Cable management system

• US 6,584,267 B1
• Filed: 06/02/2000
• Issued: 06/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panduit Corporation
• Original Assignee: Panduit Corporation
• Inventors: Block, Dale A., Caveney, Jack E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Lynn D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Son V.
• Application Number:
  US09/586,238
• Time in Patent Office: 1,117 Days
• Field of Search: 385/134-147, 124/48, 124/50
• US Class Current: 385/134
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44526 Panels or rackmounts covering a whole width of the frame or rack
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4459 Ducts; Conduits; Hollow tubes for air blown fibres
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4471 Terminating devices demountable connectors G02B6/3807; Cable clamps
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4478 Bending relief means
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/062 vertical management arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/064 horizontal management arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/09 Frames or mounting racks not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/142 Terminal blocks for distribution frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2201/02 Details of frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2201/804 in optical transmission systems

Abstract

The invention is an improved cable management system having an open frame, such as a telecommunications network rack, a plurality of enclosures for containing fiber optic equipment secured to the frame, at least one cable trough assembly defining a primary horizontal cable pathway, cable fanning guides secured to at least some of the enclosures, and a plurality of cable rings defining a primary vertical cable pathway to collect and route cable emerging from the fanning guides. Additionally, the invention may include a plurality of transverse cable troughs defining a plurality of secondary horizontal cable pathways, a second plurality of cable rings defining secondary vertical cable pathways to collect and route cable to the transverse cable troughs and a slack cable management system having a plurality of spools secured along the frame to receive slack cable.

Claims

1. A cable management system, comprising:

an open frame having a pair of sidewalls extending vertically, the sidewalls connected at a first end by a base and at a second end by a top wall;

a plurality of enclosures secured to the sidewalls;

at least one cable fanning guide secured to at least one enclosure to control routing of cable emerging from the enclosure;

a plurality of cable rings spaced vertically along at least one of the sidewalls, defining a vertical cable pathway;

at least one cable trough assembly secured to the frame, the cable trough assembly defining, with cable troughs of contiguous other systems, a horizontal cable pathway.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the enclosures are secured to the sidewalls by mounting brackets, the mounting brackets having a universal mounting pattern that enables the mounting bracket to be bolted directly to commercially available frames.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the mounting bracket may be bolted to both EIA/TIA and WECO frames.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the enclosures are secured to and between the sidewalls by mounting brackets, the mounting brackets having a universal mounting pattern that enables the mounting bracket to be bolted directly to commercially available frames.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the enclosures are secured to and between the sidewalls by mounting brackets, the mounting brackets having a first and second leg, connected at their ends by first and second cross-pieces, defining a central aperture through which cable may pass through the frame.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the mounting brackets include bend radius control means to limit the bend radius of cable passing through the central aperture.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the enclosures have two opposed walls, and the at least one cable fanning guide is secured to at least one of the opposed walls.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein at least one fanning guide is secured to both of the opposed walls.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the cable rings have first and second legs, the legs joined at a first end by a base, and at a second end by a cross-piece, defining a channel through which cable is routed, the channels of adjacent cable rings defining the vertical cable pathway.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the cable rings are secured to the frame.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the cable rings are secured to at least one of the mounting brackets.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the cable rings have first and second legs joined at a first end by a base, the first leg having a terminal projection extending in the direction of the second leg and an intermediate projection located between the base and the terminal extension, extending in the direction of the second leg, defining first and second channels for routing cable, the channels defining the vertical cable pathway.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein tho cable rings are secured to the frame.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the cable rings are secured to at least one of the mounting brackets.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the terminal projection and the intermediate projection are substantially parallel to each other and are substantially perpendicular to the first leg.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the terminal projection is substantially perpendicular to the first leg and the intermediate projection is not parallel to the terminal projection.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the frame has first and second surfaces and the at least one cable trough assembly defines a first cable trough on the first surface of the frame and a second cable trough on the second surface of the frame, the first and second cable troughs defining, with similar cable troughs of contiguous other systems, first and second primary horizontal cable pathways.

18. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one transverse cable trough, the at least one transverse cable trough defining, with transverse cable troughs of contiguous other systems, at least one secondary horizontal cable pathway.

19. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of transverse cable troughs spaced vertically along the second surface of the frame, the transverse cable troughs defining, with transverse cable troughs of contiguous other systems, a plurality of secondary horizontal cable pathways.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein each of the enclosures is inwardly spaced from the adjacent plurality of transverse troughs defining a channel through which cable may be routed vertically to or from the cable pathways of the system.

21. The system of claim 1, further comprising a slack cable management system, the slack cable management system comprising:

at least one panel attached to at least one of the sidewalls of the frame;

a plurality of spools spaced vertically along the panel for receiving slack cable;

the spools having a half cylindrical, elongate shaft, with an end flange.

22. The system of claim 1, further comprising a slack cable management system, the slack cable management system comprising:

a plurality of spools attached to and spaced vertically along at least one of the sidewalls of the frame for receiving slack cable;

the spools having a half cylindrical, elongate shaft, with an end flange.

23. A cable management system, comprising:

an open frame having a pair of sidewalls extending vertically, the sidewalls connected at a first end by a base and at a second end by a top wall, defining a first and second surface of the system;

a plurality of enclosures secured to the sidewalls;

at least one cable fanning guide secured to at least one enclosure to control routing of cable emerging from the enclosure;

a plurality of cable rings spaced vertically along at least one of the sidewalls, defining a primary vertical cable pathway on the first surface of the system;

at least one cable trough assembly secured to the frame, the cable trough assembly defining, with cable troughs of contiguous other systems, at least one primary horizontal cable pathway, and;

at least one transverse cable trough located on the second surface of the system, the at least one transverse cable trough defining, with transverse cable troughs of contiguous other systems, at least one secondary horizontal cable pathway.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the enclosures are secured to the sidewalls by mounting brackets, the mounting brackets having a universal mounting pattern that enables the mounting bracket to be bolted directly to commercially available frames.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the mounting bracket may be bolted to both EIA/TIA and WECO frames.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the enclosures are secured to and between the sidewalls by mounting brackets, the mounting brackets having a universal mounting pattern that enables the mounting bracket to be bolted directly to commercially available frames.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the enclosures are secured to and between the sidewalls by mounting brackets the mounting brackets having a first and second leg, connected at their ends by first and second cross-pieces, defining a central aperture through which cable may pass through the frame.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the mounting brackets include bend radius control means to limit the bend radius of cable passing through the central aperture.

29. The system of claim 23, wherein the enclosures have two opposed walls, and the at least one cable fanning guide is secured to at least one of the opposed walls.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein at least one fanning guide is secured to both of the opposed walls.

31. The system of claim 23, wherein the cable rings have first and second legs, the legs joined at a first end by a base, and at a second end by a cross-piece, defining a channel through which cable is routed, the channels of adjacent cable rings defining the vertical cable pathway.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the cable rings are secured to the frame.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein the cable rings are secured to at least one of the mounting brackets.

34. The system of claim 23, wherein the cable rings have first and second legs joined at a first end by a base, the first leg having a terminal projection extending in the direction of the second leg and an intermediate projection located between the base and the terminal extension, extending in the direction of the second leg, defining first and second channels for routing cable, the channels defining the vertical cable pathway.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the cable rings are secured to the frame.

36. The system of claim 34, wherein the cable rings are secured to at least one of the mounting brackets.

37. The system of claim 34 wherein the terminal projection and the intermediate projection are substantially parallel to each other and substantially perpendicular to the first leg.

38. The system of claim 34, wherein the terminal projection is substantially perpendicular to the first leg and the intermediate projection is not parallel to the terminal projection.

39. A cable management system, comprising:

an open frame having a pair of sidewalls extending vertically, the sidewalls connected at a first end by a base and at a second end by a top wall, defining a first and second surface of the system;

a plurality of enclosures secured to the sidewalls;

at least one cable fanning guide secured to at least one enclosure to control routing of cable emerging from the enclosure;

a plurality of cable rings spaced vertically along at least one of the sidewalls on the first surface of the system, defining a primary vertical cable pathway on the first surface of the system;

a second plurality of cable rings spaced vertically along at least one of the sidewalls on the second surface of the system, defining a secondary vertical cable pathway on the second surface of the system;

a plurality of cable trough assemblies secured to the frame, the cable trough assemblies defining an opening through which cable may be routed through the frame, each cable trough assembly comprising at least one cable trough on the first surface of the system and at least one cable trough on the second surface of the system, the cable troughs defining, with cable troughs of contiguous other systems, a plurality of primary horizontal cable pathways, and;

a plurality of transverse cable trough vertically spaced at intervals on the second surface of the system, the plurality of transverse cable troughs defining, with transverse cable troughs of contiguous other systems, a plurality of secondary horizontal cable pathway.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the enclosures are secured to the sidewalls by mounting brackets, the mounting brackets having a universal mounting pattern that enables the mounting bracket to be bolted directly to commercially available frames.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the mounting bracket may be bolted to both EIA/TIA and WECO frames.

42. The system of claim 39, wherein the enclosures are secured to and between the sidewalls by mounting brackets, the mounting brackets having a universal mounting pattern that enables the mounting bracket to be bolted directly to commercially available frames.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the enclosures are secured to and between the sidewalls by mounting brackets, the mounting brackets having a first and second leg, connected at their ends by first and second cross-pieces, defining a central aperture through which cable may pass through the frame.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein the mounting brackets include bend radius control means to limit the bend radius of cable passing through the central aperture.

45. The system of claim 39, wherein the enclosures have two opposed walls, and the at least one cable fanning guide is secured to at least one of the opposed walls.

46. The system of claim 45, wherein at least one fanning guide is secured to both of the opposed walls.

47. The system of claim 39, wherein the cable rings have first and second legs, the legs joined at a first end by a base, and at a second end by a cross-piece, defining a channel through which cable is routed, the channels of adjacent cable rings defining the vertical cable pathway.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the cable rings are secured to the frame.

49. The system of claim 47, wherein the cable rings are secured to at least one of the mounting brackets.

50. The system of claim 39, wherein the cable rings have first and second legs joined at a first end by a base, the first leg having a terminal projection extending in the direction of the second leg and an intermediate projection located between the base and the terminal extension, extending in the direction of the second leg, defining first and second channels for routing cable, the channels defining the vertical cable pathway.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein the cable rings are secured to the frame.

52. The system of claim 50, wherein the cable rings are secured to at least one of the mounting brackets.

53. The system of claim 50 wherein the terminal projection and the intermediate projection are substantially parallel to each other and substantially perpendicular to the first leg.

54. The system of claim 50, wherein the terminal projection is substantially perpendicular to the first leg and the intermediate projection is not parallel to the terminal projection.

55. The system of claim 39, wherein each of the enclosures is inwardly spaced from the adjacent plurality of transverse troughs defining a channel through which cable may be routed vertically to or from the cable pathways of the system.