CROSS CONNECT SYSTEM AND TRAY

• US 20190310426A1
• Filed: 04/05/2019
• Published: 10/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Belden Canada ULC (Belden Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Belden CDT (Canada) Inc. (Belden Inc.)
• Inventors: PILON, VINCENT, CHABOT, BRUNO
• Granted Patent: US 10,768,387 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 88/44 Sequencing or synchronisation of drawer slides or functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/356 in an optical cross-connect device, e.g. routing and switching aspects of interconnecting different paths propagating different wavelengths to (re)configure the various input and output links switching polarized beams G02B6/3594; power equalizers G02B6/356 and G02B6/3594; path selecting means H04Q11/0001
• 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

Abstract

A fiber optic cross connect system comprising a case defining a tray receiving space and at least one tray slideable in and out of the space between a first closed position, a second intermediate position and a third open or accessible position and a sliding engagment between a sidewall of the case and a side edge of the tray is disclosed. The sliding engagment comprises an elongate link member which is stationary as the tray is moved between the first closed position and the second intermediate position and moves with the tray as the tray is moved between the second intermediate and the third open position and such that the elongate link member does not interfere with fiber optic cables which are interconnecting external devices with devices on the tray. In a particular embodiment the link member is held stationary by a releasable locking mechanism.

Claims

1. A fiber optic system for connection to at least one external device, the system comprising:

a case comprising two opposed side walls defining a tray receiving space therebetween;

a tray slideably received within said tray receiving space for receiving at least one device comprising a fiber optic cable exiting a rearward side of said device and for interconnecting said at least one device to the at least one external device, said tray comprising a vertical side edge and a cable guide channel comprising an exit in said vertical side edge and defining a cable receiving passage between said exit and said rearward side of said at least one device, said cable guide channel receiving said fiber optic cable for guiding at least a portion of said cable between said rearward side of said at least one device and the at least one external device via said exit; and

a sliding engagement between said vertical side edge and an adjacent one of said sidewalls comprising an elongate link member comprising a first side and a second side opposite said first side, said first side mounted to said adjacent one of said sidewalls for sliding along said sidewall and said vertical side edge mounted to said second side for sliding along said second side;

wherein said tray is moveable between a closed tray position wherein said tray is received within said tray receiving space and an open tray position wherein said tray is in front of said tray receiving space via an intermediate position where said tray is partly in front of said tray receiving space and further wherein said elongate link member is stationary as said tray is moved between said closed position and said intermediate position and said elongate link member moves with said tray as said tray is moved between said intermediate position and said open position.

2. The fiber optic system of claim 1, further comprising a first locking mechanism for securing said elongate link member to said sidewall when said tray is moved between said closed position and said intermediate position.

3. The fiber optic system of claim 1, further comprising a second locking mechanism for securing said elongate link member to said vertical side edge when said tray is moved between said intermediate position and said open position.

4. The fiber optic system of claim 1, wherein said sliding engagement further comprises a first elongate rail mounted to said sidewall, said first side sliding along said first elongate rail.

5. The fiber optic system of claim 1, wherein said sliding engagement further comprises a second elongate rail attached to said vertical side edge, said second elongate rail sliding along said second side.

6. A cross connect cassette system, the system comprising:

a case comprising two opposed side walls defining a tray receiving space therebetween;

a tray slideably received within said tray receiving space for receiving a plurality of fiber optic cassettes side by side, said tray slideable between a first tray position wherein said tray is within said tray receiving space, a second tray position wherein said tray is extended partially in front of said tray receiving space and a third tray position wherein said tray is in front of said tray receiving space; and

a sliding engagement between each side wall and an adjacent side edge of said tray, at least one first sliding engagement comprising an elongate link member comprising a first side mounted to said side wall for sliding along said sidewall between a stationary position and an extended position and a second side, said side edge mounted to said second side for sliding along said second side between a rearward position and a forward position, a first locking mechanism for securing said elongate link member to said sidewall in said stationary position and a second locking mechanism for securing said elongate link member to said side edge in said forward position;

wherein by moving said tray away from said first tray position towards said third tray position via said second tray position said side edge is moved away from said rearward position into said forward position disengaging said first locking mechanism and releasing said elongate link member from said retracted position and engaging said second locking mechanism and securing said elongate link member to said side edge in said forward position and for movement therewith and wherein by moving said tray away from said third tray position towards said first tray position via said second tray position said elongate link member is moved away from said extended position into said stationary position and said side edge is moved away from said forward position towards said rearward position engaging said first locking mechanism and securing said elongate link member in said stationary position while disengaging said second locking mechanism and releasing said side edge from said forward position for sliding along said second side.

7. The cross connect cassette system of claim 6, comprising one said first sliding engagement between each sidewall and a respective one of said tray edges.

8. The cross connect cassette system of claim 6, wherein said first sliding engagement further comprises a first elongate rail mounted to said sidewall, said first side sliding along said first elongate rail between said stationary position and said extended position.

9. The cross connect cassette system of claim 6, wherein said first sliding engagement further comprises a second elongate rail attached to said side edge, said second elongate rail mounted to said second side for sliding along said second side between said rearward position and said forward position.

10. The cross connect cassette system of claim 6, wherein said case is configured for mounting in a rack.

11. The cross connect cassette system of claim 10, further comprising a pair of mounting brackets, one of said brackets attached to each of said sidewalls on either side of an outside of said case, said mounting brackets for securing said case to the rack.

12. A slider comprising:

an elongate link member;

a first elongate rail slideably mounted to said elongate link member for movement between a first position and a second position;

a second elongate rail slideably mounted to said elongate link member for movement between a third position and a fourth position; and

a first locking mechanism for releasably securing said a first elongate rail to said elongate link member in said first position and a second mechanism locking for releasably securing said second elongate rail to said elongate link member in said third position;

wherein movement of said second elongate rail into said third position disengages said first locking mechanism thereby releasing said first elongate rail from said first position and said elongate link member for movement towards said second position and engages said second locking mechanism thereby releasably securing said second elongate rail in said third position to said elongate link member and wherein movement of said first elongate rail into said first position disengages said second locking mechanism thereby releasing said second elongate rail from said third position and said elongate link member for movement towards said fourth position and engages said first locking mechanism thereby releasably securing said first elongate rail in said first position to said elongate link member.

13. The slider of claim 12, wherein said first locking mechanism comprises a latch on said elongate link member held within a slot on said first elongate rail and further wherein sliding said second elongate rail into said third position forces said latch out of said slot thereby releasing said first elongate rail from said first position.

14. The slider of claim 12, wherein as said second locking mechanism comprises a friction fit between elongate link member and said second elongate rail when said second elongate rail is in said third position.

15. The slider of claim 14, wherein as said second elongate rail slides from said third position towards said fourth position, said friction fit between said elongate link member and said second elongate rail is disengaged.