Telecommunications jack having offset stop latches and panel including the same
View Patent ↗A telecommunications jack and associated panel and method of construction are disclosed. The telecommunications jack is configured for use in a twisted pair system and includes a housing defining a port for receiving a plug, and a latching mechanism positioned to retain the housing in an opening of a face of a telecommunications panel. The telecommunications jack also includes a first stop latch positioned along the left side of the housing and a second stop latch positioned along the right side of the housing, the first and second stop latches vertically offset from each other and extending from the sides of the housing by a width, wherein the telecommunications jack is installable in an array of telecommunications jacks at a distance from a neighboring telecommunications jack of less than twice the width.
1. A telecommunications jack for use in a twisted pair system, the telecommunications jack comprising:
a housing defining a port for receiving a plug, the housing having a generally rectangular shape including a top, a bottom, and left and right sides;
a plurality of contact springs adapted to make electrical contact with the plug when the plug is inserted into the port of the housing;
a plurality of wire termination contacts for terminating wires to the jack;
a latching mechanism positioned to retain the housing in an opening of a face of a telecommunications panel; and
a first stop latch positioned along the left side of the housing and a second stop latch positioned along the right side of the housing, the first and second stop latches vertically offset from each other and extending from the sides of the housing by a width, wherein the telecommunications jack is installable in an array of telecommunications jacks at a distance from a neighboring telecommunications jack of less than twice the width.
2. The telecommunications jack of claim 1 , wherein the latching mechanism includes a catch along the bottom of the housing.
3. The telecommunications jack of claim 1 , wherein the latching mechanism includes a retaining clip positioned along a top of the housing.
4. The telecommunications jack of claim 3 , wherein the catch is located at a first distance from a front of the housing.
5. The telecommunications jack of claim 4 , wherein the first and second stop latches are positioned at a second distance from the front of the housing, the second distance greater than the first distance.
6. The telecommunications jack of claim 5 , wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance by at least a thickness of an engagement portion of a face of a telecommunications panel.
7. The telecommunications jack of claim 1 , wherein the first and second stop latches on left and right sides of the housing form a complementary shape such that no horizontal plane exists in which stop latches are present on both sides of the housing.
8. The telecommunications jack of claim 1 , wherein the first stop latch extends from a top edge of the left side of the housing toward the bottom a distance less than half a height of the housing, and wherein the second stop latch extends from a bottom edge of the right side of the housing toward the top a distance less than half a height of the housing.
9. The telecommunications jack of claim 1 , wherein the first and second stop latches include a generally flat front surface positioned to engage a rear surface of a face of a telecommunications panel.
10. The telecommunications jack of claim 1 , wherein the port is configured to receive an RJ-45 plug.
11. An array of telecommunications jacks mountable into a face of a telecommunications panel, the array of telecommunications jacks comprising:
first and second telecommunications jacks each comprising:
a housing defining a port for receiving a plug, the housing having a generally rectangular shape including a top, a bottom, and left and right sides;
a plurality of contact springs adapted to make electrical contact with the plug when the plug is inserted into the port of the housing;
a plurality of wire termination contacts for terminating wires to the jack;
a latching mechanism positioned to retain the housing in an opening of a face of a telecommunications panel; and
a first stop latch positioned along a left side of the housing and a second stop latch positioned along a right side of the housing, the first and second stop latches vertically offset from each other;
wherein, when the first and second telecommunications jacks are mounted in a face of a telecommunications panel such that the left side of the first telecommunications jack faces the right side of the second telecommunications jack, the first stop latch of the first telecommunications jack and the second stop latch of the second telecommunications jack do not occupy the same vertical position between the first and second telecommunications jacks.
12. The array of telecommunications jacks of claim 11 , wherein the first stop latch of the first telecommunications jack extends outwardly from the left side of the housing of the first telecommunications jack at a first distance and the second stop latch of the second telecommunications jack extends outwardly from the right side of the housing of the second telecommunications jack at a second distance, and wherein the first and second telecommunications jacks are capable of being positioned such that a distance between the housings of the first and second telecommunications jacks is less than the combined first and second distances.
13. The array of telecommunication jacks of claim 11 , wherein the first stop latch of the first telecommunications jack extends from a top edge of the left side of the housing of the first telecommunications jack toward the bottom a distance less than half a height of the housing of the first telecommunications jack, and wherein the second stop latch of the second telecommunications jack extends from a bottom edge of the right side of the housing of the second telecommunications jack toward the top a distance less than half a height of the housing of the second telecommunications jack.
14. A telecommunications panel comprising:
a telecommunications jack comprising:
a housing defining a port for receiving a plug, the housing having a generally rectangular shape including a top, a bottom, and left and right sides;
a plurality of contact springs adapted to make electrical contact with the plug when the plug is inserted into the port of the housing;
a plurality of wire termination contacts for terminating wires to the jack;
a latching mechanism positioned to retain the housing in an opening of a face of a telecommunications panel; and
a first stop latch positioned along the left side of the housing and a second stop latch positioned along the right side of the housing, the first and second stop latches vertically offset from each other and extending from the sides of the housing by a width; and
a panel face including a plurality of horizontally disposed jack openings, each jack opening sized to receive a housing;
wherein the telecommunications jack is installable in an array of telecommunications jacks at a distance from a neighboring opening of less than twice the width.
15. The telecommunications panel of claim 14 , wherein the port is configured to receive an RJ-45 plug.
16. The telecommunications panel of claim 14 , wherein the latching mechanism of the telecommunications jack includes a catch along the bottom of the housing and a retaining clip positioned along a top of the housing.
17. The telecommunications panel of claim 16 , wherein the catch is located at a first distance from a front of the housing and the first and second stop latches are positioned at a second distance from the front of the housing, the second distance greater than the first distance.
18. The telecommunications panel of claim 17 , wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance by at least a thickness of an engagement portion of the panel face.
19. A method of installing a plurality of telecommunications jacks into a telecommunications panel, the method comprising:
inserting an upwardly-oriented telecommunications jack into an opening in a face of a telecommunications panel such that a catch on a bottom side of the telecommunications jack housing engages a bottom edge of the opening to prevent rearwards movement; and
pivoting the telecommunications jack forward within the opening to engage a retaining clip on a top of the telecommunications jack housing;
wherein forward movement of the telecommunications jack is limited by stop latches on opposing sides of the telecommunications jack housing, the stop latches on the opposing sides vertically offset from each other.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the stop latches on opposing sides of the telecommunications jack housing form a complementary shape such that no horizontal plane exists in which stop latches are present on both sides of the housing.