Abstract:
An apparatus and system for facilitating access to one or more components mounted in a rack comprising a base member and at least one pivot mechanism mounting the base member to the rack. The apparatus facilitates access to the components by being pivotable downward for access to upper components and pivotable upward for access to lower components.

Description:
FIELD 
     The disclosure is directed to an apparatus and system for facilitating access to components, generally applicable to rack mounted assemblies 
     BACKGROUND 
     This disclosure relates to cable management systems used to manage cabling in a rack. Traditionally, cables are statically mounted to a rack or the enclosures mounted in the rack, which can result in bundles of cabling running across the rack or enclosures that prohibit easy access to enclosures and components within. 
     SUMMARY 
     An apparatus and system for facilitating access to one or more components mounted in a rack comprising a base member and at least one pivot mechanism mounting the base member to the rack. The apparatus facilitates access to the components by being pivotable downward for access to upper components in an associated enclosure and pivotable upward for access to lower components in the associated enclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Objects, features, and advantages of embodiments disclosed herein may be better understood by referring to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The drawings are not meant to limit the scope of the claims included herewith. For clarity, not every element may be labeled in every figure. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating embodiments, principles, and concepts. Thus, features and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a view of one embodiment of the apparatus installed in a rack; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of the apparatus with its cable retention clips removed for clarity; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of the apparatus with cable retention clips; 
         FIG. 4  illustrate perspective views of an embodiment of the apparatus mounted onto a mounting rail without cable retention clips; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of the pivot mechanism with cable retention clips; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a partial perspective view of one embodiment of the pivot mechanism; 
         FIG. 7  illustrates an exploded view of the pivot mechanism; 
         FIG. 8  illustrates a side view of the pivot mechanism in an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 9  illustrates a partial perspective view of the pivot mechanism in an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 10  illustrates a partial perspective view of the pivot mechanism in an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 11  illustrates a partial perspective view of the pivot mechanism in an embodiment of the invention 
         FIGS. 12 and 13  are perspective views of an embodiment of the apparatus mounted to the rack, showing how access is facilitated to a set of components; 
         FIGS. 14 and 15  are perspective views of an embodiment of the apparatus mounted to the rack, showing how access is facilitated to a set of components. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to the example embodiment in  FIG. 1 , an apparatus  100  is shown installed into a rack  200 . An enclosure  300  is mounted within rack  200  proximate apparatus  100 . Apparatus  100  is constructed and configured to manage cabling  320  for one or more components  310  mounted within enclosure  300 . In this embodiment, the enclosure  300  has a first (upper) and second (lower) row of one or more components  310 . As shown, one or more cable retention clips  118  are used to hold the cabling  320  to base member  110  of the apparatus  100 . 
     Referring to the example embodiment in  FIG. 2 , apparatus  100  is shown removed from rack  200  for clarity. Apparatus  100  comprises base member  110 , pivot mechanisms  130 , and a locking handle  120  associated with each pivot mechanism  130 , mounted at each end of base member  110 . As shown in this embodiment, the base member  110  includes attachment slots  115  for receiving attachments such as cable retention clips  118  ( FIG. 1 ). While the description below pertains to only one of the pivot mechanisms  130 , it will be understood that the opposing mechanism operates in a similar manner. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , apparatus  100  is shown with cable retention clips  118  mounted on base member  110 . Although twenty cable retention clips  118  are shown mounted to base member  110 , it should be understood that any number of cable retention clips  118  may be utilized, including zero. Further, although cable retention clips  118  are shown, one skilled in the art will recognize that there are many mechanisms capable of securing cables  320  ( FIG. 1 ) to the base member  110 , such as, but not limited to, twist ties, zip ties, clamps, and other securing devices. 
       FIGS. 4 and 5  show perspective views of apparatus  100  mounted to a mounting rail  150 . The apparatus  100  may be mounted to the rack  200  ( FIG. 1 ) in a number of ways; such mounting method is not critical to the embodiment described herein. In some embodiments, the mounting rail  150  may be used to mount apparatus  100  to the rack  200  ( FIG. 1 ) wherein the inner surface of the mounting rail  150  is configured to be a supporting rail for enclosure  300  ( FIG. 1 ). In other embodiments, the mounting rail  150  may be mounted to enclosure  300  ( FIG. 1 ) to facilitate mounting enclosure  300  ( FIG. 1 ) to rack  200  ( FIG. 1 ). 
       FIG. 6  is a partial perspective view of one embodiment of pivot mechanism  130 . As shown, the pivot mechanism is coupled to mounting rail  150  and the base member  110 . 
       FIG. 7  is an exploded view of the pivot mechanism  130  of apparatus  100 . As shown, the pivot mechanism  130  ( FIG. 6 ) comprises a mount  136 , locking mechanism  137 , a locking handle  120 , and one or more mounting implements  139 . One with skill in the art may recognize that mounting implements  139  may include screws, rivets, or other mounting devices. In this embodiment, locking mechanism  137  and locking handle  120  combine to form a tongue-and-groove mechanism. Locking handle  120  comprises tongue portion  132 , and an aperture  142  formed in mount  136  comprises the groove portion of the tongue-and-groove mechanism. The tongue portion  132  is used as a locking pin for the locking mechanism  137  as described below. In this embodiment, locking handle  120  and tongue portion  132  are formed of a unitary structure, although it may be comprised of more than one piece. 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , base member  100  includes a locking handle slot  121  constructed and configured to receive locking handle  120 . Locking handle  120  is constructed and configured to be engageably coupled to locking mechanism  137  and able to move, within slot  121 , relative to apparatus  100 . In this embodiment, engagement spring  122  biases the tongue portion  132  into engagement with grooved portion of the aperture  142 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , locking mechanism  137  includes a disk  160  having slots  140   a ,  140   b  and axle  144 . A cable retention end cap  162  is coupled to disk  160 . Cable retention end cap  162  is configured to prevent interference to the locking mechanism  137  by cabling  320  ( FIG. 1 ). In this embodiment, locking mechanism  137  is formed of a unitary structure, although one with skill in the art may recognize there may be multiple ways to combine disk  160 , slots  140   a ,  140   b , and axle  144 . In this embodiment, axle  144  is formed from a raised portion of disk  160  to form a circular wall that is sized to fit and rotate within aperture  142 . Axle  144  includes a slot portion  152  within which tongue portion  132  is slidably housed. Axle  144  is housed within aperture  142  and is constructed and configured to allow base member  110  to rotate relative to the pivot mechanism  130  ( FIG. 6 ). Slots  140   a ,  140   b  facilitate the mounting of disk  160  of locking mechanism  137  to mount  136  using mount implements  139  and are configured to limit the range of rotation of base member  110  in relation to pivot mechanism  130  ( FIG. 6 ). 
       FIG. 8  is a side view of the pivot mechanism  130  in an embodiment of the invention. As shown in  FIG. 8 , tongue portion  132  of the locking handle  120 , engagement spring  122 , locking mechanism  137 , and mount  136  combine to control rotational movement of the base member  110  ( FIG. 7 ). The mount  136  has three grooves or locking receiver slots  134   a ,  134   b ,  134   c  configured and constructed to receive the tongue portion  132  of the locking handle  120 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , there are three levels of locking receiver slots  134   a ,  134   b ,  134   c ; wherein locking receiver slot  134   a  maintains the base member  110  ( FIG. 7 ) in a lower position, locking receiver slot  134   b  maintains base member  110  ( FIG. 7 ) in a level position, and locking receiver slot  134   c  maintains base member  110  ( FIG. 7 ) in an upper position. In this figure, the engagement spring  122  exerts a force upon the tongue portion  132  forcing the tongue portion  132  into locking receiver slot  134   b . Locking handle  120  may be moved in the direction denoted by the arrow  400  thereby causing the tongue portion  132  to move out of the locking receiver slots  134  to facilitate pivoting of the base member  110  ( FIG. 7 ). 
     In this embodiment, when the locking handle  120  is moved in the direction shown by arrow  400 , locking handle  120  disengages locking mechanism  137  within mount  136 , by removing the tongue portion  132  from locking receiver slot  134   b . When disengaged, the base member  110  ( FIG. 7 ) may move in an arc-like motion relative to the pivot mechanism  130 . When the locking mechanism  137  is engaged, thereby placing the tongue portion  132  in one of the locking receiver slots  134   a ,  134   b ,  134   c  of mount  136 , the base member  110  ( FIG. 7 ) is held in a fixed position relative to the pivot mechanism  130 . In other embodiments, apparatus  100  may utilize any number of locking receiver slots for fine-tuning the position of the apparatus. 
       FIG. 9  is a partial perspective view of the pivot mechanism  130 . As shown, the locking mechanism  137  has been disengaged by pulling locking handle  120  away from base member  110 , causing tongue portion  132  to be removed from locking receiver slot  134   b  of mount  136 . When locking handle  120  is pulled away from base member  110 , causing tongue portion  132  to be removed from locking receiver slot  134   b  of mount  136   a  warning indicator  165  is exposed to the user as a warning that the locking mechanism is not engaged, i.e, not in one of the three locked positions, and thus, the apparatus is capable of position changes. This helps to insure that the apparatus will not be left in an unengaged state. Base member  110  is shown being able to move in a direction denoted by arrow  134 , relative to the pivot mechanism  130 . Although the base member  110  is shown moving in a direction of arrow  135 , the base member is also enabled to move in a direction contrary to the direction of arrow  135 . 
       FIG. 10  is a further partial perspective view of the pivot mechanism. As shown in  FIG. 10 , the locking handle  120  has been released, thereby locking the locking mechanism  137  by placing the tongue portion  132  of the locking handle  120  into locking receiver slot  134   a  of mount  136 . In this embodiment, base member  110  is fixed in a lower position relative to the pivot mechanism  130 . 
       FIG. 11  is a partial interior perspective view of the pivot mechanism  130 . The locking handle  120  is shown in an engaged state; tongue portion  132  of locking handle  120  is in locking receiver slot  134   b  ( FIG. 10 ) of mount  136  ( FIG. 10 ). In this state, the base member  110  is held in a fixed position relative to the pivot mechanism  130 . As shown, the locking handle  120  is mounted to base member  110  within the locking handle slot  121 . In this embodiment, engagement spring  122  is shown positioned between the tongue portion  132  of locking handle  120  and the base member  110  in a manner that biases the tongue portion into one of the slots  134 . 
       FIGS. 12 and 13  are perspective views of apparatus  100  being used in combination with a rack  200  and enclosure  300 . In contrast to  FIG. 1 , wherein the base member  110  is in a first position in which tongue portion  132  of locking handle  120  is engaged with locking receiver slot  134   b  of the respective locking mechanism  137 , in both  FIGS. 12 and 13 , the base member  110  is held in a second position by the locking mechanism (not shown). In this second position base member  110  is pivoted downwardly, causing a first row of one or more components  310  to be accessible and therefore may be inserted, removed, or serviced without impedance from apparatus  100  or cables  320 . 
       FIGS. 14 and 15  are perspective views of apparatus  100  being used in combination with rack  200  and enclosure  300 . In both  FIGS. 14 and 15 , the base member  110  is placed into a third position, in contrast to the first position shown in  FIG. 1  and the second position shown in  FIGS. 12 and 13 . In this third position, base member  110  is pivoted upwardly, causing a second row of one or more components  310  to be accessible and therefore may be inserted, removed, or serviced without impedance from apparatus  100  or cables  320 . 
     Although the foregoing invention has been described in some detail for purposes of clarity of understanding, it may be apparent that certain changes and modifications may be practiced within the scope of the appended claims. For example, while the apparatus is described and shown as including two pivot mechanisms  130 , apparatus  100  could have a single pivot mechanism  130  at one end and a non-locking pivot mechanism at the opposite end. Further, base portion  110  could be mounted to pivot mechanism  130  via a parallelogram or similar configuration to enable upward and downward movement of base portion  110  without causing tilting of base portion  110 . The actual path of base portion  110  may be varied, as long as it is movable to positions that facilitate access to the components by moving the associated cables away from them. Accordingly, the present implementations are to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive, and this invention is not to be limited to the details given herein, but may be modified within the scope and equivalents of the appended claims. Numerous alternative embodiments within the scope of the appended claims will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. 
     In the foregoing specification, this invention has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments thereof. It may, however, be evident that various modifications and changes may be made to the specific exemplary embodiments without departing from the broader spirit and scope of this invention as set forth in the appended claims. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.