Angled patch panel with cable support bar for network cable racks

Abstract

A patch panel mountable to a network rack includes a patch panel frame and rack mounting plates. The frame forms a central section having a longitudinal width sized to fit within the network rack. 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 includes two panel sections angled outwardly in an inverted V-shape and the central section has mounted thereon a plurality of cable connectors that receive cabling on the front side and the rear side of the patch panel frame. Each connector has a horizontal axis.

1 . A patch panel mountable to a network rack, comprising: 
 a frame having rack mounting members provided on opposite longitudinal ends of the frame,    wherein the frame includes a first panel section and a second panel section angled relative thereto, by an obtuse angle between 90° and 180°, each of the first and second panel sections having mountable thereon a plurality of connectors having a front face, each of the connectors being located such that the distance from their front face to a second plane, which is parallel to a first plane that is in line with the longitudinal ends of the frame, and which is in front of the patch panel, is not greater than the distance to the second plane from the front face of any other connector of the patch panel which is farther from the center of the patch panel in a horizontal direction.    
   
   
       2 . The patch panel of  claim 1 , wherein each connector has a horizontal axis.  
   
   
       3 . The patch panel of  claim 1 , wherein each panel section has a length and width, the length being larger than the width, and wherein the plurality of connectors in each panel section define a first axis extending between the plurality of connectors, wherein the first axis is parallel to a second axis running through the length of the panel section.  
   
   
       4 . The patch panel of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of connectors is in fixed orientation relative to the patch panel.  
   
   
       5 . The patch panel of  claim 1 , wherein the patch panel comprises only a first panel section and a second panel section, the first panel section being angled relative to the second panel section.  
   
   
       6 . The patch panel of  claim 1 , wherein the front face of each connector is parallel to either the first panel section or the second panel section.  
   
   
       7 . The patch panel of  claim 6 , wherein the front face of each connector is substantially flush with either the first panel section or the second panel section.  
   
   
       8 . The patch panel of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of connectors of the first panel section are located in at least one insert module mounted in the first panel section, the at least one insert module having a front face that is parallel to the first panel section.  
   
   
       9 . The patch panel of  claim 8 , wherein the front face of each insert module is substantially flush with the first panel section.  
   
   
       10 . The patch panel of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second panel sections is configured to accommodate one or more individual modular jacks.  
   
   
       11 . A patch panel mountable to a network rack, comprising: 
 a frame having rack mounting members provided on opposite longitudinal ends of the frame,    wherein the frame includes a first panel section and a second panel section angled relative thereto, by an obtuse angle between 90° and 180°, each of the first and second panel sections having mountable thereon a plurality of connectors having a front face, each of the connectors of the first panel section being located such that a distance from the front face to a second plane, which is parallel to a first plane that is in line with the longitudinal ends of the frame, and which is in front of the patch panel, is less than the distance to the second plane from the front face of any other connector positioned closer to the longitudinal end of the frame of the first panel section.