Abstract:
A cable management apparatus for managing a switch cable includes a mounting bracket, a resilient member fixed to the mounting bracket, and a number of positioning members mounted to the mounting bracket. The switch cable is positioned between the resilient member and the positioning members, and stretched by the resilient member, thereby extending sinuously along a lengthwise direction of the mounting bracket. A rear end of the switch cable is retained to the mounting bracket.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to a cable management mechanism. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     An electronic device, such as a server, generally includes a power module to distribute electrical power to function components of the electronic device. For easy manipulation, the power module is mounted to a chassis of the server, accessible from a front end of the chassis, and connected to a power source with a switch cable extending out of the chassis. However, the switch cable may interfere with the function components in the chassis if the switch cable is not properly arranged. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the present embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, all the views are schematic, and like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded, isometric view of an embodiment of a cable management mechanism, including two switch cables and a chassis. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded, isometric view of the cable management mechanism of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is assembled view of the cable management mechanism, the switch cables, the chassis, and two power modules. 
         FIG. 4  is similar to  FIG. 3 , with the power modules removed. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present disclosure, including the accompanying drawings, is illustrated by way of examples and not by way of limitation. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , an exemplary embodiment of a cable management mechanism is mounted to a chassis  100  of a server, to manage two switch cables  300 . 
     The chassis  100  includes a base and a cover  103 . The base includes a bottom wall  101 , and a sidewall  102  perpendicularly extending from a side of the bottom wall  101 . Two notches  1021  are defined in a front end of the sidewall  102 . The bottom wall  101  defines a plurality of through holes (not shown in the drawings) adjacent to the sidewall  102 . The sidewall  102  also defines a plurality of through holes (not labeled). The cover  103  defines a plurality of through holes (not labeled) adjacent to a side of the cover  103 . 
     Each of the switch cables  300  includes a first connector  301  and a second connector  302  at opposite ends of the switch cable  300 . A positioning ring  303  is fixed about the switch cable  300 . The first connector  301  is substantially U-shaped. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the cable management mechanism includes a mounting bracket  10 , a resilient member  20 , four first guiding members  30   a , and four second guiding members  30   b.    
     The mounting bracket  10  includes a first side plate  11   a , a second side plate  11   b  parallel to and away from the first side plate  11   a , and a connecting portion  11   c  perpendicularly connected between a rear end of the first side plate  11   a  and a front end of the second side plate  11   b . Two fixing plates  12  perpendicularly extend from top and bottom sides of each of the first side plate  11   a  and the second side plate  11   b . The width of each of the fixing plates  12  is slightly greater than the diameter of each of the switch cables  100 . Three substantially L-shaped front end plates  13  extend from a front end of the first side plate  11   a . Two fixing units  14  extend from a rear end of the second side plate  11   b , and are respectively adjacent to top and bottom of the second side plate  11   b . A tab  112  perpendicularly extends from a middle of the first side plate  11   a , and is parallel to the fixing plates  12 . Two connecting holes  1121  are defined in the tab  112 . Two retaining rings  114  extend from the first side plate  11   a , and are adjacent to the second side plate  11   b , respectively above and below the tab  112 . Two clips  116  are attached to the second side plate  11   b , adjacent to the rear end of the second side plate  11   b , and respectively above and below the tab  112 . Four of a total eight positioning holes  117  are defined in the first side plate  11   a , above the tab  112 . Two of the holes  117  are arranged adjacent to the tab  112 , the other two holes  117  are arranged respectively adjacent to the front and the rear ends of the first side plate  11   a . The other four positioning holes  117  are defined in the first side plate  11   a , below the tab  112 , and symmetrical to the corresponding positioning holes  117  above the tab  112  relative to the tab  112 . Each of the fixing plates  12  defines a plurality of fixing holes  121 . Each of the front end plates  13  includes a first segment  131  perpendicularly extending from the first side plate  11   a , and a second segment  132  extending rearwards from a distal end of the first segment  131  away from the first side plate  11   a . The second segment  132  defines a fixing hole  135 . Two positioning slots  136  are respectively defined between every two adjacent front end plates  13 . Each of the fixing units  14  includes a first segment  142  perpendicularly extending from the second side plate  11   b , and a second segment  144  extending forwards from a distal end of the first segment  142  far away from the second side plate  11   b . Each second segment  144  defines a fixing hole  146 . 
     The resilient member  20  is a substantially X-shaped spring strip, and includes a mounting portion  21  and two substantially V-shaped resilient arms  22  extending from opposite ends of the mounting portion  21 . Two securing holes  211  are defined in the mounting portion  21 . Distal ends of the arms  22  are curled. 
     Each of the first guiding members  30   a  includes a pin  31   a  and a sleeve  33   a  encircling the pin  31   a . The second guiding members  30   b  are as same as the first guiding members  30   a . Each of the guiding members  30   b  includes a pin  31   b  and a sleeve  33   b  encircling the pin  31   b.    
     In assembly, the pins  31   a  of the first guiding members  30   a  are respectively secured in the four positioning holes  117  above the tab  112 . The pins  31   b  of the second guiding members  30   b  are respectively secured in the four positioning holes  117  below the tab  112 . The resilient member  20  is mounted to the first side plate  11   a , with two fasteners (not labeled) extending through the corresponding securing holes  211  of the mounting portion  21  of the resilient member  20  and fixed in the corresponding connecting holes  1121  of the tab  112 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 1  again, the switch cables  300  are attached to the cable management mechanism. Tail portions of the second connectors  302  of the switch cables  300  are clipped by the corresponding clips  116 , and head portions of the second connectors  302  are sandwiched between the fixing units  14 . The switch cables  300  are attached to the retaining rings  114 , with the positioning rings  303  on the switch cables  300  clipped by the retaining rings  114 . The switch cables  300  extend through a passage between one first guiding member  30   a  and one corresponding second guiding member  30   b  adjacent to the retaining rings  114 , respectively resisting against a bottom of the first guiding member  30   a  and a top of the second guiding member  30   b . The switch cables  300  are respectively attached to top and bottom of one of the resilient arms  22  of the resilient member  20 , and then respectively sandwiched between the mounting portion  21  of the resilient member  20  and the first and second guiding members  30   a  and  30   b  adjacent to the tab  112 . The switch cables  300  are also respectively attached to top and bottom of the other resilient arm  22  of the resilient member  20 . The switch cables  300  extend through a passage between one first guiding member  30   a  and one corresponding second guiding member  30   b  adjacent to the front plates  13 , respectively resting against a bottom of the first guiding member  30   a  and a top of the second guiding member  30   b . The switch cables  300  respectively extend through the corresponding positioning slots  136 , with the first connectors  301  extending out of the mounting bracket  10 . The switch cables  300  extend sinuously along a lengthwise direction of the mounting bracket  10 . Furthermore, the switch cables  300  will not abraded by resilient member  20  because the distal ends of the resilient arms  22  are curled. 
     The mounting bracket  10  is attached to the inside of the sidewall  102  of the chassis  100  with the switch cables  300  arranged between the sidewall  102  and the mounting bracket  10 . The first connectors  301  of the switch cables  300  extend out from the front end of the chassis  100 . A plurality of fasteners is fixed in the through holes of the bottom wall  101  of the chassis  10 , and the corresponding fixing holes  121  of the bottom fixing plate  12 . Other fasteners are fixed in the through holes of the sidewall  102  of the chassis  100 , and the fixing holes  135  and  146  of the front end plates  13  and the fixing units  14  of the mounting bracket  10 . Therefore, the mounting bracket  10  is secured to the base of the chassis  10 . The cover  103  is mounted to the base of the chassis  100 , and fixed to the mounting bracket  10  with a plurality of fasteners (not labeled) fixed in the through holes of the cover  103  and the corresponding fixing holes  121  of the top fixing plate  12 . Because the width of each of the fixing plates  12  is slightly greater than a diameter of each switch cable  100 , the switch cables  100  are capable of moving smoothly, and the space occupied by the mounting bracket  10  is as small as possible. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , in use, two power modules  200  are slid into the chassis  100  from the front end of the chassis  100 , and fixed to the chassis  100 . The second connectors  302  of the switch cable  300  are connected to a power source. The first connectors  301  of the power module  200  are correspondingly inserted into and electrically connected to the power modules  200 . The switch cables  300  are stretched by the resilient members  20 , thereby preventing the switched cables  300  from disengaging from the power modules  200 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , to detach the power modules  200 , the first connectors  301  are driven forward to be disengaged from the power modules  200 . At the same time, the switch cables  300  extend forward to deform the corresponding resilient members  20 . The first connectors  301  are rotated to the sidewall  102  of the chassis  100  and correspondingly aligned with the notches  1021  of the sidewall  102 . The first connectors  301  are released. The resilient members  20  are restored to draw back the switch cables  300  and engage the first connectors  301  in the corresponding notches  1021  of the sidewall  102  of the chassis  100 . The power modules  200  are capable of sliding out of the chassis  100  without interfering with the switch cables  300 . The switch cables  300  are received in the mounting bracket  10  of the cable management mechanism and stretched by the resilient members  20 . Thus, the switch cables  300  are prevented from interfering with function components in the chassis  100 . 
     The sleeves  33   a  and  33   b  of the first and second positioning members  30   a  and  30   b  can rotate and not interfere with the movement of the switch cables  300 , which prevents the switch cables  300  from being damaged by the first positioning members  30   a  or the second positioning members  30   b.    
     It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the embodiments, the present disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in details, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the embodiments to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.