Cable exit trough with insert

Abstract

A cable exit trough with pivoting cover. The cover having a cover plate and a pivot plate hingedly mounted thereto for easy access to the trough. The exit trough may define an insert aperture for receiving modular cable management inserts. The modular insert providing an additional cable management device such as a curved guidewall. The cable management device may alternatively be fixed to the cable exit trough. Removable snap-mounted flanges may also be included in the exit trough.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An exit cover for covering a cable management trough, the cover comprising:
 a cover plate having fastener clips configured to secure the cover plate to the cable management trough, the cover plate defining either a hinge post or hinge tabs for receiving a hinge post.   
     
     
         2 . The cover of  claim 1  further comprising a pivot plate defining either a hinge post to be received by the hinge tabs of the cover plate or hinge tabs for receiving the hinge post of the cover plate; wherein the pivot plate is capable of pivoting relative to the cover plate between an open position and a closed position. 
     
     
         3 . An exit trough assembly mountable to a lateral trough section, the lateral trough section including an upstanding side terminating in a top edge, the exit trough assembly comprising:
 an exit trough including:
 a U-shaped bracket portion sized to receive a portion of the upstanding side of the lateral trough section adjacent to the top edge of the lateral trough section; 
 the bracket portion including an outer projecting member, an inner projecting member and a connecting member to form the U-shaped bracket portion, the outer projecting member positionable outside the lateral trough section, the inner projecting member positionable inside the lateral trough section, the connecting member positionable adjacent to the top edge of the lateral trough section, the bracket portion including first and second ends, and a middle therebetween; 
 first and second lead-in portions extending upwardly from the bracket portion at the first and second ends, respectively, each lead-in portion converging toward the other lead-in portion and extending in an upward direction when the exit trough is mounted to the lateral trough section; 
 an exit trough portion extending from the middle of the bracket portion in a direction away from the lateral trough section when the exit trough is mounted to the lateral trough section, the exit trough portion defining a cable pathway in communication with each cable pathway of each lead-in portion, the exit trough portion including a convexly curved bottom trough surface and two convexly curved upstanding side surfaces on opposite sides of the bottom trough surface; and 
   an exit cover including:
 a cover plate having fastener clips configured to secure the cover plate to the exit trough; and 
 a pivot plate hingedly mounted to the cover plate; wherein the pivot plate is capable of pivoting relative to the cover plate between an open position and a closed position. 
   
     
     
         4 . A method for placing a cable inside a cable management trough having a cover, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing an exit cover over the trough, the cover having a door capable of pivoting between an open and closed position, when the door is pivoted to the open position an access port is opened to the cable management trough;   pivoting the door of the cover to its open position;   dropping the cable into the trough through the access port;   pivoting the door of the cover to its closed position