Cable management device for mixed media

• US 6,546,181 B1
• Filed: 11/28/2000
• Issued: 04/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Meserth, Timothy Andreas, Gallarelli, Pat, Adapathya, Ravi Shankarnarayan, Vizer, Lisa Michele, Lawrence, Mark John, Justus, Todd William, Dungan, William Laird
• Primary Examiner(s): Ullah, Akm E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rahll, Jerry T
• Application Number:
  US09/723,652
• Time in Patent Office: 861 Days
• Field of Search: 385/134-135
• US Class Current: 385/135
• 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

Abstract

A method and structure for managing computer hardware cable media is provided, featuring a support having a frontal face, at least one flange, and at least one curved surface projecting from the support frontal face for receiving and guiding cable media. The curved surface has a radius sufficiently large enough to receive and redirect cable media by bending the cable media without cracking or causing other damage to the cable media. The flange is connected to a computer rack system rail so that support is overlapping at least one hardware component connected to the computer rack system, thereby allowing a portion of the rack space occupied by the flange and the support to be utilized by other hardware components, increasing the effective usable space of the rack system. Cable media are received onto the curved surface, redirected by bending along the curved surface, and ultimately distributed in discrete bundles of cable media to hardware devices. The discrete bundles of cable media are spaced from any other cable media, so that the bundle of cable media may be disconnected from its associated hardware device or otherwise manipulated by hand without disturbing any other cable media.

Claims

1. An apparatus for managing cable media, comprising:

(a) a support having a frontal face and at least one flange;

(b) the at least one flange connected to a computer hardware rack having a hardware containing area for the installation of hardware upon said rack, said support occupying space within said containing area; and

(c) at least one curved surface projecting from the support frontal face, wherein the at least one curved surface is formed for receiving cable media from a first direction, bending and redirecting cable media along the curved surface, and distributing the cable media in a second direction;

wherein the at least one curved surface radius is sufficiently large enough to receive and redirect cable media by bending the cable media without cracking or causing other damage to the cable media; and

wherein at least a portion of the support overlaps a portion of at least one hardware device connected to said computer hardware rack within said hardware containing area, thereby allowing the portion of said hardware containing area defined by the overlap to be utilized by both said support and said hardware device.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein the at least one curved surface radius is sufficiently large enough to receive and redirect fiber-optic cable media by bending the fiber-optic cable media without cracking or causing other damage.

3. The invention of claim 2, wherein the at least one curved surface radius has a minimum value of about 1.5 inches.

4. The invention of claim 1, wherein the at least one curved surface radius has a minimum value of about 0.5 inches.

5. The invention of claim 1, wherein the at least one curved surface further comprises a cable retention device for holding cable media upon the curved surface.

6. The invention of claim 5, wherein the cable retention device is a planar element normal to and formed from the curved surface.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one flange is offset a predefined distance from said frontal face.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the predefined distance is of a dimension of sufficient width to create a space which allows airflow behind the support.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the width includes 0.075 inches.

10. An apparatus for managing cable media, comprising:

(a) a support having a frontal face and at least one flange;

(b) the at least one flange connected to a computer hardware rack having a hardware containing area for the installation of hardware upon said rack, said support occupying space within said containing area; and

(c) at least one curved surface, detachable and reattachable to the support, projecting from the support frontal face, wherein the at least one curved surface is formed for receiving cable media from a first direction, bending and redirecting cable media along the curved surface, and distributing the cable media in a second direction;

wherein the at least one curved surface radius is sufficiently large enough to receive and redirect cable media by bending the cable media without cracking or causing other damage to the cable media; and

wherein a portion of the support overlaps a portion of at least one hardware device connected to said computer hardware rack within said hardware containing area, thereby allowing the portion of said hardware containing area defined by the overlap to be utilized by both said support and said hardware device.

11. An apparatus for managing cable media, comprising:

(a) a support having a frontal face and at least one flange;

(b) the at least one flange connected to a computer hardware rack having a hardware containing area for the installation of hardware upon said rack, said support occupying space within said containing area; and

(c) at least one curved surface projecting from the support frontal face, wherein the at least one curved surface is formed for receiving cable media from a first direction, bending and redirecting cable media along the curved surface, and distributing the cable media in a second direction;

(d) a cable retention device for holding cable media upon the curved surface detachably attached to the curved surface;

wherein the at least one curved surface radius is sufficiently large enough to receive and redirect cable media by bending the cable media without cracking or causing other damage to the cable media; and

wherein a portion of the support overlaps a portion of at least one hardware device connected to said computer hardware rack within said hardware containing area, thereby allowing the portion of said hardware containing area defined by the overlap to be utilized by both said support and said hardware device.

12. A method for managing computer hardware cable media, comprising the steps of:

a) providing a support having a frontal face and at least one flange;

b) providing at least one curved surface projecting from the support frontal face for receiving and guiding cable media, the at least one curved surface further having a radius;

c) connecting the at least one flange to a computer rack system rail having an amount of usable hardware mounting space, wherein the support is overlapping at least one hardware component connected to said computer rack system, thereby allowing a portion of the rack space occupied by said flange and said support to be utilized by said hardware component and thereby increasing the effective usable space of the rack system;

d) receiving cable media onto the at least one curved surface;

e) redirecting the cable media by bending the cable media upon the at least one curved surface along a curve with a radius equivalent to the radius of the curved surface, wherein the curved surface radii are sufficiently large enough to receive and redirect cable media by bending the cable media without cracking or causing other damage to said cable media;

f) distributing the cable media as at least one cable media bundle to at least one computer hardware device, said cable media bundle spaced from any other cable media; and

g) connecting the cable media in the bundle to at least one computer hardware device;

wherein said bundle of cable media may be disconnected from the hardware device or otherwise manipulated by hand without disturbing any other cable media.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the curved surface radius is sufficiently large enough to receive and redirect fiber-optic cable media by bending the fiber-optic cable media without cracking or causing other damage.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the curved surface radius has a minimum value of about 1.5 inches.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the curved surface radius has a minimum value of about 0.5 inches.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one curved surface further comprises a cable retention device for holding cable media upon the curved surface.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the cable retention device is a planar element formed from and normal to the at least one curved surface.

18. A method for managing computer hardware cable media, comprising the steps of:

a) providing a support having a frontal face and at least one flange;

b) providing at least one detachable and reattachable curved surface projecting from the support frontal face for receiving and guiding cable media, the at least one curved surface further having a radius;

c) connecting the at least one flange to a computer rack system rail having an amount of usable hardware mounting space, wherein the support is overlapping at least one hardware component connected to said computer rack system, thereby allowing a portion of the rack space occupied by said flange and said support to be utilized by said hardware component and thereby increasing the effective usable space of the rack system;

d) receiving cable media onto the at least one curved surface;

e) redirecting the cable media by bending the cable media upon the at least one curved surface along a curve with a radius equivalent to the radius of the curved surface, wherein the curved surface radii are sufficiently large enough to receive and redirect cable media by bending the cable media without cracking or causing other damage to said cable media;

f) distributing the cable media as at least one cable media bundle to at least one computer hardware device, said cable media bundle spaced from any other cable media; and

g) connecting the cable media in the bundle to at least one computer hardware device;

wherein said bundle of cable media may be disconnected from the hardware device or otherwise manipulated by hand without disturbing any other cable media.

19. A method for managing computer hardware cable media, comprising the steps of:

a) providing a support having a frontal face and at least one flange;

b) providing at least one curved surface projecting from the support frontal face for receiving and guiding cable media, the at least one curved surface further having a radius;

b1) providing a cable retention device for holding cable media upon the curved surface detachably attached to the curved surface;

c) connecting the at least one flange to a computer rack system rail having an amount of usable hardware mounting space, wherein the support is overlapping at least one hardware component connected to said computer rack system, thereby allowing a portion of the rack space occupied by said flange and said support to be utilized by said hardware component and thereby increasing the effective usable space of the rack system;

d) receiving cable media onto the at least one curved surface;

e) redirecting the cable media by bending the cable media upon the at least one curved surface along a curve with a radius equivalent to the radius of the curved surface, wherein the curved surface radii are sufficiently large enough to receive and redirect cable media by bending the cable media without cracking or causing other damage to said cable media;

f) distributing the cable media as at least one cable media bundle to at least one computer hardware device, said cable media bundle spaced from any other cable media; and

g) connecting the cable media in the bundle to at least one computer hardware device;

wherein said bundle of cable media may be disconnected from the hardware device or otherwise manipulated by hand without disturbing any other cable media.