APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ORGANIZING CABLES IN A CABINET

• US 20090273915A1
• Filed: 01/07/2009
• Published: 11/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chatsworth Products Incorporated, Corning Optical Communications LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Chatsworth Products Incorporated
• Inventors: DEAN, DAVID LEE JR., Ugolini, Alan William, Donowho, David Brian, Messmer, Karl Theodore, Lewis, Richard Evans II
• Granted Patent: US 7,974,105 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/826
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4452 Distribution frames
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44524 with frame parts or auxiliary devices mounted on the frame and collectively not covering a whole width of the frame or rack cassettes G02B6/4453
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4459 Ducts; Conduits; Hollow tubes for air blown fibres
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/062 vertical management arrangements

Abstract

An equipment cabinet (2) includes an equipment rack (3) for mounting equipment (20), and includes organizational elements for organizing cables within the cabinet. The cables may be organized to reduce impeding airflow to or from the equipment, and/or to reduce unwanted bending of the cables themselves. The organizational elements may include one or more of: a trunk cable (40) including a furcation plug (45) and universal clip (47); a furcation bracket—either vertical (60) or horizontal (80); a termination panel (100); a trunk cable manager (140, 200); and/or an accessory bracket (180). The organizational elements may be used in various combinations with one another, and may be provided in a kit.

Claims

1. A method of routing a cable in an equipment cabinet to reduce impeding airflow to or from equipment mounted in a central rack space of an equipment rack in the equipment cabinet, the equipment including a wall with an airflow opening therein, the method comprising:

supporting a cable at a first point adjacent to the wall and on a first side of the airflow opening;

supporting the cable at a second point adjacent to the wall and on a second side of the airflow opening, wherein the first and second points are disposed outside of the central rack space; and

routing the cable from the first point to the second point so as not to cross the airflow opening.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the cable comprises a furcation plug and a furcation leg extending from the furcation plug, wherein the furcation plug is coupled to a furcation bracket at the first point and the furcation bracket is coupled to the equipment rack, and further wherein the furcation leg is coupled to a termination panel at the second point and the termination panel is coupled to the equipment rack.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the termination panel further comprises an attachment portion disposed in a first plane and coupled to the equipment rack, a socket mounting portion having a socket, and a coupling portion, the coupling portion coupling the socket mounting portion to the attachment portion so that the socket mounting portion is offset from the first plane, and

further wherein the furcation leg is coupled to the socket.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the cable comprises a furcation plug and a furcation leg extending from the furcation plug, wherein the furcation plug is coupled to a furcation bracket at the first point and the furcation bracket is coupled to the equipment rack, and further wherein the furcation leg is coupled to an accessory bracket at the second point and the accessory bracket is coupled to the equipment rack.

5. An equipment cabinet comprising:

an equipment rack including a central rack space;

a furcation bracket coupled to the equipment rack;

a trunk cable having a furcation plug, wherein the furcation plug is coupled to the furcation bracket so that the furcation plug is outside the central rack space; and

a trunk cable manager coupled to the equipment rack outside the central rack space and including a first planar portion, wherein the first planar portion supports the trunk cable at a point adjacent to the furcation plug.

6. The equipment cabinet of claim 5, wherein the trunk cable manager further comprises a second planar portion coupled to the first planar portion by an angled portion, wherein the first planar portion supports the trunk cable at a first distance from the furcation bracket, the second planar portion supports the trunk cable at a second distance from the furcation bracket, and wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance.

7. The equipment cabinet of claim 6, wherein the trunk cable manager further comprises a trough portion coupled to the second planar portion, and wherein the trough portion supports the trunk cable at an additional point.

8. The equipment cabinet of claim 5, wherein the first planar portion is coupled to the trunk cable by a fastening member.

9. The equipment cabinet of claim 8, wherein the second planar portion is coupled to the trunk cable by a second fastening member.

10. The equipment cabinet of claim 5, wherein

the furcation plug is coupled to the furcation bracket by a universal clip, the universal clip comprises a first locking member, a second locking member, and a first length between the first and second locking members;

the furcation bracket comprises either a row or a column of pairs of slots, wherein the slots in each of the pairs of slots are spaced from one another by a second length,

and further wherein the first length is substantially equal to the second length.

11. The equipment cabinet of claim 10, wherein

the first locking member has a third length;

the second locking member is adjustable between a first state wherein the second locking member has a fourth length and a second state wherein the second locking member has a fifth length, wherein the fifth length is shorter than the fourth length;

each of the slots has a sixth length; and

further wherein the third length is approximately equal to or less than the sixth length, the fifth length is approximately equal to or less than the sixth length, and the fourth length is longer than the sixth length.

12. The equipment cabinet of claim 5, further comprising a termination panel, wherein the termination panel comprises

an attachment portion disposed in a first plane and coupled to the equipment rack so that the termination panel is disposed outside the central rack space,

a socket mounting portion having a socket, and

a coupling portion, the coupling portion coupling the socket mounting portion to the attachment portion so that the socket mounting portion is offset from the first plane, and

further wherein the furcation leg is coupled to the socket.

13. The equipment cabinet of claim 5, further comprising:

a piece of equipment mounted in the equipment rack, wherein the equipment has a specified number of connectors for coupling to cables; and

a termination panel including only a specified number of sockets, wherein the specified number of sockets corresponds to the specified number of connectors, and wherein the termination panel is coupled to the equipment rack so as to be disposed outside the central rack space.

14. A kit of components, for organizing cables in an equipment cabinet including an equipment rack having a central rack space, the kit comprising:

a trunk cable including a furcation plug having locking members spaced from one another by a first length, furcation legs extending from the furcation plug, and connectors coupled to the furcation legs;

a furcation bracket comprising either a row or a column of pairs of slots, wherein the slots in each of the pairs of slots are spaced from one another by a second length, wherein the second length is substantially equal to the first length for receiving the locking members of the furcation plug;

a termination panel comprising an opening for receiving sockets sized to receive the connectors on the furcation legs, wherein the termination panel is sized to be disposed in the equipment cabinet outside the central rack space; and

a trunk cable manager having a first planar portion for supporting the trunk cable at a first point, and a second planar portion for supporting the trunk cable at a second point, wherein the first and second planar portions are connected by an angled portion whereby the first and second planar portions are not coplanar.

15. The kit of components of claim 14, wherein the termination panel comprises an attachment portion and a socket mounting portion coupled together by a coupling portion so that the attachment portion and the socket mounting portion are not coplanar.

16. The kit of components of claim 14, wherein the trunk cable manager further comprises a plurality of slots disposed in the first planar portion and sized to receive fastening members for holding the trunk cable.

17. The kit of components of claim 16, wherein the trunk cable manager further comprises a plurality of slots disposed in the second planar portion and sized to receive fastening members for holding the trunk cable.

18. The kit of components of claim 16, wherein the trunk cable manager further comprises a trough for supporting the trunk cable, wherein the trough is coupled to the second planar portion.

19. The kit of components of claim 14, further comprising an accessory bracket having pairs of mounting holes therein, wherein the mounting holes in each pair are spaced from one another by a first distance, wherein the termination panel comprises mounting holes, wherein the mounting holes in the termination panel are spaced from one another by a second distance, wherein the first distance is substantially equal to the second distance.

20. The kit of components of claim 19, wherein the accessory bracket further comprises a plurality of slots sized to receive fastening members for holding the trunk cable.

21. An equipment cabinet comprising:

an equipment rack including a central rack space;

a cable manager, having a first planar portion, coupled to the equipment rack outside the central rack space;

a furcation bracket, having a second planar portion, coupled to the equipment rack such that the second planar portion is parallel with the first planar portion;

a cable having a first segment, a second segment and a third segment, the first segment of the cable being routed vertically along the cable manager, the second segment of the cable being supported by the first planar portion of the cable manager, and the third segment of the cable being routed horizontally and supported by the second planar portion of the furcation bracket.

22. The equipment cabinet of claim 21, wherein the cable manager extends substantially the height of the equipment rack.

23. The equipment cabinet of claim 21, wherein the furcation bracket is a vertical furcation bracket.

24. The equipment cabinet of claim 23, wherein the vertical furcation bracket extends substantially the height of the equipment rack.

25. The equipment cabinet of claim 23, wherein the vertical furcation bracket extends substantially the height of the cable manager.

26. The equipment cabinet of claim 21, wherein the cable manager defines a trough for retaining the first segment of the cable therein.

27. The equipment cabinet of claim 26, wherein the trunk has a J-shaped cross-section.

28. An equipment cabinet comprising:

an equipment rack including a central rack space;

a cable manager, having a first planar portion, coupled to the equipment rack outside the central rack space;

a vertical furcation bracket, having a second planar portion, coupled to the equipment rack such that the second planar portion is parallel with the first planar portion;

a horizontal furcation bracket, having a third planar portion, coupled to the equipment rack such that the third planar portion is parallel with the first and second planar portions, and

a cable having a first segment and a second segment, the first segment of the cable being routed vertically along the cable manager, and the second segment of the cable being supported by at least one of the second and third planar portions.

29. The equipment cabinet of claim 28, wherein the cable is supported by both the second and third planar portions.

30. The equipment cabinet of claim 28, further comprising a cable clip, supporting the cable, adapted to mount to a user-selected one of the vertical furcation bracket and the horizontal furcation bracket.

31. The equipment cabinet of claim 30, wherein the cable includes a furcation plug, and the clip is mounted to the furcation plug.

32. The equipment cabinet of claim 31, wherein the clip includes locking members adapted to be clipped into a user-selected one of the vertical furcation bracket and the horizontal furcation bracket.

33. An equipment cabinet comprising:

an equipment cabinet, including;

a rack including a plurality of vertical frame members,

a side panel,

a central rack space within the vertical frame members, and

a side panel space defined between one or more vertical frame members and the side panel;

a vertical cable manager, disposed in the side panel space, including;

a vertically-oriented first planar portion mounted against one of the vertical frame members,

an angled portion that angles away from the first planar portion,

a vertically-oriented second planar portion having first and second opposed sides, the first side being connected to the angled portion such that the first and second planar portions are not coplanar, and

a vertically-oriented trough connected to the second side of the second planar portion; and

a cable having a first segment and a second segment, the first segment being routed vertically within the trough, the cable being supported by the first planar portion at a portion intermediate the first segment and the second segment, and the second segment of the cable being routed horizontally through the side panel space.

34. The equipment cabinet of claim 33, wherein the vertical cable manager is disposed adjacent a rear of the equipment cabinet.

35. The equipment cabinet of claim 34, wherein the cable is routed horizontally from the vertical cable manager toward the front of the cabinet.

36. The equipment cabinet of claim 33, further comprising a furcation bracket disposed in the side panel space.

37. The equipment cabinet of claim 36, wherein the cable is routed horizontally from the vertical cable manager toward the furcation bracket.

38. The equipment cabinet of claim 37, wherein the furcation bracket is a vertical furcation bracket.

39. The equipment cabinet of claim 37, wherein the furcation bracket is a horizontal furcation bracket.

40. The equipment cabinet of claim 37, wherein the furcation bracket comprises either a row or a column of pairs of slots.

41. The equipment cabinet of claim 40, wherein the cable includes a furcation plug adapted to attach to the furcation bracket.

42. The equipment cabinet of claim 41, wherein:

the furcation plug has locking members spaced from one another by a first length, furcation legs extending from the furcation plug, and connectors coupled to the furcation legs; and

the slots in each of the pairs of slots in the furcation bracket are spaced from one another by a second length, wherein the second length is substantially equal to the first length for receiving the locking members of the furcation plug.

43. An equipment cabinet having a fiber management system, comprising:

an equipment cabinet, including;

a rack including a plurality of vertical frame members,

a side panel,

a central rack space within the vertical frame members, and

a side panel space defined between one or more vertical frame members and the side panel, the side panel space having opposing ends adjacent the front and rear of the equipment cabinet, respectively;

a fiber management system, disposed in the side panel space, including;

a vertical cable manager disposed in a first of the opposing ends of the side panel space,

a furcation bracket, and

an elongate accessory bracket, mounted to the equipment rack in a second of the opposing ends of the side panel space and extending substantially the height of the equipment rack, having a plurality of fiber management accessories mounted thereon; and

a cable having a first segment routed vertically in the vertical cable manager, a second segment supported by the furcation bracket, and a third segment supported by at least one of the fiber management accessories.

44. The equipment cabinet of claim 43, wherein the plurality of fiber management accessories include a termination panel comprising an opening for receiving sockets sized to receive connectors on furcation legs of a trunk cable, wherein the termination panel is sized to be disposed in the equipment cabinet outside the central rack space.

45. The equipment cabinet of claim 43, wherein the plurality of fiber management accessories include a fiber module bracket adapted to support a termination panel comprising an opening for receiving sockets.

46. The equipment cabinet of claim 43, wherein the plurality of fiber management accessories include a fiber retaining spool.

47. The equipment cabinet of claim 46, wherein the fiber retaining spool is a rotating spool.

48. The equipment cabinet of claim 46, wherein the fiber retaining spool includes a shaft and an arm extending from a distal end thereof.

49. The equipment cabinet of claim 43, wherein the elongate accessory bracket is a rail having a C-shaped cross-section and includes first and second parallel legs extending from a back plate.

50. The equipment cabinet of claim 49, wherein the first leg of the rail includes a column of evenly-spaced openings for mounting the fiber management accessories to the accessory bracket.

51. The equipment cabinet of claim 43, wherein the furcation bracket is a vertical furcation bracket, and wherein the fiber management system further includes a horizontal furcation bracket.

52. The equipment cabinet of claim 43, wherein the rack includes a front-side vertical member and a rear-side vertical member, wherein the elongate accessory bracket is coupled to the front-side vertical member, wherein the vertical cable manager is coupled to the rear-side vertical member, and wherein the furcation bracket is disposed between the vertical cable manager and the elongate accessory bracket.