Abstract:
A cable support device for use in combination with equipment to which multiple electrical and/or fiber-optic cables are connected, such as computer or telecommunications equipment, comprises a frame and one or more cable-support bars. The cable support bars are typically aligned in generally parallel relation proximal to a connector panel of the equipment for supporting the cables. A first end of each bar is slidably supported by the frame for movement from a closed position spanning across the connector panel, toward an open position affording access to the equipment. When in the closed position, a second end of each bar is preferably engaged in a bracket of the frame, which provides added support for the bar and prevents inadvertent opening thereof.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/466,759, filed Apr. 29, 2003, which is incorporated herein by reference. 

   TECHNICAL FIELD 
   This application relates to cable support devices, particularly devices for supporting electrical and fiber-optic cables emanating from rack-mounted computer and telecommunications equipment such as switches, concentrators, routers, and servers, for example. 
   BACKGROUND 
   Network switches and other computer and telecommunications equipment are commonly stacked in a floor-standing metal chassis or along a backplane. The units of equipment may be stacked in a vertical direction or a horizontal direction. Each piece of equipment may have multiple ports, typically in the form of plug or socket connectors arranged on a connector panel of the equipment. For example, each unit of equipment in the stack may include 48 socket connectors of the RJ-45 or RJ-11 type, arranged in a compact array in groups of six or twelve. Connector panels may have any of a variety of other port layouts and connector types and quantities, from a single port to many dozens of ports. 
   It is known to provide support structures adjacent the connector panel of an equipment stack for organizing the many cables emanating from the ports, to help avoid tangles and prevent damage or inadvertent disconnection. Most known cable support devices comprise rigid structures that are not adjustable. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,686,541 of Chan discloses an adjustable cable management device including a cable channel that is rotatably mounted, via a bracket, to a surface such as an equipment enclosure rail. The cable channel can be manually rotated on the bracket to allow service access to an area of the equipment enclosure normally covered by the cable channel. When the cable channel is rotated, it may tend to subject the cables to bending and tension forces, which may increase the risk of cable and connection failure. 
   The present inventors have recognized a need for an improved cable support device. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a cable support rack in accordance with a preferred embodiment; 
       FIG. 2  is an elevation view of the cable support rack of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the cable support rack of  FIG. 1 , the broken lines illustrating how a support bar of the cable support rack is disengaged from a hangar bracket of the rack and slidably retracted away from the hangar bracket; 
       FIG. 4  is a pictorial view of the cable support rack of  FIG. 1  in use with computer network equipment in an equipment rack; 
       FIG. 5  is a pictorial view of the cable support rack of  FIG. 4  (cabling omitted), shown with the support bars retracted to allow a cooling fan module to be slidably removed from the equipment rack; and 
       FIG. 6  is an isometric view of a vertical cable support rack in accordance with an alternative embodiment. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIGS. 1-3  are respective isometric, elevation, and plan views of a cable support rack  10  in accordance with a preferred embodiment. With reference to  FIGS. 1-3 , cable support rack  10  includes a frame  14  supporting multiple cable support bars  20  in spaced-apart, generally parallel relation. Cable support bars  20  are preferably oriented horizontally and spaced apart along a vertical plane, as depicted in  FIGS. 1-3 . However, in alternative embodiments, cable support bars  20  may be oriented vertically and spaced apart at horizontal intervals, or oriented in another configuration. 
     FIG. 4  is a perspective view of support rack  10  in use with a stack of equipment  24  for supporting multiple electrical and/or fiber-optic cables  26  connected to a connector panel  28  of equipment  24 . Equipment  24  may typically include computer and/or telecommunications equipment, such as switches, routers, servers, concentrators, and the like. Equipment  24  may also comprise other kinds of equipment to which wires and/or cables are connected, such as audio equipment, video equipment, broadcasting equipment, patch panels, test-and-measurement equipment, and any other kind of equipment that includes a connector panel to which electrical and/or fiber-optic cables are connected. Equipment  24  may include a stack of equipment units (such as “blades”), which are stacked in a vertical or horizontal stack. 
   With reference to  FIGS. 1-4 , frame  14  includes first and second sections  32  and  34 , respectively, spaced apart a distance “W” ( FIG. 2 ) approximately corresponding to the width of connector panel  28  (FIG.  4 ). Sections  32  and  34  of frame  14  are preferably formed of sheet metal, bent and punched to improve structural rigidity and to provide mounting surfaces, guideways, and brackets, as detailed below. In alternative embodiments (not shown), frame  14  may be formed of materials other than sheet metal and in other configurations. For example, frames, guideways, brackets and mounting surfaces may be formed of plastic, composites, metal wires, or machined metal parts. Sections  32  and  34  may also be made as part of a unitary or composite structure with a chassis, cabinet, or other structural members bridging distance W. 
   In the preferred embodiment, frame sections  32  and  34  include mounting flanges  36  and  38 , respectively, which include mounting holes or slots  40  for attaching frame sections  32  and  34  to equipment  24  or to a chassis (not shown), which may also support equipment  24 . The frame sections  32  and  34  further include opposing outwardly-extending walls  42  and  44  that provide spacing between bars  20  and equipment  24 . Walls  42  and  44  are folded back over themselves along their outer margins to form U-shaped regions  46  and  48 , which have enhanced strength and rigidity and provide a platform for brackets and guides for supporting bars  20  thereon, as described below. 
   A set of guides  50  are provided in U-shaped region  46  of first frame section  32 . Guides  50  include a plurality of primary guide holes  54 , spaced apart along first frame section  32  for supporting bars  20  at their first ends  58 . Second frame section  34  includes a bracket  60  along its outer margin, including a plurality of slots  64  formed therein for supporting a second end  66  of bars  20  when bars  20  are in a closed position, as shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  4 . Slots  64  include enlarged, T-shaped openings  68  sized to receive and engage an oversized head  70  of each bar  20 , to thereby prevent bars  20  from being inadvertently moved along their longitudinal axes  74 . Primary guide holes  54  and slots  64  are aligned at like intervals so that they cooperate to support the bars  20  in a horizontal orientation and spaced apart at vertical intervals along a vertical plane generally parallel to connector panel  28 . The spacing intervals preferably correspond to the thickness of the units in the stack of equipment  24  so that the cables  26  connected to a particular unit in the stack are supported on their own bar  20 . This arrangement relieves the equipment&#39;s ports  90  ( FIG. 5 ) and cable connectors from the stress of downward pulling force otherwise imparted by the weight of the cables  26 . Providing a bar  20  for each unit of equipment in the stack  24  also provides a resting place for the cables  26  of each unit, so that when a unit is disconnected from its cables  26  and pulled from the stack for replacement, the weight of the disconnected cables is prevented from being transferred to the cables and ports below. Bars  20  also maintain a spacing between groups of cables  26 , in the vicinity of connector panel  28 , which may facilitate service and removal of units in the stack of equipment  24 . Thus, cable support rack  10  significantly reduces the risk of mechanical failure of equipment  24 , its ports  90  (FIG.  5 ), and the cables  26 , reduces downtime of equipment  24 , and improves utilization. Bars  20  also help to maintain the organization of cables  26  to facilitate reconnection of cables  20  upon replacement of a unit of equipment in the stack  24 . 
   Bars  20  span between first and second sections  32  and  34  of frame  14  when in the closed position, as shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  4 , but are slidably supported by guides  50  to allow bars  20  to be slidably retracted toward an open position ( FIG. 5 ) to facilitate access to equipment  24 . For example, to retract second end  66  of bars  20  from second section  34  of frame  14 , the oversized head  70  is first disengaged from slot  64  by moving second end  66  outwardly in direction “A” (FIG.  3 ), followed by sliding of bar  20  in lateral direction “B”, wherein direction A is different from direction B and generally transverse thereto. Sliding of bars  20  in direction B involves movement of each bar  20  along its longitudinal axis  74 . Bars  20  are preferably movable independently, but may optionally be grouped together by a coupling member (not shown) for opening and closing bars  20  in tandem. 
   Guides  50  include a set of secondary guide holes  78  spaced apart from the set of primary guide holes  54 . Secondary guide holes  78  are spaced apart from each other at intervals such that primary and secondary guide holes  78  and  54  are grouped in pairs. When bars  20  are moved laterally toward the open position, first end  58  of bar  20  is threaded through its secondary guide hole  78 , as depicted by phantom lines  80  of FIG.  3 . In this arrangement, both of the pair of primary and secondary guide holes  54  and  78  provide support for bar  20 , to thereby prevent its second end  66  from flopping outwardly or downwardly relative to frame  14  and to provide support for cables  26  when bar  20  is in the open position. Secondary guide holes  78  are preferably offset relative to a line  84  intersecting primary guide hole  54  and slot  64  (line  84  is coincident with longitudinal axis  74  of bars  20  when in the closed position)—i.e., secondary guide holes  78  are preferably shifted a slight distance “D” ( FIG. 2 ) relative to primary guide holes  54 , and preferably approximately 1/16 inch below line  84 . Offsetting secondary guide holes  78  causes bars  20  to be held at a slight incline when moved to the open position, which tends to offset a cantilever bending deflection of second ends  66  that is expected to occur under the load of cables  26 . Primary and secondary guide holes  54  and  78  are preferably lined with plastic grommets  88  ( FIG. 5 ) to reduce friction and provide a sliding fit for bars  20 . 
     FIG. 5  is a perspective view of cable support rack  10  installed adjacent a connector panel  128  of an Ethernet switch  124 . In  FIG. 5 , cables  26  are omitted for clarity.  FIG. 5  depicts bars  20  slidably moved in direction B to the open position, to allow manual access to Ethernet switch equipment  124  and, in particular, to allow replacement and servicing of a transverse fan module  130  of the type included with widely-used Series 4000, 5000, and 6000 Ethernet switches sold by Cisco Systems, Inc., San Jose, Calif., USA. 
     FIG. 6  is an isometric view of a vertical cable support rack  210  in accordance with an alternative embodiment useful with equipment  224  stacked in a horizontal stack. With reference to  FIG. 6 , rack  210  includes a frame  214  including an upper frame portion  232  and a lower frame portion  234 . Upper and lower frame portions  232  and  234  include a plurality of guide holes  250  spaced apart therealong in alignment for holding multiple cable support bars  220  in a vertical orientation and spaced apart in a horizontal direction. Each cable support bar is provided with a sliding friction collar  268 , which is adjusted along the length of bar  220  after or concurrently with upward movement of bar  220  in direction B, to thereby retain bar  220  in an open position. Collars  268  may be frictionally coupled to bars  220  and not to upper frame portion  234 , so that they may be manually adjusted when desired. Alternatively, collars  268  may be secured in holes  250  of upper frame portion  234 . Heads  270  of bars  220  are oversized to provide a stop that limits the downward motion of bars  220 . 
   It will be obvious to those having skill in the art that many changes may be made to the details of the above-described embodiments without departing from the underlying principles of the invention. The scope of the present invention should, therefore, be determined only by the following claims.