Telecom Chassis Mounting Bracket With Spring Latch Release
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Solution Overview
Problem
Optical fiber distribution systems face challenges in density, ease of use, and cable management, requiring improvements to enhance efficiency and accessibility.
Innovation Solution
A modular system with a movable tray and synchronized movement features, such as gears and wheels, for managing cables, along with adaptable mounting structures and cable guides, allows for secure cable management and easy access to connectors, enabling efficient cable routing and reduced slack.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a movable tray is used to improve accessibility to connectors, then ease of operation is improved, but cable management becomes more difficult due to cable pull and slack issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a movable tray that can slide horizontally along the chassis, transforming the static connector housing into a dynamic component. This allows operators to access connectors by sliding the tray outward rather than reaching into a fixed position, significantly improving accessibility while the synchronized cable management system handles the dynamic cable routing automatically
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces synchronized movement features including cables with sufficient slack, cable guides, and radius limiters that move synchronously with the tray. These intermediary elements mediate between the movable tray and the fixed cable entry/exit points, allowing the tray to move for accessibility while the synchronized system maintains proper cable tension and routing without creating management complexity
2Device complexity
If cable slack is reduced to improve cable management, then cable management is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to difficulty in connector access
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses dynamic cable management where cables are routed through guides and radius limiters that move synchronously with the tray position. When the tray is retracted, cables are taut and neatly managed; when the tray is extended for access, the synchronized system automatically provides the necessary cable slack without manual intervention, maintaining both cable management and ease of operation
Solution Approach 2:
Cable guides and radius limiters act as intermediary elements between the fixed cable entry points and the movable tray. These components ensure that cables maintain proper routing and tension regardless of tray position, providing the necessary slack during tray movement while preventing excessive slack or tangling, thus resolving the contradiction between cable management and connector accessibility
3Reliability
If a locking mechanism is added to secure the chassis to the fixture, then reliability is improved, but ease of operation worsens due to difficulty in mounting and unmounting
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is designed to be self-actuating through spring-loaded latches that automatically engage when the chassis is inserted into the mounting bracket. The resilient nature of the springs provides automatic locking without requiring manual intervention, achieving secure mounting (reliability) while maintaining ease of operation through simple insert-and-lock functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting mechanism uses dynamic spring-loaded latches that can transition between locked and unlocked states. The springs provide the necessary force for automatic engagement during mounting, while the same spring mechanism allows easy release during unmounting when appropriate force is applied, thus achieving both reliability and ease of operation
Data Source
AI summary
A universal mounting mechanism for mounting a telecommunications chassis to a telecommunications fixture includes a mounting bracket defining a rear portion for mounting to the fixture and a front portion for slidably receiving the chassis, the front portion including a latch opening. A locking spring is configured for mounting to the chassis, the spring configured to flex laterally to snap in to the latch opening. A release handle is configured to be slidably mounted to the chassis, the release handle defining a deflection tab for moving the locking spring out of the latch opening when the handle is slid rearward to forward. A cover is configured to be mounted to the chassis, the cover defining a deflection ramp for interacting with the deflection tab of the handle to move the deflection tab laterally to contact the spring when the release handle is slid.