Patent Publication Number: US-2021185416-A1

Title: Telecommunications equipment cabinet

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a Continuation of PCT/EP2019/073287, filed on Aug. 30, 2019, which claims the benefit of U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 62/725,916, filed on Aug. 31, 2018, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. To the extent appropriate, a claim of priority is made to each of the above disclosed applications. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Telecommunications equipment cabinets are known for holding equipment and managing telecommunications cables extending to and from the equipment. One common concern with telecommunications equipment cabinets is ease of managing the cables so as to avoid a cable mess or tangle when adding or removing cables is difficult. Another common concern is compact size for space savings, without compromising the ease of cable and equipment access. Improvements are desired. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One aspect of the present invention relates to a telecommunications equipment cabinet including an equipment zone, and a cable management or cable storage zone including a plurality of panels and radius limiters for guiding a technician for proper cable routing. 
     Another aspect of the present invention includes a splitter zone for managing fiber optic splitters used in connection with the equipment positioned in the equipment zone. Cables extending to and from the splitters can be managed by the cable storage zone. 
     In a further aspect of the present invention, the cabinet can include two equipment zones spaced apart by a cable storage zone. In one embodiment, one of the equipment zones can also be combined with a splitter zone for holding fiber optic splitters. The storage zone manages the splitter pigtails. 
     In another aspect of the present invention, the cabinet can include two equipment zones spaced apart by a cable storage zone. In one embodiment, the equipment and/or the equipment zones can connected with patch cords in a cross-connect application. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a first embodiment of a telecommunications equipment cabinet, shown empty without equipment, splitters, or cables; 
         FIG. 2  is a further front perspective view of the telecommunications equipment cabinet of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of telecommunications equipment cabinet of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  shows the telecommunications cabinet of  FIGS. 1-3  including telecommunications equipment, fiber optic splitters, and cables connecting to the equipment and the fiber optic splitters; 
         FIG. 5  is an enlarged view of the equipment zone, and the splitter zone of the cabinet of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is an enlarged view of the cable storage zone of the cabinet of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 7  shows a second equipment zone and cables extending to and from the splitter zone of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 8  is an enlarged view of a portion of the second equipment zone of the cabinet of  FIG. 4  showing a connector storage zone; 
         FIG. 9  is a similar view for the views of  FIGS. 4-8  showing telecommunications equipment without front covers, and no connector storage zone in the second equipment zone; 
         FIG. 10  is an enlarged view of the cable storage zone of the cabinet of  FIG. 9 , including a further view of the equipment in the equipment zone; and 
         FIGS. 11A-D  show various cable routing pathways for storage of the cabling extending to and from the equipment in one example embodiment; 
         FIG. 12  is a front perspective view of a second embodiment of a telecommunications equipment cabinet, shown with equipment and splitters; 
         FIG. 13  is a further front perspective view of the telecommunications equipment cabinet of  FIG. 12 ; 
         FIG. 14  is a front view of telecommunications equipment cabinet of  FIG. 12 ; 
         FIG. 15  is an enlarged view of the cable storage zone of the cabinet of  FIG. 12 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1-11 , a telecommunications equipment cabinet  10 , or cabinet  10 , is shown. Cabinet  10  holds equipment  100  for which various cables extend to and from for telecommunications connectivity. As will be described below in the example embodiments, equipment  100  has incoming and outgoing cables, as well as additional cables which connect different pieces of equipment  100  to each other, or to other telecommunications equipment, such as signal splitters. The preferred embodiments use fiber optic cables. 
     Cabinet  10  includes a top  12 , a bottom  14 , a left side  16 , and a right side  18 . In the example embodiments, cabinet  10  includes an accessible front  20 , and a closed rear  22 . Front  20  is accessible by movable doors  24  which are hingedly mounted about hinges  26  to respective left and right sides  16 ,  18 . 
     Cabinet  10  includes an interior space  28  defined by a back wall  60 , a sidewall  62 , an opposite sidewall  64 , a top cover  68 , and a bottom wall  70 . 
     Interior space  28  defines at least one equipment zone  40 . In the example embodiment, interior space  28  also defines a splitter zone  42  positioned above equipment zone  40 . A cable storage zone  44  is positioned adjacent to a side of splitter zone  42  and equipment zone  40 . 
     Also shown in the example embodiment, equipment zone  40  is a first equipment zone  40 . A second equipment zone  50  is positioned on an opposite side of interior space  28  opposite to the first equipment zone  40 , and the splitter zone  42 . Cable management or storage zone  44  is utilized by both equipment zones  40 ,  50  when equipment is present and cables need to be managed and stored. 
     In the  FIGS. 1-11 . equipment  100  is only positioned in equipment zone  40 . Second equipment zone  50  is shown as empty, but available for equipment  100  as desired by the user. Such arrangement is an example of being able to add equipment at a later date from the initial setup of cabinet  10 . Second equipment zone  50  includes a connector storage zone  52  for storing cables from the splitters  110  with connectorized ends for future deployment with added equipment  100 . Connector storage zone  52  in one example holds the front ends of connectors terminated to cables, where the dust cap is still present. 
     In the present examples, the fiber optic connector types can be any of a variety of connector styles, including MPO multi-fiber connectors, single fiber optic SC connectors, single fiber optic LC connectors, or other fiber optic connectors. 
     Cabinet  10  includes a base  76  which spaces bottom wall  70  above the ground surface. Bottom wall  70  includes cable passages  78  for cables to enter and exit cabinet  10 . Cable glands  80  assist with management and protection of cables passing through cable passages  78 . Hand holes  82  can be provided to assist a user in providing cables to and from cabinet  10  through the ground. 
     Various devices within cabinet  10  are provided to provide for management of cables so as to improve accessibility to the equipment and the cables during initial setup, and during later maintenance or addition or removal of cables and/or equipment. Equipment  100  is mounted in equipment zone  40  and includes equipment panels  122 ,  124  including front pivotal and/or removable covers  128 . Each of panels  122 ,  124  includes a termination panel  120  which includes a plurality of fiber optic adapters and fiber optic connectors connected to one another through the adapters positioned in the termination panels  120 . The equipment panels  122 ,  124  can include various connectivity structures within the panels, including fiber splices, fiber breakouts, or other devices needed for telecommunications connectivity. 
     The equipment  100  includes panels of the type described and shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,823,432; 10,025,055; US 2017/0276892; WO 2016/042017; US 2017/0276893; US 2018/0164524; US 2018/0231730; WO 2017/121778; WO 2017/125473, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference. Other connectivity panels and equipment can be used. 
     Incoming cables  102  and outgoing cables  104  connect to equipment panels  122 ,  124  and enter cabinet  10  through glands  80  in bottom wall  70 . These cables  102 ,  104  connect with fiber optic connectors to a rear side (the side not visible) of termination panels  120 . Within cabinet  10 , additional cables  112 ,  114  connect the front side of termination panel  120  to one another, or to other equipment located within cabinet  10 . 
     As will be described below and shown in the example embodiment, a variety of panels, radius limiters, cable fixation plates, and cable channels are provided to manage the cabling within cabinet  10 . The cable storage zone  44  includes a variety of cable channels including first vertical channel  141 , second vertical channel  142 , and third vertical channel  143 . A horizontal channel  144  allows for cables to pass to vertical channel  145  and then equipment  100 . 
     Within splitter zone  42 , fiber optic splitters  110  are positioned. A staggered mounting plate  111  allows for multiple columns of splitters to be mounted in splitter zone  42 . The staggered mounting plate has a stair-stepped arrangement from front to back so that the splitter cables do not interfere with one another. A horizontal cable passage  140  connects the splitter cables to first vertical channel  141 . If second equipment zone  50  is utilized, a further vertical channel  147  is utilized within cable storage zone  44  for connection to channels  142 ,  143  through horizontal channel  144 . As shown, splitter cables also pass through horizontal channel  146  to access second equipment zone  50 . 
     Various cable radius limiters  160  are positioned within cabinet  10  for cable management and cable protection. Radius limiters  161 ,  162 ,  163 ,  164 ,  165 ,  166 ,  167 ,  168 ,  169 ,  170 ,  171 ,  172 ,  173  are in the form of half spools. Radius limiters  163 - 166  are selectable spools for positioning cable slack so that excess cable does not accumulate on bottom wall  70 . 
     Various divider panels  180 ,  181 ,  182 ,  183 ,  184 ,  185   186  are provided to define the cable pathways for proper cable placement, and to help prevent cable placement in other areas that could lead to cable damage, or cable entanglements. Panel  180  forms a divider wall between channel  145  and channel  141 . Panel  181  forms a divider wall between channels  141 ,  142 . Panel  182  forms an upper divider wall to limit access to cable storage zone  44  from any direction except the bottom. Panel  183  forms a divider wall between channel  143  and channel  147 . Panel  185  forms a divider wall between second equipment zone  50  and channel  147 . Angled panels  184 ,  186  provide divider walls so that cables only exit or enter cable storage zone  44  at channel  141  at an upper portion of channel  141 , or an upper portion of channel  147  or through horizontal channel  144  at a lower end of cable storage zone  44 . Various fixation plates or tie-off plates  190  are provided within cabinet  10  for further management of the cables. 
     Equipment panel  122  can be connected to incoming cables  102 . Input splitter cable pigtails  112  connect to panel  122  to feed all of splitters  110 . Output splitter cable pigtails  114  connect to one of equipment panels  124  from the splitters  110 . Equipment panels  124  are connected to outgoing cables  104 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 12-15 , a telecommunications equipment cabinet  310 , or cabinet  310 , is shown. Cabinet  310  is similar to cabinet  10 . Cabinet  310  shows both equipment zones holding equipment  100  for which various cables run to and from for telecommunications connectivity.