Supports – Pipe or cable – Extending through plate
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-22
2002-05-28
Braun, Leslie A. (Department: 3632)
Supports
Pipe or cable
Extending through plate
C248S250000, C248S235000, C211S153000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06394398
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a cable support apparatus and, more particularly, to a cable support apparatus disposed entirely within a frame apparatus for receiving and supporting cable extended from an adjacent frame apparatus.
BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
Racks for supporting a wide variety of objects have been well known for decades. More recently, the advent of technological advances in audio and video equipment and in computer equipment has effected corresponding advances in the structures used to support and retain such electrical components. For example, as the size of such components has dropped, the number of components supported on a particular rack has increased, resulting in a greater number of external connections. In addition, the demand for interconnectivity between systems, and particularly the demand for server equipment utilized to provide this interconnectivity, has increased the amount of physical connections that must be made between the equipment stored on one rack and that stored in other racks, either adjacently or remotely. As a result, in addition to being able to store equipment itself, each rack must also be able to support and manage tremendous amounts of cables and wires which are connected to or routed through that rack.
With regard to horizontal or lateral runs of cables, the most common systems traditionally employed to support cables have been overhead cabling systems and under-floor cabling systems. Overhead cabling systems typically employ exposed overhead raceway structures to route cables to and from the tops of the various racks in an installation. Under-floor cabling systems are typically installed underneath raised floors in the installation area. Though both are effective in many applications, they each suffer from a number of drawbacks. For example, the negative aesthetic effect of the exposed nature of overhead raceways may not be acceptable in a particular installation. Moreover, in some installation locations there may not be adequate ceiling clearance for overhead raceway to be installed. Under-floor systems may address the aesthetic issues, but are likely not always feasible because of space requirements or in pre-existing installations. Each type of system also entails a significant expense to both purchase and install the raceway system or raised floor, respectively.
When racks are positioned adjacent to each other in a particular installation, one solution to the aforementioned problems has been to extend a standard section of ladder raceway directly through adjacent racks. Cables may then be supported by the raceway and routed to appropriate locations within each rack, and the internal nature of the raceways addresses the aesthetic issues. However, such a system also suffers from many drawbacks. For example, standard ladder raceways come in standard lengths which do not correspond to the great number of size permutations resulting from different-sized racks and combinations of racks. Although ladder raceways could be precut to particular lengths, there is no standard for the external dimensions of racks, and thus the number of different lengths that could be required is prohibitive. Finally, the placement of the cross-members of the ladder raceways may interfere with routing a cable in a particular location by blocking a particular path, by failing to provide support for a cable in a particular location and thus allowing the cable to dangle, or by interfering with the bending of a cable to meet certain minimum radius requirements which thus prevents conformance to standards on cable radius bends and therefore creates a risk of reduced transmission speeds. Thus, a need exists for an aesthetically-acceptable cable support apparatus for conveniently supporting cables which extend between adjacent racks without requiring custom manufacture or installation and which does not interfere with the routing of the cables within the interiors of the racks.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
Briefly summarized, the present invention includes a cable support apparatus for supporting cable in an equipment support system having a frame apparatus, the cable support apparatus including a shelf member having distal ends, first and second opposing sides, a generally planar top surface for supporting a cable, a bottom surface and a plurality of ventilation openings extending vertically through the top and bottom surfaces; at least one mounting bracket extending orthogonally from each distal end of the shelf member for mounting the cable support apparatus to the frame apparatus; a retention flange extending generally vertically from the top surface of the shelf member longitudinally along the first side of the shelf member for retaining cables on the top surface of the shelf member; and a support rail extending generally vertically from the bottom surface of the shelf member longitudinally along the second side of the shelf member for structurally reinforcing the shelf member.
In features of this apparatus, the apparatus includes a bend member extending away from at least one distal end of the planar shelf member; and the apparatus includes at least one spool extending generally vertically from the top surface of the shelf member.
The present invention also includes a cable support apparatus for supporting cables in an equipment support system including a planar shelf member having distal ends, a top surface for supporting a cable and a bottom surface; at least one mounting bracket extending orthogonally from each distal end of the shelf member for mounting the cable support apparatus to the frame apparatus, wherein each mounting bracket has an upper edge; and a bend member extending over the upper edge of one of the mounting brackets at one distal end of the shelf member, wherein the bend member intersects the top surface of the shelf member along a line of intersection disposed substantially inward from the distal end of the shelf member, wherein the bend member is upwardly tapered from the line of intersection to a line of apogee disposed above the top surface of the shelf member and inward from the distal end of the shelf member, and wherein the bend member is generally downwardly curved from the line of apogee over the upper edge of the mounting bracket to a line of verticality, the line of verticality being defined as the line at which the slope of the bend member is substantially vertical.
In features of this apparatus: the mounting brackets extend orthogonally downward from the bottom surface of the shelf member; the curvature of the bend member is substantially uniform from the line of apogee to the line of verticality; a radius is defined at each point along the bend member by the curvature of the bend member at each respective point, and wherein each such defined radius of curvature is at least as great as a predefined minimum radius of curvature; the predefined minimum radius of curvature corresponds to a minimum radius of cable curvature required to ensure reliable operation of the cable; and the apparatus includes at least one spool extending generally vertically from the top surface of the shelf member.
The present invention also includes an equipment support system including a frame apparatus having a plurality of horizontal frame members and a plurality of vertical frame members, each of which has interior and exterior surfaces, and wherein the external surfaces collectively define a frame periphery; two horizontal mounting rails connected to the vertical frame members of the frame apparatus; a cable support apparatus including a shelf member and two mounting brackets extending downwardly from distal ends of the shelf member, wherein the mounting brackets are mounted to respective horizontal mounting rails, wherein the cable support apparatus has two distal edges, and wherein the cable support apparatus is disposed wholly within the frame periphery; and at least one vertical cable channel, defined as the vertical space formed between one of the distal edges of the cable support ap
McMillan, III William
Reed Stephen S.
Braun Leslie A.
Chatsworth Products, Inc.
Kennedy Covington Lobdell & Hickman LLP
Wujciak A. Joseph
LandOfFree
Modular inter-cabinet horizontal cable support apparatus does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Modular inter-cabinet horizontal cable support apparatus, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Modular inter-cabinet horizontal cable support apparatus will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2852483