Interchassis cable carrier

[57] ABSTRACT

An electrical console comprising a cabinet having a pair of spaced parallel assemblies slidably supported therein to move in and out of the cabinet independently of one another, a cable carrier disposed between the assemblies and including a pair of hinged arms each of which has a respective end portion pivotally attached to a respective one of the assemblies, and an electrical cable having opposing ends each of which is attached to a respective one of the assemblies and having an intermediate length secured to the arms of the cable carrier.

Claims, 3 Drawing Figures

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PATENTED JAN 91973

3,710,199

SHEET 1 OF 2

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FIG. 1

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FIG. 2

PATENTEDJAN 91973

3.710,199

SHEET 2 OF 2

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-/6

FIG. 3

3,710,199

INTERCHASSIS CABLE CARRIER tronic assemblies. Secured to the electronic assemblies are respective ends of an interconnecting cable having an intermediate folded portion attached to the arms of the cable carrier. Thus, when one of the electronic assemblies moves relative to the other assembly, the arms of the cable carrier rotate in opposing angular directions to unfold or fold the supported length of cable in a predetermined manner. However, when both of the electronic assemblies are moved in the same linear direction, the entire cable carrier and supported length of cable are moved translationally along the plane located between the electronic assemblies and in the same linear direction in which the assemblies are moving.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention herein described was made in the course of and under a contract, or subcontract thereunder, with the Department of Defense.

This invention relates generally to cable support members and is concerned more particularly with a cable carrier which supports and guides a cable extending between two independently movable assemblies.

An electrical console generally comprises an upright metal cabinet having transversely disposed therein a series of spaced overlying drawer assemblies which extend various distances from the front panel into the interior of the console. Usually, each drawer assembly is mounted on a respective slidable rack which permits an operator to slide the drawer out of the console and back in again when desired. A drawer assembly generally includes a plurality of interconnected electrical components which are mounted within the drawer and wired electrically to an externally extending connector at the rear of the drawer.

Generally, the rear interior framework of the cabinet supports an umbilical wire harness having a plurality of branch legs which extend out of the harness to respective drawer assemblies. Each branch leg comprises a respective bundle of electrical conductors terminating in an electrical connector which mates with the externally extending connector at the rear of the associated drawer assembly. In this manner, power is supplied from the main circuits of the console to electrical components within the respective drawer assemblies, and electrical signals generated in one drawer assembly pass through respective auxiliary circuits to appropriate input terminals in other drawer assemblies. Generally, each branch leg of the harness is provided with a respective length which is slightly greater that the distance between the trunk of the harness and the rear of the associated drawer assembly, when the drawer is in the fully extended position.

Thus, an electrical signal generated in one drawer assembly and intended for use in another drawer assembly of the console must pass through the connecting harness leg of the first drawer assembly, through the trunk of the harness and then through the harness leg connected to the second drawer assembly. This overly long route may be prohibitive in some instances, such as when signal delay time or signal attenuation is of prime importance, for examples. Therefore, it would be 50 respective rollers 29. The rollers 29 are rotatably a decided advantage to have a means for providing shorter electrical paths between the interconnected drawer assemblies of an electrical console.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of this invention reference is made to the accompanying drawings 2o wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, partly in section, showing an electrical console embodying this invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the drawer assemblies shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the drawer assemblies shown in FIG. 2 but with the upper drawer assembly in the fully extended position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings wherein like characters of reference designate like parts throughout the views, there is shown in FIG. 1 an electrical console 10 comprising a cabinet 12 having a front panel 14 and spaced parallel side walls 16 and 18, respectively. Disposed in front panel 14 is a series of spaced overlying drawer or chassis assemblies 20, 22 and 24, respectively, which extend into the cabinet 12 in substantially parallel rela₄₀ tionship with one another. Each of the respective drawer assemblies 20, 22 and 24 is slidably supported, by conventional means, within the cabinet 12 such that each drawer assembly may be extended out of the front panel 14 when required and restored within the cabinet 45 12 when normal operation is resumed.

The drawer assembly 20 includes a chassis 26 and is shown, by way of example, in FIGS. 2 and 3 as having longitudinally affixed to opposing exterior sides thereof respective channel members 28 which slidingly engage

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, this invention provides a mounting arrangement for directly connecting two independently movable assemblies of an electrical console. The invention comprises a cabinet having therein two electronic assemblies which are movably supported in spaced parallel relationship with one another to slide in and out of the cabinet independently of one another. Disposed in a plane located between the two electronic assemblies is a cable carrier including a pair of arms having respective end portions pivotally attached to one another, each of the arms having respective other ends pivotally attached to a respective one of the elecmounted in respective supporting bar-shaped members 30 which are attached to respective side walls 16 and 18 of cabinet 12. Similarly, the drawer assembly 22 includes a chassis 32 and is shown, by way of example, as ³³ having longitudinally affixed to opposing sides thereof respective channel members 34 which slidingly engage rollers 35 protruding from supporting bar members 36 which are attached to respective opposing side walls 16 and 18 of cabinet 12. Thus, an operator may slide one of the drawer assemblies 20 and 22 out of the cabinet 12 while the other drawer assembly remains in the closed position. On the other hand, an operator may slide one of the drawer assemblies 20 and 22 out of the cabinet 12 while the other drawer assembly is fully or partially extended out of the front panel 14.

Mounted within each of the drawer assemblies 20 and 22 is a respective plurality of interconnected com60

3,710,199 ponents (not shown) which components in one drawer assembly usually are designed to function with components in the other drawer assembly to produce a desired series of electrical output signals. Consequently, the components within each of the drawer assemblies are wired to terminal members of respective electrical connectors 40 and 42 which generally are mounted on the rear walls of respective chassis 26 and 32. The connectors, such as 40 and 42, for example, usually protrude through respective conforming apertures (not shown) disposed in the chassis walls and extend externally of the chassis 26 and 32, respectively. The terminal members of connectors 40 and 42, respectively, are connected to one another by means of an electrical cable 44 comprising a bundle of individually insulated conductors which are attached to respective terminal members of a plug 46 at one end of the cable 44 and are attached to corresponding terminal members of a plug 48 at the other end of the cable 44. The plug 46 mates, in a conventional manner, with the connector 40 at the exterior rear surface of chassis 46, and the plug 48 similarly mates with the connector 42 at the exterior rear surface of chassis 32. In order to allow one of the drawer assemblies 20 or 22 to extend fully out of the front panel 14 while the other drawer assembly remains in the fully closed position, a surplus length of cable 44 is provided between the plugs 46 and 48. Consequently, the cable 44 is disposed in a folded configuration when the drawer assembly 20 is positioned directly over the drawer assembly 22.

The cable 44 is supported in a plane located between the drawer assemblies 20 and 22 by suitable fastening devices, such as clamps 45, for example, holding it firmly to a cable carrier 50, having spaced parallel arms 52 and 54. Each of the arms 52 and 54 has an end portion pivotally secured, by suitable means, to a respective drawer assembly 20 and 22 and the opposing end portions of the arms are pivotally interconnected. By way of example, a bracket 56 is secured by convenient means, such as screws 58, for example, to the exterior rear surface of chassis 26 and has a depending portion carrying spaced parallel flanges 60 and 62. An end portion of arm 52 is disposed between the respective flanges 60 and 62 and has an aperture (not shown) therein which is aligned with respective apertures (not shown) in the flanges 60 and 62. If desired, a suitable spacer bushing 64 having a relatively smooth low-friction surface, such as polystyrene, for example, is disposed between the flange 60 and the arm 52. A headed bolt 66 having a slightly undersized diameter may be journalled through the aligned apertures of flange 60, bushing 64, arm 52 and flange 62 and held in place by a suitable fastener, such as nut 68, for example.

Similarly, by way of example, a bracket 70 is secured by convenient means, such as screws 72 to the rear surface of chassis 32 and has a projecting portion which extends upwardly of chassis 32 into the plane extending between the drawer assemblies 20 and 22. The projecting portion of bracket 70 carries spaced parallel flanges 74 and 76, respectively, between which an end portion of arm 54 is disposed. This end portion of arm 54 is pivotally connected to flanges 70 and 72 by spacer bushing 78, bolt 80 and nut 82 similar to the connection of arm 52 described above.

Also by way of example, the opposing end portions of arms 52 and 54 are pivotally secured to one another by a spacer or sleeve 84 which is preferably made of rigid material, such as stainless steel, for example, and which is mounted over the shank of a headed bolt 86 journalled to the arms and held in place by nut 88. To aid in positioning the drawer assemblies 20 and 22 in overlying relationship, the arms 52 and 54 are biased toward the desired position by a helically wound torsion spring 90 encircling the spacer sleeve 84 between the arms 52 and 54. Opposing end portions 92 and 94 of the spring 90 respectively engage adjacent end portions of the arms 52 and 54 by suitable means. For example, an end portion of spring 90 is fitted into a suitable aperture (not shown) in the adjacent end portion of arm 52; and, while applying a torque force, the opposing end portion of the spring 90 is fitted into an aperture (not shown) similarly provided in the adjacent end portion of arm 54.

Thus, it can be seen that the drawer assemblies 20 and 22 are supported to slide within mutually parallel planes which are separated by an interposed parallel plane located between the drawer assemblies. Further, the drawer assemblies 20 and 22 are independently movable with respect to one another but are directly connected to one another by an electrical cable 44. When the drawer assemblies 20 and 22 are in their fully closed positions, as shown in FIG. 2, there is disposed between the opposing ends of cable 44 a surplus length which is supported in folded configuration by the cable carrier 50 located in the plane between the drawer assemblies 20 and 22.

When one of the drawer assemblies, such as 20, for example, is being extended out of the console 10 toward the fully open position shown in FIG. 3, the chassis 26 carries the pivotally attached end portion of the arm 52 translationally along the plane located between the drawer assemblies 20 and 22. As a result, the arm 52 rotates about its opposing end which is pivotally attached to the corresponding end of arm 54 and then draws this pivotal joint translationally along the plane located between the drawer assemblies 20 and 22. Consequently, the arm 54 rotates about its opposing end in the opposite angular direction with respect to the rotation of arm 52. Thus, the cable carrier 50 tends to straighten and unfold the supported length of cable 44, thereby allowing the cable to extend longitudinally in the plane located between the drawer assemblies. In this manner, the electrical connections established between the drawer assemblies 20 and 22, by means of the cable 44, are maintained while the drawer assembly 20 is extended out of the console 10.

If the other drawer assembly 22 is drawn out of the console 10 when the drawer assembly 20 is in the fully extended position shown in FIG. 3, the chassis 32 will carry the pivotally attached end of arm 54 translationally along the plane located between the drawer assemblies 20 and 22. As a result, the arm 54 will rotate in the reverse direction with respect to its previously described direction of rotation and urge the pivotal joint between the respective arm 52 and 54 translationally along the plane located between the drawer assemblies 20 and 22. Consequently, the arm 52 will rotate in the opposing direction with respect to the rotation of arm 54 thereby bringing the arms 52 and 54

3,710,199 into spaced overlying relationship adjacent the inner surface of the front panel 14. Thus, the cable carrier 50 will refold the supported length of cable 44 and position it adjacent the inner surface of the front panel 14. In this manner, the entire cable carrier 50 and the cable 44 will be moved translationally along the plane located between the drawer assemblies 20 and 22 when both drawer assemblies are extended out of the console 10. In similar fashion, the entire cable carrier 50 and the supported length of cable 44 will be returned to the condition shown in FIG. 2 when both drawer assemblies 20 and 22 are restored to their closed positions within the console 10.

Thus, there has been disclosed herein a cable carrier which supports a cable extending between spaced overlying drawer assemblies of an electrical console. This invention provides means for minimizing the lengths of respective conductors in the cable connecting components in one drawer assembly or chassis to components in the other drawer assembly or chassis. It has been found that, when practicing this invention, the lengths of conductors in the interconnecting cable can be reduced by as much as 50 percent, as compared to the conventional method of routing the conductors from one drawer assembly through an umbilical harness to another drawer assembly. As a result, with the use of this invention, signal attenuation is greatly reduced and signal delay time is notably improved over the results obtainable when utilizing the umbilical harness technique of the prior art.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that all of the objectives of this invention have been achieved by the structures shown and described. It will be also apparent, however, that various changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention as expressed in the appended claims. It is to be understood, therefore, that all matter shown and described is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.