Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – Wire distribution
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-03
2001-12-11
Gandhi, Jayprakash N. (Department: 2841)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
Wire distribution
C361S753000, C361S797000, C206S702000, C174S0720TR, C248S220210
Reexamination Certificate
active
06330168
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates in general to the field of modular electronic systems, and particularly to a card shelf cable management system and method.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Modular electronic systems are generally configured as card shelf assemblies to optimize space efficiency within a central office or other similar facilities. Card shelves include individual plug-in electronic module cards having different functions that communicate across a backplane. The electronic cards may have different thicknesses depending upon the amount of electronic circuitry contained in each electronic card. The electronic cards may also have flanges which fit into grooves in the card shelf for sliding the electronic cards into the card shelf and plugging the electronic card into a connector located on the backplane of the card shelf.
Receptors may also be included on the electronic cards for connecting the electronic cards to devices external from the card shelf. For example, an electronic card may include a receptor for receiving a communication cable from an external communications device. Additionally, each electronic card may include multiple receptors for receiving multiple connections.
Known card shelf assemblies present certain drawbacks. For example, connecting the electronic cards to devices external to the card shelf may result in multiple wires, cables, and the like, extending from the electronic cards.
The wires and cables may protrude from the card shelf into space beyond that allocated to the shelf. Additionally, inserting or removing electronic cards in the card shelf may be extremely difficult due to the quantity of connections extending from the electronic cards. Moreover, damage to the connection or disconnection of the electronic card from the external card may result due to the distance the connection extends away from the electronic card.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a card shelf cable management system and method that addresses shortcomings of prior systems and methods. In particular, the cable management system minimizes cable projection while allowing easy access to the electronic cards.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a card shelf includes a backplane and a plurality of slots each configured to receive an electronic card. An electronic card disposed in one of the slots has a back including a connector adapted to engage the backplane and a front including an angled receptor adapted to engage a cable with a reduced projection from the electronic card. A cable holder is aligned with the slot containing the electronic card. The cable holder is operable to receive the cable from the angled receptor. A cable trough is operable to receive the cable from the cable holder and route the cable away from the card shelf. The cable holder may include a plurality of cable receivers aligned with each slot for an electronic card in the card shelf. Each cable receiver may include a portion for receiving one or more cables from each electronic card and a portion for retaining the cables within the cable receiver.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, a cable management system for a card shelf includes a cable holder having a plurality of cable receivers. The cable receivers are each operable to receive a plurality of cables from an electronic card disposed in a corresponding slot of the card shelf. A cable trough is configured to retain and route the cables away from the cable receivers. A retainer secures the cables within the cable trough.
Technical advantages of the present invention include providing a method for managing connections extending from electronic cards to devices external to a card shelf. In particular, a cable holder may be provided having a plurality of cable receivers. Each cable receiver receives one or more cables from each electronic card and routes the cables to a cable trough. The cable trough receives the cables from the cable receivers and efficiently routes the cables away from the card shelf.
Another technical advantage of the present invention includes providing an easily maintainable card shelf. In particular, the cable holder may be spaced apart from the electronic cards providing increased maintenance access to the card shelf. Thus, the electronic cards can be inserted or removed from the card shelf without disrupting adjacent electronic cards and cable connections.
Still another technical advantage of the present invention includes providing a card shelf having front and back cable connections with a reduced profile. In particular, cable receptors are angled on the cards to reduce projection of the cable away from the electronic card.
Other technical advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the following figures, descriptions and claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4339633 (1982-07-01), Ahmed
patent: 4631641 (1986-12-01), Brombal et al.
patent: 5023404 (1991-06-01), Hudson et al.
patent: 5412652 (1995-05-01), Lu
patent: 5448015 (1995-09-01), Jamet et al.
patent: 5467348 (1995-11-01), Fujii et al.
patent: 5838924 (1998-11-01), Anderson et al.
patent: 5903698 (1999-05-01), Poremba et al.
patent: 5993251 (1999-11-01), Brown et al.
patent: 24 10 389 A1 (1975-09-01), None
patent: 94 12 724.7 (1994-11-01), None
patent: 03296298 (1991-12-01), None
PCT International Search Report in International Application No. PCT/US 00/15333, dated Sep. 15, 2000, 7 pages.
McDysan, David E., et al.,ATM Theory and Application. McGraw-Hill, Inc. ISBN 0-07-060362-6, pp. 365-385 1994.
Erdengiz, Ali, “ATM Usage Policing and Traffic Shaping,” Communications System Design (Jan. 1997).
Dobrowski, George et al.,ATM User-Network Interface Specification, Version 3.1, The ATM Forum Sep. 1994.
Cerent 454™High Speed Sonet/SDH Transport System, ALTS trade show, Las Vegas, Nevada on or about Dec. 1998.
“FLM 150 ADM LAN Extension Product Design Specification,” Revision 1.1, Internal Design Specification for Product, sheets 6/353-10/353 and 73/353-75/353. Product publicly released on or about Dec. 1998.
“Product Design Specification (PDS) for Flash-192, Release 1,” Internal Design Specification for Product, pp. 1/916; 4-12/9161 315-320/916. Product publicly released on or about Mar. 1999.
“InterNetworking Systems; AnyMedia® Access Products; AnyMedia Access System,”http://www.lucent.com/ins/products/anymedia.html.Printed Aug. 10, 2000.
“AnyMedia® Access System,” Lucent Technologies, Inc. Marketing Communications Sep. 1999.
“The AnyMedia™ Access System Anything's Possible,” Lucent Technologies, Inc. Marketing Communications 1997.
Photography of Northern Telecom Card, card dated Apr. 1998.
Held, G.,Understanding Data Communications, Fifth Edition, Sams Publishing. ISBN No. 0-672-30934-3, Chapter 14, pp. 419-431 1996.
McCloghrie, K. et al., “Management Information Base for Network Management of TCP/IP-based internets: MIB-II,” SNMP Working Group Mar. 1991.
“Draft New Recommendation 1.630 (ATM Protection Switching),” ITU Telecommunication Standardization Sector, COM 13-41-E Sep. 1998.
“Guérin, R. et al., Equivalent Capacity and its Application to Bandwidth Allocation in High-Speed Networks,” IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communications, vol. 9, No. 7, pp. 968-981 Sep. 1991.
Gün, L, et al., “Bandwidth Management and Congestion Control Framework of the Broadband Network Architecture,” Computer Networks and ISDN Systems 26, Elsevier Science Publishers B.V., North-Holland, pp. 61-78 1993.
“S/DMS TransportNode 'OC-3 Express'—Cost-Effective Sonet Transport for Low-Capacity Applications”, Northern Telecom Marketing Publications, Issue 1, pp. 1-31 Sep. 27, 1996.
Universal Serial Bus Specification Revision 1.1, Compaq Computer Corporation, Intel Corporation, Microsoft Corporation, NEC Corporation Sep. 23, 1998.
“MMC Products,”http://www.mc-net.com/top-roducts/productdescriptions.html, Printed Jul. 22, 1999.
“MMC Network's Products: AnyFlow 5400,” http://www.mmcnet.com/Solutions/anyflow5400.asp. Printed Feb. 7, 2000.
“MMC Network's Pr
Fox Laurence D.
Liu Kan S.
Pedoeem Albert
Baker & Botts L.L.P.
Fujitsu Networks Communications, Inc.
Gandhi Jayprakash N.
LandOfFree
Card shelf cable management system and method does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Card shelf cable management system and method, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Card shelf cable management system and method will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2567001