Angled RJ to RJ patch panel

• US 20040219829A1
• Filed: 06/03/2004
• Published: 11/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ADC Telecommunications Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Clark, Gordon P., Schmidt, John, Mattson, Loren
• Granted Patent: US 7,066,771 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/540.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/465 Identification means, e.g. labels, tags, markings H01R9/2475, H01R9/2683 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/506 assembled by snap action of the parts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/518 for holding or embracing several coupling parts, e.g. frames
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/743 integral with the housing
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/04 for network, e.g. LAN connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/64 for high frequency, e.g. RJ 45
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/006 the coupling part being secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. duplex wall receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/06 Cable ducts or mountings specially adapted for exchange installations
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/13 Patch panels for monitoring, interconnecting or testing circuits, e.g. patch bay, patch field or jack field; Patching modules

Abstract

A patch panel including a plurality of electrical connector assemblies, each of the electrical connector assemblies including a first jack presented on a first side of a panel frame of the patch panel and a second jack electrically linked to the first jack to form a jack pair and presented on a second side of the panel frame. Both the first jack and the second jack are presented at an angle with respect to the panel frame, and both the first jack and the second jack may be engaged using a patch cord. The first and second jack of each jack pair are at a 90-degree angle relative to one another.

Claims

1. A telecommunications patch panel for connecting patch cords, comprising:

a panel frame including a first panel side, a second panel side, and first and second ends; and

at least one first jack assembly including a first jack defining a first port disposed at a first angle in relation to the first panel side, and at least one second jack defining a second port disposed at a second angle in relation to the second panel side, the first jack being electrically connected to the second jack to form a jack pair such that the first port of the first jack forms a 90-degree angle with respect to the second port of the second jack;

wherein the first port of the first jack and the second port of the second jack are each angled towards the first end of the panel frame so that patch cords extending from plugs engaged with the first and second jacks can be routed towards the first end of the panel frame.

2. The telecommunications patch panel of claim 1, wherein the first jack defines a first latch groove and the second jack defines a second latch groove, wherein the first latch groove is positioned at an outermost edge of the first jack in relation to the first panel side, and wherein the second latch groove is positioned at an outermost edge of the second jack in relation to the second panel side

3. The telecommunications patch panel of claim 1, wherein the jack pair is a first jack pair, and further comprising at least one third jack defining a third port disposed on the first panel side, and at least one fourth jack defining a fourth port disposed on the second panel side, the third jack being electrically connected to the fourth jack to form a second jack pair such that the third port of the third jack forms a 90-degree angle with respect to the fourth port of the fourth jack.

4. The telecommunications patch panel of claim 3, wherein the second jack pair is part of the first jack assembly so that the third port of the third jack and the fourth port of the fourth jack are each angled towards the first end of the panel frame so that patch cords extending from plugs engaged with the third and fourth jacks can be routed towards the first end of the panel frame.

5. The telecommunications patch panel of claim 3, wherein the second jack pair is part of a second jack assembly so that the third port of the third jack and the fourth port of the fourth jack are each angled towards the second end of the panel frame so that patch cords extending from plugs engaged with the third and fourth jacks can be routed towards the second end of the panel frame.

6. The telecommunications patch panel of claim 1, wherein the first jack is coupled to the second jack through a connector location defined by the panel frame.

7. The telecommunications patch panel of claim 1, wherein the first jack and the second jack form an electrical connector assembly, and wherein the electrical connector assembly is releasably coupled to the panel frame via a notch defined in a first edge of the first jack sized to engage a first surface of the connector location and a locking tab and a shoulder positioned on a second edge of the first jack to engage a second surface of the connector location.

8. The telecommunications patch panel of claim 1, wherein the first angle and the second angle are 45 degrees.

9. The telecommunications patch panel of claim 1, further comprising a latch arrangement for mounting the jack pair to a planar opening defined by the panel frame.

10. The telecommunications patch panel of claim 9, wherein the latch arrangement includes a notch on a first edge of the jack pair and a locking tab, and a shoulder on an opposing second edge of the jack pair for attachment to the panel frame.

11. A telecommunications patch panel for connecting patch cords, comprising:

a panel frame including a first panel side, a second panel side, and first and second ends; and

at least one first jack assembly including a plurality of first jack pairs, each first jack pair defining a first port disposed at a first angle in relation to the first panel side, and a second port disposed at a second angle in relation to the second panel side, the first and second ports of each first jack pair being electrically connected to one another such that the first port of the first jack forms a 90-degree angle with respect to the second port of the second jack;

wherein the first port and the second port of each of the first jack pairs are angled towards the first end of the panel frame so that patch cords extending from plugs engaged with the first and second ports of each of the first jack pairs can be routed towards the first end of the panel frame.

12. The telecommunications patch panel of claim 11, further comprising:

a second jack assembly including a plurality of second jack pairs, each second jack pair defining a first port disposed at a first angle in relation to the first panel side, and a second port disposed at a second angle in relation to the second panel side, the first and second ports of each second jack pair being electrically connected to one another such that the first port of the first jack forms a 90-degree angle with respect to the second port of the second jack;

wherein the first port and the second port of each of the second jack pairs are angled towards the second end of the panel frame so that patch cords extending from plugs engaged with the first and second ports of each of the second jack pairs can be routed towards the second end of the panel frame.

13. The telecommunications patch panel of claim 11, wherein the first port of each of the first jack pairs is coupled to the second port through a connector location defined by the panel frame.

14. The telecommunications patch panel of claim 11, wherein the first angle and the second angle are 45 degrees.