Fanning tray

• US 6,677,520 B1
• Filed: 07/22/2002
• Issued: 01/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ADC Telecommunications Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Wentworth, Michael J., Kim, Matthew, Smith, Trevor D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Reichard, Dean A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HARRIS, ANTON B
• Application Number:
  US10/201,623
• Publication Number:
  US 20040011546A1
• Time in Patent Office: 540 Days
• Field of Search: 174/50, 206/211, 370/216, 370/331, 370/225, 439/668, 439/188, 439/944, 359/118, 359/137, 211/4, 385/135
• US Class Current: 174/50
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4453 Cassettes
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/0437 Channels
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/186 for supporting telecommunication equipment selecting apparatus H04Q1/02
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/944 Coaxial connector having circuit-interrupting provision effected by mating or having "dead" contact activated after mating

Abstract

A telecommunications cable management system includes fanning trays and management panels, including slidable drawers, mounted to a rack for management of cables. The fanning tray includes fingers for managing vertical cables. The cables extend horizontally through the fanning tray. The fanning tray includes hinges to access the space or the rack behind the fanning tray. A lock holds the fanning tray in the pivoted up position. One drawer includes slack management devices including a radius limiter that selectively releases to release slack at desired times. A slidable termination panel can be mounted in another drawer to allow greater access to the panel. The fanning trays and drawers are mounted to a rack for managing and connecting the cables.

Claims

1. A cable fanning tray comprising:

(a) a body having first and second ends extending in a longitudinal direction and having a top and an opposite bottom;

(b) the top including a plurality of spaced apart fingers, spaced in the longitudinal direction;

(c) the bottom including a cable tray extending in the longitudinal direction;

(d) the first and second ends communicating with the cable tray;

(e) first and second hinges at the first and second ends, respectively, of the body for hingedly mounting the body to a telecommunications rack, wherein the body rotates between a vertical position wherein the top is above the bottom, and a rotated position wherein the top and the bottom are generally horizontal;

(f) a selectable lock for selectively holding the body in the rotated position.

2. The fanning tray of claim 1, wherein the body defines an open longitudinal channel between the fingers and the cable tray, and further comprising a cover releasably mounted to the body for selectively closing the longitudinal channel.

3. The fanning tray of claim 2, further comprising a radius limiter at each of the first and second ends disposed adjacent to the bottom of the body and positioned below the cable tray.

4. The fanning tray of claim 1, further comprising a slideably mounted cable radius limiter, and a releasable lock for selectively locking the cable radius limiter.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising fanout mounts or holding cable fanouts.

6. A cable fanning tray comprising:

(a) a body having first and second ends extending in a longitudinal direction and having a top and an opposite bottom;

(b) the top including a plurality of spaced apart fingers, spaced in the longitudinal direction;

(c) the bottom including a cable tray extending in the longitudinal direction;

(d) the first and second ends communicating with the cable tray;

(e) first and second hinges at the first and second ends, respectively, of the body for hingedly mounting the body to a telecommunications rack, wherein the body rotates between a vertical position wherein the top is above the bottom, and a rotated position wherein the top and the bottom are generally horizontal;

(f) wherein the body defines an open longitudinal channel between the fingers and the cable tray, and further comprising a cover releasably mounted to the body,for selectively closing the longitudinal channel;

(g) a radius limiter at each of the first and second ends disposed adjacent to the bottom of the body and positioned below the cable tray.

7. A telecommunications system comprising:

(a) a rack defining two vertical posts and a spacing between the posts;

(b) a cable fanning tray including;

(1) a body having first and second ends extending in a longitudinal direction;

(2) the body including a plurality of spaced apart fingers, spaced in the longitudinal direction;

(3) first and second hinges at the first and second ends, respectively, of the body for hingedly mounting the body to a telecommunications rack, wherein the body rotates between a vertical position and a rotated position wherein an axis of rotation is defined parallel to the longitudinal direction;

(c) a first optical fiber cable management panel including;

(1) a drawer assembly including a chassis and a drawer;

(A) the drawer being slidably mounted within the chassis;

(B) the drawer assembly defining a storage interior and a first cable access entry to permit optical fiber cable to enter into the storage interior;

(2) a cable radius limiter slidably mounted to the drawer assembly;

(3) a releasable lock for selective locking of the cable radius limiter from sliding movement;

(d) a second optical fiber cable management panel including;

(1) a drawer assembly including a chassis and a drawer;

(A) the drawer being slidably mounted within the chassis;

(B) the drawer assembly defining a storage interior and a first cable access entry to permit optical fiber cable to enter into the storage interior;

(2) a termination panel positioned in the storage interior, the termination panel slidably mounted between the drawer and the termination panel wherein the termination panel slides vertically in a direction transverse to the direction of sliding movement of the drawer relative to the chassis, the termination panel defining a planar termination area and first and second opposite ends;

(3) the slidable mount between the drawer and the termination panel including first and second slide modules at the first and second ends of the termination panel.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein each of the first and second optical fiber cable management panels further comprises:

(a) a side entry cable radius limiter slidably mounted relative to the drawer assembly; and

(b) a control mechanism secured to said drawer assembly to synchronize slidable movement of the side entry cable radius limiter relative to slidable movement of the drawer within the chassis.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein:

(a) the control mechanism includes a rotating member oriented to rotate between the drawer and said chassis;

(b) the rotating member has an axis of rotation that is normal to the cable radius limiter.