Angled patch panel with cable support bar for network cable racks

• US 6,866,541 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2001
• Issued: 03/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Panduit Corporation
• Original Assignee: Panduit Corporation
• Inventors: Donnell, Mark J., Barker, Jed M., Honan, Kevin E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gushi, Ross
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, PHUONGCHI T
• Application Number:
  US09/916,923
• Publication Number:
  US 20030022552A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,328 Days
• Field of Search: 439/540.1, 439/535, 439/536, 439/716, 439/532, 439/501, 439/540, 439/557, 439/558, 385134-139, 174/48, 211/26, 52/35
• US Class Current: 439/540.1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4452 Distribution frames
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44526 Panels or rackmounts covering a whole width of the frame or rack
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44528 Patch-cords; Connector arrangements in the system or in the box routing arrangements H04Q1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/518 for holding or embracing several coupling parts, e.g. frames
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/74 Means for mounting coupling parts in openings of a panel
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/2416 Means for guiding or retaining wires or cables connected to terminal blocks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/06 Cable ducts or mountings specially adapted for exchange installations
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/062 vertical management arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/066 arranged on the front side
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/068 arranged on the rear side
• 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: H04Q 2201/02 Details of frames

Abstract

A patch panel mountable to a network rack includes a patch panel frame and rack mounting plates. The frame forms a central section having a longitudinal width sized to fit within the network rack. The rack mounting plates are provided on opposite longitudinal ends of the central section and allow the panel to be mounted to a network rack. The central section includes two panel sections angled outwardly in an inverted V-shapes, and the central section has mounted thereon a plurality of cable connectors that receive cabling on the front side and the rear side of the patch panel frame. Each connector has a horizontal axis.

Claims

1. A patch panel mountable to a network rack, comprising:

a patch panel frame forming a central section, the patch panel frame having a longitudinal width sized to fit within the network rack, a predefined height, a front side, a rear side, and rack mounting plates provided on opposite longitudinal ends of the central section,

wherein the central section includes two panel sections angled outwardly in an inverted V-shape, each of the two panel sections of the central section having mounted thereon a plurality of cable connectors that receive cabling on the front side and the rear side of the patch panel frame, each connector having a horizontal axis, the central section includes a substantially flat separator portion connecting the two panel sections to provide clearance for the connectors mounted in the panel sections.

2. A patch panel assembly for a network rack comprising the patch panel of claim 1 and a cable support bar mountable to the rear of the patch panel.

3. The patch panel assembly of claim 2, wherein the cable support bar includes a bar portion having a longitudinal width sized to fit within the network rack, and rack mounting plates at longitudinal ends of the bar portion.

4. The patch panel according to claim 1, wherein the two panel sections of the central section of the frame are each angled relative to the other section by an obtuse angle φ

of between 90° and

180°

.

5. The patch panel according to claim 4, wherein the angle φ

is between 100°

to 140°

.

6. The patch panel according to claim 4, wherein the angle φ

is between 110°

to 130°

.

7. The patch panel according to claim 4, wherein the angle φ

is about 120°

.

8. The patch panel according to claim 4, wherein the two panel sections are the same length.

9. The patch panel according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of cable connectors are mounted on the central section to have rear surfaces of the cable connectors face a common axis of the central section.

10. The patch panel according to claim 9, wherein the common axis of the section is located at a midpoint of the central section.

11. The patch panel according to claim 9, wherein the frame includes at least one faceplate opening.

12. The patch panel according to claim 11, wherein at least two faceplate openings are provided, one on each side of the common axis of the central section.

13. The patch panel according to claim 11, further comprising at least one removable insert module sized to fit within said at least one faceplate opening, the at least one removable insert module containing at least one of the plurality of cable connectors.

14. The patch panel according to claim 13, wherein the at least one removable insert module is snap fittable to the at least one faceplate opening.

15. The patch panel according to claim 14, wherein the plurality of cable connectors connect to at least one of Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP), Screened Twisted Pair (ScTP) coaxial and fiber optic cables.

16. The patch panel according to claim 13, wherein six faceplate openings are provided, three on each side of the common axis of the central section.

17. The patch panel according to claim 16, wherein each faceplate opening includes at least one removable insert module and each insert module receives twelve cable connectors.

18. The patch panel according to claim 13, wherein twelve faceplate openings are provided, six on each side of the common axis of the central section.

19. The patch panel according to claim 18, wherein each faceplate opening includes at least one removable insert module and each insert module receives four cable connectors.

20. A network rack and patch panel assembly, comprising:

a network rack having two rails spaced a predetermined distance from each other, each rail including spaced mounting openings; and

a patch panel mounted to the network rack, the patch panel including

a patch panel frame forming a central section, the patch panel frame having a longitudinal width sized to fit between the two rails, a predefined height, a front side, a rear side, and rack mounting plates provided on opposite longitudinal ends of the central section connected to ones of the spaced mounting openings of the rails,

wherein the central section includes two panel sections angled outwardly in an inverted V-shape, each of the two panel sections of the central section having mounted thereon a plurality of cable connectors that receive cabling on the front side and the rear side of the patch panel frame, each connector having a horizontal axis, the central section includes a substantially flat separator portion connecting the two panel sections to provide clearance for the connectors mounted in the panel sections.

21. The network rack and patch panel assembly of claim 20, further comprising a cable support bar mounted between the rack rails.

22. The patch panel according to claim 20, wherein the plurality of cable connectors are mounted on the central section to have rear surfaces of the cable connectors face a common axis of the central section.

23. The patch panel according to claim 22, wherein the common axis of the central section is located at a midpoint of the central section.

24. The network rack and patch panel assembly of claim 22, wherein the central section includes at least two faceplate openings, one on each side of the common axis of the central section.

25. The network rack and patch panel assembly of claim 24, further comprising at least two removable insert modules sized to fit within one of the at least two faceplate openings, each of the removable insert modules containing at least one of the plurality of cable connectors.

26. The network rack and patch panel assembly of claim 24, wherein the two panel sections of the central section of the frame are each angled relative to the other section by an obtuse angle φ

of between about 100°

to 140°

.

27. The network rack and patch panel assembly of claim 26, wherein the central section of the frame has two angled panel sections, each angled relative to the other by an obtuse angle φ

of between 90° and

180°

.

28. The network rack and patch panel assembly according to claim 27, wherein the angle φ

is about 120°

.