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.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An optical fiber cable management panel comprising:
 (a) a drawer assembly including a chassis and a drawer;
 (i) said drawer assembly being slidably mounted within said chassis; and 
 (ii) said drawer assembly defining a storage interior and a first cable access entry to permit optical fiber cables to enter into said storage interior; 
   (b) a cable radius limiter slidably mounted relative to said drawer assembly, the cable radius limiter defining a curved cable trough; and   (c) a control mechanism secured to said drawer assembly to synchronize slidable movement of said cable radius limiter relative to slidable movement of said drawer within said chassis;
 (i) said control mechanism including a rotating member oriented to rotate between said drawer and said chassis; and 
 (ii) said rotating member having an axis of rotation that is normal to the slidable movement of said cable radius limiter. 
   
     
     
         2 . An optical fiber cable management panel according to  claim 1 , wherein said rotating member includes a wheel. 
     
     
         3 . An optical fiber cable management panel according to  claim 1 , wherein the curved cable trough is defined by first and second curved walls and a base that bridges the first and second curved walls. 
     
     
         4 . An optical fiber cable management panel according to  claim 1 , wherein the cable radius limiter includes a hinged cover, a part of an entrance into the curved cable trough of the radius limiter being defined by the cover. 
     
     
         5 . An optical fiber cable management panel according to  claim 4 , wherein the cable radius limiter further includes a latching arrangement configured to latch the cover in a closed position. 
     
     
         6 . An optical fiber cable management panel according to  claim 4 , wherein the hinged cover piece is attached by a snap-fit connection. 
     
     
         7 . A cable management assembly, comprising:
 (a) a chassis;   (b) a drawer slidably mounted within the chassis, the drawer defining lateral sides;   (c) a slide that provides a sliding interconnection between the drawer and the chassis;   (d) a radius limiter that leads into a curved cable trough, wherein at least a portion of the radius limiter extends out past one of the lateral sides defined by the drawer; and   (e) a control mechanism that provides synchronized movement of the radius limiter relative to the drawer.   
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the radius limiter further includes a pivoting cover, a part of an entrance into the curved cable trough of the radius limiter being defined by the cover. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the radius limiter further includes a latching arrangement configured to latch the cover in a closed position. 
     
     
         10 . The assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the control mechanism includes a wheel having an axis of rotation that is normal to the radius limiter. 
     
     
         11 . The assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the wheel contacts each of a sidewall of the chassis and a surface of the drawer to provide the synchronized movement of the radius limiter relative to the drawer. 
     
     
         12 . A method of assembling a cable management panel, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a chassis, a drawer that slides relative to the chassis, and a control mechanism interconnected between the chassis and the drawer;   (b) providing a radius limiter connected to the control mechanism, the radius limiter including a curved cable trough with a trough entry having a closed perimeter, the control mechanism providing synchronized movement of the radius limiter relative to the drawer, wherein the step of providing the radius limiter includes orienting the radius limiter such that the trough entry of the curved cable trough is located adjacent and extends out past a lateral side of the drawer and such that the curved cable trough directs cabling routed within the trough toward an interior of the drawer; and   (c) attaching a hinged cover to the curved cable trough so as to capture cabling routed within the curved cable trough of the radius limiter, the hinged cover partly defining the closed perimeter of the trough entry.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the step of attaching the hinged cover includes snap-fitting the hinged cover to the curved cable trough. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the step of providing the control mechanism includes providing the control mechanism having a horizontal wheel that defines a vertical axis of rotation.