Angled Patch Panel Cover Plate

• US 20080115956A1
• Filed: 11/20/2007
• Published: 05/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panduit Corporation
• Original Assignee: Panduit Corporation
• Inventors: Parrish, Jeremy S., Herbst, Paul M., Donnell, Mark J., Fransen, Robert E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,875,799 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 174/66
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/035 Cooling of active equipments, e.g. air ducts
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/186 for supporting telecommunication equipment selecting apparatus H04Q1/02

Abstract

A cover plate for an angled patch panel is described. The angled patch panel has a frame which has mounting members on opposite longitudinal ends of the frame, where the mounting members are for mounting the angled patch panel to a plurality of locations on a network rack. The frame has a longitudinal profile at least a portion of which is angled with respect to a line extending between the longitudinal ends of the frame to define an area bounded by the longitudinal profile and the line extending between the longitudinal ends of the frame. The cover plate for the angled patch panel includes a plate having a shape substantially the same as this area. Further, the cover plate includes a plurality of plate mounting members to mount the plate at the plurality of locations on the network rack.

Claims

1. A cover plate for an angled patch panel, wherein the angled patch panel has a frame having mounting members on opposite longitudinal ends of the frame, wherein the mounting members are for mounting the angled patch panel to a plurality of locations on a network rack, and wherein the frame has a longitudinal profile at least a portion of which is angled with respect to a line extending between the longitudinal ends of the frame to define an area bounded by the longitudinal profile and the line extending between the longitudinal ends of the frame, comprising:

a plate having a shape substantially the same as the defined area; and

a plurality of plate-mounting members to mount the plate to at least some of the plurality of locations on the network rack.

2. The cover plate for an angled patch panel of claim 1, wherein the plurality of locations at which the angled patch panel is mounted includes two locations and the plurality of locations at which the plate is mounted includes the same two locations.

3. The cover plate for an angled patch panel of claim 1, wherein the plurality of locations at which the angled patch panel is mounted includes four locations and the plurality of locations at which the plate is mounted includes two of the four locations.

4. The cover plate for an angled patch panel of claim 1, wherein the area is a substantially triangular shape.

5. The cover plate for an angled patch panel of claim 4, wherein the substantially triangular shape is a scalene triangle.

6. The cover plate for an angled patch panel of claim 1, wherein the area includes two angled sections with a flat center section joining them.

7. The cover plate for an angled patch panel of claim 6, wherein the two angled sections have a substantially similar angle.

8. The cover plate for an angled patch panel of claim 1, wherein the area includes a plurality of angled sections, wherein adjacent angled sections are joined together.

9. The cover plate for an angled patch panel of claim 1, wherein the area is generally round.

10. The cover plate for an angled patch panel of claim 1, wherein the plate comprises a clip located at the bottom side of the plate, wherein the clip is capable of engagement with the angled patch panel.

11. The cover plate for an angled patch panel of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the plate is in the range of 0.015 inches to 0.075 inches.

12. A cover plate for an angled patch panel, wherein the angled patch panel has a frame and mounting members on opposite longitudinal ends of the frame, wherein the mounting members are for mounting the angled patch panel to a plurality of locations on the network rack, wherein when the angled patch panel is installed in a network rack the frame has a foremost portion extending away from the network rack and a rearmost portion opposite the foremost portion, wherein the frame has a longitudinal profile at least a portion of which is angled with respect to a line defined by the rearmost portion of the frame, and wherein an area is defined by the longitudinal profile and the line defined by the rearmost portion of the frame, comprising:

a plate having a shape substantially the same as the defined area; and

a plurality of plate-mounting members to mount the plate at the plurality of locations on the network rack.

13. The cover plate for an angled patch panel of claim 12, wherein the rearmost portion is even with a front face of the network rack.

14. The cover plate for an angled patch panel of claim 12, wherein the rearmost portion extends into the network rack.

15. The cover plate for an angled patch panel of claim 12, wherein the area is a substantially triangular shape.

16. The cover plate for an angled patch panel of claim 12, wherein the area includes two angled sections with a flat center section joining them.

17. The cover plate for an angled patch panel of claim 12, wherein the area includes a plurality of angled sections, wherein adjacent angled sections are joined together.

18. A cover plate for an angled patch panel, wherein the angled patch panel has a frame having mounting members on opposite longitudinal ends of the frame, wherein the mounting members are for mounting the angled patch panel to a plurality of locations on the network rack, wherein the network rack has a front face, wherein the frame has a longitudinal profile at least a portion of which is angled with respect to a line defined by the front face of the network rack, and wherein an area is defined by the longitudinal profile and the line defined by the front face of the network rack, comprising:

a plate having a shape substantially the same as the defined area; and

a plurality of plate-mounting members to mount the plate at the plurality of locations on the network rack.

19. The cover plate for an angled patch panel of claim 18, wherein the area is a substantially triangular shape.

20. A cover plate for an angled patch panel for installation onto a network rack, wherein the network rack comprises two rails spaced a predetermined distance from each other, each rail including spaced mounting openings, wherein the network rack further comprises a front side and a rear side, wherein the angled patch panel is mounted to the front side of the network rack, the cover plate for the angled patch panel comprising:

a plate, wherein the plate has a angled profile, wherein at least a portion of the angled profile is angled with respect to a line extending between the two rails of the network rack; and

rack mounting members provided on opposite longitudinal ends of the plate, wherein each rack mounting member includes a mounting aperture, wherein the mounting members are mounted to a rear side of the network rack that is opposite to at least a portion of the front side of the network rack where the angled patch panel is mounted, wherein the plate extends beyond a line defined by the front side of the network rack when mounted, and wherein the plate substantially overlaps the angled patch panel when mounted to the front side of the network rack.

21. The cover plate for an angled patch panel of claim 20, wherein the angled profile is a substantially triangular shape.

22. The cover plate for an angled patch panel of claim 20, wherein the angled profile includes two angled sections with a flat center joining them.

23. The cover plate for an angled patch panel of claim 20, wherein the angled profile includes a plurality of angled sections and at least one flat section, wherein, when an angled section is adjacent to another angled section, the angled sections are joined together, and when an angled section is adjacent the at least one flat section, the angled section and the flat section are joined together.

24. The cover plate for an angled patch panel of claim 20, wherein the angled profile includes a plurality of angled sections, wherein adjacent angled sections are joined together.

25. The cover plate for an angled patch panel of claim 20, wherein the angled profile is generally round.

26. The cover plate for an angled patch panel of claim 20, wherein the angled patch panel has an angled profile, and wherein the angled profile of the plate has a shape that is substantially the same as the shape of the angled profile of the angled patch panel.

27. The cover plate for an angled patch panel of claim 20, wherein the plate is substantially flat.

28. The cover plate for an angled patch panel of claim 20, wherein the cover plate is metal.

29. The cover plate for an angled patch panel of claim 28, wherein the thickness of the plate is in the range of 0.015 inches to 0.075 inches.

30. The cover plate for an angled patch panel of claim 20, wherein the cover plate is plastic.

31. The cover plate for an angled patch panel of claim 20, wherein the bottom of the plate comprises a clip, wherein the clip is capable of engagement with the angled patch panel.

32. A network rack assembly, comprising:

a network rack, wherein the network rack has a front side and a rear side;

an angled patch panel mounted to the front side of the network rack; and

an angled patch panel cover plate, wherein the angled patch panel cover plate comprises;

a plate, wherein the plate has an angled profile, wherein at least a portion of the angled profile is angled with respect to a line defined by the front side of the network rack; and

rack mounting members provided on opposite longitudinal ends of the plate, wherein each rack mounting member includes a mounting aperture, wherein the mounting members are connected to the rear side of the network rack that is opposite to at least a portion of the front side of the network rack where the angled patch panel is mounted, wherein the plate extends beyond a line defined by the front side of the network rack, and wherein the plate substantially overlaps the angled patch panel mounted to the front side of the network rack.

33. The network rack of claim 32, wherein the angled patch panel has an angled profile, wherein the angled profile is angled with respect to a line defined by the front of the network rack, and wherein the angled profile of the plate has a shape substantially similar to the shape of the angled profile of the angled patch panel.

34. The network rack of claim 33, wherein the angled profile of the plate is a substantially triangular shape.

35. The network rack of claim 32, wherein the plate is substantially flat.

36. The network rack of claim 32, wherein the angled patch panel is mounted to the front side of the network rack with screws, wherein the screws extend beyond the rear side of the network rack and through the mounting apertures of the cover plate,

the network rack further comprising retaining spacers, wherein the retaining spacers are positioned over the screws to secure the cover plate to the rear side of the network rack.

37. The network rack of claim 32, wherein the bottom of the plate comprises a clip, wherein the clip is capable of engagement with the angled patch panel.

38. The network rack of claim 37, wherein the angled patch panel comprises a top flange, wherein the clip and the top flange have shapes complimentary to each other.

39. The network rack assembly of claim 32, wherein the angled patch panel has a top side, wherein the angled patch panel cover plate overlaps the top side of the angled patch panel.

40. The network rack assembly of claim 32, wherein the angled patch panel has a bottom side, and wherein the angled patch panel cover plate overlaps the bottom side of the angled patch panel.

41. The network rack of claim 32, wherein the plate has a thickness in the range of 0.015 inches to 0.075 inches.

42. The network rack assembly of claim 32, wherein the network rack is a telecommunications equipment rack.