Telephonic communications – Subscriber line or transmission line interface – Protective circuit
Reexamination Certificate
1997-12-17
2001-11-27
Woo, Stella (Department: 2643)
Telephonic communications
Subscriber line or transmission line interface
Protective circuit
C379S437000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06324283
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to surge suppressers or more particularly to replaceable surge protector assemblies for telephone network interfaces.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Telephone network interface devices are well known in the art. Such equipment connects telephone company wiring to wiring serving individual telephone subscribers. Typical telephone network interface devices are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,570,422; 5,416,837; 5,497,416; 5,479,505; and 5,333,193. The telephone network interface devices typically comprises a plurality of terminals in arranged in an array for connecting to several incoming telephone lines from a telephone company. These lines are then connected to complementary wiring in a house or office via the interface. In the usual case, the terminals are protected with a surge suppresser for grounding unexpected current surges. Such cause a short circuit to ground for a current overload condition which may be caused by a lightning strike. The interface changes from a first state which allows normal telephone current to proceed through the interface to a second state during an electrical surge condition. Normally a short circuit to ground is created during a surge to protect electrical components from damage. Protected telephone network interface devices are known from U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,3313,519; 5,438,619; 5,557,065; 5,548,641 and 5,373,413.
A key problem with prior art surge suppressers is that they are only useful for a single lightning hit. Once lightning hits, the telephone network interface device is expended and must be entirely replaced This may cause an outage in telephone service for a considerable length of time. The principal reason interfaces are expended is because gas filled surge suppressing elements are hard wired to the interface device. In addition, due to their very small size, handling such elements has been difficult. It would be desirable to provide a telephone network interface device which has pluggable, surge suppressing elements which are easily replaceable in an interface which has been hit by lightning. In this way repair is simplified, expedited and much less costly. While replaceable, pluggable surge suppressers are known for other applications, such are inconvenient for telephone interface applications due to restrictive space requirements and handling difficulties.
The present invention provides a holder which both protects the surge suppressing elements and makes them easier to handle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a receptacle for a surge suppresser which comprises an electrically insulating, hollow housing having a top, a floor, opposing side walls, a closed end and an open end defining a central cavity having inside walls, a slot through the floor extending from the open end a part of the distance toward the closed end; and a handle projecting outwardly from the top.
The invention also provides a receptacle for a surge suppresser which comprises an electrically insulating, hollow housing element having a top, opposing side walls, opposing ends and an open bottom defining an central cavity; an electrically insulating floor element which mates with the open bottom of the housing, said floor element having at least one opening through the floor for receiving wire leads therethrough; means for attaching the floor element to the housing element at the open bottom; and a handle projecting outwardly from the top.
The invention further provides a pluggable surge suppresser assembly comprising a receptacle as above and a surge suppresser having a plurality of wire leads extending outwardly therefrom; the surge suppresser being mounted in the cavity such that the leads extend through and out of the floor slot or opening.
The invention still further provides an electrical panel comprising an electrically insulating platform, a plurality of electrically conducting spring connectors mounted through the platform, which spring connectors are capable of removably grasping a wire lead therein; and at least one of the above pluggable surge suppresser assemblies plugged into the platform, the surge suppresser assembly being plugged into the platform by means of the wire leads being removably grasped by the spring connectors.
The invention yet further provides a telephone network interface having surge protection which comprises
(a) an electrically insulating platform,
(b) a plurality of telephone line tip and ring connectors on the platform;
(c) a plurality of electrically conducting spring connectors mounted through the platform, which spring connectors are capable of removably grasping a wire lead therein;
(d) an electrical connection between each of the telephone line tip and ring connectors and one each of the spring connectors; and
(e) a plurality of the above pluggable surge suppresser assemblies plugged into the platform, one assembly connected between one each of the tip and ring connectors and a ground connection; each surge suppresser assembly being plugged into the platform by means of the wire leads being removably grasped by the spring connectors.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4903295 (1990-02-01), Shannon et al.
patent: 5313519 (1994-05-01), Mickelson et al.
patent: 5333193 (1994-07-01), Cote et al.
patent: 5341270 (1994-08-01), Kaczmarek
patent: 5373413 (1994-12-01), Shannnon et al.
patent: 5416837 (1995-05-01), Cote et al.
patent: 5438619 (1995-08-01), Shannon et al.
patent: 5479505 (1995-12-01), Butler et al.
patent: 5497416 (1996-03-01), Butler, III et al.
patent: 5523916 (1996-06-01), Kaczmarek
patent: 5548641 (1996-08-01), Butler et al.
patent: 5557065 (1996-09-01), Brower et al.
patent: 5570422 (1996-10-01), Napiorkowski et al.
Donovich Sam
Garver William Joseph
Hall, Jr. John Wesley
The Whitaker Corporation
Woo Stella
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