Abstract:
A communications shelf configured to support at least one communications adapter panel includes first and second spaced sidewalls and a first bracket mounted at the first sidewall, the first bracket including a mounting portion fixed relative to the first sidewall and a cantilevered portion projecting away from the first bracket mounting portion and having an end, the first bracket cantilevered portion being configured to shift from a first position wherein the first bracket cantilevered portion end is spaced a first distance from the first sidewall to a second position wherein the first bracket cantilevered end is spaced a second, smaller distance, from the first sidewall under application of a force and to return to the first position when the force is discontinued, the first bracket cantilevered portion including at least one pivot pin or at least one opening forming a bearing for a pivot shaft.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to storage/organizing devices used in networking environments. More particularly, the present invention relates to a communications patching system that includes a support for communications lines and one or more panels pivotably mounted to the support, the panels including holders for communications adapters. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     In communication cabinets and racks, a multitude of cables are interconnected to one another via splices and connectors, such as adapters in the case of fiber optic cables and jacks in the case of copper conductor cables. A cable organization unit having a tray or shelf or similar platform is a convenient way to mount cabling devices, such as splice holders, adapters and slack storage devices (e.g., clips, guides, spools). The cabling devices may be mounted to the shelf in a highly organized fashion. Optionally, the cabling devices may be withdrawn from a housing mounted to the rack or cabinet via a sliding action of the shelf to provide for easy access and manipulation of the cabling devices on a rear portion of the shelf by a technician. The front portion of the shelf typically presents a bulkhead populated with adapters (in the case of fiber optic connections) or jacks (in the case of copper cables, such as twisted pair cables or coaxial cables). 
     Such cable organization units are generally known in the background art and more details of such devices may be seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,120,348; 7,079,744; 7,068,907; 6,968,111; 6,944,389; 6,937,807; 6,748,155; 6,591,051; 6,504,988; 6,438,310; and 6,263,141, each of which is herein incorporated by reference. 
     It is desirable to provide fiber optic distribution equipment/copper cable distribution equipment, like patch panels, with increased connector port density. “Density” refers to the number of locations, or ports, per unit volume or unit area for providing connections. Many shelves are configured to a standard size. A standard height of 1.75 inches is known in the art as a “rack unit” or “U”. For example, a 2 U shelf would have a height of 3.5 inches. If a 2 U shelf had 96 connections, the shelf would have a 48 connections/U density. 
     On a standard shelf in accordance with the background art, the higher the connection/U density, the more difficult it is to make connections and disconnections, and labeling of ports is more closely spaced and difficult to understand and view. However, in some network environments (such as storage area network (SAN) environments), there is a need for a higher density adapter/jack arrangement on the bulkhead of the shelf. The higher density adapter/jack arrangement also needs to be sized to be installed on a standard sized shelf of a traditional rack and/or cabinet. One such application is in cabinet patching support of high density SAN switching hardware that typically takes up most of the available rack space. A patch panel with higher density than traditional patch panels would have value and use in this application. 
     Fiber optic patch panel shelves typically include metal drawer type shelves in a 1 U or greater size (e.g., 1 U, 2 U, 3 U and 4 U are typical sizes of design configurations). The shelves are populated with fiber optic adapters in panels, have space for behind-the-bulkhead-wall cable management, options for splicing, support for pre-terminated hardware, and a trough in the front for fiber optic patch cord management. There are available fixed and sliding versions of these shelves. The sliding versions typically use drawer type slides to allow the shelf to slide out of the front plane of the equipment rack. These shelves may include modular cable organizing products pre-installed at the factory or connection features to accommodate modular cable organizing products installed in the field. 
     The traditional fiber shelves have typically been configured with a single patch panel or multiple modular patch panels on the front patching side of a bulkhead of the shelf in either a single continuous plane or two angled planes to ease patching. With this configuration, total density of connectors/adapters has been limited to the available space in the rack unit that the shelf resides in, and by the ergonomics associated with installing and removing connectors from the fiber adapters/cable jacks on the patch panel. Specifically, if the adapters are placed too closely together it becomes difficult to grasp a connector to insert it into or remove it from the adapter. 
     The foregoing issues are addressed by an invention described in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/793,728, filed Jun. 4, 2010, assigned to the present assignee, and the entire contents of that application are hereby incorporated by reference. In the &#39;728 application, one or more patch panels or adapter panels are pivotably mounted in a frame or shelf so that each can be pivoted to a position that provides increased space for attaching connectors to or removing connectors from the panel. The panels can also be pivoted to a position in which the panels are closely spaced for storage in a manner that may not leave sufficient room to easily attach or detach connectors. In the &#39;728 application, tools are generally required to mount and remove the panels. It would be desirable to be able to mount and remove patch panels and adapter panels in various environments, including the one disclosed in the &#39;728 application, without the use of tools. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This problem and others are addressed by embodiments of the present invention, a first aspect of which comprises a communications shelf configured to support at least one communications adapter panel. The shelf includes first and second spaced sidewalls and a first bracket mounted at the first sidewall, and the first bracket includes a mounting portion fixed relative to the first sidewall and a cantilevered portion projecting away from the first bracket mounting portion and an end. The first bracket cantilevered portion is configured to shift from a first position, wherein its end is spaced a first distance from the first sidewall to a second position wherein its end is spaced a second, smaller, distance, from the first sidewall under application of a force and to return to the first position when the force is discontinued. The first bracket cantilevered portion includes at least one pivot pin or at least one opening forming a bearing for a pivot shaft. 
     Another aspect of the invention comprises a method of mounting a communications adapter panel between first and second spaced supports that includes providing a first pivot pin or a first opening for receiving a pivot shaft at the first support, providing a bracket on the second support, the bracket including a mounting opening or a pivot pin and providing a communications adapter panel having first and second pivot shafts or first and second holes for receiving pivot pins. The method also includes placing the adapter panel first pivot shaft in the first support first opening or placing the first support first pivot pin in the adapter panel first hole, applying a force against the cantilevered portion of the bracket to flex the cantilevered portion toward the second support, aligning the adapter panel second pivot shaft with the bracket second opening or aligning the adapter panel second hole with the bracket second pivot pin, and removing the force from the cantilevered portion so that the cantilevered portion moves toward the adapter panel and the adapter panel second pivot pin is received in the bracket second opening or so that the bracket second pivot shaft is received in the adapter panel second hole. 
     A further aspect of the invention comprises a rack comprising first and second supports, an interior and a plurality of communications shelves slidably mounted in the rack for movement into and out of the rack interior. Each of the plurality of communications shelves has a first sidewall including a first flange connected to the first support and a second sidewall spaced from the first sidewall with a second flange connected to the second support. First and second spaced brackets are mounted along the first and second sidewalls, and each of the first and second brackets includes at least one pivot pin or at least one opening forming a bearing for a pivot shaft. The first bracket includes a mounting portion fixed relative to the first sidewall and a cantilevered portion projecting away from the mounting portion toward the rack interior and having an end, and the cantilevered portion is configured to flex away from a starting position under application of a force and to spring back to the starting position when the force is removed. The cantilevered portion includes the at least one pivot pin or at least one opening of the first bracket. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These aspects of the invention and others will be better understood after a reading of the following detailed description together with the attached drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a top plan view of a communication shelf, including first and second brackets, according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a top plan view of an adapter panel mountable in the communications shelf of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the adapter panel of  FIG. 2  being mounted in the communications shelf of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of one of the brackets illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a top plan view of a communication shelf, including first and second brackets, according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a top plan view of an adapter panel mountable in the communications shelf of  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 7  is a top plan view of the adapter panel of  FIG. 6  being mounted in the communications shelf of  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of one of the brackets illustrated in  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a rack containing the communications shelf of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 10  is a flow chart illustrating a method according to an embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present invention now is described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. 
     Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. In the figures, the thickness of certain lines, layers, components, elements or features may be exaggerated for clarity. 
     The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. 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 to which this invention belongs. It will be further understood that 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 specification and relevant art and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein. Well-known functions or constructions may not be described in detail for brevity and/or clarity. 
     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. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. 
     As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. As used herein, phrases such as “between X and Y” and “between about X and Y” should be interpreted to include X and Y. As used herein, phrases such as “between about X and Y” mean “between about X and about Y.” As used herein, phrases such as “from about X to Y” mean “from about X to about Y.” 
     It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being “on”, “attached” to, “connected” to, “coupled” with, “contacting”, etc., another element, it can be directly on, attached to, connected to, coupled with or contacting the other element or intervening elements may also be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being, for example, “directly on”, “directly attached” to, “directly connected” to, “directly coupled” with or “directly contacting” another element, there are no intervening elements present. It will also be appreciated by those of skill in the art that references to a structure or feature that is disposed “adjacent” another feature may have portions that overlap or underlie the adjacent feature. 
     Spatially relative terms, such as “under”, “below”, “lower”, “over”, “upper”, “lateral”, “left”, “right” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature&#39;s relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is inverted, elements described as “under” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “over” the other elements or features. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the descriptors of relative spatial relationships used herein interpreted accordingly. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a shelf  10  having a front  12 , a rear  14 , a floor  16 , a first side  18  having a first flange  20  at the front of the shelf and a second side  22  having a second flange  24  at the front of the shelf. Drawer slides  28  are mounted to first and second sides  18 ,  22  of shelf  10 , and brackets  27  on the drawer slides  28  may be used to mount shelf  10  in a rack  26 , illustrated in  FIG. 9 . The drawer slides  28  allow the shelf  10  to slide into and out of the rack interior  30 . 
     A first bracket  32  is mounted at first side  18  of the shelf  10 , and a second bracket  33 , illustrated by itself in  FIG. 4 , is mounted at the second side  22  of the shelf  10 . First bracket  32  is a mirror image of second bracket  33 , and the following description is directed primarily to second bracket  33 . Second bracket  33  includes a mounting portion  34  in a central portion thereof which mounting portion  34  comprises a planar wall portion that overlies second side  22  of shelf  10  and includes a mounting opening  36  through which a fastener such as bolt  38  extends to secure the mounting portion  34  to the second side  22  of the shelf  10 . A first spacer wall  40  extends in a first direction from mounting portion  34  at approximately 90 degrees to the mounting portion  34 , and a cantilevered portion  42  forms a corner  44  with first spacer wall  40  and projects away from first spacer wall  40  and mounting portion  34 , toward the rear  14  of shelf  10  when second bracket  33  is mounted on the shelf  10 . Cantilevered portion  42  has a relatively wide portion  46 , illustrated in  FIG. 4 , that is approximately the same width as the mounting portion  34  and a narrower portion  47  that extends from the relatively wide portion  46  at an angle to the end  48  of the second bracket  33 . Wide portion  46  includes a cutout  49  which increases the flexibility of corner  44  and openings  50  which form bearings for pivot shafts described hereinafter. 
     A second spacer wall  54  extends from mounting portion  34  on the side of mounting portion  34  opposite first spacer wall  40  in the first direction at approximately 90 degrees, and a projecting member  56  extends from second spacer wall  54  away from cantilevered portion  42  in the direction of front  12  of shelf  10 . An end portion  58  of the second bracket  33  extends from projecting member  56  in a second direction opposite the first direction. End portion  58  is longer than second spacer wall  54  and thus projects through and past the plane of mounting portion  34  and overlies a front portion of second flange  24 . End portion  58  includes a mounting opening  60  for securing end portion  58  to second side  22  of shelf  10 . Flared member  62  extends at approximately a 45 degree angle away from end portion  58  and includes a slot  64 . 
     Communications shelf  10  further includes an adapter panel  70 , illustrated apart from shelf  10  in  FIG. 2 , having first and second sides  72 , a front  74 , a rear  76 , a plurality of adapters  78  and a trough  80  for guiding cables (not illustrated) connected to the adapters  78 . Pivot shafts  82  extend in opposite directions from first and second sides  72  near rear  76  of adapter panel  70 . 
     With second bracket mounting portion  34  secured to second side  22  of shelf  10  and end portion  58  of second bracket  33  secured to second flange  24 , cantilevered portion  42  can be flexed toward second side  22  of shelf  10  by applying a force against end  48  to press end  48  toward the second side  22 . Second bracket  33  is preferably formed from sheet metal which has sufficient flexibility, along its length and at corner  44 , to allow end  48  of second bracket  33  to move one quarter to one-half inch toward second side  22  of shelf  10  and to spring back to its original position, generally parallel to second side  22 , when the force pressing it toward the second side  22  is released. Cutout  49  increases this flexibility, and the angle made by narrow portion  47  of the second bracket  33  relative to the wide portion  46  increases the degree to which the cantilevered portion  42  can be flexed. The distance separating the ends of pivot shafts  82  on adapter panel  70  is greater than the distance between the wide portion  46  of first mounting bracket  32  and the wide portion  46  of second mounting bracket  33 . In order to mount the adapter panel  70  in shelf  10 , therefore, the distance between the first and second mounting brackets  32 ,  33  must be increased. Three ways of mounting the adapter panel  70  in shelf  10  are described below. 
     If relatively stiff sheet metal is used, it may be necessary to flex the cantilevered portions  42  of both first and second brackets  32 ,  33  toward the first and second sides  18 ,  20  of the shelf  10 . One way of doing this is to have a first person press each of the first and second mounting brackets  32 ,  33  toward its respective side of the shelf  10  while a second person positions the adapter panel  70  between the openings  50  on the respective first and second brackets  32 ,  33 . The first person would then release the pressure on the first and second mounting brackets  32 ,  33  to allow the pivot shafts  82  on the adapter panels  70  to enter the holes  50  on the first and second brackets  32 ,  33 , leaving adapter panel  70  pivotably supported on pivot shafts  82  in openings  50 . Adapter panel  70  may be removed from between the first and second brackets  32 ,  33  by reversing this process. 
     Alternately, one person could mount adapter panel  70  in shelf  10  by placing the first pivot shaft  82  of the adapter panel  70  in one of the openings  50  of the first mounting bracket  32  and then pressing the narrow portion  47  of the second mounting bracket  33  toward second side  22  of shelf  10  as illustrated in  FIG. 3  (with or without pressing the second side  72  of the adapter panel  70  toward first side  18  of the shelf  10  to flex the first bracket  32  toward the first side  18 ), until the distance between the first and second mounting brackets  32 ,  33  is sufficient to allow the second pivot shaft  82  of the adapter panel  70  to enter the corresponding mounting opening  50  in the second mounting bracket  33 . Pressure is then removed from the narrow portion  47  of the second mounting bracket  33  to allow the second mounting bracket  33  to return to its unflexed position. In this position, the first and second pivot shafts  82  of adapter panel  70  are pivotably supported in the bearings formed by mounting openings  50  in the first and second mounting brackets  32 ,  33 . The adapter panels  70  may be removed from between the first and second mounting brackets  32 ,  33  by reversing the foregoing steps. 
     Alternately, if the second bracket  33  has sufficient flexibility, and if sufficient clearance is available between the second bracket  33  and the second side  22  of the shelf  10 , it may be possible to install adapter panel  70  by flexing the cantilevered portion  42  of second bracket  33  without moving first bracket  32 . In such case, it would be possible to replace first bracket  32  with a different bracket (not illustrated) that does not have a cantilevered portion. Alternately, a mounting opening or pivot pin could be formed directly on a portion of shelf  10  to support one side of adapter panel  70  while the cantilevered portion  42  of the second bracket  33  is flexed to accommodate a pivot shaft of adapter panel  70 . 
     Which arrangement is used will depend in part on the width of the shelf and the clearances available between the brackets and the sides of the shelf. Beneficially, the use of a pair of flexible brackets such as first and second brackets  32 ,  33  allows the adapter panel  70  to be installed by inserting either the left side of the adapter panel in the second bracket  33  and flexing primarily the first bracket  32  or by inserting the right side of adapter panel  70  in the first bracket  32  and flexing primarily the second bracket  33 , depending on the preference of the installer and the location of the shelf  10 . 
     A second embodiment of the present invention will now be described in connection with the mounting of an adapter panel  70 ′ illustrated in  FIG. 6  in a shelf  10 ′ of  FIG. 5  using a second bracket  33 ′ illustrated by itself in  FIG. 8  and a first bracket  32 ′ that is a mirror image of second bracket  33 ′. Most elements of this second embodiment are identical to those of the first embodiment and will not be described again. Elements that are similar but not identical to those of the first embodiment are identified with the reference numeral of the similar element and a prime (′). First and second brackets  32 ′ and  33 ′ each include pivot pins  52  in place of openings  50  of the first embodiment, and adapter panel  70 ′ of  FIG. 6  includes a hole  84  instead of the pivot shaft  82  of the first embodiment. Adapter panel  70 ′ is mounted between first and second mounting brackets  32 ′,  33 ′ in the substantially the same manner as described above in connection with the first embodiment.  FIG. 7  illustrates second mounting bracket  33 ′ being flexed toward second side  22  of shelf  10 ′ so that side  72  of adapter panel  70 ′ can fit between the first and second pivot pins  52  of mounting brackets  32 ′,  33 ′ after which second bracket  33 ′ is allowed to return to its unflexed position so that pivot pin  52  on the second mounting bracket  33 ′ can enter hole  84  of adapter panel  70 ′. With holes  84  on sides  72  of the adapter panel  70 ′, it may be possible to remove the adapter panel  70  in the direction of the front  12  of shelf  10  if the pivot pins  52  are removed from the holes  84 . The pivot shafts  82  of the adapter panel  70  of the first embodiment may make it more difficult for the adapter panel  70  to move toward the front of the shelf  10 . Whether or not it is desirable to allow an adapter panel to move toward the front of shelf  10  when released from its pivot supports may recommend one of the embodiments over the other. 
     A method according to an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in  FIG. 10  and includes a step  100  of providing first and second spaced supports, a step  102  of providing a first pivot pin or a first opening for receiving a pivot shaft at the first support and a step  104  of providing a bracket on the second support, the bracket including a mounting portion fixed relative to the first support and a cantilevered portion projecting away from the mounting portion and having an end, the cantilevered portion including a second pivot pin or a second opening forming a bearing for a pivot shaft. The method also includes a step  106  of providing a communications adapter panel having first and second pivot shafts or first and second holes for receiving pivot pins, a step  108  of placing the adapter panel first pivot shaft in the first support first opening or placing the first support first pivot pin in the adapter panel first hole and a step  110  of applying a force against the cantilevered portion of the bracket to flex the cantilevered portion toward the second support. The method further includes a step  112  of aligning the adapter panel second pivot shaft with the bracket second opening or aligning the adapter panel second hole with the bracket second pivot pin and a step  114  of removing the force from the cantilevered portion so that the cantilevered portion moves toward the adapter panel and the adapter panel second pivot pin is received in the bracket second opening or so that the bracket second pivot shaft is received in the adapter panel second hole. 
     The present invention has been described herein in terms of several presently preferred embodiments. Modifications and additions to these embodiments will become apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the relevant art upon a reading of the foregoing description. It is intended that all modifications and additions to these embodiments comprise a part of the present invention to the extent they fall within the scope of the several claims appended hereto.