1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for cable management. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to systems and methods for managing power and/or data communication cables and cords associated with a server.
2. Background Art
A major concern for housing and managing servers is the dissipation of heat produced thereby. More particularly, electrical and mechanical components of servers (and of CPUs in general) produce heat, which must be displaced to ensure the proper functioning of the components. For typical servers, as for most computing systems, heat is removed via fans which force hot air out of the rear of the server and/or server enclosure and draw cool air in. A frequently underestimated problem when designing servers is the disparity between the amount of heat generated and the cooling fan(s) capacity for removing such heat. This disparity is often amplified by the insulating effect that power cords and various other cables associated with a server can have on the server/enclosure. More particularly, such power cords and other cables block the flow of air in and out of the rear of the sever/enclosure, potentially trapping an excess amount of heat inside. Indeed, proper cable management is essential to the well-being and functionality of a server. Thus, systems and methods are needed for providing such proper cable management and effecting and/or facilitating efficient heat dissipation
Furthermore, a server must often be removed from within a server enclosure, e.g., for maintenance/diagnostic purposes, to access the back panel of the server, etc. It is generally essential for various purposes that the server remain plugged in and operational during such removal. Thus, the power cables and other cords associated with the server must have the ability to extend out from the enclosure along with the server. This requirement has the added disadvantage of complicating cable management as related to the cooling of the server/enclosure. More particularly, the added bulk of cables and cords needed to extend the server out of the enclosure makes efficient space management for such cables and cords a problem. Furthermore, in conventional cable management systems, the cables and cords generally require reorganization each time the server is removed from or returned to the enclosure. Thus, systems and methods are needed that facilitate quick and efficient organization of a large bulk of cables and cords, e.g., from a compact position to an extended position and vice versa.
Some conventional cable management systems, such as the HP Cable Management Ann 1U for DL360 G4 DIL140 G2 or the APC Cable Management Arm (AR8129) employ an articulating arm to manage the extension and retraction of cables from within a cabinet enclosure. The cables are typically held in place relative to the articulating members of the arm using a securing means, e.g., ties, straps, etc., or by weaving the cables through a lattice/grid structure. Cables organized in this manner generally bunch together relative to the articulating members and impede airflow from the back of the server. Indeed, cables organized using conventional arms typically stack in a vertical plane parallel to the rear of the server This vertical stacking results in a large surface area blocking exhausting air flow.
These and other deficiencies/needs are addressed by the systems and methods of the present disclosure.
The systems and methods disclosed herein generally involve an extensible articulated arm for stacking/organizing cables in-line with an exhausting airflow, e.g., from the rear of a server. The articulated arm typically includes a series of hindgedly connected elongated members. In exemplary embodiments, the articulated arm is mounted, using a mounting element, relative to a structure near an exhausting airflow, e.g., relative to a cabinet enclosure for the server. An elongated cable management conduit may be secured relative to each elongated member, wherein the elongated cable management conduit defines an elongated channel adapted for receiving one or more cables therethrough. Each elongated cable management conduit is typically configured such that the width of the cable management conduit is greater than its height. Thus, cables/cords received through the elongated channel of the cable management conduit may be arranged within the elongated channel relative to a plane in-line with the exhausting airflow. For typical airflow from the back of a server, this arrangement means that the cables/cords are aligned relative to a horizontal plane (as contrasted with the vertical or bunched cable arrangements of traditional cable management arms). In exemplary embodiments, the elongated cable management conduits are configured and shaped like elliptic cylinders. This aerodynamic design enables the cable management conduits to act as airfoils, thus promoting efficient airflow of exhausting air around the cable management conduits.
Methods disclosed herein generally involve mounting the extensible articulated arm relative to an enclosure and running one or more cables/cords through the elongated channels of the elongated cable management conduits associated with extensible articulated arm.
Additional features, functions and benefits of the disclosed systems and methods will be apparent from the description which follows, particularly when read in conjunction with the appended figures.
To assist those of ordinary skill in the art in making and using the disclosed assemblies and methods, reference is made to the appended figures, wherein:
According to the present disclosure, advantageous systems and methods are provided for facilitating cable management. More particularly, the disclosed systems and methods generally involve an extensible articulated cable management arm. The cable management arm may advantageously be associated with a plurality of elongated cable management conduits configured for grouping, arranging and routing cables/cords, e.g., power cables, relative thereto.
With initial reference to
The disclosed cable management system 10 may typically be mounted relative to a structure near an exhausting airflow, e.g., a server enclosure, by means of the mounting element 40. Thus, the mounting element 40 may, e.g., be secured to an EIA rack upright 50 of a server enclosure. The mounting element 40 is typically configured and dimensioned to correspond to the structure to which the cable management system 10 is being mounted. Thus, the mounting element 40 depicted in
In exemplary embodiments, the cable management system 10 of
Referring now to
For example,
As depicted in
Referring to the embodiment depicted in
In exemplary embodiments, the elongated cable management conduit 30 is configured and shaped like an elliptic cylinder. This aerodynamic design enables the cable management conduit 30 to function similar to an airfoil in promoting the airflow 100 of exhausting air around the elongated cable management conduit 30. Thus, the fasteners 32, depicted in
Although the present disclosure has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments and implementations thereof, the disclosed systems and methods are not limited to such exemplary embodiments/implementations. Rather, as will be readily apparent to persons skilled in the art from the description provided herein, the disclosed systems and methods are susceptible to modifications, alterations and enhancements without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the present disclosure expressly encompasses all such modifications, alterations and enhancements within the scope hereof.