Inventors:
Jed Barker - Orland Park IL, US
Mark Donnell - Orland Park IL, US
Kevin Honan - Tinley Park IL, US
International Classification:
H01R013/60
Abstract:
A patch panel mountable to a network rack includes a frame and rack mounting plates. The frame forms a central section having a longitudinal width sized to fit within the network rack, a predefined height, a front side, and a rear side. The rack mounting plates are provided on opposite longitudinal ends of the central section and allow the panel to be mounted to a network rack. The central section is angled outwardly in an inverted V-shape. The central section has mountable thereon a plurality of cable connectors that receive cabling on the front side and the rear side of the patch panel frame. When mounted, the plurality of cable connectors are oriented to have rear surfaces thereof face a common axis of the central section. This provides front connector surfaces that are better oriented relative to front side cabling, which is provided along vertical cable managers or ducts near front edges of the rack rails. This orientation provides a more natural flow of cables entering the patch panel and reduce bending angles to less than 90, which reduces or eliminates the need for external horizontal cable management on the front side of the patch panel while maintaining adequate bend radius control. Moreover, the angled frame provides an angled surface that has increased port capacity as compared to a conventional flat-faced patch panel and has an increased volume behind the panel for receiving and housing cabling. A support bar may be provided on the rear side of the patch panel to support the weight of the exiting cabling.