(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cable management arm applied in an electronic product with slide-in storage space, and more particularly, to one adapted with a support slide to partially bear the mass of the cable management arm.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
A conventional electronic product, such as a server, mounted on a slide-in chassis, has been provided on its both sides each a slide to travel on both slides, and a cable management arm to contain and restrict the cable.
As taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,353,518; 4,614,383, 5,571,256, 6,303,864B1, 6,305,556B1, 6,442,030B1, 6,600,665B1, and US Patent Application Nos. 2003/0026084A1, 2003/0222034A1, and 2004/0079711A1, the cable management arm is usually adapted with two slides having two ends as supports. A retractable member, generally in a form of a hinge, is provided between the two ends of the cable management arm. The retractable member when retracted is suspended to stay away from either end. However, the retractable member of the cable management arm tends to droop over a certain period of time to negatively affect the operation in a highly intensively slide-in space due to the mass of the cable and the cable management arm.
The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide a cable management arm adapted with a pair of slides that prolongs the service life of the cable management arm and offers easy operation by partially bearing the mass of the cable management arm to prevent the retractable member from drooping. To achieve the purpose, the cable management arm is provided with a support slide having two ends respectively traveling the slides. A retractable member between the two ends of the cable management arm is provided with a sliding member supported by and traveling on the support slide.
Referring to
The cable management arm (1) is consisted of at least two sections and has one end (11) and another end (12). The end (11) is fixed to and pivoting on the left slide (2) (seen from the front) while the other end (12) travels along and is pivoting on the left slide (2) as the left slide (2) extends. A retractable member (13) is provided between the two ends of the cable management arm (1) (i.e., a hinge in the preferred embodiment) with both sides extending each a foldable portion to respectively connect both sections of the cable management arm (1). A support slide (14) is provided below the cable management arm (1). The support slide (14) has one end (141) and another end (142). (In the preferred embodiment, the two ends (141, 142) are respectively made in a form of a slide block integrated with the support slide (14).) A channel (143) is provided between the two ends (141, 142) of the support slide (14). A sliding member (15) is provided between the two ends (11, 12) of the cable management arm (1) and deposited to the retractable member (13). In the preferred embodiment, the sliding member (15) is deposited below and protruding from the retractable member (13) to be inserted into and slide in the channel (143).
The two ends (141, 142) of the support slide (14) relatively travel along the slides (2) while the sliding member (15) relatively travels in the channel (143) of the support slide (14). The mass of the cable management arm (1) and the cable (not illustrated) are partially borne by the support slide (14) through the sliding member (15). As illustrated in
Now referring to
As illustrated in
The fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention as illustrated in