Granted Patent B2

US 7,950,531 · App. 11/821,569 · Granted May 31, 2011

Abstract

Claims (19)

1. A mounting system for securing a telecommunications panel to a telecommunications frame, the system comprising:

a) a telecommunication frame including a side frame member, the side frame member including a vertical channel, the vertical channel defining opposing openings located along opposite sides of the vertical channel;

b) a telecommunications panel having a through hole for receipt of a mounting fastener; and

c) a mounting arrangement that provides an interconnection between the telecommunications panel and the telecommunications frame, the mounting arrangement including:

i) a fastener piece having a front, a rear, a first side and a second opposite side, the fastener piece defining an aperture that extends through the piece from the first side to the second opposite side; and

ii) a retaining clip disposed within the aperture of the fastener piece, the retaining clip being configured to expand from a first normal state to a second expanded state;

iii) wherein when the retaining clip is in the first normal state, the mounting arrangement is sized for lateral insertion into the channel of the frame; and

iv) wherein when the retaining clip is in the second expanded state, the retaining clip extends through the aperture of the fastener piece to engage the opposing openings of the side frame member, the mounting arrangement thereby securing the telecommunications panel in a position relative to the telecommunications frame.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the retaining clip includes first and second clip ends, the first and second clip ends extending outward beyond the sides of the fastener piece only when the retaining clip is expanded to the second expanded state.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the retaining clip is a U-shaped clip.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the retaining clip includes first and second arms that define the first and second clip ends, and transverse tabs that extend outward from the arms.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fastener piece further defines a fastener hole formed in the front of the fastener piece, the location of the fastener hole corresponding to the location of the aperture.

6. The system of claim 5 , further including a fastener that secures the telecommunications panel to the fastener piece of the mounting arrangement, the fastener being sized for receive in the through hole of the telecommunications panel.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the fastener is a threaded fastener that threads into the fastener hole to expand the retaining clip from the first normal state to the second expanded state.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the fastener is a quarter-turn fastener that requires only a ¼ turn to expand the retaining clip from the first normal state to the second expanded state.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the fastener contacts the retaining clip when positioned in the fastener hole of the fastener piece to expand the retaining clip from the first normal state to the second expanded state.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fastener piece of the mounting arrangement includes a plurality of apertures and a plurality of retaining clips, each retaining clip being positioned within one of the apertures.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fastener piece further defines a fastener hole that receives a fastener in a direction from the front of the fastener piece toward the rear.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the aperture formed in the fastener piece remains the same size while the retaining clip expands from the first normal state to the second expanded state.

Assignments (14)