Fiber Optic Cable Management Bracket System for Rack Organization
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Solution Overview
Problem
The complexity of data center cabling infrastructure leads to chaotic cable routing in equipment racks, making installation, tracing, and troubleshooting of fiber optic cables difficult due to the large number of optical connections.
Innovation Solution
A bracket system comprising two spaced-apart brackets with elongate slots and fingers to organize fiber optic cables and their breakout legs within the equipment rack, allowing for a structured arrangement of cable harnesses and efficient connection to network equipment patch panels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a large number of fiber optic cables and breakout legs are routed through the equipment rack to connect multiple patch panels, then the optical connectivity and functionality of the network equipment is improved, but the cable routing becomes chaotic and unorganized, making installation and troubleshooting difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The cable management system divides the equipment rack into multiple horizontal tiers, with each tier containing a cable management component that organizes a specific group of breakout legs. This segmentation approach separates the chaotic cable routing into discrete, manageable sections, allowing technicians to work with one tier at a time while maintaining connectivity to all patch panels.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable management components utilize horizontal tiers stacked vertically within the rack space, transforming the vertical cable routing problem into a horizontal organization system. Each tier provides a dedicated plane for managing breakout legs, creating multiple organizational layers that prevent cable entanglement while maintaining access to all equipment patch panels.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple equipment patch panels are vertically arranged in the equipment rack to increase connectivity capacity, then the network functionality is improved, but the cable routing complexity and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Each cable management component is designed to universally accommodate breakout legs destined for any of the vertically arranged equipment patch panels. The standardized tiered structure provides a universal interface that works regardless of the number or vertical position of patch panels, simplifying the routing complexity despite increased connectivity capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable management components act as intermediary structures between the main distribution frame and the vertically arranged equipment patch panels. These intermediaries organize and guide breakout legs through horizontal tiers before they reach their destination, mediating the complexity of vertical routing by introducing structured horizontal organization layers.
3Ease of operation
If cable management structures are added to organize fiber optic cables in the equipment rack, then the ease of operation and maintenance is improved, but the device complexity and installation complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cable management components are designed to be self-installing within the existing rack structure, utilizing standard rack mounting interfaces. The modular tiered design allows technicians to install and configure each horizontal tier independently without requiring complex assembly procedures, reducing installation complexity while providing organized cable management.
Data Source
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AI summary
A bracket system (90) for an equipment rack (32) of a fiber optic network for organizing a plurality of cable harnesses that provide optical connections to network equipment mounted in the equipment rack (32). The bracket system (90) includes a first bracket (92) mounted to the equipment rack (32) and a second bracket (94) mounted to the equipment rack (32) in spaced relation to the first bracket (92). The first bracket (92) includes a plurality of elongate furcation slots (100) serially arranged along the first bracket (92) and the second bracket includes (94) a plurality of elongate leg slots (112) serially arranged along the second bracket. Furcation housings of the cable harnesses are received in the furcation slots (100) and the breakout legs of the cable harnesses are received in the leg slots (112). An equipment rack (32) having the bracket system (90) is also disclosed. Moreover, a method of installing a cable harness in an equipment rack (32) including the bracket system (90) is disclosed.