Abstract:
A cable clamp having a retainer component and a plunger component. The plunger component includes serrated prongs that insert within slots formed in the retainer component.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/816,005, filed Jun. 23, 2006; which application is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0002]     The present disclosure relates generally to devices for use in the telecommunications industry, and various methods associated with such devices. More particularly, this disclosure relates to devices and methods for managing cables.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0003]     A wide variety of telecommunication systems utilized termination panels. In some arrangements, data cables are terminated at termination regions of the panels. The terminated cables are often retained with cable ties. The cables ties are secured relative to the panel by lacing the cable tie through an aperture formed in the panel.  
         [0004]     A number of problems arise with the use of cable ties for retaining data cables. If the cable ties are too tight, the cable tie creates a pinch point, which is undesirable especially in high frequency data cables. If the cable is too loose, the cables are susceptible to movement, which can also cause cable damage. In addition, if maintenance of the cables is required, the technician is required to cut the cable ties and subsequently re-lace a new cable tie to the panel, which can be time consuming.  
         [0005]     In general, improvement has been sought with respect to such devices and methods.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0006]     The present disclosure relates to cable clamp that manages and organizes data cables in a telecommunications system. A variety of examples of desirable product features or methods are set forth in part in the description that follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practicing various aspects of the disclosure. The aspects of the disclosure may relate to individual features as well as combinations of features. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are explanatory only, and are not restrictive of the claimed invention. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]      FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of a cable clamp, according to the principles of the present disclosure;  
         [0008]      FIG. 2  is an exploded top perspective view of the cable clamp of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0009]      FIG. 3  is a bottom perspective view of the cable clamp of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0010]      FIG. 4  is a front elevation view of the cable clamp of  FIG. 1 ; and  
         [0011]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the cable clamp of  FIG. 5 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0012]     Reference will now be made in detail to various features of the present disclosure that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.  
         [0013]      FIG. 1  illustrates one embodiment of a cable clamp  10  used in organizing cables of a telecommunication system. The telecommunication system can include, for example, a patch panel that secures to a rack or frame. Systems including other types of panels and equipment, and other types of frame structures, such as cabinets and wall boxes, can benefit from the features of the disclosed cable clamp  10 .  
         [0014]     In one application, the present cable clamp  10  is utilized to control and manage terminated cables located at the rear of a patch panel. The cable clamp  10  is designed to minimize cable pinch points and improve installation time, as compared to conventional cable ties.  
         [0015]     In the illustrated embodiment, the cable clamp  10  generally consists of two components: a lower part referred to as a retainer  12 , and an upper part referred to as a plunger  14 .  
         [0016]     The lower part or retainer  12  can be provided as an individual component that is affixed to a panel. Multiple banks or arrays of retainers  12  can be affixed to the panel to provide a variety of cable management solutions. In the alternative, the retainer  12  can be formed as an integral part or portion of the panel itself, and provided in multiple banks and arrays adjacent to or at the rear of the panel. The upper part or plunger  14  is provided as a separate individual component (see  FIG. 2 ) that secures to the retainer  12  to retain a cable in a fixed manner. The retainer  12  is spaced a distance D ( FIG. 4 ) from the plunger  14  when the two components are interconnected. As will be understood, the distance D between the two components is adjustable to accommodate a variety of cable sizes.  
         [0017]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the plunger  14  of the cable clamp  10  includes two prongs  16  and a cap piece  18 . The cap piece  18  has a top side  36  and a bottom side  38  ( FIG. 3 ). A central recess  28  is formed in the bottom side  38  of the cap piece.  18 . The two prongs  16  of the plunger  14  extend downward from the bottom side  38  of the cap piece  18 . The prongs  16  each have an interior side  46  ( FIG. 2 ) and an exterior side  48 . Multiple gripping teeth or serrations  20  are located along a length of the exterior side  48  of the prong  16 . The multiple gripping teeth  20  compensate for different cable sizes and variations in sheath material of a cable.  
         [0018]     The retainer  12  of the cable clamp  10  defines two longitudinal slots  26  that correspond in size to the prongs  16  of the plunger  14 . The slots  26  extend through the retainer from a top side  42  ( FIG. 4 ) to a bottom side  44 . The two slots  26  are positioned along opposite sides of a central recess  24  formed in the top side  42  of the retainer  12 .  
         [0019]     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the retainer  12  includes retaining structure  34  located within or adjacent to each longitudinal slot  26 . The retaining structure  34  may include, for example, one or more protrusions corresponding in size to the serrations or gripping teeth  20  of the prongs  16 . The retaining structure  34  works in conjunction with the gripping teeth  20  of the plunger  14  to lock the two cable clamp components in a position relative to one another. Referring to  FIG. 4 , flexible retaining clips  22  are provided on the retainer  12 . The flexible retaining clips  22  function as springs to bias the prongs  16  outward to ensure that there is proper locking engagement between the teeth  20  of the prongs  16  and the retaining structure  34 .  
         [0020]     In use, a cable (e.g.,  40  schematically represented in  FIG. 4 ) is placed across the retainer  12  and within the central recess  24 . The central recess  24  of the retainer  12  has a curved formation to aid in positioning the cable. The prongs  16  of the plunger  14  are inserted within the slots  26  formed in the retainer  12 . The plunger  14  is then easily and quickly pushed toward the retainer  12  to secure the cable  40  in place. In general, pushing down on the plunger  14  activates engagement between the retaining structure  34  and the gripping teeth  20  of the cable clamp so that the cable  40  is clamped and secured between the retainer  12  and the plunger  14 . The retaining clips  22  of the retainer  12  are positioned to bias the prongs  16  outward to ensure locking engagement is established between the gripping teeth  20  and the retaining structure  34 .  
         [0021]     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , as previously described, the central recess  24  of the retainer  12  aids in positioning (i.e., centering) the cable  40  within the clamp  10 . The central recess  28  of the plunger  14  similarly aids in positioning the cable. In the illustrated embodiment, ridges  30 ,  32  (see also  FIG. 2 ) are provided in each of the recesses  24 ,  28  of the retainer  12  and the plunger  14  to prevent cable slip.  
         [0022]     The retainer  12  and the plunger  14  of the present cable clamp  10  are shaped and sized to maximize load distribution and minimize cable pinch. The present cable clamp thereby reduces the occurrence of cable damage, as compared to conventional cable ties. In particular, each of the retainer  12  and the cap piece  18  of the plunger  14  have a broadened length L ( FIG. 1 ) and width W ( FIG. 4 ) that reduce load and cable pinch on a cable.  
         [0023]     To access or remove a cable from the present cable clamp  10 , the prongs  16  of the plunger  14  are simply biased or pinched together. The flexible retaining clips  22  are designed to accommodate such prong movement. When the prongs  16  are biased toward one another, the gripping teeth  20  of the prongs  16  disengage from the retaining structure  34  of the retainer  12 . The plunger  14  can then be removed from the slots  26  and the cable accessed. The prongs  16  can be biased toward one another by hand or by a tool.  
         [0024]     The above specification provides a complete description of the present invention. Since many embodiments of the invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, certain aspects of the invention reside in the claims hereinafter appended.