Slide arrangement for cable drawer

• US 7,409,137 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2006
• Issued: 08/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ADC Telecommunications Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Barnes, Kathleen M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Font; Frank G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Anderson; Guy G
• Application Number:
  US11/543,457
• Publication Number:
  US 20080085092A1
• Time in Patent Office: 671 Days
• Field of Search: 385/135, 741/10, 312331-334
• US Class Current: 385/135
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44526 Panels or rackmounts covering a whole width of the frame or rack
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4453 Cassettes
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/18992 Reciprocating to reciprocating

Abstract

A drawer slide having first and second outer rails interconnected to center rails; each of the center rails interconnected to a hub rail. The drawer slide is configured for use with a cable management panel having a drawer and a chassis. The drawer slide can be mounted to the drawer to provide extended sliding movement from a closed position to an open position in only a first direction. The drawer slide can also be mounted to the drawer to provide sliding movement from a closed position to an open position in both of either a first direction and a second opposite direction.

Claims

1. A cable management module, comprising:

a) a drawer and a chassis; and

b) a drawer slide interconnected to each of the drawer and the chassis, the drawer slide being configured to provide sliding movement of the drawer relative to the chassis;

c) wherein the drawer slide provides operable sliding movement when mounted to each of the drawer and the chassis in a first mounting configuration and also provides operable sliding movement when mounted to each of the drawer and the chassis in a second mounting configuration, when the drawer slide is mounted in the first mounting configuration, the drawer opens from a closed drawer position in only a first direction, when the drawer slide is mounted in the second mounting configuration, the draw opens from the closed drawer position in both a first direction and a second opposite direction.

2. The module of claim 1, wherein the drawer slide includes:

a) two center rails, each of the center rails including longitudinal grooves extending from a first end of the center rail to a second end of the center rail;

b) a hub rail having interlocking constructions that slidably engage with one of the longitudinal grooves of each of the two center rails; and

c) first and second outer rails having interlocking constructions that slidably engage with another of the longitudinal grooves of each of the two center rails.

3. The module of claim 2, wherein, in the first mounting configuration, the first outer rail is affixed to one of the drawer and the chassis and the second outer rail is affixed to the other of the drawer and the chassis so that the drawer opens from the closed drawer position in only the first direction.

4. The module of claim 2, wherein, in the second mounting configuration, the hub rail is affixed to the chassis and each of the first and second outer rails is affixed to the drawer so that the drawer opens from the closed drawer position in both of either the first direction and the second opposite direction.

5. The module of claim 2, wherein the drawer slide further includes a first spool arranged to contact each of the hub rail and the first outer rail when the first outer rail slides relative to the hub rail, and a second spool arranged to contact each of the hub rail and the second outer rail when the second outer rail slides relative to the hub rail.

6. The module of claim 5, wherein the first and second spools of the drawer slide provide synchronized movement of adjacent ones of each of the first and second outer rails, the hub rail, and the two center rails.

7. The module of claim 5, wherein each of the first and second spools has an axis of rotation perpendicular to the first and second directions of sliding movement of the drawer.

8. A method of assembling a cable management module having a drawer and a chassis, the method of assembling comprising the steps of:

a) providing a drawer slide that accommodates sliding movement of the drawer relative to the chassis, the drawer slide including at least five rail members interconnected to one another;

b) selectively mounting a first one of the five rail members to the chassis, including;

i) mounting a middle hub rail to the chassis if only forward drawer opening movement is desired; and

ii) mounting an outer rail to the chassis if both forward and rearward drawer opening movement is desired;

c) mounting a second one of the five rail members to the drawer; and

d) sliding the drawer relative to the chassis from a closed position to an open forward position in a first sliding direction.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the outer rail is mounted to the drawer, the method further including sliding the drawer relative to the chassis from the closed position to an open rearward position in a second sliding direction opposite the first direction.

10. The method of claim 9, further including mounting a third one of the five rail members to the drawer.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the steps of sliding the drawer in the first sliding direction and sliding the drawer in the second sliding direction each including sliding adjacent members of the five rail members in a synchronized manner.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of providing the drawer slide includes:

a) slidably engaging two center rails of the five rail members with the middle hub rail of the five rail members; and

b) slidably engaging the outer rail and another outer rail with one of each of the two center rails.

13. A drawer slide that mounts to each of a drawer and a chassis to provide sliding movement of the drawer relative to the chassis, the drawer slide comprising:

a) two center rails, each of the center rails including longitudinal grooves extending from a first end of the center rail to a second end of the center rail;

b) a hub rail having interlocking constructions that slidably engage with one of the longitudinal grooves of each of the two center rails; and

c) first and second outer rails having interlocking constructions that slidably engage with another of the longitudinal grooves of each of the two center rail;

d) wherein the drawer slide is constructed to mount to the drawer and chassis in a first configuration that allows a user to open the drawer in only a first direction, and wherein the drawer slide is also constructed to mount to the drawer and chassis in a second configuration that allows a user to open the drawer in both the first direction and a second opposite direction.

14. The drawer slide of claim 13, wherein the longitudinal grooves of each of the two center rails and the interlocking constructions of each of the hub rail and the outer rails are correspondingly sized such that only one of the interlocking constructions can be received within each of the longitudinal grooves.

15. The drawer slide of claim 13, further including a stop arrangement configured to prevent linear separation of the first and second outer rails from the two center rails, and to prevent linear separation of the two center rails from the hub rail.

16. The drawer slide of claim 13, further including:

a) a first spool arranged to contact each of the hub rail and the first outer rail when the first outer rail slides relative to the hub rail; and

b) a second spool arranged to contact each of the hub rail and the second outer rail when the second outer rail slides relative to the hub rail.

17. The drawer slide of claim 16, wherein each of the first and second spools has an axis of rotation perpendicular to a direction of sliding movement of the first and second outer rails.

18. The drawer slide of claim 16, wherein the first spool is disposed within an aperture formed in a first center rail of the two center rails, and wherein the second spool is disposed within an aperture formed in a second center rail of the two center rails.

19. The drawer slide of claim 18, wherein in each of the first and second center rails includes a plurality of spools, the plurality of spools being arranged to contact each of the hub rail and the respective outer rail when the outer rail slides relative to the hub rail.

20. The drawer slide of claim 18, wherein the first spool permits the first center rail to travel at half-speed relative to a travel speed of the first outer rail when the hub rail is held stationary;

and wherein the second spool permits the second center rail to travel at half-speed relative to a travel speed of the second outer rail when the hub rail is held stationary.

21. A drawer slide that mounts to each of a drawer and a chassis to provide sliding movement of the drawer relative to the chassis, the drawer slide comprising:

a) five rail members that interlock with one another, the five rail members including;

i) a hub rail;

ii) first and second center rails, each of the first and second center rails being interlocked with the hub rail; and

iii) first and second outer rails, the first outer rail being interlocked with the first center rail, and the second outer rail being interlocked with the second center rail;

b) wherein each of the five rail members slide relative to one another;

c) wherein the drawer slide is capable of mounting in a first configuration that allows a user to open the drawer an expanded distance in only a first direction, and wherein the drawer slide is also capable of mounting in a second configuration that allows a user to open the drawer a non-expanded distance in both the first direction and a second opposite direction.

22. A cable management module, comprising:

a) a chassis;

b) a drawer positionable within the chassis; and

c) a drawer slide having a retracted length;

the drawer slide being interconnected to each of the drawer and the chassis to provide sliding movement of the drawer relative to the chassis;

d) wherein the drawer slide is constructed to mount to the drawer and chassis in a first mounting configuration and is also constructed to mount to the drawer and chassis in a second mounting configuration, when the drawer slide is mounted in the first mounting configuration, the drawer travels outward from the chassis a distance of approximately 2-times the retracted length of the drawer slide in only a first direction, when the drawer slide is mounted in the second mounting configuration, the drawer travels outward from the chassis in both the first direction and a second direction opposite the first direction.

23. The module of claim 22, wherein the drawer slide includes five rail members disposed in sliding engagement with one another, and when the drawer slide is mounted in the second mounting configuration, the five rail members include:

a first outer rail affixed to one of the drawer and the chassis, and a second outer rail affixed to the other of the drawer and the chassis.

24. The module of claim 23, wherein the five rail members include:

a) two center rails, each of the center rails including longitudinal grooves extending from a first end of the center rail to a second end of the center rail;

b) a hub rail having interlocking constructions that slidably engage with one of the longitudinal grooves of each of the two center rails; and

c) the first and second outer rails, each of the first and second outer rails having interlocking constructions that slidably engage with another of the longitudinal grooves of each of the two center rails.

25. The module of claim 24, wherein the drawer slide further includes a first spool arranged to contact each of the hub rail and the first outer rail when the first outer rail slides relative to the hub rail, and a second spool arranged to contact each of the hub rail and the second outer rail when the second outer rail slides relative to the hub rail.

26. The module of claim 25, wherein the first and second spools of the drawer slide provide synchronized movement of adjacent ones of each of the first and second outer rails, the hub rail, and the two center rails.

27. The module of claim 25, wherein each of the first and second spools has an axis of rotation perpendicular to the first direction of sliding movement of the drawer.

35. The module of claim 22, wherein the drawer slide includes five rail members disposed in sliding engagement with one another, and when the drawer slide is mounted in the first mounting configuration, the five rail members include first and second outer rails affixed to the drawer, and a middle hub rail affixed to the chassis.

28. A cable management module, comprising:

a) a chassis;

b) a drawer positionable within the chassis; and

c) a drawer slide interconnected to each of the drawer and the chassis, the drawer slide being configured to provide opening sliding movement of the drawer relative to the chassis in only a first direction when mounted in a first mounting configuration, the drawer slide also being configured to provide opening sliding movement of the drawer relative to the chassis in both a first direction and a second opposite direction when mounted in a second mounting configuration.

29. The module of claim 28, wherein the drawer slide includes five rail members disposed in sliding engagement with one another, the five rail members including:

a hub rail affixed to the chassis, and first and second outer rails affixed to the drawer.

30. The module of claim 29, wherein the first outer rail includes a first stop to limit sliding movement of the drawer relative to the chassis in the first direction, and wherein the second outer rail includes a second stop to limit sliding movement of the drawer relative to the chassis in the second opposite direction, when the drawer slide is mounted in the second mounting configuration.

31. The module of claim 29, wherein the five rail members include:

a) two center rails, each of the center rails including longitudinal grooves extending from a first end of the center rail to a second end of the center rail;

b) the hub rail, the hub rail having interlocking constructions that slidably engage with one of the longitudinal grooves of each of the two center rails; and

c) the first and second outer rails, the first and second outer rails having interlocking constructions that slidably engage with another of the longitudinal grooves of each of the two center rails.

32. The module of claim 31, wherein the drawer slide further includes a first spool arranged to contact each of the hub rail and the first outer rail when the first outer rail slides relative to the hub rail, and a second spool arranged to contact each of the hub rail and the second outer rail when the second outer rail slides relative to the hub rail.

33. The module of claim 32, wherein the first and second spools of the drawer slide provide synchronized movement of adjacent ones of each of the first and second outer rails, the hub rail, and the two center rails.

34. The module of claim 32, wherein each of the first and second spools has an axis of rotation perpendicular to the first and second directions of sliding movement of the drawer.