Patent Document

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/329,445, filed on Apr. 29, 2010, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a door for a vertical cable manager. More particularly, the present invention relates to a door for a vertical cable manager, the door spanning the entire height of the vertical cable manager and having an improved automatic retention and release mechanism to ensure proper alignment of the door with the vertical cable manager prior to actuation. 
         [0003]    Vertical cable managers having dual-hinging doors are well known in the art. For example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0236117, filed on Jan. 7, 2009 and assigned to Chatsworth Products, Inc. (Westlake Village, Calif.), discloses a vertical cable manager having a dual-hinging door. However, the dual-hinging door does not include an automatic retention and release mechanism. 
         [0004]    Dual-hinging doors having automatic retention and release mechanisms are also well known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,385,141, filed on Jan. 30, 2007 and assigned to CommScope, Inc. (Hickory, N.C.), discloses a dual-hinging door having an automatic retention and release mechanism. However, the automatic retention and release mechanism is located at the center of the dual-hinging door. Typically, vertical cable mangers have a height of about 84.0 inches, so the automatic retention and release mechanism is positioned about 42.0 inches from where the dual-hinging door engages the vertical cable manager. Therefore, it is possible to actuate the automatic retention and release mechanism when the dual-hinging door is not properly aligned with the communications rack, potentially damaging both the door and the vertical cable manager and providing access in an otherwise secure environment. It appears that CommScope, Inc. was aware of this problem and attempted to solve it by providing multiple dual-hinging doors to span the height of the vertical cable manager, as shown in FIG. 7 of the &#39;141 patent. 
         [0005]    Therefore, there is a need for a door for a vertical cable manager, the door spanning the entire height of the vertical cable manager and having an improved automatic retention and release mechanism to ensure proper alignment of the door with the vertical cable manager prior to actuation. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a door for a vertical cable manager. The door includes a panel. Additionally, the door includes a first hinge pin disposed at a first end of the panel. The first hinge pin slides from an extended position to a retracted position. Additionally, the door includes a first hinge pin retention member disposed adjacent the first hinge pin. The first hinge pin retention member is releasably connected to the first hinge pin to secure the first hinge pin in the retracted position. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a front view of a door for a vertical cable manager according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a detail view of the door of  FIG. 1 , showing the knobs. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a back view of the door of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a back view of the door of  FIG. 1 , showing the panel removed. 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a detail view of the door of  FIG. 4 , showing the knob arm. 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a detail view of the door of  FIG. 4 , showing the hinge pin. 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a back perspective view of the door of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is a detail view of the door of  FIG. 7 , showing the upper hinge pin assembly. 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  is a partially exploded view of the upper hinge pin assembly of  FIG. 8 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 10  is a back perspective view of the upper hinge pin assembly of  FIG. 9 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 11  is a front perspective view of the upper hinge pin assembly of  FIG. 9 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 12  is a partially exploded view of the upper hinge pin assembly of  FIG. 11 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view of an upper door bracket for a vertical cable manager according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 14  is a perspective view of a lower door bracket for a vertical cable manager according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 15  is a detail view of the door of  FIG. 7 , showing the top portion of the door connected to the upper door bracket of  FIG. 13  and in the open position. 
           [0022]      FIG. 16  is a cross-section taken along line  16 - 16  of  FIG. 15 , showing the door bracket removed. 
           [0023]      FIG. 17  is a detail view of the door of  FIG. 7 , showing the top portion of the door connected to the upper door bracket of  FIG. 13  and in the closed position. 
           [0024]      FIG. 18  is a cross-section taken along line  18 - 18  of  FIG. 17 , showing the door bracket removed. 
           [0025]      FIG. 19  is a detail view of the door of  FIG. 7 , showing the lower hinge pin assembly. 
           [0026]      FIG. 20  is a detail view of the door of  FIG. 7 , showing the bottom portion of the door connected to the lower door bracket of  FIG. 14  and in the open position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0027]      FIGS. 1-20  illustrate a door  100  for a vertical cable manager according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0028]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , the door  100  includes a panel  110  and a pair of knobs  120  rotatably connected to the panel  110 . One of the knobs  120  is positioned on the right side of the panel  110  and one of the knobs  120  is positioned on the left side of the panel  110 . 
         [0029]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , the panel  110  includes an indicator area  111  and a plurality of indicators  112  positioned in the indicator area  111  for providing information about the door  100 . For example, the door  100  is locked (e.g., the hinge pins are extended) when the knob  120  is pointed toward the locked symbol  112  and the door  100  is unlocked (e.g., the hinge pins are retracted) when the knob  120  is pointed toward the unlocked symbol  112 . The arrow symbol  112  indicates a direction of rotation for the knob  120 . 
         [0030]    As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the door  100  includes a pair of hinge pin assemblies  130  connected to the panel  110 . One of the hinge pin assemblies  130  is positioned at the top of the panel  110  and one of the hinge pin assemblies  130  is positioned at the bottom of the panel  110 . 
         [0031]    The hinge pin assemblies  130  include a housing  140  and a pair of hinge pins  150  slidably connected to the housing  140 . One of the hinge pins  150  is positioned on the right side of the housing  140  and one of the hinge pins  150  is positioned on the left side of the housing  140 . 
         [0032]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , the knobs  120  extend through the panel  110  and include a knob arm  121  pivotally connected to a pair of hinge pin arms  160 . 
         [0033]    As shown in  FIG. 6 , the hinge pin arms  160  are pivotally connected to the hinge pins  150 . 
         [0034]    As shown in  FIG. 7 , the hinge pins  150  positioned on the right side of the door  100  (the left side of  FIG. 7 ) define an axis of rotation R. Similarly, the hinge pins  150  positioned on the left side of the door  100  (the right side of  FIG. 7 ) define an axis of rotation L. Such a configuration allows the door  100  to be opened from the right side or the left side, or removed from the vertical cable manager. 
         [0035]    To open the door  100  from the right side, the knob  120  on the right side of the door  100  is rotated clockwise, which retracts the hinge pins  150  on the right side of the door  100  and allows the door  100  to rotate about the hinge pins  150  on the left side of the door  100  or the axis of rotation L. 
         [0036]    To open the door  100  from the left side, the knob  120  on the left side of the door  100  is rotated counterclockwise, which retracts the hinge pins  150  of the left side of the door  100  and allows the door  100  to rotate about the hinge pins  150  on the right side of the door  100  or the axis of rotation R. 
         [0037]    To remove the door  100  from the vertical cable manager, the knob  120  on the right side of the door  100  is rotated clockwise and the knob  120  on the left side of the door  100  is rotated counterclockwise, which retracts all of the hinge pins  150  and allows the door  100  to be removed from the vertical cable manager. 
         [0038]    As shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , the hinge pin assemblies  130  are connected to the panel  110  of the door  100 , for example, using a plurality of fasteners  131 , such as rivets. 
         [0039]    As shown in  FIGS. 10-12 , in addition to the housing  140  and the hinge pins  150 , the hinge pin assemblies  130  include a pair of hinge pin retainers  132 , a pair of hinge pin retainer flanges  133 , a pair of springs  134 , and a pair of spring retainers  135 . 
         [0040]    Additionally, the hinge pin assemblies  130  include a pair of hinge pin retainer clamps  145  and corresponding fasteners, such as rivets, for connecting the hinge pin retainers  132  to the housing  140 . 
         [0041]    The housing  140  includes a first flange  141 , a second flange  142 , and a pair of third flanges  143 . The flanges  141 - 143  include a plurality of openings  144  for receiving and supporting the hinge pins  150 . 
         [0042]    Additionally, the housing  140  includes a pair of openings  147  for accessing the hinge pin retainer  132 . 
         [0043]    As shown in  FIG. 12 , the hinge pins  150  include a first annular groove  151  for receiving the hinge pin retainer  132  and a second annular groove  152  for receiving the spring retainer  135 . 
         [0044]    The hinge pin retainer  132 , such as a retaining rod, is positioned between the hinge pin retainer flanges  133  and the third flanges  143  of the housing  140 . The hinge pin retainer flanges  133  are connected to the housing  140 , for example, using the fasteners  131 . The hinge pin retainers  132  secure the hinge pins  150  in a retracted position ( FIGS. 15 and 20 ). 
         [0045]    The springs  134  are positioned between the second flange  142  and the third flanges  143  and connected to the hinge pins  150 , for example, using the spring retainers  133 , such as retaining rings or e-rings. The springs  134  bias the hinge pins  150  in an extended position ( FIG. 17 ). 
         [0046]    The vertical cable manager includes a pair of door brackets  170 . One door bracket  170  is positioned at the top of the vertical cable manager ( FIGS. 15 and 17 ) and one door bracket  170  is positioned at the bottom of the vertical cable manager ( FIG. 20 ). 
         [0047]    As shown in  FIGS. 13 and 14 , the door brackets  170  include a pair of guide tabs  171  and a pair of hinge pins holes  172  positioned on the guide tabs  171  for receiving the hinge pins  150 . 
         [0048]    Additionally, the door brackets  170  include a pair of release tabs  173  for engaging the hinge pin retainers  132  through the openings  147  in the housing  140  when the door  100  is closed. The release tabs  173  are positioned adjacent the guide tabs  171  and the hinge pin holes  172 . 
         [0049]    Additionally, the door brackets  170  include an alignment tab  174  for aligning the door  100  with the door brackets  170 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 20 , the alignment tab  174  on the lower door bracket  170  engages the housing  140  of the lower hinge pin assembly  130 , lifting the door  100  into proper alignment with the lower door bracket  170 . The alignment tab  174  is positioned between the hinge pin holes  172  and extends beyond the guide tabs  171 . Preferably, the alignment tab  174  is equidistantly spaced between the hinge pin holes  172  to accommodate the dual-hinging door  100 . 
         [0050]    Additional examples of door brackets and other door mounting configurations for vertical cable managers are provided in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/086,815, filed on Mar. 22, 2005, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/123,369, filed on May 6, 2005, both of which are assigned to Panduit Corp. (Tinley Park, Ill.) and incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
         [0051]    As shown in  FIGS. 15 ,  17 , and  20 , the door  100  is rotatably connected to the door brackets  170  of the vertical cable manager and rotates from an open position ( FIGS. 15 and 20 ) to a closed position ( FIG. 17 ). The door  100  is open on the right side and rotates about the hinge pins  150  on the left side or axis of rotation L ( FIG. 7 ), but it is likewise contemplated that the door  100  opens on the left side and rotates about the hinge pins  150  on the right side or axis of rotation R ( FIG. 7 ). 
         [0052]    As shown in  FIGS. 15 ,  16 , and  20 , when the door  100  is opened, the upper and lower hinge pins  150  on the right side of the door  100  are in the retracted position. The hinge pin retainers  132  engage the annular grooves  151  on the hinge pins  150 , securing the hinge pins  150  in the retracted position. 
         [0053]    As shown in  FIGS. 17 and 18 , when the door  100  is closed, the hinge pins  150  on the right side of the door  100  are in the extended position. The release tabs  173  on the door brackets  170  extend through the openings  147  in the housing  140  and engage the hinge pin retainers  132 , causing the hinge pin retainers  132  to disengage from the annular grooves  151  on the hinge pins  150  and allowing the springs  134  to return the hinge pins  150  to the extended position. 
         [0054]    However, if only one of the hinge pin retainers  132  is disengaged from the annular groove  151  in the hinge pin  150 , indicating that the door  100  is not properly aligned with the door brackets  170 , the other hinge pin retainer  132  will secure both of the hinge pins  150  in the retraced position because the hinge pins  150  are connected to the knob  120  via the knob arm  121  and the hinge pin arms  160 . 
         [0055]    As shown in  FIGS. 19 and 20 , the housing  140  of the lower hinge pin assembly  130  includes an alignment insert  148 , such as a smooth stainless steel insert, for engaging the alignment tab  174  on the lower door bracket  170  and reducing friction between the door  100  and the door bracket  170 , making the door  100  easier to open and close. 
         [0056]    It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the disclosure and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.

Technology Category: h