Optical Plenum Routing Fibers Between Racks
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing systems for routing optical communication media between electronic devices in multiple racks are costly due to the use of large, expensive cables with protective sheathings, and are prone to errors from manual installation and handling, which increases the risk of system connectivity issues.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of inter-rack and intra-rack optical plenums that provide a protected environment for optical media, allowing for denser and lower-cost fiber deployment, improved airflow, and flexible servicing, by integrating or modularly coupling optical connectors and trays within the rack infrastructure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If large cables with protective sheathings are used to route optical communication media between racks, then the optical fibers are protected from damage, but the system cost increases and space efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the protective function from individual cable sheathings and relocates it to a shared plenum structure. Instead of each optical fiber needing its own protective sheathing, the fibers are routed through a common plenum that provides the protection, thereby eliminating the need for expensive protective sheathings on each cable while maintaining fiber protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple individual protected cable routes into a single shared plenum structure. Multiple optical fibers that would traditionally require separate protective sheathings are combined and routed together through the plenum, which provides unified protection for all fibers, reducing overall system cost and improving space efficiency.
2Reliability
If large cables with protective sheathings are used to route optical communication media between racks, then the optical fibers are protected from damage, but the space utilization deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the protective function from individual cable sheathings and relocates it to a shared plenum structure. Instead of each optical fiber needing its own protective sheathing, the fibers are routed through a common plenum that provides the protection, thereby eliminating the need for expensive protective sheathings on each cable while maintaining fiber protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a nested structure where multiple optical fibers are routed through channels within the plenum structure. The plenum provides an enclosing space that contains and protects the fibers, allowing efficient packing and routing of multiple fibers in a compact manner, thereby improving space utilization.
3Ease of manufacture
If manual installation and handling of optical cables is performed, then the system can be assembled, but the error rate increases and system connectivity issues arise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates optical connectors directly into the plenum structure during manufacturing, before field installation. The connectors are pre-positioned and integrated into the plenum, so that during installation, fibers simply need to be plugged into the existing connectors rather than requiring precise manual alignment and connection, thereby reducing installation errors and improving connectivity reliability.
4Adaptability or versatility
If optical connectors are integrated within the rack infrastructure, then the deployment flexibility improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the plenum structure to serve multiple functions: it provides protective routing for optical fibers, incorporates integrated connectors for direct connection, and enables flexible deployment configurations. This multi-functional design allows the same plenum structure to adapt to different deployment scenarios without requiring additional components, thereby improving deployment flexibility while managing complexity through functional integration.
Data Source
AI summary
In the present idsclosure inter-rack optical plenum may be used to route optical fibers between multiple racks of a system. An intra-rack optical plenum may be coupled to one of the racks and the inter-rack optical plenum. The intra-rack optical plenum may route an optical fiber between a first connector configured to mate with a first device and a second connector conifugred to mate with the inter-rack optical plenum.