Patent ID: 8729389
Filing Date: 2014-05-20
Classification: H05K

Abstract:
1. An apparatus comprising: a rack; a component mounted to the rack such that the component is able to move between a forward position and a rearward position relative to the rack, wherein in the forward position the component is withdrawn from the rack and in the rearward position the component is received in the rack; at least one cable connected at one end to the component; and a cable management assembly for managing said cable, the cable management assembly having a first end fixed relative to the component and a second end fixed relative to the rack, the cable management assembly comprising a plurality of pivotably connected support members including: at least a first support pivotable member formed from a thin rod having a thickness of less than 1 cm and having a cable attachment portion that supports said cable along a first length of the cable; and at least a second support pivotable member formed from a thin rod having a thickness of less than 1 cm and having a cable attachment portion that supports said cable along a second length of the cable, wherein the first and second support members are arranged to pivot with respect to each other about a pivot axis as the component moves between the received and the withdrawn positions, and wherein the first and second lengths of cable are offset from each other in the direction of the pivot axis, wherein a rearward-extending channel is formed between the lengths of cable attached to the cable attachment portions of the first and second support members, the channel allowing airflow to or from the component, wherein the first support member is a generally U-shape member, having an upper arm, a lower arm, and a connecting portion, and the free ends of the arms are each separately pivotably mounted to the component by respective vertically spaced apart pivots, one pivot being located in the top half of the component and the other pivot being located in the bottom half of the component such that when the component moves relative to the rack the upper and lower arms pivot in respective vertically spaced apart horizontal planes, the upper arm having a thickness of less than 1 cm and providing the cable attachment portion of the first support member, wherein the second support member is an elongate rod having a thickness of less than 1 cm and providing the cable attachment portion of the second support member, and being pivotably mounted at one end to the rack and being pivotably connected at the other end to the connecting portion of the U-shape member, such that the second support member pivots in a horizontal plane that is entirely positioned between and spaced apart from said horizontal planes of the upper and lower arms and such that the second support member is braced from above by the upper arm and from below by the lower arm, and wherein in a rearward projection when the component is in the rearward, received position: the component has a footprint, having side edges and top and bottom edges, the distance between the top and bottom edges being defined by the height of the component; the horizontal elongate rod forming the cable attachment portion of the first support member is substantially parallel to the top edge, lying within the footprint of the component and such that no part of the cable attachment portion of the first support member is distant from the top edge by more than 10% of the height of the component; and the horizontal elongate rod forming the cable attachment portion of the second support member is substantially parallel to the bottom edge, lying within the footprint of the component and such that no part of the cable attachment portion of the second support member is distant from the bottom edge by more than 50% of the height of the component.