System for mounting electrical and optical conductors to floor beams of an aircraft

1. A system for mounting conductors, such as electrical wires, optical fiber cables, conduits and the like, to the floor beams of an aircraft cabin floor, each floor beam having a top flange, a bottom flange and a web extending between the flanges, the floor beams being disposed in a substantially parallel spaced apart array, the floor including a plurality of removable floor panels mounted on said floor beams, the system comprising:

an elongate raceway disposed below the removable floor panels, the raceway comprised of a plurality of longitudinal routing rails spanning between adjacent pairs of said floor beams, each routing rail having an interior channel for housing said conductors and having two open ends;

a plurality of conductor cradle blocks disposed in said interior channel, each cradle block including a mounting cushion adapted to engage a bottom portion of said conductors; and

a plurality of rail support brackets, each rail support bracket removably clamped on at least one of: the top flange; the bottom flange; and the web of one of said beams and removably mounted to one of said rail ends.

2. A system according to claim 1 wherein the cradle blocks are disposed in a longitudinally spaced apart array along the raceway.

3. A system according to claim 1 comprising a plurality of securing blocks mating said cradle blocks, each securing block including a mounting cushion adapted to engage a top portion of said conductors.

4. A system according to claim 1 wherein each routing rail has at least one base wall and at least one side wall extending upwardly from the base wall.

5. A system according to claim 1 wherein each routing rail has a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart cradle apertures and each cradle block includes mounting projections mating said cradle apertures.

6. A system according to claim 5 wherein each routing rail has a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart securing apertures and each securing block includes mounting projections mating said securing apertures.

7. A system according to claim 1 including at least one underhanging bracket removably mounted to an underside of said routing rail.

8. A system according to claim 7 wherein each routing rail has a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart mounting apertures and each underhanging bracket includes mounting projections mating said mounting apertures.

9. A system according to claim 8 wherein the underhanging brackets are adapted to support at least one of: a conductor joining connector; a conductor splicing connector; and electronic circuitboard.

10. A system according to claim 1 including at least one said floor panel with a conductor passage therethrough.

11. A system according to claim 1 wherein said at least one floor panel includes a flexible conductor recessed housing adjacent said conductor passage.

12. A system according to claim 11 wherein said housing includes a removable cap.

13. A system according to claim 5 wherein said cradle apertures in the routing rail include a hinging aperture and a locking aperture and the mounting projections on said cradle block include a hinge tab and a releasable locking pin.

14. A system according to claim 6 wherein said securing apertures in the routing rail include a hinging aperture and a locking aperture and the securing projections on said securing block include a hinge tab and a releasable locking pin.

15. A system according to claim 8 wherein said securing apertures in the routing rail include a hinging aperture and a locking aperture and the mounting projections on said underhanging bracket include a hinge tab and a releasable locking pin.

16. A system according to claim 1 wherein at least one of: said routing rails; said conductor cradle blocks; and said rail support brackets includes electrical insulation.

17. A system according to claim 16 wherein at least one of: said routing rails; said conductor cradle blocks; and said rail support brackets comprises a moulded plastic structure having electrical insulation properties.