Double hooked reverse mountable module and panel with opening for multiple modules mounting

• US 8,075,344 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2010
• Issued: 12/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Commscope Inc of North Carolina (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Commscope Inc of North Carolina (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shih, Yi-Teh
• Primary Examiner(s): Gilman, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US12/715,828
• Publication Number:
  US 20100227500A1
• Time in Patent Office: 651 Days
• Field of Search: 439/649, 439/634, 439/540.1, 439/557, 439/553, 439/465, 439/713, 361/822, 385/822
• US Class Current: 439/649
• 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 24/62 Sliding engagements with one side only, e.g. modular jack coupling devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/09 Frames or mounting racks not otherwise provided for
• 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 system includes a patch panel frame having an opening formed therein for receiving a multi-port module. The opening is dimensioned to have a width of at least twice the width of the module. The module or patch panel frame includes at least one movable member, such as a resilient tab, which is used to removably attach the module within the opening in one of two orientations. In a first orientation, the ports of the module face a user, such that the ports can be easily populated. In a second orientation, the module is rotated one hundred eighty degrees about a vertical axis prior to being attached within the opening, such that the backs of the ports face the user to help facilitate population of connections to the backs of the ports.

Claims

1. A module for a patch panel comprising:

a front face with a plurality of ports;

a rear face with a plurality of connectors; and

at least one resilient tab which permits said module to be snapped into an opening in a patch panel with said front face facing a user then removed from the opening in the patch panel from the front of the patch panel, rotated one hundred eighty degrees and snapped back into the opening in the patch panel from the front of the patch panel, with said rear face facing the user while cords remain attached to said connectors, wherein said at least one resilient tab includes a first, forward facing stop surface and a second, rearward facing stop surface, and wherein a first distance between a rear of said front face and said first stop surface is equal to a second distance between a front of said front face and said second stop surface.

2. The module according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of ports include RJ-type ports, and wherein said plurality of connectors include insulation displacement connectors.

3. The module according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of ports includes a first row of six ports and said module is dimensioned to fit a 1 U patch panel opening height, or wherein said plurality of ports includes a first row of six ports and a second row of six ports and said module is dimensioned to fit a 2 U patch panel opening height.

4. A patch panel system comprising:

a patch panel frame having an opening formed in a front face thereof, wherein said opening is defined by a perimeter edge; and

a module removably attached within said opening, said module including;

a plurality of port receptacles formed therein, wherein said plurality of port receptacles pass through said module from a first face of said module to a second, opposite face of said module, wherein each of said plurality of port receptacles is dimensioned to accept a port and hold the port with a first side of the port located proximate said first face of said module and a second, opposite side of the port located proximate said second, opposite face of said module; and

at least one movable member attached to said module, wherein said at least one movable member permits said module to be attached within said opening in said patch panel frame with said first face of said module being located proximate said front face of said patch panel frame then removed from said opening in said patch panel frame, rotated one hundred eighty degrees and snapped back into said opening in said patch panel frame with said second face of said module being located proximate said front face of said patch panel frame, and wherein said at least one movable member includes a first, forward facing stop surface and a second, rearward facing stop surface, wherein a space between said rear of said first face and said first stop surface captures said perimeter edge of said opening when said first face of said module is located proximate said front face of said patch panel frame, and wherein a space between said front of said first face and said second stop surface captures said perimeter edge of said opening when said second face of said module is located proximate said front face of said patch panel frame.

5. The patch panel system according to claim 4, wherein said patch panel frame is approximately 19 inches in width and approximately a multiple of 1.75 inches in height.

6. The patch panel system according to claim 4, wherein said opening of said patch panel frame has a first width and said module has a second width, and wherein the first width is substantially equally to or greater than twice the second width.

7. The patch panel system according to claim 6, wherein the first width is substantially equal to or greater than four times the second width.

8. The patch panel system according to claim 4, wherein said patch panel frame includes first and second side flanges, a first through hole being formed in said first side flange and the a second through hole being formed in said second side flange, and further comprising:

a first rack rail and a second rack rail;

a first fastener passing through said first through hole and being secured to said first rack rail; and

a second fastener passing through said second through hole and being secured to said second rack rail.

9. The patch panel system according to claim 4, wherein said opening of said patch panel frame is a first opening, and further comprising:

a second opening formed in said front face of said patch panel frame, wherein said first opening of said patch panel frame has a first width, wherein said module has a second width, wherein said second opening of said patch panel frame has a third width, wherein the first width is substantially equally to or greater than twice the second width, and wherein the third width is substantially equally to the first width.

10. The patch panel system according to claim 4, wherein said at least one movable member includes first and second resilient tabs located proximate an upper edge of said module.

11. A module for a patch panel system comprising:

a plurality of port receptacles formed therein, wherein said plurality of port receptacles pass through said module from a first face of said module to a second, opposite face of said module, wherein each of said plurality of port receptacles is dimensioned to accept a port and hold the port with a first side of the port located proximate said first face of said module and a second, opposite side of the port located proximate said second, opposite face of said module; and

at least one movable member attached to said module, wherein said at least one movable member permits said module to be removably attached within an opening in a patch panel frame with a rear of said first face of said module abutting a perimeter of the opening in the patch panel frame with said first face of said module facing a user, and wherein when said module is removed from the opening in the patch panel frame, said module may be rotated one hundred eighty degrees about an axis and said at least one movable member then permits said module to be removably attached within the opening in the patch panel frame with a front of said first face of said module abutting the perimeter of the opening of the patch panel frame with said second face of said module facing the user,

wherein said at least one movable member includes a first, forward facing stop surface and a second, rearward facing stop surface, and wherein a first distance between said rear of said first face and said first stop surface is equal to a second distance between said front of said first face and said second stop surface.

12. The module according to claim 11, wherein said at least one movable member permits said module to be snapped into attachment within the opening in the patch panel frame.

13. The module according to claim 11, wherein said at least one movable member includes first and second resilient tabs located proximate an upper edge of said module.

14. The module according to claim 11, further comprising:

a plurality of ports respectively residing within said plurality of port receptacles.

15. The module according to claim 14, wherein each port of said plurality of ports is an RJ-type port having an opening to receive a plug at its first side and insulation displacement contacts at its second, opposite side.

16. The module according to claim 11, wherein said plurality of port receptacles includes a first row of six port receptacles, and wherein said module is dimensioned to fit a 1 U patch panel opening height.

17. The module according to claim 11, wherein said plurality of port receptacles includes a first row of six port receptacles and a second row of six port receptacles, disposed below said first row of port receptacles, and wherein said module is dimensioned to fit a 2 U patch panel opening height.