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US 7,677,400 B2Granted
Cable management assembly, system and method
AssigneeADC Telecommunications, Inc.
InventorsYilmaz Bayazit, Chad J. Sjodin, David E. Rapp, Daniel M. Herzog, Chad A. Raskovich
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cable management assembly, and method related thereto, including a panel having an interface portion. The interface portion having a plurality of discrete openings, including first and second shaped apertures. The assembly further including cable management devices having securing structure including a flexible tab and a locating element. The securing structure being configured to mount the cable management devices at selected vertical and horizontal locations on the panel. The cable management assembly being configured to mount between two adjacent telecommunication racks or to an end of a telecommunication rack.
Claims33
A cable management assembly, comprising:
- a) a panel defining a plurality of discrete openings, the plurality of discrete openings including first shaped apertures and second shaped apertures, the second shaped apertures having a different shape than the first shaped apertures, the different shape being independent of a different aperture orientation, the first and second shaped apertures being arranged in an array of columns and rows, the rows including rows of only first shaped apertures and rows of only second shaped apertures;
- and
- b) a fiber optic cable management device including securing structure for detachably securing the device at a selected location on the panel, the securing structure including:
- i) a flexible tab that engages one of the first shaped apertures, the flexible tab being accessible from a front side of the panel to permit attachment and detachment of the device from the front side of the panel without having to access a rear side of the panel;
- and
- ii) a locating element that engages one of the second shaped apertures;
- c) wherein the second shaped apertures and the locating element each have a shape that requires a user to mount the fiber optic cable management device in only one particular mounting orientation relative to the panel and that prevents rotation of the fiber optic cable management device relative to the panel.
4 more elements
A method of assembling a cable management assembly, the method of assembling comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a panel defining a plurality of discrete openings, the plurality of discrete openings including first shaped apertures and second shaped apertures, the second shaped apertures having a different shape than the first shaped apertures, the different shape being independent of a different aperture orientation;
- b) mounting a cable management device at a selected location on the panel, the cable management device being mountable at the selected location in only one particular orientation, the step of mounting the cable management device including:
- i) engaging a hook attachment of the device to an edge of one of the first shaped apertures;
- ii) pivoting the device about the edge of the first shaped aperture and engaging a flexible tab of the device with another of the first shaped apertures;
- and
- iii) engaging a locating element of the device with one of the second shaped apertures, the locating element preventing rotation of the cable management device relative to the panel;
- iv) wherein the flexible tab of the device snap-fits within the first shaped aperture to secure the cable management device to the panel at the selected location, the flexible tab being accessible from a front side of the panel to permit attachment and detachment of the device from the front side of the panel without having to access a rear side of the panel.
4 more elements
A cable management device, the device including:
- a) a back plate having a front side that defines a front surface and a rear side that defines a rear surface, the back plate including securing structure for securing the device to a panel, the securing structure including:
- i) a hook attachment located adjacent to a first edge of the back plate;
- and
- ii) a flexible tab located adjacent to a second edge opposite the first edge, the flexible tab being an integral construction of the back plate that provides a snap-fit connection;
- b) a body connected to the front surface of the back plate;
- and
- c) a locating element that projects from the rear surface of the back plate, the locating element having a half-circle shape when viewed from the rear side of the back plate;
- d) wherein the securing structure and the locating element are arranged such that cable management device secures to the panel in only one particular mounting orientation;
- e) wherein the locating element prevents rotation of the device relative to the panel;
- f) wherein the flexible tab is accessible from a front side of the panel to permit attachment and detachment of the cable management device from the front side of the panel without having to access a rear side of the panel.
7 more elements
A cable management assembly, comprising:
- a) a panel defining a plurality of discrete openings, the plurality of discrete openings including first shaped apertures and second shaped apertures, the second shaped apertures having a different shape than the first shaped apertures, the different shape being independent of a different aperture orientation, the first and second shaped apertures being arranged in an array of columns and rows;
- and
- b) a fiber optic cable management device including securing means for detachably securing the device at a selected location on the panel, the securing means including:
- i) a flexible tab that engages one of the first shaped aperture, the flexible tab being accessible from a front side of the panel to permit attachment and detachment of the device from the front side of the panel without having to access a rear side of the panel;
- and
- ii) a locating element that engages one of the second shaped apertures;
- c) wherein the second shaped apertures and the locating element each have a shape that requires a user to mount the fiber optic cable management device in only one particular mounting orientation relative to the panel and that prevents rotation of the fiber optic cable management device relative to the panel.
4 more elements
A cable management system, comprising:
- a) a panel having a length extending between a top and a bottom, and a width extending between first and second sides, the panel defining a repeated pattern of first shaped apertures and second shaped apertures, the second shaped apertures having a different shape than the first shaped apertures, the different shape being independent of a different aperture orientation;
- and
- b) mounting flanges located along each of the first and second sides of the panel, the mounting flanges being configured to mount the panel between adjacent telecommunication racks;
- and
- c) a cable management device including a back plate, a body connected to the back plate, and securing structure for securing the device to the panel, the securing structure including:
- i) a hook attachment located adjacent to a first edge of the back plate, the hook attachment being configured to engage one of the first shaped apertures;
- ii) a flexible tab located adjacent to a second edge opposite the first edge, the flexible tab being an integral construction of the back plate, the flexible tab being configured to engage another of the first shaped apertures, the flexible tab being accessible from a front side of the panel to permit attachment and detachment of the device from the front side of the panel without having to access a rear side of the panel;
- and
- iii) a locating element projecting from a rear surface of the back plate, the locating element being configured to engage one of the second shaped apertures, the locating element preventing rotation of the cable management device relative to the panel;
- iv) wherein the securing structure secures the device to the panel in only one particular orientation.
7 more elements
A cable management device, the device including:
- a) cable management structure;
- and
- b) a back plate arrangement to which the cable management structure attaches, the back plate arrangement including:
- i) a back plate having a front side that defines a front surface and a rear side that defines a rear surface;
- ii) a first hook attachment and a second hook attachment positioned adjacent to one another along an edge of the back plate;
- iii) a flexible tab integral with the back plate, the flexible tab providing a snap-fit connection between the cable management device and a panel, the flexible tab being accessible from a front side of the panel when the device is mounted to the panel, the accessible flexible tab Permitting attachment and detachment of the device from the panel without having to access a rear side of the panel;
- and
- iv) a locating elements that projects from the rear surface of the back plate, the locating element having a half-circle shape when viewed from the rear side of the back plate, the half-circle shape preventing rotation of the device when mounted to a panel;
- v) wherein the hook attachments, the tab, and the locating element are arranged such that cable management device secures to a panel in only one particular mounting orientation.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.