Cable management panel with sliding drawer and methods

• US 6,944,383 B1
• Filed: 04/12/2004
• Issued: 09/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2004
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ADC Telecommunications Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Sjodin, Chad J., Herzog, Daniel M.
• Primary Examiner(s): ULLAH, AKM E
• Application Number:
  US10/823,402
• Time in Patent Office: 519 Days
• Field of Search: 385134-136, 385/147, 211/26, 439/502, 439/623, 174/71.R, 174/72.A, 174/50, 174/72.R
• US Class Current: 385/123
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44526 Panels or rackmounts covering a whole width of the frame or rack
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44528 Patch-cords; Connector arrangements in the system or in the box routing arrangements H04Q1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4455 characterised by the way of extraction or insertion of the cassette in the distribution frame, e.g. pivoting, sliding, rotating or gliding

Abstract

A cable management panel for telecommunications cables. A chassis holds a slideable drawer. The drawer includes cable terminations or splices. The drawer further includes a radius limiter which moves with synchronized movement with movement of the drawer. Cables enter the chassis through a side wall, such as located adjacent the rear of the chassis. The radius limiter manages a slack loop of cable disposed within the chassis.

Claims

1. A cable management panel comprising:

(a) a chassis having a front, a rear, and opposite sides, one of the opposite sides defining an access location allowing entry of optical fiber cable into an interior of the chassis;

(b) a drawer slidably mounted within the chassis, the drawer slidable between a first position with the drawer fully inserted within the chassis toward the chassis rear, and a second position with the drawer extended from the interior of the chassis away from the chassis rear;

(c) a cable radius limiter slidably mounted on the drawer and movable from a first position on the drawer toward a second position on the drawer;

(i) the second position being forward of the first position;

(d) a control mechanism to move the radius limiter between the first and second positions as the drawer is moved between the second and first positions;

(i) the control mechanism moving the radius limiter in synchronized movement with movement of the drawer relative to the chassis;

(ii) wherein a slack loop pathway of optical fiber cable is defined within the interior of the chassis, wherein the slack loop pathway extends 180 degrees around the cable radius limiter.

2. The cable management panel of claim 1 wherein:

(a) the control mechanism includes a rotating member engaged with at least one of the chassis and the drawer.

3. The cable management panel of claim 2 wherein:

(a) the rotating member includes a wheel.

4. The cable management panel of claim 1 wherein:

(a) the access location is a first access location;

(b) the cable radius limiter is a first cable radius limiter;

(c) the cable management panel further comprises a second cable radius limiter, the first cable radius limiter being adjacent to one opposite side of the chassis and the second cable radius limiter being adjacent to the other opposite side of the chassis; and

(d) the chassis defining a second access location in the other opposite side.

5. The cable management panel of claim 1, further comprising cable fingers mounted to one of the opposite sides.

6. The cable management panel of claim 1, further comprising a cable clamp mounted to an exterior surface of one of the opposite sides.

7. A cable management panel comprising:

(a) a chassis defining an interior, the chassis including two opposite sides, each opposite side defining a cable access opening;

(b) a drawer slidably mounted within the chassis interior, the drawer slidable between a first position with the drawer fully inserted within the chassis interior, and a second position with the drawer extended from the interior of the chassis;

(c) two cable take-up mechanisms each including a first radius limiter slidably mounted on the drawer and movable from a first location on the drawer toward a second location on the drawer;

(i) the second location being forward of the first location;

(ii) each first radius limiter being slidably mounted to the chassis; and

(iii) each first radius limiter including a convexly-curved vertical surface extending upwardly from the drawer;

(iv) each first radius limiter including a first cable retention tab spaced vertically away from the drawer and adjacent to the convexly-curved vertical surface;

(d) a control mechanism to control movement of the first radius limiters relative to the drawer;

(i) the control mechanism moving each first radius limiter between the first and second locations as the drawer is moved between the second and first position; and

(ii) the control mechanism moving each first radius limiter in synchronized movement with movement of the drawer relative to the chassis;

(e) two second radius limiters mounted to the drawer, each one of the second radius limiters cooperating with one of the first radius limiters and one of the access openings to define a cable slack loop pathway within the chassis having a length defined by a forward portion and a rearward portion, wherein movement of the drawer moves each of the first radius limiters relative to the drawer and maintains the length of the cable slack loop pathway.

8. The cable management panel of claim 7 wherein:

(a) the control mechanism includes a rotating member engaged with at least one of the chassis and the drawer.

9. The cable management panel of claim 8 wherein:

(a) the rotating member includes a wheel.

10. The cable management panel of claim 7 wherein:

(a) the first radius limiters include cylindrical portion.

11. A method of using a cable management panel comprising:

(a) providing a chassis with a drawer slidably mounted within the chassis; and

a cable take-up mechanism including a radius limiter slidably mounted on the drawer;

(i) the radius limiter being slidably mounted to the chassis; and

(ii) the radius limiter including a convexly-curved vertical surface extending upwardly from the drawer;

(b) moving the drawer relative to the chassis;

(c) during the step of moving the drawer, controlling movement of the radius limiter relative to the drawer to synchronize movement of the radius limiter relative to the chassis;

(d) passing cable through an opening of a sidewall of the chassis;

(e) passing cables 180 degrees around the radius limiter.