Panel yoke

Abstract: A yoke (2) for flush mounting a modular housing within an opening in a planar surface is disclosed. The yoke (2) includes a flat plate (4) having an aperture therethrough, a pair of hooks (16) for securing a housing to the plate (4), a pair of gripper arms (30) for securing the plate (4) over the opening in the planar surface and locating tabs (34, 36) extending rearwardly from the plate to locate the housing in alignment with the opening in the flat plate. The hooks (16) and locating tabs (34, 36) allow both lateral and axial insertion of the housing into the yoke.

Description: The present invention is directed to the art of telecommunications devices. Panel yokes for mounting telecommunication wiring hardware, e.g. a modular telephone jack, within an opening defined by a flat panel surface are well known. A variety of conventional panel yokes for securing modular connector housings to a flat surface are available to accommodate applications requiring different panel thicknesses, apertures and connector housing designs. For example, U.S. Patent n° 3,213,189 discloses a device for holding an article within an apertured support. The device includes a base defining an aperture therethrough, a pair of legs extending from the base, the legs have an engagement end for securing the device within an apertured support and a notch for securing an article, e.g. a switch, within device. U.S. Patent n° 4,211,905 discloses a switch assembly for mounting in a panel which includes a switch holder. The switch holder has a face plate having a longitudinal slot therethrough and having a pair of resilient legs having shoulders for supporting a switch within the holder and spring prongs for securing the holder within a panel opening. U.S. Patent n° 4,434,339 discloses a mounting frame equipped with a decorative plate having a hole therethrough, having a pair of leg portions for positioning a switch or pilot light in alignment with the hole and having a pair of resilient plates having corrugated tips for securing the frame within a hole in a panel. U.S. Patent n° 4,453,195 discloses a modular relay including a plug socket for mounting the relay in a panel opening and having flanges and mounting feet for securing the socket within a panel opening and having retainer arms and for retaining the relay within the socket. In DE-U-8908758 is disclosed a yoke for securing a switch in a front panel. This yoke defines a channel with a rectangular cross-section for guiding the housing of the switch when the latter is axially inserted in the yoke. A pair of parallel projecting ribs on each of two opposite internal walls of this channel cooperates with a complementary shoulder element on the housing of the switch in order to secure the latter axially in the channel. DE-U-8908758 shortly mentions that by providing a lateral opening at the rear end of one channel wall, a lateral insertion of the housing in the yoke might be partially possible. Figure 8 of the present application, more fully discussed below, shows a prior art panel yoke for securing a jack in a panel having all the features of the preamble of claim 1. This prior art yoke has more particularly two opposite lateral side panels with ribs that are received by complementary grooves on the housing of the jack axially introduced into the yoke. These lateral ribs and grooves are cooperating, during axial insertion of the jack in the yoke, to locate the jack so that its plug opening is in alignment with the aperture defined in panel yoke. The mounting means in each of the above described panel yokes is dedicated to a particular article to be mounted, i.e. each depends on registration of complimentary features on the panel yoke and the article in order to locate the article relative to the yoke and to secure the article to the yoke. A further disadvantage of each of the above described devices is that each allows insertion of the article into the yoke in a single direction only, i.e. axially forwardly. The limited access provided by each of the conventional yokes is inconvenient, particularly if the yoke or the article secured therein is to be replaced in the field, since the area in back of the panel and surrounding the yoke/article assembly is typically congested with wiring harnesses and other hardware. What is needed in the art is a mounting yoke that is compatible with a wide variety of modular housings and wiring devices and allows insertion of such housings and devices into the yoke from a lateral as well as an axial direction. The above-discussed and other deficiences and drawbacks of the prior art are overcome or alleviated by a yoke according to claim 1. The locating means of the yoke according to the invention allows both axial and lateral insertion of a modular housing into the yoke. The yoke is compatible with a wide variety of modular housings. In a preferred embodiment, the second securing means for snaplockedly securing the modular housing against the back surface of the plate means includes a pair of resiliently defeatable cantilevered hooks extending rearwardly from the back surface of the plate means on opposite sides of the second pair of opposed sides. Each of these hooks extends rearwardly to a back end and the first securing means for snaplockedly securing the plate means to the panel includes a pair of resiliently defeatable gripper arms. Each of the arms extends obliquely forwardly and outwardly from the back ends of the hooks. In said preferred embodiment, each of the hooks includes a side panel extending laterally from a first edge to a second edge along one of the sides of the second pair of opposed sides and extending rearwardly from the back surface of the plate means to a back edge and having a ridge extending along the back edge. The ridge includes an inclined surface for guiding a modular housing between the side panels during axial insertion of the housing into the yoke and limit means for engaging the housing to prevent axial movement of the housing relative to the yoke. The first lateral edge of each side panel includes incline means for guiding the modular housing between the side panels during lateral insertion of the housing into the yoke. The above-discussed and other features and advantages of the present invention will be appreciated and understood by those skilled in the art from the following detailed description and drawings. Referring now to the drawings, wherein like elements are numbered alike in the several Figures : Figure 1 shows a front view of the panel yoke of the present invention. Figure 2 shows a top view of the panel yoke of the present invention. Figure 3 shows a side section view of the panel yoke of the present invention taken along line 3-3 of Figure 2. Figure 4 shows a back view of the panel yoke of the present invention. Figure 5 shows a back view of an alternative embodiment of the panel yoke of the present invention. Figure 6 shows a cross sectional side view taken along line 6-6 in Figure 5. Figure 7 shows a top view of the embodiment of Figure 5. Figure 8 shows a perspective view of a prior art panel yoke. Figure 9 shows a perspective view of a panel yoke of the present invention indicating axial insertion of a telecommunications jack. Figure 10 shows a perspective view of a panel yoke of the present invention indicating lateral insertion of a telecommunications jack. Figure 11 shows a front view of a second alternate embodiment of the panel yoke of the present invention with a movable door panel in an open position. Figure 12 shows a side view of the embodiment of Figure 11. Figure 13 shows a bottom view of the embodiment of Figure 11. Figure 14 shows a partially broken away back view of the embodiment of Figure 11 with the movable door panel in the closed position. Figure 15 shows a cross sectional side view taken along lines 15-15 of Figure 14. Figure 16 shows a partially broken away back view of the embodiment of Figure 11 with the movable door panel in the open position. Figure 17 shows a cross sectional side view taken along lines 17-17 of Figure 16. Referring to Figures 1 to 4, the panel yoke 2 of the present invention includes a flat plate 4 having a front surface 6 and a back surface 8. The edges of the front surface 6 are chamfered. The plate 4 includes opposed pairs of chamfered edges 10, 12 defining an aperture through the plate 4. A rectangular aperture is shown in Figures 1-4. Alternatively, the plate 4 may define a nonrectangular aperture, e.g. a circular aperture for use with bulkhead fiberoptic or coaxial connectors. Below the aperture on the front surface 6 of plate 4 is a textured area 14, preferably having a matte finish, for individual field designation of the telecommunications outlet with e.g. a marking pen or decal. A pair of opposed resiliently defeatable cantilevered hooks 16 extend rearwardly from the back surface 8 of the plate 4 on opposite sides of the rectilinear opening. The hooks 16 each include a lateral panel 18. Each of the lateral panels 18 extends along one of the opposed edges 12 of the rectilinear opening in panel 4 from a ramped first edge 20 to a second edge 22 and extends rearwardly from the back surface 8 of the plate 4 to a ridged back edge 24. Each edge 24 includes an inclined surface 26 and an engagement surface 28. The ramped edges 20 provide opposed inclined surfaces to guide a modular housing between the hooks 16 during lateral insertion and provide a lead-in angle along the side of an installed modular jack for receiving a tool, e.g. a screwdriver blade, for the purpose of defeating the hooks 16 of the yoke 2 to allow removal of the jack from the yoke 2. The inclined surfaces 26 are provided to guide a modular housing between the hooks 16 during axial insertion of the modular housing. The engagement surfaces 28 are parallel to the back surface 8 of plate 4 and are provided for engaging the modular housing to prevent axial movement of the modular housing relative to the back surface 8. A pair of opposed resiliently defeatable gripper arms 30 extend obliquely forwardly and outwardly from the back edges of the hooks 16. Each of the gripper arms 30 includes a row 32 of teeth for gripping the sides of an opening in a mounting panel. The gripper arms 30 are resiliently deformable to allow the panel yoke 2 to be mounted in openings within a wide range of sizes, i.e. widths. The rows 32 of teeth allow the panel yoke to be mounted in panels within a wide range of panel thicknesses. Opposed locating tabs 34, 36 extend rearwardly from the back surface 8 of the plate 4 on opposite sides 10 of the rectilinear opening in the plate 4. When the yoke of the present invention is panel mounted, preload compresses the gripper arms 30 and applies a tensile force on panels 20. The resultant inward moment on panels 20 provides positive retention of a connector housing between the panels 20 but may give rise to high forces on the panels 20 if the panels 20 are deflected outwardly to insert a housing within or to remove a housing from a yoke 2 that is already mounted in a panel opening. Figures 5-7 show an alternative embodiment of the yoke 2 of the present invention in which the back surface 8 of the plate includes central recessed portions 38, 40 defined on opposite sides the rectilinear aperture along edges 10 and between an opposed pair of steps 42 and an opposed pair of raised shoulder portions 44. The recessed portion 38 permits flexure of plate 4 so that panels 20 may be more readily deflected outwardly, to facilitate removal of a housing from a premounted yoke or insertion of a housing into a premounted yoke. Figure 8 shows a prior art panel yoke 46 and illustrates axial insertion of a modular telecommunications jack 48 into the yoke 46. As the jack 48 is inserted pressure on the inclined surfaces of hooks 50 force lateral panels 52 apart to receive the jack 48. Ribs 54 (only one of which is visible in Figure 8) on panel 52 are received by grooves 56 on jack 48 to locate jack 48 so that the plug opening 58 of jack 48 is in alignment with aperture 60 defined in panel yoke 46. Once the ribs 54 engage the grooves 56, the jack 48 is displaceable relative to the yoke 46 in only the one direction, i.e. axially, and lateral movement of the jack 48 relative to the yoke 46 is not possible. After the yoke 48 is fully inserted, panels 52 provide snaplocking engagement of surfaces 53, 55 with the jack 48. Figures 9 and 10 show a panel yoke 2 of the present invention and illustrate axial and lateral insertion of a modular telecommunications jack 62 into the yoke. In Figure 9, the yoke 2 allows axial insertion of the jack 62 in a manner analogous to that shown in Figure 8 with regard to the prior art yoke, i.e. pressure on inclined surfaces 26 urges hooks 16 apart to receive the housing 62. However, since locating tabs 34, 36 extend from the back surface 8 of the flat plate 4 and engage jack 62 only when the jack 62 closely approaches the back surface 8 of the flat plate 4, the panel yoke 2 allows lateral insertion as well as axial insertion of the housing 62 into the yoke 2. Figure 10 illustrates lateral insertion of jack 62 into the yoke 2. As the jack 62 is laterally inserted, pressure on ramped edges 20 urges hooks 16 apart to receive the jack 62. Once the jack 62 is laterally inserted in the yoke 2, the edges 64, 66, 68 of the jack 62 are aligned with tabs 34, 36 and the jack 62 is displaced axially toward the back surface 8 of the flat panel 4 to allow hooks 16 to snaplockedly engage to jack 62. Unlike the prior art device shown in Figure 8, which relies on interlocking ribs 54 and channels 56 to locate and laterally secure the connector housing, the panel yoke of the present invention relies solely contact with on outside edges 64, 66, 68 of the connector housing 62. Since yoke 2 may be used to secure any substantially box-shaped housing with similar overall dimensions, the need for special guidance, location or retention features in the housing 62 is eliminated. As shown in Figures 9 and 10, standard connector housings are positively oriented with respect to the aperture in plate 2 by means of locating tabs 34, 36 which, when improperly oriented, interfere with housing tabs 70 thereby preventing engagement of surfaces 28 with the housing. A further limitation of the stepped-in latching surface of the prior art design shown in Figure 8 is that misalignment of the ribs 60 and corresponding latching surface 62 with the jack housing results in excessive deflection of lateral panels 52. To prevent this condition from resulting in non-elastic deformation of the lateral panels 52, the prior art design is inherently more limited with respect to the depth of latching surfaces 53 and 55 than those of the present invention. Also, while ribs 54 do increase flexural stiffness of the lateral panels 52, the increased sectional thickness raises maximum stress on the outer surfaces thereby limiting the resiliency of the panels 52 to small deflections relative to the range of deflection provided by lateral panels 18 of the device of the present invention. As discussed above, the lateral locating ribs of the prior art yoke preclude insertion of the modular jack in directions other than axially forwardly while the lateral locating tabs of the yoke of the present invention allow either axial or lateral insertion of a modular jack. The ability to move the jack along at least two axes relative to the yoke is advantageous, particularly if the yoke must be replaced in the field, since the area surrounding the yoke/housing assembly is typically blocked with wiring harnesses and mounting hardware. The device of the present invention overcomes severe limitations of prior art panel yoke designs by allowing for compatibility with a relatively wide range of panel thicknesses and opening sizes and by axial snap lock engagement to both the connnector housing and panel thereby allowing for assembly in either the factory or field without ancillary fastening devices or assembly aids. The device of the present invention offers the end user a means to facilitate the administration of wiring facilities by allowing for color coding of individual telecommunications outlets to correspond with service type, e.g. voice or data, or building location. Referring to Figures 11-17, a preferred panel yoke embodiment 82 includes a flat plate 84 having a front surface 86 and a back surface 88. The plate 84 includes opposed pairs of chamfered edges 90, 92 defining a rectilinear aperture through plate 84. A textured area 94, preferably having a matte finish, is defined on the front surface 86 of plate 84 for individual field designation of the telecommunications outlet with, e.g. a marking pen or a decal. A pair of opposed resiliently defeatable cantilevered hooks 96 extend rearwardly from the back surface 88 of plate 84 on opposite sides of the rectilinear opening. Each of the hooks includes a lateral panel 98. Each lateral panel 98 extends along one of the pair of opposed edges 92 from a ramped first edge 100 to a second edge 102 and extends rearwardly from the back surface 8 to a ridged back edge 104. Each ridged back edge 104 includes an inclined surface 106 and an engagement surface 108. The ramped edges 100 provide opposed inclined surfaces to guide a modular housing between hooks 96 during lateral insertion. The inclined surface 106 is provided to guide a modular housing between hooks 96 during axial insertion. The engagement surfaces 108 are oriented parallel to back surface 88 and are provided for engaging the modular housing to prevent axial movement of the modular housing relative to the panel 84. Ramped edges 126 provide an area for inserting a screwdriver to pry hooks 96 apart to facilitate insertion of a modular housing or connector into panel yoke 82 or removal of a modular housing or connector from panel yoke 82. A pair of opposed resiliently defeatable gripper arms 110 extend obliquely forwardly and outwardly from the back edges of hooks 96. Each of the gripper arms 110 includes a row of teeth 32 for gripping the sides of an opening in a mounting panel. Opposed locating tabs 114, 116 extend rearwardly from the back surface 88 of plate 84 on opposite sides 90 of the rectilinear opening in plate 84. A pair of locating tabs 117 extend inwardly from the second edges 102 of the hooks 96. A pair of opposed slots 120 are defined in panel 84 along edges 92. A door panel 122 including a stop 123 is slidably received within the pair of slots 120. The door panel 122 has a closed position, shown in Figures 14 and 15, wherein the door panel 122 covers the rectangular opening in panel 84 and an open position shown in Figures 11, 16 and 17, wherein the door panel 122 is withdrawn within the recessed area 94 to uncover the rectangular opening in the panel 84. A spring 124 urges the door panel 122 into the closed position.

Claims: A yoke for mounting a modular housing in a first aperture of a panel, comprising plate means (4) for covering said first aperture of said panel, said plate means (4) including a front surface (6) and a back surface (8) and having a second aperture therethrough, said second aperture being a rectilinear aperture defined by a first pair and a second pair of opposite sides (10,12), first securing means (30) for snaplockedly securing said plate means (4) to said panel, second securing means (16) for snaplockedly securing said modular housing axially against said back surface (8) of said plate means (4), said second securing means (16) extending rearwardly from said back surface (8) of said plate means (4) on each side of said first pair (12) of opposite sides of said second aperture so as to allow axial insertion of said modular housing in between, and locating means (34, 36) for laterally aligning said modular housing with said second aperture, characterized in that said second securing means (16) for snaplockedly securing said modular housing axially against said back surface (8) of said plate means (4) are designed so as to allow axial and lateral insertion of said modular housing in between, and in that said locating means comprises opposite locating tabs (34, 36) extending rearwardly directly from said back surface (8) of said plate means (4) on each side of said second pair (10) of opposite sides of said second aperture, so as to engage said modular housing for laterally aligning it with said second aperture only when, during insertion, said modular housing closely approaches said back surface (8) of said plate means (4). The yoke of claim 1, characterized in that said second securing means (16) for snaplockedly securing said modular housing against said back surface (8) of said plate means (4) comprises a pair of resiliently defeatable cantilevered hooks (16). The yoke of claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said back surface (8) of said plate means (4) includes first and second recessed portions (38, 40) located on each side of said second pair (10) of opposite sides of said second aperture so as to increase flexibility of said plate means (4), and includes first and second raised shoulder portions (44) located on each side of said first pair (12) of opposite sides of said second aperture. The yoke of claim 2 or 3, characterized in that each of said hooks (16) extends rearwardly to a back end, and that said first securing means for snaplockedly securing said plate means (4) to said panel comprises a pair of opposite resiliently defeatable gripper arms (30), each extending obliquely forwardly and outwardly from the back end of one of said hooks (16). The yoke of claim 4, characterized in that each of said gripper arms (30) further comprises tooth means (32) for contacting said panel so as to grip it. The yoke of anyone of the preceding claims 2 to 5, characterized in that each of said hooks (16) comprises a side panel (18) extending laterally from a first lateral edge (20) to a second lateral edge (22) along one of the sides of said first pair (12) of opposite sides of said second aperture and extending rearwardly from said back surface (8) of said plate means (4) to a back edge, and a ridge (24) extending along said back edge of said side panel (18). The yoke of claim 6, characterized in that said ridge (24) comprises incline means (26) for guiding said modular housing between said side panels (18) during axial insertion of said modular housing and limit means (28) for engaging said modular housing to prevent axial movement of said modular housing relative to said panel. The yoke of claim 6 or 7, characterized in that said first lateral edge (20) of each side panel (18) includes incline means for guiding said modular housing between said side panels (18) during lateral insertion of said housing into said yoke.

Inventors: BELOW RANDALL J, REED BRIAN E, BELOW, RANDALL J., REED, BRIAN E.
Applicants: SIEMON CO, THE SIEMON COMPANY
Application year: 1991
Main classification: H02B1
IPC codes: H02B1, H01R13