Fiber optic cable management system

• US 6,868,216 B1
• Filed: 07/27/2001
• Issued: 03/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ciena Corporation
• Original Assignee: Ciena Corporation
• Inventors: Gehrke, Gary Curtis
• Primary Examiner(s): DUVERNE, JEAN F
• Application Number:
  US09/916,364
• Time in Patent Office: 1,327 Days
• Field of Search: 385/134, 385135- 7
• US Class Current: 385/134
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4453 Cassettes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4478 Bending relief means

Abstract

A fiber optic cable management system that includes a plurality of fiber optic cable management tools mounted on a module to be provided within an optical communications bay. Each fiber optic cable management tool includes a base portion, a first curved portion disposed on the base portion, and a second curved portion disposed on the base portion and spaced from the first curved portion. The first and second curved portions defining a passage or channel that is configured to accommodate a fiber optic cable, whereby the fiber optic cable is bent in the passage. A radius associated with the bent fiber optic cable exceeds a minimum bend radius of the fiber optic cable. Each fiber optic cable management tool further includes protruding member or handle that extends from the base portion to permit manual grasping of each fiber optic cable management tool while maintaining the radius associated with the bent fiber optic cable. If smaller diameter fiber optic cable is used in the system, one or more fiber optic cable management tools may include an insert removably provided therein. The removable insert has three integrally connected curved members. Each curved member has a base portion and a flange portion extending away from the base portion. The base portion of each curved member includes a curved portion having a radius that exceeds the minimum bend radius a smaller diameter fiber optic cable.

Claims

1. An insert removably provided within a fiber optic cable management tool having at least one arcuate portion, comprising:

at least one curved member having a curved portion;

the at least one curved member of the insert facing the at least one arcuate portion of the fiber optic cable management tool when the insert is provided within the fiber optic cable management tool, thereby forming

a channel having two sides along a length thereof, one side being the at least one arcuate portion of the fiber optic cable management tool and an opposite side being the at least one curved member of the insert,

the channel having a radius that exceeds the minimum bend radius of a fiber optic cable to be provided in the fiber optic cable management tool.

2. An insert as recited in claim 1, wherein the channel has a radius that exceeds the minimum bend radius of a fiber optic cable having a diameter less than or equal to 1.7 millimeters.

3. An insert as recited in claim 1, wherein the channel formed by the curved portion of said at least one curved member and the arcuate portion of the fiber optic cable management tool has a smaller width than a channel provided in the fiber optic cable management tool.

4. An insert as recited in claim 1, wherein the channel formed by the curved portion of said at least one curved member and the arcuate portion of the fiber optic cable management tool changes orientation of the fiber optic cable to bc provided in the fiber optic cable management tool.

5. A fiber optic cable guiding insert, comprising:

a first curved member having first and second curved portions, the first curved portion of said first curved member having a radius that exceeds a minimum bend radius of a fiber optic cable to be guided by the insert;

a second curved member having first and second curved portions, the first curved portion of said second curved member having a radius that exceeds the minimum bend radius of the fiber optic cable; and

a third curved member having first and second curved portions which join each other at a point between the first curved member and the second, curved member, wherein the second curved portion of said first curved member and the first curved portion of said third curved member form a first channel having a radius that exceeds the minimum bend radius of the fiber optic cable, and the second curved portion of said second curved member and the second curved portion of said third curved member form a second channel having a radius that exceeds the minimum bend radius of the fiber optic cable.

6. A fiber optic cable guiding insert as recited in claim 5, wherein said first, second, and third curved members are integrally connected.

7. A fiber optic cable guiding insert as recited in claim 5, wherein the first curved portion of said first curved member, the first curved portion of said second curved member, and the first and second channels have radii that exceed the minimum bend radius of a fiber optic cable having a diameter less than or equal to 1.7 millimeters.

8. A fiber optic cable guiding insert, comprising:

at least one curved member having first, second, and third curved portions, and a flange at a distal end of the first and the second curved portions, the first, second, and third curved portions having radii that exceed a minimum bend radius of a fiber optic cable to be guided by the insert, wherein at least two of the curved portions are concave-shaped and are joined at the flange.

9. A fiber optic cable guiding insert as recited in claim 8, wherein the first, second, and third curved portions have radii that exceed the minimum bend radius of a fiber optic cable having a diameter less than or equal to 1.7 millimeters.

10. A fiber optic cable management system, comprising:

at least one fiber optic cable management tool having a base portion, a first arcuate portion and a second arcuate portion disposed on the base portion, and a protruding member extending from the base portion to permit manual grasping of said at least one fiber optic cable management tool; and

at least one insert removably provided between the first and the second arcuate portions of said at least one fiber optic cable management tool and having at least one curved member having a curved portion; and

a channel formed between the first arcuate portion of said at least one fiber optic cable management tool and the at least one curved member of the insert, the channel having a radius that exceeds the minimum bend radius of a fiber optic cable to be provided within the channel.

11. A fiber optic cable management system as recited in claim 10, wherein the channel has a radius that exceeds the minimum bend radius of a fiber optic cable having a diameter less than or equal to 1.7 millimeters.

12. An insert as recited in claim 11, wherein the at least one arcuate portion of the fiber optic cable management tool includes a first arcuate portion and a second arcuate portion, and

wherein the insert restricts a space between the first arcuate portion and the second arcuate portion of the fiber optic cable management tool.

13. A fiber optic cable management system as recited in claim 10, wherein the channel formed by the curved portion of said at least one curved member and the arcuate portion of said at least one fiber optic cable management tool has a smaller width than a channel provided in said at least one fiber optic cable management tool.

14. A fiber optic cable management system as recited in claim 10, wherein the channel formed by the curved portion of said at least one curved member and the arcuate portion of said at least one fiber optic cable management tool changes orientation of the fiber optic cable to be provided in said at least one fiber optic cable management tool.

15. A fiber optic cable management system as recited in claim 10, wherein a width of the channel formed between the first arcuate portion of said at least one fiber optic cable management tool and the at least one curved member of the insert is less than a distance between the first arcuate portion and the second arcuate portion of the fiber optic cable management tool.

16. A fiber optic cable management system as recited in claim 10, wherein the insert restricts a space between the first arcuate portion and the second arcuate portion of the fiber optic cable management tool.

17. A method of reducing a width of a channel provided in a fiber optic cable management tool, comprising

providing the fiber optic cable management tool having a channel between a first arcuate portion and a second accurate portion thereof;

providing an insert between the first arcuate portion and the second arcuate portion of the fiber optic cable management tool, the insert having at least one curved member which provides a second channel between the curved member of the insert and an arcuate portion of the fiber management tool, the second channel reducing the width of the channel provided in the fiber optic cable management tool, the second channel being a reduced-width channel having a radius that exceeds the minimum bend radius of a fiber optic cable to be provided within the reduced-width channel.

18. A method of reducing a width of a channel provided in a fiber optic cable management tool as recited in claim 17, wherein the reduced-width channel has a radius that exceeds the minimum bend radius of a fiber optic cable having a diameter less than or equal to 1.7 millimeters.

19. A method of reducing a width of a channel provided in a fiber optic cable management tool as recited in claim 17, wherein the reduced-width channel may retain a fiber optic cable having a diameter less than or equal to 1.7 millimeters.

20. A method of reducing a width of a channel provided in a fiber optic cable management system as recited in claim 17, wherein the step of providing an insert restricts a space between the first arcuate portion and the second arcuate portion of the fiber optic cable management tool.