Telephonic communications – Subscriber line or transmission line interface
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-17
2001-08-28
Chiang, Jack (Department: 2642)
Telephonic communications
Subscriber line or transmission line interface
Reexamination Certificate
active
06282285
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a multilayered housing for interfacing telephone lines with a network and for distributing multiple wire pairs to various local and/or remote locations within or without a building.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Telephone lines, which are carried by electrical conductors known as tip ring wire pairs, are generally aggregated at a particular point in a building prior to being distributed and connected to various types of telephone equipment, such as, for example, telephones, fax machines, modems, etc. Tip ring wire pairs generally enter the building as part of a multi-conductor cable, and, as such, must be broken out from the cable into individual wire pairs prior to connecting individual pairs. This is normally accomplished in a junction box commonly known as a building entrance protector (BEP) and/or network interface unit (NIU). Within such devices the individual telephone line tip ring pairs are separated from the cable, individually connected to a connector block, and made available for further electrical connection and distribution. Usually, a protector device is inserted between the telephone central office (or network side of the telephone line) and the customer equipment (or terminal side of the telephone line) to protect the telephone or other equipment connected to the telephone line and the user of such equipment from hazardous overvoltages induced in the telephone network or in the cables passing between the telephone central office and the building within which the line is terminated.
In a typical arrangement, the telephone lines coming from the network are first wired to a protector field, which is an array of connectors for receiving the protector device, which is in turn hard-wired to a first connector block which provides a first test point for testing the telephone line connections between the building and telephone central office. This first terminal block is hard-wired to a multi pair connector, most typically a twenty-five pair connector of the RJ21 type, for further connection to an array of customer bridges which are also hard wired and connectorized via a mating RJ21 connector. The use of a customer bridge permits a subscriber to disconnect terminal equipment from a telephone line so that the subscriber can isolate troubles on the line as originating in the telephone network, or on the terminal equipment side of the telephone line. An example of such an arrangement is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,363,440, dated Nov. 8, 1994, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. U.S. Pat. No. 5,363,440, depicts a multi-layered network interface unit that results in size economies because the customer bridge connector block is hingeably connected to the telephone network protector array field so that rather than placing these two arrays side by side they can be mounted in overlying relationship, resulting in a saving of space.
BEP housings are generally fabricated from a number of individual components or compartments. One example of a prior art BEP housing is shown in
FIG. 1
, and is generally indicated at
320
. Such a BEP housing typically includes a swivel stub mounting panel
355
for providing a location at which a cable (not shown) enters the BEP, a component mounting panel
356
mounted to swivel stub mounting panel
355
to form a wiring chamber
340
, a network cover support bracket
357
mounted to component mounting panel
356
, and a network cover
358
hingedly connected to network support bracket
357
to form a network chamber
350
. Component mounting panel
356
may serve as a mounting site for electrical components, such as a connector block
375
and a surge protector panel
374
, while mounting panel
355
may serve as a mounting site for a swivel stub
370
for channeling the wire pairs of a cable into wiring chamber
340
. In addition, prior art configurations often include a network interface module
351
, having a customer bridge mounting panel
353
for providing a location to mount a connectors, such as RJ11-type connectors
336
. A customer bridge cover
331
is hingedly connected to cover support bracket
357
, and along with bridge mounting panel
353
form a customer bridge chamber
335
. Finally, such prior art configurations often include a connector module
359
, having a mounting cover
354
for providing a location to mount a multi-pair connector, most typically a twenty-five pair connector, such as an RJ21-type connector
376
, and a splice chamber
330
, having a base
352
, and a chamber cover
323
connected to base
352
by a hinge
325
, for providing an enclosed area to splice wires.
These separate modules or housing components are combined in a wide variety of configurations to satisfy customer requirements and comply with local BEP codes. As a result, it is necessary to employ a costly stocking process to ensure that a large number of each of these components are available to quickly fabricate a specific BEP design.
In addition, mounting the multiple components or compartments of a prior art configuration requires a significant labor expenditure. In a typical arrangement, a telephone line entering housing
320
is first broken out into individual pairs in splice chamber
330
, or alternatively, in wiring chamber
340
. The individual pairs are then wired to protector panel
374
, which in turn is hard wired to connector block
375
. Connector block
375
provides a first test point for testing the telephone line connections between the building and telephone central office. This first terminal block may then be hard-wired to a multi-pair connector, such as RJ21 connector
376
, for further connection to a customer bridge, which may also be hard-wired and connectorized via a mating RJ21 connector.
Alternatively, as is shown in
FIG. 1
, a number of wire pairs may be wired from connector block
375
to RJ11-type connectors
336
contained within customer bridge chamber
335
to provide a second test point for testing the telephone line connections. The remainder of the wire pairs from connector block
375
may be hard-wired to RJ21-connectors
376
so that the wire pairs may be further connected to a customer bridge at a location remote to housing
320
.
When the installer connects wiring between components located in different compartments, the installer must pass the wiring through holes in the compartment walls. Depending on the local code, the wiring may have to be protected by a conduit or the like requiring further labor to complete assembly.
Further, depending on the design of the building and the number of telephone pairs required, BEPs may be stacked one above the other on a support surface, generally a wall or back plane. Where the incoming cable is passed behind swivel stub mounting panel
355
, as is shown in
FIG. 1
, and into swivel stub
370
, it becomes difficult to lay a second cable alongside a previously laid cable due to space restrictions. Finally, the multi-compartment configuration of the prior art requires a mounting area large enough to support such a structure.
Thus, in a prior art configuration it is necessary to mount a number of different components, and at specific points during assembly to run wire through cutouts in those components. This system of assembly requires that much of the installation be done at the site, often at locations that make it difficult to quickly complete the assembly process.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed at overcoming the shortcomings of the prior art. Specifically, the invention is directed to a multi-layered enclosure for terminating and distributing wire pairs from a cable. The enclosure includes a rear layer, having a base, a front layer, a cover, and an insertable compartment separator. The rear layer is preferably hingedly connected to the front layer, which, in turn, is hingedly connected to the cover. The compartment separator divides the volume of the rear layer into compartments, and in conjunction with the base, the front layer, and the cover, forms a splice chamber,
Avaya Technology Corp.
Chiang Jack
Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP
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