Telecommunications patch

• US 7,357,667 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2006
• Issued: 04/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bison Patent Licensing, LLC
• Original Assignee: ADC Telecommunications Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Clark, Gordon P., Mattson, Loren
• Primary Examiner(s): Gilman; Alexander
• Application Number:
  US11/472,816
• Publication Number:
  US 20070298652A1
• Time in Patent Office: 663 Days
• Field of Search: 439/540.1, 439/534, 439/731, 439/541.5, 361/428, 361/429, 385/135, 385/134, 29/68, 174/50
• US Class Current: 439/540.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/09 Frames or mounting racks not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/131 being pivotable
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/136 having patch field management or physical layer management arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2201/02 Details of frames

Abstract

A connecting panel assembly including pivot modules that are pivotally connected to a frame of the assembly. The pivot modules include a plurality of jack modules. The jack modules have a plug opening on one side and wire terminations on an opposite side. The pivot modules are pivotally coupled at opposite ends of the frame. The pivot modules can pivot from a closed position wherein the pivot modules are aligned parallel with the frame, and an open angled position wherein the pivot modules are positioned at an angled position relative to the frame. The assembly also includes a support member that supports the pivot modules in the angled position.

Claims

1. A telecommunications device comprising:

a frame having a length that extends from a left end to a right end of the frame, the frame including a left mounting bracket positioned at the left end of the frame and a right mounting bracket positioned at the right end of the frame, the frame also including upper and lower portions that extend along the length of the frame;

a central support that projects forwardly from the frame at a central region located between the left and right ends of the frame; and

a plurality of pivot modules mounted between the upper and lower portions of the frame and between the left and right ends of the frame, each of the pivot modules including a front side at which a plurality of front connectors are located and a rear side at which a plurality of rear connectors are located, the pivot modules being pivotally movable about generally upright pivot axes that extend between the upper and lower portions of the frame, the pivot modules being pivotally movable between at least a closed position and an angled position, each pivot module having a height that extends between the upper and lower portions of the frame and a length that extends between the left and right ends of the frame, the lengths of the pivot modules being longer than the heights, the lengths of the pivot modules being generally perpendicular relative to the pivot axes, the lengths of the pivot modules extending from outer to inner ends of the pivot modules, the pivot axes being located adjacent the outer ends of the pivot modules, the inner ends of the pivot modules being supported by the central support when pivotally moved to the angled position, and the inner ends of the pivot modules being supported by the central support when pivotally moved to the closed position.

2. The telecommunications device of claim 1, wherein the pivot modules are each pivotally movable about the pivot axes between at least the angled and the closed positions, and wherein the telecommunications device has a latch arrangement for securing the pivot modules in at least the angled and the closed positions, the latch arrangement includes at least first and second latches, the first latch being positioned at the central support adjacent the frame and being adapted to engage the inner end of at least one of the pivot modules when the pivot module is in the closed position, the second latch being positioned at the central support at a location forwardly offset from the first latch, the second latch being adapted to engage the inner end of the at least one pivot module when the pivot module is in the angled position.

3. The telecommunications device of claim 1, further comprising a latch arrangement for securing the inner ends of the pivot modules to a first region of the central support when the pivot modules are in the closed position and for securing the inner ends of the pivot modules to a second region of the central support when the pivot modules are in the angled position, the second region being forwardly offset from the first region.

4. The telecommunications device of claim 1, wherein the left and right mounting brackets are adapted for securing the telecommunications device to a rack and include flanges that are generally co-planar and define fastener openings that extend through the flanges in a front-to-back direction.

5. The telecommunications device of claim 1, wherein the pivot modules are aligned along a line that extends from the first end to the second end of the frame.

6. The telecommunications device of claim 5, wherein only two of the pivot modules are mounted to the frame.

7. The telecommunications device of claim 1, wherein the front connectors include ports for receiving plugs.

8. The telecommunications device of claim 7, wherein the rear connectors include insulation displacement connectors.

9. The telecommunications device of claim 8, wherein the ports and the insulation displacement connectors are provided on jack modules secured to the pivot modules, wherein each jack module includes one of the ports and a plurality of the insulation displacement connectors.

10. A telecommunications device comprising:

a frame having a length that extends from a left end to a right end of the frame, the frame including a left mounting bracket positioned at the left end of the frame and a right mounting bracket positioned at the right end of the frame, the frame also including upper and lower portions that extend along the length of the frame;

a central support that projects forwardly from the frame at a central region located between the left and right ends of the frame;

a first pivot module mounted to the frame between the left end of the frame and the central support, the first pivot module including a front side at which a plurality of front connectors are located and a rear side at which a plurality of rear connectors are located, the first pivot module having an outer end positioned adjacent the left mounting bracket and an inner end positioned adjacent the central support, and the first pivot module being pivotally movable relative to the frame about a generally upright first pivot axis located adjacent the outer end of the first pivot module;

a second pivot module mounted to the frame between the right end of the frame and the central support, the second pivot module including a front side at which a plurality of front connectors are located and a rear side at which a plurality of rear connectors are located, the second pivot module having an outer end positioned adjacent the right mounting bracket and an inner end positioned adjacent the central support, and the second pivot module being pivotally movable relative to the frame about a generally upright second pivot axis located adjacent the outer end of the second pivot module;

the first and second pivot modules being pivotally movable to an angled position in which the inner ends of the first and second pivot modules are forwardly offset from the frame and the front sides of the first and second pivot modules define a generally v-shaped configuration, the inner ends of the first and second pivot modules being supported by the central support when the first and second pivot modules are in the generally v-shaped configuration; and

the first and second pivot modules being pivotally movable to a closed position in which the inner ends of the first and second pivot modules are positioned adjacent to the frame, the inner ends of the first and second pivot modules being supported by the central support when the first and second pivot modules are in the closed position.

11. The telecommunications device of claim 10, wherein the front connectors are aligned along lines that extend generally radially outwardly from the pivot axes.

12. The telecommunications device of claim 10, where the first and second pivot modules each include two horizontal rows of the front connectors, the rows of the front connectors being aligned along lines that extend radially outwardly from the pivot axes.

13. The telecommunications device of claim 10, wherein at least some of the front connectors of the first pivot module are offset different distances from the first pivot axis, and at least some of the front connectors of the second pivot module are offset different distances from the second pivot axis.

14. The telecommunications device of claim 10, wherein the front connectors of the first pivot module are offset at progressively greater radial distances from the first pivot axis, and the front connectors of the second pivot module are offset at progressively greater radial distances from the second pivot axis.

15. The telecommunications device of claim 10, wherein all of the front connectors of the first pivot module are offset to the right of the first pivot axis, and all of the front connectors of the second pivot module are offset to the left of the second pivot axis.

16. The telecommunications device of claim 10, wherein the first and second pivot modules can be pivoted to open positions in which the inner ends of the pivot modules are moved forwardly past the central support.

17. The telecommunications device of claim 16, wherein the central support includes a nose piece that can be removed to allow the first and second pivot modules to be pivoted forwardly past the central support to the open positions.

18. The telecommunications device of claim 10, wherein the front sides of the first and second pivot modules are generally co-planar when the first and second pivot modules are in the closed position.

19. The telecommunications device of claim 18, wherein latches are provided at the central support for securing the first and second pivot modules in the angled and the closed positions.

20. The telecommunications device of claim 19, wherein the central support includes upper and lower tracks for guiding the inner ends of the first and second pivot modules as the first and second pivot modules are moved between the angled and the closed positions.