Cable management system for electronic devices such as flat panel monitors

• US 6,713,678 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2002
• Issued: 03/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Miseli, Joe, Masuda, Kuni
• Primary Examiner(s): Reichard, Dean A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, JINHEE J
• Application Number:
  US10/096,349
• Publication Number:
  US 20030168238A1
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• Field of Search: 174/72.A, 174/135, 174/138.E, 361/683, 361/680, 361/681, 361/11
• US Class Current: 174/72.00A
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 11/02 using take-up reel or drum
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/917 Video display screen support
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/921 Plural angular
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/923 Tilting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4913 Assembling to base an electrical component, e.g., capacitor, etc.

Abstract

A system for managing cables is disclosed herein. A preferred aspect of the system comprises a flat panel monitor having a front surface, a rear surface, a left side surface and a right side surface. The system also comprises a plurality of downwardly facing cable portals coupled to the rear surface of the flat panel monitor and a stand coupled to the rear surface of the flat panel monitor, wherein the flat panel monitor is forwardly rotatable on a horizontal axis; and a plurality of releasably connectable retaining member are coupled to the rear surface of the flat panel monitor.

Claims

1. A system for managing cables comprising:

an electronic device having a front display surface and a rear surface having a plurality of downwardly facing cable portals; and

a plurality of releasably connectable retaining members disposed about said rear surface;

wherein said plurality of downwardly facing cable portals are to be inserted by a plurality of external cables; and

wherein said plurality of releasably connectable retaining members have a predetermined shape for retaining and horizontally directing said plurality of external cables.

2. The system according to claim 1,

wherein said rear surface of said electronic device comprises a right side surface, a left side surface, an upper planar surface, and a lower planar surface;

wherein said upper and lower planar surfaces are perpendicular to said right and left side surfaces of said device;

wherein said upper planar surface has a greater width than said lower planar surface and comprises a bottom surface;

wherein said plurality of downwardly facing cable portals are disposed about said bottom surface; and

wherein said plurality of releasably connectable retaining members are disposed about said lower planar surface.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said front display surface is coupled to a hinge providing rotation of the monitor assembly about a horizontal axis.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said front display surface comprises a flat panel monitor assembly.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of external cables are directly coupled to said downwardly facing cable portals of said electronic device.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein said plurality of external cables are directly coupled from one of said downwardly facing cable portals of said rear surface to one of said releasably connectable retaining members of said rear surface.

7. The system according to claim 5, wherein said plurality of releasably connectable retaining members comprise a channel and wherein said plurality of external cables are disposed in a horizontal direction along said channel of said releasably connectable retaining members.

8. The system according to claim 5, wherein said plurality of releasably connectable retaining members comprise a plurality of hooks permitting said plurality of external cables to lay on top of said plurality of releasably connectable retaining members.

9. The system according to claim 5, wherein said plurality of releasably connectable retaining members comprise a spring-type mechanism for releasably allowing for non-permanent closure around said plurality of external cables.

10. The system according to claim 5, wherein said plurality of releasably connectable retaining members comprise a wrapping mechanism to completely wrap around said plurality of external cables.

11. The system according to claim 5, wherein said releasably connectable retaining members comprise a single continuous support member having a length substantially similar to said electronic device.

12. The system according to claim 5, wherein said releasably connectable retaining members form a single continuous support member having a length substantially similar to said electronic device.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein said releasably connectable retaining members have a wrap-around and hooked shape.

14. The system according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of releasably connectable retaining members comprises an angled region facing away from said rear surface, said angled region forming a hook for vertically retaining and horizontally directing said external cables.

15. The system according to claim 1,

wherein each of said plurality of releasably connectable retaining members comprises a loop having two ends connected to said rear surface;

and

wherein said loop can be used to engulf said external cables.

16. The system according to claim 1,

wherein each of said plurality of releasably connectable retaining members comprises a first end, a second end and an arch end;

wherein said first and second ends are connected to said rear surface; and

wherein said arch end is disposed away from said rear surface.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein said arched end is angled to form a hook for vertically retaining and horizontally directing said external cables.

18. The system according to claim 1,

wherein each of said plurality of releasably connectable retaining members comprises an arched loop for wrapping said external cables and an angled portion for hooking said external cables;

wherein said plurality of releasably connectable retaining members comprise a stainless steel material; and

wherein each of said plurality of retaining members is releasably connected to said rear surface of said electronic device.

19. The system according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of releasably connectable retaining members are disposed about said rear surface in a horizontal direction.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein each of said external cables is adapted to meet up with any one of said retaining members at any point along said rear surface.

21. The system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of releasably connectable retaining members forms a horizontal channel adapted to lead said external cables to both left and right sides of said rear surface.