Optical fiber cable management device including storage tray

• US 6,263,141 B1
• Filed: 09/09/1998
• Issued: 07/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ADC Telecommunications Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Smith, Trevor Dean
• Primary Examiner(s): Bovernick, Rodney
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stahl, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US09/150,216
• Time in Patent Office: 1,042 Days
• Field of Search: 385/135, 385/134, 385/136, 385/137
• US Class Current: 385/135
• 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

An optical fiber cable management device includes a housing and rotatable trays. The trays include a base, and various upstanding wall portions for defining cable guideways. Inner walls include curved segments. Four crescent shapes are provided for cable winding and cable protection. Various tabs extend from the wall portions and are spaced from the base to assist with cable positioning. The trays are symmetrical about a central axis extending parallel to the base. The housing further includes tray supports to support a free end of the trays during storage, and rotation out of the housing.

Claims

1. An optical fiber cable management device comprising:

a housing defining an enclosed interior; and

a tray mounted to the housing and disposed within the interior, the tray moveable relative to the housing, wherein the tray is outside the interior of the housing after the tray is moved relative to the housing, the tray including;

(a) a base; and

(b) upstanding wall portions extending upwardly from the base, the wall portions defining;

(1) at least one access opening for cable entering the tray;

(2) an outside wall defining an inner cable guideway;

(3) a plurality of spaced apart inner walls within the inner cable guideway, at least four of the inner walls having convexly curved wall segments, a first pair of the four inner walls positioned adjacent to one another and having the convexly curved wall segments facing in an opposite direction to the direction faced by the convexly curved wall segments of a second pair of the four inner walls positioned adjacent to one another, each of the first and second pairs of inner walls defining a cable guideway between each pair of inner walls;

(4) a plurality of tabs extending inwardly from the outside portion and spaced from the base; and

(5) a tab extending from at least one inner wall of each pair and spaced from the base;

(6) wherein the tray is rotatably mounted to the housing about an axis generally transverse to the base.

2. The cable management device of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a moveable door, the interior accessible through the moveable door.

3. The cable management device of claim 1, wherein the tray has a central axis extending parallel to the base through the axis, and wherein the tray is symmetrical about the central axis.

4. The cable management device of claim 1, wherein the tray is a first tray, and the axis is a first axis, and further comprising a second tray mounted to the housing and disposed within the interior, the second tray rotatable relative to the housing in an opposite direction to the first tray about a second axis parallel to the first axis.

5. The cable management device of claim 4, wherein the first tray is part of a first array of trays stacked vertically, each tray in the first array separately rotatable, and wherein the second tray is part of a second array of trays stacked vertically, each tray in the second array separately rotatable.

6. The cable management device of claim 5, wherein each tray has a central axis extending parallel to the base through the respective first and second axes of rotation, and wherein each tray is symmetrical about the central axis.

7. The cable management device of claim 5, wherein the base of each tray includes a curved peripheral edge spaced from the pivot axis, and further comprising a plurality of the trays, the trays stacked vertically for independent rotation, wherein the housing includes a tray support including a plurality of support members, each support member receiving the curved peripheral edge of one of the trays during rotation of each tray.

8. An optical fiber cable management device comprising:

a housing defining an enclosed interior; and

a tray mounted to the housing and disposed within the interior, the tray moveable relative to the housing, wherein the tray is outside the interior of the housing after the tray is moved relative to the housing, the tray including;

(a) a base; and

(b) upstanding wall portions extending upwardly from the base, the wall portions defining;

(1) at least one access opening for cable entering the tray;

(2) an outside wall defining an inner cable guideway;

(3) a plurality of spaced apart inner walls within the inner cable guideway, at least four of the inner walls having convexly curved wall segments, three of the four inner walls positioned adjacent to one another and having convexly curved wall segments facing in an opposite direction to the direction faced by the convexly curved wall segment of the fourth inner wall, wherein a cable guideway is defined between adjacent inner walls of the three inner walls;

(4) a plurality of tabs extending inwardly from the outside wall and spaced from the base; and

(5) a tab extending from at least one inner wall of each pair and spaced from the base;

(6) wherein the tray is rotatably mounted to the housing about an axis generally transverse to the base.

9. The cable management device of claim 8, wherein the housing includes a moveable door, the interior accessible through the moveable door.

10. The cable management device of claim 8, wherein the tray is a first tray, and the axis is a first axis, and further comprising a second tray mounted to the housing and disposed within the interior, the second tray rotatable relative to the housing in an opposite direction to the first tray about a second axis parallel to the first axis.

11. The cable management device of claim 10, wherein the first tray is part of a first array of trays stacked vertically, each tray in the first array separately rotatable, and wherein the second tray is part of a second array of trays stacked vertically, each tray in the second array separately rotatable.

12. The cable management device of claim 11, wherein each tray has a central axis extending parallel to the base through the respective first and second axes of rotation, and wherein each tray is symmetrical about the central axis.

13. The cable management device of claim 11, wherein the base of each tray includes a curved peripheral edge spaced from the pivot axis, and further comprising a plurality of the trays, the trays stacked vertically for independent rotation, wherein the housing includes a tray support including a plurality of support members, each support member receiving the curved peripheral edge of one of the trays during rotation of each tray.

14. The cable management device of claim 8, wherein the tray has a central axis extending parallel to the base through the axis, and wherein the tray is symmetrical about the central axis.

15. An optical fiber cable management device comprising:

a housing defining an enclosed interior, and a moveable door, the interior accessible through the moveable door; and

a tray mounted to the housing and disposed within the interior, the tray rotatable relative to the housing, wherein the tray is outside the interior of housing after the tray is rotated relative to the housing, the tray including;

(a) a pie-shaped base having an apex defining a rotation axis and a curved peripheral edge; and

(b) upstanding wall portions extending upwardly from the base, the wall portions defining;

(1) at least one access opening for a cable entering the tray;

(2) an outside wall defining an inner cable guideway; and

(3) a plurality of spaced apart inner walls within the inner cable guideway, at least four of the inner walls having crescent shapes with a convexly curved wall segment and an oppositely facing concavely curved wall segment, a first pair of the crescent shaped inner walls having the convexly curved wall segments facing in the same first direction, a second pair of the crescent shaped inner walls having the convexly curved wall segments facing in the same second direction, the first and second directions facing in opposite directions, each of the first and second pairs of crescent shaped inner walls defining a cable guideway between each pair of crescent shaped inner walls.

16. The cable management device of claim 15, wherein the tray is a first tray, and the rotation axis is a first rotation axis and further comprising a second tray mounted to the housing and disposed within the interior, the second tray rotatable relative to the housing in an opposite direction to the first tray about a second rotation axis parallel to the first rotation axis.

17. The cable management device of claim 16, wherein the first tray is part of a first array of trays stacked vertically, each tray in the first array separately rotatable, and wherein the second tray part of a second array of trays stacked vertically, each tray in the second array separately rotatable.

18. The cable management device of claim 15, wherein one of the inner walls defines a fifth inner wall having a generally circular shape, positioned between the two pairs of oppositely facing crescent shaped inner walls.

19. The cable management device of claim 18, wherein the tray has a central axis extending parallel to the base through the rotation axis, and wherein the tray is symmetrical about the central axis.

20. The cable management device of claim 15, wherein two of the inner walls define fifth and sixth inner walls each having crescent shapes with convexly curved wall segments facing in opposite directions and concavely curved wall segments facing each other, the fifth and sixth inner walls positioned between the two pairs of oppositely facing crescent shaped inner walls.

21. The cable management device of claim 20, wherein the tray has a central axis extending parallel to the base through the rotation axis, and wherein the tray is symmetrical about the central axis.

22. The cable management device of claim 15, further comprising a plurality of tabs extending inwardly from the outside wall, and spaced from the base.

23. The cable management device of claim 15, further comprising a tab extending from each inner wall, and spaced from the base.

24. The cable management device of claim 15, wherein the tray has a central axis extending parallel to the base through the rotation axis, and wherein the tray is symmetrical about the central axis.

25. The cable management device of claim 24, further comprising a plurality of auxiliary inner walls positioned generally between the apex and the pairs of oppositely facing crescent shaped inner walls.

26. The cable management device of claim 15, further comprising:

a plurality of tabs extending inwardly from the outside wall and spaced from the base;

a tab extending from each inner wall and spaced from the base;

the outside wall defining the access opening and a center post at the apex of the base.

27. The cable management device of claim 15, further comprising a plurality of the trays, the trays stacked vertically, wherein the housing includes a tray support including a plurality of slots, each slot receiving the curved peripheral edge of one of the trays during rotation of each tray.

28. An optical fiber cable management device comprising:

a housing defining an enclosed interior; and

a plurality of trays mounted to the housing and disposed within the interior in a vertically stacked arrangement, each tray individually rotatable relative to the housing, wherein each tray is outside the interior of housing after the respective tray is rotated relative to the housing, each tray including;

(a) a pie-shaped base having an apex defining a rotation axis and a curved peripheral edge;

(b) upstanding wall portions defining at least one access opening for cable entering the tray, and a cable guideway for cable storage;

a tray support extending vertically relative to the vertical stacked arrangement of the trays, the tray support including a plurality of support members, each support member receiving one of the curved peripheral edges of the trays during rotation of the trays relative to the housing.

29. The cable management device of claim 28, wherein the plurality of trays are a first array of trays, and further comprising a second array of trays mounted to the housing and disposed within the interior, the second array of trays each rotatable relative to the housing in an opposite direction to the first array of trays, and wherein the tray support is a first tray support and further comprising a second tray support for receiving the curved peripheral edges of the second array of trays, each of the trays of the first and second arrays of trays separately rotatable relative to one another.

30. The cable management device of claim 29, further comprising a plurality of spaced apart tray supports, wherein one of the tray supports holds trays from each of the first and second arrays of trays.

31. A cable management tray for use in a housing wherein the housing holds the tray for rotational movement, the tray comprising:

a generally planar base defining a rotation axis transverse to the base;

a plurality of cable guide surfaces extending upwardly from the base, the guide surfaces including;

(a) a cable access guideway to enter the tray;

(b) an outside wall defining an interior for cable storage;

(c) a plurality of isolated extensions within the interior defined by the outside wall, each extension including a tab spaced from the base, each extension having a convexly shaped segment terminating at two corners, the extensions arranged in pairs disposed on opposite sides of the base, each pair having the convexly shaped segments facing in the same direction, wherein the base includes a central axis transverse to the rotation axis, and wherein the tray is symmetrical about the central axis.

32. A cable management tray for use in a housing wherein the housing holds the tray for rotational movement, the tray comprising:

a generally planar base defining a rotation axis transverse to the base;

a plurality of cable guide surfaces extending upwardly from the base, the guide surfaces including;

(a) a cable access guideway to enter the tray;

(b) an outside wall defining an interior for cable storage;

(c) a plurality of isolated extensions within the interior defined by the outside wall, each extension including a tab spaced from the base, each extension having a convexly shaped segment terminating at two corners, the extensions arranged on the base wherein at least one of the convexly shaped segments faces in an opposite direction to the direction faced by at least two of the other convexly shaped segments.

33. A housing for an optical fiber cable management device, for housing rotatably mounted cable storage trays comprising:

a housing defining an enclosed interior, and a moveable door, the interior accessible through the moveable door;

two tray hinges for hingedly holding the trays in two vertical stacks; and

a tray support arrangement within the interior of the housing, the tray support arrangement including support surfaces for supporting the two stacks of rotatable trays during rotation of each tray relative to the housing, the support surfaces mounted to the housing, wherein the support surfaces support each tray along a curved peripheral edge of each tray disposed at a spaced apart location from a rotation axis of each tray, wherein each peripheral edge of each tray is slideably engaged by one of the support surfaces during rotation of each respective tray.

34. An optical fiber cable management device comprising:

a housing defining an enclosed interior; and

a tray mounted to the housing and disposed within the interior, the tray moveable relative to the housing, wherein the tray is outside the interior of the housing after the tray is moved relative to the housing, the tray including;

(a) a base; and

(b) upstanding wall portions extending upwardly from the base, the wall portions defining;

(1) at least one access opening for cable entering the tray;

(2) an outside wall defining an inner cable guideway;

(3) a plurality of spaced apart inner walls within the inner cable guideway including;

(i) a center circular wall portion defining a center of the tray; and

(ii) aligned first and second pairs of crescent-shaped walls positioned adjacent to one another on the tray on opposite sides of the center circular wall portion with the center circular wall portion centered therebetween, the crescent-shaped walls of the first pair having a convexly curved wall segment facing in an opposite direction to the direction faced by a convexly curved wall segment of each crescent-shaped wall of the second pair, each of the first and second pairs of crescent-shaped walls defining a selectable cable pathway;

(i) outside of the outer crescent-shaped wall of each pair;

(ii) between each pair of crescent-shaped walls; and

(iii) between the inner crescent-shaped wall of each pair and the center circular wall portion, thereby providing multiple pathways for storing various lengths of cable;

(4) a plurality of first tabs extending inwardly from the outside wall and spaced from the base;

(5) two second tabs extending outwardly from opposite sides of the center circular wall portion and spaced from the base and the inner crescent-shaped wall of each pair; and

(6) at least one third tab extending outwardly from each crescent-shaped wall of each pair and spaced from the base and the other inner walls and the outside wall.

35. The cable management device of claim 34, wherein the housing includes a moveable door, the interior accessible through the moveable door.

36. The cable management device of claim 34, wherein the tray is rotatably mounted to the housing about an axis generally transverse to the base.

37. The cable management device of claim 36, wherein the tray is a first tray, and the axis is a first axis, and further comprising a second tray mounted to the housing and disposed within the interior, the second tray rotatable relative to the housing in an opposite direction to the first tray about a second axis parallel to the first axis.

38. The cable management device of claim 37, wherein the first tray is part of a first array of trays stacked vertically, each tray in the first array separately rotatable, and wherein the second tray is part of a second array of trays stacked vertically, each tray in the second array separately rotatable.

39. The cable management device of claim 38, wherein each tray has a central axis extending parallel to the base through the respective first and second axes of rotation, and wherein each tray is symmetrical about the central axis.

40. The cable management device of claim 38, wherein the base of each tray includes a curved peripheral edge spaced from the pivot axis, and further comprising a plurality of the trays, the trays stacked vertically for independent rotation, wherein the housing includes a tray support including a plurality of support members, each support member receiving the curved peripheral edge of one of the trays during rotation of each tray.

41. The cable management device of claim 36, wherein the tray has a central axis extending parallel to the base through the axis, and wherein the tray is symmetrical about the central axis.

42. An optical fiber cable management device comprising:

a housing defining an enclosed interior; and

a tray mounted to the housing and disposed within the interior, the tray moveable relative to the housing, wherein the tray is outside the interior of the housing after the tray is moved relative to the housing, the tray including;

(a) a base; and

(b) upstanding wall portions extending upwardly from the base, the wall portions defining;

(1) at least one access opening for cable entering the tray;

(2) an outside wall defining an inner cable guideway;

(3) a plurality of spaced apart inner walls within the inner cable guideway, the inner walls each having an inner concavely-curved wall segment and an outer convexly-curved wall segment of a lesser radius of curvature, wherein a curved end is formed on opposite ends of each inner wall where the inner concavely-curved wall segment and the outer convexly-curved wall segment of each of the inner walls intersect, a plurality of the inner walls disposed adjacent to one another having the outer convexly-curved wall segments facing in a first direction, at least one further inner wall being disposed relative to the plurality of the spaced apart inner walls facing the first direction such that its outer convexly-curved wall segment faces in a second opposite direction;

further wherein each of the inner walls defines a selectable pathway for cable storage adjacent each outer convexly-curved wall segment;

(4) a plurality of first tabs extending inwardly from the outside wall and spaced from the base; and

(5) a second tab extending from each outer convexly-curved wall segment and spaced from the base.

43. The cable management device of claim 42, wherein the housing includes a moveable door, the interior accessible through the moveable door.

44. The cable management device of claim 42, wherein the tray is rotatably mounted to the housing about an axis generally transverse to the base.

45. The cable management device of claim 44, wherein the tray is a first tray, and the axis is a first axis, and further comprising a second tray mounted to the housing and disposed within the interior, the second tray rotatable relative to the housing in an opposite direction to the first tray about a second axis parallel to the first axis.

46. The cable management device of claim 45, wherein the first tray is part of a first array of trays stacked vertically, each tray in the first array separately rotatable, and wherein the second tray is part of a second array of trays stacked vertically, each tray in the second array separately rotatable.

47. The cable management device of claim 46, wherein each tray has a central axis extending parallel to the base through the respective first and second axes of rotation, and wherein each tray is symmetrical about the central axis.

48. The cable management device of claim 46, wherein the base of each tray includes a curved peripheral edge spaced from the pivot axis, and further comprising a plurality of the trays, the trays stacked vertically for independent rotation, wherein the housing includes a tray support including a plurality of support members, each support member receiving the curved peripheral edge of one of the trays during rotation of each tray.

49. The cable management device of claim 44, wherein the tray has a central axis extending parallel to the base through the axis, and wherein the tray is symmetrical about the central axis.