Patent Description:
The emergence of the cloud for computing applications has increased the demand for off-site installations, known as data centers, that store data and run applications accessed by remotely connected computer device users. Such data centers typically have massive numbers of servers, switches, and storage devices to store and manage data. A typical data center has physical rack structures with attendant power and communication connections. The racks are arranged in rows throughout the room or rooms of the data center. Each rack includes a frame that has vertically oriented slots or chassis between two side walls. The slots may hold multiple network devices such as servers, switches, and storage devices. There are many such network devices stacked in such rack structures found in a modern data center. For example, some data centers have tens of thousands of servers, attendant storage devices, and network switches. Thus, a typical data center may include tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands, of devices in hundreds or thousands of individual racks.

An individual rack has components such as a power supply, baseboard backplanes, and physical components to hold the network devices in the slots. Network devices require cable connections to a switch or router that may be typically mounted in the top or bottom slots for maximum ease of cabling. Since there are extensive cables to connect the network devices in a rack, such cables are typically grouped together and snaked through loops in a cable management arm that is suspended on the back of the rack. Thus the cables may be physically routed and held to connect to the network devices in the rack.

In known rack designs, such a cable management arm is hinged and rotated away from the back of the rack when a network component needs servicing or replacement. In the known designs, the user releases a latch to rotate the cable management arm out to avoid interference from the arm when accessing the network devices held by the rack. However, in the densely packed space in data centers, there may be space limitations that prevent the cable management arm to be fully rotated away from the back of the rack. In such circumstances, the replacement or servicing of network devices in the rack is difficult or impossible because of the interference of the cable management arm. Efficient service or replacement of network devices is essential for the peak operation of a data center. Delays because of difficulties to access network devices in racks impede the efficient operation of the data center. An example of such rack design is in <CIT> "Cable Management Apparatus". Other related prior art is disclosed in US Patent Publication No. <CIT> "Cable Management Apparatus", US Patent Publication No. <CIT> "Cable Management Apparatus for Connector", US Patent Publication No. <CIT> "Cable Management Device for Cable Management Arm", US Patent Publication No. <CIT> "Cable Management Arm with Trough and Breakaway Feature", and US Patent Publication No. <CIT> "Cable Routing System".

Moreover, <CIT> relates to a cable management arm assembly for holding cables for an equipment rack having a first chassis slot and a second chassis slot, the first chassis slot and the second chassis slot arranged vertically between two side rails. The cable management arm assembly comprises a mounting tab attached to one of the rails, a slide bracket operable to be positioned between two vertical positions on the mounting tab relative to the first chassis slot and a second chassis slot and a bottom support bracket coupled to the slide bracket. The bottom support bracket is substantially perpendicular to one of the side rails. The slide bracket is capable of being adjusted relative to one of the side rails, wherein the side rail includes the mounting tab having a vertical slot. The equipment rack comprises a releasing member and a latch member configuring a locking mechanism on the cable management arm, wherein the locking mechanism locks the arm to the mounting tab to fix the cable management arm in either the first or second vertical position. The locking mechanism is actuated to a release position which allows the slide bracket to be articulated linearly allowing vertical movement of the cable management arm. Furthermore, <CIT> discloses a cable arrangement device for a cable management arm that includes a support member and a locking member. The support member includes a fixing portion, an accommodation portion and a hook portion. The accommodation portion includes a first sidewall, a second sidewall and a bottom wall connected between the first and second sidewalls. The first sidewall is fixed to the fixing portion and has a connection member which has a first pivotal portion which has a positioning feature. The second sidewall is fixed to the hook portion. The locking member has a second pivotal portion and an engaging portion. The second pivotal portion is pivotably connected to the first pivotal portion and has an engaging feature engaged with the positioning feature. The engaging portion is engaged with the hook portion of the first sidewall when the engaging portion is in locked position.

Thus, there is a need for a cable management arm that allows easy access to network devices held in an equipment rack. There is also a need for a cable management arm that may be moved in different vertical positions to allow the service of network devices in a confined space.

According to an example that is not claimed here, an equipment rack may be provided with a cable management arm according to any of the appended claims.

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.

The disclosure will be better understood from the following description of exemplary embodiments together with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:.

The present disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, and some representative embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail herein. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed.

<FIG> shows a perspective view of an equipment rack <NUM>. The equipment rack <NUM> includes a pair of side walls <NUM> and <NUM>. Side frames <NUM> and <NUM> are located near the respective interior sides of the side walls <NUM> and <NUM>. The side frames <NUM> and <NUM> include
vertical supports <NUM>. The vertical supports <NUM> near the side walls <NUM> and <NUM> support lateral side rails <NUM> and <NUM> that define slots that may hold network devices.

<FIG> shows a close-up perspective view of the side rails <NUM> and <NUM> of the equipment rack <NUM>. Individual slots such as a chassis slot <NUM> and a chassis slot <NUM> are formed by cross members <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> that are supported by the side rails <NUM> and <NUM>. The chassis slots <NUM> and <NUM> are therefore defined by the side rails <NUM> and <NUM> and cross members <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM>. The chassis slots <NUM> and <NUM> may include connections for power for network devices as well as backplane electronics for operating network devices. The chassis slot <NUM> in this example holds two network devices, such as servers <NUM> and <NUM>. The chassis slot <NUM> also holds two network devices, such as servers <NUM> and <NUM>. It is to be understood that each of the slots in the rack <NUM> may hold a single network device or more than two network devices. Various cables that are attached to the servers <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> and guided by a cable management arm <NUM> that is located at the rear end of the slots <NUM> and <NUM>. As will be explained below, the cable management arm <NUM> is held by the side rails <NUM> and <NUM>.

<FIG> and <FIG> show perspective views of the back side of an equipment rack <NUM> with the cable management arm <NUM> being suspending in different positions. Like elements from <FIG> and <FIG> are labeled identically in <FIG> and <FIG>. The cable management arm <NUM> is suspended in a lower vertical position, as shown in <FIG> and an upper vertical position, as shown in <FIG>. The ability to position the cable management arm <NUM> in different vertical positions prevents the need to swing out the cable management arm away from the equipment rack <NUM> to gain access to the slots <NUM> and <NUM>. This allows the rack <NUM> to be installed in a more compact manner since less space is needed behind the rack <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, when the cable management arm <NUM> is in a lower vertical position, equipment in the chassis slot <NUM> may be accessed. As shown in <FIG>, when the cable management arm <NUM> is in an upper vertical position, equipment in the chassis slot <NUM> may be accessed.

As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the network devices <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> may be serviced by sliding out the device from the respective slot by moving the cable management arm <NUM> vertically. For example, the server <NUM> is shown in a position removed from the chassis slot <NUM> in <FIG>. Similarly, the server <NUM> in <FIG> is shown removed from the chassis slot <NUM>. In this manner, a technician may service the network device such as the server <NUM> at the rack. Alternatively, the server <NUM> may be removed entirely and replaced with another device; or may be repaired remotely from the equipment rack <NUM> and replaced at a later time.

Each of the servers <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> have multiple ports that accept connectors that are attached to cables that carry data signals to and from other devices, such as switches or routers. Such switches and routers may be installed in other slots in the equipment rack <NUM>, or may be installed in proximity to the equipment rack <NUM>. The cables from the ports of network devices in one or more slots may be bunched together to save space in the back of the equipment rack <NUM>. Mechanisms, such as the cable management arm <NUM>, hold bunches of cables in relation to the network devices in the slots <NUM> and <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the cable management arm <NUM> extends across the back side of the equipment rack <NUM> and is spaced away from the chassis slots <NUM> and <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>, the cable management arm <NUM> has a mounting bracket <NUM> that are is attached to the rear end the side rail <NUM>. The cable management arm <NUM> also has an inside mounting bracket <NUM> attached to the rear end of the side rail <NUM> as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>. An outside mounting bracket <NUM> supports two linking brackets <NUM> and <NUM> that extend out parallel to the side rail <NUM>. Each of the linking brackets <NUM> and <NUM> is attached to the proximal ends of an outside lateral main bracket <NUM> and an inside main bracket <NUM>. The lateral main brackets <NUM> and <NUM> each have distal ends that are connected together in a loop shaped end structure <NUM>. The mounting brackets <NUM> and <NUM> are also attached to a bottom support bracket <NUM>. The bottom support bracket <NUM> thus extends across the rails <NUM> and <NUM>. The bottom support bracket <NUM> allows a user to easily lift the cable arm <NUM> between vertical positions.

Each of the main brackets <NUM> and <NUM> has a number of slots <NUM>. The slots <NUM> are formed in different locations on each of the main brackets <NUM> and <NUM>. For example, the slots <NUM> may be located at different heights on each of the main brackets <NUM> and <NUM>. The slots <NUM> may also be located at different locations between the distal end attached to the ends of the linking plates <NUM> and <NUM>, and the end structure <NUM>. The slots <NUM> may be mated with hook shaped projections on rectangular loop members to fix the rectangular loop members on the main brackets <NUM> and <NUM>. Mechanisms other than a slot and a hook may be used to attach the rectangular loop members on the main brackets <NUM> and <NUM>. A cable or bunches of cables are inserted through the rectangular loop members to assist in holding bunches of cables together and support the cables that are connected to the network devices in the slots of the equipment rack <NUM>. The vertical and horizontal location of the rectangular loop members on the main brackets <NUM> and <NUM> may be determined by selecting the appropriate slots <NUM> on the main brackets <NUM> and <NUM> for attaching the rectangular loop members.

In this example, loop members <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> are mounted on slots on the main bracket <NUM>. Similarly, loop members <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> are mounted on the main bracket <NUM>. A distal loop <NUM> is mounted at the end structure <NUM>. As explained above, the number of loops mounted on the main brackets <NUM> and <NUM> may differ or loops may be installed only on one of the main brackets <NUM> and <NUM>. Further, the relative vertical and horizontal locations of each loop may be changed by moving the loop to different slots <NUM> on the main brackets <NUM> and <NUM>. The locations of the slots <NUM> on the main brackets <NUM> and <NUM> allow a user to arrange the loop members to support cables in different locations relative to network devices, such as the network devices <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM>, in different chassis slots of the equipment rack <NUM>.

As will be explained below, the cable management arm <NUM> may be positioned vertically relative to the slots <NUM> and <NUM>. <FIG> shows the cable management arm <NUM> positioned in a vertical position on a plane with the chassis slot <NUM>. When the cable management arm <NUM> is in the position in <FIG>, access to devices in the chassis slot <NUM> is allowed. Further, devices in the chassis slot <NUM> may be pulled out from the back of the equipment rack <NUM> (as shown by the server <NUM> being pulled out of the chassis slot <NUM>), without interference from the cable management arm <NUM>. <FIG> shows the cable management arm <NUM> positioned in a vertical position on a plane with the chassis slot <NUM>, allowing access to devices in the chassis slot <NUM>. Thus, devices in the chassis slot <NUM> may be pulled out from the back of the equipment rack <NUM>, as shown by the server <NUM> being pulled out of the chassis slot <NUM>, without interference from the cable management arm <NUM>.

<FIG> is a close up view of the attachment of the cable management arm <NUM> to the side rail <NUM> viewed from one side of the equipment rack <NUM>. <FIG> is a close up view of the attachment of the cable management arm <NUM> to the side rail <NUM> viewed from the opposite side of the equipment rack <NUM>. Like elements in <FIG> and <FIG> are labeled with like reference numbers as their counterparts in <FIG>. The side rails <NUM> and <NUM> each include respective mounting tabs <NUM> and <NUM> that are attached to the ends of the respective side rails <NUM> and <NUM>. In this example the mounting tabs <NUM> and <NUM> are bolted to the ends of the side rails <NUM> and <NUM>. The mounting bracket <NUM> is bolted on the mounting tab <NUM>. Other methods of joining the mounting brackets such as screws, rivets, and welding may be used to attach the mounting bracket <NUM> and mounting tabs <NUM> and <NUM>. The mounting tab <NUM> includes a vertically oriented slot <NUM>. A pin (not shown) extending from the mounting bracket <NUM> is inserted in the slot <NUM> and allows the mounting bracket <NUM> to be moved up and down in the slot <NUM>.

The mounting tab <NUM> has a slot <NUM>. A slide bracket <NUM> can be articulated up and down the slot <NUM>. The slide bracket <NUM> includes a pair of locking knobs <NUM> and <NUM>. The mounting bracket <NUM> also includes a rotating knob <NUM>. The slide bracket <NUM> also includes drive pins <NUM> and <NUM>. The locking knobs <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> may be actuated to a locked position thereby locking the slide bracket <NUM> and the mounting bracket <NUM> (and therefore the cable management arm <NUM>) in a vertical position in the slots <NUM> and <NUM>. Actuating the locking knobs <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> to a release position, allows the slide bracket <NUM> and the mounting bracket <NUM> to be articulated vertically allowing movement of the cable management arm <NUM>. In this example, each of the locking knobs <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> have a pivoting wrench mechanism. The wrench may be pivoted between a vertical position and a horizontal position relative to the top of the locking knob. When the wrench is in the vertical position it retracts a press-in type pin into the locking knob thus providing the release position. When the wrench is moved to the horizontal position, it extends the press-in pin and therefore provides the locked position. In this example, the slots <NUM> and <NUM> have vertical dimensions that allow the cable management arm <NUM> to be positioned at the same level as the slot <NUM> at the top of the slots <NUM> and <NUM> or at the same level as the slot <NUM> when positioned at the bottom of the slots <NUM> and <NUM>. Of course the slots <NUM> and <NUM> may have different vertical dimensions that would allow the cable management arm <NUM> to be positioned between other slots in the equipment rack <NUM>.

<FIG> are close-up views of the dashed box area in <FIG>. The cable management arm <NUM> is in a first position on the plane of the chassis slot <NUM> in <FIG>. The cable management arm <NUM> is adjusted to a second position on the plane of the chassis slot <NUM> in <FIG>. Like elements in <FIG> are labeled with like reference numbers as their counterparts in <FIG>. As may be seen in <FIG>, the slide bracket <NUM> may be moved within the slot <NUM> by the drive pins <NUM> and <NUM>. The slide bracket <NUM> is locked in place by rotating the knobs <NUM> and <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, the cable management arm <NUM> may be locked in the upper end of the slot <NUM> by knobs <NUM> and <NUM> being rotated to a locked position. The attached linking brackets <NUM> and <NUM> and main brackets <NUM> and <NUM> are thus suspended in position. As shown in <FIG>, since the cable management arm <NUM> is at the same plane as the chassis slot <NUM>, the servers <NUM> and <NUM> in the lower chassis slot <NUM> may be accessed. In order to move the cable management arm <NUM> vertically, the knobs <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> in <FIG> are rotated to the unlocked position. The cable management arm <NUM> may be moved by means of the bottom bracket <NUM> shown in <FIG> and <FIG>.

<FIG> shows the slide bracket <NUM> moved to the lower position of the slot <NUM>. The knobs <NUM> and <NUM> lock the slide bracket <NUM> in place to the mounting tab <NUM>, and thus the cable management arm <NUM> is suspended in vertical position that is level with the chassis slot <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, since the cable management arm <NUM> is at the same plane as the chassis slot <NUM>, the servers <NUM> and <NUM> in the upper chassis slot <NUM> may be accessed. When the cable arm <NUM> needs to be moved into the upper position shown in <FIG>, a user may unlock the knobs <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> shown in <FIG> and <FIG>. The user can then lift the cable management arm <NUM> by the bottom support bracket <NUM>.

As used in this application, the terms "component," "module," "system," or the like, generally refer to a computer-related entity, either hardware (e.g., a circuit), a combination of hardware and software, software, or an entity related to an operational machine with one or more specific functionalities. For example, a component may be, but is not limited to being, a process running on a processor (e.g., digital signal processor), a processor, an object, an executable, a thread of execution, a program, and/or a computer. By way of illustration, both an application running on a controller, as well as the controller, can be a component. One or more components may reside within a process and/or thread of execution and a component may be localized on one computer and/or distributed between two or more computers. Further, a "device" can come in the form of specially designed hardware; generalized hardware made specialized by the execution of software thereon that enables the hardware to perform specific function; software stored on a computer-readable medium; or a combination thereof.

Claim 1:
A cable management arm assembly for holding cables for an equipment rack (<NUM>) having a first chassis slot (<NUM>) and a second chassis slot (<NUM>), the first chassis slot (<NUM>) and the second chassis slot (<NUM>) arranged vertically between two side rails (<NUM>, <NUM>), the cable management arm assembly comprising:
two mounting tabs (<NUM>, <NUM>) having a vertical slot attached to the rails (<NUM>, <NUM>);
two mounting brackets (<NUM>, <NUM>) attached to the two mounting tabs (<NUM>, <NUM>);
a bottom support bracket (<NUM>) coupled to the mounting brackets (<NUM>, <NUM>), the bottom support bracket (<NUM>) being substantially perpendicular to the side rails (<NUM>, <NUM>);
the mounting brackets (<NUM>, <NUM>) operable to be positioned between two vertical positions on the mounting tabs (<NUM>, <NUM>) relative to the first chassis slot (<NUM>) and the second chassis slot (<NUM>);
a slide bracket (<NUM>) attached to one of the mounting tabs (<NUM>, <NUM>);
a cable management arm (<NUM>) attached to the slide bracket (<NUM>); and
a slide bracket (<NUM>) operable to be positioned between the two vertical positions on the mounting tab (<NUM>, <NUM>) relative to the first chassis slot (<NUM>) and the second chassis slot (<NUM>);
wherein
the slide bracket (<NUM>) is capable of being adjusted relative to one of the side rails (<NUM>, <NUM>),
wherein the equipment rack (<NUM>) comprises a locking mechanism (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) on the cable management arm assembly, the locking mechanism (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) being disposed between the bottom support bracket (<NUM>) and one of the first chassis slot (<NUM>) and the second chassis slot (<NUM>) locking the cable management arm assembly to the mounting tabs (<NUM>, <NUM>) to fix the cable management arm assembly in either of the two vertical positions, and
actuating the locking mechanism to a release position allows the slide bracket (<NUM>) and the mounting bracket (<NUM>, <NUM>) to be articulated linearly allowing vertical movement of the cable management arm assembly.