, each enclosure being joined in series with a cable or cables. 10 Referring also to figure 2, the 240V extender cable 124 may be conveniently fed through one of the cavities 31, 32 in the length of rail between the power box with isolator 110 and the adjacent power box 112, openings being made in the rail 15 to allow the 240V extender cable 124 to be fed through that section of rail. A 12 Volt output from the transformer 162 leads to one of more seats through a 12 volt feed 122. This could for example provide USB 15 charging for people at each seat, and / or be used to heat the seat, or for other power uses. As for the previous example of data distribution, each power box 112 divides the 240V power cable 118 using a distribution block 120, with an 240V extender cable 124 to supply a further power box 112. In this manner, several power box 112 may be supplied in series or 'daisy-chained' from a single power box with isolator 110. 20 Each power box 112 is connected similarly to the power box with isolator 110, though only one isolator switch 167 is usually necessary and the power box with isolator 110 may be correspondingly larger to accommodate this. 25 Each power box with isolator 110 and power box 112 includes a box 140 to house the components, and integral retaining members 141 and separate clamps 136, which are profiled as for the junction box 10, so that the clamps 136 and retaining members 41, 42 together engage the profile of the rail 15 and secure the power box with isolator 110 and power boxes 112 to the rail. As for the junction box 10 and WIFI enclosures 12, the power 30 box with isolator 110 and power boxes 112 can be conveniently attached to the rail without requiring any direct securement to the concrete base 16, and may be conveniently adjusted by simply loosening the clamps 136 sufficiently to allow the power box with isolator 110 and power boxes 112 to be slid along the rail 15 before being re-secured by tightening the clamps 136. To finish the installation, a cover (not here shown) is then secured to each box 04 03 24 140 in a similar manner to cover 38 shown in figure 4. The cover of the power box with isolator 110 includes an opening that allows access to the isolator switch 167. The above-described systems show data or power being distributed along the rails while 5 components are housed in boxes that secure to the rails. In the case of the WIFI connections, WIFI router enclosure 12 will typically be distributed every few seats, as each router can cover an area that includes several seats. In the case of the power distribution, the power box with isolator 110 and power box 112 may be distributed more closely together, or even for every seat, as required. 10 Further, the two systems may be disposed together in a seating system, with cat 6 cable 18 cable or a similar data transmitting cable being disposed in the channels 28, 29, while the 240V power cable 118 or similar power cable is disposed in the cavities 31, 32 of the rail 15.Enclosure boxes may even be provided that distribute both power and data transmission, 15 or combine data and power distribution over a single line. It will be appreciated that the principles disclosed herein could be adapted to distribute different types of data and / or power transmission lines (not just conductive in nature, but include e.g. fibre-optic cables), to an array of seats or a subset of such seats, or to other structures that could be mounted on rails at an arena or auditorium. 20 The configuration of the rail to accept cables means that further conduits for cabling do not have to be attached to an existing seat support structure, since the cable can be integrally incorporated within the support rail. Further, the provision of one or more slots 33, 34 allows easy installation of the cable, avoiding any requirement of threading cable through a 25 tube, and also makes installing or replacing a cable straightforward. In this specification an apparatus / method / product "comprising" certain features is intended to be interpreted as meaning that it includes those features, but that it does not exclude the presence of other features. 30 Many variations are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

16 10241. A system for distributing power and / or data through a seating arrangement, comprising;a rail on which seats can be secured, such that the rail supports the seats;5 enclosures for housing a transformer or a transmitter or junction boxes;the rail having a profile, and the enclosure having a corresponding interlocking profile toattach the enclosure to the rail;cabling for transmitting power and / or data;the rail profile includes at least one slot having an open part, the open part of the slot being 10 less than the internal diameter of the slot, with the cabling being pressed into and retainedin the slot.

2. A system according to the previous claim wherein at least two enclosures are included, being linked with a power and / or data transmitting cable.

153. A system according to either claim wherein the interlocking profile of the enclosure comprises part of the profile on a main body, and part of the profile on a separate clamp part securable to the main body.20   4. A system according to claim 3 wherein at least three enclosures are included, eachenclosure being joined in series with a cable or cables.

5. A system according to any claim wherein the rail includes a flange having one or more protrusions, and the profile on the main body and the clamp part include grooves25 corresponding to the protrusions.

6. A system according to any claim wherein the enclosure includes a sealing gland through which the cable can extend through.

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