Angled RJ to RJ patch panel

• US 6,761,585 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2003
• Issued: 07/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): DUVERNE, JEAN F
• Application Number:
  US10/645,760
• Publication Number:
  US 20040038594A1
• Time in Patent Office: 329 Days
• Field of Search: 439/676, 439/540.1, 439/540, 439/716, 439/709, 439/954, 439/638, 439/142, 439/344, 439/701, 439/639, 439/631
• 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, wherein each of the electrical connector assemblies comprises 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. An electrical connector assembly comprising:

a first jack defining a first port and including a plurality of first springs;

a second jack defining a second port and a plurality of second springs, wherein the second port of the second jack is oriented at approximately a 90-degree angle with respect to the first port of the first jack; and

a board, wherein the board includes first and second ends and top and bottom surfaces, and wherein the first jack is coupled to the first end and the top surface of the board so that the first port opens outwardly in parallel with the first end and the second jack is coupled to the second end and the bottom surface so that the second port opens outwardly perpendicular to the bottom surface, the board including electrical connections extending along the board between the plurality of first and second springs, wherein none of the electrical connections cross one another on the board.

2. The electrical connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the second jack includes a plurality of pins, each of the pins being electrically coupled respectively to one of each of the second springs, and each of the pins extending from a bottom surface of the second jack to be electrically coupled respectively to one of the electrical connections.

3. The electrical connector assembly of claim 1, further comprising a cover coupled to the board and the first jack.

4. The electrical connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the electrical connector assembly is disposed in a patch panel including a panel frame, such that the first port of the first jack and the second port of the second jack are both positioned at a 45-degree angle in relation to the panel frame.

5. The electrical connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the electrical connector assembly is disposed in a patch panel including a panel frame, such that the first jack and the second jack are both positioned at a 45-degree angle in relation to the panel frame.

6. The electrical connector assembly of claim 1, further comprising a cover coupled to the board and the first jack.

7. The electrical connector assembly of claim 6, wherein the cover includes at least two locking tabs that engage at least two apertures defined by the first jack to secure the cover to the electrical connector assembly.

8. The electrical connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the first jack includes a first latch groove and the second jack includes a second latch groove, wherein the first latch groove is positioned on the first jack at a point furthermost away from the board at the first end and the second latch groove is positioned on the second jack at a point furthermost away from the board at the second end.

9. A telecommunications patch panel comprising:

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

at least one first jack disposed on the first panel side, such that the first jack is positioned at a first angle less than 90-degrees in relation to the first panel side; and

at least one second jack disposed on the second panel side, such that the second jack is positioned at a second angle less than 90-degrees in relation to the second panel side, the first jack being electrically connected by tracings to the second jack to form a jack pair, wherein none of the tracings cross one another as the tracings extend from the first jack to the second jack.

10. The telecommunications patch panel of claim 9, wherein the first jack defines a first port including a first latch groove and the second jack defines a second port including 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 relation to the second panel side.

11. The telecommunications patch panel of claim 9, wherein the jack pair is a first jack pair, and further comprising:

at least one third jack disposed on the first panel side, such that the third jack is positioned at a third angle less than 90-degrees in relation to the first panel side; and

at least one fourth jack disposed on the second panel side, such that the fourth jack is positioned at a fourth angle less than 90-degrees in relation to the second panel side, the third jack electrically connected to the fourth jack to form a second jack pair, each jack having a directional component facing in the same direction for each second jack pair and in an opposite direction as the first jack pair formed by the first jack and the second jack.

12. The telecommunications patch panel of claim 9, wherein the first jack is coupled to the second jack through a connector location defined by the panel frame, such that the first jack forms a 90-degree angle with respect to the second jack.

13. The telecommunications patch panel of claim 12, wherein the first jack and the second jack form an electrical connector assembly, and wherein the electrical connector assembly is releasably coupled to the patch panel 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.

14. The telecommunications patch panel of claim 9, wherein the first angle and the second angle are 45 degrees.

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

16. The telecommunications patch panel of claim 15, wherein the latch arrangement includes having 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.