Cable-carrying channel assembly and corresponding cable-carrying component

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cable-carrying channel assembly comprising a cable-carrying channel (1) made of a polymer material and a cable-carrying component (12) that couples directly to the cable-carrying channel (1). The cable-carrying component (12) comprises a lug (18) solidly connected to a rod (19) in the side walls (15) thereof. The lug (18) is inserted in a hollow inner space (8) of an outer guide (7) of the cable-carrying channel (1) and the rod (19) passes through a continuous opening (11) in the outer guide (7). A clamping piece (20) assembled on one end of the rod (19) can be manually actuated in order to move towards a position that is closer to the side wall (15) and maintained by the clamping piece (20) cooperating with the rod (19). The clamping piece (20) is press fitted on the outer guide (7), thereby blocking the lug (18) in the outer guide (7).

Description

[0001] CABLE CHANNEL ASSEMBLY AND CORRESPONDING CABLE COMPONENT

[0002] DESCRIPTION

[0003] Field of the invention

[0004] The invention relates to cable channels, which are commonly used to guide cables in a space. The invention is particularly, but not exclusively, applicable to guiding fiber optic cable bundles and other cables in data centers.

[0005] More specifically, the invention relates to a cable channel assembly, comprising:

[0006] - at least one cable channel made of polymeric material, comprising a straight section with a U-shaped section, with a bottom wall, two facing side walls, an open upper face and an open end; an outer guide being formed on an outer face of each of said side walls, at least in said straight section, which outer guide protrudes from said outer face of the side wall and extends in the longitudinal direction of said straight section, said outer guide having the form of a profile with a hollow interior space, an open wall opposite said outer face of the side wall and an open end, said open wall comprising an opening continuous along said outer guide;

[0007] - and a cable-carrying component attachable to said cable-carrying channel, said cable-carrying component comprising at least one channel having a U-shaped section corresponding to that of said straight section of the cable-carrying channel, with a bottom wall, two facing side walls, an open top face and an open end; such that said channel of the cable-carrying component and said straight section of the cable-carrying channel are coupled together through their respective open ends, forming a continuous channel.

[0008] The invention also relates to the cable carrier component that forms part of this assembly.

[0009] State of the art In cable ducts of the type mentioned above, which are provided with an outer guide at least on their side walls, this outer guide is typically used to secure various elements to the cable duct. For this purpose, a nut and bolt system is used, for example, in which the nut is inserted into the outer guide.

[0010] Cable channel assemblies of the type mentioned above are known, in which the coupling between the channel of the cable-carrying component and the straight section of the cable channel is achieved by means of a connector, which is a third part interposed between them. The connector consists of a main body in the form of a channel and composite parts that fit into the outer guide of the straight section of the cable channel and have a mechanism for locking the coupling. Document W003084018A1 describes a cable channel assembly of this type. This solution has the advantage of allowing the coupling and locking to be performed easily and without the need for tools, but it requires the use of a coupler with a complex structure.

[0011] Description of the invention

[0012] The invention aims to provide a cable channel assembly of the type indicated at the beginning, which has a simpler structure, with a lower manufacturing cost and lower consumption of materials, without reducing the ease of coupling and locking, and without reducing the effectiveness of said locking.

[0013] This purpose is achieved by means of a cable channel assembly of the type indicated at the beginning, characterized in that the channel of the cable-carrying component and the straight section of the cable channel are coupled together, through their respective open ends, directly without interposition of a third element; and in that said cable-carrying component comprises in said channel, on the outer face of each of its side walls, a lug that extends in a cantilever towards its open end, opposite said side wall and at a distance from it, and said lug is integral with a rod that extends from said lug perpendicularly to it and in the opposite direction to said side wall; said lug and said rod being dimensioned such that, when said channel of the cable-carrying component and said straight section of the cable channel are coupled together, said lug is introduced into the hollow interior space of the outer guide,through the open end of said outer guide, and said rod passes through the continuous opening of the outer guide. The cable-carrying component is associated with a clamping piece that is mounted on one end of the rod that projects from the open wall of the outer guide, said clamping piece cooperating with said rod so that it can be manually actuated to be moved towards a position, closer to the side wall, which is maintained by the cooperation of said clamping piece with said rod, said clamping piece bearing by pressure on the open wall of the outer guide, thus locking the lug in said outer guide. Preferably, the cable-carrying component is made of polymeric material. Preferably, the clamping piece is also made of polymeric material.

[0014] The cable carrier component may be, for example, an elbow, a T-branch, a height-change diverter, a widening or narrowing section, a receiver for the entry of cables into a device, etc. In general, the cable carrier component may be any component of a cable channel system that has a channel with a U-shaped cross-section corresponding to that of the straight section of a cable channel, so as to engage with it at its end to form a continuous channel. The clamping piece may be pre-assembled on the stem or may be a part supplied separately. Preferably, the clamping piece is pre-assembled on the stem.

[0015] Because the coupling is performed without the use of a third part, the assembly is simpler and easier to manage for both the end user and the manufacturer and distributors. The incorporation of the lug and the stem on the outer face of the side walls of the cable-carrying component's channel requires a modification of the latter, but this modification is made only at one end and on the outer part, so it does not alter the functionality of the cable-carrying system. It is also easy and inexpensive to implement. As will be seen later in the detailed description of some embodiments, this solution allows for easy coupling, with a single movement and by manipulating only the cable-carrying component and the cable-carrying channel. Furthermore, it allows for easy locking of the coupling by manually actuating the clamping piece after the coupling has been completed, thus achieving a robust locking.Advantageously, to obtain this robust locking it is sufficient to arrange an external guide assembly and lug and stem on each of the side walls, making it unnecessary to arrange any locking system on the back wall.

[0016] The stem and the clamping piece can have various configurations. For example, solutions are possible in which the stem and the clamping piece form a bayonet-type assembly, such that the user must rotate the clamping piece, for example, a quarter of a turn to bring it into the correct clamping position. Other solutions are also possible in which the clamping piece is a composite part. For example, the clamping piece can be provided with a lever and cam mechanism, such that the user must actuate the lever to obtain the correct clamping position. In some embodiments, the stem is a threaded stem and the clamping piece is a nut that screws onto said stem and includes a handle, so that the user can grasp the clamping piece with their hand and rotate it.and a support base for resting on the open wall of the outer guide. This solution is simple and allows for robust locking. In an advantageous solution, the nut has a through hole having at least one threaded strip provided with an internal thread, and at least one unthreaded strip, extending over the entire length of said through hole in the axial direction of the latter; and the shank has at least one threaded strip, provided with an external thread constituting the thread, and at least one unthreaded strip. The threaded and unthreaded strips of the through hole of the nut and of the threaded shank are complementary to each other such that, in a first angular position of said nut with respect to said threaded shank, said threaded strip of the threaded shank and said threaded strip of the through hole of the nut are entirely opposite, respectively,to said unthreaded strip of the through hole of the nut and to said unthreaded strip of the threaded rod, there is no engagement of the external thread of the threaded rod with the internal thread of the through hole of the nut and said nut can be freely moved in the axial direction of said threaded rod; and in a second angular position of said nut with respect to said threaded rod, said threaded strip of the threaded rod faces at least partially said threaded strip of the through hole of the nut and there is engagement of the external thread of the threaded rod with the internal thread of the through hole of the nut that prevents free movement of said nut in the axial direction of said threaded rod. This configuration of threaded rod and through hole is as described in document ES1299216U,with the difference that in this case the through hole with threaded and unthreaded stripes is in a nut that constitutes the clamping piece. To lock the coupling, the user places the nut in the first angular position, moves said nut freely by hand in the axial direction until its support base rests on the open wall of the outer guide, pushes said nut a little further so that it exerts the desired pressure on said open wall and then rotates said nut slightly, in any case less than one turn, to move to the second angular position and thus couple its internal thread with the thread of the threaded rod. This coupling of the two threads fixes the position of the nut with respect to the threaded rod in the axial direction. This procedure makes it possible to lock the coupling very quickly and with few movements of a single hand.

[0017] Various solutions are possible for achieving a robust connection between the cable-carrying component's channel and the straight section of the cable duct. In particular, the cable-carrying component's channel can be provided with its own additional elements that engage with the straight section of the cable duct.In preferred embodiments, the channel of the cable carrier component comprises an outer rim, formed on an outer face of at least one of the side walls and the bottom wall of said channel, and a continuous peripheral lip that is formed by the bottom wall and the side walls of said channel and that extends between the open end of said channel and said outer rim, said outer rim and said peripheral lip being dimensioned such that, when said channel is coupled to the straight section of the cable carrier channel, said open end of the straight section of the cable carrier channel abuts against said outer rim and said peripheral lip is inserted inside said straight section of the cable carrier channel and tightly abuts the bottom wall and the side walls of said straight section. This solution provides a coupling resistant to bending forces at the side walls and the bottom wall.Furthermore, since the perimeter lip extends outward in the length direction of the channel, it only interferes with the interior of the straight section of the cable channel, but not with the interior of the portable component.

[0018] Preferably, the outer rim is formed continuously on one outer face of the two side walls and the bottom wall of the channel. This results in a more robust coupling.

[0019] Preferably, the thickness of the perimeter lip decreases progressively towards the open end of the channel, thus providing a smooth transition on the inner face of the side walls and the bottom wall so as not to damage the cables.

[0020] Preferably, the lug is recessed into a widening of the outer flange. This widening is a simple, seamless geometric solution for locating the lug and provides good support for the end of the outer guide, thereby increasing the strength of the coupling. In preferred embodiments, the free upper end of each side wall of the straight section of cable channel forms a tubular flange projecting outward from this side wall; and the free upper end of each side wall of the channel forms a bearing surface projecting outward from this side wall, such that the end of said tubular flange rests on said bearing surface when said channel is coupled to said straight section of the cable channel. This solution also increases the strength of the coupling, due to the tubular flange resting on the bearing surface.Advantageously, the tubular flange, which is usually arranged at the upper end of the cable ducts and serves other functions, in particular for fixing covers or other elements to the cable duct, is used.

[0021] Preferably, the support surface for the tubular flange is an extension of the widened flange into which the ear is connected. This extension is a simple, seamless geometric solution.

[0022] Preferably, the support surface comprises a recess extending from the perimeter of said support surface such that, when the channel is coupled to the straight section of the cable channel, said recess forms a gap between said support surface and the end of the tubular flange to receive a flat screwdriver head, in order to make uncoupling easier, particularly in the embodiments provided with the peripheral lip, in which the coupling is strong due to the frictional force between the peripheral lip and the walls of the straight section of channel.

[0023] In preferred embodiments, the free upper end of each side wall of the channel forms a rim that projects outward from said side wall and has the same external shape as the tubular rim, said tubular rim extending when said channel is coupled to the straight section of the cable channel. This extension of the tubular rim provides continuity between the free upper ends of the side walls, which facilitates integration of the assembly with other elements, particularly for securing covers or other elements to the assembly. Preferably, the rim has a recessed segment in the channel and the cable carrier component comprises a bridge having, at its ends, claws with a shape complementary to that of said recessed segment of the rim, such that said claws snap-fit, in a removably manner, with said recessed segment of the rim, and said bridge closes a section of the open upper face of the channel.This solution allows for the optional placement of a bridge to confine the cables laid in the channel without altering the geometry of the cable carrier. It also allows for the placement of a cover over the bridge.

[0024] Preferably, the bridge is shaped such that, when it is snap-fitted by the jaws to the lowered segment of the flange, closing a section of the open upper face of the channel, the bridge does not protrude beyond the open upper face of the channel. This solution has the advantage that the bridge does not alter the height of the channel of the cable-carrying component.

[0025] The invention also comprises the cable-carrying component that forms part of the assembly described above, considered individually. Thus, the invention comprises a cable-carrying component that can be coupled to a cable-carrying channel, said cable-carrying component comprising at least one channel having a U-shape in section, with a bottom wall, two facing side walls, an open upper face and an open end; characterized in that it comprises in said channel, on the outer face of each of its side walls, a lug that extends in a cantilevered manner towards the open end of said channel, opposite said side wall and at a distance from it, and said lug is integral with a rod that extends from said lug perpendicularly to it and in the opposite direction to said side wall;said cable-carrying component being associated with a clamping piece mounted at one end of said rod, said clamping piece cooperating with said rod such that it can be manually actuated to be moved to a position closer to said side wall, which is maintained by the cooperation of said clamping piece with said rod. Preferably, the cable-carrying component is made of polymeric material;

[0026] Preferably, the stem is a threaded stem and the clamping piece is a nut that is screwed onto said stem and that comprises a handle and a support base.

[0027] Preferably, the channel of the cable carrier component comprises an outer rim, formed on an outer face of at least the side walls of said channel, and a continuous peripheral lip that is formed by the bottom wall and the side walls of said channel and that extends between the open end of said channel and said outer rim.

[0028] Preferably, the outer rim is formed continuously on one outer face of the two side walls and the bottom wall of the carcass. Preferably, the thickness of the peripheral lip decreases progressively toward the open end of the carcass.

[0029] Preferably, the ear is recessed into a widening of the outer rim.

[0030] Preferably, the free upper end of each side wall of the channel forms a support surface that projects outwards from this side wall.

[0031] Preferably, the support surface is an extension of the widening.

[0032] Preferably, the support surface comprises a recess extending from the perimeter of the support surface and suitable for receiving a flat-head screwdriver head.

[0033] Preferably, the free upper end of each side wall of the channel forms a flange projecting outward from this side wall and having a recessed segment in the channel; and the cable-carrying component comprises a bridge having, at its ends, claws with a shape complementary to that of said recessed segment of the flange, such that said claws snap-fit, in a removably manner, with said recessed segment of the flange, and said bridge closes a section of the open upper face of said channel.

[0034] Preferably, the bridge is shaped such that, when it is snap-fitted by said claws to said lowered segment of the rim, closing a section of the open upper face of the channel, said bridge does not protrude beyond the open upper face of said channel.

[0035] The invention also comprises other detailed features shown in the following detailed description of an embodiment of the invention and in the accompanying figures.

[0036] Brief description of the

[0037] The advantages and characteristics of the invention can be appreciated from the following description in which, without limiting the scope of the main claim, some preferred embodiments of the invention are set forth with reference to the figures.

[0038] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a cable carrier assembly consisting of two cable channels and a cable carrier component, in a disengaged position.

[0039] Figs. 2 and 3 are respectively a front view and a perspective view of the cable channel.

[0040] Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 are respectively a front perspective view, a top view, a rear perspective view and a bottom perspective view of the cable carrier component.

[0041] Fig. 8 is an enlarged partial top view of the channel at one end of the cable carrier component, with the clamping pieces mounted on the stems.

[0042] Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8, without the clamping pieces.

[0043] Fig. 10 is an enlarged partial perspective view of one side of the open end of the channel, with the clamping pieces mounted on the shanks.

[0044] Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 10, without the clamping pieces.

[0045] Fig. 12 is a front perspective view of the cable carrier component coupled to one of the cable channels.

[0046] Fig. 13 is a front perspective view of the cable carrier component coupled to the two cable channels.

[0047] Fig. 14 is a rear perspective view of the cable carrier component coupled to the two cable channels.

[0048] Fig. 15 is an enlarged partial perspective view of the cable carrier component coupled to the two cable ducts, showing the area of ​​the coupling zones on one side, with the clamping pieces mounted on the rods. Fig. 16 is a view analogous to Fig. 15, without the clamping pieces.

[0049] Figs. 17 and 18 are respectively a front perspective view and a rear perspective view of the clamping piece.

[0050] Fig. 19 is a partial front perspective view showing the cable carrier component and the two cable channels attached to it, with the bridges before being positioned and snapped into place.

[0051] Fig. 20 is a view analogous to Fig. 19, with the bridges snapped into place.

[0052] Detailed description of some embodiments of the invention

[0053] The cable channel assembly described below as an example is primarily used for guiding fiber optic cable bundles in data centers. It consists of two cable channels 1 and a cable carrier component 12. The cable channels 1 are made of a polymeric material, such as PVC (polyvinyl chloride) or ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene). In the example shown in the figures, the two cable channels 1 are identical in cross-section and can have different lengths. As can be seen in Figures 1 to 3, each cable channel 1 is a straight section with a U-shaped profile in cross-section, with a bottom wall 2, two facing side walls 3, an open top face 4, and two open ends 5. The free upper end of each side wall 3 forms a tubular flange 26 that projects outwards.On an outer face 6 of each of the side walls 3, along the entire length of the cable channel 1, an outer guide 7 is formed which projects from the outer face 6 of the side wall 3 and extends in the longitudinal direction of the cable channel 1. This outer guide 7 has the form of a profile with a hollow interior space 8 and an open wall 9 opposite the outer face 6 which comprises a continuous opening 11 along the entire length of the outer guide 7. The two ends of the outer guide 7 in the longitudinal direction are open ends 10.

[0054] Other embodiments of the invention are possible in which the cable channels are not a straight section with a U-shaped profile. For example, at least one of the cable channels may be an elbow or a T-shaped branch, with a straight end section with the U-shaped section described above. Furthermore, the number of cable channels in the assembly may be different than two, depending on the nature of the cable-carrying component.

[0055] The cable carrier component 12 described in this example is a 90° elbow for joining the two cable channels 1. This elbow-shaped cable carrier component 12 is inserted between the two cable channels 1 to couple them at their open ends 5. As can be seen in Figs. 4 to 11 , each of the two ends of the cable carrier component 12 forms a channel 13 having a U-shaped section corresponding to the U-shaped section of the cable channel 1 , with a bottom wall 14, two facing side walls 15, an open top face 16 and an open end 17. On the outer face of each of the two side walls 15 of each channel 13, a lug 18 is formed which protrudes towards the open end 17, opposite the side wall 15 and at a distance from it. A threaded rod 19, formed in one piece with the ear 18, extends from said ear 18 perpendicularly to it and in a direction opposite to the side wall 15.The rod 19 has a diameter that is smaller than the width of the continuous opening 11 of the outer guide 7, so that it can pass through it. On the outer face of each of the two side walls 15 and of the bottom wall 14 of each channel 13, a continuous outer rim 23 is also formed, which comprises a widening 25, in the side wall 15, into which the ear 18 is engaged. Each channel 13 comprises a continuous peripheral lip 24 which is formed by the bottom wall 14 and the side walls 15 of the channel 13 and which extends between the open end 17 and the outer rim 23. The thickness of the peripheral lip 24 decreases progressively towards the open end 17. In each channel, 13, the free upper end of each side wall 15 forms a support surface 27 for the end of the tubular rim 26 of the cable channel 1.The bearing surface 27 is an extension of the widening 25 projecting outwards from the side wall 15 and comprising a recess 28 extending from the perimeter of said bearing surface 27. The recess 28 is shaped to accommodate a flat-head screwdriver head. In each channel, each side wall 15 forms a flange 29 projecting outwards from this side wall 15 and having the same external shape as the tubular flange 26 of the cable channel. The flange 29 has a recessed segment 30 in each channel 13.

[0056] As can also be seen in Figs. 4 to 11 , the cable carrier component 12 is associated with a clamping piece 20 which is mounted at one end of the rod 19 and which cooperates with said rod 19 so that it can be manually actuated to be moved towards a position, closer to the side wall 15, which is maintained by the cooperation of said clamping piece 20 with said rod 19. More specifically, as shown in greater detail in Figs. 17 and 18, in the example shown the clamping piece 20 is a nut that is screwed onto the threaded rod 19 and that comprises a handle 21 and a support base 22. The handle 21, which in this example is a cylindrical body with three radial fins, allows the user to take hold of the clamping piece 20 with two fingers of one hand to rotate it and screw it or unscrew it onto the rod 19. The support base 22 is a circular radial projection with a diameter greater than the width of the continuous opening 11 of the outer guide 7.

[0057] As shown in Figs. 19 and 20, the cable carrier component 12 further comprises a bridge 31 for each channel 13. The bridge 31 has at its ends claws 32 with a shape complementary to that of the recessed segment 30 of the flange 29. The claws 32 snap-fit, in a removably manner, with the recessed segments 30. When snap-fitted by the claws 32 to the recessed segments 30, the bridge 31 closes a section of the open upper face 16 of the channel 13, without protruding beyond said open upper face 16. More specifically, the bridge 31 has a flat upper surface that is flush with the flange 29 and the tubular flange 26.

[0058] The cable carrier component 12 is a single piece and is made of a polymeric material such as PVC or ABS. The clamping piece 20 is also made of a polymeric material such as PVC or ABS.

[0059] Other embodiments of the cable carrier component are possible, such as a T-branch, a diverter for height changes, a widening or narrowing section, a receiver for cable entry into a device, etc.

[0060] As seen in Figs. 12 to 16, when each channel 13 of the cable carrier component 12 and each cable carrier channel 1 are coupled together, the open end 17 of the channel 13 couples to the open end 5 of the cable carrier channel 1 , directly without interposition of a third element, so that the channel 13 and the cable carrier channel 1 form a continuous channel. The open end 5 of the cable carrier channel 1 abuts against the outer rim 23 and the peripheral lip 24 is inserted inside the cable carrier channel 1 and rests tightly against the bottom wall 2 and the side walls 3. The ear 18 is inserted into the hollow interior space 8 of the outer guide 7, through its open end 10, and the rod 19 passes through the continuous opening 11 so that the end of said rod 19 projects from the open wall 9.The end of the tubular flange 26 rests on the bearing surface 27, and the recess 28 forms a gap between said bearing surface 27 and the end of said tubular flange 26 for receiving a flat-head screwdriver head. The flange 29 extends the tubular flange 26.

[0061] The coupling of each cable channel 1 to the cable-carrying component 12 is preferably carried out with the clamping piece 20 pre-assembled on the rod 19, unscrewed sufficiently so that the open wall 9 of the outer guide 7 passes between the ear 18 and the support base 22 of said clamping piece 20. The coupling can be carried out by means of a translation of the cable channel 1 , previously aligned with the channel 13, in the longitudinal direction. The invention makes it possible to advantageously use an alternative coupling method, which is easier to execute by the user, which consists of first introducing the end of the perimeter lip 24 into the cable channel 1 , keeping the cable channel 1 slightly inclined with respect to the channel 13, and then rotating the cable-carrying component 12 to reach the final coupling position.During this rotation, the peripheral lip 24 remains advantageously fitted between the bottom 2 and side 3 walls of the cable channel 1, whereby the ear 18 is well aligned with the open end 10 of the outer guide 7, and the ear 18 and the rod 19 are progressively introduced into the hollow interior 8 and through the opening 11, respectively.

[0062] To lock the coupling, the user manually rotates the clamping piece 20, screwing it onto the stem 19. This causes the clamping piece 20 to move towards the side wall 15 and to press against the open wall 9 of the outer guide 7 via its support base 22, thereby locking the lug 18 onto the outer guide 7. To unlock the coupling, the user rotates the clamping piece 20 in the opposite direction to unscrew it. To uncouple the coupling, the user can advantageously reverse the rotational movement described above. To initiate uncoupling, the user can insert the tip of a flat-blade screwdriver into the gap formed by the recess 28 and use the screwdriver as a lever.

[0063] In an alternative embodiment, not shown in the figures, the shank 19 has two threaded strips, one opposite the other, and two unthreaded strips, one opposite the other. The two threaded strips are provided with an external thread, which constitutes the thread of the shank 19. The two unthreaded strips are flat surfaces, in planes parallel to each other and parallel to the axis of the shank. The clamping piece 20 is a nut with a through hole having two threaded strips, one opposite the other, and two unthreaded strips, one opposite the other. Each of these threaded strips of the through hole of the nut is provided with the internal thread. The unthreaded strips of the through hole of the nut extend the entire length of the through hole in its axial direction. The threaded and unthreaded strips of the through hole and of the shank are complementary to each other in two angular positions of the nut with respect to the shank.In a first angular position of the nut, the threaded strips of the shank and the threaded strips of the through hole of the nut completely face, respectively, the unthreaded strips of the through hole of the nut and the unthreaded strips of the shank. In this first angular position, there is no engagement of the external thread of the shank with the internal thread of the through hole of the nut, whereby the nut can be freely displaced towards the open wall 9 of the external guide 7 in the axial direction. In a second angular position of the nut with respect to the shank, the threaded strips of the shank at least partially face the threaded strips of the through hole of the nut. In this second angular position, there is engagement of the external thread of the shank with the internal thread of the through hole of the nut. This engagement between the two threads prevents the shank from freely moving in the axial direction.This threaded stem and through-hole configuration is as described in document ES1299216U, with the difference that in this case the through-hole with threaded and unthreaded stripes is in a nut that constitutes the clamping piece.

Claims

CLAIMS 1.- Cable channel assembly, comprising: - at least one cable channel (1) made of polymeric material, comprising a straight section with a U-shaped section, with a bottom wall (2), two facing side walls (3), an open upper face (4) and an open end (5); an outer guide (7) being formed on an outer face (6) of each of said side walls (3), at least in said straight section, which outer guide (7) projects from said outer face (6) of the side wall (3) and extends in the longitudinal direction of said straight section, said outer guide (7) having the form of a profile with a hollow interior space (8), an open wall (9) opposite said outer face (6) of the side wall (3) and an open end (10), said open wall (9) comprising a continuous opening (11) along said outer guide (7); - and a cable-carrying component (12) attachable to said cable-carrying channel (1), said cable-carrying component (12) comprising at least one channel (13) having a U-shape in section corresponding to that of said straight section of the cable-carrying channel (1), with a bottom wall (14), two facing side walls (15), an open upper face (16) and an open end (17); such that said channel (13) of the cable-carrying component (12) and said straight section of the cable-carrying channel (1) are coupled together through their respective open ends (17, 5) forming a continuous channel; characterized in that said channel (13) of the cable-carrying component (12) and said straight section of the cable-carrying channel (1) are coupled together, through their respective open ends (17, 5), directly without interposition of a third element; and in that said cable-carrying component (12) comprises in said channel (13), on the outer face of each of its side walls (15), a lug (18) that extends cantilevered towards its open end (17) facing said side wall (15) and at a distance from it, and said ear (18) is integral with a rod (19) extending from said ear (18) perpendicularly thereto and in a direction opposite to said side wall (15); said ear (18) and said rod (19) being dimensioned such that, when said channel (13) of the cable carrier component (12) and said straight section of the cable carrier channel (1) are coupled together, said ear (18) is introduced into said hollow interior space (8) of the outer guide (7), through the open end (10) of said outer guide (7), and said rod (19) passes through said continuous opening (11);said cable-carrying component (12) being associated with a clamping piece (20) which is mounted at one end of said rod (19) protruding from said open wall (9), said clamping piece (20) cooperating with said rod (19) so that it is manually operable to be moved towards a position, closer to said side wall (15), which is; maintained by the cooperation of said clamping piece (20) with said rod (19), said clamping piece (20) bearing under pressure on said open wall (9) thus blocking said ear (18) in said outer guide (7). 2.- Cable channel assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that said rod (19) is a threaded rod and said tightening piece (20) is a nut that is screwed onto said rod (19) and that comprises a handle (21) and a support base (22) to rest on said open wall (9) of the outer guide (7).

3. Cable channel assembly according to any of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said channel (13) of the cable carrier component (12) comprises an outer rim (23), formed on an outer face of at least one of the side walls (15) and the bottom wall (14) of said channel (13), and a continuous peripheral lip (24) which is formed by said bottom wall (14) and said side walls (15) of the channel (13) and which extends between said open end (17) of the channel (13) and said outer rim (23), said outer rim (23) and said peripheral lip (24) being sized such that, when said channel (13) is coupled to said straight section of the cable carrier channel (1),said open end (5) of the straight section of the cable channel (1) rests against said outer rim (23) and said perimeter lip (24) is inserted inside said straight section of the cable channel (1) and rests tightly on the bottom wall (2) and the side walls (3) of said straight section. 4.- Cable channel assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that said outer rim (23) is formed continuously on an outer face of the two side walls (15) and the bottom wall (14) of said channel (13). 5.- Cable channel assembly according to any of claims 3 or 4, characterized in that the thickness of said perimeter lip (24) decreases progressively towards said open end (17) of the channel (13). 6.- Cable channel assembly according to any of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that said ear (18) is connected to a widening (25) of said outer rim (23).

7. Cable channel assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the free upper end of each side wall (3) of said straight section of cable channel (1) forms a tubular flange (26) projecting towards the outside of this side wall (3); and the free upper end of each side wall (15) of said channel (13) forms a support surface (27) projecting towards the outside of this side wall (15), such that the end of said tubular flange (26) rests on said support surface (27) when said channel (13) is coupled to said straight section of the cable channel (1). 8.- Cable channel assembly according to claims 6 and 7, characterized in that said support surface (27) is an extension of said widening (25).

9. Cable channel assembly according to any of claims 7 or 8, characterized in that said support surface (27) comprises a recess (28) extending from the perimeter of said support surface (27) such that, when said channel (13) is coupled to said straight section of the cable channel (1), said recess (28) forms between said support surface (27) and the end of said tubular flange (26) a gap to receive a flat screwdriver head.

10. Cable channel assembly according to any of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the free upper end of each side wall (15) of said channel (13) forms a rim (29) that projects towards the outside of this side wall (15) and that has the same external shape as said tubular rim (26), said tubular rim (26) extending when said channel (13) is coupled to said straight section of the cable channel (1), and said rim (29) has a lowered segment (30) in said channel (13); and because said cable-carrying component (12) comprises a bridge (31) that has at its ends claws (32) with a shape complementary to that of said lowered segment (30) of the rim (29), such that said claws (32) fit by pressure, in a removable manner, with said lowered segment (30) of the rim (29), and said bridge (31) closes a section of the open upper face (16) of the channel (13). 11.- Cable channel assembly according to claim 10, characterized in that said bridge (31) is shaped such that, when it is snap-fitted by said claws (32) to said lowered segment (30) of the rim (29), closing a section of the open upper face (16) of the channel (13), said bridge (31) does not protrude from said open upper face (16) of the channel (13). 12.- Cable carrier component (12) attachable to a cable carrier channel (1), said cable carrier component (12) comprising at least one channel (13) having a U-shape in section, with a bottom wall (14), two facing side walls (15), an open upper face (16) and an open end (17); characterized in that it comprises in said channel (13), on the outer face of each of its side walls (15), an ear (18) that extends in a cantilever towards the open end. (17) of said channel (13), facing said side wall (15) and at a distance from it, and said ear (18) is integral with a rod (19) extending from said ear (18) perpendicularly thereto and in the opposite direction to said side wall (15); said cable carrier component (12) being associated with a clamping piece (20) which is mounted at one end of said rod (19), said clamping piece (20) cooperating with said rod (19) so that it is manually operable to be moved towards a position, closer to said side wall (15), which is maintained by the cooperation of said clamping piece (20) with said rod (19). 13.- Cable carrier component (12) according to claim 12, characterized in that said rod (19) is a threaded rod and said tightening piece (20) is a nut that is screwed onto said rod (19) and that comprises a handle (21) and a support base (22).

14. Cable-carrying component (12) according to any of claims 12 or 13, characterized in that said channel (13) of the cable-carrying component (12) comprises an outer rim (23), formed on an outer face of at least the side walls (15) of said channel (13), and a continuous peripheral lip (24) which is formed by said bottom wall (14) and said side walls (15) of the channel (13) and which extends between said open end (17) of the channel (13) and said outer rim (23). 15.- Cable carrier component (12) according to claim 14, characterized in that said outer rim (23) is formed continuously on an outer face of the two side walls (15) and the bottom wall (14) of said channel (13). 16.- Cable carrier component (12) according to any of claims 14 or 15, characterized in that the thickness of said perimeter lip (24) decreases progressively towards said open end (17) of the channel (13). 17.- Cable-carrying component (12) according to any of claims 13 to 16, characterized in that said ear (18) is connected to a widening (25) of said outer rim (23). 18.- Cable carrier component (12) according to any of claims 12 to 17, characterized in that the free upper end of each side wall (15) of the channel (13) forms a support surface (27) that projects towards the outside of this side wall (15). 19.- Cable carrier component (12) according to claims 17 and 18, characterized in that said support surface (27) is an extension of said widening (25). 20.- Cable carrier component (12) according to any of claims 18 or 19, characterized in that said support surface (27) comprises a recess (28) extending from the perimeter of said support surface (27) and which is suitable for receiving a flat screwdriver head. 21.- Cable carrier component (12) according to any of claims 12 to 20, characterized in that the free upper end of each side wall (15) of said channel forms a rim (29) that projects towards the outside of this side wall (15), and said rim (29) has in said channel (13) a lowered segment (30); and because said cable carrier component (12) comprises a bridge (31) that has at its ends claws (32) with a shape complementary to that of said lowered segment (30) of the rim (29), such that said claws (32) fit by pressure, in a removable manner, with said lowered segment (30) of the rim (29), and said bridge (31) closes a section of the open upper face (16) of said channel (13). 22.- Cable carrier component (12) according to claim 21, characterized in that said bridge (31) is shaped such that, when it is snap-fitted by said claws (32) to said lowered segment (30) of the rim (29), closing a section of the open upper face (16) of said channel (13), said bridge (31) does not protrude from said open upper face (16) of the channel (13).

Images