GB2490455A

GB2490455A - Cable trunking lid connection

Info

Publication number: GB2490455A
Application number: GB1214640.3A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Habib Rahman; Geoffrey Ditchfield; Nigel Leaver
Original assignee: Legrand Electric Ltd
Current assignee: Legrand Electric Ltd
Priority date: 2009-08-20
Filing date: 2009-08-20
Publication date: 2012-10-31
Anticipated expiration: 2029-08-20
Also published as: GB201214640D0; EG26896A; GB2490455B; GB2472917A; GB2472917B; GB201013839D0; GB2472837A; EG26034A; GB2472837B; GB0914593D0

Abstract

A cable trunking device comprises a base component 102 and a lid component 110, wherein the lid component has side walls 606 that are configured to overlap with top portions of respective side walls 304 of the base component. At least one spring clip 603 has a first portion that is configured to receive and grip a side wall of the lid component, and a second portion that is configured to receive and grip a corresponding side wall of the base component. The spring clip forcibly holds the base component and lid component together with the side walls of the lid component overlapping with the top portions of the side walls of the base component. The spring clip may also have a barb 604 to assist gripping.

Description

CABLE TRUN KING DEVICE

The present invention relates to devices for routing one or more power and/or communication cables from one location to another.

Cable trun king devices generally come in easily transportable and manageable sections that can be assembled together on site, Assembling cable trunking typically involves connecting U-shped base sections each comprising a pair of side walls and a base wall, and then fitting lids opposite to the base walls of the U-shaped base sections so as to close off the cables after they are installed within the connected U-shaped base sections.

The U-shaped base sections are generally of the same width and connected together with a short U-shaped connecting unit. The connecting unit has a shorter width than that of the base sections such that the end portions of the connecting unit can be inserted into the end portions of respective base sections. One conventional way of securing such base sections to the connecting unit involves providing the side walls of the end portions of the base sections with through holes via which a base section can be secured to a respective end of the short internal connecting unit by inserting a respective bolt through each through-hole at the end portion of the outer U-shaped base section and into a nut that is mechanically fixed to the internal connecting unit, and then screwing the bolt down into the nut so as to lock the base section to the internal connecting unit and increase the force of contact between the walls of the base section and the internal connecting unit A further base section is similarly connected to the other end of the internal connecting unit so as to thereby connect two base sections via the internal connecting unit. Lids are tightly secured to the assembled base sections by means of locking devices provided in the lids that are operable by screwdriver. The lids are fitted onto the assembled base sections with the locking devices in a withdrawn position, and the locking devices are thereafter operated by screwdriver relative to the lids so as to rotate them into a locking position in which a portion of the locking device is forced against a counter portion of the base section to which the lid is fitted.

It is an aim of the present invention to provide one or more new techniques for better facilitating the assembly of cable trunking.

The present invention provides a cable trunking device, comprising first and second cable trunking components, wherein the first trunking component has at least an end portion extending in a first direction to a first end thereof and for receiving therein an end portion of the second trun king component and said end portion of the first trunking component defines in one or more walls thereof one or more guide channels each extending from said first end and each configured to receive a respective fastening component extending outwards from a corresponding wall of the second trunking component and wherein the action of sliding the fastening components along the respective guide channels guides the second trunking component to an end position at which relative movement of the two trunking components in said first direction is blocked, and wherein the fastening component is usable to increase the force of contact between the two trunking components in the end position.

In one embodiment, the one or more fastening components of this device are detachable from the second trunking component.

In one embodiment, the one or more fastening components of this device are one or more male screw-th read components, and the device may further comprise one or more complementary female screw-thread components that are used together with the fastening components to increase the force of contact between the two trunking components in the end position.

In one embodiment, the end portions of the trunking component of the device also each have two side walls joined by a base wall, the guide channel includes a proximal part extending from said first end substantially in the first direction and leading to a distal part extending substantially perpendicular to the first direction and towards the base wall; and wherein the height of the side walls of the end portion of the second trunking component are less than the height of the side walls of the end portion of the first trunking component so as to enable sliding of the fastening components along the proximal and distal parts of the respective guide channels to guide the second trunking component to said end position.

The present invention further provides a method of using a cable trunking device, comprising screwing said one or more female screw-thread components onto a proximal end of a respective one of said fastening components, sliding the fastening components along the respective guide channels to guide the second trunking component to said end position and screwing said one or more female screw-thread components further along the fastening component to increase the force of contact between the two trunking components in the end position.

The present invention further provides a cable trunking device comprising a base component and a lid component, wherein the lid component has side walls that are configured to overlap with top portions of respective side walls of the base component, and at least one spring clip. The spring clip has a first portion that is configured to receive and grip at least a portion of a side wall of the lid component, and a second portion that is configured to receive and grip at least a portion of a corresponding side wall of the base component, such that, upon assembly, the at least one spring clip forcibly holds the base component and lid component together with the side walls of the lid component overlapping with the top portions of the side walls of the base component.

In one embodiment, the second portion of the spring clip further comprises a barb that points in the direction in which the spring clip receives said portion of a side wall of the lid component, so as to resist the removal of the lid component from said portion of a side wall of the lid component.

In one embodiment, the second portion of the spring clip further comprises an element that interacts with a slot defined in said portion of a side wall of the lid component so as to block removal of the spring clip from said portion of a side wall of the lid component.

The present invention further provides a cable trunking device comprising two structural components, and at least one spring clip secured on one of the structural components for rotation relative thereto between a clipping position and a release position, wherein in the clipping position the at least one spring clip enables clipping of said one structural component to the other structural component, and said one structural component is thereafter releasable from the other structural component by rotating the at least one spring clip to the release position, wherein the two structural components define the lid and base component of said cable trunking device.

The present invention further provides a method of using the trunking device, the method comprising: pressing the said one structural component onto the said other structural component with the spring clip in the clipping position so as to clip the first structural component to the other structural component, wherein the spring clip serves to hold the two structural components forcibly together by virtue of the interaction of the spring clip with a counter portion of the other structural component; and thereafter rotating the spring clip to the release position so as to bring the spring clip out of interaction with the counter portion, and removing the said one structural component from the other structural component.

Hereunder follows a detailed description of embodiments of the invention, by way of example only, with reference to the following drawings: Figure 1 is an exploded view of a cable trunking device according to the present invention in an unassembled state, Figure 2 illustrates parts of the cable trunking device of Figure 1 in a partly assembled state.

Figures 3A and 3B are scaled engineering drawings of components for use in a cable trunking device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and the respective flat sheet metal shapes from which they are formed by bending.

Figures 4A to 40 illustrate examples of fastening means for use in a cable trunking device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figures 5A to 5C illustrate cable trunking devices according to embodiments of the present invention each in a fully assembled state.

Figures 6A to 60 illustrate an example of a spring clip for use in a cable trunking device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figures 7A to 7E illustrate a further example of a spring clip for use in a cable trunking device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figures 8A and 8B illustrate examples of a trunking body lid for use in a cable trunking device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figures 9 and 10 are further illustrations of cable trunking devices according to embodiments of the present invention in an assembled state.

A cable trunking device according to a first embodiment of the present invention comprises: first and second cable trunking bodies 102, 104 of identical shape and dimensions; a connecting unit 101; and fastening means 103. The first and second cable trunking bodies 102, 104 and the connecting unit 101 each comprise a pair of opposing side walls 3011 302, 305, 306 connected via a respective base wall 308, 309 to form parts that have a substantially U-shaped external profile. The widths of the first and second cable trunking bodies 102, 104 are selected such that the connecting unit 101 closely fits inside the end portions of the first and second cable trunking bodies 102, 104, without leaving a substantial gap between the walls of the connecting unit 101 and the respective walls of the first and second cable trunking bodies 102, 104.

The four sets of fastening means 103 provided on the connecting unit 101 each comprise a bolt 203 mechanically fixed to the respective side wall of the connecting unit 101 and a nut 210 screwed onto the distal end of the bolt 203. Greater numbers of fastening means 103 may be included on the connecting unit 101 depending on the depth of the trunking bodies 102, 104. For example, as many as 8 or 12 sets of fastening means 103 could be provided on a single connecting unit 10. Fig.3B shows a connecting unit with 8 fixed bolts 203. The nut 210 has a nylon insert or deformed thread to resistthe complete removal of the nut 210 from the end of the bolt 203. This has the advantage that it reduces the risk of the nut 210 becoming accidentally separated from the connecting unit 101 during transportation to the assembly site. Slots 106, 107 are defined in the side walls at both end portions of the first and second cable trunking bodies 102, 104. The slots 106, 107 extend from the end of the cable trunking bodies 102, 104 and are cQnfigured to receive the bolts 203 provided on the connecting unit 101. Each slot 106, 107 is substantially L-shaped and comprises a relatively long first straight section extending substantially parallel to the base wall 308, and a relatively short second straight section extending substantially perpendicular to the first straight section and towards the base wall 308.

At the time of assembly, the connecting unit 101 and one of the trunking bodies 102, 104 are connected together by sliding an exposed portion of the bolts 203 between the side wall of the connecting unit 101 and the nut 210 along respective L-shaped slots 106, 107 to the end of the slots 106, 107. When the base walls 308, 309 of the connecting unit 101 and the trunking bodies 102, 104 are at the same level, the entrance of the slots 106, 107 is at a higher level than the bolt 203 provided on the connecting unit 101. In order to slide the bolts 203 along the slots 106, 107 the connecting unit 101 is first raised relative to the trunking body 102, 104. When the bolts 203 reach the end of the first straight section of the slot 106, 107, the connecting unit 101 is lowered relative to the trunking body 102, 104 until the bolt 203 rests at the bottom of the second straight section. In this position, the base wall 309 of the connecting unit 101 also rests on the base wall 308 of the end portion of the trunking body 102, 104. The side walls 305, 306 of the connecting unit 101 have a smaller height than the side walls 301, 302 at the end portion of the cable trunking bodies 102, 104 in order to facilitate the above-mentioned assembly of the connecting unit 101 and the cable trunking bodies 102, 104.

With the bolt 203 located at the end of the L-shaped slot 106 as shown in Figure 2, the part of the side wall that defines the second straight section of the slot blocks the bolt 203 from moving in a direction parallel to the base walls 308, 309 of the connecting unit and cable trunking body 102, 104. In this configuration, the nut 210 at the distal end of the bolt 203 is turned further down the bolt 203 and tightened to increase the force of contact between the side walls 308, 309 of the connecting unit 101 and cable trunking body 102Alternate fastening means 103 that can be used in place of a fixed bolt 203 are shown in Figures 4A to 4G. One alternative fastening means 103 comprises a through hole provided in the side wall of the connecting unit for receiving a separate bolt 405, 406 from the inside of the connecting unit 101, A respective nut is screwed onto the distal end of each bolt 405, 406, and the exposed portions of the bolts between the heads 402 of the bolts 405, 406 and the nuts are guided along the L-shaped slots 106, 107, in the same way as described above for fixed bolts 203. Examples of bolts for such alternative fastening means include those depicted in Figures 4A and 4B. The bolt 405 of Figure 4A includes a nylon insert 404 whilst the bolt 406 of Figure 4B includes a slight deformation on a portion of the screw thread at the distal end of the bolt.

A further example of alternative fastening means is shown in Figure 4G and includes a nut or nutsert 401 permanently fixed onto the inner side of the side walls 305, 306 of the connecting unit 101. Prior to assembly of the connecting unit 101 to a cable trunking body 102, bolts 407 are provisionally screwed into each nut/nutsert 401 on the connecting unit 101 so as to leave a length of the threaded part of each bolt 407 exposed between the side wall 305, 306 of the connecting unit 101 and the head of the bolt 407. This exposed lengths of the bolts 407 are then slid along respective slots 106 of the cable trunking body 102 in the same way as described above; and then the bolts 407 are screwed further into the nut/nutsert 401 to forcibly sandwich the side walls of the connecting unit 101 and cable trunking body 102 between the nutsert 401 and head of the bolt 407, as shown in Figure 4C. The head 402 of the bolts (405, 406, 407) are adapted so that the bolts (405, 406, 407) may be turned and tightened by all of a hex head socket, a Pozi-drive screwdriver and a flat blade screwdriver. The head 402 is provided with serrations on the underside of the head, for a better earthing continuity between the connecting unit 101 and the trunking bodies. The head is flanged and the serrations are provided on the underside of the flange. For example, the hex head socket is an MS hex head socket and the Pozi-drive screwdriver is a Pozi No. 2.

When the connecting unit 101 is used to connect two straight cable trunking bodies 102, 104, the connecting unit 101 is designed such that the ends of the two cable trunking bodies meet at a central portion of the connecting unit 101, as shown in Figure 5 and Figure 9.

The connecting unit 101 may be a corner (or bend) unit as shown in Figures SA to SC. The corner unit 501 may comprise a knockout hole 502, designed for connecting the corner unit to an earthed trunking body.

One advantage of using the alternative fastening means described above, such as the fixing method shown in Figure 4C, is that in some situations it may be necessary to connect the connecting unit 101 to a cable trunking section without an L-shaped slot. For example, the fitter may need to cut off the end portion of a cable trunking body 102, 104 including the above-described L-shaped slot in order to reduce the trunking body from a standard manufactured length to a custom ised length. The connection can then be achieved by the following steps: (i) creating on-site through holes in the end portions of the cut-to-length cable trunking body; (ii) removing the bolts 405, 406, 407 from the respective end of the connecting unit 101; and (iii) sliding the connecting unit 101 into the end portion of the cut-to-length cable trunking body such that the through holes/nutserts of the connecting unit align with said through holes cut into the side walls of the cut-to-length cable trunking body: and (iv) then using the bolts4O5, 406, 407 to secure the connecting unit 101 and cable trunking body together. After the cable trunking bodies 102, 104 are connected together and cable is installed therein, the cable trunking bodies are closed off using lids 110, 112, 114. The lids 110, 112, 114 are fitted to the cable trunking bodies 102, 104 using spring clips 603 of the kind shown in Figure 6 and/or spring clips of the kind shown in Figure 7.

As shown in Figures 3A, 4C, 6B and 7, the distal ends of the side walls 301, 302 of each cable trunking body are bent inwards to create a clipping feature 201 of substantially triangular cross-section including a holding face 320 that is directed both away from the respective side wall 301, 302 and towards the base wall 308.

These clipping features 201 are designed to interact with a corresponding element of the spring clips mentioned above and described in more detail hereunder.

One example of a spring clip 603 is shown in Figures 6 and 4C. It is made out of spring steel, e.g. of 0.5mm thickness. Part of the spring clip 603 defines a recess of substantially triangular cross-section matching the shape of the clipping features 201 at the distal portions of the side walls 301, 302 of the cable trunking bodies 102, 104.

This recess is configured to receive and grip the top portions 201 of the side walls 301, 302 of the cable trunking bodies 102, 104. The action of pressing the spring clip 603 onto the upper portions of the side walls 301, 302 initially forces the spring clip 603 through a relatively high-stress configuration into a lower-stress position in which a reverse face 620 is pressed against said holding face 320 of the clipping feature 201 at the distal portions of the side walls 301, 302 of the cable trunking bodies 102, 104. The retention of the spring clip 603 on the side wall 301, 302 of the trunking body 102, 104 is enhanced by sharp-edged tongue-shaped barbs 605.

These barbs 605 are resilient portions of the spring clip 603 that point in the direction in which the spring clip 603 receives a side wall 301, 302 of a cable trunking body 102, 104 and define a distal edge that interacts with the side wall 301, 302 of the table trunking body 102, 104 to further resist the removal of the side wall 301, 302 from the spring clip 603, and that cuts through any coating (not shown) on the side wall 301, 302 of the cable trunking body to create a better electrical earth ing connection between the spring clip 603 and the metal core of the cable trunking body.

The spring clip 603 defines a second recess of substantially rectangular cross-section, which opens in an opposite direction to the first recess. The second recess is configured to receive and grip aside wall 606 of the lid 110, 112, 114. The retention of the spring clip 603 on the side wall of the lid of the trunking body 102, 104 is also enhanced by sharp-edged barbs 604. These barbs 604 point in the direction in which the spring clip 603 receives a side wall 606 of the lid 110, 112, 114 and define a distal edge that interacts with the side wall 606 of the lid 110, 112, 114 to resist against removal of the side wall of the lid from the spring clip 603 and that cuts through any insulating coating (not shown) on the side wall of the lid to create a better electrical earth ing connection between the spring clip and the metal core of the lid.

The spring clip 603 may also be provided with resilient protrusions (not shown) that upon assembly of the spring clip 603 onto the side wall of the lid are automatically stressed and then spring-released into slots defined in the side wall of the lid, This assists in retaining the spring clip on the lid when the lid is decoupled from the cable trunking body.

The spring clip 603 has rounded external corners for improving handling safety.

Pre-fitting the spring clips 603 to the lids 110, 112, 114 before delivery to the assembly site further reduces the time required by the on-site fitter to fit the lids to the cable trunking bodies. The fitter simply presses the lids onto the cable trunking bodies in a simple one-step action, and the spring clips 603 act to secure the lids to the cable trunking body 102, 104 without any further operation required by the fitter.

It may bethat it becomes necessaryto removethe lids 101, 112, 114 in orderto inspect, repair or replace one or more cables located within the cable trunking. This is done by levering the spring clips 603 off the cable trunking body 102, 104. Such removal is facilitated in the embodiment shown in Figure 4C and Figure 68 by including joggles 304 on the side walls. The joggles 304 are each formed of a series of two opposing bends each of substantially 90 degrees. Each joggle 304 provides an outwardly protruding edge at a location below the top of the respective side wall of the cable trun king body. These edges provide fulcrums that facilitate levering the spring clip off the side walls.

The connecting unit 101 is also provided with corresponding joggles 307 in the side walls 308, 309 thereof to facilitate the assembly of the connecting unit 101 and the cable trunking bodies 1 02, 104. Preferably, the side walls 606 of the lid overlap the side walls 301, 302 of the trunking body 102, 104 by at least about 9.5mm.

The lids comprise (a) relatively long, primary lid sections 110, 112, each configured to cover at least the majority of the length of a respective cable trunking body, and (b) relatively short secondary lid sections 114 which are configured to cover a gap between adjacent primary lid sections 110, 112 above the connecting unit 101. The primary lid sections 110, 112 are clipped to the cable trunking bodies as described above. The primary lid sections 110, 112 have a shorter length than the respective cable trunking bodies in order to provide space to also clip the secondary lid sections 114 to an end portion of one or more of the cable trunking bodies. For example, the primary lid section may be shorter than the respective trunking body by about 60mm, so that the primary lid section is 30mm short on both sides. The secondary lid sections 114 have a narrow central portion of a width equal to that of the primary lid sections, and wider end portions configured to fit over the ends of the primary lid sections 110, 112. This variation in width can be achieved by a swag ing process.

According to one variation shown for a corner connecting unit 504 in Figures 5A to SC, the connecting unit is an extended section and the two cable trunking bodies 102, 104 that it connects do not meet.

In Figure 5A, the secondary lid section 514 is clipped to the side walls of the connecting unit 504, and the tops of the side walls of the connecting unit 504 are configured as described above for the cable trunking bodies 102, 104. lt is difficult to provide the above-described joggle in the side walls of a corner unit, such as a corner unit 504 shown in Figure 5A. Removal of the lid 514 is instead facilitated by providing lifting tabs 503 at either, or both, longitudinal ends of the lid 514 where the lid 514 overlaps with the lid 110, 112 of an adjacent trunking body 102, 104. These lifting tabs 503 are slightly raised portions of the lid that facilitate levering the lid 514 off the corner unit 504 using a tool such as a flat bladed screwdriver.

In Figure SB, the secondary lid section 524 is clipped to the end portions of the cable trunking bodies that the connecting unit 504 functions to connect.

In Figure SC, the secondary lid section 534 for the corner connecting unit 504 is secu red to the assembly via spring clips 603. The secondary lid section 534 has an overshoe section that can be screwed to either end of the secondary lid section 534 for overlapping with the end of a primary lid section. The corner unit can then be used for right hand or left hand applications. A secondary lid section is not provided for the connection of two straight cable trunking bodies 102, 104 in Figure SC; instead, the primary lid section 510, 512 for one of the cable trunking bodies 102, 104 is configured to directly overlap with the end portion of the primary lid section 510, 512 for the other of the cable trunking bodies 102, 104, via an overshoe section.

This overshoe section is screwed or mechanically fixed by some fastening means 516 to one end of the primary lid section only.

Preferably, overlapping lid sections overlap each other by at least 10mm.

According to another variation illustrated in Figure 7, primary lid sections 712 are secured to the cable trunking bodies using turnbuckle spring clips 700. These turnbuckle spring clips 700 are pre-clipped into through holes defined in the lid 712 for rotation relative to the lid 712 into and out of a clipping position in which a clipping element 709 is oriented for interaction with the above-described clipping feature 201 provided at the upper portions of the side walls 301, 302 of the cable trunking bodies 102, 104 (as shown in Figures 7D and 7E).

The spring clip 700 comprises two parts: a base part defining a head 701 and a shaft 702; and a spring section 703 defining said clipping element 709. The two parts are designed such that they can be clipped together into the through hole in the lid 712.

The spring section 703 comprises parts 704 that are automatically forced into a stressed position upon initial insertion of the assembled clip 700 into the through hole defined by the lid 712 and which, upon further insertion of the clip 700 into the through hole, then automatically spring-release into a position in which they forcibly sandwich the lid 712 in combination with the under surface of the head 701.

In the clipping position, the residual clipping element 709 allows the lid to be clipped onto the above-described cable trunking body 102, 104 by a simple one-step press action. The clipping element 709 is initially automatically forced into a stressed position by its interaction with the clipping feature 201 at the upper portion of the side walls 301, 302 of the cable trunking body 102, 104, and then automatically spring-releases into a position at which the reverse face of the clipping element 709 is forcibly pushes up against said holding face 320 of the clipping feature 201 of the side walls 301, 302 of the cable trun king body 102, 104. The head 701 is adapted so that the entire spring clip 700 is rotatable by application of a turning force via a variety of different screwdrivers/wrenches into a position where the clipping element 709 no longer resists the removal of the lid 712 from the cable trunking component 102, 104.

The three outwardly and upwardly extending protrusions 704 are useful both in retaining the lid 712 and the clip 700 together when the lid 712 is decoupled from the trunking body 102, 104, and also in reducing rattle within the assembly. These protrusions 704 may have a saw-tooth design or other sharp barbed design that can scrape through any paint etc. on the lid 712 for better electrical earthing connection between the clip 700 and the lid 712.

The clipping element 709 of the spring section is also provided with additional barbs 707 for enhancing an electrical earthing connection between the clip 700 and the downwards surface 320 of the clipping feature 201 on the side walls 301, 302 of the trunking body 102, 104. These barbs 707 are configured to cut through an insulating coating that may have been applied to such surface.

All of the above-described components are made out of steel.

The applicant draws attention to the fact that the present invention may include any feature or combination of features disclosed herein either implicitly or explicitly or any generalisation thereof, without limitation to the scope of any definitions set out above. In view of the foregoing description it will be evident to a person skilled in the art that various modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments within the scope of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A cable trunking device, comprising: a base component and a lid component, wherein the lid component has side walls that are configured to overlap with top portions of respective side walls of the base component, and at least one spring clip, which has a first portion that is configured to receive and grip at least a portion of a side wall of the lid component, and a second portion that is configured to receive and grip at least a portion of a corresponding side wall of the base component, such that, upon assembly, the at least one spring clip forcibly holds the base component and lid component together with the side walls of the lid component overlapping with the top portions of the side walls of the base component.
2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said second portion of the spring clip comprises a barb that points in the direction in which the spring clip receives said portion of a side wall of the lid component, so as to resist the removal of the lid component from said portion of a side wall of the lid component.
3. A device according to claim I or claim 2, wherein said second portion of the spring clip comprises an element that interacts with a slot defined in said portion of a side wall of the lid component so as to block removal of the spring cup from said portion of a side wall of the lid component.
4. A cable trunking device, comprising: two structural components, and at least one spring clip secured on one of the structural components for rotation relative thereto between a clipping position and a release position, wherein in the clipping position the at least one spring clip enables clipping of said one structural component to the other structural component, and said one structural component is thereafter releasable from the other structural component by rotating the at least one spring clip to the release position; wherein the two structural components define the lid and base component of said cable trunking device.
5. A method of using the trunking device according to claim 4, the method comprising: pressing the said one structural component onto the said other structural component with the spring clip in the clipping position so as to clip the first structural component to the other structural component, wherein the spring clip serves to hold the two structural components forcibly together by virtue of the interaction of the spring clip with a counter portion of the other structural component; and thereafter rotating the spring clip to the release position so as to bring the spring clip out of interaction with the counter portion, and removing the said one structural component from the other structural component.
6. A cable trunking device, comprising: first and second cable trunking components, wherein the first trunking component has at least an end portion extending in a first direction to a first end thereof and for receiving therein an end portion of the second trunking component; wherein said end portion of the first trunking component defines in one or more walls thereof one or more guide channels each extending from said first end and each configured to receive a respective fastening component extending outwards from a corresponding wall of the second trunking component; and wherein the action of sliding the fastening components along the respective guide channels guides the second trunking component to an end position at which relative rriovement of the two trunking components in said first direction is blocked, and wherein the fastening component is usable to increase the force of contact between the two trunking components in the end position.
7. A device according to claim 6, wherein said one or more fastening components are detachable from the second trunking component.
8. A device according to claim 6 or claim 7, wherein said one or more fastening components are one or more male screw-thread components, and wherein the device further comprises one or more complementary female screw-thread components that are used together with the fastening components to increase the force of contact between the two trunking components in the end position.
9. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the end portions of the trunking component each have two side walls joined by a base wall; the guide channel includes a proximal part extending from said first end substantially in the first direction and leading to a distal part extending substantially perpendicular to the first direction and towards the base wall; and wherein the height of the side walls of the end portion of the second trun king component are less than the height of the side walls of the end portion of the first trunking component so as to enable sliding of the fastening components along the proximal and distal parts of the respective guide channels to guide the second trunking component to said end position.
10. A method of using a cable trunking device according to claim 8, comprising: screwing said one or more female screw-thread components onto a proximal end of a respective one of said fastening components; thereafter sliding the fastening components along the respective guide channels to guide the second trunking component to said end position; and thereafter further screwing said one or more female screw-thread components further along the fastening component to increase the force of contact between the two trunking components in the end position.