Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-13
2001-02-13
Gandhi, Jayprakash N. (Department: 2841)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
C361S753000, C361S801000, C439S519000, C206S706000, C220S004020
Reexamination Certificate
active
06188581
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an improved housing for plug-in protectors that is expandable to accommodate different size components contained in the protectors.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A building entrance protector, i.e. junction box, provides an interface for cables from the central office of the service provider for distribution to subscribers throughout the building served by the junction box. A typical building entrance protector contains a protector field, which provides surge protection to each subscriber's line. Advantageously, the protector field comprises a panel having sockets thereon for plug-in protectors, which are solid state devices mounted on printed wiring board. A typical protector field has a five by five configuration. Due the need to conserve space within a junction box, the twenty-five plug-in protectors are placed abutting each other on the panel.
A plug-in protector has five terminals. A typical five-pin plug-in protector has a rectangular box shape housing measuring ½ inch wide, ¾ inch high and 1⅝ inch long. The housing of a prior art plug-in protector comprises a shell unit and a base unit. The shell unit has a hollow rectangular box shape body with an opening at the front portion. The rear portion of the body has an integral handle. Extending from the rear portion of the base unit is a printed wiring board containing surge protective devices. Connected to the printed wiring board and extending from the front portion of the base unit are pins for plugging into a protective field panel in a junction box for connection to and protection of a subscriber's line.
The rear portion of the base unit is inserted into the cavity of the shell unit, thereby enclosing the cavity opening, with the printed wiring board housed within the cavity of the shell unit. The base unit provides latches for engaging corresponding latch holes on the shell unit to maintain the unity of the shell and base units of the surge protector.
The size of the housing for plug-in protectors vary depending on the application and the type of components contained on the printed wiring board. Due to the limited space on a protector field panel, the only variable for expansion is the length. For prior art plug-in protectors, a larger sized printed wiring board requires a longer shell unit to accommodate the increase in length.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved housing for plug-in protectors that is easily expandable to accommodate different size of printed wiring board housed within the protectors.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides an improved housing for accommodating different sized printed wiring board housed within a plug-in protector.
The improved housing of the plug-in protector is expandable lengthwise to accommodate printed wiring board of varying length.
The housing of this invention comprises a shell unit and a base unit. The shell unit has a hollow rectangular box shape body with an opening at the front portion. The rear portion of the body has an integral handle. On each of the four inner sidewalls in the cavity of the body is a first set of teeth, ribs or grooves running horizontally to the axis from the front to the rear portions of the body.
The base unit has a hollow rectangular box shape body with an opening at the rear portion. The cavity of the base unit provides a pair of ledges extending from opposite inner sidewalls for supporting and receiving at least a portion of a printed wiring board containing surge protective devices. The printed wiring board is connected to pins extending from the front portion of the body of the base unit. The body of the base unit is dimensioned to advantageously fit within the cavity of the shell unit. On each of the four outer sidewalls of the body of the base unit is a second set of teeth, ribs or grooves running horizontally to the axis from the front to the rear portions of the body and mateable or engageable with corresponding teeth, ribs or grooves on the inner sidewalls of the cavity of the shell unit.
The rear portion of the base unit, with the printed wiring board inserted into its cavity and extending from said rear portion, is inserted fully into the cavity of the shell unit, thereby enclosing the cavity opening of the shell unit with the first set of teeth in the inner sidewalls of the shell unit engaging the corresponding second set of teeth on the outer sidewalls of the base unit. The two sets of teeth overlap and interlock to enclose the electrical components on the printed wiring board from environmental elements.
The cooperative shell and base units of the present invention is an expandable housing that can accommodate different lengths printed wiring board. A shorter printed wiring board allows a plurality of teeth of the first and second sets to overlap when the base unit is fully inserted into the cavity of the shell unit. A longer printed wiring board can be used so long as the two sets of teeth on the shell and base units matingly overlap to enclose the cavity opening of the shell unit.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4215381 (1980-07-01), Heisinger
patent: 5359657 (1994-10-01), Pelegris
patent: 5754643 (1998-05-01), Decker et al.
Avaya Technology Corp.
Gandhi Jayprakash N.
Miskin Howard C.
Tsui-Yip Gloria
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