Electricity: conductors and insulators – Overhead – Towers – poles or posts
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-30
2001-01-16
Reichard, Dean A. (Department: 2831)
Electricity: conductors and insulators
Overhead
Towers, poles or posts
C174S066000, C052S220800
Reexamination Certificate
active
06175078
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Not Applicable.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not Applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to in-floor, flush poke-through wiring or service fittings for enabling activation of power and low-voltage data services (e.g., video, telecommunication, computer network, etc.) at the in-floor locations of the fittings. More particularly, the present invention relates to flush poke-through wiring fittings that can accommodate a variety of low-voltage service connectors in an internally mounted, protected fashion.
Poke-through fittings are utilized to enable the activation of power and low-voltage services at the poke-through fitting's location. As explained in U.S. Pat. No. 4,770,643, high-voltage power cables and low-voltage signal cables, positioned in a plenum between the ceiling of the floor below and the floor above (that is, the floor in which the opening is in), may be pulled from the plenum and connected with or passed through the poke-through fitting for activation of services for and on the floor above. More specifically, high voltage source power cables are connected with power receptacles that may be mounted within the poke-through fitting or surface mounted on the floor above the fitting. Lower voltage service cables have been traditionally passed through the poke-through fitting to provide above floor connections between these cables and equipment positioned on the floor above.
It is desirable to have all of the service connectors contained within the floor box to provide a clean appearance and prevent tripping and/or damage to connectors fittings. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/098,797 which was filed on Jun. 17, 1998 by Norman Castelanni et al. and is entitled Flush Poke-Through Wire Fitting (hereinafter the “Castelanni et al. application) recognizes this problem and provides for internal mounting of industry standard RJ-45 Category 5 data jacks. However, because there are many styles of data jacks commercially available, there is a need for a poke-through fitting that provides for internal mounting of different styles of data jacks.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The improved flush poke-through fitting of this invention overcomes the above problem and additionally provides commercially significant advantages as compared with the prior poke-through fittings. The invention comprises an improved, flush poke-through fitting that enables internal mounting of different styles of data jacks or connectors (e.g., fiber optics connectors, coaxial connectors and RJ-XX series connectors, including, but not limited to, RJ-11, RJ-12 and RJ-45 connectors) at the poke-through fitting's location. The poke-through utilizes a novel mounting bracket that is readily modifiable to support a variety of styles of data connectors in an internal, protected fashion. The mounting bracket has a first portion that is mountable in the top assembly of the poke-through fitting so that the bracket first portion overlies an internal chamber of the poke-through fitting. A second portion of the mounting bracket carries the data jack and is mountable in the bracket first portion in a height adjustable manner so that data connectors of differing heights may be internally mounted within the fitting. The top assembly includes a cover plate that overlies the mounting brackets. The cover plate has sliders that may be slid outwardly to provide access to the power receptacles and data connectors carried by the mounting brackets. The sliders have recessed portions that accommodate labels for identifying the data connectors contained in the fitting. In one embodiment, the mounting bracket is adapted to support at least one fiber optic connector in the chamber such that the top surface of the connector is recessed below the cover plate in a protected fashion the upper outwardly facing surface of the top assembly.
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Bambardekar Shailesh Shashikant
Hatfield Amy Chaffee
McAndrews Held & Malloy
Reichard Dean A.
Walker Systems, Inc.
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