GB2260035A - Improvements in and relating to shutters for communications sockets - Google Patents

Abstract

A fascia (10) for a telecommunications socket box (16) has a shutter (12) for safety and dust protection. The lower lip (28) of the fascia projects inwards of the plane of the fascia plate so that its front edge is level with the front face of the socket (16). The shutter in the closed position overlaps the lower lip (28) to improve dust protection and increase plug lever accessibility. Shutter stops (38) engage parts of the fascia in the closed position. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO SHUTTERS FOR COMMUNICATIONS SOCKETS This invention relates to shutters for communications sockets, and in particular to shutters used in conjunction with modular jacks and sockets.

It is common practice for communications sockets, e.g. for telephone or data connections, to have a protective dust shutter incorporated in a face plate and which is sprung loaded close when a plug is removed from a socket.

Positioning the socket behind a shutter is difficult as the socket must be arranged as close to the shutter as possible.

Modular plugs have plastic latches which must be operated to disengage the plug. If the distance between the socket and the shutter is too great, there will be insufficient latch protruding from the fascia for the user to get hold of to operate the latch.

A typical shutter design is shown in section in Figure 1. A portion of the fascia is tapered from a distance below the aperture to the bottom edge of the aperture to provide latch access and connector lead in, as well as facilitating opening of the shutter. This access is accommodated within the thickness of the fascia wall as illustrated in the figure.

Figure 2 shows an improvement on this arrangement in which the connector lead in is angled inwards so that the upper lip of the aperture is abutted by the base of the shutter in the closed position rather than by a protruding tab as in the prior example.

The example of Figure 2 has proved very advantageous as it allows approximately lmm extra latch projection.

Despite the improvement of Figure 2, some connectors are still very difficult to access. In particular the shutter assembly is not suitable for use with RJ 11 and RJ 12 standard connectors.

The present invention aims to provide a shutter design which is suitable for all available modular connectors and which enables latches to be engaged and disengaged without undue difficulty.

The invention is based on the appreciation that although it is necessary to have a lower stop for the shutter, this stop does not have to be the lower edge of the aperture.

Accordingly, the invention provides a shutter design in which the lower edge of the aperture projects behind the plane of the shutter. Stops may be provided at the sides to limit movement of the shutter.

This arrangement has the advantage of increasing latch projection. Furthermore, the stops may be arranged so that the lower edge of the shutter in the closed position overlaps the bottom lip of the aperture. This arrangement has the advantage of improving dust protection.

More specifically, the invention is defined by the claims, to which reference should now be made.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a partial section through a first prior art shutter fascia described previously; Figure 2 is a partial section through a second prior art shutter fascia described previously; Figure 3 is a partial longitudinal section through a shutter and fascia embodying the invention and shown in an open position; and Figure 4 is a partial longitudinal section through a shutter and fascia embodying the invention and shown in a closed position.

Referring to Figures 3 to 6, the shutter arrangment comprises a fascia plate 10 which may for example be rectangular or square and which may be connected to a socket box (not shown), for example by deformable sprung teeth 11 which engage in recesses in the socket box or by screws threaded through apertures in the fascia plate. A shutter 12 is movable between an open position (Figure 3) in which a plug can be inserted through an aperture 14 to engage in a socket 16 mounted behind the fascia 10, and a closed position (Figure 4) in which the socket cannot be accessed. In the closed position the shutter serves as a dust cover. The cover is biased towards the closed position by a spring 15 (Figure 5). In Figure 5 the shutter is omitted for clarity.The shutter is guided by a pair of ribs 18 which extend longitudinally along the sides of the aperture spaced a short distance laterally therefrom.

The sides of the fascia carry mounting legs 20 for the jack connector or socket 16. These legs each have a bevelled portion 24 on the inside surface which guides a mounting post on the socket body into an aperture 26 at the base of the leg.

The bottom lip or edge 28 of the aperture 14 in the fascia is arranged such that with the socket in position, the bottom of the socket rests on, or just above the lip 28. As can be seen from Figures 3 and 4 the lip is wholly behind the plane of the shutter 12. The fascia, as can be seen from Figures 3, 4 and 6 has a central lower portion 30 which is sloped inwards, terminating at the lip 28. Side portions 32, 34 remain in the plane of the fascia.

On the rear of these side portions are arranged stops 36 which limit the downwards travel of the shutter 12. The shutter has a width slightly greater than the width of the aperture 14 and the bottom edges also carry stops 38 which abut the stops 36 on the fascia. As can be seen from Figures 3 and 4 the stops 36 are formed on the side of the aperture and comprise a web which connects the sloped lower lip to the side portions 32, 34.

As can be seen from Figure 4, the bottom of the shutter, in the closed portion1 extends slightly below lip 28 of the fascia.

This arrangment improves the dust protection afforded by the shutter.

The arrangment of the lower lip 28 behind the plane of the shutter has the advantage that sufficient latch projection is possible with all existing connector standards. It is at present considered that the greatest advantage is achieved with the front face of the lower lip 28 of the aperture level with the front face of the jack connector.

Claims (7)

1. A shuttered fascia for a telecommunications socket box' in which a shutter is movable between an open position in which a plug can be inserted through an aperture in the fascia into a socket and a closed position in which the shutter closes the aperture, the aperture having a lower lip and characterised in that a portion of the fascia below the aperture and terminating in the lower lip is sloped inwards and that the front edge of the lower lip is behind the rear face of the shutter.

2. A shutter fascia according to Claim 1, characterised in that in the closed position the bottom of the shutter overlaps the lower lip of the aperture.

3. A shutter fascia according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein a socket is attached to the fascia characterised in that the front edge of the lower lip is level with the front face of the socket.

4. A shutter fascia according to any preceding claim wherein the closed position of the shutter is defined by a stop on at least one of the fascia and the shutter.

5. A shutter fascia according to Claim 4, wherein a stop is provided as a lateral extension to the shutter.

6. A shutter fascia according to Claim 4 or 5, wherein a web extends between each end of the lower aperture lip and side portions of the fascia in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the fascia, and characterised in that at least one of the webs acts as a stop.

7. A shutter fascia substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 3 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.