Abstract:
A gangable conduit management device includes a body for housing a conduit, the body having an interior portion for receiving the conduit, an exterior portion having a first connection device on a first side thereof and a second connection device on a second side thereof and retention means for retaining the conduit within the body. The first connection device includes a male connector portion and the second connection device includes a female connector portion.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed generally to an apparatus for organizing and identifying a conduit or multiple conduits and, more particularly, to a device for connecting and managing cables used in electronic systems. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Many electrical systems are comprised of devices that are interconnected via electronic cables. These cables may be used to provide electric power to the systems, or may carry data to and from the systems. In a data storage array system, for example, the individual components within that array may be interconnected by Ethernet or fiber optic data cables, and that array may be connected to other arrays via similar cables. The individual cables in these systems may look similar to one another, may be numerous in quantity, may run in the same direction and connect to an array of ports on a device in a relatively tight space. Often, a need arises to temporarily disconnect, or replace one or more of these cables, to perform a system upgrade or repair, for example. A device that organizes and identifies where these cables were previously connected can be useful in restoring the system back to the proper state upon completion of the upgrade or repair. 
     Conventional methods of managing these cables may, at their simplest, involve the application of identifying labels to the cables exterior surface once the conduits are initially installed in the system. Another method used to manage these cables is to gather the cables in groups using a cable management device. The cable management device that bundles the cables in this fashion would have a predetermined number of locations or slots to receive the cables of predetermined size. Organizing the cables in this manner can help a user identify, by group, which cables were connected next to each other on a particular area of the system, and in which order (from left to right for example). A disadvantage to such a device is that it is not ideal for applications where the user requires more, or fewer, conduits than the predetermined number of locations provided on that cable management device. A cable management device that has four total slots, for example, would allow one to manage up to four cables, and so might have empty or blank slots if the user did not require four cables for the application. Similarly, using the example above, a user with five total cables would then have to split the desired cable group into at least two smaller groups to make room for the fifth cable. An additional disadvantage to the prior art is that it is not flexible to cables of varying size. For example, in the prior art, the user would not have the flexibility to manage several cables of one diameter, and several cables of a vastly different diameter using the same cable management device. Instead, using the prior art method, two different cable management devices each specifically designed for the cables of the particular size would be required, thus forcing a grouping by size rather than how they are being installed in the system. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A gangable conduit management device is disclosed that allows the user to identify and organize electrical cables present in data storage arrays. Each conduit management device can provide a labeling surface, and can receive one or more cables of varying sizes. The conduit management device has a retention mechanism that prevents the device from sliding along the cable. The exterior surface of the conduit management device is designed with connection features so that it can be connected to neighboring cable management devices on either side, allowing the cables to be organized in groups or “ganged” as they are installed in the system. The grouping of cables in this fashion allows the user to more efficiently and accurately service the data storage array, by providing a means of insuring consistency in the connections of the cables. The gangable nature of the conduit management device allows a user to easily remove cables from the group if they become unnecessary in the application by disconnecting the conduit management device from adjacent devices. Similarly, the user can add additional cables to the group by attaching additional conduit management devices. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other features will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description when read together with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a single conduit management device in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIGS. 2A and 2B  are perspective views of a conduit management device having its conduit retention mechanism in the open position, and a conduit management device having its conduit retention mechanism in the closed position, in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIGS. 3A-3C  are perspective views of a conduit management device with a cable installed and its conduit retention mechanism in the open position, and multiple views of a conduit management device with a cable installed and its conduit retention mechanism in the closed position, in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIGS. 4A and 4B  are perspective views of labeling surfaces of open and closed conduit management devices in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIGS. 5A-5E  are perspective views of a single cable management device with a cable installed, showing the operation of the conduit retention mechanism as the device is transitioned from an open position to a closed position in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of three conduit management devices, showing two devices ganged together, with the third in position to be connected to the ganged pair of devices in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is another perspective view of three conduit management devices, showing two devices ganged together, with the third in position to be connected to the ganged pair of devices in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a top view of multiple cables of an electronic device ganged together with conduit management devices, in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIGS. 9A and 9B  are perspective views of an alternative embodiment of a conduit management device, in accordance with the present invention; and 
         FIG. 10A  is a top view and  FIGS. 10B-10D  are side views of an alternative embodiment of a conduit management device, in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present invention addresses problems with conduit management devices in the prior art, with a device that provides the user increased flexibility and granularity with respect to conduit quantity and conduit size. 
     Shown in  FIG. 1  is a single conduit management device  10 . In one embodiment, conduit management device  10  is molded into a single piece from a material such as polypropylene, which enables the device  10  to be rigid, but also flexible where needed. It will be understood that any material that enables the device  10  to operate in the manner described may be used in the fabrication of the device. 
     Conduit management device  10  includes a body portion  12 , which is generally U-shaped to form a channel  14  between sides  13   a  and  13   b  of body portion  12 . Device  10  includes a conduit retention mechanism  16  shown in its open position, which is attached to body portion  12  via a molded hinge  18  to side  13   a . Retention mechanism  16  has a retention spring device  20 , attached to retention mechanism  16  via a flex point  22 , that can travel in and out of relief slot  23 , and that exerts pressure against the installed conduit (not shown in  FIG. 1 ), such that the device  10  is adequately secured to the installed conduit to prevent it from sliding. The operation of spring device  20  is described in greater detail below with reference to  FIGS. 5A-5E . Mechanism  16  further includes locking mechanism having a tab  28  and a barb  30 . As described below, when conduit retention mechanism  16  is rotated about its hinge  18  to retain an installed conduit (not shown in  FIG. 1 ), the barb  30  engages a ridge  32  on side  13   b  of the device  10 , providing the conduit retention mechanism  16  a means of maintaining the closed position. 
     Device  10  further includes male connectors  24  (one of which is not visible in  FIG. 1 ) attached to side  13   a  and female connectors  26  attached to side  13   b . In this embodiment, male connectors  24  are a ball device and female connectors  26  are sockets into which the ball devices are inserted. As shown in  FIG. 1 , male connector  24  includes flexible wings  36 , which are able to deflect when inserted into sockets  26  to provide a secure connection between devices. In an alternative embodiment, male connectors  24  are solid balls and sockets  26  can have flexible walls therein which are able to deflect when a male connector  24  is inserted into a socket  26  to provide a secure connection between devices. 
       FIG. 2A  depicts two devices ( 10   a  and  10   b ), as described with respect to  FIG. 1 . Devices  10   a  and  10   b  are positioned beside one another, each with no conduits installed. The conduit retention mechanism  16   b  of device  10   b  has been rotated approximately 180 degrees upon its hinge  18   b  into the closed position, illustrating how it would close over a conduit (not shown in  FIG. 2B ) that would be installed in the device&#39;s channel  14   b . The device  10   a  is shown with two male connectors  24   a  on one side  13   a  ( FIG. 1 ) of the exterior surface and two female connectors  26   a  on the opposite side  13   b  ( FIG. 1 .) of the exterior surface. 
     Interconnection of devices  10   a  and  10   b  is achieved by first aligning, then inserting, in the direction of arrow  40  of  FIG. 3B , male connectors  24   b  of device  10   b  to corresponding female connectors  26   a  of device  10   a  of  FIG. 3A . 
       FIG. 3A  again shows devices  10   a  and  10   b  from  FIG. 2 , but each with a single conduit  38   a  and  38   b  installed in each of the inner surface conduit channels  14   a  and  14   b , respectively. While conduit  38   a  is installed in device  10   a , the conduit retention mechanism  16   a  of that device is still in the fully opened position.  FIG. 3B  shows device  10   b  positioned beside device  10   a , with a conduit  38   b  installed, but with its conduit retention mechanism  16   b  in the fully closed position. This illustrates how the device  10   b  is secured tight against the conduit  38   b , due to the pressure that retention spring device  20   b  exerts upon the conduit  38   b . Relief slot  23   b  provides spring retention feature  20   b  room for displacement that can vary based on the size of conduit  38   b . In other words, with smaller diameter cables in channel  14 , the spring device  20  will deflect less into slot  23  than it would in the case of a larger diameter cable. By allowing spring device  20  to deflect as necessary into slot  23 , cables of varying diameters can be retained in device  10  by retention mechanism  16 . 
       FIG. 4A  and  FIG. 4B  show a view from the opposite side of that shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3B , illustrating the labeling surfaces  34   a  and  34   b  provided on the cable management devices  10   a  and  10   b  of  FIG. 2 . These labeling surfaces allow the user to identify the conduit onto which each conduit management device is attached before or after the devices  10   a  and  10   b  have been installed over the conduits  38   a  and  38   b , respectively. The labeling surfaces  34   a  and  34   b  can include various identification indicia and are designed such that they can receive identifying information, such as silk-screened text, ink markings, and or adhesive backed pre-printed label/s. The design does not preclude molding into the device surface the desired label content (i.e. text, symbols etc. . . . ). 
       FIGS. 5A through 5E  illustrate the operation of the retention mechanism  16  of conduit management device  10  as it is attached to conduit  38 .  FIG. 5A  shows device  10  with conduit retention mechanism  16  in the fully opened position, including hinge  18 , a retention spring device  20 , relief slot  23 , tab  28  and barb  30 .  FIG. 5B  shows device  10  with cable retention mechanism  16  rotated upon its hinge  18  to a partially closed position.  FIG. 5C  shows the cable retention mechanism  16  closed further still, with retention spring device  20  just coming into contact with conduit  38 .  FIG. 5D  shows the conduit retention mechanism  16  almost fully closed and the retention spring device  20  being displaced upward, through relief slot  23  in the conduit retention mechanism  16 . Barb  30  of mechanism  16  begins contact with ridge  32 . Finally,  FIG. 5E  shows the cable retention device in the fully closed position, with barb  30  (not visible in  FIG. 5E ) retained underneath ridge  32 , and retention spring device  20  exerting pressure on conduit  38  to secure the conduit management device  10  to the conduit  38 . To open retention mechanism  16  to remove the conduit management device  10  from the conduit  38 , tab  28  of retention mechanism  16  is pressed in the direction shown by arrow  29 , to release the barb  30  (not shown in  FIG. 5E ) from ridge  32 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 5A-5E , retention spring device  20 , in combination with relief slot  23 , enable the device  10  to accommodate conduits of varying sizes. Smaller diameter conduits will cause retention spring device  20  to deflect into relief slot  23  less than larger diameter conduits. However, the retention spring device  20  is configured to exert sufficient pressure on the conduit to prevent the device from easily sliding along the conduit. This further enables device  10  to accommodate multiple smaller diameter conduits in a single device. 
       FIG. 6  shows devices  10   a  and  10   b  already ganged together, with a third device  10   c  positioned so that it can be connected to the existing ganged pair of devices  10   a  and  10   b.    
       FIG. 7  shows a view from the opposite side of that shown in  FIG. 6 , showing the label surfaces  34   a - 34   c  of each devices  10   a - 10   c , and illustrating how a user is provided the flexibility to add an additional cable  38   c  to the already ganged group of two cables  38   a  and  38   b , by first installing a device  10   c  on the third cable  38   c , and then connecting that device to the ganged pair of devices  10   a  and  10   b.    
       FIG. 8  shows four devices ganged together ( 10   a - 10   d ), managing a total of 6 cables ( 44   a  and  44   b ,  46   a - 46   d ) connected to an electronic device  48 . For illustration purposes, devices  10   a  and  10   b  are labeled, CS 1  and CS 2 , respectively. These devices are each installed, for example, on larger dimension Ethernet cables  44   a  and  44   b . For illustration purposes, devices  10   b  and  10   c  are labeled CS 3  and CS 4 , respectively. These devices are each installed, for example, over pairs of smaller diameter fiber optic cables  46   a ,  46   b  and  46   c ,  46   d , respectively. All 6 cables are ganged together via the interconnection of the four devices  10   a - 10   d , by male connectors  24  and female connectors  26 , as described above. 
     While the male connection features  24   a  and  24   b  have been described and illustrated as being ball devices, and the female connection features  26   a  and  26   b  have been described and illustrated as being socket devices in this embodiment, it should be understood that any connection features that provide a mated connection between devices  10  is contemplated as reasonable alternatives to this design. Device  50  of  FIG. 9A  is one example of such an alternate embodiment, with interconnecting points shaped as male interlocking tabs  54   a  and  54   b  ( FIG. 9B ) and female interlocking tabs  56   a  and  56   b  ( FIG. 9B ). Device  50   b  is connected to device  50   a  by aligning the devices as shown in  FIG. 9B  and sliding device  50   b  in the direction shown by arrow  55  to lock male tabs  54   a  and  54   b  of device  50   b  with female tabs  56   a  and  56   b  of device  50   a . To unlock the devices, lever  52  is pressed in the direction shown by arrow  53 , to release male tab  54   a  of device  50   a  from female tab  56   a  of device  50   a , and sliding device  50   b  in the direction opposite that show by arrow  55 . 
     Yet another embodiment is device  58  shown in  FIGS. 10A-10C . Device  58  includes a male T-shaped connection tab  60 , and female connecting slot  62 . As shown in  FIG. 10D , to connect devices  58   a  and  58   b , tab  60  of device  58   a  is inserted into slot  62  of device  58   b  and device  58   b  is rotated to align it with device  58   a  and to lock the devices to each other. 
     In addition, while the devices  10   a  and  10   b  in  FIG. 2A  and  FIG. 2B  each illustrate two connection points (i.e. two male balls and two female sockets) per device, it is contemplated that the design could be modified with ease to contain a single connection point, or connection points in excess of two. 
     Finally, while the conduit retention mechanism  16  of  FIG. 1  is shown as integrated and permanently attached via a molded hinge  18 , it is contemplated that it can be designed, instead, as an independent and removable mechanism that would be joined to the conduit management device  10  via various other mechanisms such as mechanical interference. 
     Accordingly, a gangable conduit management device is disclosed that allows the user to identify and organize electrical cables present in data storage arrays. Each conduit management device can provide a labeling surface, and can receive one or more cables of varying sizes. The conduit management device has a retention mechanism that prevents the device from sliding along the cable. The exterior surface of the conduit management device is designed with connection features so that it can be connected to neighboring cable management devices on either side, allowing the cables to be organized in groups or “ganged” as they are installed in the system. The grouping of cables in this fashion allows the user to more efficiently and accurately service the data storage array, by providing a means of insuring consistency in the connections of the cables. The gangable nature of the conduit management device allows a user to easily remove cables from the group if they become unnecessary in the application by disconnecting the conduit management device from adjacent devices. Similarly, the user can add additional cables to the group by attaching additional conduit management devices. 
     The system may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. For example, although the conduits described and shown have been described as electrical cables used with electronic devices, it will be understood that any type of conduit may be ganged with the conduit management device described herein, such as tubing for transporting fluids, etc. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope thereof being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of the equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.