Telephonic communications – Subscriber line or transmission line interface
Reexamination Certificate
1994-08-08
2001-09-18
Matar, Ahmad (Department: 2642)
Telephonic communications
Subscriber line or transmission line interface
C379S412000, C379S442000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06292558
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to telephone network interface devices, and in particular, relates to a telephone interface apparatus that has a cover free from apertures having access to the inside and is suitable for connection between the premise wiring of a subscriber loop of a telephone transmission system at the junction where it connects to the telephone company owned portion of the subscriber loop.
2. Discussion of the Relevant Art
With changes in the law permitting the individual homeowner to purchase and install his own telephone equipment and related appliances he became responsible for the proper operation of the equipment he installed. The telephone company no longer owned the equipment in a subscriber's home and became responsible only for proper service up to the juncture between the telephone lines and the homeowner's premises. Thus, it became necessary to provide a telephone interface apparatus which was capable of readily disconnecting the homeowner's wiring installed in the premises from the telephone company's transmission lines so that when trouble occurred, it could readily be isolated to the telephone company's line or the homeowner's house wiring. If a homeowner experienced a problem with his telephone service it was first necessary for him to determine if it was the telephone company that needed a repair on their lines or equipment or if the wiring or equipment in the homeowner installed apparatus required repair. Many devices became available on the market which provided the function of readily disconnecting the home wiring from the telephone company owned portion of the subscriber loop. Typical of these apparatuses is U.S. Pat. No. 4,488,008 issued to T. A. Dellinger et al on Dec. 11, 1984. Another device typical of these apparatuses is U.S. Pat. No. Des. 282,654 issued to S. B. Perry et al on Feb. 18, 1986.
These devices although providing the necessary function of severing the telephone company owned portion of the subscriber loop from the homeowner's portion of the subscriber loop are inconvenient, and are not free of apertures communicating with the base member, and the instant invention provides a simple convenient means to provide a similar function. The shortcomings of the prior art are overcome and isolation between the components, terminals and circuitry which is maintained by the telephone company is readily separated from and made non-accessible to the subscribing homeowner. Yet, access to the terminals to which the subscriber must connect his equipment is made readily available and is protected by a covering so that the internal components are protected from the elements.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a telephone network interface apparatus which may readily be mounted by the telephone company at the juncture where the subscriber loop becomes the property of the homeowner (subscriber) and the remaining portion remains the property of the telephone company.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a telephone network interface apparatus capable of containing within the housing the necessary electronic components needed by the telephone company at the juncture of the homeowner's premises and the telephone company's transmission lines.
It is still yet another object of the present invention to provide a limited access apparatus where the homeowner (subscriber) has access only to the terminals to which he must connect his internal house wiring and auxiliary equipment and is not afforded access to the remaining portion of the apparatus in which the telephone company's components are located.
It is still yet another object of the present invention to provide a telephone network interface apparatus in which the homeowner's portion of the subscriber loop may be readily disconnected from the telephone company's portion of the loop and not permit access to voltages which could injure the homeowner or permit him to disconnect the ground connection.
It is still yet another object of the present invention to provide a telephone network interface apparatus having a cover free of apertures communicating with the base member in which the owner of the premises may readily make a connection to the telephone company's transmission lines and still permit the telephone company to have provision for installing additional components and devices without concern that the homeowner would have ready access thereto.
A telephone network interface apparatus providing limited access for the owner of premises having a telephone subscriber loop termination disposed thereon and providing complete access by telephone service employees, according to the principles of the present invention, comprises an open top base member having a circumscribing wall portion including at least two outwardly extending C-shaped portions for receiving an elongated bar member in the open portion thereof. First and second set of terminals are disposed in the base member, the first set of terminals are adapted to be connected to the owner of the premises subscriber loop termination and the second set of terminals are adapted to be connected the telephone company owned portion of the subscriber loop. Mating plug and socket members disposed in the base member have electrical contacts therein adapted to be electrically and mechanically engaged and disengaged with each other. The first set of wires electrically connect the plug to the first set of terminals and a second set of wires electrically connect the socket to the second set of terminals. A cover is provided with at least two outwardly extending bar members adapted to be received by and cooperate with the outwardly extending C-shaped portions of the base member to provide a complete cover free of apertures communicating with the inside of the open top base member. The extending bar members include at least one longitudinally extending protrusion. A shield is provided with a device receiving and cooperating with the bar members extending protrusions and is provided with a portion adapted to cover at least the second set of terminals, but not the first set of terminals.
The foregoing and other objects and advantages will appear from the description to follow. In the description, reference is made to the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration a specific embodiment in which the invention may be practiced. This embodiment will be described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is best defined by the appended claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 287583 (1987-01-01), Smith et al.
patent: D. 347229 (1994-05-01), Smith
patent: 4488008 (1984-12-01), Dellinger et al.
patent: 4518084 (1985-05-01), Berkman
patent: 4522326 (1985-06-01), Tuohy, III
patent: 4531774 (1985-07-01), Whatley
patent: 4562311 (1985-12-01), Dola
patent: 4741032 (1988-04-01), Hampton
patent: 4800588 (1989-01-01), Poster, Jr.
patent: 4853960 (1989-08-01), Smith
Matar Ahmad
Sachs Martin
TII Industries Inc.
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