Switch rack system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9632272-B2
Application number	US-201514692466-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 21, 2015
Priority date	Jun 2, 2010
Publication date	Apr 25, 2017
Grant date	Apr 25, 2017

Abstract

In one embodiment, the system comprises: (a) a chassis; (b) one or more cards mounted in the chassis, each card having a plurality of switch ports, the plurality of switch ports being aligned in one or more columns; (c) an aggregator mounted adjacent the chassis, the aggregator having a plurality of bays, each bay being aligned with a card in the chassis, at least one of the bays having a faceplate comprising at least first and second aggregator ports aligned in a column; (d) at least first and second hydras, wherein each hydra comprises at least (i) a first connector; (ii) a plurality of second connectors; (iii) a plurality of conductors, each conductor connecting the first connector to one of the second connectors, the plurality of conductors being bundled together to form a trunk portion from the first connector to a breakout point, the plurality of conductors being separated into breakout portions from the breakout point to the second connectors; (iv) wherein the trunk portion of the first cable is longer than that of the second cable; and (e) wherein the first connector of the first hydra is connected to the first aggregator port and the second connectors of the first hydra are connected to a first set of switch ports, and the first connector of the second hydra is connected to the second aggregator port and the second connectors of the second hydra are connected to a second set of switch ports, wherein the first set of switch ports are further away from the aggregator than the second set of switch ports.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A switch rack system, said switch rack system comprising:
a chassis including:
a first port card mounted in the chassis;

an aggregator positioned adjacent the chassis, the aggregator having a housing with a first side and an opposite, second side, the housing including: a bottom wall; a first side wall positioned at the first side of the housing; a second side wall spaced from the first side wall in a direction toward the second side of the housing; a back end; and, a front end, that together define a housing interior, the housing including:
a faceplate positioned at the front end of the housing; the faceplate having a first end adjacent the bottom wall of the housing and an opposite remote second end; the faceplate having a tilt angle with respect to the bottom wall of the housing such that a distance of the faceplate between the first and second ends of the faceplate is greater than a shortest distance between the second end of the faceplate and a plane of the bottom wall of the housing;
a first aperture arrangement in the faceplate; the second side wall extending from the faceplate toward the back end of the housing; the second side wall defining a first bay in the housing interior; the first aperture arrangement being aligned in a column with the first bay; the first bay corresponding to the first port card in the chassis; and
a first removable cover positioned at the faceplate and closing the first aperture arrangement corresponding to the first bay.

2. The switch rack system of claim 1 , wherein first and second adapters are positioned on the first removable cover; the first adapter having a first keying mechanism such that the first adapter will mate with a first connector having a corresponding keying element.

3. The switch rack system of claim 2 , wherein the second adapter has a second keying mechanism different from the first keying mechanism such that the second adapter will mate with a second connector having a corresponding keying element and will not mate with the first connector; the first adapter being such that it will not mate with the second connector.

4. The switch rack system of claim 1 , further comprising first and second hydras, the first hydra including: a first hydra first connector; a first plurality of second connectors; and, a first plurality of conductors; the first plurality of conductors connecting the first hydra first connector to the first plurality of second connectors, the first plurality of conductors being bundled together to form a first trunk portion from the first hydra first connector to a first breakout point; the second hydra including: a second hydra first connector; a second plurality of second connectors; and, a second plurality of conductors; the second plurality of conductors connecting the second hydra first connector to the second plurality of second connectors, the second plurality of conductors being bundled together to form a second trunk portion from the second hydra first connector to a second breakout point; wherein a length of the first trunk portion of the first hydra is longer than a length of the second trunk portion of the second hydra.

5. The switch rack system of claim 4 , wherein the first and second connectors are fiber optic connectors.

6. The switch rack system of claim 4 , wherein at least first and second aggregator ports are positioned on the first removable cover of the first bay.

7. The switch rack system of claim 6 , wherein the first and second aggregator ports are aligned in a column.

8. The switch rack system of claim 7 , wherein the first port card has a plurality of switch ports positioned in one column thereon; the first and second aggregator ports of the first removable cover being aligned vertically in a column with the plurality of switch ports of the first port card.

9. The switch rack system of claim 8 , wherein the first hydra first connector is connected to the first aggregator port; and, the first plurality of second connectors of the first hydra is connected to a first set of the plurality of switch ports of the first port card; and, the second hydra first connector is connected to the second aggregator port; and, the second plurality of second connectors of the second hydra is connected to a second set of the plurality of switch ports of the first port card; the first set of the plurality of switch ports being further away from the aggregator then the second set of the plurality of switch ports.

10. The switch rack system of claim 1 , wherein the switch rack system includes: a second port card mounted in the chassis adjacent to the first port card; a second aperture arrangement in the faceplate spaced from the first aperture arrangement in a direction toward the second side of the housing; and, a third side wall extending from the faceplate toward the back end of the housing dividing the housing interior into a second bay; the second aperture arrangement being aligned with the second bay.

Assignees

• Tyco Electronics Corp
• Commscope Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Barry Bruce Eltringham
• Kepko Michael Jon
• Eberle Jr James Joseph
• Kelly Sean Patrick
• Shipe Jeffrey Dean
• Hall Kenneth C

Classifications

• G02B6/44526

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

• G02B6/44528

  Patch-cords; Connector arrangements in the system or in the box (routing arrangements H04Q1/00) · CPC title

• G02B6/4472 Primary

  Manifolds · CPC title

• H02G3/08

  Distribution boxes; Connection or junction boxes · CPC title

• G02B6/3825

  with an intermediate part, e.g. adapter, receptacle, linking two plugs · CPC title