Abstract:
An electronic device that includes a housing that defines an envelope and that defines a horizontal routing channel within the envelope. A plurality of boards is arranged horizontally within the housing and at least one board includes input-output ports. At least one communication conduit is coupled to an input-output port. The boards that include input-output ports are recessed with respect to the envelope and are arranged such that the input-output ports are adjacent to the routing channel. Communication conduits are routed through the routing channel.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
         [0001]    NOT APPLICABLE  
         STATEMENT AS TO RIGHTS TO INVENTIONS MADE UNDER FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
         [0002]    NOT APPLICABLE  
         REFERENCE TO A “SEQUENCE LISTING,” A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING APPENDIX SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISK  
         [0003]    NOT APPLICABLE  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0005]    The present invention relates to a vertical enclosure for an electronic device, and more particularly, to a horizontally oriented enclosure for a network communications module that facilitates input-output cable management.  
           [0006]    2. Description of the Prior Art  
           [0007]    The amount of data communicated through networks, such as the Internet, is increasing dramatically. To meet the increased demand for network bandwidth, data networks that transfer data at faster and faster rates have been developed. As the new networks are developed, more and more equipment is required for handling the data transfer. Thus, telecommunications systems are becoming larger, more complex and greater in number.  
           [0008]    Such telecommunication systems generally include numerous telecommunication network modules within the system. These modules usually include various components in the form of circuit boards or modules, many of which are plug-in modules. Many of these modules provide input-output for the network communication module. These input-outputs couple the network communication modules to the overall network within the telecommunication system. Generally, communication conduits in the form of cables are used to couple the input-output ports on the network communication module to other network communication modules or components or to the telecommunication system or network.  
           [0009]    Generally, it is difficult to organize and manage the cables. This is especially true since the network communication modules have become increasingly more complex and therefore, require more cables. Furthermore, in order to provide easy access in interchangeability of plug-in modules, the cables are coupled to the front of the network communication module and thus, the cables are exposed to passersby. This leads to the problem of keeping the cables out of the way of passersby and avoiding having the cables inadvertently bumped and thereby decoupled from the network communication module.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0010]    The present invention provides an electronic device that includes a housing that defines an envelope and that defines a horizontal routing channel within the envelope. A plurality of boards is arranged horizontally within the housing and at least one board includes input-output ports. At least one communication conduit is coupled to an input-output port. The boards that include input-output ports are recessed with respect to the envelope and are arranged such that the input-output ports are adjacent to the routing channel. Communication conduits are routed through the routing channel.  
           [0011]    In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the electronic device is a network communications module and the plurality of boards include one network data processor, two input-output modules, including input-output ports, one multi-function card (MFC), and one power entry module.  
           [0012]    In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the electronic device includes a fan tray within the housing.  
           [0013]    In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, the power entry module and MFC are also adjacent to the routing channel.  
           [0014]    In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, the electronic device includes a cover that at least partially covers the routing channel.  
           [0015]    In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the envelope is in a range of 16.8-17.8 inches long, 4.5-5.5 inches deep and 10.5-11.5 inches high.  
           [0016]    In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the boards that are recessed are recessed in a range of 1.0-2.5 inches.  
           [0017]    In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the envelope is substantially 17.3 inches long, 5.0 inches deep and 11.0 inches high.  
           [0018]    Thus, the present invention provides an enclosure for an electronic device that facilitates placement and routing of cables coupled to the input-output ports. Additionally, an enclosure is provided that is compact and efficiently organized.  
           [0019]    The preferred exemplary embodiments of this invention will now be discussed in detail. These embodiments depict the novel and nonobvious electronic device arrangements and methods of this invention shown in the accompanying drawings, which are included for illustrative purposes only, with like numerals indicating like elements. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0020]    [0020]FIG. 1 depicts a simplified block diagram of a telecommunications system; and  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an electronic device, such as a network communication module, in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0022]    [0022]FIG. 1 depicts a simplified block diagram of a telecommunications system  2  according to one embodiment of the present invention. Telecommunications system  2  includes end customer devices  4 , access equipment  6 , aggregators  8 , and a network  10 .  
         [0023]    End customer devices  4  are computing devices, such as personal computers (PCs), workstations, personal digital assistants (PDAs), cellular phones, personal PCs, and the like, that communicate data. The data are transmitted to access equipment system  6  through communication lines.  
         [0024]    Access equipment systems  6  aggregate and multiplex the data received from end customer devices  4 . Examples of access equipment systems  6  include digital subscriber line access multiplexer (DSLAM), multiplexers, etc. Data received at access equipment systems  6  are then sent to aggregators  8 . Data from a single access equipment system  6  are typically sent in a specific data format and a specific data rate. For example, the data formats include SONET/SDH (OC3, OC12, OC48, etc.), DS3/E3, Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet, etc. Data in these formats are also transferred at various data rates, where a fixed data rate is associated with a format.  
         [0025]    Aggregator  8  receives the data from access equipment systems  6  in the different formats. Aggregator  8  processes the data in the different formats and may send the data to one or more other aggregators  8 . Data may be sent in different formats than the received data format. Data are then sent to access equipment system  6  and to another end customer  4  through network  10 . Network  10  may be any network, such as the Internet.  
         [0026]    A plurality of network communication modules  12  are provided within network  10  to receive data from a variety of ports. Network communications modules  12  generally are in the form of computer-type devices that include a housing with a plurality of electronic circuit boards or cards. Many of these are in the form of plug-in modules that are slid into guides within the housing. The plug-in modules are often latched into place to secure them within the guides.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 2 illustrates an electric device  100  in accordance with the present invention. The device includes a housing  110  that defines an envelope  111 . The envelope is defined by dimensions H, L, and D. The device includes a plurality of electronic circuit boards or cards. Many of these are in the form of plug-in modules that are usually removable and interchangeable.  
         [0028]    In a preferred embodiment, the electronic device is a network communications module  12  and thus, includes a network data processor  112 , plug-in modules  113 , a power entry modules  114 , and a multifunction card  115 . A fan tray  116  including a fan (not shown) is also preferably included. As can be seen, the fan tray is preferably located near one side  119   a  of the network communications module and includes an inlet  117 . An exhaust  118  is located on opposite side  119   b  of the device. Thus, the fan intakes air from side  119   a  of the device and moves it across the boards of the device. The air exits out of the exhaust on side  119   b.    
         [0029]    Some of the boards include input/output terminals  120 . Thus, communication conduits  121 , preferably in the form of cables or wires, are coupled to the input/output ports. The communication conduits are then routed to other devices or to network  10  so that the network communication modules may communicate with the telecommunication system.  
         [0030]    As can be seen in FIG. 2, a routing channel  130  is defined by the housing. Thus, boards with input/output ports are recessed within the envelope defined by the electronic device. Other boards may also be adjacent the routing channel, and therefore recessed. In the example illustrated in FIG. 2, plug-in modules  113  that include input/output ports and power module  114  are recessed in addition to the multifunction card  115 , which may include input/output ports.  
         [0031]    The routing channel is substantially horizontal. This allows for routing of communication conduits  121  to either side of the electronic device, or even over the top of the electronic device.  
         [0032]    Thus, communication conduits  121  coupled to input/output ports  120  on the electronic device are routed through a portion of the routing channel. Thus, the communication conduits are not exposed outside the envelope of the electronic device. This helps prevent the communication conduits from being accidentally bumped or torn from the input/output ports. Additionally, the routing channel helps in the organization and arrangement of the communication conduits.  
         [0033]    Housing  110  generally includes a top wall  130 , a bottom wall  131 , rear wall  132 , two front walls  133   a ,  133   b  and an intermediate wall  134 . These walls, including side walls  119   a ,  119   b , are preferably stamped or cut from sheet metal.  
         [0034]    An example of dimensions for the envelope are in a range of 10½″-11½″ deep, with 11 inches being a preferred depth; 16.8″-17.8″ long, with 17.3 inches being a preferred length; and 4.5″-5.5″ high, with 5 inches being a preferred height.  
         [0035]    The above description is illustrative but not restrictive. Many variations of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the disclosure. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined not with reference to the above description, but instead should be determined with reference to the pending claims along with their full scope or equivalents.