AU2006264024A1

AU2006264024A1 - Distributing unit for a telecommunications system and identification device for a distributing unit

Info

Publication number: AU2006264024A1
Application number: AU2006264024A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Wolfgang Hoffmann; Marc Lipkowski; Wolfgang Schulte; Rainer Vogt; Rainer Zimmer
Original assignee: CCS Technology Inc
Current assignee: Corning Research and Development Corp
Priority date: 2005-06-28
Filing date: 2006-06-08
Publication date: 2007-01-04
Anticipated expiration: 2026-06-08
Also published as: ATE549866T1; RU2007147017A; WO2007000227A1; AU2006264024B2; EP1897381A1; EP1897381B1; DE202005010263U1

Abstract

Distribution block contains numerous distribution strips (12) in vertical and/or horizontal set-up. Each strip contains functional elements for connection of incoming or outgoing cable cores.There is engagement marker for functional elements, containing at least one stripe holder (16) slidable over distribution strips or functional elements, sliding on lateral guide rails (17). Independent claims - are included for engagement marker for telecommunication distribution block.

Description

IN THE MATTER OF an Australian Application corresponding to PCT Application PCT/EP2006/005445 I, John Barton COATES BSc, CEng, MIET, translator to RWS Group Ltd, of Europa House, Marsham Way, Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, England, do solemnly and sincerely declare that I am conversant with the English and German languages and am a competent translator thereof, and that to the best of my knowledge and belief the following is a true and correct translation of the PCT Application filed under No. PCT/EP2006/005445. Date: 27 November 2007 J.o C TfES For and on behalf of RWS Group Ltd WO 2007/000227 - 1 - PCT/EP20'06/005445 CCS Technology, Inc June 6, 2006 103 Foulk Road E-HE-0063-PCT Wilmington, Delaware 19803 CCS.305.08.PCT USA 5 Distribution device for a telecommunications system, as well as an identification device for a distribution device 10 The invention relates to a distribution device for a telecommunications system as claimed in the precharacterizing clause of claim 1. The invention also relates to an identification device for a distribution device as claimed in the precharacterizing clause of 15 claim 9. A distribution device which is in the form of a distribution block and has a plurality of distribution strips arranged one above the other is known from the 20 product catalog "Anschluss- und Verteilersysteme, Issue 1, page 54, Year 2000, Corning Cable Systems GmbH & Co. KG". The distribution strips are formed by wire routing elements and functional elements for the connection of incoming and outgoing cable cores. The distribution 25 device disclosed there also has an identification device for identification of the fitting of the functional elements, with the identification device being formed by strip holders, and with each distribution strip and each functional element having a 30 separate associated strip holder. The strip holder can be plugged onto a distribution strip in the area of it, and can be fixed to the distribution device in this plugged-on position. The strip holders conceal the functional elements of the distribution strips, in 35 which case the strip holders can be folded over for connection of incoming and outgoing cable cores to the functional elements. However, the accessibility of the functional elements is restricted even when the strip WO 2007/000227 - 2 - PCT/EP2006/005445 holders are folded over. Furthermore, when the strip holders are folded over, a fitting identification strip associated with the strip holder can be seen only to a restricted extent. The identification devices known 5 from the prior art for a distribution device accordingly have restricted functionality. Against this background, the present invention is based on the problem of providing a novel distribution device 10 for a telecommunications system, and a novel identification device for a distribution device. This problem is solved by a distribution device for a telecommunications system having the features of claim 15 1. According to the invention, the identification device has at least one strip holder, which can be moved above or along the distribution strips and/or functional elements which are arranged one above the other and/or alongside one another. 20 For the purposes of the present invention here, it is proposed that the identification device have at least one movable strip holder. The capability to move the strip holder relative to the distribution strips and/or 25 functional elements of the distribution device makes it possible to reduce the number of strip holders required, since one strip holder can be moved to the distribution strip of a distribution device on which installation work is intended to be carried out. 30 Furthermore, the accessibility of the functional elements is not adversely affected by a strip holder which can be moved in this way. During installation work, the functional elements are accordingly freely accessible for connection of incoming and outgoing 35 cable cores. This simplifies and speeds up the installation work on a distribution device.

WO 2007/000227 - 3 - PCT/EP2006/005445 The or each strip holder can preferably be locked in its relative position with respect to the distribution strips and/or functional elements, preferably by interlocking or friction-fitting contact with guide 5 rails on which the respective strip holder is guided. The identification device according to the invention for a distribution device is defined in independent claim 9. 10 Preferred developments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims and in the following description. Exemplary embodiments will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawing, in which: 15 Figure 1 shows a distribution device according to the invention for a telecommunications system together with an identification device according to the invention, in the form of a 20 perspective front view; Figure 2 shows a detail of the distribution device according to the invention as shown in Figure 1, in the form of a perspective front view; 25 Figure 3 shows the detail as shown in Figure 1, without the identification device according to the invention, in the form of a perspective front view; 30 Figure 4 shows a strip holder for the identification device according to the invention, in the form of a perspective front view; 35 Figure 5 shows the strip holder as shown in Figure 4, in the form of a perspective rear view; WO 2007/000227 - 4 - PCT/EP2006/005445 Figure 6 shows a guide rail for the identification device according to the invention, in the form of a perspective front view; 5 Figure 7 shows an alternative identification device according to the invention, in the form of a perspective front view; and Figure 8 shows the identification deice as shown in 10 Figure 7, in the form of a perspective rear view. The present invention in this case will be described in greater detail in the following text first of all with 15 reference to the preferred exemplary embodiment, as shown in Figures 1 to 6, of the present invention here. Figure 1 shows a detail of a distribution device according to the invention for a telecommunications 20 system which, in the illustrated exemplary embodiment, is in the form of a distribution block 10. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the distribution block 10 has a holding trough 11, with a plurality of distribution strips 12 being arranged one above the 25 other in the form of a sandwich in the holding trough 11. The distribution strips are formed by functional elements 13 and wire routing elements 14. In the exemplary embodiment in Figure 1, at least one 30 wire routing element is positioned between every two adjacent functional elements. The functional elements 13 have terminal elements 15 in the form of IDC contacts, which are used for connection of incoming and outgoing cable cores. In this case, the terminal 35 elements 15 for each functional element 13 are arranged in the form of two rows running parallel to one another.

WO 2007/000227 - 5 - PCT/EP2006/005445 The distribution device has an associated identification device for identification of the fitting of the functional elements 13 and/or the terminal elements 15 of the functional elements 13. For the 5 purposes of the present invention, the identification device has a movable strip holder 16 which, in the exemplary embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 6, is guided and/or mounted on guide rails 17 and can be moved parallel to the extent of the guide rails 17 above 10 and/or along the distribution strips 12 and/or the functional elements 13 of the distribution block 10. The capability to move the strip holder 16 means that it can always be moved into the area of the distribution strip 12 or of the functional element 13 15 on whose terminal elements 15 installation work is intended to be carried out. In this case, the terminal elements 15 are always freely accessible for installation work. Installation work is accordingly not impeded by the strip holder 16 of the identification 20 device. Since it is possible to work with a single strip holder 16 in the area of the entire distribution block 10, the costs are reduced in comparison to the solution and from the prior art, in which a separate strip holder is required for each distribution strip 25 and for each functional element. The guide rails 17 (see Figure 6) have two edges 18 and 19 which run parallel to the distribution strips 12 and/or functional elements 13. The guide rails 17 are 30 attached by an edge 18 to the distribution block 10 and, in the illustrated exemplary embodiment, these edges 18 of the guide rails 17 can be plugged or latched into anchoring elements 20 for the functional elements 13. 35 The anchoring elements 20 extend at the side alongside the terminal elements 15 of the functional elements 13 and are each formed by two limbs (see Figure 3) between WO 2007/000227 - 6 - PCT/EP2006/005445 which the first edge 18 of a guide rail 17 can be inserted and latched. The guide rails 17 are fixed in their position on the distribution block 10 by the anchoring elements 20 of the functional elements 13 5 clasping, like a barb, a bead-like projection 21, which extends parallel to the edge 18, on the respective guide rail 17. The strip holder 16 is attached to or mounted on the 10 other edge 19 of the guide rails 17. For this purpose, on a lower face 22 of it, the strip holder 16 has associated clip-like holding elements 23, by means of which the strip holder 16 can be plugged onto the edge 19 of the guide rails 17. The clip-like holding 15 elements 23 are arranged on both sides of the strip holder 16, in the area of the lower face 22. A holding section 25 for a fitting identification strip is formed on an upper face 24 of the strip holder 16, 20 in order to identify the fitting of the functional elements 13 and/or terminal elements 15 of the functional elements 13. A fitting identification strip, which is not illustrated, is guided by guide elements 26 for the strip holder 16 in the area of the holding 25 section 25, and it is secured in its position in the holding section 25 by means of a tab-like projection 27. In this case, as can be seen in Figures 4 and 5, the 30 tab-like projection 27 projects slightly in the direction of the upper face 24 of the strip holder 16, in order to press a fitting identification strip against the guide elements 26, and thus to secure it in position. The fitting identification strip is 35 preferably formed by a paper strip and a clear-view strip covering the paper strip.

WO 2007/000227 - 7 - PCT/EP2006/005445 As already mentioned, the strip holder 16 is attached to or mounted on the edges 19 of the guide rails 17 via the holding elements 23, and can in this way be moved in the direction of the double-headed arrow 23 (see 5 Figure 2) parallel to the guide rails 17 and therefore parallel to the distribution strips 12 and/or functional elements 13, which are arranged one above the other in the form of a sandwich. In a rest position, the strip holder 16 is locked to the guide 10 rails 17 with an interlock or a friction fit in its position relative to the guide rails 17 and/or to the distribution strips 12 and/or to the functional elements 13. 15 In the exemplary embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 6, the lock can be unlocked by exerting a force at right angles to the extent of the guide rails 17 in the direction of the arrow 29 (see Figures 2 and 4) on the strip holder 16, thus bending the strip holder 16. A 20 strip holder 16 which has been bent in this way can then easily be moved along the guide rails 17 and/or the functional elements 13 in the direction of the double-headed arrow 28. It should be noted that other mechanisms for producing and releasing an interlocking 25 or friction-fitting lock are also possible. In the exemplary embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 6, the guide rails 17 extend parallel to a plurality of distribution strips and/or functional elements which 30 are arranged alongside one another in the horizontal direction or one above the other in the vertical direction, with the width of the strip holder 16 in this case corresponding at least to the width of a distribution strip or of a functional element. At this 35 point, it should be noted that arrangements are also feasible in which the width of the strip holder corresponds to the width of a plurality of distribution strips and/or functional elements. For example, for the WO 2007/000227 - 8 - PCT/EP2006/005445 purposes of the present invention in this case, two distribution blocks 10 as illustrated in Figure 1 could be arranged alongside one another or one above the other, with one strip holder 16 then extending over the 5 distribution strips and/or functional elements of distribution blocks which are arranged alongside one another or one above the other. In the exemplary embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 6, 10 the distribution device is a distribution block with a holding trough and with distribution strips which are positioned in the holding trough and are formed from functional elements and wire routing elements. However, the invention is not restricted to this specific 15 embodiment of a distribution device. In fact, the invention may also be used for distribution devices which have no such holding trough and in which, in fact, distribution strips and/or functional elements are arranged one above the other and/or alongside one 20 anther, for example in a rack or some other frame. Figures 7 and 8 show one exemplary embodiment of the invention as proposed here, in which the identification device is formed exclusively by a movable strip holder 25 30 which, accordingly, does not require any guide rails for the mounting for the strip holder 30. In the exemplary embodiment shown in Figures 7 and 8, sections 32 by means of which the strip holder 30 can be plugged directly into the anchoring elements 20 of the 30 functional elements 13 are formed on angled projections 31 of the strip holder 30. The strip holder 30 can then be moved along the distribution strips 12 and functional elements 13 which are arranged one above the other and/or alongside one another. With regard to the 35 elements annotated with the reference numbers 24, 25, 26 and 27, the strip holder 30 in Figures 7 and 8 corresponds to the strip holder 16 in Figures 1 to 6, WO 2007/000227 - 9 - PCT/EP2006/005445 so that reference is made to the statements relating to them, in order to avoid unnecessary repetition.

WO 2007/000227 - 10 - PCT/EP2006/005445 List of reference symbols 10 Distribution device 11 Holding trough 12 Distribution strip 13 Functional element 14 Wire routing element 15 Terminal element 16 Strip holder 17 Guide rail 18 Edge 19 Edge 20 Anchoring element 21 Projection 22 Lower face 23 Holding element 24 Upper face 25 Holding section 26 Guide element 27 Projection 28 Double-headed arrow 29 Arrow 30 Strip holder 31 Projection 32 Section

Claims

1. A distribution device for a telecommunications system, in particular a distribution block, having a 5 plurality of distribution strips (12) which are arranged one on top of the other and/or alongside one another, with each of the distribution strips (12) having at least one functional element (13) for connection of incoming and outgoing cable cores, and 10 having an identification device for identification of the fitting of the functional elements (13), characterized in that the identification device has at least one strip holder (16; 30), which can be moved along the distribution strips (12) and/or functional 15 elements (13) which are one above the other and/or alongside one another.

2. The distribution device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the or each strip holder (16) is 20 guided on guide rails (17) which extend on sides of the distribution strips (12) and/or functional elements (13) which are arranged one above the other and/or alongside one another. 25

3. The distribution device as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the or each strip holder (16) has a holding section (25) for a fitting identification strip on an upper face, and in that the or each strip holder (16) has clip-like holding elements (23) on a 30 lower face, via which the strip holder (16) can be attached to or mounted on the guide rails (17).

4. The distribution device as claimed in claim 2 or 3, characterized in that each of the guide rails (17) 35 has two edges which run parallel to the distribution strips (12) and/or functional elements (13) which are arranged one above the other and/or alongside one another, with each guide rail (17) being attached by a WO 2007/000227 - 12 - PCT/EP2006/005445 first edge (18) to the distribution device, and with the or each strip holder (16) being attached to or mounted on the secnod edge (19).

5 5. The distribution device as claimed in one or more of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the or each strip holder (16) can be locked in its relative position with respect to the distribution strips (12) and/or functional elements (13), preferably by 10 interlocking or friction-fitting contact with guide rails (17) on which the respective strip holder (16) is guided.

6. The distribution device as claimed in one or more 15 of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the or each strip holder (16) is guided on guide rails (17) such that, in a rest position, a strip holder (16) is locked with an interlock and/or a friction fit to the guide rails (17) in its position relative to the guide rails 20 (17) , and in that, in an operating position, the strip holder (16) is unlocked from the guide rails (17) for application of a force at right angles to the guide rails (17), and can then be moved parallel to the guide rails. 25

7. The distribution device as claimed in one or more of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the guide rails (17) extend parallel to a plurality of distribution strips (12) and/or functional elements (13) which are 30 arranged in the form of a sandwich one above the other or alongside one another, with the or each strip holder (17) having at least the same width as a distribution strip or a functional element. 35

8. The distribution device as claimed in one or more of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the guide rails extend parallel to a plurality of distribution strips and/or functional elements which are arranged in the WO 2007/000227 - 13 - PCT/EP2006/005445 form of a sandwich one above the other or alongside one another, with the or each strip holder having the same width as at least two distribution strips and/or functional elements. 5

9. An identification device for a distribution device having at least one strip holder, characterized in that the or each strip holder (16) can be moved along a plurality of distribution strips and/or functional 10 elements which are arranged one above the other and/or alongside one another.

10. The identification device as claimed in claim 9, characterized by features as claimed in one or more of 15 claims 2 to 8.