Cable management arm assembly

[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of my currently pending application filed Dec. 20, 2004, Ser. No. 11/014,976, which is a continuation-in-part of my currently pending application filed Oct. 15, 2004, Ser. No. 10/964,708.

[0002] (a) Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to a cable management arm assembly, and more particularly, to one provided with a support rail movably connected to rear ends of telescoping slides to automatically move by following the telescoping slides and the expansion of a frame.

[0004] (b) Description of the Prior Art

[0005] For electronic products including servers stacked up in the storage space over the drawer type telescoping slides. Those slides are usually provided on both sides of the electronic product and allow the electronic product to slide on those slides while a cable management arm is made available to accommodate and contain cables connected to the electronic product.

[0006] As taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,710,199; 4,353,518; 4,614,383; 5,460,441; 5,571,256; 5,893,539; 5,921,402; 6,070,742; 6,215,069 B1; 6,303,864 B1; 6,305,556 B1; 6,326,547 B1; 6,327,139 B1; 6,407,933 B1; 6,435,354 B1; 6,442,030 B1; 6,501,020 B2; 6,523,918 B1; 6,600,665 B2; 6,646,893 B1; 6,715,718 B1; 6,805,248 B2; 6,811,039 B2; 6,854,605 B2; 6,856,505 B1; 6,867,980 B2; 6,896,344 B2; 6,902,069 B2; 6,945,504 B2; and US Patent Application No 2003/0026084 A1, those cable management arm are adapted with slides having both ends of the cable management arm serving as supports. Those cable management arms are foldable by means of a folding member (usually a hinge) disposed between both ends, and the folding member is suspended to stay far away from either support when the cable management arm is folded.

[0007] Whereas the cables and the cable management arm of the prior art are given with inherited weight, the folding member provided on the cable management arm tends to droop, affecting the operation in an intensively stacked up storage space.

[0008] Furthermore, a cable management arm assembly operating in conjunction with slides characterized in that the slides help share the burden of the weight of the frame, prevent the frame from drooping at where the frame is folded and extend service life and allow easy operation as disclosed in Germany Patent No. DE202004019451U is an innovative improvement recently made by the same applicant.

[0009] The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide a cable management arm assembly operating in conjunction with slides that allows fast installation and easy subsequent operation by mounting in a rail connection fashion a cable management arm support mechanism that may slide into the slides.

[0010] To achieve the purpose, the present invention includes a frame, a support rail, a first and a second sliding members, a first and a second connectors and an insertion socket. The frame comprises a front arm and a rear arm pivoted to each other to slide on the support rail. Both ends of the frame are respectively connected to the insertion socket and the first connector. Both ends of the support rail are respectively connected to the first and second sliding members. The first and second sliding members are respectively received into the first and second connectors. A locking member is disposed on each of the first and second connectors and the insertion socket so as to lock them to the rear ends of outer rails and an inner rail of the slides. A limiting member is provided on the first connector connected to the frame to retain and release the first sliding member when the first sliding member is inserted into the first connector. Once the first connector is inserted to the rear end of the outer rail, the limiting member is pushed to swing so as to release the first sliding member for the support rail to move when the slides extend and the front and the rear arms of the frame unfold.

[0026] A preferred embodiment of the present invention is a cable management arm in conjunction with slides. The cable management arm may be assembled to the rear ends of outer rails and inner rails of the slides, and each of the slides is a three-section slide comprising an outer rail (A), a middle rail (B) and an inner rail (C), as illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 15.

[0027] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the cable management arm includes a frame (1), a support rail (2), a first and a second sliding members (3, 4), a first and a second connectors (5, 6), and an insertion socket (7).

[0028] The frame (1) includes a front arm (11) and a rear arm (12). A pivot (13) is disposed between the front and the rear arms (11, 12) for the frame (1) to connect to and move on the support rail (2). Another end of the front arm (11) is pivotally connected to the insertion socket (7) and another end of the rear arm (12) is pivotally connected to the first connector (5) through a transferring member (14). A number of cable holders (15) are disposed on the front and the rear arms (11, 12). A locking member (8) is disposed on each of the first connector (5), the second connector (6) and the insertion socket (7) so as to secure them to the rear ends of the outer rails (A) and the inner rail (C). The first and second sliding members (3, 4) are respectively connected to both ends of the telescoping support rail (2). The first sliding member (3) is mounted in the first connector (5) in advance and contains a slot (32), as illustrated in FIG. 5, for positioning purpose and moves synchronously with the middle rail (B) with a hooking plate (31) extending from the first sliding member (3) to connect to the rear end of the middle tail (B). The second sliding member (4) moves as driven by the support rail (2) and is subject to the extension of the frame (1). The second sliding member (4) is mounted in the second connector (6) in advance. A positioning member (60) is provided on the second connector (6) to provide one-way retaining function so that the second sliding member (4) will not escape from the rear end of the second connector (6). The positioning member (60) permits elastic movement to release the second sliding member (4). Each rear end of the outer rail (A) and the inner rail (C) is disposed with a means for insertion.

[0029] Now referring to FIGS. 6, 7, 12, and 13, the cross-section of each of the first and second connectors (5, 6) is substantially in agreement with that of the outer rail (A) to facilitate abutting between the outer rail (A) and the first and second connectors (5, 6). Insertion portions (51, 61) extend from the first and second connectors (5, 6), respectively. Each of the insertion portions (51, 61) is provided with a folded portion and has a narrower front to be inserted into the rear end of the outer rail (A). Hooks (81) provided on the locking members (8) on the first and second connectors (5, 6) extend through holes (511, 611) of the insertion portions (51, 61). The first and second connectors (5, 6) are provided with tenons (52, 62) corresponding to recesses (A1) disposed on the outer rails (A) of the slides. The disposition of the tenons (52, 62) and the recess (A1) can be interchangeable. A limiting member (9) provided on the first connector (5) connected to the rear arm (12), as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, elastically swings to be pivoted to the inner side of the first connector (5), and comprises a lever (91) to extend through the outer side of the first connector (5). The function of providing elastic swing of the limiting member (9) is achieved by extending an elastic rod (92) to hold against a protruding bit (53) disposed on the first connector (5) for providing a return force. The locking member (8) provided with the hooks (81) has an elastic arm (82) to be fixed to the first and second connectors (5, 6) and the insertion socket (7) [i.e., the first connector (5) as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, and the same applies to other coordinating members]. The locking member (8) is made in an inclined and warped shape to define an end easy for pressing so as to raise the hooks (81) at the other end.

[0030] Referring to FIGS. 6 and 12 showing the means for insertion of the rear ends of the outer rail (A) and the inner rail (C), retaining plates (A2) and retaining holes (A3) are disposed on the inner side at the rear end of the outer rail (A) so as to limit the insertion portions (51, 61) of the first and second connectors (5, 6) while the hooks (81) of the locking member (8) are engaged in the retaining holes (A3). Accordingly, the assembly is secured, as illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 13, in conjunction with the tenons (52, 62) and the recesses (A1). As illustrated in FIGS. 2, 6, and 8, openings (C1) and raised convexes (C2) are provided to the rear end of the inner rail (C). Bending insertion bits (71) and a slot (72) are provided on the insertion socket (7) for the insertion bits (71) to insert through the openings (C1) of the inner rail (C) to hold against the convexes (C2), and the hooks (81) of the locking member (8) pass through the slot (72) to hold against one of the openings (C1) adjacent to the convexes (C2) to secure the inner rail (C).

[0031] Furthermore, to connect the first connector (5) mounted with the first sliding member (3) to the rear end of the outer rail (A) as illustrated in FIGS. 9, 10, and 11, an angular end (93) of the limiting member (9) protrudes to hold against the slot (32) of the first sliding member (3) to restrict the first sliding member (3) for facilitating the assembly when the first sliding member (3) is separately mounted in the first connector (5) in advance. Upon inserting the first connector (5) to the rear end of the outer rail (A), the lever (91) of the limiting member (9) holds against the end edge of the outer rail (A) to swing for the angular end (93) of the limiting member (9) to clear away from the slot (32) of the first sliding member (3). According, the first sliding member (3) is released to synchronously move along with the middle rail (B). By applying the assembly design in the pattern wherein the cable management arm operates depending on the extension of the slides as illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 15, the front arm (11), the rear arm (12) of the frame (1) and the support rail (2) smoothly spread up and move depending on the extension of the inner rail (C), the passive motion of the middle rail (B), and the sliding of the first and second sliding members (3, 4).