Telecommunications panel with patching device installation features

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11228818-B2
Application number	US-201816762806-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 8, 2018
Priority date	Nov 10, 2017
Publication date	Jan 18, 2022
Grant date	Jan 18, 2022

Abstract

A telecommunications panel has various features for removably mounting patching devices to the panel. The telecommunications panel includes mounting flanges and ramp elements for facilitating mounting and removal of patching devices. The ramp element is associated with a receptacle opening of the panel and configured to contact a flexible latch of the patching device and depress the flexible latch as the patching device is received in the receptacle opening.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A telecommunication panel for mounting a patching device, the telecommunication panel comprising:
a panel frame having a plurality of device receptacle openings each configured to at least partially receive the patching device, the panel frame including:
a first mounting flange configured to engage a first slot of the patching device, wherein the first slot is arranged at a first side of the patching device;
a second mounting flange configured to engage a second slot of the patching device, wherein the second slot is arranged at a second side of the patching device, the second side opposite to the first side of the patching device; and
a plurality of ramp elements associated with the plurality of device receptacle openings, respectively, each of the plurality of ramp elements extending over the second mounting flange and configured to contact a flexible latch of the patching device and depress the flexible latch as the patching device is received in one of the plurality of device receptacle openings, each of the plurality of ramp elements being received in a gap of the patching device when the patching device is secured to the panel frame.

2. The telecommunication panel according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of ramp elements includes a sloped engaging face configured to guide the flexible latch of the patching device.

3. The telecommunication panel according to claim 1 , wherein the first mounting flange is arranged to be parallel with the second mounting flange.

4. The telecommunication panel according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of device receptacle openings is arranged in a row along a first direction, and wherein the first mounting flange and the second mounting flange extend in the first direction.

5. A telecommunications panel system comprising:
a patching device including:
a body having a first side and an opposite second side;
a first latching element arranged at the first side of the body and including a first slot; and
a second latching element arranged at the second side of the body and including a flexible latch, the flexible latch having a second slot and a gap; and

a telecommunications panel including:
a receptacle module having a plurality of device receptacle openings each configured to at least partially receive the patching device, the receptacle module including:
a first mounting flange configured to engage the first slot of the first latching element of the patching device;
a second mounting flange configured to engage the second slot of the second latching element of the patching device; and
a plurality of ramp elements associated with the plurality of device receptacle openings, respectively, each of the plurality of ramp elements extending over the second mounting flange and configured to contact a free end of the flexible latch and depress the flexible latch as the patching device is received in one of the plurality of device receptacle openings, each of the plurality of ramp elements being received in the gap of the second latching element of the patching device when the patching device is secured to the receptacle module.

6. The telecommunications panel system according to claim 5 , wherein the telecommunications panel includes a panel frame including a receptacle module opening, and the receptacle module is at least partially received in the receptacle module opening.

7. The telecommunications panel system according to claim 5 , wherein the flexible latch of the patching device includes a first latch projection and a second latch projection, the second slot being defined between the first latch projection and the second latch projection.

8. The telecommunications panel system according to claim 7 , wherein the first latch projection has a sloped surface configured to contact with one of the plurality of ramp elements as the patching device is received in one of the plurality of device receptacle openings.

9. The telecommunications panel system according to claim 7 , wherein the flexible latch is depressed when the first latch projection engages with one of the plurality of ramp elements.

10. The telecommunications panel system according to claim 9 , wherein the flexible latch is at least partially flexed back when the second slot of the patching device engages with the second mounting flange of the receptacle module.

11. The telecommunications panel system according to claim 10 , wherein the gap is formed adjacent the second latch projection.

12. The telecommunications panel system according to claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of ramp elements includes a sloped engaging face configured to contact the sloped surface of the first latch projection of the flexible latch as the patching device is inserted into the one of the plurality of device receptacle openings.

13. The telecommunications panel system according to claim 12 , wherein each sloped engaging face is configured to provide a leverage point against which a removal tool engages to depress the flexible latch and enable the patching device to be removed from the one of the plurality of device receptacle openings.

14. The telecommunications panel system according to claim 5 , wherein the first mounting flange is arranged to be parallel with the second mounting flange.

15. The telecommunications panel system according to claim 5 , wherein the plurality of device receptacle openings is arranged in a row along a first direction, and wherein the first mounting flange and the second mounting flange extend in the first direction.

16. The telecommunications panel system according to claim 5 , wherein the patching device includes a modular jack.

17. A method for mounting a patching device to a telecommunications panel, the method comprising:
engaging a first slot of the patching device with a first mounting flange of a receptacle module, the receptacle module having a plurality of device receptacle openings each configured to at least partially receive the patching device;
pivoting the patching device toward one of the plurality of device receptacle openings around a pivot area where the first slot of the patching device engages with the first mounting flange of the receptacle module;
engaging a flexible latch of the patching device with a ramp element of the receptacle module to enable the ramp element to depress the flexible latch as the patching device is pivoted around the pivot area;
engaging a second slot of the patching device with a second mounting flange of the receptacle module, the second slot formed on the flexible latch; and
engaging a gap of the patching device with the ramp element of the receptacle module, the gap formed on the flexible latch.

18. The method according to claim 17 , further comprising:
engaging a first latch projection of the flexible latch with the ramp element of the receptacle module to enable the ramp element to depress the flexible latch as the patching device is pivoted around the pivot area,
wherein the second slot is defined by the first latch projection and a second latch projection of the flexible latch.

19. The method according to claim 17 , wherein the flexible latch is at least partially flexed back when the second slot of the patching device engages with the second mounting flange of the receptacle module.

20. The method according to claim 17 , wherein the ramp element includes a sloped engaging face configured to contact the flexible latch as the patching device is pivoted around the pivot area.

Assignees

• Commscope Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Shih Yi Teh
• Fitzpatrick Brian J

Classifications

• H04Q1/13 Primary

  Patch panels for monitoring, interconnecting or testing circuits, e.g. patch bay, patch field or jack field; Patching modules · CPC title

• H04Q1/02

  Constructional details · CPC title

• H01R43/00

  Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining, or repairing of line connectors or current collectors or for joining electric conductors (of trolley lines B60M1/28) · CPC title

• H01R25/006

  the coupling part being secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. duplex wall receptacle · CPC title

• H01R13/743

  integral with the housing · CPC title