Abstract:
A cable guide includes a hinge support having a first end and a second end, a panel hingedly connected to the hinge support and having at least one through-opening, and at least one cable connection module, having a front and a rear, mounted in the at least one through-opening, the at least one cable connection module front having at least one port accessible from the front side of the panel and the cable connection module rear having at least one port accessible from the rear side of the panel, the cable guide also including a first arm projecting away from the first end of the hinge support, the first arm having at least one cable aperture configured to receive a cable.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]    The present invention is directed toward a hinged cable guide panel that allows access to the rear of the panel, and, more specifically, toward a hinged cable guide panel configured to guide trunk cables from a front side of the panel to a rear side of the panel and to guide patch cords away from front sides of the panel in a manner that allows the panel to pivot between first and second positions. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]    Various connectors are known for connecting one cable to another and for providing multiple output connections for a single input connection. Such connectors or modules are commonly used in fiber optic applications and may include one or more rear ports that connect to a fiber optic trunk cable and two or more front ports for each of the rear ports which front ports are connectable to patch cords. The rear ports may comprise, for example, multifiber push on (MPO) adapters. One such module is sold by CommScope, Inc. under the trade name “INSTAPATCH,” and allows for the rapid interconnection of fiber optic cables. 
         [0003]    Modules such as the above-mentioned INSTAPATCH module are useful when mounted on racks or in similar environments where users have easy access to both the front and rear of the module. However applications also exist where such modules are mounted in front of a blind compartment where access to the rear of the module is difficult or not possible after the module is installed. In such situations, modules must be physically removed from a mount or the mount must be disconnected from a supporting structure each time access to the adapters in the rear of the module is necessary. 
         [0004]    When trunk cables approach the connection module from the rear, from an internal conduit or access path, for example, the connection modules can be mounted on a hinged support that allows for access to the rear of the panel. The fan-out cables are pulled partially out of the compartment when the hinged panel opens in such arrangements. However, in other environments, such as in tape storage devices like the SL8500 Sun Storage Tek Storage Library of Sun Microsystems, Inc., both trunk lines and patch cords approach the connection modules from the same side of the data storage device. A conventional hinged panel would not be effective for such a system because bend radius rules would likely be violated when the panel opens and closes and it would be difficult to avoid damaging the cables, especially the trunk cables, when the panel was moved. In addition, the presence of trunk cables on the front of a movable panel might make it difficult to open the panel in the first place. 
         [0005]    One solution to the problem of trunk cables and patch cords approaching a support panel from the same side is to provide connection modules that include MPO adapters for incoming trunk cables and outgoing patch cords on the same side (the front) of the connection module. This arrangement avoids the need to access the rear of the connection modules. However, this arrangement also reduces the number of ports for patch cords that can be provided in a given area because the ports for receiving the trunk cables take up valuable real estate on the front of the connection module. In addition, routing both trunk cables and patch cords over a single face of the panel that supports the module makes it more difficult to determine which cable is which and makes the installation and maintenance of such panels more complex. 
         [0006]    It would therefore be desirable to provide an arrangement that allows for the use of connection modules having front and rear ports and for ready access to the rear ports in an environment in which trunk cables approach the modules and patch cords exit the modules from the same side of the module. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]    These and other problems are addressed by embodiments of the present invention, a first aspect of which comprises a cable guide that includes a hinge support having a first end and a second end and a panel hingedly connected to the hinge support. The panel has a front side and a rear side, a top edge and a bottom edge, and first and second side edges between the top edge and the bottom edge, as well as at least one through-opening between the front side and the rear side. At least one cable connection module, having a front and a rear, is mounted in the at least one opening, and the cable connection module front has at least one port facing in a first direction and accessible from the front side of the panel, and the cable connection module rear has at least one port accessible from the rear side of the panel. The cable guide also includes a first arm projecting away from the first end of the hinge support, and the first arm has at least one cable opening facing in the first direction and configured to receive a cable. 
         [0008]    Another aspect of the invention comprises a network equipment holder with a housing that includes a compartment having a closed back and open front and a cable guide mounted in the open front of the compartment. The cable guide, in turn, includes a panel hingedly supported on the network equipment holder for movement between a closed position covering at least a portion of the opening and an open position providing access to the compartment. The panel has a rear side facing into the compartment when the panel is in the closed position and a front side facing away from the opening. The cable guide further includes a plurality of trunk cable supports fixed relative to the compartment and a plurality of cable apertures fixed relative to the compartment. The cable guide also includes a plurality of modules having front and rear adapters mounted in the panel such that the rear adapters face into the compartment and the front adapters face out of the compartment when the panel is in the closed position. A cable management bar is connected to the rear side of the panel. A trunk cable passes through a first one of the cable apertures, is secured to one of the plurality of cable supports, and passes from the front of the panel into the compartment where it divides into a plurality of fan-out cables. Each of the fan-out cables is connected to the cable management bar. Patch cords are connected to the module front adapters and extend through a second one of the cable apertures. When the panel moves from the closed position to the open position, a portion of the trunk cable connected to the trunk cable support remains fixed relative to the network equipment holder, a portion of the patch cord in the second cable guide slides relative to the second cable aperture, and the rear adapters become accessible from outside the compartment. 
         [0009]    A further aspect of the invention comprises a device that includes a frame having parallel first and second sides, the first and second sides having a top end and a bottom end. The frame further includes top and bottom sides connecting the first and second sides, and at least one of the top and bottom sides includes a slot configured to receive a cable. The first side has a wall projecting generally perpendicularly to the first side and also has a trunk cable aperture configured to receive at least one trunk cable and a patch cord aperture to receive at least one patch cord. The device also includes a panel having a front side and a rear side and first and second side edges, the panel first side edge being connected to the frame first side by a hinge. The panel further includes a recessed central portion and at least one through-opening between the front side and the rear side in the recessed central portion. The second side edge forms a first stop for limiting movement of the panel in a first direction relative to the frame, and the rear side includes a second stop for limiting movement of the panel in a second direction relative to the frame. Cable connection modules are mounted in the at least one through-opening, and each cable connection module has a front with a plurality of front ports accessible from the front side of the panel and a rear with a rear port accessible from the rear side of the panel. A cable management bar extends across the rear of the plurality of cable connection modules. A trunk cable extends through the trunk cable aperture in the wall and through the slot in the at least one of the top and bottom sides, and splits into at least two fan-out cables on the rear side of the panel. The at least two fan-out cables are connected to rear ports of the cable connection modules and are tied to the cable management bar. In addition, patch cords are connected to the front ports of the cable connection module and extend through the patch cord apertures in the wall. The panel is configured to pivot between a first, closed, position and a second, open, position relative to the frame, the first stop engaging the frame in the first position and the second stop engaging the frame in the second position. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0010]    These and other aspects and features of the invention will be better understood from a reading of the following detailed description together with the accompanying drawings wherein: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is front elevational view of a network equipment holder having a plurality of compartments for receiving a cable guide and a cable guide according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a front elevational view of the cable guide of  FIG. 1 , a plurality of connection modules mounted in the cable guide, a plurality of trunk cables approaching the cable guide from the front side thereof and a plurality of patch cords leaving the front side of the connection modules; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a top perspective view of the cable guide of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a rear perspective view of the cable guide of  FIG. 2  in a closed position; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a front perspective view of the cable guide of  FIG. 2  in a partially opened position; 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a front perspective view of the cable guide of  FIG. 2  in a fully opened position; and 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a partial rear perspective view of cable guide of  FIG. 2  in a fully opened position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0018]    The present invention now is described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. 
         [0019]    Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. In the figures, the thickness of certain lines, layers, components, elements or features may be exaggerated for clarity. Broken lines illustrate optional features or operations unless specified otherwise. 
         [0020]    The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the specification and relevant art and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein. Well-known functions or constructions may not be described in detail for brevity and/or clarity. 
         [0021]    As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. As used herein, phrases such as “between X and Y” and “between about X and Y” should be interpreted to include X and Y. As used herein, phrases such as “between about X and Y” mean “between about X and about Y.” As used herein, phrases such as “from about X to Y” mean “from about X to about Y.” 
         [0022]    It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being “on”, “attached” to, “connected” to, “coupled” with, “contacting”, etc., another element, it can be directly on, attached to, connected to, coupled with or contacting the other element or intervening elements may also be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being, for example, “directly on”, “directly attached” to, “directly connected” to, “directly coupled” with or “directly contacting” another element, there are no intervening elements present. It will also be appreciated by those of skill in the art that references to a structure or feature that is disposed “adjacent” another feature may have portions that overlap or underlie the adjacent feature. 
         [0023]    Spatially relative terms, such as “under”, “below”, “lower”, “over”, “upper”, “lateral”, “left”, “right” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature&#39;s relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is inverted, elements described as “under” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “over” the other elements or features. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated  90  degrees or at other orientations) and the descriptors of relative spatial relationships used herein interpreted accordingly. 
         [0024]    Referring now to the drawings, wherein the showings are for purposes of illustrating presently preferred embodiments of the invention only and not for the purpose of limiting same,  FIG. 1  shows a network equipment holder  10  for storing, for example, networking and/or telecommunications equipment. In one embodiment of the invention, the network equipment holder comprises a tape storage library, and this tape storage library is discussed hereinafter. Network equipment holder  10  includes a first side  12  with a plurality of openings  14  in which tape drives  16  are mounted and a plurality of compartments  18  having openings  20  in which cable guide panels  22  according to embodiments of the present invention can be mounted. Only one cable guide panel  22  is illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; the other compartments  18  are empty, and it can be seen that these compartments  18  have rear walls  24 . Additional elements of network equipment holder  10  are located behind rear walls  24  of compartments  18 . Therefore, when opening  20  is covered by a conventional cable guide panel (not illustrated) that is screwed or otherwise fixed over opening  20 , it is not possible to access the side of that conventional cable guide panel that faces into compartment  18  without removing the entire conventional cable guide panel. 
         [0025]    A single trunk cable  26  is illustrated coming from a data source (not illustrated) along the first side  12  of network equipment holder  10  and entering compartment  18  over the top side of cable guide panel  22 , and a single patch cord  28  is illustrated leaving the front of cable guide panel  22  and connecting to one of the tape drives  16 . For clarity of illustration, only one trunk cable  26  and one patch cord  28  are shown; in use, multiple trunk cables and patch cords will be present. The arrangement and connections of these various cables will be described in greater detail hereinafter. 
         [0026]    Cable guide panel  22  mounted in one of the openings  20  of compartment  18  is illustrated in  FIG. 2 . Cable guide panel  22  includes a frame  30  having a first side  32 , a second side  34  parallel to first side  32 , and a top  36  and a bottom  38  that connect the first and second sides  32 ,  34 . Frame  30  is sized to fit in opening  20 , and the size can be changed as necessary depending on the size of the particular opening of the device on which the cable guide panel  22  is mounted. Frame top  36  includes a projecting flange  40  having a plurality of slots  42 , and frame bottom  38  includes a projecting flange  44  having a plurality of slots  46 . The top and bottom slots  42 ,  46  may have openings  48  facing away from the cable guide panel  22  or in the direction of one of the first and second sides  32 ,  34 . First side  32  of frame  30  includes a projecting flange  50  having a plurality of cable apertures  52 . The function of the top and bottom slots  42 ,  46  and cable apertures  52  will be described hereinafter. 
         [0027]    Cable guide panel  22  further includes a panel member  54  having a first side edge  56  connected to frame first side  32  by a hinge  58 . Panel member  54  also includes a second side edge  60 , a top edge  62 , a bottom edge  64 , a front side  66  and a rear side  68  (illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 6 ). The panel member  54  has a recessed central portion  70  having an opening  72  and first and second angled walls  74  extending away from recessed central portion  70  toward the first and second side edges  56 ,  60  of panel member  54 . Panel member  54  is mounted so as to be free to pivot between open and closed positions relative to frame  30 . 
         [0028]    A first stop  76  is formed by a projecting portion of the second side edge  60  of panel member  54  which overlies a portion of frame second side  34  when panel member  54  is in the closed position to substantially prevent panel member  54  from rotating more than a given distance into compartment  18 . Second side edge  60  of panel member  54  also includes a opening  78  that is aligned with an opening  80  in frame second side  34  when panel member  54  is in the closed position, and a plunger fastener  82  is mounted in opening  78 . When plunger fastener  82  is pressed into opening  80  in frame second side  34 , panel member  54  is fixed relative to frame  30 . When plunger fastener  82  is withdrawn from opening  80 , second side edge  60  of panel member  54  is free to swing about hinge  58  away from frame  30 . Panel member  54  further includes a second stop in the form of a projecting tongue  84  ( FIG. 4 ) extending from the bottom portion of rear side  68  of panel member  54  which is generally perpendicular to frame bottom  38  when panel member  54  is in the closed position. However, projecting tongue  84  abuts against the rear portion of frame bottom  38 , as illustrated in  FIG. 7 , when panel member  54  projects approximately  90  degrees relative to frame  30  to substantially limit the pivotal motion of panel second side edge  60  away from frame  30 . 
         [0029]    A plurality of fiber connection modules  90  are mounted in opening  72  in panel member  54 , which fiber connection modules may comprise INSTAPATCH brand connection modules available from CommScope, Inc. Fiber connection modules  90  include back sides  92  having ports  94 , compatible with MPO adapters  96  on can-out cables  106  connected thereto and front sides  98  having ports  100  connectable to patch cords  28 . A cable management bar  102  is mounted on rear side  68  of panel member  54  which cable management bar  102  projects away from panel member  54  and passes over the back sides  92  of the fiber connection modules  90 . 
         [0030]    As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , trunk cables  26  arrive at network equipment holder  10  and pass along first side  12  of the network equipment holder  10  to the one of cable guide panels  22  for which they are intended. The trunk cables  26  for that cable guide panel  22  pass through either the uppermost or lowermost one of the cable apertures  52  in projecting flange  50  and through slots  42  in projecting flange  40  on frame top  36  or slots  46  in projecting flange  44  on frame bottom  38 . While slots  42  are illustrated, through-openings could be provided in the top and bottom projecting flanges  40 ,  44 , for the trunk cables; however, this would require the trunk cables to be passed longitudinally through the through-openings instead of pressed laterally into the disclosed slots. Slotted sleeves  104 , illustrated in  FIG. 3 , on the trunk cables  28  secure the trunk cables to the top and bottom projecting flanges  40 ,  44 . 
         [0031]    After passing through slots  42 ,  46  and into the interior of compartment  18 , trunk cables  26  split into two or more fan-out cables  106 , each of which is provided at its terminal end with a suitable adapter  96  configured to mate with one of the ports  94  on the back sides  92  of fiber connection modules  90 . Approximately two feet total of trunk cable and fan-out cable is provided between the projecting flanges  40 ,  44  and the adapters  96  to provide slack to allow panel member  54  to move as described below. The fan-out cables  106  are connected to cable management bar  102  by suitable ties  108  to help maintain the relationship between the back sides  92  of the fiber connection modules  90  and the portion of the fan-out cables  106  in the vicinity of the back sides  92  of the fiber connection modules  90  to minimize stress on the adapters  96  when panel member  54  moves as described below. 
         [0032]    A plurality of patch cords  28  are connected to the ports  100  on the front sides  98  of the fiber connection modules  100 , and these patch cords  28  are bundled and passed through patch cord supports  110  on one of angled walls  74  of panel member  54  and through the central ones of the cable apertures  52  in the projecting flange  50  of frame first side  52 . From the projecting flange  50 , the patch cords run to various ones of tape drives  16  or other data storage elements. A label  112  is provided on one of the angled walls  74  to help identify each of the ports  100  on a given one of the fiber connection modules  90 . 
         [0033]    As discussed above, panel member  54  is movable between a first, closed, position with first stop  76  in contact with frame second side  34  ( FIG. 2 ) and a second, open position, with second stop or projecting tongue  84  in contact with the rear side of frame bottom  38 . The open position is illustrated in  FIG. 6 ; an intermediate position is illustrated in  FIG. 5 . As panel member  54  pivots from the closed position to the open position, the ties  108  secure the ends of the fan-out cables near the back sides  92  of the fiber connection modules  90  as the trunk cables  26  are partially pulled from compartment  18 . The patch cords  28  in turn slide freely within cable openings  54  in projecting flange  50 . The trunk cables  26 , meanwhile, remain fixed in the vicinity of the projecting flanges  40 ,  44  of frame top and bottom  36 ,  38 , respectively, while the slack in the trunk cables  26  and fan-out cables  106  in compartment  18  minimizes stress on the connections. In this manner, bend radius rules are maintained for all sections of the trunk cable  28 , fan-out cables  106  and patch cords  28  as the panel member  54  shifts between open and closed positions. Moreover, panel member  54  can be moved between open and closed positions as necessary to make initial or new connections between fan-out cables  106  and the ports  94  on the back sides  92  of the fiber connection modules and then returned to the closed position and secured with plunger fastener  82  while the network equipment holder  10  is in use. This movement between open and closed positions does not violate bend radius rules for any of the cables connected to the cable guide panel  22  and does not require the disconnection of any of the patch cords connected to the ports  100  on the front side  98  of the fiber connection modules  90 . Beneficially, the above-described arrangement allows conventional fiber connection modules, such as fiber connection modules  90 , to be used regardless of whether rear access is available and avoids the need to design and/or stock alternate modules for this special application. 
         [0034]    The present invention has been described herein in terms of one or more preferred embodiments. Changes and additions to these embodiments will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon a reading of the foregoing description. It is intended that all such modifications and additions comprise a part of the present invention to the extent they fall within the scope of the several claims appended hereto.