Granted Patent B2

US 8,290,330 · App. 12/547,791 · Granted Oct 16, 2012

Assignee: ADC GmbH

Abstract

Claims (47)

1. A telecommunications patch panel assembly comprising:

a cable manager having a first side and an opposite second side and extending between a first end and a second end, the cable manager having a tray positioned at the first side between the first end and the second end, wherein each end of the cable manager includes a respective first finger, each first finger including a first hook member and a button;

a front panel pivotally connected to the first and second ends at the second side of the cable manager, wherein the front panel is pivotable between an engaged position and a disengaged position and wherein the front panel includes a plurality of connector locations, and wherein the front panel includes a first retainment flange at a first end of the front panel and a second retainment flange at a second end of the front panel, each retainment flange defining a first aperture and a second aperture; and

a cable grip holder on the tray including:

a base including:

a passage defined through the base; and

a receiving tooth formed on the base adjacent to the passage; and

a plurality of holding elements each for securing a cable including:

a terminated end affixed to the base;

a distal end; and

a plurality of periodically spaced teeth formed on a top surface;

wherein each holding element is locked into place by inserting the distal end into the passage until a selected tooth element engages the receiving tooth.

2. The telecommunications patch panel assembly of claim 1 , wherein the base includes a clip surface for securing the cable grip holder to the cable manager.

3. The telecommunications patch panel assembly of claim 1 , wherein the tray includes a plurality of separator tabs.

4. The telecommunications patch panel assembly of claim 1 , further comprising flanges on the ends of the front panel defining fastener opening, and a side cover to cover each flange.

5. The telecommunications patch panel assembly of claim 1 , wherein the holding element includes a flexible curved loop structure.

6. The telecommunications patch panel assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a tab on the base, wherein the tab includes a flexible portion, and wherein the flexible portion functions as a release mechanism of the holding element.

7. The telecommunications patch panel assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first hook member of each first finger engages the first aperture of a respective one of the retainment flanges when the front panel is in the engaged position and wherein the first hook member of each first finger engages the second aperture of the respective one of the retainment flanges when the front panel is in the disengaged position.

8. The telecommunications patch panel assembly of claim 7 , wherein the button of each first finger is positioned at a first curved surface formed on a respective one of the retainment flanges when the front panel is in the disengaged position.

9. The telecommunications patch panel assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first retainment aperture is rectangular in shape, and wherein the second retainment aperture includes a curved section and a V-shaped second section.

10. A cable grip holder comprising:

a base including:

a tab formed through the base extending from below the base to above the base;

a receiving tooth formed on the tab; and

a passage defined through the base; and

a plurality of curved holding elements for securing a cable, including:

a terminated end affixed to the base;

a distal end; and

a plurality of periodically spaced teeth formed on a top surface;

wherein each curved holding element is locked into place by inserting the distal end into the passage until a selected tooth element engages the receiving tooth; and

wherein the tab of the base includes a flexible portion that releases the curved holding element when flexed.

11. The cable grip holder of claim 10 , wherein each curved holder element forms a closed loop in the locked state.

12. The cable grip holder of claim 10 , wherein each curved holding element is formed from nylon.

13. The cable grip holder of claim 10 , wherein the curved holder elements are positioned adjacent to each other in a single row.

14. The cable grip holder of claim 10 , wherein six curved holding elements are mounted together to form a cable grip holder.

15. The cable grip holder of claim 10 , wherein flexing the tab moves the receiving tooth away from the curved holding element to release the curved holding element.

16. The cable grip holder of claim 15 , wherein flexing the tab away from the curved holding element moves the receiving tooth away from the curved holding element.

17. A method of organizing and terminating a cable to a patch panel assembly, the method comprising:

providing the patch panel assembly including a cable manager having a tray, a front panel pivotally connected to the cable manager, wherein the front panel is pivotable between a normal position and a rotated position, the front panel including a first plurality of cable termination locations on a rear of the front panel and a second plurality of cable termination locations on a front of the front panel, the tray including a plurality of cable grip holders, each grip holder corresponding with one of the cable termination locations on the rear of the front panel;

pivoting the front panel from the normal position to the rotated position;

connecting at least one conductor of the cable to a connector element located at one of the cable termination locations on the rear of the front panel while the front panel is in the rotated position;

inserting the cable into a holding element of the corresponding cable grip holder while the front panel is in the rotated position, the holding element including a strap having a plurality of teeth;

pivoting the front panel from the rotated position to the normal position while the cable is positioned within the holding element, wherein pivoting the front panel from the normal position to the rotated position comprises:

depressing buttons located at ends of the cable manager to deflect fingers located at the ends of the cable manager, wherein deflecting the fingers disengages hook members of the fingers from first retainment apertures of the front panel; and

pivoting the front panel to the rotated position until the hook members snap into second retainment apertures of the front panel; and

locking the holding element to secure the cable by latching the strap around the cable while the front panel is in the normal position, wherein each strap latches around one cable.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein locking the holding element includes inserting a distal end of the strap into a passage defined through a base of the holding element and engaging one of the teeth of the strap with a receiving tooth at the base.

Assignments (13)

Continuity (3)