Patent Grant
10355433
The disclosed subject matter relates generally to data connectors suitable for use with limited power data circuits
Many communication and networking circuits, such as in-wall category cable networks, are utilized and certified for the purpose of transmitting low voltage communication signals, often less than 5 volts of direct current (DC) voltage. Some emerging technologies are utilizing such communication circuits and their associated wire and conductors (currently National Electric Code Classification Chapter 7 & 8 class 2 & 3 circuits and communication circuits) to provide power to end (active) devices on such circuits. These types of circuits and their associated connecting hardware are designed and intended for the transmission of both low power—often referred to as “phantom voltage”—and data communication signals.
Since these communication systems were not originally designed or intended to transmit power at these levels, there is no easy way to visually differentiate between a circuit that is being utilized for power and one that is only being used to transmit data signals, particularly in cases in which an existing data-only circuit has been modified to additionally deliver power at levels higher than the phantom voltage. Moreover, inadvertently plugging a non-certified device into a jack for a circuit that provides power as well as transmits data signaling creates a risk of an overvoltage event, such as fire, shock, or damage to the device.
The above-described deficiencies of communication connector systems are merely intended to provide an overview of some of the problems of current technology, and are not intended to be exhaustive. Other problems with the state of the art, and corresponding benefits of some of the various non-limiting embodiments described herein, may become further apparent upon review of the following detailed description.
The following presents a simplified summary of the disclosed subject matter in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the various embodiments. This summary is not an extensive overview of the various embodiments. It is intended neither to identify key or critical elements of the various embodiments nor to delineate the scope of the various embodiments. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of the disclosure in a streamlined form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
Various embodiments described herein relate to a telecommunications jack and plug system that facilitates traditional data communication and telecom applications, and which is also suitable for use in limited power circuits. In some embodiments, a jack receptacle assembly includes a migratable or changeable mating interface having a keyed profile that is designed to mate with corresponding keyed plugs having a complementary profile. In some embodiments, the keyed profile of the jack can allow only certified equipment (e.g. equipment certified to a specific power threshold), interface cables, and associated patch cables outfitted with the corresponding plug type to mate therewith, making the jacks suitable for connectivity within a limited power circuit. This allows for the development of a backward compatible limited power certified end-to-end system that can be utilized for traditional data communications and telecom applications, and which provides a means to migrate specific circuits within the system to limited power usage. Aspects of the jack and plug systems described herein can allow this migration to take place in a non-disruptive manner, potentially improving return on investment. Protective aspects afforded by the designs described herein can also potentially extend product life cycle to meet or exceed applicable performance, as stated within published safety codes such as the National Electric Code (NEC), for use in a limited power circuit.
To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the disclosed subject matter, then, comprises one or more of the features hereinafter more fully described. The following description and the annexed drawings set forth in detail certain illustrative aspects of the subject matter. However, these aspects are indicative of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the subject matter can be employed. Other aspects, advantages, and novel features of the disclosed subject matter will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings. It will also be appreciated that the detailed description may include additional or alternative embodiments beyond those described in this summary.
The subject disclosure is now described with reference to the drawings wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the subject disclosure. It may be evident, however, that the subject disclosure may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to facilitate describing the subject disclosure.
Although the example jack and plug systems for limited power outlets are described herein in connection with Registered Jack 45 (RJ45) jacks and plugs for explanatory purposes, it is to be appreciated that the concepts described herein are not limited to such RJ45 systems. Rather, features of the changeable bezel described herein are suitable for use with substantially any other type of data communication jack and plug standard, including but not limited to GigaGate 45 (GG45), Augmented Registered Jack 45 (ARJ45) or other ARJ systems, TERA, or other such connector types.
Jack receptacle 102 may be, for example, a wall mounted jack receptacle 102 installed on a wall plate mounted to a wall. In this configuration, the rear side 118 of jack receptacle 102 may be connected to a cable that runs inside the wall and that connects the jack receptacle 102 to a remote device (e.g., a computer, a server, a multimedia device, etc.) or a network architecture device (e.g., a router, a hub, a switch, etc.). In another installation scenario, jack receptacle 102 may be terminated to a cable located in a plenum space in the ceiling or floor of a building, such that the jack receptacle 102 resides fully inside the wall without being mounted to the wall. In this scenario, the jack receptacle 102 and plug connector 104 can be used to connect two cables that run inside the wall.
Other versions of jack receptacle 102 may be configured to mount to a circuit board rather than being configured to terminate a category cable. In such embodiments, the rear side 118 of the jack receptacle 102 may be configured to interface conductors on the circuit board such that the signal conductors 106 electrically interface with the conductors. In such scenarios, plugging the plug connector 104 into the jack receptacle 102 causes the conductors of cable 116 to be interfaced with the conductors on the circuit board via the signal contacts 106.
Until relatively recently, data communication circuits such as those that employ RJ45 connectors (or other types of connectors) have been designed and rated solely for low voltage communication. However, some emerging technologies utilize such communication circuits and their associated wires and conductors to also provide power to end (active) devices. These types of circuits and associated connecting hardware are designed and intended for the transmission of low power “phantom” voltage as well as data communication circuits. Some current systems that utilize powering technologies such as Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) are limited to 15 watts (W). PoE+ systems are limited to 30 W. Some emerging technologies, such as PoE++ and other technologies, have the capability of presenting power ratings of up to 200 W, and possibly more.
There may be an emerging trend to replace systems that have traditionally relied upon higher voltage AC power with low voltage power systems. Pursuant to this trend, traditional data communication components, such as twisted pair cabling, RJ45 jacks and 8-position plugs (such as jack receptacle 102 and plug connector 104) may form the basis of these systems from the physical perspective. In addition to the transmission of power, these same circuits will be used to simultaneously transmit communication signals. Areas of usage may include, for example, computer connectivity, room and building lighting, remote cameras, access card readers, patient monitoring systems, building automation systems, wireless access points, and other such applications. In such applications, communication circuits (including the cabling and connection hardware) will be used to both exchange data with and provide power to active end devices plugged into the circuit. Consequently, the connectivity platforms implemented for this new power technology will also have the ability to mate with commonly available communications equipment interfaces, such as traditional RJ45 connectors, which may not be adequately rated for the new power levels.
National Fire and Protection Agency (NFPA) 70 (2017 National Electric Code (NEC)) dictates guidelines for component choice as well as installation practices for various types of data and power delivery applications. Recommended installation practices may vary depending on the desired power level, regardless of component choice (e.g., a given component choice may be used with different power levels depending on the installation specifics, such as the size of the cable bundles). While NFPA 70 (2017 NEC) addresses the issue of utilizing communication cabling (e.g., twisted-pair based cabling) and their conductors as a power transmission medium, the issue of future utilization of currently installed data cabling for limited power transmission is not adequately addressed. Nor does NFPA 70 address issues that may arise as a result of increasing power level usage in a currently installed data communication circuit, such as defining controls that limit what power level may be used on different types of cable.
Currently, there is no generally accepted method for differentiating or identifying a system-wide communications circuit that is also acting as a power network. The ability to differentiate between “communication only” circuits and circuits over which power is also being delivered is important since inadvertently plugging a non-certified device into a jack for a circuit that provides power as well as transmits data signaling creates a risk of an overvoltage event, such as fire, shock, or damage to the device.
To address these and other issues, one or more embodiments described herein provide a jack and plug system having a modified matching jack and plug profile, whereby one or more keying features are added to the profile of the front opening of the jack receptacle, and corresponding keying features are added to the plug connector. Jack receptacles having the modified profile can be installed in circuits on which low voltage power is being delivered in addition to communication signals. The modified profile serves to visually identify a jack receptacle as being connected to a power-providing communication circuit. Moreover, some embodiments of the keyed jack receptacle profile prevent plugs or other communication interfaces having the traditional profile (e.g., traditional RJ45, which may not be rated for higher power levels) from being inadvertently plugged into (and interfaced with) the power-delivering communication circuit, thereby mitigating the risk of overvoltage events. In other embodiments, the keyed jack receptacle profile can allow both correspondingly keyed and non-keyed (standard) plug connectors to mate therewith, and can thereby be incorporated as part of a strategy for migrating from a data-only system to a powered data system. In these later embodiments, the keyed plug connectors will be prevented from being plugged into jack receptacles that do not have the corresponding keying feature.
In this example embodiment, the front opening 208 of jack receptacle 202 differs from the profile of a traditional RJ45 jack by inclusion of a keying feature, which in this illustrated example is a concave V-shaped groove 210 that runs along an interior sidewall 218 of the front opening 208. The groove begins at the front edge of sidewall 218—flush with the front face 212 of the jack receptacle 202—and extends rearward along the sidewall 218 a selected distance. Plug connector 204 has a corresponding convex V-shaped protrusion 214 along a side surface 220. The V-shaped protrusion 214 has a similar profile to that of V-shaped groove 210. As such, the V-shaped groove 210 receives the corresponding V-shaped protrusion 214 on the plug connector 204 when the plug connector 204 is inserted into the jack receptacle 202. The V-shaped protrusion 214 on plug connector 204 prevents the plug connector 204 from being inserted into a traditional RJ45 jack (e.g., jack receptacle 102). V-shaped protrusion 214 and V-shaped groove 210 are keying features that serve to visually distinguish the jack receptacle 202 and plug connector 204 from traditional jacks and plugs, as well as preventing the plug from mating with standard jacks that do not have the corresponding keying feature (in this case, V-shaped groove 210).
Although
The modified jack receptacle 202 and plug connector 204 are engineered to the meet the required electrical performance of the targeted circuit power usage. As such, when a certified (power rated) patch cord 216 is outfitted with modified plug connector 204, the plug connector 204 would require a similarly certified jack receptacle 202 (modified with V-shaped groove 210) in order to mate by virtue of the convex keying feature (the V-shaped protrusion 214). Conversely, if the modified jack receptacle 202 is installed on a circuit that is not powered, an industry standard (non-power-certified) patch cable with a traditional RJ45 plug (without V-shaped protrusion 214) could be mated to the modified jack receptacle 202, since the keying feature (the V-shaped groove 210) on the jack receptacle 202 is concave.
Unlike traditional AC power circuits, the emerging technologies that deliver both communication signals and power represent a fluid environment whereby a communication system (e.g., an in-wall network) may be initially installed and utilized only for data communication (without power), and subsequently transitioned at a future time to use as a power-delivering data communication system. In some installation scenarios, a system rated for both data and power delivery may be installed, but may initially only be used for data communication. In these scenarios, traditional (non-power certified) components such as patch cords may initially be used with these systems due to cost and availability. Since the modified jack receptacle 202 depicted in
In the event that an attempt is made to insert a power-certified modified plug (e.g., plug connector 204 with V-shaped protrusion 214 or another keying feature) into a non-power-certified jack (e.g., a traditional data communications rated jack), the convex V-shaped protrusion 214 (or other suitable profile characteristic) on the side 220 of the plug connector 204 would prevent the mating of the plug connector 204 and jack receptacle, thereby offering protection from possible overvoltage event on a non-power certified circuit. Such overvoltage events may otherwise cause shock, arcing, or fire.
Various embodiments of modified jack receptacle 202 and plug connector 204 can be provided with different mounting options that allow for different environments and usages. For example, in addition to versions that can be affixed to the ends of cables, some embodiments of the modified jack receptacle 202 and corresponding plug connector 204 can be configured to mount on a circuit board (e.g., for use by original equipment manufacturers).
In other variations, the modified jack receptacle 202 and plug connector 204 can be color-coded to allow the certified product power rating of the associated circuit to be readily identified. In an example non-limiting color-coding, red, green, and blue jack receptacles can correspond to circuit power ratings of 15 W, 30 W, and 60 W, respectively. In some scenarios, these color codes can be selected to match the color of the jacket sheathing of the patch cords designated for the respective power ratings to simplify correct component choice.
In some embodiments, the color-coded power ratings can be enforced by modifying the location of the keying feature across the different color-coded jack-plug systems. For example, a red 15 W jack receptacle 202 may be configured such that its V-shaped groove 210 is located higher or lower on the sidewall 218 (or on the opposite sidewall 222) relative to that of a green 30 W jack. Corresponding modifications to the V-shaped protrusion 214 on plug connector 204 for the respective colors would ensure that each type of plug connector 204 would only be able to plug into a similarly colored jack receptacle 202.
In some embodiments, the number of keying features (e.g., V-shaped grooves 210 and protrusions 214) can vary across the different color-coded jacks and plugs. For example,
Embodiments that combine color-coding and physical profile variation facilitate easy identification of the power rating of a given circuit, as well as providing physical protection by ensuring that a modified plug can only be inserted into a corresponding jack of similar color-coded type.
While in some embodiments the front face 212 of the modified jack receptacle 202 (and likewise front surface 312 of modified jack receptacle 302) may be formed as a continuous portion of the rest of the jack housing, in some embodiments the front face (e.g., front face 212 or 312) and front opening (e.g., front opening 208 or 308) can be formed on a removable and changeable jack face bezel 224 or 324 configured to attached to the front side of the jack receptacle housing.
In an example scenario, use of the removable jack face bezel (e.g., jack face bezel 224, 334, or a bezel with another profile) allows the communication circuit infrastructure to be initially installed with in-wall cabling (permanent links) that is certified for a specific power threshold (e.g., 15 W, 30 W, 60 W, 100 W, etc.). Initially, this system may not be initially utilized to deliver power at levels above the phantom voltage level. During this phase of usage, a jack face bezel 502 with a standard RJ45 jack profile (as shown in
In order to prevent non-power-certified plugs from being inserted into power-certified communication circuits, some embodiments of the modified jack-plug system can reverse the convex and concave nature of the profile modifications between the jack and the plug.
Modified powered-circuit bezels can be provided in a number of varieties, with each bezel aligned to a specific power threshold rating. Furthermore, in some embodiments the removable jack face bezels can employ a color-coding to further aid in identification of a powered circuit. Patch cords and other connecting cords can also utilize this color-coding scheme to simplify coordination of jacks and accessories certified and rated for specific power thresholds.
It is to be appreciated that the modified profiles are not limited to the shapes illustrated and described herein. Rather, the removable jack face bezels and plug connectors can be configured with other profile shapes and/or keying features without departing from the scope of one or more embodiments of this disclosure.
The use of a removable or changeable bezel to physically change the jack interface can eliminate the need to re-terminate or change the permanent link installed in the wall or on a circuit board when an existing data-only circuit is converted to a power-certified communication circuit (or when a power rating of a circuit is changed). Instead, the user need only replace the removable bezel to that corresponding to the new certification and/or rating in order to ensure that the circuit is properly recognizable and that only properly rated accessories (e.g., patch cords, devices, etc.) can be plugged into the jack. This system can also afford protection from overvoltage events such as fire or shock by prohibiting the use of non-certified products within a powered communication circuit. The modified jack and bezel system can also facilitate cost effective and safe migration of a circuit infrastructure, extending product lifecycle and providing a beneficial return on investment.
The ability to create an end-to-end system that is certified and tested to a specific power threshold is imperative to the proper working and safety of the circuits. The modified jack and plug systems described herein allows the creation of such an environment while also simplifying inspection by the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) during the inspection phase of installation and issuance of documents such as a building Certificate of Occupancy (CO). Moreover, the modified jack and plug systems described herein allows for the installation of forward looking infrastructure while maintaining the ability to utilize common non-specialized components such as patch cords when the circuit is used in a traditional non-powered data communication manner. Also, the modified jack and plug systems described herein can create a control point within the infrastructure to allow administration of a process to assure proper circuit power usage.
As noted above, although the example set forth herein have been described in terms of modified RJ45 jacks and plugs, it is to be appreciated that the techniques described herein are suitable for use with other types of data jacks and ports, including but limited to GigaGate 45 (GG45), Augmented Registered Jack 45 (ARJ45) or other ARJ systems, TERA, or other such connector types.
The above description of illustrated embodiments of the subject disclosure, including what is described in the Abstract, is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosed embodiments to the precise forms disclosed. While specific embodiments and examples are described herein for illustrative purposes, various modifications are possible that are considered within the scope of such embodiments and examples, as those skilled in the relevant art can recognize.
In this regard, while the disclosed subject matter has been described in connection with various embodiments and corresponding figures, where applicable, it is to be understood that other similar embodiments can be used or modifications and additions can be made to the described embodiments for performing the same, similar, alternative, or substitute function of the disclosed subject matter without deviating therefrom. Therefore, the disclosed subject matter should not be limited to any single embodiment described herein, but rather should be construed in breadth and scope in accordance with the appended claims below.
In addition, the term “or” is intended to mean an inclusive “or” rather than an exclusive “or.” That is, unless specified otherwise, or clear from context, “X employs A or B” is intended to mean any of the natural inclusive permutations. That is, if X employs A; X employs B; or X employs both A and B, then “X employs A or B” is satisfied under any of the foregoing instances. Moreover, articles “a” and “an” as used in the subject specification and annexed drawings should generally be construed to mean “one or more” unless specified otherwise or clear from context to be directed to a singular form.
What has been described above includes examples of systems and methods illustrative of the disclosed subject matter. It is, of course, not possible to describe every combination of components or methodologies here. One of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the claimed subject matter are possible. Furthermore, to the extent that the terms “includes,” “has,” “possesses,” and the like are used in the detailed description, claims, appendices and drawings such terms are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.
This application is a continuation of, and claims priority to, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/364,052 (now U.S. Pat. No. 9,912,102), filed on Nov. 29, 2016, and entitled “LIMITED POWER OUTLET WITH CHANGEABLE PROTECTIVE BEZEL,” the entirety of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 15364052 | Nov 2016 | US |
| Child | 15887719 | US |
