Fiber optic cable management system

• US 6,950,592 B1
• Filed: 05/31/2002
• Issued: 09/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ciena Corporation
• Original Assignee: Ciena Corporation
• Inventors: Gehrke, Gary C., Baty, Boyd R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dong, Dalei
• Application Number:
  US10/158,813
• Time in Patent Office: 1,215 Days
• Field of Search: 385134-139, 385/37
• US Class Current: 385/134
• 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

Abstract

One or more fiber optic cable management systems provided with an optical communications housing for managing and routing fiber optic cables. Each fiber optic cable management system includes a series of saddle brackets, and a channel for routing and separating matrix fiber optic cables from customer fiber optic cables. Each saddle bracket is capable of routing customer fiber optic cables in multiple directions without bending the customer cables beyond their minimum bend radii. As many saddle brackets as practical are provided in the fiber optic cable management system. Providing a multitude of saddle brackets allows the slack in the customer fiber optic cables to be distributed across more brackets, and allows each saddle bracket to be shorter. Shorter saddle brackets, in turn, increases hand space for a technician to manipulate and route the customer fiber optic cables.

Claims

1. A fiber optic cable management system, comprising:

a frame having a vertical channel portion formed along at least a portion of a height of the frame, the vertical channel portion being for retaining and guiding fiber optic cables between a top and a bottom of the frame;

a saddle bracket support disposed internally within said frame, said saddle bracket support having a plate-shaped portion extending parallel to side walls of the frame, and also having and a plurality of sidewall portions intermittently provided along front vertical edges thereof; and

a plurality of saddle brackets connected to said saddle bracket support, said saddle bracket support and said plurality of saddle brackets being housed within said frame, each saddle bracket having;

a curved portion having a radius of curvature that guides the fiber optic cables from a first direction to a second direction, and prevents the fiber optic cables from being bent beyond their minimum bend radii, and

a retainer portion connected to the curved portion, wherein the curved and retainer portions retain the fiber optic cables within each of said saddle bracket,

wherein said saddle brackets are substantially adjacent to each other, and each saddle bracket has a height approximately equal to one-quarter the width of said frame, and

wherein said sidewall portions together with said saddle brackets define vertical channels through which the fiber optic cables are disposed.

2. A fiber optic cable management system as recited in claim 1, wherein the retainer portion of each saddle bracket is substantially perpendicular to the corresponding curved portion of each saddle bracket.

3. A fiber optic cable management system as recited in claim 1, wherein the retainer portion of each saddle bracket extends above the surface of the corresponding curved portion of each saddle bracket.

4. A fiber optic cable management system as recited in claim 1, wherein said saddle brackets are arranged in a vertical, ladder-like configuration.

5. A fiber optic cable management system as recited in claim 1, wherein said saddle brackets are evenly spaced from each other.

6. A fiber optic cable management system as recited in claim 1, wherein the radius of curvature of the curved portion of each saddle bracket is greater than or equal to the minimum bend radii of the fiber optic cables.

7. A fiber optic cable management system as recited in claim 1, further comprising tube brackets connected to said saddle bracket support, wherein said tube brackets guide the fiber optic cables into said plurality of saddle brackets, and prevent the fiber optic cables from being bent beyond their minimum bend radii.

8. A fiber optic cable management system as recited in claim 1, wherein the vertical channel is substantially rectangular in shape and extending outward from a central portion of a side wall of the frame.

9. A fiber optic cable management system as recited in claim 8, wherein the sidewall portions are substantially perpendicular to the plane of said saddle bracket support.

10. A fiber optic cable management system as recited in claim 1, wherein the sidewall portions have substantially the same heights as said plurality of saddle brackets, the sidewall portions and the saddle brackets each extending from the saddle support bracket in a direction away from the vertical channel portion.

11. A fiber optic cable management system as recited in claim 1, wherein the frame is provided with a fiber throughway for routing customer cables from a housing to frames of other fiber optic cable management systems the fiber throughway penetrating through a front portion of said frame.

12. A fiber optic cable management system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a fiber throughway connected to said frame, and guiding the fiber optic cables to and from said plurality of saddle brackets.

13. A fiber optic cable management system as recited in claim 1, wherein said channel portion retains and guides matrix fiber optic cables therein.

14. A fiber optic cable management system as recited in claim 1, further comprising tube brackets connected to said frame, wherein said tube brackets provide multiple, segregated paths for the fiber optic cables to reduce congestion of the fiber optic cables, and prevent the fiber optic cables from being bent beyond their minimum bend radii.

15. A fiber optic cable management system, comprising:

a frame;

a saddle bracket support disposed internally within said frame, said saddle bracket support having a plate-shaped portion extending parallel to side walls of the frame, and also having and a plurality of sidewall portions intermittently provided along front vertical edges thereof;

a plurality of interconnected saddle brackets fixed to the saddle support bracket, each saddle bracket having;

a curved portion having a radius of curvature that guides the fiber optic cables from a first direction to a second direction, and prevents the fiber optic cables from being bent beyond their minimum bend radii, and

a retainer portion connected to the curved portion, wherein the curved and retainer portions retain the fiber optic cables within each of said saddle brackets,

wherein said sidewall portions together with said saddle brackets define vertical channels through which the fiber optic cables are disposed.

16. A fiber optic cable management system as recited in claim 15, wherein the retainer portion of each saddle bracket is substantially perpendicular to the corresponding curved portion of each saddle bracket.

17. A fiber optic cable management system as recited in claim 15, wherein the retainer portion of each saddle bracket extends above the surface of the corresponding curved portion of each saddle bracket.

18. A fiber optic cable management system as recited in claim 15, wherein said plurality of interconnected saddle brackets is arranged in a vertical, ladder-like configuration.

19. A fiber optic cable management system as recited in claim 15 further comprising at least one upper tube bracket provided on each of two opposite faces of the saddle support bracket adjacent to a top end of the frame.

20. A fiber optic cable management system as recited in claim 19, wherein said tube brackets are connected to the saddle bracket support, wherein said tube brackets guide the fiber optic cables into said plurality of interconnected saddle brackets, and prevent the fiber optic cables from being bent beyond their minimum bend radii.

21. A fiber optic cable management system as recited in claim 15, wherein said saddle brackets are evenly spaced from each other.

22. A fiber optic cable management system as recited in claim 15, wherein the radius of curvature of the curved portion of each saddle bracket is greater than or equal to the minimum bend radii of the fiber optic cables.

23. A fiber optic cable management system as recited in claim 15, wherein a first and a second lower tube provided on a lower part of the saddle support bracket, with the first lower tube bracket being provided forwardly of said plurality of interconnected saddle brackets, and the second lower tube being provided rearwardly of said plurality of interconnected saddle brackets.

24. A fiber optic cable management system as recited in claim 15, further comprising a vertical channel, the vertical channel being substantially rectangular in shape and extending outward from a central portion of a side wall of said frame.

25. A fiber optic cable management system as recited in claim 24, wherein the sidewall portions have substantially the same heights as said plurality of saddle brackets.

26. A fiber optic cable management system as recited in claim 24, wherein the sidewall portions are intermittently provided along a vertical edge of said saddle bracket support.

27. A fiber optic cable management system as recited in claim 24, wherein the sidewall portions are substantially perpendicular to the plane of said saddle bracket support.

28. A fiber optic cable management system as recited in claim 15, further comprising a frame for housing said plurality of interconnected saddle brackets.

29. A fiber optic cable management system as recited in claim 28, further comprising a fiber throughway connected to said frame, and guiding the fiber optic cables to and from said plurality of interconnected saddle brackets.

30. A fiber optic cable management system as recited in claim 28, wherein said frame includes a channel portion for retaining and guiding matrix fiber optic cables therein, the matrix fiber optic cables being prevented from intermingling with the fiber optic cables.

31. A fiber optic cable management system as recited in claim 28, further comprising tube brackets connected to said frame, wherein said tube brackets provide multiple, segregated paths for the fiber optic cables to reduce congestion of the fiber optic cables, and prevent the fiber optic cables from being bent beyond their minimum bend radii.

32. A fiber optic cable management system as recited in claim 28, wherein each of said plurality of saddle brackets has a height approximately equal to one-quarter the width of said frame.

33. An apparatus, comprising:

an optical communications housing; and

a plurality of fiber optic cable management systems connected to said optical communications housing and guiding fiber optic cables provided for said optical communications housing, each of the fiber optic cable management systems comprising;

a frame,

a saddle bracket support disposed internally within said frame, said saddle bracket support having a plate-shaped portion extending parallel to side walls of the frame, and also having and a plurality of sidewall portions intermittently provided along front vertical edges thereof, and

a plurality of saddle brackets connected to said saddle bracket support, said saddle bracket support and said plurality of saddle brackets being housed within said frame, each of the saddle brackets having;

a curved portion having a radius of curvature that guides fiber optic cables from a first direction to a second direction, and prevents the fiber optic cables from being bent beyond their minimum bend radii, and a retainer portion connected to the curved portion, wherein the curved and the retainer portions retain the fiber optic cables within each of said saddle brackets, wherein said saddle brackets are substantially adjacent to each other,

wherein said sidewall portions together with said saddle brackets define vertical channels through which the fiber optic cables are disposed.