Cable management panel with rear entry

• US 20070031099A1
• Filed: 08/02/2005
• Published: 02/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bison Patent Licensing, LLC
• Original Assignee: ADC Telecommunications Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Sjodin, Chad, McKnight, Joy, Rapp, David, Herzog, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 7,397,996 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/135
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4452 Distribution frames
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44526 Panels or rackmounts covering a whole width of the frame or rack
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44528 Patch-cords; Connector arrangements in the system or in the box routing arrangements H04Q1/00

Abstract

A cable management panel including a chassis, a drawer, and a drop-in plate for managing fiber optic cables. The chassis provides rear cable access, the drawer provides side cable access. In one embodiment, the drop-in plate is positionable within the drawer in both a first orientation and a second orientation.

Claims

1. A cable management panel, comprising:

a) a chassis;

b) a drawer mounted to the chassis, the drawer being configured to slide between an open position and a closed position relative to the chassis; and

c) a drop-in plate including fiber optic cable management elements, the drop-in plate being positionable within the drawer in both a first orientation and a second orientation.

2. The panel of claim 1, wherein the first orientation is generally 180 degrees relative to the second orientation.

3. The panel of claim 1, wherein the drawer has a front, a rear, and first and second opposite sides, the drawer providing side cable access at the first side when the drop-in plate is positioned in the first orientation.

4. The panel of claim 3, wherein the drawer provides side cable access at the second side when the drop-in plate is positioned in the second orientation.

5. The panel of claim 1, wherein the chassis includes first and second rear cable access openings.

6. The panel of claim 5, wherein a first cable pathway is provided through the first rear cable access opening when the drop-in plate is positioned in the first orientation.

7. The panel of claim 6, wherein a second cable pathway is provided through the second rear cable access opening when the drop-in plate is positioned in the second orientation.

8. The panel of claim 1, wherein the fiber optic cable management elements include a splice tray.

9. The panel of claim 1, wherein the fiber optic cable management elements include a plurality of fiber optic adapters.

10. The panel of claim 1, further including a radius limiter mounted to the drawer for managing cables during sliding movement of the drawer.

11. The panel of claim 10, wherein the radius limiter moves in a synchronized manner relative to the movement of the drawer.

12. The panel of claim 1, wherein the drop-in plate has a longitudinal axis, the fiber optic cable management elements being arranged symmetrically about the longitudinal axis.

13. The panel of claim 1, wherein the drop-in plate has symmetrical footprint.

14. The panel of claim 1, wherein the drop-in plate includes a base having first and second opposite edges, the base having a first notch located along the first edge and a second notch symmetrically located along the second edge.

15. The panel of claim 1, wherein the drawer includes a lip located adjacent to a rear of the drawer, the lip being constructed to receive an edge of the drop-in plate to secure the plate within an interior region of the drawer in either of the first orientation or the second orientation.

16. A cable management panel, comprising:

a) a chassis;

b) a drawer mounted to the chassis, the drawer being configured to slide between an open position and a closed position relative to the chassis; and

c) a drop-in plate, the plate including;

i) a base having first and second opposite edges, and opposing side edges, the base having an axis extending between the opposing side edges, the first edge, the second edge, and the opposing side edges defining a footprint;

ii) a first notch located along the first edge of the base, and a second notch located along the second edge of the base; and

iii) a plurality of cable management elements mounted on the base;

iv) wherein the footprint of the base is symmetrical about the axis.

17. The panel of claim 16, wherein the base of the plate includes a plurality of first notches located along the first edge of the base, and a plurality of second notches located along the second edge of the base.

18. The panel of claim 16, wherein the plurality of cable management elements are arranged in a symmetrical configuration relative to the axis.

19. The panel of claim 18, wherein the plurality of cable management elements includes a splice tray.

20. The panel of claim 18, wherein the plurality of cable management elements includes a plurality of fiber optic adapters.

21. The panel of claim 16, wherein the drop-in plate is positionable within the drawer in both a first orientation and a second orientation, the first orientation being 180 degrees relative to the second orientation.

22. A cable management panel, comprising:

a) a chassis;

b) a plate structure including a plurality of fiber optic cable management elements; and

c) a drawer mounted to the chassis, the drawer defining an interior region sized to receive the plate structure, the drawer having a front, a rear, and opposing sides, the drawer including;

i) a slide assembly that permits the drawer to slide open and closed relative to the chassis;

ii) a bottom; and

iii) a lip located adjacent to the rear of the drawer, the lip being constructed to receive an edge of the plate structure to secure the plate structure within the interior region of the drawer.

23. The panel of claim 22, wherein the lip is constructed of a rolled extension of the bottom of the drawer.

24. The panel of claim 22, wherein at least one of the opposing sides of the drawer is an open side to provide side cable access.

25. The panel of claim 24, wherein the opposing sides of the drawer are both open sides to provide side cable access.

26. The panel of claim 22, wherein the plate structure is positionable within the drawer in both a first orientation and a second orientation, the first orientation being 180 degrees relative to the second orientation.

27. The panel of claim 22, wherein the rear of the drawer is open to provide rear cable access to the interior region of the drawer.

28. The panel of claim 22, further including a radius limiter mounted to the drawer for managing cables during sliding movement of the drawer.

29. The panel of claim 28, wherein the radius limiter moves in a synchronized manner relative to the movement of the drawer.

30. The panel of claim 22, wherein the drawer includes securing elements to secure the plate structure within the interior region of the drawer, and wherein the plate structure includes notches arranged to accommodate the securing elements.

31. A cable management panel, comprising:

a) a chassis having a front, a rear, and sides;

b) a drawer mounted to the chassis, the drawer having an interior region, the drawer being configured to slide relative to the chassis between an open position and a closed position; and

c) fiber optic cable management elements located within the interior region of the drawer;

d) wherein the panel provides rear cable access to the interior region of the drawer at the rear of the chassis, and side cable access to the interior region of the drawer at one of the sides of the chassis.

32. The panel of claim 31, wherein the rear cable access is provided through a rear opening formed in a rear wall of the chassis.

33. The panel of claim 32, wherein the drawer includes a front and an open rear, the rear cable access further being provided through the open rear of the drawer.

34. The panel of claim 31, wherein the side cable access is provided through a side opening formed in a side wall of the chassis.

35. The panel of claim 34, wherein the drawer includes a front and at least one open side, the side cable access further being provided through the open side of the drawer.

36. The panel of claim 31, wherein the fiber optic cable management elements are mounted on a removable plate positioned within the interior region of the drawer.

37. The panel of claim 31, further including a radius limiter positioned to manage cables exiting and entering the drawer during sliding movement of the drawer.

38. The panel of claim 37, wherein the drawer includes a front and at least one open side, the radius limiter being mounted at the open side of the drawer.

39. The panel of claim 37, wherein the radius limiter moves in a synchronized manner relative to the movement of the drawer.

40. A drop-in plate, comprising:

a) a base having first and second transverse edges, and first and second longitudinal edges, the base defining a longitudinal axis that extends between the first and second transverse edges, the transverse edges and the longitudinal edges defining a footprint, the footprint being symmetrical about the longitudinal axis; and

b) a plurality of fiber optic cable management elements mounted on the base.

41. The plate of claim 40, wherein the fiber optic cable management elements include a splice tray.

42. The plate of claim 41, wherein the fiber optic cable management elements include a plurality of cable guides, the cable guides being arranged to both retain the splice tray and limit the bending radius of cable.

43. The plate of claim 40, wherein the fiber optic cable management elements include a plurality of fiber optic adapters.

44. The plate of claim 40, wherein fiber optic cable management elements are arranged symmetrically about the longitudinal axis of the base.

45. The plate of claim 40, wherein the base includes a notch formed along each of the first and second longitudinal edges.

46. The plate of claim 44, wherein the base includes a plurality of notches formed along each of the first and second longitudinal edges.