Vertical cable management ring with pivotable section

• US 6,708,830 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2001
• Issued: 03/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ADC Telecommunications Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Mendoza, Jose-Filonel T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stodola, Daniel P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOVOSAD, JENNIFER ELEANORE
• Application Number:
  US09/905,711
• Publication Number:
  US 20020170726A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• Field of Search: 211/26, 211/189, 211/169, 211/168, 211/175, 385/134, 385/135, 385/59, 385/25, 385/136, 385/53, 385/89, 312/265--26, 312/223.1, 312/223.2, 312/223.6, 379/38, 379/325-332, 174/72.A, 174/72.B, 174/68.1, 174/15.2, 248/49, 248/68.1, 248/65, 248/70, 248/58, 248/89, 248/69, 248/67.7, 248/62, 248/74.1, 248/229.1, 248/229-2-2, 248/229.2, 248/229-2-2
• US Class Current: 211/26
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/021 using pivoting mechanisms for accessing the interior of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/023 using sliding mechanisms for accessing the interior of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/03 Power distribution arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/062 vertical management arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/064 horizontal management arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/066 arranged on the front side
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/136 having patch field management or physical layer management arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2201/02 Details of frames

Abstract

A telecommunications equipment rack including vertical cable guides, horizontal troughs, cross aisle panels and cross-connection modules for telecommunications equipment racks. The vertical cable guides define vertical cable channels for both network infrastructure and cross-connection cables. The structure defining the second cable channel is hingedly attached to the structure defining the first cable channel. The horizontal cable troughs include both upper and lower troughs. The upper cable trough defines two cableways for directing cross-connection and other cables, and provides access openings for cables to pass into and out of each cableway and between the two cableways. The lower cable trough defines a cableway and provides access openings for cables extending into and out of the cableway. Cable troughs attached to adjacently mounted equipment racks cooperate to form continuous horizontal cableways. The cross aisle panel includes movable cable guide structures to permit access to connectors mounted on the panel. The cross-connection modules provide multiple connector planes on the rear of the module to increase the number of circuits the module can support.

Claims

1. An assembly for defining a vertical cable path on a telecommuncations equipment rack, the assembly comprising:

a first ring structure defining a first cable channel with an open side

a second ring structure defining a second cable channel with a closed side defined by overlapping fingers;

the second ring structure being hingedly mounted to the first ring structure and movable between a first position and a second position;

the second ring structure blocking access to the first cable channel when in the first position by closing the open side of the first cable channel, wherein the first and second cable channels define separate cable pathways;

the first cable channel being accessible through the open side when the second ring structure is in the second position.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the second ring structure is held in the closed position by a releasable fastener.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the first ring structure includes cable tieoff openings.

4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the first ring structure includes fastener holes.

5. A vertical cable guide for mounting on a telecommunications equipment rack, the cable guide comprising:

a first ring structure and a second ring structure;

the first ring structure including;

a closed end base having a first end and a second end;

an outer arm with a first end and a second end, the second end attached to the first end of the closed end base and the first end extending from the closed end base;

an opposing inner arm with a first end and a second end, the second end attached to the second end of the closed end base and the first end extending from the closed end base generally parallel to the outer arm;

the first end of the outer arm extending further from the closed end base than the first end of the inner arm; and

the outer and inner arms and the closed end base defining a vertical cable channel with an open end generally opposite the closed end base;

the second ring structure including;

an outer arm, having a first end and a second end, generally parallel with an outer side of the first ring structure outer arm;

an inner arm, having a first end and a second end, generally parallel with an inner side of the first ring structure inner arm;

a closed end base connecting the first end of the second ring inner arm and the first end of the second ring outer arm;

a plurality of fingers extending from the second end of the inner arm toward the outer arm and from the second end of the outer arm toward the inner arm, the inner arm, outer arm, closed base and fingers of the second ring structure defining a second vertical cable channel;

the fingers of the second ring structure generally parallel with the closed end base of the second ring structure and cooperating to extend across the second cable channel; and

the fingers of the second ring structure vertically offset from one another to permit cables to be passed from outside the second cable channel into the second cable channel past the fingers;

wherein the closed end base of the second ring structure is pivotably mounted to the first end of the inner arm of the first ring structure adjacent the open end of the first ring structure, the second ring structure pivotable about a vertical axis between a first and a second position;

wherein when the second ring structure is in the first position, the second ring structure closes the open end of the first ring structure, and when the second ring structure is in the second position, the open end of the first ring structure is accessible.

6. The vertical cable guide of claim 5, wherein the second ring structure is held in the first position by a releasable fastener.

7. The vertical cable guide of claim 5, wherein the first ring structure includes cable tieoff openings along at least one of the inner and outer arms.

8. A cable management system comprising:

a rack;

a plurality of first ring structures cooperating to form a first vertical cable path along a first side of the rack, the first ring structures having an open side;

a plurality of second ring structures cooperating to form a second vertical cable path along the first side of the rack, each second ring structure being hingedly mounted to one of the first ring structures and pivotable about a vertical axis between a first position and a second position;

the open side of each first ring structure being closed by the respective second ring structure mounted to the first ring structure when the second ring structure is in the first position.

9. The system of vertical cable guides of claim 8, wherein the second ring structures are held in the first positions by releasable fasteners.

10. A method for managing a cable extending vertically along a telecommunications equipment rack, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a first ring structure cooperating to form a first vertical cable path along a first side of the rack, the first ring structure having an open side;

providing a second ring structure cooperating to form a second vertical cable channel along the first side of the rack, the second ring structure having a closed side defined by overlapping fingers, the second ring structure being hingedly mounted to the first ring structure and pivotable about a vertical axis between a first position and a second position, the open side of the first ring structure being closed by the second ring structure mounted to the first ring structure when the second ring structure is in the first position;

moving the second ring structure from the first position to the second position;

placing the cable through the open side of the first ring structure into the first cable channel;

moving the second ring structure from the second position to the first position wherein the first and second vertical cable channels are separate cable channels.