Modularly Mountable Cable Management Systems and Associated Methods

• US 20170199346A1
• Filed: 03/28/2017
• Published: 07/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Legrand DPC LLC (Legrand SA)
• Original Assignee: Ortronics Incorporated (Legrand SA)
• Inventors: Montgelas, Rudolph A, Grandidge, Ryan J., Wood, Michael J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,846,291 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 3/01 for supporting or guiding the pipes, cables or protective tubing, between relatively movable points, e.g. movable channels
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 3/2235 each pipe being supported by a common element fastened to the base
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3897 Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards G02B6/44528 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4452 Distribution frames
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4453 Cassettes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4454 with splices
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4455 characterised by the way of extraction or insertion of the cassette in the distribution frame, e.g. pivoting, sliding, rotating or gliding
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4457 Bobbins; Reels
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4471 Terminating devices demountable connectors G02B6/3807; Cable clamps
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/73 Means for mounting coupling parts to apparatus or structures, e.g. to a wall
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/06 Cable ducts or mountings specially adapted for exchange installations
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1491 having cable management arrangements management of optical cables G02B6/444; in telecommunication cabinets H04Q1/06
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49828 Progressively advancing of work assembly station or assembled portion of work
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49842 Between tube-forming helical coils

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments are directed to modular cable management systems for a rack, the rack including frame members. The systems can include a first support plate and a second support plate. The first and second support plates can be mountable in a horizontal orientation relative to the frame members of the rack. The systems can include a media patching assembly mountable in a vertical orientation relative to the rack. Embodiments are also directed to methods of mounting cable management systems to a support structure or a rack.

Claims

1. A cable management system for a rack, the rack including vertical frame members, the cable management system comprising:

a first support plate and a second support plate, the first and second support plates being mountable in a perpendicular orientation relative to vertical frame members of the rack, and

a media patching assembly including an elongated body defining a height and a width, the height of the elongated body dimensioned greater than the width of the elongated body, the media patching assembly being directly mounted to the first and second support plates such that the height of the elongated body of the media patching assembly extends between the first and second support plates in a parallel orientation relative to the vertical frame members of the rack.

2. The cable management system according to claim 1, wherein the media patching assembly includes a multi-connector panel assembly including first and second flanges, each of the first and second flanges including a fastening mechanism formed thereon.

3. The cable management system according to claim 2, wherein the fastening mechanism comprises a cantilevered extension including a protrusion at a distal end.

4. The cable management system according to claim 3, wherein each of the first and second support plates comprises a slot configured and dimensioned to at least partially receive the protrusion of the respective cantilevered extension to detachably secure the multi-connector panel assembly to the first and second support plates in the parallel orientation relative to the vertical frame members of the rack.

5. The cable management system according to claim 1, comprising a support frame mounted to the first and second support plates, the support frame including two vertical side beams and a plurality of cross-beams.

6. The cable management system according to claim 5, further comprising two support frame brackets configured to secure the support frame to respective first and second support plates.

7. The cable management system according to claim 6, wherein each of the two support frame brackets is configured to receive via a snap fit opposing cross-beams of the support frame to detachably secure the support frame to the first and second support plates in the parallel orientation relative to the vertical frame members of the rack.

8. The cable management system according to claim 6, wherein each of the two support frame brackets includes a central body section with two T-shaped slots formed therein.

9. The cable management system according to claim 8, wherein each of the two support frame brackets is secured to one of the first and second support plates via a snap fit connection between protrusions in the first and second support plates and a portion of each T-shaped slot.

10. The cable management system according to claim 1, further comprising a cable management plate defining a front side and a rear side, wherein the front side of the cable management plate comprises a plurality of slots formed therethrough configured and dimensioned to receive flanges of a spool therein for detachably securing the spool to the cable management plate.

11. The cable management system according to claim 1, further comprising a cable management plate defining a front side and a rear side, wherein the rear side of the cable management plate comprises a pair of hooks and a pair of fixation extensions, the pair of hooks and the pair of fixation extensions being configured to receive and secure respective vertical side beams of a support frame to secure the cable management plate to the support frame.

12. The cable management system according to claim 1, wherein the media patching assembly comprises:

a first frame member;

a second frame member; and

a multi-connector panel assembly mounted to the first frame member and the second frame member;

wherein the media patching assembly vertically mounts to the rack by mounting the first frame member to the first support plate and by mounting the second frame member to the second support plate.

13. The cable management system according to claim 12, wherein each of the first and second frame members comprises:

first and second sections that are offset from each other but parallel to each other; and

a third section that is perpendicular to the first and second sections and joins the first and second sections, the third section including an aperture.

14. The cable management system according to claim 13, wherein the first support plate and the second support plate each include an aperture, and the media patching assembly vertically mounts to the rack via a first fastener that passes through the aperture in the first support plate and the aperture in the third section of the first frame member and a second fastener that passes through the aperture in the second support plate and the aperture in the third section of the second frame member.

15. The cable management system according to claim 1, further comprising at least one additional media patching assembly mountable in the parallel orientation relative to the vertical frame members of the rack, wherein the media patching assembly and the at least one additional media patching assembly are configured and dimensioned to be mountable in the parallel orientation relative to the vertical frame members of the rack at the same time.

16. A method of mounting a cable management system to a rack, the rack including vertical frame members, the method comprising:

mounting first and second support plates of the cable management system to the vertical frame members of the rack in a perpendicular orientation relative to the vertical frame members of the rack, and

mounting an elongated body of a media patching assembly of the cable management system directly to the first and second support plates such that a height of the elongated body of the media patching assembly extends between the first and second support plates in a parallel orientation relative to the vertical frame members of the rack, the elongated body defining the height and a width, the height of the elongated body dimensioned greater than the width of the elongated body.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein:

the media patching assembly includes a multi-connector panel assembly and first and second flanges extending from the multi-connector panel assembly; and

the step of mounting the media patching assembly to the first and second support plates includes engaging a fastening mechanism on the first and second flanges of the multi-connector panel assembly with respective slots formed in the first and second support plates.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein:

the media patching assembly includes two Z-shaped frame members and a multi-connector panel assembly connected to the two Z-shaped frame members; and

the step of mounting the media patching assembly to the first and second support plates includes mounting each of the Z-shaped frame members to one of the first and second support plates via an aperture in each of the Z-shaped frame member and an aperture in the first and second support plates.

19. The method according to claim 16, further comprising securing a support frame to the first and second support plates with mounting brackets in the parallel orientation relative to the vertical frame members of the rack.

20. A cable management system for a support structure, the cable management system comprising:

a first frame member and a second frame member,

a media patching assembly secured to and extending between the first and second frame members,

a first mounting bracket fixedly secured to the first frame member and not secured to the second frame member, and

a second mounting bracket fixedly secured to the second frame member and not secured to the first frame member,

wherein the first and second mounting brackets are fixedly mountable to the support structure such that the first and second frame members remain fixedly mounted to the support structure and the cable management system is in a vertical orientation relative to the support structure.