Cable management panel with sliding drawer

• US 6,504,988 B1
• Filed: 08/28/2000
• Issued: 01/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ADC Telecommunications Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Tinucci, Thomas C., Trebesch, Steven P., Lance, Paul C., Douglas, Joel B., Smith, Trevor D., Holman, John C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sircus, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUVERNE, JEAN F
• Application Number:
  US09/649,398
• Time in Patent Office: 862 Days
• Field of Search: 385/135, 385/147, 385/134, 385/136, 385/137, 385/139, 385/140, 350/96.2, 350/96.1
• 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
• 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 panel is provided with slideable drawers and structure within the drawers for cable management and/or connection to other devices. Tray inserts drop into the drawers to provide the appropriate management and connection devices. A movable take-up mechanism manages the cable entering and exiting the drawers at side openings. Stackable pivoting storage trays on the tray insert include a detent arrangement for holding each tray in a pivoted access position. The tray inserts further include a front key, and a back tab mounting arrangement for mounting the tray inserts to the drawers, and side radius limiters including notches for extending over raised portions of the drawer. The take-up mechanism includes a U-shaped trough section and cable retention tabs. A control mechanism is provided for controlling movement of the take-up mechanism relative to the drawer.

Claims

1. A cable management panel comprising:

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

(b) a drawer slidably mounted within the chassis, the drawer slideable between a first position with the drawer fully inserted within the chassis toward the chassis rear, and a second position with the drawer extended from the interior of the chassis away from the chassis rear;

(i) the chassis and the drawer defining an access location allowing entry of optical fiber cable into at least one of the sides of the chassis; and

(c) a cable take-up mechanism including a push member slidably mounted on the drawer and movable from a first position on the drawer toward a second position on the drawer;

(i) the second position being forward of the first position;

(ii) the push member being slideably mounted to the chassis; and

(iii) the push member including a cable trough section;

(A) the cable trough section including a curved outer wall, a curved radius limiter wall, and a base extending between the curved outer wall and the curved radius limiter wall; and

(B) the curved outer wall, the curved radius limiter wall, and the base defining a U-shape.

2. The cable management panel of claim 1 wherein:

(a) the trough section includes a flared end adjacent to at least one of the sides of the chassis.

3. The cable management panel of claim 1 wherein:

(a) the push member includes a cover over a portion of the trough section.

4. The cable management panel of claim 3 wherein:

(a) the cover includes a tab pivotally mounted to the push member.

5. The cable management panel of claim 3 wherein:

(a) the cover includes two tabs each pivotally mounted to the push member;

(i) the two tabs extending transversely to one another.

6. A cable management panel comprising:

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

(b) a drawer slidably mounted within the chassis, the drawer slideable between a first position with the drawer fully inserted within the chassis toward the chassis rear, and a second position with the drawer extended from the interior of the chassis away from the chassis rear;

(i) the chassis and the drawer defining an access location allowing entry of optical fiber cable into at least one of the sides of the chassis; and

(c) a cable take-up mechanism including a push member slidably mounted on the drawer and movable from a first position on the drawer toward a second position on the drawer;

(i) the second position being forward of the first position;

(ii) the push member being slideably mounted to the chassis; and

(iii) the push member including;

(A) a convexly-curved vertical surface extending upwardly from the drawer,

(B) at least one cable retention tab spaced vertically away from the drawer and adjacent to the convexly-curved vertical surface; and

(d) a control mechanism to control movement of the push member relative to the drawer.

7. The cable management panel of claim 6 wherein:

(a) the tab is a first tab; and

(b) the push member further includes a second tab extending outwardly from the convexly-curved vertical surface in a direction transverse to a direction of extension of the first tab.

8. The cable management panel of claim 6 wherein:

(a) the control mechanism moves the push member between the first and second positions as the drawer is moved between the second and first position; and

(b) the control mechanism moves the push member in synchronized movement with movement of the drawer relative to the chassis.

9. The cable management panel of claim 6 wherein

(a) the control mechanism includes a rotating member engaged with at least one of the chassis and the drawer.

10. The cable management panel of claim 9 wherein:

(a) the rotating member includes a wheel.

11. The cable management panel of claim 9 wherein:

(a) the rotating member includes a gear; and

(b) at least one of the chassis and the drawer includes a rack engaged with the gear.

12. The cable management panel of claim 6 wherein:

the control mechanism includes a tab and detent arrangement between the push member and the chassis.

13. The cable management panel of claim 6 wherein:

(a) the control mechanism includes a tab and detent arrangement between the push member and the drawer.

14. The cable management panel of claim 6 wherein;

(a) the control mechanism includes a spring biasing the push member toward the second position.

15. The cable management panel of claim 6 wherein:

(a) the drawer includes a front key and a rear slot; and

(b) the cable management panel fixer comprises a drop-in plate including a notch along a front edge, and a tab along a rear edge;

(i) the notch being engageable with the key of the drawer, and

(ii) the tab being engageable with the slot of the drawer.

16. The cable management panel of claim 6 wherein:

(a) the drawer includes a base and raised side ledges on opposite sides of the drawer;

(b) the cable management panel further comprises a drop-in plate including a base and two side edges which are positioned adjacent to the side ledges of the drawer, the plate including two radius limiters;

(i) each radius limiter having a portion extending beyond the respective side edges of the base of the plate; and

(ii) each radius limiter having a notch along a lower edge, the notch extending from each respective side edge of the base of the plate to the side ledge of the drawer.

17. The cable management panel of claim 6 further comprising:

(a) a storage tray moumt on the drawer;

the storage tray mount having a plurality of pairs of opposed, staggered mounting locations, and a plurality of storage trays;

(i) each storage tray rotatably mounted to the storage tray mount at one of the staggered mounting locations;

one of the trays and the tray mount including a post and the other including a hole for receiving the post so as to rotatably mount each tray to the tray mount at each mounting location; and

(ii) one of the trays and the tray mount including a projection extending parallel to a rotation axis of the tray, and the other including a notch, the projection being received in the notch when each tray is pivoted vertically upwardly from a first horizontal position to a second pivoted position at an angle to the horizontal.

18. The cable management panel of claim 6 wherein:

(a) the push member is curved on one side and planar on an opposite side;

(i) the curved side facing inwardly relative to the drawer,

(ii) the planar side facing outwardly relative to the drawer, and

(A) the planar side being positioned adjacent to the access location.

19. The cable management panel of claim 6 wherein:

(a) the access location is a first access location,

(b) the take-up mechanism is a first take-up mechanism,

(c) the cable management panel further comprises a second two take-up mechanism, the first take-up mechanism being adjacent to each side of the drawer and the second take-up mechanism being adjacent to an opposite side of the drawer, and

(d) the chassis and the drawer define a second access location opposite the side with the first access location.

20. A cable management panel comprising:

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

(b) a drawer slidably mounted within the chassis, the drawer slideable between a first position with the drawer fully inserted within the chassis toward the chassis rear, and a second position with the drawer extended from the interior of the chassis away from the chassis rear,

(i) the chassis and the drawer defining an access location allowing entry of optical fiber cable into an interior portion of the cable management panel;

(c) a cable take-up mechanism including a push member slidably mounted on the drawer and movable from a first position on the drawer toward a second position on the drawer;

(i) the second position being forward of the first position;

(ii) the push member being slideably mounted to the chassis; and

(d) a control mechanism to move the push member between the first and second positions as the drawer is moved between the second and first positions;

(i) the control mechanism moving the push member in synchronized movement with movement of the drawer relative to the chassis.

21. The cable management panel of claim 20 wherein:

(a) the control mechanism includes a rotating member engaged with at least one of the chassis and the drawer.

22. The cable management panel of claim 20 wherein;

(a) the rotating member includes a wheel.

24. The cable management panel of claim 20 wherein:

(a) the access located defined by the chassis and the drawer is a side access location allowing entry of optical fiber cable into at least one of the sides of the chassis.

23. The cable management panel of clam 20 wherein:

(a) the rotating member includes a gear, and

(b) at least one of the chassis and the drawer includes a rack engaged with the gear.

25. A cable management panel comprising:

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

(b) a drawer slidably mounted within the chassis, the drawer slideable between a first position with the drawer fully inserted within the chassis toward the chassis rear, and a second position with the drawer extended from the interior of the chassis away from the chassis rear;

(i) the chassis and the drawer defining an access location allowing entry of optical fiber cable into at least one of the sides of the chassis;

(ii) the drawer defining a key, a slot, and a latch;

(c) a cable take-up mechanism including a push member slidably mounted on the drawer and movable from a first position on the drawer toward a second position on the drawer;

(i) the second position being forward of the first position;

(ii) the push member being slideably mounted to the chassis; and

(d) a drop-in plate including a notch along a front edge, and a tab along a rear edge;

(i) the notch engageable with the key of the drawer,

(ii) the tab engageable with the slot of the drawer; and

(iii) the latch engageable with the drop-in plate to retain the drop-in plate with the drawer.

26. The cable management panel of claim 25 wherein.

(a) the drawer further includes a base and raised side ledges on opposite sides of the drawer, and

(b) the plate includes a base and two side edges which are positioned adjacent to the side ledges of the drawer, the plate including two radius limiters, each radius limiter having a portion extending beyond the respective side edges of the base of the plate, each radius limiter having a notch along a lower edge, the notch extending from each respective side edge of the base of the plate to the side ledge of the drawer.