Extendable cable enclosure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12010810-B2
Application number	US-202017136274-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 29, 2020
Priority date	Dec 29, 2020
Publication date	Jun 11, 2024
Grant date	Jun 11, 2024

Abstract

An example cable enclosure is provided that includes a chassis, a front cover coupled to the chassis, and first and second slide rails slidably coupled relative to the chassis. The cable enclosure includes a first release lever mounted to the chassis. The first release lever is capable of being positioned into a first position and a second position. In the first position, the first release lever engages the chassis to prevent sliding of the chassis and the front cover relative to the first and second slide rails. In the second position, the first release lever disengages the chassis to allow for sliding of the chassis and the front cover relative to the first and second slide rails.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A cable enclosure, comprising:
a chassis;
a front cover coupled to the chassis;
a first slide rail and a second slide rail slidably coupled relative to the chassis;
a first release lever mounted to the chassis, the first release lever is capable of being positioned into a first position and a second position; and
a rear cover and a front door coupled to the chassis;
wherein in the first position, the first release lever engages the chassis to prevent sliding of the chassis and the front cover relative to the first and second slide rails;
wherein in the second position, the first release lever disengages the chassis to allow for sliding of the chassis and the front cover relative to the first and second slide rails; and
wherein disengagement of the first release lever from the chassis allows for sliding of the chassis, the front cover, the rear cover, and the front door relative to the first and second slide rails.

2. The cable enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the chassis is configured to support one or more spools for cable management or storage.

3. The cable enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the first and second slide rails include a body with a mounting flange at a proximal end of the body, the mounting flange configured to be secured to supports associated with a rack.

4. The cable enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the first release lever includes a body, a first cantilever extension extending from the body, and a second cantilever extension extending from the body.

5. The cable enclosure of claim 4 , wherein the first cantilever extension includes a first engagement tab configured to engage with a slot formed in the first slide rail.

6. The cable enclosure of claim 5 , wherein in the first position, the first engagement tab extends through the slot of the first slide rail and abuts a proximal mounting flange of the first slide rail to prevent sliding of the chassis and the front cover relative to the first and second slide rails.

7. The cable enclosure of claim 5 , wherein in the second position, the first engagement tab is retracted from the slot of the first slide rail to provide clearance between the first engagement tab and the first slide rail, allowing for sliding of the chassis and the front cover relative to the first and second slide rails.

8. The cable enclosure of claim 4 , wherein the second cantilever extension includes a second engagement tab configured to engage with a slot formed in the front cover, the second cantilever positionable in a third position and a fourth position.

9. The cable enclosure of claim 8 , wherein in the third position, the second engagement tab extends through the slot of the front cover to prevent pivoting of the front cover relative to the chassis into an open position.

10. The cable enclosure of claim 8 , wherein in the fourth position, the second engagement tab is retracted from the slot of the front cover to allow for pivoting of the front cover relative to the chassis into an open position.

11. The cable enclosure of claim 10 , comprising a spring associated with the front cover, the spring biasing the front cover into the open position upon disengagement of the second engagement tab from the slot of the front cover.

12. The cable enclosure of claim 4 , wherein the first and second cantilever extensions of the first release lever are independently actuated relative to each other.

13. The cable enclosure of claim 4 , wherein the first cantilever extension connects to the body at a distal end of the first cantilever extension, and includes a flange at a proximal end of the first cantilever extension, the flange extending perpendicularly from the proximal end of the first cantilever extension.

14. The cable enclosure of claim 1 , comprising a second release lever disposed on an opposing side of the chassis from the first release lever, wherein the first release lever engages and disengages relative to the first slide rail, and the second release lever engages and disengages relative to the second slide rail.

15. The cable enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the first and second slide rails are mountable to a rack.

16. The cable enclosure of claim 1 , wherein:
the first and second slide rails are directly slidably coupled to the chassis;
in the first position, the first release lever engages at least one of the first slide rail or the second slide rail to prevent sliding of the chassis and the front cover relative to the first and second slide rails; and
in the second position, the first release lever disengages at least one of the first slide rail or the second slide rail to allow for sliding of the chassis and the front cover relative to the first and second slide rails.

17. The cable enclosure of claim 1 , wherein:
the first release lever includes a tab;
in the first position, the tab of the first release lever passes through an opening of the chassis to engage with at least one of the first slide rail or the second slide rail to prevent sliding of the chassis and the front cover relative to the first and second slide rails; and
in the second position, the tab of the first release lever passes through the opening of the chassis to disengage with at least one of the first slide rail or the second slide rail to allow for sliding of the chassis and the front cover relative to the first and second slide rails.

18. A method of cable management, comprising:
providing a cable enclosure, the cable enclosure including (i) a chassis, (ii) a front cover coupled to the chassis, (iii) a first slide rail and a second slide rail slidably coupled relative to the chassis, (iv) a first release lever mounted to the chassis, and (v) a rear cover and a front door coupled to the chassis;
positioning the first release lever into a first position to engage the first release lever with the chassis and prevent sliding of the chassis and the front cover relative to the first and second slide rails; and
positioning the first release lever into a second position to disengage the first release lever from the chassis to allow for sliding of the chassis and the front cover relative to the first and second slide rails;
wherein disengagement of the first release lever from the chassis allows for sliding of the chassis, the front cover, the rear cover, and the front door relative to the first and second slide rails.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the first release lever includes a body, a first cantilever extension extending from the body, and a second cantilever extension extending from the body.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein:
positioning the first release lever into the first position comprises extending a first engagement tab of the first cantilever extension through a slot of the first slide rail and abutting the first engagement tab against a proximal mounting flange of the first slide rail to prevent sliding of the chassis and the front cover relative to the first and second slide rails; and
positioning the first release lever into the second position comprises retracting the first engagement tab from the slot of the first slide rail to allow for sliding of the chassis and the front cover relative to the first and second slide rails.

21. The method of claim 19 , comprising:
positioning the second cantilever extension into a third position to insert a second engagement tab of the second cantilever extension through a slot formed in the front cover to prevent pivoting of the front cover relative to the chassis into an open position;

Assignees

• Ortronics Inc
• Legrand Dpc Llc

Inventors

• Knychalski Thomas
• Smith Daniel M
• Grandidge Ryan J

Classifications

• G02B6/44526

  Panels or rackmounts covering a whole width of the frame or rack · CPC title

• H05K7/1491 Primary

  having cable management arrangements (management of optical cables G02B6/444; in telecommunication cabinets H04Q1/06) · CPC title

• G02B6/4457 Primary

  Bobbins; Reels · CPC title