Patch panel with grounding bump
AssigneeLeviton Manufacturing Co., Inc.
InventorCharles R. Bragg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A patch panel comprises an exposed raised area or bump behind each patch panel opening that maintains electrical conductivity between the patch panel frame and a housing of a jack while the jack is installed in the opening. During the manufacturing process, this grounding bump can be masked from paint or powder coating so that the bare metal of the bump remains exposed, yielding a raised surface that readily makes conducive contact with the conductive casing of a jack installed in the patch panel opening without the need for an intermediate component that would normally be required to bridge the gap caused by paint or powder coat thickness.
Claims20
A patch panel, comprising:
- a metal frame comprising a front face and a bottom ridge that extends rearward from a bottom edge of the front face;
- an opening formed through the front face and configured to receive a data jack;
- and
- a lower slot formed through the bottom ridge behind the opening,
- wherein a raised bump is formed adjacent to the lower slot along a rear-facing long edge of the lower slot.
A patch panel, comprising:
- an opening formed through a front face of the patch panel and configured to receive a front side of a data jack;
- a lower slot configured to engage with a raised stop on a bottom side of the data jack while the data jack is installed in the opening;
- and
- a raised bump formed adjacent to the lower slot and configured to make contact with the bottom side of the data jack while the data jack is installed in the opening.
A patch panel, comprising:
- a front face comprising an opening configured to receive a data jack;
- and
- a bottom ridge comprising a lower slot and a raised bump located adjacent to the lower slot,
- wherein the lower slot is configured to receive a raised stop formed on the data jack and the raised bump is configured to make contact with a casing of the data jack while the data jack is installed in the opening.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.