U.S. patent number RE35,929 [Application Number 08/683,935] was granted by the patent office on 1998-10-20 for multilayered type network interface unit.
Invention is credited to Bassel Hage Daoud.
United States Patent |
RE35,929 |
Daoud |
October 20, 1998 |
Multilayered type network interface unit
Abstract
Disclosed is a network interface unit which comprises a
multilayer modular design. The upper layer includes an array of
customer bridges. The lower layer includes a splice chamber and a
protector panel. The splice chamber includes openings which permit
a plurality of units to be stacked. The upper layer is removably
mounted to the lower layer so it can be used with existing building
entrance protectors which have no interface section.
Inventors: |
Daoud; Bassel Hage (Parsippany,
NJ) |
Family
ID: |
21912858 |
Appl.
No.: |
08/683,935 |
Filed: |
July 19, 1996 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
Reissue of: |
040772 |
Mar 31, 1993 |
05363440 |
Nov 8, 1994 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
379/413.02;
379/412; 379/413 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04Q
1/028 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H04Q
1/02 (20060101); H04M 001/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;379/399,412,442,413
;439/49,133,709,718,719 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Zele; Krista
Assistant Examiner: Saint-Svrin; Jacques M.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Birnbaum; Lester H.
Claims
I claim:
1. A network interface unit for servicing a multiplicity of
subscribers, said unit comprising:
a bottom portion including a splice chamber and an array of
protector devices mounted thereon, said splice chamber including
wiring means for connecting a cable to said protectors; and
a top portion including an array of customer bridges, each adapted
for coupling to a different subscriber line, the bride array being
coupled to said protector array through at least one removable
electrical connector, said top portion being mounted to the bottom
portion by means including a hinged member so that the top portion
may be opened to reveal the bottom portion, and the mounting means
including fasteners so that the top portion is removably mounted to
the bottom portion.
2. The unit according to claim 1 further comprising a cross-connect
device mounted to the bottom portion and electrically connected
between the protector devices and the removable connector.
3. The unit according to claim 1 wherein the wiring means includes
a splice connector electrically connected thereto to permit the
cable to be spliced to the wiring means.
4. The unit according to claim 1 wherein the wiring means includes
a swivel stub connector electrically coupled to the wiring and
mounted within the splice chamber.
5. The unit according to claim 1 further comprising a screw
extending from the top portion to a screw receptacle in the bottom
portion such that the top portion can be opened only when the screw
is removed from the screw receptacle.
6. The unit according to claim 1 wherein the splice chamber
includes ports on opposite surfaces thereof to permit the cable to
enter and exit the chamber.
7. A network interface module for servicing a plurality of
subscribers and adapted for mounting over a building entrance
protector unit, the interface module comprising:
an array of customer bridges, each adapted for coupling to a
different subscriber line;
an electrical connector for coupling the bridges to a protector
array in the protector unit; and
a hinged member mounted to the interface module and adapted for
mounting by means of fasteners to the building entrance protector
unit. .Iadd.
8. A network interface unit for servicing a multiplicity of
subscribers, said unit comprising:
a bottom portion having first and second sides, said bottom portion
including a splice chamber and an array of protector devices
mounted thereon, said splice chamber including wiring means for
connecting a cable to said protectors, said splice chamber having a
splice chamber cover, said splice chamber cover being mounted by
first hinge means along and nearest the first side of said bottom
portion;
a top portion having first and second sides, said top portion
including an array of customer bridges each adapted for coupling to
a different subscriber line, the bridge array being coupled to said
protector array through at least one electrical connector, said top
portion being mounted to said bottom portion by second hinge means,
said second hinge means joining the second side of said bottom unit
to the second side of said top portion; and
a cover for covering said array of customer bridges, said cover
being mounted to the first side of said top portion by third hinge
means. .Iaddend..Iadd.9. The unit according to claim 8 wherein the
said electrical connector is located near the second side of the
top and bottom portions. .Iaddend..Iadd.10. The unit according to
claim 8 further comprising a cross-connect device mounted to the
bottom portion and electrically connected between the protector
devices and the removable connector. .Iaddend..Iadd.11. The unit
according to claim 8 wherein the wiring means includes a splice
connector electrically connected thereto to permit the cable to be
spliced to the wiring means. .Iaddend..Iadd.12. The unit according
to claim 8 wherein the wiring means includes a swivel stub
connector electrically coupled to the wiring and mounted within the
splice chamber. .Iaddend..Iadd.13. The unit according to claim 8
further comprising a screw extending from the top portion to a
screw receptacle in the bottom portion such that the top portion
can be opened only when the
screw is removed from the screw receptacle. .Iaddend..Iadd.14. The
unit according to claim 13 wherein the screw receptacle is located
in the splice chamber cover. .Iaddend..Iadd.15. The unit according
to claim 8 wherein the splice chamber includes ports on opposite
surfaces thereof to permit the cable to enter and exit the chamber.
.Iaddend.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to telecommunications apparatus and, in
particular, to network interface units and building entrance
protector units.
Network interface units constitute the demarcation between the
customer's equipment and the telephone network. In buildings
including multiple subscribers, the interface unit is typically
mounted in a basement and includes an array of customer bridges,
each bridge being coupled to an individual subscriber line. The
bridges are coupled to the phone network through an RJ11 jack and
plug so that the customer can plug a working phone into the jack to
determine if any problems lie in the customer or network side of
the telecommunications system.
Network interface units typically also include a building entrance
protector portion which comprises a cable splice chamber and a
protector field for providing surge protection for each customer.
Such units usually require a large amount of wall space, which may
not be readily available, especially if additional units are
required to increase capacity.
Many buildings presently include only a building entrance protector
unit without the network interface portion. When it is desired to
upgrade the unit, the customer is generally forced to buy a
completely new unit including both protector and network interface
portions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention in one aspect is a network interface unit for
servicing a multiplicity of subscribers. The unit comprises a
bottom portion including a splice chamber and an array of protector
devices mounted thereon. The splice chamber includes wiring means
for connecting a cable to the protectors. The unit further includes
a top portion including an array of customer bridges, each adapted
for coupling to a different subscriber line. The array of bridges
is coupled to the protector array through at least one removable
electrical connector. The top portion is mounted to the bottom
portion by means including a hinged member so that the top portion
may be opened to reveal the bottom portion. The mounting means also
includes fasteners so that the top portion is removably mounted to
the bottom portion.
In accordance with another aspect, the invention is a network
interface module for servicing a plurality of subscribers and
adapted for mounting over a building entrance protector unit. The
interface module comprises an array of customer bridges, each
adapted for coupling to a different subscriber line. The module
also includes an electrical connector for coupling the bridges to a
protector array in the protector unit. The interface module is
mounted to a hinged member which, in turn, is adapted for mounting
by means of fasteners to the building entrance protector unit .
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
These and other features of the invention are delineated in detail
in the following description. In the drawing:
FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a network interface unit in
accordance with an embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of another portion of the
network interface unit of FIG. 1; and
FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of a network interface unit in
accordance with a further embodiment.
It will be appreciated that, for purposes of illustration, these
figures are not necessarily drawn to scale.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1 illustrates primarily the network interface module of the
unit in accordance with the invention. An array of customer
bridges, e.g., 10, are mounted within respective holes in a chassis
11. Each bridge includes a connector portion 12 which comprises a
pair of screws, 13 and 14, electrically coupled to the customer's
equipment by means of wires (not shown). The screws 13 and 14 are
also electrically coupled to a pair of wires (not shown) formed
within a protective jacket 15, which emerges from the body of the
connector 12. The wires terminate in a standard RJ11 plug 16. (For
an example of a connector unit which may be used in a network
interface unit, see U.S. Pat. No. 5,004,433 issued to Daoud.)
Adjacent to each connector portion 12 is a bridge assembly 17 which
includes a jack 18 for receiving the RJ11 plug 16. The bridge
assembly is electrically coupled to the telecommunications network
through standard wiring and electrical connectors, to be described,
and can include such additional components as a maintenance
termination unit. (For an example of a bridge assembly which can be
used with the present invention, see U.S. patent application of
Baker et al., Ser. No. 07/874,319, filed Apr. 27, 1992.)
The chassis, e.g., 11, are mechanically secured to a base number
19. Also secured to the base member 19 by means of a hinged member
20 is a cover 21 so that the cover can protect the customer
bridges. Typically, the cover may be opened by any of the
subscribers in the building to gain access to the customer
bridges.
FIG. 2 illustrates the bottom portion of the unit, which basically
comprises the building entrance protector module, in combination
with the previously described network interface module. This
protector module also includes a base member 22 on which is mounted
an array of protector devices, e.g., 23. Each protector device 23
is typically a solid state surge arrester which is plugged into a
socket (not shown) mounted to the base member 22. The array of
protectors is electrically coupled to a bundle of wires 24 which
terminate in a splice connector 25.
The splice connector 25 and the major portion of the wire bundle 24
are situated within a splice chamber 26 which is located adjacent
to the base member 22. The chamber includes top and bottom surfaces
27 and 28 which each include a port, 29 and 30 respectively,
permitting a cable (not shown) to enter through one surface of the
splice chamber and exit at the opposite surface. This feature
permits a plurality of the units shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 to be
stacked in a vertical direction in the orientation shown. The back
wall of the splice chamber includes a hole 31 which permits wall
mounting of the unit. A cover 32 is mounted by means of a hinged
member 33 to the splice chamber to protect the splices formed
therein.
Also mounted on the base member 22 is a cross-connector or tapping
field 34. Such fields, which are standard in the art, include an
array of connectors, each coupled between a protector and an
associated customer bridge. By applying jumper cables (not shown)
to the connectors, connections can be changed between protectors
and customer bridges when, for example, a customer changes his or
her location in the building.
The base member 19 of the network interface module is mounted to a
hinged member 35 which, in turn, is removably mounted to the base
member 22 of the protector module by fasteners, which in this case
are screws such as 36. Electrical connection of the jacks (e.g., 18
of FIG. 1) in the network interface module to the protector and
cross-connect field wiring behind base 22 is provided by means of
removable electrical connectors 37 and 38. The connectors can be
standard pin and socket type connectors. In this example, the
socket is mounted to the base member 22 and includes receptacle for
receiving and electrically engaging pins in the plug, the plug
being electrically coupled to wiring which is electrically
connected to the array of jacks in the customer bridges.
The network interface module also includes a screw 40, the bottom
portion of which is visible in FIG. 2. The screw extends through
the base member 19 of the interface module and is received by a
screw receptacle 41 when the cover 32 of the splice chamber 26 is
closed and the interface module is rotated on the hinged member 35
to cover the protector module. The screw 40 is typically a security
screw which can be turned only by a specially designed screwdriver
available to telephone personnel.
The unit illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, therefore, is a multilayer
design which includes an interface module in the top layer and a
protector module in the bottom layer. The interface module is
mounted by means of hinged member 35 so that in normal operation
the interface module completely covers the protector module, but
can be swung upon as illustrated in FIG. 2 to provide access to the
protector module by an appropriate craftsperson. Further, the
interface module is electrically and mechanically removable from
the protector module. This permits the interface module to be sold
as a stand-alone unit to customers who already have a protector
unit similar to the protector module shown. Such customers can
mount the interface module over or adjacent to their existing
protector units.
FIG. 3 illustrates a protector module in accordance with an
alternative embodiment of the invention. Similar elements have been
similarly numbered. Here, the splice connector, 25 of FIG. 2, has
been replaced by a swivel stub connector 50, which is mounted to
the back wall of the splice chamber 26. The cable 51 is
electrically coupled to the connector 50 and is shown cut away for
purposes of illustration.
Various additional modifications will become apparent to those
skilled in the art. All such variations which basically rely on the
teachings through which the invention has advanced the an are
properly considered within the scope of the invention.
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