A tooless self closing floor grommet closure for cable openings
(19)AUSTRALIAN PATENT OFFICE(54) Title A tooless self closing floor grommet closure for cable openings(51)6 International Patent Classification(s) H02G 003/08 (21) Application No: 2002327622 (22) Application Date: 2002.09.10(87) WIPO No: WO03/023922 (30) Priority Data (31) Number (32) 60/318,763 Date 2001 .09.13 (33) Country US 200510137(43) Publication Date : 2003 .03 .24(43) Publication Journal Date : 2003 .06.19(71) Applicant(s) TRITON TECHNOLOGYSYSTEMS, INC.(72) Inventor(s) Turner, William Pitt lv;Sullivan, Robert;Brill, Jonathan; Brill, Kenneth; Sempliner, Arthur T.(-1-1) Application NoAU2002327622 A8(19)AUSTRALIAN PATENT OFFICE(54) Title A tooless self closing floor grommet closure for cable openings(51)6 International Patent Classification(s) H02G 003/08 (21) Application No: 2002327622 (22) Application Date: 2002.09.10(87) WIPO No: WO03/023922 (30) Priority Data (31) Number (32) 60/318,763 Date 2001 .09.13 (33) Country US 200510137(43) Publication Date : 2003 .03 .24(43) Publication Journal Date : 2003 .06.19(71) Applicant(s) TRITON TECHNOLOGYSYSTEMS, INC.(72) Inventor(s) Turner, William Pitt lv;Sullivan, Robert;Brill, Jonathan; Brill, Kenneth; Sempliner, Arthur T.-1- A floor grommet for use in building and office structures supplied with air conditioning via under floor plenum. Directed flow of conditioned air is optimized by limiting the escape of air from the plenum into the space above the floor by leakage through floor openings provided for power cables, data cables and the like. Specialized floor grommets installed in the cable openings are comprised of a surrounding frame mounting sealing elements comprised of thin, flexible elements which are anchored at one end in the grommet frame and extend toward the center of the opening, from each side, to effectively close the opening against significant flow of conditioned air from the plenum below. Cables passing through the grommet opening cause minimal deflection of the flexible elements to limit the escape of conditioned air. Preferably, the resilient, flexible elements are filamentary in nature. To particular advantage, the filamentary sealing elements may be installed in multiple stages, with stages underneath being in contact with stages above, in outer portions thereof. Additionally, solid, van-like sealing elements may be provided to assist in centering of the cable elements, when cables are installed, and to provide a substantially complete seal, for those openings in which no cables are installed. The floor grommet of the invention is designed for initial or retrofit installation. Significant economies in the usage of conditioned air are realized when the floor grommets are employed. We Claim : 1. A floor grommet for data centers, air conditioned offices, and like structures, where the structures comprise elevated floor surfaces providing under floor space for wiring and serving as a plenum for supplying conditioned air, and where the floor surfaces are provided with openings for directing conditioned air into the space above the floor surfaces and with openings for passing cabling from the under floor space to the space above, said floor grommet comprising (a) a frame of a size and shape to be received in a cable opening in said floor surface, (b) said frame forming a lining for guiding and protecting cabling passing through said floor opening, (c) at least one sealing member mounted in said frame, (d)STDC0468 said sealing member comprising a large plurality of filamentary elements anchored in cantilever fashion at inner ends thereof in said frame and extending into said frame opening to form a substantial air seal to resist the flow of conditioned air through said frame opening, (e) said filamentary elements being individually flexibly displaceable at outer ends thereof to accommodate the presence of cabling passing through said frame opening.
2. A floor grommet according to claim 1, wherein (a) said frame has first and second opposing sides spaced apart from each other and defines a frame opening of closed configuration.
(b) first and second sealing members are mounted in said opposing sides of said frame and extend toward each other, (c) outer end portions of the respective first and second sealing members meeting between said opposing sides and defining a sealing line, and (d) said cabling passing through said opening adjacent said sealing line. <Desc/Clms Page number 15> 3. A floor grommet according to claim 2, wherein (a) said first and second sealing members are comprised of a large plurality of filamentary elements anchored at one end thereof and with respective free ends thereof extending toward and substantially into contact with each other to form said sealing line.
4. A floor grommet according to claim 3, wherein (a) third and fourth sealing members are mounted in said opposing frame sides, substantially directly underneath said first and second sealing members, (b) said third and fourth sealing members being mounted at one side thereof in said respective frame sides and being formed of flexible material.
5. A floor grommet according to claim 4, wherein (a) said third and fourth sealing members are formed of flexible filamentary elements anchored at an inner end thereof in said frame and extending toward said sealing line.
6. A floor grommet according to claim 5, wherein (a) outer ends of the filamentary elements of said third and fourth sealing members terminate in spaced relation to each other and spaced from said sealing line whereby a cable passing between said floor grommet will tend to displace filamentary elements of said third and fourth sealing members a lesser amount than filamentary elements of said first and second sealing members.
7. A floor grommet according to claim 4, wherein (a) said third and fourth sealing members are formed of non-filamentary flexible material. <Desc/Clms Page number 16> 8. A floor grommet according to claim 4, wherein (a) said third and fourth sealing members are disposed at a convergent angle to said first and second sealing members, and (b) outer end portions of said third and fourth sealing members contact lower portions of said first and second sealing members.
9. A floor grommet for data centers, air conditioned offices, and like structures, where the structures comprise elevated floor surfaces providing under floor space for wiring and serving as a plenum for supplying conditioned air, and where the floor surfaces are provided with openings for directing conditioned air into the space above the floor surfaces and with openings for passing cabling from the under floor space to the space above, said floor grommet comprising (a) a frame of a size and shape to be received in a cable opening in said floor surface, (b) said frame forming a lining for guiding and protecting cabling passing through said floor opening, (c) upper and lower sealing members mounted in said frame, (d) one of said sealing members being easily displaceable by a cable passing through said opening, (e)STDC0145 the other of said sealing members serving to position said cable to assist in limiting displacement of said one sealing member by said cable.
10. A floor grommet according to claim 9, wherein (a) said upper and lower sealing members each comprising an opposed pair of sealing elements, (b) at least one of said opposed pairs, comprising said at least one of said sealing members, is comprised of a plurality of thin flexible elements. <Desc/Clms Page number 17> 11. A floor grommet according to claim 10, wherein (a) the other of said opposed pair of sealing elements, comprising said other sealing member, is formed of vanes of plastic or rubber material.
12. A floor grommet according to claim 10, wherein (a) the other of said opposed pair of sealing elements, comprising said other sealing member, is formed of a plurality of thin flexible elements.
13. A floor grommet according to claim 9, wherein (a) said frame is formed with a recess in an upper, inner portion thereof, and (b) a cover plate is receivable in said recess to fully close said floor opening.
14. A floor grommet according to claim 12, wherein (a) wherein said thin flexible elements, of at least one of said opposed pairs of sealing elements, comprises thin, flexible filamentary elements.
15. A floor grommet adapted particularly for retrofit installation in data centers, air conditioned offices, and like structures, where the structures comprise elevated floor surfaces providing under floor space for wiring and serving as a plenum for supplying conditioned air, and where the floor surfaces are provided with openings for directing conditioned air into the space above the floor surfaces and with openings for passing cabling from the under floor space to the space above, said floor grommet comprising (a) a frame of a size and shape to be received in a cable opening in said floor surface, (b) said frame being formed in two parts which, when joined, define an opening of substantially closed configuration substantially lining edges of said cable opening, <Desc/Clms Page number 18> (c) each of said frame parts mounting a plurality of thin flexible sealing elements,STDC0314 anchored at one end thereof in the frame part and extending in a direction toward similar filaments mounted in the other frame part, (d) said filaments, when said frame parts are joined, closing the opening defined by said frame parts while accommodating the passage of cables or the like through said opening.
16. A floor grommet according to claim 15, wherein (a) each of said frame parts mounts two sets of said thin flexible sealing elements, one above the other and having contact with each other in outer portions of said elements.