Patch panel system and jack module attachment thereto

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9832542-B2
Application number	US-201414888253-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 25, 2014
Priority date	Apr 30, 2013
Publication date	Nov 28, 2017
Grant date	Nov 28, 2017

Abstract

A jack module includes a chassis, a frame, and jacks. The jack module is configured to releasably hold any of a plurality of types of jacks. Each jack is configured to releasably mount to the frame. The frame is configured to couple to the chassis so that rear portions of the jacks extend rearwardly from the chassis. The jack module mounts to a rear of a patch panel frame by coupling the jack module to a faceplate mounted at a front of the patch panel frame.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A patch panel system comprising:
a faceplate having a front, a top, a bottom, and opposing sides that cooperate to define an open rear, the front defining at least a first aperture, the faceplate including first and second tabs extending rearwardly from the rear of the faceplate at the opposite sides of the faceplate, the first tab being offset from the second tab in a direction extending between the top and bottom of the faceplate; and
a jack module configured to mount to the faceplate, the jack module including a chassis, a frame mounted to the chassis, and a plurality of jacks each mounted to the frame, each jack including a rear portion that extends rearwardly from the jack module and the faceplate when the jack module is mounted to the faceplate.

2. The patch panel system of claim 1 , wherein each of the tabs is rounded.

3. The patch panel system of claim 1 , wherein the jack module frame includes locking features around an outer periphery of the jack module frame that fit within an inner periphery of the jack module chassis.

4. The patch panel system of claim 1 , wherein the jack module frame defines openings that are each sized to receive any of the following types of jacks: AMP-TWIST 6S, 6AS, 7AS, SL, and AMP-TWIST 6AUTP.

5. A patch panel system comprising:
(a) a patch panel including:
(i) a patch panel frame defining a plurality of apertures; and
(ii) a faceplate configured to fit into one of the apertures of the patch panel frame from a front of the patch panel frame; and

(b) a jack module including:
(i) a monolithically formed chassis that is configured to mount to the faceplate from a rear of the patch panel frame;
(ii) a frame configured to be disposed within the chassis, the frame defining a plurality of apertures; and
(iii) a plurality of jacks that each mount to the frame at one of the plurality of apertures, each jack having a front portion extending forwardly from the frame and being accessible from a front of the chassis and having a rear portion extending rearwardly from the frame and being accessible from a rear of the chassis.

6. The patch panel system of claim 5 , wherein the chassis is configured to snap-fit to the faceplate.

7. The patch panel system of claim 5 , further comprising a grounding clip coupled to the faceplate, the grounding clip being positioned to contact the jack module frame to provide grounding.

8. The patch panel system of claim 5 , wherein the jack module frame is configured to hold any of the following types of jacks: AMP-TWIST 6S, 6AS, 7AS, SL, and AMP-TWIST 6AUTP.

9. The patch panel system of claim 5 , wherein each aperture of the jack module frame is sized to fit any of a plurality of types of jacks.

10. The patch panel system of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of jacks includes between two and sixteen jacks.

11. The patch panel system of claim 10 , wherein the jack module frame is configured to hold six jacks.

12. The patch panel system of claim 5 , wherein the chassis includes one tab at each of two peripheral side walls that is sized to fit in an opening defined at each of two peripheral side walls of the faceplate to mount the chassis to the faceplate.

13. The patch panel system of claim 5 , wherein the chassis includes two tab at each of two peripheral side walls that are sized to fit in two openings defined at each of two peripheral side walls of the faceplate to mount the chassis to the faceplate.

14. The patch panel system of claim 5 , wherein the faceplate includes a labeling region.

15. A patch panel system comprising:
(a) a patch panel including:
(i) a patch panel frame defining a plurality of apertures; and
(ii) a faceplate configured to fit into one of the apertures of the patch panel frame from a front of the patch panel frame; and

(b) a jack module including:
(i) a chassis configured to mount to the faceplate, the chassis having a front face and peripheral walls, at least one of the peripheral walls defining jack removal slots;
(ii) a frame coupled to the chassis parallel to the front face; and
(iii) a plurality of jacks mounted to the frame so that rear ends of the jacks extend rearwardly past the peripheral walls of the chassis and past peripheral walls of the faceplate; each of the jacks including a latch that is accessible through at least one of the jack removal slots;
(iv) each jack removal slot enabling separate access to a release mechanism on a respective one of the jacks when the frame is mounted to the chassis.

16. The patch panel system of claim 15 , wherein the peripheral walls of the faceplate block access to the jack removal slots.

17. The patch panel system of claim 15 , wherein the faceplate includes labeling indicia identifying each of the jacks.

18. The patch panel system of claim 15 , further comprising a grounding clip mounted to the faceplate, the grounding clip being configured to contact the jack module frame to provide grounding to the jacks.

19. The patch panel system of claim 15 , wherein the jack module frame includes locking features at peripheral locations around the frame, the locking features defining rounded sections of the jack module frame.

20. The patch panel system of claim 19 , wherein the chassis defines notches at corners of the chassis peripheral walls, the notches enabling at least two of the chassis peripheral walls to flex outwardly, the two chassis peripheral walls defining recesses to receive locking features of the jack module frame.

21. The patch panel system of claim 15 , wherein the jacks are aligned in a row that extends along a first direction between first and second sides of the faceplate, and wherein the faceplate includes a first tab that extend outwardly from a rear of the faceplate at the first side and a second tab that extends outwardly from the rear of the faceplate at the second side.

22. The patch panel system of claim 21 , wherein the first tab is offset from the second tab in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction.

23. A patch panel system comprising:
(a) a patch panel including:
(i) a patch panel frame defining a plurality of apertures; and
(ii) a faceplate configured to fit into one of the apertures of the patch panel frame from a front of the patch panel frame; and

(b) a jack module including:
(i) a frame defining a plurality of apertures sized to receive jacks, the frame also having rounded locking features defined around an outer periphery of the frame; and
(ii) a chassis having a top wall, a bottom wall, a first side wall, and a second side wall, the walls of the chassis defining mating slots and chamfers around an inner periphery of the chassis, the mating slots being configured to receive the rounded locking features of the frame when the frame is mounted to the chassis, the chamfers being configured to facilitate insertion of the rounded locking features into the mating slots.

24. The patch panel system of claim 23 , wherein the chassis defines notched corners that enable deflection of the walls of the chassis to accommodate receipt of the rounded locking features at the chamfers and mating slots.

25. The patch panel system of claim 23 , wherein the first and second side walls of the chassis each define U-shaped mating slots that receive some of the locking features of the jack module frame.

26. The patch panel system of claim 23 , wherein the top and bottom walls of the chassis

Assignees

• Te Connectivity Amp Espana
• Commscope Connectivity Spain Sl

Inventors

• Carreras Garcia Antonio

Classifications

• H01R24/62

  Sliding engagements with one side only, e.g. modular jack coupling devices · CPC title

• H04Q1/13 Primary

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

• H01R25/00

  Coupling parts adapted for simultaneous co-operation with two or more identical counterparts, e.g. for distributing energy to two or more circuits (supported only by co-operation with a counterpart H01R31/00; with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/88) · CPC title

• H01R13/465

  Identification means, e.g. labels, tags, markings (H01R9/2475, H01R9/2683 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01R2107/00

  Four or more poles · CPC title