Universal patch panel for communications use in buildings

A patch panel which comprises:

• a panel plate having an array of openings formed therein;
• and
• a device which is mounted in an opening in a panel plate, and which is adapted to hold a component, said device comprising:
• two parallel side portions, each side portion including a depending portion at each end thereof;
• two arm portions, each extending between corresponding ends of said side portions and connected thereto with one of said arms being hingedly connected to said side portions and biased outwardly, each arm portion including at least one detent projecting from an outer surface of said arm portion such that when forces are caused to be applied to free end portions of said arm portions to cause relative movement of the free end portions toward each other, the device is capable of being inserted into an opening in a panel until a face of the panel abuts the depending portions of the side portions whereupon the application of forces is discontinued to allow relative movement between the arm portions to occur and cause the detents of the arm portions to engage with a side of the panel opposite from the free end portions and cooperate with the depending portions to hold said device mounted within said opening in said panel plate.

A patch panel which comprises:

• a panel plate having an array of openings formed therein;
• and
• an adapter which is mounted in an opening in a panel plate, and which is adapted to hold a component, said adapter comprising:
• two parallel side portions each being made of a plastic material, each side portion including a depending portion at each end thereof;
• and
• two moveable arm portions, each extending between corresponding ends of said side portions and hingedly connected thereto and each being biased resiliently outwardly, each moveable arm portion including two detents projecting from an outer surface of said moveable arm portion such that when forces are caused to be applied to free end portions of said moveable arm portions to cause the free end portions to be moved toward each other, the adapter is capable of being inserted into an opening in said panel plate until a front surface of the panel plate abuts the depending portions of the side portions whereupon the application of forces is discontinued to allow the moveable arm portions to move outwardly and cause said detents to snap-lock into engagement with a surface of the panel plate opposite from the free end portions to hold said adapter mounted within the opening in the panel plate.