U.S. patent application number 13/734677 was filed with the patent office on 2014-07-10 for quick-detachable modular jack and face panel mounting structure.
This patent application is currently assigned to Jyh Eng Technology Co., Ltd.. The applicant listed for this patent is JYH ENG TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Yen-Lin LIN.
Application Number | 20140194000 13/734677 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 51061282 |
Filed Date | 2014-07-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140194000 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
LIN; Yen-Lin |
July 10, 2014 |
QUICK-DETACHABLE MODULAR JACK AND FACE PANEL MOUNTING STRUCTURE
Abstract
A quick-detachable modular jack and face panel mounting
structure includes a face panel, an inner positioning frame mounted
at the back side of the face panel for holding multiple modular
jacks in the face panel in a row, a limiter plate vertically
movably mounted in the inner positioning frame, and control rods
held down in the inner positioning frame by the limiter plate to
lock the modular jacks and respectively horizontally movable to
unlock the respective modular jacks.
Inventors: |
LIN; Yen-Lin; (New Taipei
City, TW) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
JYH ENG TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD. |
New Taipei City |
|
TW |
|
|
Assignee: |
Jyh Eng Technology Co.,
Ltd.
New Taipei City
TW
|
Family ID: |
51061282 |
Appl. No.: |
13/734677 |
Filed: |
January 4, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
439/540.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01R 13/745 20130101;
H01R 13/514 20130101; H04Q 1/13 20130101; H01R 13/46 20130101; H01R
13/6278 20130101; Y10S 439/953 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
439/540.1 |
International
Class: |
H01R 13/46 20060101
H01R013/46 |
Claims
1. A quick-detachable modular jack and face panel mounting
structure, comprising: a face panel comprising at least one modular
jack hole; at least one modular jack mounted in one said modular
jack hole of said face panel, each said modular jack comprising a
fastening structure; an inner positioning frame mounted at the back
side of said face panel, said inner positioning frame comprising a
bottom panel, and at least one constraint structure located at said
bottom panel; at least one control rod mounted in said inner
positioning frame and adapted to releasably lock said at least one
modular jack, each said control rod comprising a front engagement
end engageable into one said constraint structure of said inner
positioning frame and a rear operating end suspending outside said
inner positioning frame and operable to unlock the respective said
control rod from the respective said modular jack; an operating gap
defined between a part of said inner positioning frame and the
front engagement end of each said control rod; and a limiter plate
vertically movably mounted in said inner positioning frame and
adapted to hold down said at least one control rod in said inner
positioning frame.
2. The quick-detachable modular jack and face panel mounting
structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said constraint
structure of said inner positioning frame comprises two stop blocks
spaced from each other by a predetermined distance, and two plug
holes respectively disposed adjacent to said stop blocks; said
limiter plate comprises a plurality of plug rods respectively
pluggable into the plug holes of said at least one constraint
structure of said inner positioning frame.
3. The quick-detachable modular jack and face panel mounting
structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein said limiter plate further
comprises at least one guide block; each said control rod further
comprises a guide slot longitudinally located at the front
engagement end thereof and detachably coupled to one said guide
block of said limiter plate.
4. The quick-detachable modular jack and face panel mounting
structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said face panel comprises
an elongated slot cut through opposing front and back sides thereof
and disposed in horizontal; said inner positioning frame comprises
opposing front panel and back panel respectively upwardly extended
from opposing front and rear sides of said bottom panel in a
parallel manner and at least one window opening cut through said
front panel and said back panel, each said window opening forming
with said elongated slot one respective said modular jack hole,
said back panel comprising at least one back panel component; said
limiter plate comprising at least one guide notch respectively
coupled to said at least one back panel component.
5. The quick-detachable modular jack and face panel mounting
structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein said face panel comprises
an elongated slot cut through opposing front and back sides thereof
and disposed in horizontal; said inner positioning frame comprises
opposing front panel and back panel respectively upwardly extended
from opposing front and rear sides of said bottom panel in a
parallel manner and at least one window opening cut through said
front panel and said back panel, each said window opening forming
with said elongated slot one respective said modular jack hole,
said back panel comprising at least one back panel component; said
limiter plate comprising at least one guide notch respectively
coupled to said at least one back panel component.
6. The quick-detachable modular jack and face panel mounting
structure as claimed in claim 3, wherein said face panel comprises
an elongated slot cut through opposing front and back sides thereof
and disposed in horizontal; said inner positioning frame comprises
opposing front panel and back panel respectively upwardly extended
from opposing front and rear sides of said bottom panel in a
parallel manner and at least one window opening cut through said
front panel and said back panel, each said window opening forming
with said elongated slot one respective said modular jack hole,
said back panel comprising at least one back panel component; said
limiter plate comprising at least one guide notch respectively
coupled to said at least one back panel component.
7. The quick-detachable modular jack and face panel mounting
structure as claimed in claim 4, wherein the fastening structure of
each said modular jack comprises a plurality of hook blocks; each
said control rod comprises at least one springy retaining arm
obliquely backwardly extended from the front engagement end thereof
and stoppable against one said constraint structure of said inner
positioning frame and adapted for engagement with the hook blocks
of the fastening structure of one said modular jack.
8. The quick-detachable modular jack and face panel mounting
structure as claimed in claim 5, wherein the fastening structure of
each said modular jack comprises a plurality of hook blocks; each
said control rod comprises at least one springy retaining arm
obliquely backwardly extended from the front engagement end thereof
and stoppable against one said constraint structure of said inner
positioning frame and adapted for engagement with the hook blocks
of the fastening structure of one said modular jack.
9. The quick-detachable modular jack and face panel mounting
structure as claimed in claim 6, wherein the fastening structure of
each said modular jack comprises a plurality of hook blocks; each
said control rod comprises at least one springy retaining arm
obliquely backwardly extended from the front engagement end thereof
and stoppable against one said constraint structure of said inner
positioning frame and adapted for engagement with the hook blocks
of the fastening structure of one said modular jack.
10. The quick-detachable modular jack and face panel mounting
structure as claimed in claim 7, wherein said limiter plate
comprises at least one end flange, a rear opening located on each
said end flange corresponding to one respective said guide block,
and a plurality of open slots respectively disposed at two opposite
lateral sides relative to each said end flanges and adapted to
expose the at least one springy retaining arm of each said control
rod.
11. The quick-detachable modular jack and face panel mounting
structure as claimed in claim 8, wherein said limiter plate
comprises at least one end flange, a rear opening located on each
said end flange corresponding to one respective said guide block,
and a plurality of open slots respectively disposed at two opposite
lateral sides relative to each said end flanges and adapted to
expose the at least one springy retaining arm of each said control
rod.
12. The quick-detachable modular jack and face panel mounting
structure as claimed in claim 9, wherein said limiter plate
comprises at least one end flange, a rear opening located on each
said end flange corresponding to one respective said guide block,
and a plurality of open slots respectively disposed at two opposite
lateral sides relative to each said end flanges and adapted to
expose the at least one springy retaining arm of each said control
rod.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates the mounting arrangement
between a face panel and modular jacks and more particular, to a
quick-detachable modular jack and face panel mounting structure,
which allows modular jacks to be quickly and detachably mounted in
a face panel in rows.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] When arranging a local area network in a building, optical
fiber cables or electrical cables are extended from a server room
in the building to modular jacks in the walls at different rooms
and different floors of the building so that computers in each room
of the building can be connected to the adjacent modular jacks by
modular plugs of computer cables.
[0005] In the server room, racks are installed to support network
switches, servers and other devices. The servers in one rack are
electrically connected to a face panel of the respective rack. The
face panels of all racks in the server room are electrically
connected by network cables.
[0006] However, with increase in office business and office
personnel and rapid development of network communication
technology, some problems may follow. The existing capacity of the
network equipment in the server room may be insufficient to meet
the needs of the company. However, adding extra network equipment
to expand the capacity requires much server room installation
space. Using small sized network equipment can save server room
space.
[0007] Further, modular jacks are normally mounted in respective
mounting holes on a face panel and arranged in a row or rows.
Springy fastening structures are provided between the mounting
holes of the face panel and the modular jacks to detachably secure
the modular jacks to the mounting holes of the face panel. However,
because the mounting holes of the face panel are kept close to one
another, the gap between each two adjacent modular jacks is quite
narrow, not allow for the insertion of a finger. If a replacement
or repair work is necessary, it will be difficult to detach one
individual modular jack from the face panel.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present invention has been accomplished under the
circumstances in view. It is one object of the present invention to
provide a quick-detachable modular jack and face panel mounting
structure, which allows a large number of modular jacks to be
quickly detachably mounted in a face panel for application.
[0009] To achieve this and other objects of the present invention,
a quick-detachable modular jack and face panel mounting structure
comprises a face panel comprising at least one modular jack hole,
at least one modular jack mounted in one modular jack hole of the
face panel, each modular jack comprising a fastening structure, an
inner positioning frame mounted at the back side of the face panel
and comprising a bottom panel and at least one constraint structure
located at the bottom panel, at least one control rod mounted in
the inner positioning frame and adapted to releasably lock the at
least one modular jack, each control rod comprising a front
engagement end engageable into one constraint structure of the
inner positioning frame and a rear operating end suspending outside
the inner positioning frame and operable to unlock the respective
control rod from the respective the modular jack, an operating gap
defined between a part of the inner positioning frame and the front
engagement end of each control rod, and a limiter plate vertically
movably mounted in the inner positioning frame and adapted to hold
down the at least one control rod in the inner positioning
frame.
[0010] Preferably, each constraint structure of the inner
positioning frame comprises two stop blocks spaced from each other
by a predetermined distance, and two plug holes respectively
disposed adjacent to the stop blocks. Further, the limiter plate
comprises a plurality of plug rods respectively pluggable into the
plug holes of the at least one constraint structure of the inner
positioning frame.
[0011] Preferably, the limiter plate further comprises at least one
guide block. Preferably, each control rod further comprises a guide
slot longitudinally located at the front engagement end thereof and
detachably coupled to one guide block of the limiter plate.
[0012] Preferably, the face panel comprises an elongated slot cut
through opposing front and back sides thereof and disposed in
horizontal. Preferably, the inner positioning frame comprises
opposing front panel and back panel respectively upwardly extended
from opposing front and rear sides of the bottom panel in a
parallel manner, and at least one window opening cut through the
front panel and the back panel. Each window opening forms with the
elongated slot one respective modular jack hole. The back panel
comprises at least one back panel component. The limiter plate
further comprises at least one guide notch respectively coupled to
the at least one back panel component.
[0013] Preferably, the fastening structure of each modular jack
comprises a plurality of hook blocks. Preferably, each control rod
comprises at least one springy retaining arm obliquely backwardly
extended from the front engagement end thereof and stoppable
against one constraint structure of the inner positioning frame,
and adapted for engagement with the hook blocks of the fastening
structure of one modular jack.
[0014] Preferably, the limiter plate comprises at least one end
flange, a rear opening located on each end flange corresponding to
one respective guide block, and a plurality of open slots
respectively disposed at two opposite lateral sides relative to
each end flanges and adapted to expose the at least one springy
retaining arm of each control rod.
[0015] Other advantages and features of the present invention will
be fully understood by reference to the following specification in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference
signs denote like components of structure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] FIG. 1 is an elevational assembly view of a quick-detachable
modular jack and face panel mounting structure in accordance with
the present invention.
[0017] FIG. 2 is an exploded rear side view, in an enlarged scale,
of a part of FIG. 1.
[0018] FIG. 3 is a perspective enlarged view of a part of FIG. 2,
illustrating one control rod set in the inner positioning frame in
position and another control rod initially inserted into the inner
positioning frame.
[0019] FIG. 4 is an exploded view of a part of the quick-detachable
modular jack and face panel mounting structure in accordance with
the present invention, illustrating the control rods respectively
installed in the inner positioning frame prior to installation of
the modular jacks.
[0020] FIG. 5 is a side view, in an enlarged scale, of FIG. 4.
[0021] FIG. 6 is a schematic top view of a part of the
quick-detachable modular jack and face panel mounting structure in
accordance with the present invention, illustrating one modular
jack installed in the inner positioning frame and another modular
jack initially set in the inner positioning frame.
[0022] FIG. 7 corresponds to FIG. 6, illustrating one modular jack
set in the inner positioning frame in position and another modular
jack initially released from the inner positioning frame.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0023] Referring to FIG. 1, a quick-detachable modular jack and
face panel mounting structure in accordance with the present
invention is shown comprising a face panel 10, an inner positioning
frame 30 mounted at a back side of the face panel 10, two limiter
plates 40, a plurality of control rods 50, and a plurality of
modular jacks 20 mounted in the inner positioning frame 30 and the
face panel 10 in rows.
[0024] Referring to FIG. 2, the face panel 10 comprises at least
one, for example, two elongated slots 11 cut through opposing front
and back sides thereof and horizontally disposed at different
elevations in a parallel manner, and top and bottom flanges 12;13
respectively backwardly extended from opposing top and bottom sides
thereof in a parallel manner. The inner positioning frame 30 is
mounted at the back side of the face panel 10 between the top and
bottom flanges 12;13, and adapted to hold the modular jacks 20 in
two rows in the elongated slots 11.
[0025] Referring to FIG. 3 and FIG. 2 again, the inner positioning
frame 30 comprises a front panel 33 and a back panel 34 vertically
arranged in a parallel manner, and opposing top and bottom panel 32
horizontally connected between the front panel 33 and the back
panel 34 at opposing top and bottom sides, a plurality of front
window openings 31 and rear window openings 341 respectively and
symmetrically cut through the front panel 33 and the back panel 34
and arranged in two rows corresponding to the two elongated slots
11 of the face panel 10 for the mounting of the modular jacks 20,
and two rows of constraint structures corresponding to the window
openings 31. Each constraint structure comprises two stop blocks
35;36 backwardly extended from the front panel 33 adjacent to the
top or bottom panel 32 and spaced from each other at a
predetermined distance, and two plug holes 37;38 located at the top
or bottom panel 32 adjacent to the stop blocks 35;36. Each window
opening 31 forms with one elongated slot 11 a respective modular
jack hole for accommodating one respective modular jack 20.
[0026] The two limiter plates 40 are respectively attached to the
two rows of constraint structures between the front panel 33 and
the back panel 34. Each limiter plate 40 comprises a plurality of
guide blocks 41 respectively disposed corresponding to one
respective constraint structure, pairs of plug rods 42 pluggable
into the plug holes 37;38 of the respective constraint structures,
and a plurality of guide notches 43 respectively slidably coupled
to respective back panel components 342 of the back panel 34. The
back panel 34 comprises a step 343 at one end of each back panel
component 342, defining a dead center to limit the sliding movement
of the limiter plate 40 along the back panel components 342.
[0027] Each control rod 50 comprises opposing front engagement end
501 and rear operating end 502. The front engagement end 501 is
engageable into the inner positioning frame 30 for enabling the
respective control rod 50 to secure one respective modular jack 20.
After installation of one control rod 50 in the inner positioning
frame 30 to secure one respective modular jack 20, the rear
operating end 502 suspends outside the inner positioning frame 30
for operation by the user to release the mounted modular jack 20.
The control rod 50 has a predetermined width. Each control rod 50
further comprises at least one, for example, two spring springy
retaining arms 51;52 obliquely backwardly extended from two
opposite lateral sides of the front engagement end 501, and a guide
slot 53 longitudinally located on the middle of the front
engagement end 501 and coupled to one guide block 41 of one limiter
plate 40.
[0028] Referring to FIG. 3 again, the front engagement ends 501 of
the control rods 50 are respectively inserted into the inner
positioning frame 30. In FIG. 3, two control rods 50 are shown
wherein the front engagement ends 501 of the right control rod 50
is initially inserted in between the two stop blocks 35;36 of one
respective constraint structure; the front engagement ends 501 of
the left control rod 50 has been inserted in between the two stop
blocks 35;36 of one respective constraint structure in position.
After insertion of the front engagement ends 501 of the control
rods 50 into the gap between the two stop blocks 35;36 of each of
the constraint structures, the limiter plates 40 are respectively
lowered or lifted toward the top or bottom panel 32 (see also FIG.
4) to force the respective plug rods 42 into the respective plug
holes 37;38 and to couple the respective guide blocks 41 to the
guide slots 53 of the control rods 50. At this time, the front
engagement end 501 of each control rod 50 is kept spaced from the
front panel 33 of the inner positioning frame 30 by an operating
gap A (see FIG. 6 and FIG. 7), and the spring springy retaining
arms 51;52 of each control rod 50 are respectively terminating in a
respective free end.
[0029] According to the present preferred embodiment, each limiter
plate 40 further comprises a plurality of end flanges 44 extending
from a rear side thereof at right angles, a rear opening 45 located
on each end flange 44 corresponding to one respective guide block
41. The width of the rear openings 45 fits the width of the control
rods 50. When the limiter plates 40 are respectively lowered or
lifted toward the top or bottom panel 32 to force the respective
plug rods 42 into the respective plug holes 37;38, the rear
openings 45 of the limiter plates 40 are respectively attached to
the control rods 50 tightly. Each limiter plate 40 further
comprises a plurality of open slots 46;47 respectively disposed at
two opposite lateral sides relative to each of the end flanges 44
to expose the springy retaining arms 51;52 of the control rods
50.
[0030] Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5 again, each modular jack 20
comprises a fastening structure. The fastening structure comprises
at least one, for example, a plurality of hook blocks 21 protruded
from periphery thereof for engagement with the springy retaining
arms 51;52 of one respective control rod 50. FIG. 6 illustrates two
modular jacks 20 inserted into the inner positioning frame 30,
wherein the left modular jack 20 is partially inserted into the
inner positioning frame 30; the right modular jack 20 has been
fully inserted into the inner positioning frame 30 and locked by
the springy retaining arms 51;52 of the respective control rod
50.
[0031] FIG. 7 illustrates one modular jack 20 (the one on the right
side) locked to the inner positioning frame 30 and another modular
jack 20 (the one on the left side) unlocked from the inner
positioning frame 30. Because an operating gap A is left between
the front engagement end 501 of each control rod 50 and the front
panel 33 of the inner positioning frame 30, the control rod 50 can
be pushed inward to disengage the respective springy retaining arms
51;52 from the respective hook blocks 21 of the respective modular
jack 20, allowing the respective modular jack 20 to be removed from
the inner positioning frame 30.
[0032] The quick-detachable modular jack and face panel mounting
structure of the present invention is suitable for use in a
small-sized, high-density network system to hold a large amount of
modular jacks in rows. By means of operating the exposed control
rods, loaded modular jacks can be quickly detached from the face
panel and the inner positioning frame for replacement or
repair.
[0033] Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been
described in detail for purposes of illustration, various
modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from
the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention
is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.
* * * * *