Electrical connectors – With insulation other than conductor sheath – Plural-contact coupling part
Reexamination Certificate
2002-07-19
2004-12-14
Zarroli, Michael C. (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
With insulation other than conductor sheath
Plural-contact coupling part
C439S669000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06830486
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to digital cross-connect equipment. More particularly, the present invention relates to cross-connect switching modules for use in telecommunications, data and video transmissions.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the telecommunications industry, the use of switching jacks to perform cross-connect and monitoring functions is well known. The jacks may be mounted to replaceable cards or modules which in turn may be mounted in a chassis, and multiple chassis may be mounted together in an equipment rack. Modules for use in co-axial environments are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,913,701, which is incorporated herein by reference. Modules for use in twisted pair applications are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,116,961. Cross-connect modules are also used with fiber optic communications systems.
FIG. 1
shows a prior art cross-connect arrangement of the type used for co-axial applications. The depicted arrangement includes two jack modules
20
,
22
. The jack modules
20
,
22
may be mounted in separate chassis that are in turn mounted on separate racks. Each jack module
20
,
22
is cabled to a separate network element (i.e., piece of telecommunications equipment). For example, jack module
20
is connected to equipment
24
by cables
26
, and jack module
22
is connected to equipment
28
by cables
30
. The pieces of equipment
24
and
28
are interconnected by cross-connect jumpers
32
placed between the two jack modules
20
and
22
. Each jack module
20
,
22
includes IN and OUT ports
34
and
36
for direct access to the equipment's input and output signals. Each module
20
,
22
also includes X-IN and X-OUT ports
35
,
37
for providing direct access to the cross-connect input and cross-connect output signals. Ports
34
-
37
provide a means to temporarily break the connection between the pieces of equipment
24
and
28
that are cross-connected together, and to allow access to the signals for test and patching operations. The jack modules
20
,
22
also include monitor ports
38
for non-intrusive access to the input and output signals of each piece of telecommunications equipment
24
,
28
.
A typical telecommunications central office includes many jack modules and a large number of bundled cables interconnecting the modules. Consequently, absent indicators, it is difficult to quickly determine which two jack modules are cross-connected together. To assist in this function, the jack modules
20
,
22
include indicator lights
40
wired to power
42
and ground
44
. Switches
46
are positioned between the indicator lights
40
and ground
44
. The indicator lights
40
are also electrically connected to pin jacks
48
located at the rear of the jack modules
20
,
22
. The pin jacks
48
provide connection locations for allowing the tracer lamp circuits corresponding to each of the modules
20
,
22
to be interconnected by a cable
50
. The cable
50
is typically bundled with the cross-connect cables
32
. When either switch
46
is closed, the indicator lamps
40
corresponding to both of the jack modules
20
,
22
are connected to ground and thereby illuminated. Thus, by closing one of the switches
46
, the two jack modules
20
,
22
that are cross-connected can be easily identified by merely locating the illuminated tracer lamps.
SUMMARY
The present disclosure describes representative embodiments that include examples of how a number of different inventive concepts can be practiced. It will be appreciated that the inventions can be used together or separately from one another. It will further be appreciated that the examples embodying the inventive concepts are merely illustrative, and that variations can be made with respect to the depicted examples without departing from the broad scope of the inventive concepts.
An example embodiment disclosed herein relates to a jack module having numerous inventive features for facilitating ease of assembly.
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patent: 4749968 (1988-06-01), Burroughs
patent: 4768961 (1988-09-01), Lau
patent: 4815104 (1989-03-01), Williams et al.
patent: 5147992 (1992-09-01), Eriksen et al.
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patent: 5348491 (1994-09-01), Louwagie et al.
patent: 5366388 (1994-11-01), Freeman et al.
patent: 5413494 (1995-05-01), Dewey et al.
patent: 5467062 (1995-11-01), Burroughs
patent: 5538438 (1996-07-01), Orlando
patent: 5913701 (1999-06-01), Olson et al.
patent: 5947771 (1999-09-01), Bethurum
patent: 6019521 (2000-02-01), Manning et al.
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patent: 6589062 (2003-07-01), Ogren et al.
patent: 2002/0076964 (2002-06-01), Weisz-Margulescu
patent: 2003/0013346 (2003-01-01), Perrone et al.
patent: WO 93/20600 (1993-10-01), None
patent: WO 94/08429 (1994-04-01), None
patent: WO 98/38703 (1998-09-01), None
patent: WO 00/30219 (2000-05-01), None
ADC Digital Switching Cross-Connect Module, 4 pgs. (including description) (Date: This art was known of prior to filing of present U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/199,981).
Fig. 1 of admitted prior art from application.
Brochure, “Video Signal Distribution Products,”ADC Telecommunications, pp. 47, (Oct. 1996).
Kluempke Shari K.
Norris Jeffrey J.
ADC Telecommunications Inc.
Merchant & Gould P.C.
Zarroli Michael C.
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