Hinged faceplate

• US 5,659,650 A
• Filed: 09/26/1995
• Issued: 08/19/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fitel USA Corporation (Furukawa Electric Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Arnett, Jaime Ray
• Primary Examiner(s): NGO, HUNG NHAT
• Application Number:
  US08/534,217
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• Field of Search: 385/134, 385/135, 385/76
• US Class Current: 385/135
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3817 containing optical and electrical conductors cables including electrical and optical conductors H01B11/22; G02B6/3816 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3823 containing surplus lengths, internal fibre loops provisionally see also G02B6/444
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3897 Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards G02B6/44528 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44528 Patch-cords; Connector arrangements in the system or in the box routing arrangements H04Q1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/475 Mechanical aspects of installing cables in ducts or the like for buildings

Abstract

A faceplate for mounting to an outlet box located behind a wall has an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper portion is pivotally attached to the lower portion so that it may be swung out from the wall to permit access to the rear thereof and to the outlet box. The front face of the faceplate has one or more openings therein into which both electrical and optical fiber type couplers may be fitted. The front face of the faceplate has tracks formed thereon for mounting a protective hood, and the rear face of the faceplate has an aperture therein for receiving and mounting a fiber or wire storage member.

Claims

1. A faceplate for mounting to an independent outlet box, said faceplate comprising:

a substantially planar body having first and second portions and front and rear faces;

said body having at least one aperture for mounting a coupler therein which extends through said body for receiving a cable connector;

first means for mounting and affixing said first portion to the outlet box;

pivot means for detachably and pivotally mounting said second portion to said first portion to permit said second portion to be pivoted outward from the plane of said faceplate; and

second means for mounting said second portion to the outlet box.

2. A faceplate as claimed in claim 1 wherein said pivot means for detachably and pivotally mounting said second portion to said first portion comprise a pivot pin on one of said portions and a pivot pin receptacle on the other of said portions.

3. A faceplate as claimed in claim 2 wherein said pivot pin receptacle has means for receiving said pivot pin when said second portion is at an angle of orientation relative to the plane of said first portion.

4. A faceplate as claimed in claim 3 wherein the angle of orientation of said second portion is greater than 180°

relative to the plane of said first portion.

5. A faceplate as claimed in claim 3 wherein said means for receiving said pivot pin includes means for preventing said pivot pin from being removed when said second portion lies within the plane of the faceplate.

6. A faceplate as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising means in said rear face for receiving and mounting a cable storage member to said rear face.

7. A faceplate for mounting to an outlet box, said faceplate comprising:

a substantially planar body having first and second portions and from and rear faces;

said body having at least one aperture for mounting a coupler therein which extends through said body for receiving one or more cable connectors;

means for individually mounting said first and second portions to the outlet box;

said second portion having a lower end having a tang member with a width less than that of said second portion depending therefrom and having a distal end;

a pivot pin transversely mounted on said distal end of said tang member and extending past the edges thereof;

said first portion having first and second spaced side members connected by a flat web member, said web member having thereon rib means defining a tang receiving space for restricting lateral movement of said tang;

said first and second sides and said web member defining an opening having sides which taper from the width of the tang receiving space to a greater width at the rear face of said first portion;

pin receiving laterally extending slots adjacent the opening on each side thereof, and

said rib means extending over the ends of said slots adjacent to hold said pivot pin within said slots.

8. A faceplate as claimed in claim 7 wherein said front face of said second portion has a protuberant member extending therefrom, said protuberant member having a first face oriented at an angle to the plane of said faceplate, said first face being apertured to receive at least one coupler member therein.

9. A faceplate as claimed in claim 8 wherein said first face has two apertures therein for receiving duplex type optical fiber type couplers.

10. A faceplate as claimed in claim 8 wherein said protuberant member has a second face oriented at an angle to the plane of said faceplate having at least one aperture therein for receiving an electrical type coupler.

11. A faceplate as claimed in claim 10 wherein said second face has two apertures therein for receiving electrical type couplers.

12. A faceplate as claimed in claim 10 wherein said second face is parallel to said first face.

13. A faceplate as claimed in claim 8 wherein said first face of said protuberant member is at an acute angle to the plane of said faceplate.

14. A faceplate as claimed in claim 7 and further including mounting means on said rear face thereof for mounting a storage member thereto.

15. A faceplate as claimed in claim 14 wherein said mounting means comprises an aperture in said rear face.

16. A faceplate as claimed in claim 7 wherein said front face of said faceplate has means thereon for mounting a protective hood over said front face.

17. A faceplate as claimed in claim 16 wherein said means for mounting a hood comprises means forming, locating, and hood holding tracks thereon extending along the front face of said faceplate.