Abstract:
A cable radius limiter having a radius limiting surface that prevents damage to cables due to excessive bending. The cable radius limiter includes mounting structure and cable retaining structure arranged such that the limiter can be operably oriented and mounted to a mounting bracket in both a first mounting orientation and a second mounting orientation. Two radius limiters can be mounted together to form a cable spool.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application is a continuation application of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/072,085, filed Feb. 22, 2008; now U.S. Pat. No. 7,421,183 which is a continuation application of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/397,922, filed Apr. 3, 2006, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,359,610; which applications are incorporated herein by reference. 

   TECHNICAL FIELD 
   The present invention relates generally to devices and methods for enhancing cable management of a telecommunications system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a radius limiter arrangement for use in telecommunications systems. 
   BACKGROUND 
   Telecommunications systems commonly include cables (e.g., fiber optic cables or copper twisted pair cables) for interconnecting pieces of telecommunications equipment. Telecommunication racks typically hold a variety of different pieces of telecommunications equipment. Often thousands of cables are used to interconnect the various pieces of telecommunications equipment mounted on the racks. 
   Because of the large number of cables associated with telecommunications equipment, cable management is crucial. Cable management involves organizing cables so that the cables run or lie in an orderly manner. Because telecommunication systems often have different cable routing requirements, adaptability of the devices used to manage and organize cables is desirable. Cable management also involves preventing damage to the cables, such as unnecessary or excessive displacement of fiber optic cables. Unnecessary or excessive bending can damage cables. For example, the bending of the fibers can cause attenuation and loss of signal strength, which can even result in the fiber breaking and a complete loss of signal transmission through the fiber. 
   In general, cable management improvement has been sought, generally to efficiently and effectively manage cables by providing a device that prevents cable damage and is also adaptable to a variety of telecommunications applications. 
   SUMMARY 
   One aspect of the present invention relates to a cable radius limiter having mounting structure and cable retaining structure arranged such that the limiter can be operably oriented in both a first mounting orientation and a second mounting orientation. Another aspect of the present invention relates to a cable radius limiter arrangement for managing cable of a telecommunications system. The arrangement includes two cable radius limiters mounted back to back to form a cable spool. 
   A variety of aspects of the invention 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 exemplary and explanatory only, and are not restrictive of the claimed invention. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a cable management panel including a plurality of radius limiters in a stacked arrangement in a first orientation. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of one the radius limiters in the panel of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is a side view of the radius limiter of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 4  is a first end view of the radius limiter of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 5  is an opposite end view to the end view of  FIG. 4  of the radius limiter of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 6  is a top view of the radius limiter of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 7  is an end view of the panel of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 8  is a side view of the radius limiter of  FIGS. 2-6 , shown in an opposite orientation to the orientation shown in  FIGS. 2-6 . 
       FIG. 9  is a front perspective view of a cable management panel including a plurality of the radius limiters of  FIG. 8  in a stacked arrangement in the opposite orientation. 
       FIG. 10  shows two radius limiters positioned back to back in order to assemble a cable management spool. 
       FIG. 11  is a perspective view showing the cable management spool formed by mounting the two radius limiters back to back as shown in  FIG. 10 . 
       FIG. 12  is a front perspective view of a cable management panel including similar stacked arrangements to the arrangements of  FIGS. 1 and 9 , and one cable management spool of  FIG. 11 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary aspects 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. 
     FIG. 1  illustrates one embodiment of a radius limiter  10  for use in managing telecommunications cables, including fiber optic cables. A plurality of radius limiters  10  can be arranged in a stack  12  to form a cable management panel  14  for managing a plurality of fiber optic cables. Referring now to  FIGS. 2-6  in addition to  FIG. 1 , radius limiter  10  includes a body  16  having a front  18  and a rear  20 . Body  16  has a first side  22  and an opposite second side  24 . A first surface  26  extends from first side  22  to second side  24 . As shown, first surface  26  is generally curved in a semi-circular shape extending between front  18  and rear  20 . Second surface  28  also extends from first side  22  to second side  24  and defines a cavity. 
   Body  16  defines a longitudinal axis  23  extending between front  18  and rear  20 . First surface  26  extends from front  18  to rear  20  to define a bend radius protection feature for cables laid across radius limiter  10  in a direction generally transverse to axis  23 . In the preferred embodiment, first surface  26  is defined by a radius r. As shown, an edge  30  of rear  20 , and edges  32 ,  34  of sides  22 ,  24 , define a planar shape to a base  40  of radius limiter  10 . 
   Radius limiter  10  includes mounting structure  36  for mounting radius limiter  10  to a panel or other surface. In the illustrated embodiment, mounting structure  36  includes one or more holes  38  adjacent rear  20  of body  16 . Holes  38  can receive fasteners for fastening rear  20  to a panel element  42 . 
   Radius limiter  10  includes cable retaining structure  50  adjacent to front  18  for retaining cables adjacent to first surface  26 . In the illustrated embodiment, cable retaining structure includes first and second tabs  52 ,  54  extending in a first direction, and a third tab  56  extending in an opposite direction. Third tab  56  is generally centered relative to first surface. First and second tabs  52 ,  54  are generally positioned adjacent to first and second sides  22 ,  24 , respectively. In the illustrated embodiment, tabs  52 ,  54 ,  56  form distal ends of a front plate  51 . Distal tips  52   a ,  54   a  are on one side of a plane defined by base  40 , and distal tip  56   a  is on an opposite side (see  FIG. 4 , for example). 
   Front  18  of body  16  of radius limiter  10  defines a front opening  62  which provides access to rear  20 , such as for accessing fasteners positioned in holes  38  to mount or remove radius limiter with respect to panel element  42 . Other methods of connecting radius limiter  10  to panel element  42  are anticipated, including snaps. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 7 , the cable retaining structures  50  are shown wherein tabs  52 ,  54  of one radius limiter  10  nests into recesses  68  formed by the adjacent radius limiter  10  on opposite sides of third tab  56 . To add and remove cables from radius limiters  10 , cables are passed through gaps  70 . Tabs  52 ,  54 ,  56  keep other cables in place on radius limiters  10  when other cables are accessed. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 8 , radius limiter  10  can be used where first surface  26  faces vertically upwardly, instead of facing vertically downwardly as shown in panel  14  of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 9  shows a stack  72  of radius limiters  10  on a cable management panel  74  wherein the first surfaces  26  face vertically upwardly. Radius limiters  10  can also be used where first surfaces  26  face other directions including horizontally. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 10 , two radius limiters  10  can be nested together back to back, i.e. where second surfaces  28  face each other.  FIG. 11  shows the resulting combination of two radius limiters  10  nested back to back to form a spool  76  wherein first surfaces  26  allow a cable to be wrapped completely around the resulting structure. To enable nesting as shown in  FIG. 11 , first and second tabs  52 ,  54  are offset relative to one another as is visible in  FIGS. 3 and 6 . In the illustrated embodiment, tabs  52 ,  54  are each offset from tab  56 , one forwardly and one rearwardly. Front openings  62  of each radius limiter cooperate to form an opening  82  which is useful for accessing holes  38  to mount or remove each radius limiter  10  from the panel element. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 12 , a cable management panel  104  is shown including a first stack  106  of radius limiters  10  with the first surfaces  26  facing upwardly. A second stack  108  of radius limiters  10  is provided with the first surfaces  26  facing downwardly. Two radius limiters  10  are mounted back to back to form a spool  76 . Cables extending to cable termination area  120  can be managed by spool  76 , one or more selected radius limiters  10  in second stack  108 , and one or more selected radius limiters  10  in first stack  106 . 
   The above specification provides a complete description of the cable management assembly, system, and method. Since many embodiments of the invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended.