Insulator insertion tool and kit

Details Insulator insertion tool and kit Insulator insertion tool and kit

1998-08-24

2001-05-15

Young, Lee (Department: 3729)

Metal working

Method of mechanical manufacture

Electrical device making

C029S845000, C029S278000, C029S270000, C029S750000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06230391

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cable television transmission components. More particularly, the invention relates to an apparatus used in conjunction with a bypass system for a cable television tap. The apparatus minimizes interruption of the cable signal to downstream subscribers and the chance of a short circuit in the system during servicing of the cable television tap.
2. Description of Related Art
Cable television (CATV) services are provided to subscribers through transmission networks that include taps, splitters, amplifiers and other equipment that distribute CATV service and ensure that the CATV signal quality is maintained. In particular, taps reside along the network to provide access outlets for localized subscribers. CATV network and service as used herein refers to all systems involving the transmission of television signals from the headend over a transmission medium, such as fiber optic cable or coaxial cable.
FIG. 1
is a block diagram of a CATV network
5
. The transmission line
34
provides cable signals from the headend
32
to subscribers
38
,
39
at remote locations. The subscribers
38
,
39
receive signals through taps
36
,
37
placed along the transmission line
34
. The CATV signals are typically routed into the tap and through a printed circuit board attached to the tap cover which splits the signal and allows each tap
36
,
37
to typically provide a connection to four or more subscribers.
Referring to
FIG. 2
, a prior art CATV multiple tap
15
is shown. The multiple tap
15
generally includes a tap cover
10
, a printed circuit board
14
, a pair of terminal housings
40
and a main housing
26
. The tap cover
10
is provided with a plurality of tap outlets
12
, each of which provides CATV service to a different subscriber. The printed circuit board
14
is rigidly attached to the inside surface of the cover
10
and includes a pair of signal receptors
22
,
23
. The signal receptors
22
,
23
allow the signal to flow through the printed circuit board
14
and to be split among the subscribers fed from the tap outlets
12
. The signal also passes through the tap
15
to a downstream tap
37
. A detailed explanation of the function of the printed circuit board
14
, which is well known to those skilled in the art, is outside the scope of the present invention. A metal braid
11
surrounds the periphery of the printed circuit board
14
at the junction between the cover
10
and the main housing
26
. The metal braid
11
provides an EMI/RFI trap for the printed circuit board
14
.
The main housing
26
includes threaded signal ports
24
,
25
at opposing ends. The input signal port
24
is adapted to receive a signal input via a coaxial cable and a signal impact connector
50
. The output signal port
25
receives a signal output connector
51
for outputting the received signal to the downstream CATV network. The internal conductor
52
,
53
of each coaxial cable
50
,
51
is connected inside the tap
15
at a terminal housing
40
. A threaded plug port
27
is provided adjacent to each signal port
24
,
25
to allow plugs
28
to be removed. Exposed terminal screws
46
aligned with the ports
27
are tightened onto the conductors
52
,
53
to fix each to a contact terminal
42
positioned in the respective terminal housing
40
(see FIG.
5
). The components of the terminal housing
40
are shown in greater detail in FIG.
4
. Upon engagement of the cover
10
, the receptors
22
,
23
on the printed circuit board
14
engage the contact terminals
42
to complete the circuit.
Referring to
FIG. 3
, the uninterrupted signal path
16
for the CATV tap
15
is illustrated. When the cover
10
is installed, the signal, shown as line
16
, originates from the signal input connector
50
. The signal input conductor
52
contacts the contact terminal
42
within the first terminal housing
40
and the signal flows through the contact terminal
42
to the first signal receptor
22
on the printed circuit board
14
. The signal then flows through the printed circuit board
14
(and thus to each individual tap
12
) and to the second signal receptor
23
. The second signal receptor
23
is coupled to the second contact terminal
42
within the other terminal housing
40
which contacts the conductor
53
within signal output connector
51
.
Periodically, the taps
36
,
37
require servicing due to malfunctioning of the tap
36
,
37
or to connect or disconnect subscribers
38
,
39
. However, when the cover
10
is removed for servicing the tap
15
, the printed circuit board
14
is also removed and the signal path is open-circuited since the signal receptors
22
,
23
no longer are connected to the contact terminals
42
. As a result, removal of the cover results in interruption of the cable signal over the transmission line
34
to subscribers downstream from that tap. For example, returning to
FIG. 1
, servicing of the tap
36
not only results in interruption of service to the subscribers
38
who are fed from that tap
36
, but also subscribers
39
who access the CATV network
5
through the downstream tap
37
. Various systems have been developed in attempts to reduce and eliminate interrupted service to downstream subscribers when the cover of the tap is removed for servicing.
One system for providing uninterrupted downstream service during servicing of a tap device is described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 5,756,935 which issued May 26, 1998 and is commonly assigned with the present invention. This system provides an internal bypass switch
60
which maintains signal flow when the cover
10
is removed. The bypass switch
60
includes a flexible leaf spring bypass conductor
62
. As shown in
FIG. 6
, removal of the tap cover
10
causes the conductor
62
to automatically contact both contact terminals
42
to thereby maintain uninterrupted service to downstream subscribers. When the tap cover
10
is replaced, see
FIG. 7
, an actuator
64
disengages and grounds the leaf spring bypass conductor
62
and the signal again flows through the printed circuit board
14
.
One problem which occasionally occurs with this type of bypass switch
60
is a short circuit. With the tap cover
10
in place, both ends
63
of the bypass conductor
62
are grounded against the tap housing
26
. As the tap cover
10
is removed, one of the ends
63
of the bypass conductor
62
may move into contact with its respective contact terminal
42
while the other end
63
is still grounded against the tap housing
26
. This will generally result in a short circuit. Since it may difficult for a service technician to tell if a tap
15
which is about to be serviced includes a bypass switch
60
, it is prudent to treat each tap
15
as if it has a bypass switch
60
with the potential for a short circuit.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a bypass system which provides minimally interrupted service to downstream subscribers during removal of the tap cover for servicing while minimizing the chance of a short circuit.


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patent: 5794997 (

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