Abstract:
A cable tension management device that includes a substantially rigid substrate having a first end and a second end located opposite the first end, wherein the substrate is bent at an angle between the first and second end thereby defining a base portion and an angled portion of the substrate, and one or more fasteners for securing cable to a surface of the substrate. The cable tension management device may be secured to a supporting structure (e.g., a cable management rack) and receive cable connected to interconnection points above the cable tension management device such that it supports at least some of the weight of the cable.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims priority to U.S. Application Ser. No. 60/586,916, filed Jul. 8, 2004, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0002]     This description relates to a cable tension management.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0003]     Computer networks often include massive numbers of cables to interconnect devices on the network. Because network problems can be caused by loose connections, cable management racks, such as those manufactured by Chatsworth Products, Inc., are typically employed to house and manage a multitude of cable interconnect.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0004]     In one aspect, the invention features a cable management system that includes a cable management rack and a cable tension management device secured to the cable management rack. The cable tension management device includes a substantially rigid substrate configured to receive cable connected to the cable management rack such that at least a portion of the weight of the cable is supported by the cable tension management device.  
         [0005]     In another aspect, the invention features a cable tension management device that includes a substantially rigid substrate having a first end and a second end located opposite the first end, wherein the substrate is bent at an angle between the first and second end thereby defining a base portion and an angled portion of the substrate and one or more fasteners for securing cable to a surface of the substrate. The cable tension management device may be secured to a supporting structure (e.g., a cable management rack) and receive cable connected to interconnection points above the cable tension management device such that it supports at least some of the weight of the cable.  
         [0006]     In another aspect, a cable management device includes a substrate and a plurality of fasteners. The substrate has a far end that transitions at an angle away from the longitudinal axis of the substrate, thereby creating a base portion, and an angled portion. The fasteners are located on the base portion and angled portion of the substrate.  
         [0007]     Other examples can include one or more of the following features. The angled portion of the substrate can transition away from the longitudinal axis of the substrate at an angle of between about 30 degrees and about 150 degrees. More particularly, the angled portion of the substrate can transition away from the longitudinal axis of the substrate at an angle of substantially 90 degrees. The angled portion of the substrate can transition through a radial bend in the substrate. The angled portion of the substrate can transition through a substantially angular bend in the substrate. The angled portion of the substrate can also transition through a series of substantially angular bends in the substrate.  
         [0008]     The substrate may be dimensioned as to be slideably inserted through the cable conduit members of a cable management rack. The fasteners may be hook-and-loop, strap and buckle, or other types of releasable or non-releasable fasteners and may support cable along the base and/or angled portions of the substrate.  
         [0009]     In another aspect, the invention features a method of relieving tension at cable interconnect points on a cable management rack that includes positioning a substantially rigid substrate beneath interconnection points on a cable management rack and securing cable connected to the interconnection points to the substrate such that at least a portion of the weight of the cable located above the substrate is supported by the substrate.  
         [0010]     Embodiments can realize one or more of the following advantages. The cable tension management device provides tension relief at fiber cable interfaces, and, more particularly, provides tension relief on fiber cables at the fiber cable head (cable interconnect point) in a computer network, such as a storage area network (SAN). Cable tension fasteners are employed to secure cable bundles to the base portion and the angled portion of the cable tension management device. The angled portion of the substrate allows the cable to safely transition from an inclined position to a substantially horizontal position, thereby relieving tension from the cable and the termination point resulting in extended life and usability of the cables.  
         [0011]     The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a cable tension management device.  
         [0013]      FIG. 1B  is a side view of another cable tension management device.  
         [0014]      FIGS. 2-3  is a plan view and perspective view, respectively, of a cable tension management device mounted to a cable management rack.  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of another cable tension management device.  
         [0016]      FIG. 5A-5C  are side views of three cable tension management devices. 
     
    
       [0017]     Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0018]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a cable tension management device  100  includes a body  105  having a far end transitioning at an angle away from a longitudinal axis of the body, thereby creating a base portion  110  and an angled portion  115 . In this particular implementation, the angled portion of the body transitions through a radial bend  135  in the body. The cable tension management device also includes a clip  120  located at an end of the body opposite the angled portion  115 . As will be described in more detail below, the clip  120  provides a means for attaching the cable tension management device to a cable management rack. The cable tension management device also includes two fasteners  125   a ,  125   b  are attached, one of which (i.e., fastener  125   a ) is located on the base portion  110 , and another one of which (i.e., fastener  125   b ) is located on the angled portion  115  of the body  105 . The cable tension fasteners  125  are attached to the body  105  of the cable tension management device through a plurality of slotted openings  130 .  
         [0019]     As shown in  FIG. 1   b , another cable tension management device  101  has an angled portion  115  of its body  105  transitioning at an angle (θ) away from the longitudinal axis (A) of the body  105 .  FIG. 1   b  illustrates the angled portion  115  of the body  105  as transitioning through a sharp angular bend  140  in the body  105 . As indicated by the dashed lines in  FIG. 1   b , the angled portion  115  can transition through a series of sharp angular bends in the body  105  to achieve the desired angle (θ).  
         [0020]     As shown in  FIGS. 2-3 , cable tension management device  100  is attached to a cable management rack  200  by clipping clip  120  to a cable conduit member  310  of the cable management rack. The width and length of the body  105  of the cable management device  100  is dimensioned such that it can be slideably inserted through the cable conduit members  310  and  315 .  
         [0021]     The cable tension management device  100  is located below several cable interconnection points  305  on the cable management rack and the cables  205  connected to these interconnection points are releasably secured to the body of the cable management device. In this implementation, cable is releasably secured to the cable management device in the horizontal direction by hook and loop fastener  125   a , and in the vertical direction by hook-and-loop fastener  125   b . By securing the cables  205  to body, the cable management device is supports the weight of the cables  205  and alleviates stress associated with gravitational forces at the cable interconnect points  305 . The amount of stress relief offered is dependent on the proximity of the body  105  to the cable interconnect points  305 . As the distance between the body  105  and the cable interconnect points  305  increases, the length of cable that is unsupported typically increases which reduces the amount of stress relief. Thus, it is typically preferably to locate the cable tension management device below and relatively close to the interconnection points  305  of the cable.  
         [0022]     While the cable management device  100  shown in  FIGS. 2-3  uses hook-and-loop fasteners to secure cable to the body, other implementations may use other types of fasteners—both relesable and non-releasable—to secure cable. For example, as shown in  FIG. 4 , a cable tension management device  103  includes a pair of U-bolt fasteners  400   a - 400   b  that are attached to the base portion  110  of the body  105  through holes  405 . When cable is laid along the surface of the body, the U-bolt fasteners may be tightened to clamp the cable to the body. The cable management device  103  also includes three strap-and-buckle fasteners  400   c - 400   e  to secure cable to the cable management device in both the vertical and horizontal directions. Two of the strap-and-buckle fasteners  400   c - 400   d  are removably attached to by inserting them through slotted openings  130 , while the third strap-and-buckle fastener  400   e  is permanently attached to the body with a pair of screws  410 . Other embodiments may employ other releasable or non-releasable fasteners to secure cable to the body such as cable ties, clips, or clamps. In other implementations, the cable tension management device may include a groove along the longitudinal axis of its body in order to provide a channel in which the cable may lie.  
         [0023]     As shown in  FIGS. 5   a - 5   c , cable tension management devices  104 ,  106 ,  108  have differently contoured body portions. In  FIG. 5   a , cable management device  104  has a body  105  that transitions through a radial bend  135  that defines it base and angled portion. In  FIG. 5   b , cable tension management device  106  has a body with a sharp angular bend  140 , whereas in  FIG. 5   c , cable tension management device  108  has a body with two sharp angular bends  500 . Additionally, cable tension management device  108  shown in  FIG. 5C  includes two flanges  145   a - 145   b  projecting from the lower surface of the body  105  that provide a means for attaching the cable management device to a cable management rack by, e.g., screws inserted through holes  150   a  and  150   b . Other implementations may permanently or releasably secure the cable tension management device to a cable management rack or other structure such as by bolting, welding, cementing, clamping, or clipping the cable tension management device to a support structure.  
         [0024]     A number of embodiments of the invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example only and not to limit other alternatives, the angled portion of the body can transition from the longitudinal axis of the body from between about 30 degrees and about 150 degrees. In some cases the angled portion of the body can transition at an angle of substantially 90 degrees away from the longitudinal axis of the body. The body of the cable tension management device is preferably formed of a rigid material that can support weight of cable such as plastic, metal, or a composite material. A cable tension management device may be formed by molding a hard plastic sheet or by stamping and forming sheet metal. The cable tension fasteners can be secured to the body in a number of different ways including by screwing, bolting, clipping, clamping, or cementing. Additionally, cable tension fasteners can be positioned in substantially parallel rows on the base and angled portions of the body. Separate cable bundles can be managed individually by providing parallel rows of cable tension fasteners and locating each bundle in its own fastener row. Additionally, while the cable tension management devices described above have a single-piece body, other embodiments may have a body formed of multiple pieces. For example, two flat strips of metal or other material may be welded together along one of each of their respective ends at an angle to form the body of a cable tension management device. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.