Coupler for Cable Trough

Abstract

Couplers for a cable trough system including a terminal end sized to receive a terminal end of a trough member along a longitudinal direction of the body. A spring may be coupled to the body for securing the terminal end of the trough member to the coupler, the spring including first and second spring arms extending generally in opposition to one another in a plane generally parallel to the longitudinal direction. The spring may be received in a slot formed by the trough member. Also included may be a spring release mechanism coupled to the body, the spring release mechanism sliding in the longitudinal direction between a locked position, such that the first and second spring arms engage the terminal end of the trough, and an unlocked position, such that the first and second fingers release the first and second arms of the spring.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A coupler for a cable trough system, the coupler comprising:
 a body extending in a longitudinal direction, the body having a body terminal end defining an overlap region, the overlap region being sized to slideably receive a terminal end of a trough along the longitudinal direction of the body; and   a spring coupled to an outer surface of the body, wherein the spring is biased in a direction tangential to the longitudinal direction of the body to engage the trough.   
     
     
         2 . The coupler of  claim 1 , wherein the spring is sized to be received in a slot of the trough, wherein the slot is defined by an exterior surface of the trough. 
     
     
         3 . The coupler of  claim 2 , wherein the slot is extends in the longitudinal direction along the exterior surface from the terminal end of the trough to an opposing terminal end of the trough member. 
     
     
         4 . The coupler of  claim 2 , further comprising comprises a second spring coupled to the outer surface of the coupler to be received in a second slot of the trough. 
     
     
         5 . The coupler of  claim 2 , wherein the slot of the trough is a T-slot.