Front rack cable management system and apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9949400-B2
Application number	US-201514688957-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 16, 2015
Priority date	Apr 16, 2015
Publication date	Apr 17, 2018
Grant date	Apr 17, 2018

Abstract

Systems, appartuses and devices are used for front cable management of equipment modules mounted in equipment racks. One aspect is directed to an apparatus for front cable management generally including a cable management device for a rack-mounted equipment module supported in an equipment rack. The cable management device generally includes an articulated arm assembly movable between a retracted operational position and a service position extending forwardly out from the equipment rack. Another aspect is directed to a system for front cable management generally including an equipment rack and a rack-mount support for movably positioning a rack-mount equipment module on the equipment rack. The rack-mount support generally includes a front end configured to receive a cable management device for routing cables from a cable zone of the equipment rack to a front end of the rack-mount support.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for front rack cable management, the system comprising:
an equipment rack for mounting a plurality of rack-mount equipment modules therein, the equipment rack including an equipment zone for receiving the plurality of rack-mounted equipment modules, and a cable zone for routing a plurality of cables to the plurality of rack-mounted equipment modules, wherein the cable zone is located forward of the equipment zone;
a rack-mount support for movably positioning a rack-mount equipment module on the equipment rack, wherein:
the rack-mount support is moveable, while slidably mounted in the equipment rack, between a retracted operational position within the equipment zone and an extended service position extending forwardly out from the equipment zone; and
a front end of the rack-mount support, proximal a front end of the rack-mount equipment module, is configured to receive a cable management device for routing cables from the cable zone of the equipment rack to ports located on the front end of the rack-mount equipment module, as the rack-mount support moves between the retracted operation position and the extended service position; and

the cable management device;
wherein the rack-mount support is positioned in the equipment rack such that a cable management zone is provided immediately below the rack-mount support, the cable management zone providing free space to receive the cable management device.

2. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the cable management zone has a height of approximately 30 mm.

3. A system for front rack cable management, the system comprising:
an equipment rack for mounting a plurality of rack-mount equipment modules therein, the equipment rack including an equipment zone for receiving the plurality of rack-mounted equipment modules, and a cable zone for routing a plurality of cables to the plurality of rack-mounted equipment modules, wherein the cable zone is located forward of the equipment zone;
a rack-mount support for movably positioning a rack-mount equipment module on the equipment rack, wherein:
the rack-mount support is moveable, while slidably mounted in the equipment rack, between a retracted operational position within the equipment zone and an extended service position extending forwardly out from the equipment zone;
a front end of the rack-mount support, proximal a front end of the rack-mount equipment module, is configured to receive a cable management device for routing cables from the cable zone of the equipment rack to ports located on the front end of the rack-mount equipment module, as the rack-mount support moves between the retracted operation position and the extended service position; and

the cable management device, wherein the cable management device comprises:
a rear end connected to a stationary mount that is immovable relative to the equipment rack proximal to the cable zone; and
a front end connected to a movable mount that moves with the front end of the rack-mount support, wherein the movable mount is located, both when the rack-mount support is in the retracted operational position and when the rack-mount support is in the extended service position, on a surface of the rack-mount support or a surface of the rack-mount equipment module; and

the rear end and the front end of the cable management device move relative to one another to accommodate motion of the rack-mount support between the retracted operational position and the extended service position.

4. A system according to claim 3 , wherein the cable management device further comprises:
an articulated arm assembly including front and rear segments, the front end of the cable management device being on the front segment and the rear end being on the rear segment;
an articulation joint interconnecting the front and rear segments;
a rear connector mounting the rear end to the stationary mount; and
a front connector mounting the front end of the cable management device to the movable mount, wherein the front connector moves with the rack-mount support between the retracted operational position and the extended service position.

5. A system according to claim 4 , wherein the rear connector pivotally connects the rear segment to the stationary mount.

6. A system according to claim 4 , wherein the front connector and moveable mount are configured to allow the front segment to rotate with respect to the front end of the rack-mount support.

7. A system according to claim 4 , wherein the front connector is mounted on the movable mount, which is located on a downward-facing surface of the rack-mount support.

8. A system according to claim 4 , wherein at least one of the front and rear segments includes a cable guide for routing one or more cables from a front side of the equipment rack to the front end of the rack-mount support.

9. A system according to claim 8 , wherein the cable guide is a passage formed in a respective one of the front and rear segments.

10. A system according to claim 9 , wherein the passage is a channel extending along a length of the respective one of the front and rear segments.

11. A system according to claim 4 , wherein the rear segment includes an aperture for routing one or more cables from the cable zone of the equipment rack, wherein the one or more cables pass through the aperture and along the rear segment.

12. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the equipment rack further includes a plurality of support posts, at least one of the plurality of support posts including a recess defining the cable zone.

13. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the equipment rack is one of a 19-inch rack, a 23-inch rack, or an Open Compute Project (OCP) rack.

14. A system for front rack cable management, the system comprising:
equipment rack means for mounting a plurality of rack-mount equipment modules therein, the equipment rack means including an equipment zone for receiving the plurality of rack-mounted equipment modules, and a cable zone for routing a plurality of cables to the plurality of rack-mounted equipment modules, wherein the cable zone is located forward of the equipment zone;
rack-mount support means for movably positioning a rack-mount equipment module on the equipment rack means, wherein the rack-mount support means is moveable, while slidably mounted in the equipment rack means, between a retracted operational position within the equipment zone and an extended service position extending forwardly out from the equipment zone; and
a cable management means for routing cables from the cable zone of the equipment rack means to ports located on a front end of the rack-mount equipment module, proximal a front end of the rack-mount support means, as the rack-mount support means moves between the retracted operation position and the extended service position;
wherein:
the front end of the rack-mount support means is configured to receive the cable management means; and
the rack-mount support means is positioned in the equipment rack means such that a cable management zone is provided immediately below the rack-mount support means, the cable management zone providing free space to receive the cable management means.

15. A system according to claim 14 , wherein the cable management means is connected to a stationary mount that is immovable relative to the equipment rack means, and connected to a movable mount that moves with the rack-mount support means.

16. A system according to claim 15 , wherein the cable management means further comprises articulation means interconnecting the stationary mount and the movable moun

Assignees

• Sandisk Technologies Inc
• Sandisk Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Yi George

Classifications

• H02G11/006

  using extensible carrier for the cable, e.g. self-coiling spring (extensible conductors or cables H01B7/06) · CPC title

• H02G3/0456

  Ladders or other supports · CPC title

• H05K7/1491 Primary

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