Cable management panel with sliding drawer and methods

Abstract

An optical fiber cable management panel includes drawer assemblies, each including a drawer slidable within a chassis. The drawer assemblies are secured together by a bracket that includes an interlock arrangement with the chassis. Such an interlock arrangement includes a non-threaded stud engaging a hole. Radius limiters may be part of the drawer assembly and include a cable entry aperture have a closed perimeter and a flared cable guide surface around most of, and preferably all of, the closed perimeter to allow for the entry of cables from all directions. A control mechanism controls movement of the radius limiter relative to the drawer assembly. The control mechanism includes a rotating member that has an axis of rotation transverse to the slidable motion of the radius limiter and normal to the radius limiter.

1 . A cable management assembly, comprising:
 a) a chassis;   b) a drawer having a sidewall-free construction;   c) a slide that provides a sliding interconnection between the drawer and the chassis;   d) a radius limiter having a bell-mouth portion that leads into a curved cable trough; and   e) a control mechanism that provides synchronized movement of the radius limiter relative to the drawer.