The invention relates to a telecommunication assembly with termination modules and wire guide housings.
In the field of telecommunication, numerous customers are connected with the switch of a telecommunication company via telecommunication lines. The customers can also be called subscribers. The switch is also called an exchange. Between the subscriber and the switch, telecommunication lines are connected with telecommunication assemblies. The telecommunication assemblies establish an electrical connection between a wire which is attached to the telecommunication assembly at a first contact, and another wire which is attached to the telecommunication assembly at a second contact. Plural telecommunication assemblies can be put together at a distribution point, such as a main distribution frame, an intermediate distribution frame, an outside cabinet or an distribution point located, for example in an office building or an particular floor of an office building. To allow flexible wiring, some telecommunication lines are connected with first telecommunication assemblies in a manner to constitute a permanent connection. Flexibility is realized by so called jumpers, which flexibly connect contacts of the first telecommunication assembly with contacts of a second telecommunication assembly. These jumpers can be changed when a person moves within an office building or with his private home to provide a different telephone (i.e. a different telephone line) with a certain telephone number, which the relocated person intends to keep.
Recently, ADSL-technology has spread widely in the field of telecommunication. This technology allows at least two different signals to be transmitted on a single line. This is achieved by transmitting the different signals at different frequencies along the same line. The signals are combined at a particular point in the telecommunication line and split at another point. In particular, at the subscriber side, voice and data signals, which are separate, are combined and sent to the central office via the same line. In the central office the combined signal is split. For the transmission of voice and data signals to the subscriber, separate voice and data signals are combined at the central office, sent to the subscriber and split at the subscriber side. After splitting the signal, the so-called POTS-signal (plain old telephone service) can be used to transmit voice signals. The remaining part of the split signal can be used to transmit data, for example. So-called splitters, which are used to split or combine the signal, can generally be arranged at any distribution point. In this context, a POTS wire or POTS jumper indicates a wire, which is connected with an exchange of the telecommunication company. Furthermore, a line connection indicates a wire, which leads to the subscriber or customer. Finally, as discussed in more detail below, a DSLAM-wire means a wire which is connected with a DSLAM and thus, can, for example, transmit data. A DSLAM (Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer) processes the data signal.
EP 0 647 072 A2 discloses a telecommunication assembly with contacts for connecting wires therewith. The contacts are arranged in termination modules. The telecommunication assembly also comprises wire guides being arranged in a way building a housing for the termination modules. The housing has at least one opening for receiving the termination module and at least another opening for receiving electronic components. The electronic components can be inserted in the housing contacting the termination modules at their rear side. Therefore the openings for the termination module are arranged at the front and the openings for the electronic components are arranged at the side of the housing. The wire guides are in some parts double walled. Between the two walls are arranged arc-shaped channels for receiving single wires to be guided from outside the housing to the contacts for being contacted with them.
EP 1 578 145 A1 and EP 0 9090102 A2 disclose a telecommunication assembly with contacts for connecting wires therewith. The contacts are arranged in termination modules and mounted to a carrier system so that the wires can easily be connected with the contacts. The telecommunication assembly also comprises electronic components fixed at the rear side of the termination modules. For mounting and/or demounting the electronic components to the backside of the termination modules the modules can be swiveled out of the carrier system around an axis.
FR 2 519 222 A1 discloses a telecommunication assembly with contacts for connecting wires therewith. The contacts are arranged in termination modules and mounted to a carrier system so that the wires can easily be connected to the front side of the termination modules. This telecommunication assembly also comprises wire guide housings mounted next to the termination modules for guiding the wires from the side of the telecommunication assembly to each contact in the termination module. For connecting and/or disconnecting wires to contacts at the rear side of the termination modules the termination modules together with the wire guide housings can be swiveled out of the carrier system around an axis.
There is a need for a telecommunication assembly with another concept of making access to the rear side of a termination module. Since the room where telecommunication assemblies are located becomes more and more expensive there is at the same time a need for arranging telecommunication components in a very compact manner. It is also desirable to get a telecommunication assembly where the assignment of the wires to the contacts is maintained even if the wires have to be detached from the contacts of the termination block.
The present invention provides a telecommunication assembly comprising
a carrier system for carrying several components of the telecommunication assembly,
at least one termination module that is attached detachably to the telecommunication assembly,
wherein the termination module comprises contacts on the front side for connecting wires to the termination module,
and contacts on the rear side and
at least one wire guide housing for guiding wires to the contacts of the termination module,
wherein the wire guide housing is pivot-mounted at the carrier system.
The telecommunication assembly according to the invention provides the possibility to swivel out the wire guide housings after the therein guided wires have been detached from the contacts of the termination modules. The wires may stay in the wire guide housing while the housing is swiveled from a closed position into an open position. Hence the invention provides an easy access to the space behind the wire guide housings while the wires are kept in their order in the wire guide housing relative to the contacts of the termination module. Accordingly the wires can be brought back to their position relative to the contacts of the termination module by swiveling the wire guide housing back into their closed position.
Telecommunication components may be contacted to the contacts on the rear side of the termination module, such as electronic and/or intelligent components as printed circuit boards for splitter modules and the like, protection components such as over voltage and or over current protectors or switches. It is also possible to contact wires to the contacts arranged at the rear side of the termination module instead of or additionally to the telecommunication components.
The carrier system according to the invention may be an U-shaped frame, e.g. a back mount frame. The use of an U-shaped frame provides the advantage of having a frame that is open on one side and provides easy access from the open side. It is also possible to use an L-shaped frame offering easy access from two sides of the frame. Another possibility is to use a specific U-shaped frame that is closed on two sides like a box that is only open on one side.
The carrier system may comprise guiding elements for cables and/or wires. Besides the wire guide housing that is arranged in the telecommunication assembly and is used for guiding wires from outside the assembly to each contact in the assembly, there is a need for guiding cables and/or wires along the longitudinal sides of the telecommunication assembly. Therefore the carrier system itself may comprise further guiding elements such as a latch hook, a ring, a ring with an opening for getting the cables and/or wires inside of the ring. It is also possible to guide the wires along the telecommunication assembly with binders, cable ties and/or hook and loop technology. Those fixing elements may engage in special recesses of the telecommunication assembly.
According to one embodiment of the invention the carrier system may comprise at least one swivel axis for a wire guide housing, e.g. to pivotally engage with a bearing on the wire guide housing. If the telecommunication assembly comprises more than one wire guide housing it is possible that all housings swivel around the same axis. According to another embodiment of the invention the carrier system may comprise two swivel axes e.g. one on each transverse side of the telecommunication assembly. If the telecommunication assembly comprises more than one wire guiding housing it is possible that a few e.g. half of the housings swivel around one axis and the rest e.g. the other half of the housings swivel around the other axis. It is also possible to arrange more than one axis on one and/or each transverse side of the telecommunication assembly. In this case it would be possible to swivel each wire guide housing around one axis. To provide a more stable swivel arrangement it is also possible to swivel one or more wire guide housings around more than one axis. According to another embodiment of the invention one wire guide housing may be fixed at two axes, each of the axes being arranged on transverse sides of the telecommunication assembly. If the bearing for the axes is constructed as a snap fit or a latch-like element it would be possible to swivel the wire guide housing either around the first axis or around the second axis of the wire guide housing depending on the requirements in each case.
According to a further embodiment of the invention the carrier system may provide means for guiding and/or fixing the telecommunication components inside of the carrier system. The fixing and/or guiding elements may be arranged inside of the U-shaped frame. All commonly known guiding elements may be used such as ribs, recesses, latches etc. In the same way all commonly known fixing elements may be used such as wholes, recesses, slots, grooves and snap fits.
The telecommunication assembly according to embodiments of the invention may comprise a carrier system consisting of at least two parts. The carrier system may comprise an U-shaped back mount frame that may be attached to any kind of mounting system such as mounting rails or mounting frames. The U-shaped back mount frame may be out of metal, plastic or any other material that provides a stable frame and can be easily manufactured. The legs of the U-shaped back mount frame may have extensions attached there through. The extensions may comprise fixing and/or guiding elements as well as swivel axes. The extensions may be manufactured out of plastic or metal. That would have the advantage of an easy production by injection moulding together with all elements such as fixing, guiding and/or swiveling elements. The extensions may of course also be manufactured out of metal or any other material. It is also possible to use a one part back mount frame that is U-shaped and comprises all fixing and/or guiding elements.
A further embodiment of the invention may comprise a wire guide housing that is assigned to one termination module. That provides an easy way of mapping wires to a certain contact of a certain termination module. When the termination module has two rows of contacts it is possible to assign two wire guide housings to a termination module. Each wire guide housing provides guiding channels for wires to one row of contacts of the termination module and each wire guide housing is arranged on one longitudinal side of the termination module. According to a further embodiment of the invention one wire guide housing may be assigned to two termination modules e.g. when the wire guide housing is situated between two termination modules and the wire guide housing provides two separate wire guiding areas, i.e. one for each termination module. Also, wires from two or more wire guide housings could go to one row of a termination module.
In a particular embodiment the wire guide housing may comprise a receiving portion for the swiveling axis at the carrier system. The receiving portion may be in the shape of a recess and/or a bearing. Any other kind of seat or receptacle for a swivel axis may be used. The wire guide housings may be detachably attached to the swivel axis so that it is possible to detach the whole wire guide housing from the telecommunication assembly. That provides a flexible arrangement that can be adapted to changing requirements. It is also possible to arrange the axis at the wire guide housing and the seat of the axis at the carrier system.
The wire guide housing according to embodiments of the invention may also comprise fixing elements for fixing the wire guide housing in its closed position to the carrier system. The possibility of fixing the wire guide housing in its closed position to the carrier system has the advantage of providing a stable assembly where attaching, detaching and switching of wires to contacts can easily be done. The fixing elements can be snap fits that are integrated in the wire guide housing (one-piece assembly). The fixing elements can also be separate elements that have to be mounted on the wire guide housing after it has been swiveled into its closed position like screws, bolts or the like.
In a particular embodiment the wire guide housing comprises receiving portions for fixing elements of the termination module. To get access to the space behind the wire guide housings it may be necessary to take out the termination modules. Therefore the termination modules are detachably attached to the telecommunication assembly according to the invention. The termination modules may be fixed to the carrier system and/or the wire guide housing. For a better connection between a termination module and parts of the telecommunication assembly—e.g. the wire guide housing—the parts may comprise recesses for fixing elements. An easy solution for a fixing element may be a snap fit solution. Any other kind of detachable connecting solutions such as clamping joints, screws, bolts pins or the like may be used as well. Any contacts already connected to the contacts of the termination module would be needed to be disconnected from said contacts before the termination module can be removed.
The wire guide housing may comprise a demounting device to facilitate removal of the telecommunication component from the telecommunication assembly. The demounting device of the wire guide housing may interact with a demounting device at the telecommunication component. The demounting device of the wire guide housing may be designed as a nose attached to the wire guide housing showing in the direction of the telecommunication component mounted inside of the telecommunication assembly. The telecommunication component itself may also comprise a demounting device in the shape of a nose or a recess or the like. When swiveling the wire guide housing around its swivel axis the nose of the wire guide housing swivels around the axis as well and thereby interacts with the nose of the telecommunication component and pushes and/or pulls it out of the assembly. If there are any detachable fixing elements holding the telecommunication component in the telecommunication assembly the interaction of the two noses pulls the component out of these fixing elements.
The wire guide housing according to the invention may comprise a structure for guiding wires. The structure may comprise arc-shaped channels guiding the wires from the side and/or outside of the telecommunication assembly to the top of the telecommunication assembly where the contacts are arranged. The structure may be arranged between two walls. The channels are built from the two walls and the structure inside of the walls. It is also possible to use only one wall and an open arc-shaped structure. When the wire guide housing is positioned next to a termination module the outer wall of the termination module may be used as a second wall for the wire guide housing. With that solution construction costs for material may be saved. When using one wire guide housing for two adjacent termination modules the wire guide housing may comprise three walls with two arc-shaped structures or may only comprise one wall with open arc-shaped structures on both sides and using the walls of the adjacent termination modules.
According to a further embodiment of the invention the wire guide housing may comprise a short leg and a long leg being arranged in a L-shaped configuration. The wire guide housing may comprise the receiving portion for the swivel axis of the telecommunication assembly at the short leg. It may comprise a recess for fixing the termination module as well as fixing elements for fixing two wire guide housings at each other in their closed position. The short leg of the wire guide housing may comprise a handle for opening the wire guide housing. The wire guide housing may be designed as a plate with at least one wall and one guiding structure. All other arrangements of the wire guide housing as described before are possible, too.
The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the following Figures exemplifying particular embodiments of the invention:
a and 10b are schematic drawings with a side view of a further embodiment of the telecommunication assembly with wire guide housings;
a and 11b are schematic drawings with a top view of the wire guide housings shown in
a is a schematic drawing with a top view of a further embodiment of a wire guide housing;
b is a schematic drawing with a top view of a further embodiment of a wire guide housing;
c is a schematic drawing with a top view of a further embodiment of a wire guide housing;
d is a schematic drawing with a top view of a further embodiment of a wire guide housing;
a is an exploded, perspective view of another embodiment of a telecommunication assembly according to the invention with three termination modules, wire guide housings and telecommunication components;
b is an exploded side view of the embodiment shown in
Herein below various embodiments of the present invention are described and shown in the drawings wherein like elements are provided with the same reference numbers.
In
Entrance areas 41 for the channels of the guiding structure 39 are provided at the side of the long leg 38. The entrance areas 41 are designed for an easy entry of wires into the guiding structure 39. The long leg 38 of the wire guide housing 18 also comprises a handle 42 for opening and/or closing the wire guide housing 18. The handle 42 is arranged at the top of the wire guide housing 18 next to the exits of the guiding structure 39. At the bottom of the wire guide housing 18 is arranged the fixing and handling element 19 that was already described in detail with reference to
The short leg 37 of the wire guide housing 18 comprises a groove 45 for receiving the clip 17 of the termination module 15. It also comprises a slot 46 for receiving the nose 44 of the adjacent wire guide housing 18. Nose 44 and slot 46 engage each other when two adjacent wire guide housings 18 are in there closed position to secure the two adjacent wire guide housings to each other. At the bottom of the short leg is arranged a bearing 47 for receiving a swivel axis 13. The bearing comprises a receiving portion 48 for the axis 13 with a round cross section and an opening 49 for inserting the axis 13.
a shows a schematic drawing of a telecommunication assembly 1 with a back mount frame 2, wire guide housings 18 and two swivel axes 13, one on the left end and one on the right end of the front side of the telecommunication assembly 1. The embodiment shown in
b is also a schematic drawing of a telecommunication assembly 1 with a back mount frame 2, wire guide housings 18 and 118 and two swivel axes 13. The difference between the embodiment shown in
a to
Yet another embodiment of a wire guide housing assembly is shown in
a shows an exploded, perspective view of another embodiment of a telecommunication assembly 1 with three termination modules 15, with contacts 16 and wire guide housings 18. For reasons of clarity the termination modules 15, the contacts 16 and the wire guide housings 18 are shown schematically. In the following these three parts will be named termination modules 15.
The snap fit element 51 is fixed to the termination modules 15 with a nose 52—one of them can be seen in FIG. 14.—that engage with recesses 53 in the termination modules 15. The recesses 53 are located behind the clip 17. The shape of the snap fit element 51 that engages with the termination modules 15 is adapted to the space between an outer wall 54 of the termination modules 15 and an inner wall 55 of the clip 17. The clip 17 is flexible. Therefore it is possible to insert the snap fit element 51 with its nose 52 into this space and fix the snap fit element 51 by engaging with its nose 52 into the recesses 53.
For fixing the termination module 15 to the back mount frame 2 the snap fit element 51 has second nose 56. The second noses 56 engage with openings 57 in the leg 6 of the back mount frame 2. For making the connection between the back mount frame 2 and the snap fit element 51 detachable the snap fit element 51 itself is also flexible.
1 telecommunication assembly
2 back mount frame
3 opening
4 opening
5 connector
6 leg
7 extension
8 clip
9 elongated recess
10 slot
11 ring
12 slot
13 swivel axis
14 bedding
15 termination module
16 contact
17 clip
18 wire guide housing
19 fixing and handling element
21 splitter circuit
22 groove
23 projections
24 handle part
25 recess part
26 bolt
27 protrusion
28 protrusion
29 recess
31 receiving portion
32 demounting device or nose
33 tab
34 base portion
35 leg
37 short leg
39 long leg
41 arc shaped guiding structure
42 entrance area
43 handle
43 protrusion
44 nose
45 groove
46 slot
47 bearing
48 receiving portion
49 opening
51 snap fit element
52 nose
53 recess
54 outer wall of termination module
55 inner wall of clip
56 second nose
57 opening
118 wire guide housing
218 wire guide housing
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
07113564.4 | Jul 2007 | EP | regional |
61022048 | Jan 2008 | US | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
PCT/US08/62014 | 4/30/2008 | WO | 00 | 10/22/2009 |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
60917840 | May 2007 | US |