Communications panel with selectable cable entry

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023156377-A1
Application number	US-202117917226-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 8, 2021
Priority date	Apr 9, 2020
Publication date	May 18, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A pivoting mounting bracket enables a user to select a cable entry direction for a pre-cabled chassis. The cable can be anchored to the mounting bracket prior to selecting the cable entry direction. A cable guide may protect against overbending of the cable during pivoting of the mounting bracket. Certain types of chassis can be pre-cabled with at least 576 or even at least 864 optical fibers within a 5 RU space. Certain types of chassis can include a v-shaped panel to hold front ports (e.g., optical adapters)

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A communication panel comprising:
a chassis including opposite first and second sides, a bottom, and a top extending along a forward-rearward axis between a front and a rear to define an interior; a cable guide extending through the rear of the chassis, the cable guide defining a cable passage leading between the interior of the chassis and an exterior of the chassis; and a cable anchor station disposed at the rear of the chassis, the cable anchor station including a support ledge and a mounting bracket, the support ledge extending outwardly from the rear of the chassis, the mounting bracket carrying at least one cable anchor, the mounting bracket being pivotally coupled to the support ledge to pivot relative to the chassis along a pivot arc between a first mounting position and a second mounting position, the mounting bracket defining a first cable routing path when disposed in the first mounting position and defining a second cable routing path when disposed in the second mounting position, the second cable routing path being facing a different direction than the first cable routing path.

2 . The communication panel as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the mounting bracket pivots relative to the support ledge about a pivot axis extending through the support ledge, and wherein the cable routing direction aligns with the cable passage of the cable guide at an intermediate location along the pivot arc.

3 . The communication panel as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first cable routing direction guides a cable towards the first side of the chassis; and wherein the second cable routing direction guides the cable towards the second side of the chassis.

4 . The communication panel as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the mounting bracket selectively secures to the support ledge in the first mounting position and in the second mounting position.

5 . The communication panel as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the bracket is fastened to the support ledge in the first mounting position or the second mounting position.

6 . The communication panel as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one cable anchor includes a cable clamp.

7 . The communication panel as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one cable anchor includes a plurality of cable anchors.

8 . The communication panel as claimed in any of claims 1 - 7 , wherein the chassis defines a first rear slot towards the first side of the chassis and a second rear slot towards the second side of the chassis, and wherein the mounting bracket includes oppositely extending first and second tabs; wherein the first tab of the mounting bracket fits into the first rear slot of the chassis when the mounting bracket is disposed in the first mounting position and the second tab of the mounting bracket fits into the second rear slot of the chassis when the mounting bracket is disposed in the second mounting position.

9 . The communication panel as claimed in any of claims 1 - 8 , wherein the cable guide has a first bend radius limiting surface disposed between the cable passage and the first side of the chassis and a second bend radius limiting surface disposed between the cable passage and the second side of the chassis.

10 . The communication panel as claimed in any of claims 1 - 9 , wherein the cable guide has a top guide surface that is spaced from the top of the chassis along a majority of a height of the chassis.

11 . The communication panel as claimed in any of claims 1 - 10 , wherein the cable guide defines a trumpet shape with a mouth that is elongate between the first and second sides of the chassis.

12 . The communication panel as claimed in any of claims 1 - 11 , wherein the cable passage of the cable guide has a wider end elevated above a narrower end of the passage.

13 . The communication panel as claimed in any of claims 1 - 12 , wherein the cable guide is formed from multiple pieces.

14 . The communication panel as claimed in any of claims 1 - 13 , further comprising a cover that mounts to the support ledge to cover the first cable routing path and/or the second cable routing path.

15 . The communication panel as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the cover is removable to provide access to the first cable routing path and/or the second cable routing path.

16 . The communication panel as claimed in any of claims 1 - 15 , the chassis includes a rear panel covering a majority of the rear of the chassis, the rear panel being removable to provide access to the interior of the chassis through the rear of the chassis.

17 . The communication panel as claimed in any of claims 1 - 16 , further comprising a plurality of optical adapters disposed at the chassis, the optical adapters defining front ports accessible at the front of the chassis and rear ports accessible from within the interior of the chassis.

18 . The communication panel as claimed in claim 17 , further comprising a frame mounted at the front of the chassis, the frame holding the optical adapters.

19 . The communication panel as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the frame is a v-shaped with an apex of the frame disposed farthest forward along the forward-rearward axis.

20 . The communication panel as claimed in any of claims 17 - 19 , wherein the plurality of optical adapters includes at least 576 ports per 5 RU.

21 . The communication panel as claimed in claim 20 , wherein the plurality of optical adapters includes at least 864 ports per 5 RU.

22 . The communication panel as claimed in any of claims 1 - 16 , further comprising a v-shaped frame mounted to the chassis, the v-shaped frame having an apex that is disposed farthest forward along the forward-rearward axis than outer sides of the frame, the v-shaped frame carrying a plurality of front ports accessible from the front of the chassis.

23 . The communication panel as claimed in claim 22 , wherein the front ports include a first group of front ports disposed at a first side of the frame between the apex and a first of the outer sides of the frame and a second group of front ports disposed at a second side of the frame between the apex and a second of the outer sides of the frame; wherein the front ports of the first group are vertically offset towards the top or bottom of the chassis relative to the front ports of the second group.

24 . The communication panel as claimed in any of claims 22 - 23 , further comprising a front cover that selectively extends across an open front of the chassis, the cover also extending across the apex of the frame at a location faced forward of the apex of the frame when the front cover extends across the open front of the chassis.

25 . The communication panel as claimed in any of claims 1 - 24 , further comprising a cable routed to the rear of the chassis, the cable being anchored to the mounting bracket of the cable anchor station, the cable extending through the cable passage of the cable guide and into the interior of the chassis, the cable being slideable relative to the cable guide while anchored to the mounting bracket.

26 . A communication panel comprising:
a chassis including opposite first and second sides, a bottom, and a top extending along a forward-rearward axis between a front and a rear to define an interior, the chassis having a height of no more than 5 RU; a frame mounted to the chassis, the frame extending from opposite outer sides of the frame toward

Assignees

• Commscope Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Schoenfelder Rodney C

Classifications

• H04Q1/06

  Cable ducts or mountings specially adapted for exchange installations · CPC title

• G02B6/3624

  Fibre head, e.g. fibre probe termination (optical details of light guide terminations G02B6/241; reshaping of light guides G02B6/2552; optical details of coupling light into or out of fibre end G02B6/262) · CPC title

• H04Q1/021 Primary

  using pivoting mechanisms for accessing the interior of the apparatus · CPC title