Abstract:
A patch panel in which an adapter and a panel can be installed on the framework of a machine with fewer components. A catch and a flange can be fitted and pegged to one another on the adapter and the panel, so when the adapter and the panel are separately positioned at the front and rear of the machine framework respectively, the catch and the flange will lock onto each other and enable the adapter and the panel to be held tightly on either side of the machine framework, thus completing the assembly without the use of any screws.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a type of patch panel, and more particularly to the structure and assembly of a patch panel&#39;s adapter and panel on a machine framework. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     To meet the demands of expandability and transmission capability, computers and their peripheral devices are usually equipped with adapters that can connect to other devices through the use of cables. A patch panel is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,632,648. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the structure of a known combination of an adapter  10  and a machine framework  20  as disclosed by this patent. The adapter  10  is a type of a jack  12  and an IDC  13 , which comprises a circuit board  11  and a mutual connection fixed on the circuit board  11  by means of the printing circuit of the circuit board  11 . The jack  12  provides a connection for a plug, whereas the IDC  13  connects with a cable (particularly to a twisted-pair cable). As shown in the Figure, the adapter  10  is fixed on the inside of the machine framework  20  by means of screws  14 . This kind of installation method is not only time-consuming, but also requires the use of tools in order to fasten the screws  14  tightly. In addition, this kind of installation method does not allow a port to be marked. 
     Due to the inconvenience mentioned above of having to fasten an adapter  10  onto a machine framework  20  with screws  14 , the said patent proposes another means for installing the adapter  10  on the machine framework  20 . As shown in FIG. 2, the means adopted by the said patent primarily involves fixing the adapter  10  onto the machine framework  20  with a front panel  15 , a rear compression panel  16 , and several screws  14 . The front panel  15  is made of plastic, and it is placed at the front of the machine framework  20 , so that it provides the function of displaying the marking of a port. In this said design, the adapter  10  is sandwiched between the front panel  15  and rear compression panel  16  at the machine framework, with the front panel  15  in front of it, and the rear compression panel  16  behind it. Although this design requires fewer screws the use of screws is still necessary for the installation. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of this, the primary objective of the invention is to propose a patch panel that has a simplified structure and is easy to install. 
     To achieve the aforesaid objective, the invention proposes a patch panel where an adapter and a panel can be installed on a machine framework with fewer components. Primarily, there is a separately allocated catch and flange that can be fitted and pegged to one another on the adapter and the panel, where the adapter and panel can be separately allocated at the front and rear of the machine framework, respectively, and the adapter and panel can further be held together tightly on either side of the machine framework by having the catch and flange fitted and locked to each other, thus achieving the objective of installing the adapter onto the machine framework without the use of any screws at all. 
     To further illustrate the detailed characteristics of the invention, a preferred embodiment is provided below with drawings attached. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 shows the structure of a known embodiment for installing an adapter on a machine framework; 
     FIG. 2 shows the structure of a known embodiment for installing an adapter on a machine framework; 
     FIG. 3 is a 3-D diagram, schematically showing a disassembled patch panel of a preferred embodiment proposed by the invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-section diagram showing the assembled structure of the components disclosed by FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a layout showing the patch panel of the invention; and 
     FIG. 6 shows the structure of another embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Please refer to FIG. 3, which shows the structure of the preferred embodiment of the invention. It illustrates a patch panel that comprises: 
     An adapter  10  comprising a circuit board  11 , a jack  12  and an IDC  13  which are fixed on the circuit board  11  and are connected to each other by means of the printing circuit of the circuit board  11 ; a plug can be inserted into the insertion holes  122  of the jack  12  (not shown in the figure); the IDC  13  is connected to a cable (particularly to a twisted-pair cable); 
     A machine framework  20 —a component for supporting the adapter  10 . It is usually a metal plate fixed onto a frame (not shown in the figure) fixed on the ground. There are some first holes  22  on the machine framework  20 . Whenever the adapter  10  is installed behind the machine framework.  20 , the jack  12  may be passed through one of the first holes  22  and be exposed. For instance, this kind of machine framework  20  is always found in a machine room for the management of this kind of communication equipment, and even a hub or a router frequently used in networking can be installed in this kind of machine framework; 
     A panel  30  that comprises a planar panel  31  lying against the front side of the machine framework  20 . On the machine framework  20 , a second hole  32  is found in the same place where the first hole  22  is. The second hole  32  allows the jack  12  to be exposed whenever the panel  30  is installed on the machine framework  20 ; 
     In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, the circuit board  11  of the adapter  10  appears as a single plate. There are several groups of jacks  12  and IDCs  13 . Each group has several jacks  12  that belong exclusively to the group, jointly forming an adapter  10  that is equipped with a plurality of ports. As regards the panel  30 , a single panel  30  may be used whenever a single circuit board  11  is used. 
     As shown in another embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6, several independent adapters  10   a,    10   b  and  10   c  may be used. Each group has several jacks  12 . Several panels  30  may be used, corresponding to the several independent adapters  10   a,    10   b  and  10   c.  The panels  30   a,    30   b  and  30   c  and the adapters  10   a,    10   b  and  10   c  may be installed on the machine framework  20 . 
     To allow an adapter  10  and a panel  30  to be installed together on a machine framework  20 , the invention proposes the following design that does not require the use of any screws. 
     There are several catches  121  and flanges  33  on the jack  12  of the adapter  10  and the panel  30 , respectively. The catch  121  and flange  33  can lock with each other. The catch  121  is installed on both sides of the jack  12 , while a flange  33  is installed at the back of the panel  30  (facing the machine framework  20  and the adapter  10 ). The flange  33  comprises a sheet  331  that sticks out backward along the margin of the second hole  32  as well as a hooked hole  332  found on the sheet  331 . The adapter  10  and the panel  30  lie against the front and the back of the machine framework  20 , respectively. The flange  33  passes through the margin of the first hole  22  of the machine framework  20  and reaches the catch  121  installed on both sides of the jack  12 . The catch  121  then locks the hooked hole  332  found on the flange  33 . To allow the flange  33  to pass through the margin of the first hole  22  of the machine framework  20  smoothly, it is necessary to have a dented gap  221  on the margin of the first hole  22 . 
     In another preferred embodiment of the invention, in order to allow the adapter  10 , the machine framework  20  and the panel  30  to work closely, on the back of the panel  30  there are several fasteners  34  protruding backward. After passing through the third hole  21  of the machine framework  20 , the fasteners  34  lock onto the fourth hole  111  of the circuit board  11 . In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the ends of the fasteners are forked, possessing at least two tailed hooks  341   a  and  341   b  (as shown in FIG.  4 ). The ends of the tailed hooks  341   a  and  341   b  are cone-shaped. When this pair of tailed hooks  341   a  and  341   b  pass through the fourth hole  111  of the circuit board  11 , they open and lock the fourth hole  111 . 
     When the adapter  10  is placed in front of the machine framework  20  and the panel  30  is placed behind the machine framework  20 , the adapter  10  and the panel  30  are held tightly on either side of the machine framework  20  because the catch  121  and the flange  33  lock with each other. In the meantime, the fasteners  34  also pass through the third hole  21  in the front of the machine framework  20 , and eventually lock the fourth hole  111  of the circuit board  11 , so that the panel  30  and the adapter  10  are held tightly on either side of the machine framework  20  (as shown in FIG.  4 ). 
     As indicated in the above explanations, the adapter  10  can be fixed on the machine framework  20  by means of the interactive locking relationship of the aforesaid panel  30 . The invention is not only fast and easy to operate, but it also requires the use of no tools. The invention completely eliminates the inconvenience caused by the use of screws and avoids the problem of the unattractive appearance of the screws. In addition, the invention involves a streamlined combination of components, thus simplifying the process of the assembly of adapters  10 , and cutting manufacturing cost. 
     Please refer to FIG.  5 . This figure shows the condition of the front of the panel  30 . In addition to its combination and fixation effect, the panel  30  also has, in practice, at least a marking region  35  on its front surface. The marking region  35  shows images, symbols and text blocks, or as indicated in the structure shown in FIG. 4, the marking region  35  is designed to be a sunken label slot  37 . Whenever a label  40  becomes flattened because of its own elasticity, it will be embedded right in the label slot  37 . As a result, the purpose of each insertion hole of the jack  12  or a title can be indicated. 
     EFFECT OF THE INVENTION 
     As disclosed by the above explanations, the patch panel of the invention is a structure that enables an adapter to be installed and fixed on a machine framework  20 . The adapter is fixed on the machine framework  20  by being locked on the machine framework  20 , and the locking process is fast and convenient. In addition, the patch panel provides a marking function, indicating clearly the title or the purpose of every input/output port of the adapter  10 . 
     While the invention has been described by way of examples and in terms of a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. To the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements and procedures, and the scope of the appended claims therefore should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements and procedures.