Overhead Cable Termination Arrangement for Rack Space Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
The telecommunications industry faces challenges in managing and organizing cables and cable termination components due to limited space in telecommunication facilities, where conventional methods occupy valuable rack space with termination panels, restricting the capacity for additional equipment.
Innovation Solution
An overhead cable management system with a cable termination device that mounts to an overhead cable pathway structure, such as a U-shaped trough or ladder-type structure, allowing cable terminations to be performed above equipment racks, thereby freeing up space on the racks for more equipment and enabling efficient use of existing infrastructure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If cable termination panels are mounted on equipment racks, then cable termination function is achieved, but rack space is consumed reducing equipment capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The cable termination device is relocated from the vertical rack plane to the overhead horizontal plane. The device mounts to overhead cable pathway structures (troughs or ladders) and terminates cables in the overhead space, completely separating the termination function from rack-mounted equipment and freeing rack space for additional equipment capacity.
2Productivity
If more equipment is installed on racks, then service capacity increases, but cable management becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The cable management system is segmented into distinct functional zones: overhead cable pathway structures for cable routing and termination, and rack spaces for equipment mounting. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each zone, enabling increased equipment capacity without proportionally increasing cable management complexity.
3Ease of operation
If rack space is used for termination panels, then cable termination is simplified, but cooling pathways may be obstructed
Solution Approach 1:
The cable termination function is extracted from the rack-mounted termination panels and relocated to overhead cable termination devices. This extraction removes the termination panels that were potentially obstructing cooling pathways, while preserving the cable termination function through the overhead mounting approach.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of terminating a cable includes: a) providing an overhead cable pathway structure that defines a cable-carrying region; b) mounting adapters to the overhead cable pathway structure outside of the cable-carrying region; c) routing a cable from the cable-carrying region of the overhead cable pathway structure to the adapter mounted to the cable pathway structure; and d) terminating the cable to the adapter.