Patent Publication Number: US-7591687-B2

Title: Angled patch panel with pitched connector alignment

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/671,557, filed on Feb. 6, 2007, which claims priority to and incorporates by reference the entirety of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/772,295, “Angled Patch Panel With Pitched Connector Alignment.” filed on Feb. 10, 2006. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates generally to patch panels for use with communications connectors and, more particularly to an angled patch panel that allows for connector openings aligned along one or more pitch lines. 
   BACKGROUND 
   Communications cables connecting multiple devices in a network are frequently routed to a patch panel in a network rack. The network rack, for example, may be located at a central point in a network to allow long runs of communication cables to be brought together in an organized way, and allow easier management and/or connection to other network devices, such as routers and switches. 
   A recent improvement to patch panels has been to introduce one or more angles in the front face of the panel. The present application incorporates by reference in its entirety U.S. Pat. No. 6,981,893, issued Jan. 3, 2006, entitled “Angled Patch Panel With Cable Support Bar For Network Cable Racks.” The angled panel design provides for improved cable management and eliminates the need for horizontal cable managers that take up valuable rack space. By eliminating the horizontal cable managers, the patch cables coming out of the patch panel can be safely routed directly into vertical cable managers along the sides of the rack. Further, the angled panel allows the cables to be routed from the patch panel at a smaller angle. 
   Typical angled patch panels include connector jacks that are all aligned on a horizontal plane that is generally parallel to the long axis of the patch panel. For side-routing, the cables may have a tendency to stack in front of each other (since they&#39;re at the same level), which may cause some cables to have to undergo a more significant horizontal bend to avoid other cables. Such a bend can introduce stress to the interface between the patch cable and the connector plug and jack at the patch panel. A trend toward higher frequency twisted pail cable has resulted in an increase in cable diameter. Another factor that has increased the diameter of cables is the introduction of Patch Cord Management Systems which require an additional wire or wires in each patch cord. An increase in patch cable diameter requires more cross-sectional area for the cables in front of a patch panel. Needed is an angled patch panel design that improves side-routing of patch cables. 
   SUMMARY 
   In accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, a patch panel design that improves side-routing of patch cables is provided. According to one embodiment, a patch panel, which is mountable to a network rack, includes a frame that has a first mounting portion and a second mounting portion. The first mounting portion and the second mounting portion may be located at opposite longitudinal ends of the frame. Additionally, the frame may include a first panel section adjacent to the first mounting portion and a second panel section adjacent to the second mounting portion. The first panel section and the second panel section may be angled relative to each other by an obtuse angle between 90° and 180°. Furthermore, the first panel section may include a first row of connector openings aligned along a first pitch line, with the first pitch line preferably being angled relative to the longitudinal length of the first panel section. Likewise, the second panel section includes a second row of connector openings aligned along a second pitch line, with the second pitch line preferably being angled relative to the longitudinal length of the second panel section. 
   These as well as other aspects and advantages will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by reading the following detailed description, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Embodiments are described below in conjunction with the appended drawing figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements in the various figures, and wherein: 
       FIG. 1A  is a front perspective view of an angled patch panel with a row of connector openings that are aligned along a pitch line: 
       FIG. 1B  is a front perspective view of an angled patch panel with a row of connector openings having an alternative pitch arrangement to that shown in  FIG. 1A : 
       FIG. 1C  is a front perspective view of an angled patch panel with a row of connector openings having an alternative pitch arrangement to that shown in  FIG. 1A . 
       FIGS. 2A ,  2 B,  2 C,  2 D, and  2 E depict various perspectives of an insert module; 
       FIG. 3A  is a front view of the patch panel as shown in  FIG. 1B  looking from the direction perpendicular to the left panel section; and 
       FIG. 3B  is a cross-sectional view of the patch panel shown in  FIG. 3A , taken along the section line B-B. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 1A  is a front perspective view of an angled patch panel  100  (or patch panel, more generally) in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The angled patch panel  100  comprises a frame  102  that includes a first mounting portion  104 , a second mounting portion  106 , a first panel section  108 , and a second panel section  110 . The frame  102  may also include a center section  112 , and may further define a frame height  114 . 
   It should be understood, of course, that this and other arrangements described herein are provided for purposes of example only. As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that other arrangements and other elements can be used instead, and some elements may be omitted altogether. For instance, the angled patch panel  100  may include additional panel sections. 
   The first mounting portion  104  and the second mounting portion  106  each allow the angled patch panel  100  to be mounted on a network rack using screws or other attachment mechanisms. The first and second mounting portions  104  and  106  may each be located at opposite longitudinal ends of the frame  102 , or at another convenient mounting location. In addition, the first mounting portion  104  and the second mounting portion  106  may each take a variety of configurations. For example, the first and second mounting portions  104  and  106  may each be a panel, bracket, or any other mechanism used to affix the angled patch panel  100  to a network rack. Further, the first and second mounting portions  104  and  106  may each be included as part of the frame  102  (e.g., in a unitary rigid construction), or may each be separate from the frame  102  and attachable via known attachment mechanisms. 
   As depicted in  FIG. 1A , the frame  102  includes at least a first panel section  108  and a second panel section  110 . While only two panel sections are shown in  FIG. 1A , additional sections may also be included. The frame  102 , the first panel section  108 , and the second panel section  110  may be in a unitary rigid construction. The first panel section  108  may be adjacent to the first mounting portion  104 , and the second panel section  110  may be adjacent to the second mounting portion  106 . Further, the first panel section  108  may define a first panel longitudinal length  116 , and the second panel section  110  may define a second panel longitudinal length  118 . Additionally, the first panel section  108  and the second panel section  110  are angled relative to each other, preferably at an obtuse angle (between 90° and 180°). The frame  102  may also include a center section  112 . The center section  112  is the location where the first panel section  108  and the second panel section  110  come together. The center section  112  is illustrated as being a flat section, but it could alternatively be pointed, such as the junction of two angled panel sections or some other configuration known to those skilled in the art. If the angled patch panel  100  includes more than two panel sections, then additional center sections may be included. 
   The first panel section  108  may include a first row of connector openings  120 . The first row of connector openings  120  may take any of a variety of configurations. For instance, the first row of connector openings  120  may take the form of one or more insert modules.  FIGS. 2A ,  2 B  2 C,  2 D, and  2 E depict various perspectives of an insert module  200 .  FIG. 2A  depicts a front view of the insert module  200 ,  FIG. 2B  depicts a top view,  FIG. 2C  depicts a rear view, and  FIGS. 2D and 2E  each depict perspective views of the insert module  200 . As shown in  FIG. 2A , the insert module  200  includes an insert frame  202 , a series of connector module mounting openings  204 , and a corresponding series of pitched raises  206 . A given connector module mounting opening  208  may be adaptable to receive a connector (not depicted). Further, a given pitched raise  210  may elevate the corresponding connector module mounting opening  208  by a given height along the first panel section  108 . The height of each adjacent pitched raise in the series of pitched raises  206  may be ascending or descending, thereby creating an alignment for the series of connector module mounting openings  204  that defines a pitch line  212 . By uniformly varying the differences in height between adjacent pitched raises, various alignments may be created (i.e., various pitch line angles may be created). Further, rather than the first row of connector openings  120  taking the form of one or more insert modules, a series of connector module mounting openings (not depicted) may be built directly onto the first panel section  108 . 
   As depicted in  FIG. 1A , the first row of connector openings  120  may be aligned along a first pitch line  124 . The first pitch line  124  is preferably not parallel to the first panel longitudinal length  116 , and may either be straight (strictly linear) or curved. Further, the first pitch line  124  may be pitched either upwards or downwards. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1A , the first row of connector openings  120  is illustrated with each successive connector opening in the row located further away from the center section  112  and aligned in an upward pitch (or downward pitch if taken from the perspective of each successive connector opening in the row located further away from the first mounting portion  104 ). To define an upward pitch, the first pitch line  124  may include a first end  128  and a second end  130 , with the first end  128  being longitudinally closer to the first mounting portion  104  than the second end  130 . According to an upward pitch, the first end  128  is higher than the second end  130  with respect to the frame height  114 . Alternatively, as depicted in  FIG. 1B , which illustrates an angled patch panel  150  that defines a frame height  164 , a first row of connector openings  170  is aligned along a first pitch line  174  that has a downward pitch moving away from the center section  162 . To define a downward pitch, the first pitch line  174  may include a first end  178  and a second end  180 , with the first end  178  being longitudinally closer to a first mounting portion  154  than the second end  180 . According to a downward pitch, the first end  178  is lower than the second end  180  with respect to the frame height  164 . 
   Additionally, the first panel section  108  may include more than one row of connector openings. Each row of connector openings may be aligned along a respective pitch line. The respective pitch line of each row is preferably not parallel to the first panel longitudinal length  116 . Further, the respective pitch line of each row may be parallel to one another. Additionally, the respective pitch line of each row may either have an upward or downward pitch moving away from the center section  112 , and may either be straight or curved. Preferably, the alignment (or angle) of each respective pitch line is maximized to optimize side-routing of patch cables. 
   Like the first panel section  108 , the second panel section  110  includes a second row of connector openings  122  aligned a second pitch line  126 . The second panel section  110 , the second row of connector openings  122 , and the second pitch line  126  may each be arranged in a similar manner as described above with respect to the first panel section  108 , the first row of connector openings  120 , and the first pitch line  124 , respectively. 
   The first pitch line  124  and the second pitch line  126  may each have an upward or downward pitch moving away from the center section  112 . Additionally, the first pitch line  124  may be pitched at the same angle as the second pitch line  126 . 
   To further illustrate.  FIGS. 3A and 3B  depict a cross-sectional view of the patch panel  150 . Specifically,  FIG. 3A  is a front view of the patch panel  150  looking from the direction perpendicular to the second panel section  160 , and  FIG. 3B  is a cross-sectional view of the patch panel  150 , taken along the section line B-B. 
   In the embodiments shown, the frame  102 , the first mounting plate  104 , the second mounting plate  106 , the first panel section  108 , the second panel section  110  and the center section  112  may each be constructed of one or more metal pieces. The insert module  202  may be primarily plastic. Alternative materials known to those skilled in the art can also be used. 
   Exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described above. Those skilled in the art will understand, however, that changes and modifications may be made to the embodiments described without departing from the true scope and spirit of the present invention, which is defined by the claims.