Patent Publication Number: US-2022224097-A1

Title: Cable-entry device for an electronic chassis

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims benefit to and priority under 35 U. S.C. § 119 to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/137,478, entitled “CABLE ENTRY SYSTEM DESIGN AND APPLICATION ON ELECTRONIC DEVICE,” and filed on Jan. 14, 2021. The contents of that application are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates generally to a cable entry device for cables connecting to an electronic chassis and, more specifically, to a cable entry device having a frame and a base with grommets for flexible and waterproof installation of cables. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Cellular networks rely on various electronic devices, such as radios and antennas, which are mounted on support structures exposed to the environment. Some of those support structures are very tall, oftentimes at heights of  100  feet or more. As such, these electronic devices are exposed to inclement weather. Advancements in technology have led to 5G networks that require several interconnected devices having chasses that receive cables. Because of the need to permit cables to enter the chassis of an individual device, various methods have been utilized to help restrict water and debris from entering the chassis from the region around the cables. 
     One example of an existing cable entry device is illustrated in  FIG. 1 . A 5G electronic chassis  10  includes a top cover  12  and a base  14 . For example, the electronic chassis  10  is a cabinet that houses electronic equipment that is attached via cables to other components such as 5G Central Units (CU), distributed units (DU), Remote Radio Units (RRU), Active Antenna Units (AAU), and Radio Units (RU). 
     At the interface between the top cover  12  and the base  14 , there are rubber pieces  18   a,    18   b  having openings  16  that provide access for cables and wiring (hereinafter “cables”). For any opening  16  that is not used for a cable, a plug  20  is inserted to seal it. With the top cover  12  removed from the base  14 , the cables are inserted into the openings  16 . The top cover  12  is then placed over the base  14  and the screws  22  are tightened to mate the top cover  12  and the base  14  together, which also forces the rubber pieces  18   a,    18   b  against the cables. However, in these existing systems, the types and sizes of the cables to be used within the electronic device may change over its life cycle. Further, it is difficult to have the cables match the openings  16  formed by the rubber pieces  18   a,    18   b.  Finally, it is often difficult to control the small gaps around the rubber pieces  18   a,    18   b  as pressure is applied by the screws  22 . 
       FIG. 2  represents another existing device for permitting entry of cables into the electronic chassis  10 . An electronic cable gland  30  is located on a wall of the electronic chassis  10 , such as a wall on the top cover  12 . On the exterior side of the electronic chassis  10 , a cable  32  terminates at the electronic cable gland  30  and forms an electrical connection with the electronic cable gland  30 . On the interior side of the electronic chassis  10 , the electronic cable gland  30  includes pins that are interconnected with a connector  33  on a printed circuit board  34 . The problem with the electronic cable gland  30  is that the printed circuit board  34  must be directly adjacent to the electronic cable gland  30 , which restricts the location of the electrical components in the electronic chassis  10 . 
     As such, a need exists for a cable entry device that allowing flexibility of the location of electrically connected components in an electronic equipment chassis to cables, while protecting the interior of the electronic equipment chassis from water and debris. There is further a need for a cable entry device that provides flexibility in the sizes of cables that enter the electronic equipment chassis. There is also a need for a cable entry device that is easy to assemble and install in an electronic equipment chassis. 
     SUMMARY 
     The term embodiment and like terms are intended to refer broadly to all of the subject matter of this disclosure and the claims below. Statements containing these terms should be understood not to limit the subject matter described herein or to limit the meaning or scope of the claims below. Embodiments of the present disclosure covered herein are defined by the claims below, not this summary. This summary is a high-level overview of various aspects of the disclosure and introduces some of the concepts that are further described in the Detailed Description section below. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter; nor is it intended to be used in isolation to determine the scope of the claimed subject matter. The subject matter should be understood by reference to appropriate portions of the entire specification of this disclosure, any or all drawings and each claim. 
     According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a cable entry device for guiding cables through an aperture of an electronic equipment chassis is disclosed. The cable entry device has a flexible base member including a grommet with a bore therethrough. The flexible base member includes a slit through the grommet. The grommet is configured to hold a cable in the bore. A frame is mated to the base member. The frame includes an aperture that is configured to receive the cable. The aperture is aligned with the bore of the grommet. The frame holds the base member to the electronic equipment chassis so the grommet extends through the aperture of the electronic chassis. 
     According to a configuration of the above implementation, the frame includes an upper frame member and a lower frame member that are mated together. According to another configuration of the above implementation, the upper and lower frame members are identical. According to another configuration of the above implementation, the upper and lower frame members each include a central tab extending on one end and a pair of arms extending on an opposite end. The central tab of the upper frame member may be inserted between the pair of arms of the lower frame member when the upper and lower frame members are mated together. According to another configuration of the above implementation, the upper and lower frame members each include a registration feature to align the central tab between the pair of arms of the other frame member. According to another configuration of the above implementation, the base member is rubber and the frame is plastic or metal. According to another configuration of the above implementation, the grommet and slit are one of a plurality of grommets and slits of the base member. According to another configuration of the above implementation, the bores in the individual grommets have different internal diameters for receiving cables of different sizes. According to another configuration of the above implementation, the bores in the individual grommets have the same internal diameter for receiving cables. According to another configuration of the above implementation, the frame and the base member include a connector hole to receive a fastener to connect the frame and the base to the chassis. 
     Another aspect of the present disclosure includes an electronics device intended for placement in an outside environment. The electronic device includes a chassis having an aperture to receive at least one cable. The electronic device includes a cable entry device inserted over the aperture. The cable entry device includes a flexible base member having a grommet with a bore therethrough. A slit is formed through the grommet. The bore is operable to hold the cable. The cable entry device includes a frame mated to the base member. The frame includes an aperture that is operable to receive the cable. The aperture is aligned with the bore of the grommet. The frame holds the base member to the chassis so the grommet extends through the aperture of the chassis. 
     According to another configuration of the above implementation, the frame includes an upper frame member and a lower frame member that are mated together. According to another configuration of the above implementation, the upper and lower frame members each include a central tab extending on one end and a pair of arms extending on an opposite end. The central tab of the upper frame member may be inserted between the pair of arms of the lower frame member when the upper and lower frame members are mated together. According to another configuration of the above implementation, the upper and lower frame members each include a registration feature to align the central tab between the pair of arms of the other frame member. According to another configuration of the above implementation, the base member is rubber and the frame member is plastic or metal. According to another configuration of the above implementation, the grommet and slit are one of a plurality of grommets and slits of the base member. According to another configuration of the above implementation, the bores in the individual grommets have different internal diameters for receiving cables of different sizes. According to another configuration of the above implementation, the bores in the individual grommets have the same internal diameter for receiving cables. According to another configuration of the above implementation, the frame and the base member include a connector hole therein operable to receive a fastener to connect the frame and the base member to the chassis. 
     A further aspect of the present disclosure includes a cable entry device for guiding cables through an aperture of an electronic equipment chassis. The cable entry device has a flexible base member including a first side tab and a second side tab. The flexible base member has grommets each with a bore therethrough, and a slit through each of the grommets. Each of the grommets are configured to hold a cable in the bore. An upper frame member is mated to the first side tab of the base member. The upper frame member includes apertures, each of which are in alignment with the bore of one of the grommets. A lower frame member is mated to the second side tab of the base member. The lower frame member includes a registration feature to seat the lower frame with the upper frame member. The grommets extend through the chassis when the base member is mated to the upper and lower frame members. 
     The above summary is not intended to represent each embodiment or every aspect of the present disclosure. Rather, the foregoing summary merely provides an example of some of the novel aspects and features set forth herein. The above features and advantages, and other features and advantages of the present disclosure, will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of representative embodiments and modes for carrying out the present invention, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims. Additional aspects of the disclosure will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the detailed description of various embodiments, which is made with reference to the drawings, a brief description of which is provided below. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The disclosure, and its advantages and drawings, will be better understood from the following description of exemplary embodiments together with reference to the accompanying drawings. These drawings depict only exemplary embodiments, and are therefore not to be considered as limitations on the scope of the various embodiments or claims. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a prior art device for permitting cables to enter an electronic chassis; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of another prior art device for permitting cables to enter an electronic chassis; 
         FIG. 3A  is a perspective assembled view of an example cable entry device, according to certain aspects of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 3B  is a perspective exploded view of a frame and a base member of the example cable entry device in  FIG. 3A , according to certain aspects of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 3C  is a side view of the grommet side of the example cable entry device in  FIG. 3A , according to certain aspects of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 3D  is a top view of the example cable entry device in  FIG. 3A , according to certain aspects of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 4A  is a perspective view of the grommet side of a flexible base member of the example cable entry device in  FIG. 3A , according to certain aspects of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 4B  is a perspective view of the opposite side of the flexible base member of the example cable entry device in  FIG. 3A , according to certain aspects of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 4C  is a side view of the grommet side of the flexible base member of the example cable entry device in  FIG. 3A , according to certain aspects of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 4D  is a side view of the opposite side of the flexible base member of the example cable entry device in  FIG. 3A , according to certain aspects of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 4E  is a top view of the flexible base member of the example cable entry device in  FIG. 3A , according to certain aspects of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 5A  is a perspective view of the frame components of the cable entry device of  FIG. 3A , according to certain aspects of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 5B  is a perspective view of the frame components assembled with the flexible base to form the example cable entry device in  FIG. 3A , according to certain aspects of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 5C  is a side view of the assembled example cable entry device in  FIG. 3A , according to certain aspects of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 6A  is a side view of a cable entry aperture of an electronic equipment chassis that holds the example cable entry device for insertion of cables, according to certain aspects of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 6B  shows a side view of the base member of the cable entry device in  FIG. 3A  aligned with a cable entry aperture of the electronic equipment chassis in  FIG. 6A , according to certain aspects of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 6C  shows a top view of the cables that are held by the base member of the cable entry device when attached to the electronic equipment chassis in  FIG. 6A , according to certain aspects of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 6D  is a perspective view of the cables inserted in the base member of the cable entry device, according to certain aspects of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 6E  illustrates a perspective view of cables entering the electronics equipment chassis after the frame components have been joined to the base member, according to certain aspects of the present disclosure; and 
         FIG. 6F  shows a side view of the cable entry device attached to the electronic equipment chassis to allow the sealed entry of the cables, according to certain aspects of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific implementations have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in further detail herein. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Various embodiments are described with reference to the attached figures, where like reference numerals are used throughout the figures to designate similar or equivalent elements. The figures are not drawn to scale and are provided merely to illustrate the instant invention. Several aspects of the invention are described below with reference to example applications for illustration. It should be understood that numerous specific details, relationships, and methods are set forth to provide a full understanding of the invention. One having ordinary skill in the relevant art, however, will readily recognize that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods. In other instances, well-known structures or operations are not shown in detail to avoid obscuring the invention. The various embodiments are not limited by the illustrated ordering of acts or events, as some acts may occur in different orders and/or concurrently with other acts or events. Furthermore, not all illustrated acts or events are required to implement a methodology in accordance with the present invention. 
     Elements and limitations that are disclosed, for example, in the Abstract, Summary, and Detailed Description sections, but not explicitly set forth in the claims, should not be incorporated into the claims, singly, or collectively, by implication, inference, or otherwise. For purposes of the present detailed description, unless specifically disclaimed, the singular includes the plural and vice versa. The word “including” means “including without limitation.” Moreover, words of approximation, such as “about,” “almost,” “substantially,” “approximately,” and the like, can be used herein to mean “at,” “near,” or “nearly at,” or “within 3-5% of,” or “within acceptable manufacturing tolerances,” or any logical combination thereof, for example. Similarly, terms “vertical” or “horizontal” are intended to additionally include “within 3-5% of” a vertical or horizontal orientation, respectively. Additionally, words of direction, such as “top,” “bottom,” “left,” “right,” “above,” and “below” are intended to relate to the equivalent direction as depicted in a reference illustration; as understood contextually from the object(s) or element(s) being referenced, such as from a commonly used position for the object(s) or element(s); or as otherwise described herein. 
     The present disclosure is directed toward a cable entry device for holding and guiding cables that are inserted into a chassis of electronics equipment for outside use. The cable entry device has a base member that has one or more grommets to hold the cables. The base member is mated to a frame that allows installation of the cable entry device around an aperture in the chassis. The cable entry device controls the gap between the cables and the cable entry device, while allowing flexibility of the location of components in the chassis that are connected to the cables. For example, the chassis may be a 5G equipment cabinet that has cables leading to other 5G components such as 5G Central Units (CU), distributed units (DU), Remote Radio Units (RRU), Active Antenna Units (AAU), and Radio Units (RU). The cable entry device may be mated with any housing for an electronic device where a seal is desired to prevent inflow of water or debris. The cable entry device may be installed by drilling holes in proximity to an aperture for cables on an exterior panel of the chassis. The example cable entry device allows a cable infeed to the chassis without interruption and is easy to assemble. The cable entry device is compliant with Ingress Protection (IP) standards such as IP6X, IPX5 and IPX7. Thus, the example cable entry device provides high protection to an electronic equipment chassis from infiltration of external particles from the point of entry of the cables. 
       FIGS. 3A-3D  illustrate an example cable entry device  100 .  FIG. 3A  is a perspective view of the example cable entry device  100  in assembled form.  FIG. 3B  is a perspective exploded view of the parts of the example cable entry device  100 .  FIG. 3C  is a front view of the example cable entry device  100 , and  FIG. 3D  is a top view of the example cable entry device  100 . The cable entry device  100  allows external cables to be held for connection to an electronic equipment chassis. The electronic equipment chassis may be for example, an outdoor equipment cabinet that holds electronic components for a 5G communication system. It is to be understood that the present cable entry device may be used with any appropriate electronic communication chassis that accepts external cables and requires protection from outside environmental conditions and debris at the cable entry point. The cable entry device  100  may be used with cables of varying diameters. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3A , the cable entry device  100  includes a frame  110  and a base member  112 . As will be explained below, the base member  112  has multiple grommets that hold the cables. The frame  110  is roughly rectangular in shape and includes an upper frame member  120  and a lower frame member  122  that are interlocked/mated to form the frame  110 . The upper frame member  120  and the lower frame members  122  fit together to hold the base member  112  between them. As will be explained below, the frame  110  allows the base member  112  to be inserted in an aperture in a panel of an electronic equipment chassis to hold cables. 
     In the example shown in  FIGS. 3A-3D , the upper frame member  120  and the lower frame member  122  are fabricated from resilient and weather-proof material such as treated metal or plastic. The upper and lower frame members  120  and  122  are identical components in this example. Thus, both upper and lower frame members  120  and  122  have a forward plate  130  that includes a mating edge  132  with a series of semi-circular cutouts  134 . In this example, the cable entry device  100  may accommodate six cables, and thus there are six semi-circular cutouts  134  on each of the upper frame member  120  and the lower frame member  122 . When mated together, the two respective cutouts  134  from the frame members  120  and  122  form a circular aperture  136  for insertion of a cable. The aperture  136  allows access to the base member  112  when the frame members  120  and  122  are assembled together. Of course, any number of cutouts may be formed in the frame members  120  and  122  and thus any number of cables may be supported by the cable entry device  100 . 
     The upper and lower frame members  120  and  122  have opposing ends  140  and  142 . One of the ends  142  includes an exterior arm  144  and an interior arm  146 . The exterior arm  144  and the interior arm  146  are located parallel to each other with a gap between the arms  144  and  146 . Each of the exterior arm  144  and the interior arm  146  includes a fastener installation hole  150  extending therethrough. The opposite end  140  of the upper frame member  120  includes a central tab  152  that includes a fastener installation hole. When the upper and lower frame members  120  and  122  are mated together, the central tab  152  on the end  140  of the upper frame member  120  is inserted in the gap between the exterior arm  144  and the interior arm  146  of the lower frame member  122 , such that the installation holes  150  of the exterior arm  144  and the interior arm  146  of the lower frame member  122  are in alignment with the installation hole of the central tab  152 . The central tab  152  of the lower frame member  122  on the opposite side is inserted between the arms  144  and  146  of the upper frame member  120  so the installation holes  150  of the arms  144  and  146  are in alignment with the installation hole of the central tab  152 . 
     The flexible base member  112  includes a grommet side that is inserted to face an electronic equipment chassis, and an opposite side that is in contact with the frame  110 . The grommet side of the flexible base member  112  includes a rectangular central block  160  that is held between the upper and lower frame members  120  and  122  when assembled. The rectangular central block  160  has two side tabs  164  and  166  on opposite ends. The tabs  164  and  166  fit in an interior recess of the respective interior arms  146  of the respective upper and lower frame members  120  and  122 . The rectangular central block  160  is defined by a top surface  168  that is flush with the tops of the tabs  164  and  166 . The central block  160  includes a grommet surface  170  that includes one side of the tabs  164  and  166  on the grommet side and an opposite interior surface  172 . A rectangular raised projection  174  is formed on the grommet surface  170 . Six cylindrical cable grommets  180   a - 180   f  extend from the surface of the projection  174  of the central block  160 . Each of the grommets  180   a - 180   f  have respective bores  182   a - 182   f  extending through the respective grommets and the central block  160  to allow for insertion of a cable. Each of the side tabs  164  and  166  include a fastener connection hole  190  that is aligned with fastener installation holes  150  of the respective arms  144  and  146  of the upper and lower frame members  120  and  122  and the fastener installation hole of the central tabs  152 . 
       FIG. 4A  is a perspective view of the grommet side of the flexible base member  112  of the example cable entry device  100  in  FIG. 3A .  FIG. 4B  is a perspective view of the opposite side of the flexible base member  112  from the grommet side.  FIG. 4C  is a side view of the grommet side of the flexible base member  112 .  FIG. 4D  is a side view of the opposite side of the flexible base member  112 .  FIG. 4E  is a top view of the flexible base member  112 . Like elements in  FIGS. 4A-4E  are labeled with like reference numbers in  FIGS. 3A-3D . In this example, the base member  112  is a one-piece component that is fabricated from a resilient and flexible material such as rubber. 
     In the example shown in  FIGS. 4A-4D , the diameter of the bores  182   a - 182   f  may be selected based on the outer diameter of the cables for use with the cable entry device  100 . Thus, the example cable entry device  100  may be adapted to cables of different sizes by setting the appropriate grommet bore diameter to snuggly fit with the desired outer diameter of cables for a waterproof interface. Thus, different cable entry devices  100  may be used for cables with outer diameters between 3-12 mm. As an example, RJ45 cables may have an outer diameter of 5.5 mm; optical fiber cables may have an outer diameter of 9.5 mm; DC power cables may have an outer diameter of 8 mm; and USB cables may have an outer diameter of 5.0 mm. Alternatively, the grommets may be selected to have bores of different diameters when cables of different diameters are used. In this example, four bores  182   a - 182   b  of the grommets  180   a - 180   b  have a relatively smaller diameter of 8 mm for cables having an outer diameter between about 8-9 mm. The bores  182   c - 182   f  of the grommets  180   c - 180   f  have a relatively larger diameter of 9 mm for cables having an outer diameter between about 9-10 mm. 
     A series of slits  410   a - 410   f  are cut from the top surface  168  of the central block  160  through each of the grommets  180   a - 180   f.  The slits  410   a - 410   f  allow for the insertion of a cable in the respective grommet  180   a - 180   f  from the top surface  168 . The material of the central block  160  is deformable and thus the sides of the slits  410   a - 410   f  may be pulled apart for insertion of the cable in the respective grommet  180   a - 180   f.  The sides of the slits  410   a - 410   f  may then be released to a position abutting each other to hold the cable in the corresponding grommet  180   a - 180   f.    
       FIG. 5A  is a perspective view of the frame members  120  of the cable entry device  100  of  FIG. 3A .  FIG. 5B  is a perspective view of the frame members  120  and  122  assembled with each other.  FIG. 5C  is a side view of the assembled frame members  120  and  122 . Like elements in  FIGS. 5A-5B  are labeled with like reference numerals from  FIGS. 3A-3B . A bottom surface  510  separates the exterior arm  144  and the interior arm  146 . The upper and lower frame members  120  and  122  include a registration feature to align the central tab  152  between the pair of arms  144  and  146  of the opposite frame member  120  or  122 . In this example, the registration feature is a guide pin and a matching guide hole. Thus, a guide pin  512  extends from the bottom surface  510  between the exterior arm  144  and the interior arm  146 . A top edge  516  of the central tab  152  includes a guide hole  518  that is mated with the guide pin  512  of the opposite frame member when the upper and lower frame members  120  and  122  are mated together. The interior arm  146  includes an interior recess  520  that is configured to accommodate/be flush with the tabs  164  and  166  of the base  112 . The central tab  152  includes an installation hole  530  that is aligned with the installation holes  150  of the arms  144  and  146  when the upper frame member  120  is mated with the lower frame member  122 , and vice versa. 
     The process of attaching cables to an electronic equipment chassis is facilitated by the example cable entry device  100 . This process of attaching cables using the cable entry device  100  is shown in  FIGS. 6A-6D . Like elements in  FIGS. 6A-6D  are labeled with identical reference numbers as their counterparts in  FIGS. 3A-5C . 
       FIG. 6A  is a front view of an electronic equipment chassis  600  that may have cables inserted via the example cable entry device  100 . The chassis  600  includes a panel  610  that may be a part of a cover of the electronic equipment chassis  600  (e.g., a 5G electronics chassis). The electronic equipment chassis  600  may be in various forms, such as the general form of the electronic chassis  10  shown in  FIG. 1 . The panel  610  includes a roughly rectangular shaped aperture  612  that is cut through the panel  610  that allows for the attachment of the cable entry device  100  in  FIGS. 3A-3D . The cables thus enter the electronic equipment chassis  600  through the aperture  612 . The ends of the cables may be attached to internal components contained in the electronic equipment chassis  600 . Two installation holes  614  are drilled through the panel  610  on either side of the aperture  612  to allow the attachment of the cable entry device  100 . 
       FIG. 6B  shows the alignment of the base  112  of the cable entry device  100  to the aperture  612  in  FIG. 6A . The base  112  is placed in alignment so the fastener insertion holes  190  of the tabs  164  and  166  are aligned to the installation holes  614  shown in  FIG. 6A . The surface  172  faces outward allowing access to the bore holes  182   a - 182   f.  The slits  410   a - 410   f  are separated to allow the block  160  to be deformed and separated to allow the insertion of cables. Thus, the grommets  180   a - 180   f  shown in  FIGS. 4A-4B  are inserted into the aperture  612  in  FIG. 6A . 
       FIGS. 6C and 6D  show the base member  112  and the electronic equipment chassis  600  after cables  620   a - 620   f  have been inserted in the bores  182   a - 182   f  via the slits  410   a - 410   f  that extend through the top surface  168  and the grommets  180   a - 180   f  In this example, the cables  620   a - 620   b  have relatively smaller outer diameter of about 8.5 mm, while the cables  620   c - 620   f  have relatively larger outer diameter of about 9.5 mm. Other cables having different diameters may be used with appropriate modifications to the bores and grommets. The base member  112  may also be fabricated to accommodate cables all have the same diameter. 
       FIG. 6E  shows the assembly of the frame members  120  and  122  to the base member  112  of the cable entry device  100  after the cables  620   a - 620   f  are installed. After the cables  620   a - 620   f  are inserted in the base member  112 , the upper and lower frame members  120  and  122  are mated to the base member  112 . Thus, the interior arm  146  of the upper frame member  120  overlaps the side tab  166  while the interior arm  146  of the lower frame member  122  overlaps the side tab  164 . The central tab  152  of the upper frame member  120  is inserted between the exterior arm  144  and the interior arm  146  of the lower frame member  122 . The central tab  152  of the lower frame member  122  is inserted between the exterior arms  144  and the interior arm  146  of the upper frame member  120 . The respective guide pins  512  between the exterior arm  144  and the interior arm  146  are inserted in the guide holes  518  of the central tabs  152 . This interlocking structure occurs at both ends of the upper and lower frame members  120  and  122 . The forward plates  130  of the upper and lower frame members  120  and  122  are moved in contact with each other so the cutouts  134  align with each other to form the apertures  136 . The cables  620   a - 620   f  thus extend through the apertures  136  formed by the joining of the forward plates  130 . 
       FIG. 6F  shows a side view of the cable entry device  100  installed on the chassis  600 . As show in  FIG. 6F , when assembled, the joined forward plates  130  of the upper and lower frame members  120  and  122  abut the base member  112 . The central block  160  of the base member  112  thus is sandwiched between the forward plates  130  of the frame members  120  and  122  and the panel  610  of the chassis  600 . The guide pin  512  extending from area  510  between the two arms  144  and  146  of the lower frame member  122  is inserted in the guide hole  518  of the central tab  152  of the upper frame member  120 . 
     A fastener such as a screw  630  is then inserted in the fastener holes  150  in the exterior arm  144  and the interior arm  146 , the fastener hole  530  in the central tab  152 , the fastener installation hole  190  of the side tab  164 , and the hole  614  of the panel  610 . A similar fastener is inserted through the corresponding holes on the other side of the frame  110  through the side tab  166 . Thus, the fasteners such as the screw  630  holds the base member  112 , the upper and lower frame members  120  and  122  to the panel  610 . The grommets, such as the grommet  180   a,  extend through the aperture  612  into the interior of the electronic equipment chassis  600 . Thus, the cables such as the cable  620   a  are introduced into the interior of the electronic equipment chassis  600  where they can be connected to components in the electronic equipment chassis  600 . 
     Thus, where the electronic equipment chassis  600  is a 5G communication component, the cables  620   a - 620   f  may be connected to other 5G components such as a Central Unit (CU), a Distributed Unit (DU), a Remote Radio Unit (RRU), an Active Antenna Unit (AAU), a Radio Unit (RU), or the like. However, any electronic equipment chassis that requires cables may use the cable entry device  100  incorporating the principles described herein. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 6C-6F , the cable entry device  100  permits cables  620   a - 620   f  to enter and exit the electronic equipment chassis  600  via the aperture  612  through the grommets  180   a - 180   f.  The upper and lower frame members  120  and  122 , and the base member  112  are easy to assemble. The grommets  180   a - 180   f  on the base member  112  and the resilient material of the base member  112  inhibit entry of water and/or contaminates into the chassis  600 . As noted above, the diameter of each bore in each of the grommets  180   a - 180   f  can be specifically sized to receive a certain size of cable. Further, some grommets in the base member  112  can be “dummies” in that they contain no internal bore, but are instead solid. Alternatively, a plug element may be fashioned to plug any unused grommets of the base member  112  to prevent entry of water and/or contaminates. 
     A kit of cable entry devices such as the cable entry device  100  (perhaps provided with color-coding or other indicia to indicate the cables to which they apply) may have different sizes to accommodate various cables. 
     The example cable entry device  100  eliminates a complex mating design with the provision of holes for fasteners. The example cable entry device  100  is compliant with Ingress Protection (IP) standards such as IP6X, IPX5 and IPX7. The example cable entry device  100  allows a cable infeed to an equipment cabinet in outdoor environments without interruption and is easy to assemble. 
     The foregoing description of the embodiments, including illustrated embodiments, has been presented only for the purpose of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or limiting to the precise forms disclosed. Numerous modifications, adaptations, and uses thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art. 
     Although the disclosed embodiments have been illustrated and described with respect to one or more implementations, equivalent alterations and modifications will occur or be known to others skilled in the art upon the reading and understanding of this specification and the annexed drawings. In addition, while a particular feature of the invention may have been disclosed with respect to only one of several implementations, such feature may be combined with one or more other features of the other implementations as may be desired and advantageous for any given or particular application. 
     While various embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not limitation. Numerous changes to the disclosed embodiments can be made in accordance with the disclosure herein, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above described embodiments. Rather, the scope of the invention should be defined in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents. 
     The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. 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. Furthermore, to the extent that the terms “including,” “includes,” “having,” “has,” “with,” or variants thereof, are used in either the detailed description and/or the claims, such terms are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising.” 
     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. Furthermore, 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 relevant art, and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.