EP4702624A1

EP4702624A1 - Improved reversible keystone coupler

Info

Publication number: EP4702624A1
Application number: EP23733045.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Damiano VERZA
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2023-04-28
Filing date: 2023-05-04
Publication date: 2026-03-04
Also published as: WO2024224156A1

Abstract

The invention is a keystone type coupler (100) comprising a box-shaped body (101) containing a socket or port (130) and a pin carrier (105). A cover (140) is removably mounted on said pin carrier (105), said cover (140) in turn comprising a first opening (150) which is opposite said socket or port (130) and suited to allow the passage of a cable (W) oriented in a first direction (X), and a second opening (160) located on one side of the keystone connector (100) and suited to allow the passage of a cable (W) oriented in a second direction (Z) orthogonal to said first direction (X). Said cover (140) can be selectively mounted in such a way as to direct said second opening (160) according to the installation requirements.

Description

IMPROVED REVERSIBLE KEYSTONE COUPLER

DESCRIPTION

The present patent concerns keystone type couplers, and more specifically it concerns a new improved reversible keystone coupler.

The keystone couplers used in data communication networks are known.

Said keystone couplers generally consist of a box-shaped body housing a pin carrier that is connected to a port for housing a male connector of the cable to be connected. Said pin carrier is configured for connection to the wires of a main cable.

Said box-shaped body also comprises a first opening, in which a main cable is inserted, and a second opening that houses the port for the male connector of the cable to be connected.

Said first opening of the box-shaped body is usually positioned on one of its sides, or rear side, while said second opening of the box-shaped body is positioned on the opposite side, or front side, so that the direction of insertion of the main cable and the direction of insertion of the cable to be connected substantially coincide with or in any case are parallel to one and the same direction. Said direction defines an axis, which here below is referred to as the axis of the keystone coupler.

Said box-shaped body is also configured to be flush-mounted on panels or on the known pull boxes or switch boxes, where it is installed in such a way that said front side of the box-shaped body, where the port for the cable to be connected is located, is obviously facing the front of the panel or box, so that it is accessible for connection.

In addition to the configuration described above, which is the most widespread, it is sometimes necessary to change the orientation of the main cable, for example by arranging it orthogonally to the axis of the keystone coupler. This occurs, for example, when the space available in depth is particularly small and does not allow the main cable to be inserted in the rear side of the keystone coupler. In this case, a keystone coupler configured in a different manner must therefore be used. Furthermore, since said port for the connection of the cable to be connected has a precise up-down orientation that must be maintained during installation, it is necessary to provide keystone couplers that can connect the main cable rotated by 90° upwards as well as by 90° downwards.

The subject of the present patent is a new keystone coupler of the type that can be reversed and that can be used alone to selectively arrange the main cable in at least two positions with respect to the keystone coupler itself.

In particular, the box-shaped body of the keystone coupler and the pin carrier are configured to allow the main cable to be selectively arranged in at least three different positions: a first position, in which the direction of insertion of the main cable is coaxial with or parallel to the axis of the keystone coupler; a second position, in which the direction of insertion of the main cable is orthogonal to the axis of the keystone coupler and the cable is oriented in one direction, for example upwards, or to the right, looking at the coupler frontally; a third position, in which the direction of insertion of the main cable is orthogonal to the axis of the keystone coupler and the cable is oriented in the opposite direction, for example downwards or to the left.

This result is achieved firstly thanks to the fact that said pin carrier makes it possible to connect the main cable in at least two different ways, and secondly thanks to the fact that said box-shaped body comprises at least one part that can be detached and assembled in a reversible manner.

The characteristics of the new reversible keystone coupler are illustrated in greater detail in the following description, with reference to the drawings that are attached hereto by way of non-limiting example.

Figure 1 shows a three-dimensional view of the new keystone coupler (100) in the closed configuration, in which its front side (110) is visible, while Figure 2 shows a three-dimensional view in which its rear side (120) is visible.

Figure 3 shows a three-dimensional view of the keystone coupler (100) in the open configuration, that is, with the rear cover (140) removed to allow connection between a main cable (W) oriented according to a first direction (X) and the pin carrier (105).

Figure 4 shows how it is possible for the keystone coupler (100) shown in Figure 3 to also allow the insertion of the main cable (W), which is oriented according to a second direction (Z) orthogonal to said first direction (X).

Figures 4 and 5 show how, in the same keystone coupler (100), the rear cover (140) can be mounted in such a way that an opening (160) of the same for the cable (W) is directed downwards (Figure 4), or it can be rotated by 180° so that said opening (160) for the cable (W) is directed upwards (Figure 5).

Figure 5 shows how it is therefore possible to insert the main cable (W) oriented in said second direction (Z) from above.

The example illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 shows that said second direction (Z) is vertical, but the same inventive concept can be applied in the case where, instead, said second direction is horizontal, always looking at the coupler frontally. According to the invention, in this case the coupler (100) comprises a first rear cover (140) configured to allow the cable (W) to be oriented in said vertical second direction (Z) and/or a second rear cover similarly configured to allow the cable (W) to be oriented in a horizontal second direction, and wherein the operator can choose whether to mount said first rear cover (140) or said second rear cover, according to the installation needs.

The new keystone coupler (100) comprises a box-shaped body (101), for example substantially parallelepiped, with a front side (110) and an opposite rear side (120). A socket or port (130) is mounted on the front side (110), that is, the side that remains accessible when the keystone coupler (100) is correctly mounted on a panel or box. Figure 1 shows, for example, a port (130) of type RJ45 Cat 6A, which is conventionally configured in such a way that the male connectors must be inserted into it with a specific orientation, meaning that not all orientations are equally possible.

The cable is inserted along a first direction (X) shown in Figure 1.

A pin carrier (105) configured for connection to an electrical cable (W) is housed inside said box-shaped body (101). Said connection can be obtained by connecting the wires of the main cable (W) oriented in said first direction (X), as shown in Figure 3, or oriented in said second direction (Z) orthogonal to said first direction (X), as shown in Figures 4 and 5.

As mentioned above, the figures show the solution in which said second direction (Z) is vertical, but the same inventive concept is applied in the case where said second direction is horizontal and orthogonal to said first direction (X).

Said first direction (X) defines the axis (XI) of the keystone coupler (100), that is, the axis connecting the socket (130) and the rear side (120) of the coupler itself.

On the rear side (120) of the box-shaped body (101) there is a cover (140) also having substantially the shape of a box without one side, so as to enclose said pin carrier (105).

Figures 1 and 2 show said cover (140) mounted on the box-shaped body (101), while in Figure 3 it is detached from the box-shaped body (101).

In particular, said cover (140) can be coupled with the box-shaped body (101) by means of removable coupling elements such as, for example, protruding tabs (141) which can be engaged into corresponding seats (106) obtained in the box-shaped body (101). Said tabs (141) include, for example, recesses or holes (1410) into which corresponding projections or teeth (1060) provided on said seats (106) in the box-shaped body (101) fit.

Said cover (140) comprises a first through opening (150) positioned on its rear side (142), that is, on the wall that is opposite said socket or port (130) when said cover (140) is correctly positioned on the box-shaped body (101).

Using said first opening (150), it is thus possible to connect a cable (W) oriented in said first direction (X), as shown in Figure 3.

Said cover (140) also comprises at least one second through opening (160), which may or not communicate with said first opening (150) and is located on a lateral side (143) of the cover (104), that is, a side that is in a lateral position with respect to said port (130) when said cover (140) is correctly positioned on the box-shaped body (101).

Using said second opening (160), it is thus possible to connect a cable (W) oriented in said second direction (Z), as shown in Figures 4 and 5.

Furthermore, said cover (140) is configured in such a way that it can be selectively mounted on the box-shaped body (101) in at least two different ways, that is, in a first way with said second opening (160) facing, for example, upwards, as shown in Figure 5, and in a second way, rotated by at least 90° and more preferably by 180° with respect to said first direction (X), with said second opening (160) facing downwards, as shown in Figures 2 and 4.

To sum up, said cover (140) is configured in such a way as to define at least two openings (150, 160), wherein: said first opening (150) is substantially opposite said socket or port (130) and is suited to allow the passage of a cable (W) oriented according to said first direction (X) - see, for example, Figure 3; said second opening (160) is located on one side of the keystone coupler (100) to allow the passage of a cable (W) oriented according to a second direction (Z), orthogonal to said first direction (X). In Figures 4 and 5, said second direction (Z) is oriented vertically, that is, it corresponds to the up- down direction defined by the port (130), or it is oriented horizontally, that is, it corresponds to the right-left direction defined by the port (130).

In the specific but not limiting solution shown in the drawings, said cover (140), as mentioned above, has the shape of a box with five sides and open on one side, including: said rear side (142) intended to cover the back of said pin carrier (105) and provided with said first opening (150); said lateral side (143) intended to cover at least part of one side of the boxshaped body (101) and provided with said second opening (160); other three sides (144) intended to cover the other sides of the box-shaped body (101).

On the edges (145) of two or more of said sides (143, 144) there are said coupling tabs (141).

When not in use, said openings (150, 160) can be closed with a special covering element, not shown in the figures.

In conclusion, through the reversible assembly of the cover (140), one and the same keystone coupler (100) according to the invention makes it possible to arrange the cable (W) in at least three different ways with respect to the keystone coupler (100) itself, that is, oriented in said first direction (X) or oriented in said second direction (Z), entering the keystone coupler (100) from above or below in the case where said second direction (Z) is vertical, or from the right or left in the case where said second direction (Z) is horizontal.

According to the invention, said cover (140) for positioning the cable (W) vertically is different from any cover for positioning the cable (W) horizontally.

According to the invention, furthermore, one and the same cover (140) can be configured in such a way that it can be rotated even by only 90° around its own axis (XI), thus making it possible to orient the cable (W) horizontally, from the right or the left of the coupler, or vertically, from below or above.

Clearly, the same concept applies if the position of the keystone coupler (100) is rotated by 90° around its own axis (XI), thus making it possible to orient the cable (W) horizontally, from the right or the left of the coupler. The coupler (100) is particularly suitable for use with UTP cables, but also with STP cables. In the latter case, it is necessary to use a cable clamp (170) for earthing, fitted on the cable (W) in such a way as to establish an electrical contact with the cover (140). According to the invention, said body (101) of the coupler (100) is completely or partially made of a metallic material.

Therefore, with reference to the above description and the attached drawings, the following claims are expressed.

Claims

1. Keystone type coupler (100), comprising: a box-shaped body (101) with a front side (110) and an opposite rear side (120), wherein a socket or port (130) configured in such a way as to define a first direction of insertion (X) of a male coupler is mounted on said front side (110); a pin carrier (105) housed inside said box-shaped body (101) and configured for connection to an electrical cable (W); characterized in that it comprises a cover (140) removably mounted on said boxshaped body (101) so as to entirely or partially enclose said pin carrier (105), and wherein said cover (140) comprises at least two through openings (150, 160), wherein, when said cover (140) is correctly mounted on said box-shaped body (101): said first opening (150) is substantially opposite said socket or port (130) and is suited to allow the passage of a cable (W) oriented so that it is parallel to said first direction (X); said second opening (140) is located on one side of the keystone coupler (100) to allow the passage of a cable (W) oriented according to a second direction (Z) orthogonal to said first direction (X).

2. Keystone type coupler according to claim 1, characterized in that said cover (140) is configured in such a way that it can be mounted on said box-shaped body (101) either in a first position or in at least one second position, rotated by 90° or 180° with respect to said first direction (X), so that said second opening (160) is directed correspondingly.

3. Keystone type coupler according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said cover (140) comprises coupling means suited to be removably coupled with said box-shaped body (101).

4. Keystone type coupler according to claim 3, characterized in that said coupling means comprise tabs (141) designed to be inserted and coupled into corresponding seats (106) formed in corresponding positions in said box-shaped body (101).

5. Keystone type coupler according to the preceding claims, characterized in that it is configured for connection to cables of the UTP type.

6. Keystone type coupler according to the preceding claims, characterized in that it is configured for connection with cables of the STP type and includes a cable clamp (170) for earthing, fitted on the cable (W) so as to establish an electrical contact with said cover (1 0).

7. Keystone type coupler according to the preceding claims, characterized in that said openings (150, 160) of said cover (140) are in communication with each other.

8. Keystone type coupler according to the preceding claims, characterized in that said cover (140) has the shape of a box with five sides and one open side, including: a rear side (142) intended to cover the back of said pin carrier (105) and provided with said first opening (150); a lateral side (143) intended to cover at least part of one side of the boxshaped body (101) and provided with said second opening (160); other three sides (144) intended to cover the other sides of the box-shaped body (101).