Cable trough

• US 20040050808A1
• Filed: 09/16/2002
• Published: 03/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ADC Telecommunications Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Tinucci, Thomas C., Krampotich, Dennis J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,796,437 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 211/26
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/023 using sliding mechanisms for accessing the interior of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/035 Cooling of active equipments, e.g. air ducts
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/062 vertical management arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/066 arranged on the front side
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/068 arranged on the rear side
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2201/02 Details of frames

Abstract

An assembly for managing cables in a telecommunications installation where the cable management troughs directing cables from telecommunications equipment mounted to an equipment rack to a vertical cable way allow air flow into a ventilation space located between the equipment rack and the vertical cable way. A cable management trough with front and rear walls and a floor, wherein the floor increases in width from a first end to a second end and the front and rear walls decreases in height from the first end to the second end. A releasable hinge for mounting a door to a telecommunications rack and a slide movable between a captive and a retracted position. Placing the slide in the captive position prevents the door from being lifted from the hinge and placing the slide in a retracted position permits the door to be removed from the rack.

Claims

1. A telecommunications cable management assembly comprising:

a first equipment rack having a front, a first side and a second side;

an open fronted cable slack storage structure mounted to the first equipment rack, the slack storage structure including a central column of slack storage spools, a first vertical cableway adjacent the column of spools toward the first side of the first equipment rack and a second vertical cable way toward the second side of the equipment rack;

an open fronted ventilation space defined between the first vertical cable way and the first side of the first equipment rack;

a plurality of cable management troughs traversing the front of the ventilation space for directing cables entering the first equipment rack from the first side into the first vertical cableway;

wherein the troughs are configured to permit air flow through the open fronted ventilation space.

2. The telecommunications cable management assembly of claim 1, wherein a second telecommunications equipment rack is mounted adjacent the first side of the first equipment rack.

3. The telecommunications cable management assembly of claim 2, wherein the second equipment rack includes a plurality of telecommunications devices mounted to the second equipment rack and a plurality of cables extends from the plurality of telecommunications devices into the troughs and into the first vertical cable way.

4. The telecommunications cable management assembly of claim 1, further comprising a transition element between each trough and the first vertical cable way, wherein, the transition element provides bend radius protection for cables passing from the trough into the first vertical cable way.

5. The telecommunications cable management assembly of claim 1, wherein the second vertical cable way includes a plurality of cable exits adjacent the second side of the first equipment rack, the cable exits configured to direct cables from the second vertical cable way into a third telecommunications equipment rack mounted adjacent the second side of the first equipment rack.

6. The telecommunications cable management assembly of claim 5, wherein each of the cable exits adjacent the second side of the first equipment rack provides bend radius protection for cables passing from the second vertical cable way to the third equipment rack.

7. The telecommunications cable management assembly of claim 1, wherein a removable door is mounted to the cable slack storage structure and the door is selectively movable between an open position and a closed position closing at least a portion of the open front of cable slack storage structure.

8. The telecommunications cable management assembly of claim 1, wherein the first side of the cable slack storage structure includes at least one opening to permit air to pass through from within the cable slack storage structure into the ventilation space.

9. The telecommunications cable management assembly of claim 3, wherein the second equipment rack includes an open side adjacent the first side of the first equipment rack and air can flow from the ventilation space of the first rack through the open side of the second equipment to provide cooling for the telecommunications equipment mounted to the second rack.

10. The telecommunications cable management assembly of claim 9, further comprising a fan mounted adjacent to a side of the second equipment rack opposite the first side of the first equipment rack, wherein the fan urges air to flow from the ventilation space of the first equipment rack through the open side of the second equipment rack to promote cooling of the equipment mounted to the second rack.

11. A cable management trough comprising:

a first end, a second end, a front wall and a rear wall, and a floor;

the front wall, the rear wall and the floor cooperating to define an open top cable path from the first end to the second end;

a first mounting flange extending below the floor at the first end and a second mounting flange extending below the floor at the second end;

a first cable retaining means extending at least partially across the open top of the cable path adjacent the first end and a second cable retaining means extending at least partially across the open top adjacent the second end, the first and second cable retaining means cooperating to retain cables within the cable path while allowing cables to be inserted into the cable path through the open top.

12. The cable management trough of claim 11, wherein a height of the front wall above the floor and a height of the rear wall above the floor each decrease from the first end toward the second end and the height of the front and rear walls are substantially the same, and a width of the floor between the front and rear walls increases from the first end to the second end.

13. The cable management trough of claim 12, wherein at least one of the cable retaining means rigidly extends from a top edge of the rear wall and toward a top of the front wall partially across the open top of the cable path, and allows access to the cable path between a distal end of the cable retaining means and the top of the front wall.

14. The cable management trough of claim 12, wherein at least one of the cable retaining means releasably extends across the open top of the cable path from a top of the front wall and permits access to the cable path through the open top when released.

15. The cable management trough of claim 14, wherein the releasable retaining means is a strap closed with a hook-and-eye closure.

16. The cable management trough of claim 14, wherein the releasable retaining means is a cable tie.

17. The cable management trough of claim 12, wherein the trough is made of metal.

18. The cable management trough of claim 17, wherein the trough is formed from a single sheet of metal.

19. The cable management trough of claim 12, wherein a mounting tab is attached to the second mounting flange and the mounting tab extends away from the second mounting flange generally parallel to the floor.

20. A cable management trough comprising:

a first end, a second end, a front wall and a rear wall, and a floor;

the front wall, the rear wall and the floor cooperating to define an open top cable path from the first end to the second end; and

wherein a height of the front wall above the floor and a height of the rear wall above the floor each decrease from the first end toward the second end and the height of the front and rear walls are substantially the same, and a width of the floor between the front and rear walls increases from the first end to the second end.