Termination panel with pivoting adapter bulkhead sections

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023064058-A1
Application number	US-202217822976-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 29, 2022
Priority date	Aug 27, 2021
Publication date	Mar 2, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A termination panel includes a termination bulkhead formed of multiple pivoting bulkhead members. Each bulkhead member is configured to selectively pivot about a pivot axis extending through a middle region of the bulkhead member. The bulkhead members may pivot independent of each other or may entrain pivoting motion of adjacent bulkhead members. In certain examples, the location of the pivot axis about which the bulkhead members pivot can be changed without changing the bulkhead members.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A termination panel comprising:
a plurality of bulkhead members, each bulkhead member having a front surface extending along a length between opposite first and second ends, each front surface carrying a plurality of front ports, each bulkhead member defining a pivot aperture at an intermediate location along the length, and each bulkhead member including a first retainer at the first end and a second retainer at the second end; a chassis having a depth extending between a front and a rear, a width extending between opposite first and second sides, and a height extending between a top and a bottom, the chassis defining an access opening bounded by oppositely facing first and second retainer strips, the first retainer strip defining a plurality of first stations, each first station being configured to limit a travel distance of the first end of a respective one of the bulkhead members in a first pivot direction, the second retainer strip being configured to limit a travel distance of the second end of a respective one of the bulkhead member in a second pivot direction that is opposite the first pivot direction; and a pivot pin extending across the chassis, the pivot pin sized to fit within the pivot aperture of each bulkhead member so that each bulkhead member pivots about the pivot pin relative to the chassis.

2 . The termination panel of claim 1 , wherein the pivot pin extends between the first and second sides at an intermediate location along the height between the top and the bottom; and wherein the first and second retainers are disposed at the top and bottom at the access opening.

3 . The termination panel of claim 1 , wherein the pivot pin extends between the top and bottom at an intermediate location along the width between the first and second sides of the chassis; wherein the first and second retainers are disposed at the first and second sides at the access opening.

4 . The termination panel of claim 1 , wherein each of the bulkhead members is configured to pivot from a neutral position to a first angled position.

5 . The termination panel of claim 4 , wherein each of the bulkhead members is configured to pivot from the neutral position to a second angled position.

6 . The termination panel of claim 1 , wherein the front surface of each bulkhead member defines first and second port mounting openings disposed at opposite sides of the respective pivot aperture of the bulkhead member.

7 . The termination panel of claim 1 , wherein each first station of first retainer strip and each second station of the second retainer strip defines a recess configured to receive the first retainer of a respective one of the bulkhead members in a snap-fit connection.

8 . The termination panel of claim 1 , wherein each bulkhead member includes a first handle at the first end and a second handle at the second end, each of the first and second handles extending forwardly of the front surface, wherein the first retainer strip defines a plurality of first notches through which the first handles pass when the bulkhead members pivot; and wherein the second retainer strip defines a plurality of second notches through which the second handles pass when the bulkhead members pivot.

9 . The termination panel of claim 1 , wherein each bulkhead member includes a side flange extending rearwardly from the front surface, wherein the side flange is a first side flange; and wherein a first of the bulkhead members includes a second side flange extending rearwardly from the front surface at an opposite side of the bulkhead member from the first side flange.

10 . The termination panel of claim 9 , wherein the second side flange extends fully along the length of the front surface.

11 . The termination panel of claim 1 , wherein each bulkhead member is configured to pivot independently.

12 . The termination panel of claim 1 , wherein the bulkhead members are configured so that movement of one of the bulkhead members in a first pivot direction automatically moves an adjacent one of the bulkhead members in an opposite second pivot direction.

13 . The termination panel of claim 12 , wherein the bulkhead members include a first set of bulkhead members and a second set of bulkhead members, the bulkhead members of the first set alternating with the bulkhead members of the second set as the bulkhead members are disposed in a row extending along the first and second retainer strips; and wherein movement of one of the bulkhead members of the first set in the first pivot direction automatically moves all of the bulkhead members of the first set in the first pivot direction.

14 . The termination panel of claim 13 , wherein movement of one of the bulkhead members of the first set in the first pivot direction automatically moves all of the bulkhead members of the second set in the second pivot direction.

15 . The termination panel of claim 1 , further comprising a joining member disposed between an adjacent pair of the bulkhead members, the joining member being mounted to the adjacent pair of the bulkhead members so that movement of a first of the bulkhead members of the adjacent pair in a first pivot direction automatically moves a second of the bulkhead members of the adjacent pair in a second pivot direction.

16 . The termination panel of claim 15 , wherein each bulkhead member includes first and second side flanges extending rearwardly from the front surface, each of the first and second side flanges defining first and second apertures disposed at opposite sides of the respective pivot aperture; and wherein the joining member includes a first attachment end that fits in the first aperture of the second side flange of the first bulkhead member of the adjacent pair and the joining member includes a second attachment end that fits in the second aperture of the first side flange of the second bulkhead member of the adjacent pair.

17 . The termination panel of claim 16 , wherein the joining member is a first joining member; and wherein a second joining member includes a first attachment end that faces in an opposite direction from the first attachment end of the first joining member and the second joining member includes a second attachment end that fits in the second aperture of the second side flange of the second bulkhead member of the adjacent pair.

18 . The termination panel of claim 17 , further comprising a third bulkhead member adjacent the second bulkhead member, the third bulkhead member including first and second side flanges each defining first and second apertures disposed at opposite sides of the respective pivot aperture, wherein the first attachment end of the second joining member fits in the first aperture of the first side flange of the third bulkhead member.

19 . The termination panel of any of claims 16 , wherein the joining member is one of a plurality of joining members, and wherein each joining member is retained at a fixed position along the height of the chassis while being able to move along a forward-rearward axis of the chassis, wherein the joining members attach to a lateral bar that extends across the chassis between the first and second sides, the lateral bar being slidably mounted to the chassis so that the lateral bar slides along the forward-rearward axis.

20 . The termination panel of claim 1 , wherein the pivot aperture of each bulkhead member is a first notch, wherein each bulkhead member defines a second notch at the first end and a third notch at the second end; and wherein the pi

Assignees

• Commscope Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Turner Arend J
• Holmberg Matthew J
• Schoenfelder Rodney C

Classifications

• G02B6/44528

  Patch-cords; Connector arrangements in the system or in the box (routing arrangements H04Q1/00) · CPC title

• G02B6/44526 Primary

  Panels or rackmounts covering a whole width of the frame or rack · CPC title

• G02B6/4452 Primary

  Distribution frames · CPC title

• G02B6/3897

  Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards (G02B6/44528 takes precedence) · CPC title