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.

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.