System and method for managing cables

• US 7,459,634 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2005
• Issued: 12/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Warren, Morten, Drew, Paul L., Martin, Randall W., de Saulles, Stephen, Woodley, Nick, Quijano, David
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, DHIRUBHAI R
• Application Number:
  US11/252,471
• Publication Number:
  US 20070084621A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,142 Days
• Field of Search: 174/481, 174/500, 174/505, 174/68.1, 174/68.2, 174/68.3, 174/95, 174 96-101, 174/135, 174/658, 174/660, 174/65.R, 242/400.1, 242/402, 242/404.1, 248/68.1, 248/69, 248/74.4, 248/919, 248/920, 248/922, 361/681, 361/682, 361/683
• US Class Current: 174/97
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1603 Arrangements to protect the display from incident light, e.g. hoods
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/92 Angular and linear video display screen support adjustment

Abstract

Embodiments of the present technique relate to a system for cable management. In one embodiment, the system includes a display, wherein the display includes a display screen, a cable passage having a route along a portion of the display, and a pliable flap extending at least partially across the cable passage along the route.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a display comprising;

a display screen;

a cable passage having a route along a portion of the display; and

a pliable flap attached to the display and extending at least partially across the route of the cable passage and extending lengthwise along an entire length of the route of the cable passage.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the cable passage is disposed in a back panel of the display opposite the display screen.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the cable passage is disposed along a side panel of the display.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the cable passage is disposed along a perimeter of the display screen.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the pliable flap is removably coupled to the display.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the pliable flap is an integral portion of the display.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the pliable flap includes:

a rigid cover portion extending at least partially across the cable passage; and

a flexible portion that operates as a hinge between the rigid cover portion and the display.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the rigid cover portion comprises plastic and the flexible portion comprises rubber.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the cable passage comprises a cable channel recessed into the display, and the cable channel extends lengthwise along at least a substantial portion of the entire length of the route of the cable passage.

10. The system of claim 1, comprising an exit port in the cable passage and an exit port cover panel having an access slot, wherein the exit port cover is disposed over the exit port.

11. The system of claim 1, comprising a connector block coupleable to the display proximate an exit port in the cable passage.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the connector block is coupled to one or multiple of a camera, a microphone, a speaker, a computer, a phone, a second display, or a combination thereof.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the display comprises a personal computer and a flat panel display screen disposed integrally in a single panel-shaped housing.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the pliable flap comprises a slit configured to facilitate insertion of a cable into the cable passage, and the slit extends lengthwise continuously along the entire length of the cable passage.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the pliable flap comprises a single strip extending lengthwise continuously along the entire length of the cable passage.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the cable passage is sized to hold a plurality of cables.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the pliable flap comprises rubber.

18. A cable management apparatus, comprising:

a structure adapted to couple to a display; and

a pliable flap attached to the display and extending at least partially across a cable route on the structure and extending lengthwise along a substantial portion of the cable route on the structure.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the cable route comprises a channel recessed into the structure, and the channel extends lengthwise along at least a substantial portion of the entire length of the cable route.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the pliable flap and the cable route are disposed along a perimeter of the structure.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the pliable flap is removably coupled to the structure.

22. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the pliable flap includes a rigid portion and a flexible portion.

23. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the pliable flap comprises a slit configured to facilitate insertion of a cable between the pliable flap and the display, and the slit extends lengthwise continuously along an entire length of the slit.

24. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the pliable flap comprises a single strip extending lengthwise continuously along an entire length of the cable route.

25. The system of claim 18, wherein the pliable flap is configured to cover a plurality of cables.

26. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the pliable flap comprises rubber.

27. The system of claim 18, wherein the pliable flap includes:

a rigid cover portion extending at least partially across the cable route; and

a flexible portion that operates as a hinge between the rigid cover portion and the display.

31. The method of claim 21, comprising receiving an exit port cover over the exit port.

28. A method of managing cables, comprising:

routing a length of a cable along a cable passage between a pliable flap and a display, wherein the pliable flap extends lengthwise along a substantial length of the cable passage; and

retaining the cable with the display via the pliable flap attached to the display.

29. The method of claim 28, comprising flexing the pliable flap on the display to receive a plurality of cables.

30. The method of claim 28, comprising facilitating access to the cable via an exit port, wherein the exit port is a portion of the cable passage uncovered by the pliable flap.

32. The method of claim 28, comprising receiving a connector block for coupling multiple cables proximate the exit port.

33. The method of claim 28, comprising storing a plurality of cables between the pliable flap and the display.

34. The method of claim 28, wherein the pliable flap comprises rubber.

35. The method of claim 28, wherein the pliable flap comprises a single strip extending lengthwise continuously along an entire length of the cable route.

36. The method of claim 28, wherein the pliable flap includes:

a rigid cover portion extending at least partially across the cable passage; and

a flexible portion that operates as a hinge between the rigid cover portion and the display.

37. A system, comprising:

a display comprising;

a display screen; and

a cable routing system coupled to the display comprising;

a pliable flap attached to the display and configured to extend at least substantially over a plurality of cables to provide a covered cable passage that extends lengthwise continuously along the plurality of cables along a portion of the display such that the pliable flap is not limited to only a single point along the plurality of cables.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the pliable flap comprises rubber.

39. The system of claim 37, wherein the pliable flap includes:

a rigid cover portion extending at least partially across the cable passage; and

a flexible portion that operates as a hinge between the rigid cover portion and the display.