U-Shaped Fiber Cable Manager for Dense Rack Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Optical fiber distribution systems face challenges in density, ease of use, and cable management, particularly in terms of mounting and stacking telecommunications distribution elements.
Innovation Solution
A mounting system for fixedly stacking telecommunications elements along a vertical column, utilizing a chassis with a movable tray and slide mechanism, and a locking mechanism to prevent relative sliding, along with a cable management system featuring S-shaped pathways and U-shaped cable pass-throughs for efficient cable routing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If multiple telecommunications elements are stacked vertically to increase density, then the quantity of equipment per rack space increases, but cable management becomes more difficult and cable damage risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cable management system is segmented into multiple components: U-shaped cable passages in each element, cable guides at cable entry/exit points, and S-shaped cable pathways. This segmentation allows cables to be routed through dedicated channels in each stacked element, preventing tangling and damage while maintaining vertical stacking density.
Solution Approach 2:
Cable guides act as intermediary components between the external cable environment and the internal equipment of each element. These guides receive cables at entry/exit points and direct them through controlled pathways, mediating the transition and preventing direct exposure to potential damage from improper routing in vertically stacked configurations.
2Ease of operation
If trays are made movable to improve accessibility and ease of use, then operators can easily access and remove trays, but the risk of accidental displacement or cable damage during movement increases
Solution Approach 1:
Cables are preliminarily routed through U-shaped passages and S-shaped pathways that are built into the tray structure before the tray is moved. This preliminary routing ensures that cables are already secured in protective channels, so when the tray is subsequently pulled out or moved for access, the cables remain protected from damage throughout the movement process.
Solution Approach 2:
The S-shaped cable pathways and U-shaped passages provide a cushioning effect by creating redundant cable length and flexible routing paths. This allows the cables to absorb the mechanical stress and movement of tray extraction without being pulled taut or damaged, cushioning against the potential harm of tray movement.
3Reliability
If cable passages are designed as U-shaped structures to protect fiber integrity, then cables are protected from bending damage, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The U-shaped cable passages are merged directly into the structural body of each telecommunications element rather than being separate附加 components. This integration combines the cable protection function with the existing structural elements, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining fiber integrity protection through the U-shaped geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The U-shaped and S-shaped cable passages utilize curved geometries to guide cables through smooth bends that prevent fiber damage. The curvature of these passages ensures cables are never subjected to sharp angles or tight bends, protecting fiber integrity while the shapes are efficiently formed as integral parts of the molded or fabricated element housings.
4Stability of the object's composition
If locking mechanisms are added to prevent relative sliding between stacked elements, then stacking stability improves, but the ease of assembly and disassembly decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is designed as a self-locking system where the act of stacking the elements together automatically engages the lock. The stacking action itself performs the locking function, and the elements self-secure without requiring separate manual locking operations, maintaining ease of assembly while achieving stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism replaces complex multi-component mechanical fastening systems with a simpler integrated locking feature that is built into the stacking interface. This substitution maintains stacking stability through a dedicated locking structure while reducing assembly complexity by eliminating the need for separate fasteners, tools, or multiple assembly steps.
Data Source
AI summary
A telecommunications rack system includes a first element defining splice locations and a second element defining adapters for receiving connectorized cabling, wherein the first and second elements are positioned on the same rack. A first end of a fiber optic pigtail is spliced at and extends from the splice locations of the first element. A second end is connectorized with a fiber optic connector that is coupled to an adapter of the second element. The pigtail extends between the first and second elements. A cable manager is removably mounted at the side of at least one of the first and second elements. The cable manager defines a U-shaped passage including ends that open toward one end of the elements and a closed end opposite the open ends. The U-shaped passage defines cable pass-throughs adjacent the closed end for transitioning cables from inside the U-shaped passage to an exterior thereof, wherein the connectorized pigtail is passed at least through a portion of the U-shaped passage and out the cable pass-through going from the first element to the second element.