GB2388967A

GB2388967A - Data socket restricting removal of plug

Info

Publication number: GB2388967A
Application number: GB0206241A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Timothy Roland Brown
Original assignee: CONNECTIX Ltd
Current assignee: CONNECTIX Ltd
Priority date: 2002-03-16
Filing date: 2002-03-16
Publication date: 2003-11-26
Anticipated expiration: 2022-03-16
Also published as: GB2388967B; GB0206241D0

Abstract

A data socket assembly has one or more sockets 10 (for example RJ-45 sockets), a base plate (11), a cover 13 and an extension shroud 18. The sockets are intended for use with plugs having a latch, but the shroud restricts access to the latch arm so that the plugs can only be removed with a tool. Sections 16 carry labels to identify the sockets. The socket is intended for use in a school or the like to prevent unauthorised tampering.

Description

, DATA CABLE SOCKET ASSEMBLY

The invention relates to a data cable socket assembly for use with a data cable plug having a self-latching lock, to retain the plug in the socket once fully inserted therein.

5 Data cable sockets are widely used in the IT industry, to permit the selective connection to fixed cabling of a data cable having an appropriate plug mounted on Its free end. A widely used data cable connector design is the so called RJ series; computer local area networks using twisted-pair cabling usually employ RJ-45 connectors to permit the connection of a PC or other 10 equipment to the network using a flying lead with a RJ-45 plug at each end, and corresponding sockets in the equipment and in a wall socket. A RJ plug has an integral self-latching spring blade having a shoulder which latches behind an abutment face in a socket when the plug is fully inserted. The plug is released simply by pressing the exposed part of the blade towards the body, so freeing 15 the shoulder from the abutment face and allowing removal of the plug.

Conventional RJ-45 socket assemblies typically have two RJ-45 sockets mounted on a plate adapted for securing to a back box, with the axis of each socket lying at 90 to the wall surface to which the back box is screwed. The plate is secured to the back box following completion of internal wiring within 20 the socket assembly, by means of a pair of screws.

Computer networks are used extensively in educational establishments and other locations where users of the network may not have an interest in ensuring the proper functioning of the network. Consequently, an intending user may deliberately disable one or more computers by removing the 25 respective flying lead connector plug from its wall socket. With a RJ-45

/ - 2 connector this is very quick and easy to perform, but then can prevent someone using a PC for a considerable time, until the problem has been solved by replacing the plug in its socket.

It is a principal aim of the present invention to provide a data cable 5 socket assembly, such as a computer network RJ-45 wall socket, with means which makes unauthorized removal of a plug from its socket less easy and slower than with the conventional designs of socket assemblies.

Accordingly, this invention provides a data cable socket assembly for use with a data cable plug having a self-latching lock, comprising a base plate 10 provided with at least one socket for receiving a data cable plug and adapted to retain the plug in the socket once fully inserted therein, and a cover for the base plate and the socket which cover has an extension shroud which extends beyond the socket to enclose a plug fitted therein and a part of a data cable carrying the plug, such that when the data cable plug has been fully inserted 15 into the socket and the cover then fitted to the base plate, access to the self-

latching lock of the plug is restricted.

It will be appreciated that the present invention provides a relatively simple and cheap solution to the problem of unauthorised removal of data cable plugs from their sockets. A plug may be released only by using a special 20 tool, to reach into the shroud to operate the self-latching spring blade, or by removing the cover from the base plate. Either way, access to the plugs connected into the socket assembly is restricted so making it relatively difficult to remove a plug.

Preferably, the extension shroud is formed integrally with the cover, so 25 that both the cover and the extension shroud can be removed in unison from

- 3 the base plate. The cover may be secured to the base plate by screw threaded fasteners, though if a greater level of security is required, at least one of those fasteners could have a security head requiring the use of a correspondingly formed key. If then the shroud is sufficiently enveloping, a higher degree of 5 security against unauthorized removal can be achieved.

In a preferred embodiment, an extension shroud has an end wall opposed to the or each socket, that end wall having a slot formed therein from the base plate edge of the end wall and through which slot may extend a cable of a connected plug. By configuring the slot appropriately, that end wall of the 0 extension shroud may further restrict access to a plug connected to a socket on the base plate.

Preferably, the base plate has a plurality of sockets, each of which typically is a RJ45 connector socket such as are widely used in local area network wiring, using twisted-pair cables. As mentioned above, such a plug has a self-latching lock in the form of a spring loaded tab carrying a catch member which, when the plug is pushed home in a socket, engages behind a keep, to retain the plug in the socket. Removal of a plug may be effected by pressing the tab against its spring loading, to free the catch member from the keep. However, by virtue of the extension shroud, access to that tab is greatly 20 restricted, and if the shroud is sufficiently long, effectively all access can be blocked. In this case, plugs may be removed only once the cover together with the extension shroud have been removed.

By way of example only, one specific embodiment of a data cable socket assembly arranged in accordance with the present invention will now be 25 described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

( ( - 4

Figure 1 is a plan view on the embodiment of socket assembly; Figure 2 is an end view on the assembly; and Figure 3 is an isometric view, partially cut away, of the socket assembly.

The embodiment of socket assembly shown in the drawings is intended 5 for surface mounting on a wall, and provides four RJ-45 sockets each for receiving a corresponding RJ-45 plug. The design and configuration of such sockets and plugs is well known and will not be described in further detail here, since they are entirely conventional.

The embodiment of RJ=5 socket assembly as shown in the drawings 10 differs from a conventional socket assembly in that four RJ-45 sockets 10 are provided on a base plate 11, the sockets being aligned in a row and with the axis of each socket parallel to the wall surface to which the base plate is to be secured. Thus, the sockets are disposed along one edge 12 of the base plate 11 rather than centrally and directed outwardly of the base plate. A cover 13 is 15 secured to the base plate by means of a pair of screws 14, the cover being essentially of rectangular shape and including a panel 15 divided into four sections 16 each overlying a respective socket therebelow and adapted to carry a label identifying the circuit to which the socket is connected.

End wall 17 of the cover 13 has a cut-out portion and an extension 20 shroud 18 is formed integrally with the cover, over that cut-out portion. The extension shroud is also of generally rectangular form and has an end wall 19 opposed to the sockets 10. Four slots 20 are formed in that end wall, each aligned with a respective socket 10 and extending from the lower edge 21 of the end wall 19, up towards the top face 22 of the extension shroud. Each slot 25 is of such a size that a typical twistedpair cable is a snug fit in the slot.

- 5 In use, the base plate 11 of the socket assembly is secured to a suitable wall surface, typically with the sockets lowermost, and the fixed wiring is connected to the sockets in the usual way. Flying leads are then plugged into the sockets as appropriate for the equipment to be connected to the network 5 and the cover 13 is then secured to the base plate 11, using screws 14, taking care to ensure each flying lead is located in the appropriate slot 20. Once assembled in this way, access to a selected RJ-45 plug and its spring tab is greatly restricted by the shroud 18, especially if all four sockets of the assembly carry a respective plug such that each slot 20 has a flying lead therein. As 10 such, a plug may be removed only if the cover is first removed, so giving access to the plug to be removed.

An advantage of the socket shown in the drawings is that flying leads may fall away from the socket assembly, down to the floor, rather than projecting outwardly from a wall on which the socket assembly is mounted.

This gives rise to a reduced likelihood of accidental dislodgement of a plug, and also minimises strain on flying leads in the region of their plugs. Further, the socket assembly is particularly suitable for environments such as schools, where one or more plugs may be removed from a socket assembly deliberately or maliciously to prevent proper working of a network, rather than accidentally.

20 Merely by increasing the level of inconvenience to remove a plug may be expected to serve as a sufficient deterrent, especially since the activity of removing the cover is more likely to be noticed by a teacher or supervisor.

Claims

( ( - 6 CLAIMS

1. A data cable socket assembly for use with a data cable plug having a self-latching lock, comprising a base plate provided with at least one socket for receiving a data cable plug and adapted to retain the plug in the socket once 5 fully inserted therein, and a cover for the base plate and the socket which cover has an extension shroud which extends beyond the socket to enclose a plug fitted therein and a part of a data cable carrying the plug, such that when the data cable plug has been fully inserted into the socket and the cover then fitted to the base plate, access to the self-latching lock of the plug is restricted.

10

2. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the extension shroud has an end wall opposed to the socket, a slot being formed in the end wall from the base plate edge thereof and through which extends a cable of a connected plug.

3. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the cover is held 15 to the base plate by means of screw-threaded fasteners.

4. An assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least one of the screw-

threaded fasteners has a security head requiring the use of a correspondingly-

formed key to effect rotation thereof.

20

5. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the self-latching lock comprises a spring loaded tab carrying a catch member which when the plug is pushed home, engages behind a keep to retain the plug in the socket.

6. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base plate has a plurality of sockets in line for receiving more than one data cable plug.

7. An assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein the extension shroud extends beyond the sockets to enclose the plurality of data plugs fitted therein and a part of each data cable carrying a plug.

8. An assembly as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the or 5 each socket is disposed on the base plate with its axis generally parallel to the plane of the base plate.!

9. An assembly as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the cover is in the form of a generally rectangular top plate with a depending skirt which surrounds the base plate, the extension shroud being provided on one to side of said skirt.

10. An assembly as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein each socket on the base plate for receiving a data cable plug comprises a RJ5 connector socket.

11. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 and substantially as hereinbefore s described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.