High density fiber distribution frame

• US 6,920,273 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2002
• Issued: 07/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ADC Telecommunications Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Knudsen, Clinton M.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KHIEM M
• Application Number:
  US10/225,448
• Publication Number:
  US 20040037533A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,064 Days
• Field of Search: 385/53, 385/57, 385/59, 385134-137
• US Class Current: 385/135
• 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: H04Q 1/06 Cable ducts or mountings specially adapted for exchange installations
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/062 vertical management arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/066 arranged on the front side
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/068 arranged on the rear side
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/09 Frames or mounting racks not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/10 Exchange station construction
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/112 mechanical protection, e.g. resistance to earthquakes
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/14 Distribution frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2201/02 Details of frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2201/804 in optical transmission systems
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/186 for supporting telecommunication equipment selecting apparatus H04Q1/02

Abstract

The present invention relates to a telecommunications equipment rack with vertical supports on which are located equipment mounting locations, cable troughs for directing cables to and from equipment mounted at the mounting locations, a base to which the vertical supports are mounted, a triangularly shaped gusset reinforcing the connection between the vertical support and the base, and an L-shaped gusset extending between the base and a horizontal bracket mounted to the vertical supports. The vertical supports are made from two U-shaped channels mounted to form a closed rectangular channel. The present invention further relates to a telecommunications equipment rack with vertical supports on which are located equipment mounting locations, cable troughs for directing cables to and from equipment mounted at the mounting locations, a base to which the vertical supports are mounted, and a lower portion of each vertical forming a triangularly shaped gusset reinforcing the connection between the vertical support and the base.

Claims

1. A rack for mounting telecommunications equipment comprising:

a base having a front, a back, a floor and opposite ends;

a pair of spaced-apart supports extending vertically substantially from the ends of the base, each support including a first U-shaped channel and a second U-shaped channel mounted together to form a substantially rectangular enclosed tube with open ends of the U-shaped channels facing each other, each support including a plurality of mounting locations for mounting telecommunications equipment;

a center channel with an open front including opposing side walls and a rear wall extending vertically from the base between the vertical supports, the open front of the channel toward the front of the base with a plurality of cable slack storage structures extending from the rear wall within the center channel;

a plurality of horizontal brackets extending between the pair of vertical supports, each bracket attached to the rear wall of the center channel opposite the cable slack storage structures;

an L-shaped gusset extending between the lowest horizontal bracket, the back and the floor of the base; and

a pair of triangularly shaped gussets, one reinforcing a connection between each vertical support and the base.

2. The rack of claim 1, wherein the first and second U-shaped channels are welded together to form the substantially rectangular tube.

3. The rack of claim 1, wherein the connections between the brackets and the vertical supports and the brackets and the rear wall of the center channel are welded.

4. The rack of claim 1, wherein each triangularly shaped gusset is welded to a vertical support and to the base.

5. The rack of claim 1, wherein each of the opposing sides includes an L-shaped gusset and each L-shaped gusset is welded to the adjacent vertical support.

6. The rack of claim 1, wherein each L-shaped gusset is welded to the lowest horizontal bracket, the back and the floor of the base.

7. The rack of claim 1, wherein each triangularly shaped gusset is connected with an L-shaped gusset to form a gusset assembly with the gussets substantially parallel to each other and connected and spaced apart by a horizontal web, the gusset assembly a unitary structure and the horizontal web mounted to the floor of the base.

8. The rack of claim 1, wherein the horizontal brackets include an upper and a lower flange extending from a first side of a vertical web, the first and second flanges extending away from the vertical web of the bracket substantially less than a height defined by the vertical web of the bracket and a second opposing side of the vertical web connected to the vertical supports and the rear wall of the center channel.

9. The rack of claim 1, wherein a cable trough is mounted to each horizontal bracket.

10. The rack of claim 1, wherein a cable trough is mounted to the base adjacent the front of the base, beneath the lowest telecommunications equipment mounting location and does not extend beyond the front of the base.

11. A rack for mounting telecommunications equipment comprising:

a base having a front, a back, a floor and opposite ends;

a vertical support extending vertically adjacent to each of the ends of the base, each vertical support a substantially rectangular tube and including a plurality of vertically spaced apart mounting locations for mounting telecommunications equipment;

a center channel with an open front including opposing side walls and a rear wall extending vertically from the base between the vertical supports, the open front of the center channel toward the front of the base with a plurality of cable slack storage structures extending from the rear wall within the center channel;

a plurality of horizontal brackets extending between the pair of vertical supports, each bracket attached to the rear wall of the center channel opposite the cable slack storage structures; and

a lower portion of each vertical support forming a triangularly shaped gusset reinforcing a connection between the vertical support and the base.

12. The rack of claim 11, wherein each triangularly shaped gusset is welded to the base.

13. The rack of claim 12, wherein the horizontal brackets are welded to the vertical supports and to the rear wall of the center channel.

14. The rack of claim 13, wherein a cable trough is mounted to each horizontal bracket.

15. The rack of claim 13, wherein a cable trough is mounted to the base adjacent the front of the base, beneath the lowest telecommunications equipment mounting location and does not extend beyond the front of the base.

16. The rack of claim 11, wherein each end of the base includes a triangularly shaped gusset which cooperates with the triangularly shaped gusset of the vertical support adjacent the end to reinforce the connection between the vertical support and the base.

17. The rack of claim 16, wherein the triangle shaped gusset of each end of the base is welded to the triangularly shaped gusset of the vertical support adjacent the end.

18. The rack of claim 17, wherein the horizontal brackets are welded to the vertical supports and to the rear wall of the center channel.

19. The rack of claim 18, wherein a cable trough is mounted to each horizontal bracket.

20. The rack of claim 18, wherein a cable trough is mounted to the base adjacent the front of the base, beneath the lowest telecommunications equipment mounting location and does not extend beyond the front of the base.

21. The rack of claim 13, further comprising an L-shaped gusset extending between the lowest horizontal bracket, the back and the floor of the base.

22. The rack of claim 21, wherein a cable trough is mounted to each horizontal bracket.

23. The rack of claim 21, wherein a cable trough is mounted to the base adjacent the front of the base, beneath the lowest telecommunications equipment mounting location and does not extend beyond the front of the base.