Electricity: conductors and insulators – Boxes and housings – With electrical device
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-19
2001-04-10
Kincaid, Kristine (Department: 2831)
Electricity: conductors and insulators
Boxes and housings
With electrical device
C385S135000, C361S826000, C174S060000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06215064
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
The present invention is directed to a jumper management assembly and in particular to an assembly for managing optical fibers that mounts to a rack containing a variety of components, including electronic systems.
Fiber optic cables are used in a variety of ways, including transmitting voice, data, and video communications, which may require the use of electronic systems and other components that may require fiber optic jumpers (e.g., transceivers, connector panel housings, etc.). These electronic systems and components are usually flush mounted in a large equipment rack, with the majority of the system protruding from the rear of the equipment rack. With connections for the optical fibers being located on the rear side of the electronics, a large number of fiber optic cables must be routed from the rear side of the electronics to the front side in order to be interconnected with other fiber optic cables, usually in the connector panel housings. Care must be taken in the routing of the optical fibers to avoid bending the optical fibers more than a specified radius (the bend radius), usually 1.25-1.50 inches. Additionally, sagging and intertwined optical fibers resulting from the routing present not only a logistical problem, but an unsightly mess.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Thus, a routing system is needed that alleviates the problem of sagging, intertwined optical fibers as they are routed from the front to rear, and rear to front, of an equipment rack.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and, in part, will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the assembly particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof, as well as the appended drawings.
To achieve these and other advantages, and in accordance with the purpose of the invention as embodied and broadly described herein, the present invention is directed to an optical fiber management assembly for routing optical fiber in equipment racks, the management assembly comprising a panel mountable to the equipment racks in the vicinity of electronic components, the panel having at least one portal therethrough allowing for optical fibers to be passed therethrough, and at least one support tray extending rearward of the panel to support the optical fibers from a rearward side of the electronic components to a front side of the equipment racks.
In another aspect, the invention is also directed to a method of routing optical fibers in an equipment rack using an optical fiber management assembly, the equipment rack having electronic components and connector panel housings, and the optical fiber management assembly having a panel with at least one portal for optical fibers to be passed therethrough; and at least one support tray extending rearward of the panel, the method comprising the steps of guiding the fiber optic cable jumper along the support tray with one end of the fiber optic cable jumper extending through the portal, attaching one end of the fiber optic jumper to the electronic component, attaching another end of the fiber optic jumper to a connector sleeve in the connector panel housing.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5412751 (1995-05-01), Siemon et al.
patent: 5546495 (1996-08-01), Bruckner et al.
patent: 5825962 (1998-10-01), Walters et al.
patent: 5945633 (1999-08-01), Oh et al.
patent: 5987203 (1999-11-01), Abel et al.
Gordon Carrie Lynn
Noble Jennifer D.
Dremann Christopher C.
Kincaid Kristine
Leetzow Michael L.
Patel Dhiru R
Siecor Operations LLC
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