Anchoring cables to rack with self-locking cable clamp arrangements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9291791-B2
Application number	US-201414199410-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 6, 2014
Priority date	Mar 13, 2013
Publication date	Mar 22, 2016
Grant date	Mar 22, 2016

Abstract

A self-locking cable clamp arrangement includes a bracket and a flexible tab disposed on the bracket. The bracket has a cable mounting region, a first engagement region, and a support region disposed therebetween. A cable can be clamped to the cable mounting region. The support region defining two members spaced apart sufficient to enable an edge of the panel to extend partially therebetween. The flexible tab can be selectively coupled to the cable mounting region and to the first engagement region. The clamp arrangement mounts to the panel by sliding the bracket downwardly through an open-ended slot defined in the panel until the tab is received within a cutout portion of the panel to secure the bracket to the panel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A self-locking cable clamp arrangement for mounting a cable to a panel defining at least a first slot, the self-locking cable clamp arrangement comprising:
(a) a bracket extending along a first axis from a first end to a second end, the bracket having a cable mounting region at the first end, a first engagement region at the second end, and a support region disposed between the cable mounting region and the first engagement region, the cable mounting region defining at least two laterally aligned fastener apertures, the support region defining two members spaced apart sufficient to enable an edge of the panel to extend partially therebetween; and
(b) a flexible tab disposed on the bracket, the flexible tab being deflectable between a first position and a second position, the flexible tab being biased to the first position, wherein the flexible tab can be selectively coupled to the cable mounting region and to the first engagement region.

2. The self-locking cable clamp arrangement of claim 1 , further comprising:
(c) a backing plate defining two fastener openings;
(d) a grommet sized and configured to extend around a portion of the cable to form a grommeted cable;
(e) a yoke configured to surround the grommet to mount the grommeted cable to the bracket, the yoke having a first side and a second side, the first side of the yoke being configured to engage the cable mounting region of the bracket so that the grommeted cable extends along the first axis, the second side of the yoke being configured to engage the backing plate; and
(f) a plurality of fasteners configured to extend through the fastener openings of the cable mounting region, through the yoke, and through the fastener opening of the backing plate to hold the backing plate to the bracket, the fasteners being configured to move the backing plate and the bracket towards each other to compress the yoke and grommet therebetween.

3. The self-locking cable clamp arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the bracket includes a transition region that laterally offsets the first engagement region from the cable mounting region.

4. The self-locking cable clamp arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the flexible tab extends outwardly from the bracket when in the first position and moves towards the bracket when deflected to the second position.

5. The self-locking cable clamp arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the flexible tab includes a mounting flange configured to attach to the bracket and a deflection flange having a first end coupled to the mounting flange and a free distal end.

6. The self-locking cable clamp arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the distal end of the deflection flange defines a lip extending towards the mounting flange.

7. The self-locking cable clamp arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the two spaced apart members of the support region are coupled together by a post extending therebetween, the post being sized to fit within the first slot defined by the panel.

8. The self-locking cable clamp arrangement of claim 7 , wherein two posts extend between the two spaced apart members, the two posts being spaced from each other along the first axis, each of the posts being sized to fit within the first slot defined by the panel.

9. The self-locking cable clamp arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the flexible tab is disposed at the cable mounting region.

10. The self-locking cable clamp arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the flexible tab is disposed at the first engagement region.

11. A cable anchor system comprising:
a panel including a first mounting section at which a plurality of mounting locations are disposed, each mounting location defining an elongated slot and a cutout portion defined at a location along the elongated slot; and
a plurality of self-locking cable clamp arrangement including:
a bracket having a cable mounting region at a first end, a first engagement region at an opposite second end, and a support region disposed between the cable mounting region and the first engagement region, the cable mounting region defining at least one fastener aperture, the support region configured to slide along the elongated slot to couple the bracket to the panel, and
a flexible tab coupled to the bracket, the flexible tab being structured to engage the cutout portion of a respective mounting location to hold the support region within the elongated slot;

wherein a first of the self-locking cable clamp arrangements has the respective flexible tab disposed at the respective cable mounting region and a second of the self-locking cable clamp arrangement has the respective flexible tab disposed at the respective first engagement region.

12. The cable anchor system of claim 11 , wherein the first and second self-locking cable clamp arrangements are disposed at adjacent mounting locations at the first mounting section of the panel.

13. The cable anchor system of claim 11 , wherein the panel includes a second mounting section that is offset from the first mounting section, the second mounting section defining a plurality of mounting locations suitable for receiving the self-locking cable clamp arrangements.

14. The cable anchor system of claim 13 , wherein the second mounting section is located at an opposite side of the panel from the first mounting location.

15. The cable anchor system of claim 11 , wherein the flexible tab of each self-locking cable clamp arrangement is configured to deflect during insertion at the respective mounting location.

Assignees

• Adc Telecommunications Inc
• Commscope Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Sievers Scott C
• Sluis Christopher

Classifications

• G02B6/44526

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

• G02B6/46

  Processes or apparatus adapted for installing {or repairing} optical fibres or optical cables (installation of cables containing electric conductors and optical fibres H02G) · CPC title

• G02B6/4471 Primary

  Terminating devices (demountable connectors G02B6/3807); Cable clamps · CPC title

• Y10T29/49817

  with other than ancillary treating or assembling · CPC title

• G02B6/4452

  Distribution frames · CPC title