IE84542B1 - An external termination unit - Google Patents
An external termination unitInfo
- Publication number
- IE84542B1 IE84542B1 IE2001/0235A IE20010235A IE84542B1 IE 84542 B1 IE84542 B1 IE 84542B1 IE 2001/0235 A IE2001/0235 A IE 2001/0235A IE 20010235 A IE20010235 A IE 20010235A IE 84542 B1 IE84542 B1 IE 84542B1
- Authority
- IE
- Ireland
- Prior art keywords
- etu
- door
- slot
- casing
- access door
- Prior art date
Links
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims description 7
- 239000004033 plastic Substances 0.000 claims description 6
- 229920003023 plastic Polymers 0.000 claims description 6
- 210000000614 Ribs Anatomy 0.000 claims description 5
- 230000003014 reinforcing Effects 0.000 claims description 4
- 238000010276 construction Methods 0.000 description 13
- 239000007787 solid Substances 0.000 description 4
- 230000005540 biological transmission Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000000969 carrier Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000004020 conductor Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000000835 fiber Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000002991 molded plastic Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000000414 obstructive Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000002093 peripheral Effects 0.000 description 1
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
- H02G—INSTALLATION OF ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES, OR OF COMBINED OPTICAL AND ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES
- H02G3/00—Installations of electric cables or lines or protective tubing therefor in or on buildings, equivalent structures or vehicles
- H02G3/02—Details
- H02G3/08—Distribution boxes; Connection or junction boxes
- H02G3/14—Fastening of cover or lid to box
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
- H02G—INSTALLATION OF ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES, OR OF COMBINED OPTICAL AND ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES
- H02G9/00—Installations of electric cables or lines in or on the ground or water
- H02G9/10—Installations of electric cables or lines in or on the ground or water in cable chambers, e.g. in manhole or in handhole
Description
An External Termination Unit
The present invention relates to an external termination unit (ETU) for electrical
connectors. Such an ETU unit is of the general type comprising an enclosed casing
having a cable inlet, a cable outlet and an access door, the unit containing terminal
connectors. Such ETU units are used for the interconnection of electrical power,
whether it be mains or electrical power into a building, telephone wires, or indeed
many forms of connectors. They are also used for fibre optic cable and the like signal
transmission carriers.
Generally speaking such ETUs are either mounted directly above the ground, in the
ground, or indeed commonly in or on external walls of buildings. Such ETU units can
be manufactured in many constructions and indeed very often are provided with
doors which have seals and the like to prevent the ingress of moistures. Usually the
inlets and outlets are provided by weakened portions which can be broken to provide
inlet and outlet holes. However, the main problem with such ETU units is the difficulty
being experienced by most workmen, operators and maintenance personnel who
have to open the ETU unit to access the terminals which are usually mounted
permanently within the unit so that anybody trying to work on them is restricted by the
size of the casing of the ETU unit. This can make working on terminals and
connectors within the unit both time-consuming difficult and in some instances
dangerous. Problems do arise in that very often connections are not adequately
made during such maintenance operations.
In general, the principle of using the access door of an ETU unit to mount part of the
equipment is known, for example, in German Patent Specification No. DE 19501339,
there is described a moulded plastics connection box for electrical sockets designed
for floor level flush mounting which has a lid on which are mounted two pin sockets.
Thus, when the lid is opened out onto the ground, the sockets are exposed for use.
Further, German Patent Specification No. DE 19740246 has a similar housing to that
previously described in which the lid carries light conductor splicing cassettes. The
housing can be mounted on a vertical wall and the lid is supported in a substantially
horizontal position by flexible connectors connecting the lid to the housing. However,
this does not provide a stable working platform if it is desired to work on the splicing
cassettes. Again, UK Patent Specification No. GB 2260864 describes a terminal box
which houses terminal blocks which may be fitted to the lid rather than to the base of
the box. Again. there is nothing to indicate that the reason for placing the terminal
block on the lid is to allow access to the terminal block for work.
What is required is to provide an ETU unit that will allow work to be carried out on the
equipment within the ETU unit in an efficient and satisfactory manner and where
connectors, terminal blocks or the like are mounted on the lid of the ETU unit, the
ETU be such as to provide a steady and safe platform which can be worked on.
The present invention is directed towards providing an improved construction of such
an ETU unit.
Statements of Invention
According to the invention, there is provided an external termination unit (ETU) for
electrical terminal connectors comprising an enclosed casing having a base, side
walls projecting substantially orthogonally from the base, and an access door, the
access door having terminal connector mounting means on its interior surface and
a pivot connector securing the access door in the casing for pivotal movement
away from the closed position into a substantially horizontal position supported on
the casing when the ETU is mounted with its base on a vertical wall. The
advantage of supporting the lid on the casing is that a solid and safe working
platform is provided.
In one embodiment of the invention, the pivot connector of the ETU unit comprises
a pair of spaced-apart connectors, each comprising an elongate substantially
horizontal slot on one of the access doors and the side wall and a pivot pin on the
other for engagement with the slot, the door being pivotal into the horizontal
position and then on pushing of the door inwards of the relative movement of pin in
the slot to cause the door to move into the casing for further support by the casing.
This allows further movement of the door into the casing for further support by the
casing and thus provides an even more stable working platform.
Ideally, adjacent one end of the slot, there is provided an extension socket
substantially at right angles to the slot for reception of the pin for pivoting into and
out of the horizontal position and on the door being pivoted into the horizontal
position, the access door is pushed downwards whereby the pivot pin engages the
slot to allow the door to be pushed inwards.
Preferably, the slot is in the casing and the pivot pin is mounted on the access
door
In one embodiment of the invention, the pivot pin is L-shaped having a casing
engaging leg and a door engaging leg.
Ideally, in this latter embodiment, the door engaging leg is mounted between a pair
of upstanding resilient spaced-apart lugs for engagement of the leg therebetween.
Ideally, there is provided a guideway in the casing for reception of the door to
support the door in the horizontal position. The guide may comprise a channel
shaped member in one or both of a side wall and lower wall and preferably the
dimensions of the guideway are such as to form a tight fit with the access door. In
this way, a solid working platform may be provided and it will be safe and easy for a
workman to work thereon. This is particularly important where work is carried on
and there is live electrical connectors still in the ETU unit.
In one embodiment of the invention, the slot extends on both sides of the position
where the pivot pin can pivot into and out of the horizontal position whereby on
pivoting into the horizontal position, the door can be pulled outwards to move the
door to a position free of the casing for further pivoting of the door through
substantially a further 90°.
placed on a horizontal surface or alternatively when on a vertical surface, the
The advantage of this is that the ETU unit may be
access door can be pivoted totally out of the way so that it will be easier to work on
equipment and units mounted within the casing itself without the obstruction of the
door projecting laterally therefrom.
In this latter embodiment, ideally the slot is in the side walls and the side walls
project beyond the lower wall.
Preferably, there is a restriction in the slot where the door can be opened and
closed whereby additional force has to be provided to move the pivot pin in the slot
beyond this position.
One particularly suitable ETU unit according to the invention comprises a
substantially rectangular casing of a plastics material having a planar base for
mounting on a substantially vertical surface, planar upper and lower walls and two
planar side walls and a planar access door, the upper and side walls projecting
beyond the lower wall and comprising a pivot connector formed from a pair of pivot
pins mounted in the access door and an elongate pivot pin receiving slot extending
substantially parallel to and beyond the lower wall, the slot having an upwardly
directed pivot pin receiving slot whereby in the closed position, each pivot pin is
housed in the socket and to open the ETU, the access door is first pivoted to the
horizontal position and then pushed downwards so that the pivot pin engages the
slot and the door is pushed inwards to support the door in the substantially
horizontal position in the casing or pulled outwards for pivotal movement beyond
the horizontal.
Ideally, the access door is provided with reinforcing ribs, which reinforcing ribs may
surround the terminal connector means.
Ideally, the terminal connector mounting means are IDC connectors. Preferably,
the ETU unit according to the invention is manufactured from a suitable plastics
material.
Detailed Description of the Invention
The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description of
some embodiments thereof given by way of example only with reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a plan view of an ETU unit according to the invention mounted in a
vertical wall and in the open position,
Fig. 2 is a front view of the ETU unit as illustrated in Fig. 1,
Fig. 3 is a typical vertical section through the ETU unit again mounted in a
vertical wall,
Fig. 4 is a typical cross section through the ETU unit, similar to Fig. 3,
showing the ETU unit closed,
Figs. 5(a) and (b) illustrate diagrammatically the opening of the ETU unit,
Figs. 6 to 8 illustrate the pivot connector according to the invention in
various positions,
Fig. 9 is a front view of another ETU unit according to the invention in the
open position with the door removed,
Fig. 10 is a top view of the ETU unit as illustrated in Fig. 9,
Fig. 11 is a sectional view along the lines XI-XI of Fig. 9,
Fig. 12 is a sectional view along the lines XII-XII of Fig. 9,
Fig. 13 is a front view of an access door for use with the ETU unit of Figs. 9
to 12,
Fig. 14 is an underneath view of the access door of Fig. 13,
Fig. 15 is a top view of the access door,
Fig. 16 is a sectional view along the lines XVI-XVI of Fig. 14,
Figs. 17(a) to (e) illustrate diagrammatically an alternative construction and
use of pivot connector according to the invention, and
Figs. 18(a) and (b) are diagrammatic views illustrating the construction and
use of a still further pivot connector according to the invention.
Referring to the drawings and initially to Figs. 1 to 5 thereof, there is provided an
ETU unit, indicated generally by the reference numeral 1, mounted in a vertically
arranged wall 2. The ETU unit comprises an enclosure casing having a base 3
mounted upstanding walls, namely, opposed side walls 4 and upper and lower
walls 5 and 6 respectively. The side walls 4. upper wall 5 and lower wall 6 extend
into a peripheral rim 7 for mounting against the vertical wall 2. An access door 10
is provided. The access door 10 includes a plurality of upstanding ribs 11 on which
are mounted IDC’s 12 of conventional construction on a DIN rail 13. A cable feed-
in pipe 15 forms an inlet in the lower wall 6. The other walls of the enclosed casing
are provided with weakened portions, indicated by interrupted lines and the
reference numeral 16. The weakened portions 16 can be broken out in
conventional manner to provide access holes to the ETU. The ETU will generally
be manufactured from a suitable plastics material. Locks 20 are mounted in holes
21 in the access door 10 for engagement with co-operating holes 22 in the casing.
A pivot connector formed by a pivot pin 25 (see Fig. 3) mounted between the
access door 10 and each side wall 4 is provided.
Fig. 5 shows how the access door 10 can be pivoted in the direction of the arrow A
from the closed position to lie along and be supported on the lower wall 6 to allow
work to be carried out on any piece of equipment mounted on the access door 10.
It will be appreciated that there will be a relatively solid connection between the
access door 10 and the lower wall 6. Depending on the shape of the access door
and the lower wall 6 and the positioning of the pivot pin 25, the access door 10
will lie closer to the horizontal or further away from it.
Referring to Fig. 6, there is illustrated in more detail the pivot pin, again identified
by the reference numeral 25, which is an L-shaped pivot pin having a casing
engaging leg 26 and an access door engaging leg 27. The casing engaging leg 26
engages a hole 28 in a side wall 4 and the door engaging leg 27 is mounted
between a pair of upstanding resilient spaced-apart lugs 29 on the access door 10.
Figs. 6, 7 and 8 show clearly how the pivot pin 25 can be placed in position and
obviously the access door 10 can be easily removed by simply Ievering the door
engaging leg 27 up out of the engagement between the lugs 29.
Figs. 9 to 16 illustrated an alternative construction of ETU unit, indicated generally
by the reference numeral 30, in which parts similar to those described with
reference to the previous drawings are identified by the same reference numerals.
Referring now to Fig. 17(a) to (e), there is illustrated an alternative construction of
pivot connector for an ETU unit, again indicated generally by the reference numeral
1, and parts similar to those described with reference to Figs. 1 to 4 are identified
by the same reference numerals. In this embodiment, there is illustrated a pivot
connector, indicated generally by the reference numeral 40, comprising a pair of
spaced-apart connectors each comprising an elongate substantially horizontal slot
having an extension socket 42. A pin 43 is mounted on the access door 10.
Further, on the lower wall 6, there is a guideway 45 in the form of a channel shaped
member which can be mounted on both the side wall 4 and the lower wall 6. The
guideway 45 is so constructed as to form a force-fit with the access door 10.
In operation, the access door 10 is first pivoted in the extension socket 42 on the
pivot pin 43 in the direction of the arrow A to what is substantially the horizontal
position as illustrated in Fig. 17(b). Then, the access door 10 is pushed downwards
in the direction of the arrow B so that the slot 41 is now exposed to the pin 43 and
the access door 10 is then pushed inwards in the direction of the arrow C as
illustrated in Fig. 17(c) until it engages within the guideway 45 as illustrated in Figs.
17(d) and (e). The access door 10 now provides a very solid working platform for
any work that may be required to be carried out on connectors or the like mounted
on the access door 10.
Referring to Fig. 18, there is illustrated an alternative construction of ETU unit,
again indicated generally by the reference numeral 1, because its construction is of
relatively little difference from that of the construction of the other ETU units, except
that the side walls 4 effectively project beyond the upper and lower walls 5 and 6.
In this embodiment, there is again provided a pivot connector, indicated generally
by the reference numeral 50, again having a slot 51 projecting laterally on both
sides of an extension socket 52 within which the access door 10 pivots as already
described with reference to Fig. 17 on a pivot pin 53. However, in this
embodiment, the access door 10 can be pulled outwards beyond the extension
socket 52 and thus can be pulled to the position illustrated in Fig. 18 where it can
be pivoted downwards in the direction of the arrow D totally out of the horizontal to
lie against a vertical wall or, for example, if the ETU unit was mounted in a
horizontal floor, to lie on the floor itself.
It will be appreciated that in some situations, for example, where it is desired to
work on connectors, units, etc. mounted within the ETU, it may be desirable to pivot
the access door totally out of the way so as to allow ease of working within the
enclosure casing itself.
Ideally, the ETU according to the invention, is made from a suitable plastics
material.
Ideally, for example with the embodiment described in Fig. 18, there will be
provided some form of restriction adjacent the extension socket 52 so that, for
example, additional force will be required to pull or push the access door 10 beyond
the extension socket 52 so as to make it easy for the user to recognise when the
pivot pin is in a position to be pushed up into the extension socket.
It will be appreciated that generally the ETU unit will comprises planar walls and be
of a substantially rectangular construction, however, such a construction is not
essential.
It will be appreciated that the ETU unit according to the invention could be used for
other services such as, for example, water services or the like. It will also be
appreciated that the ETU unit does not have to be fully recessed into a structure
and indeed can be mounted directly on a structure. Similarly, the shape of flanges,
dimensions and material of construction may be varied in accordance with good
engineering practice depending on the use to which the unit is being adapted.
The unit will be sufficiently robust to endue the weight of traffic for example cars,
trucks, buses, etc. when the unit is placed in a roadway or indeed in the ground
anywhere.
In the specification the terms “comprise, comprises, comprised and comprising” or
any variation thereof and the terms “include, includes, included and including" or any
variation thereof are considered to be totally interchangeable and they should all be
afforded the widest possible interpretation and vice versa.
The invention is not limited to the embodiment hereinbefore described, but may be
varied in both construction and detail within the scope of the claims.
Claims (1)
- CLAIMS An external termination unit (ETU) for electrical terminal connectors comprising an enclosed casing having a base, side walls projecting substantially orthogonally from the base, and an access door, the access door having terminal connector mounting means on its interior surface and a pivot connector securing the access door in the casing for pivotal movement away from the closed position into a substantially horizontal position supported on the casing when the ETU is mounted with its base on a vertical wall. An ETU as claimed in claim 1, in which the pivot connector comprises a pair of spaced-apart connectors, each comprising an elongate substantially horizontal slot on one of the access doors and a side wall and a pivot pin on the other for engagement with the slot, the door being pivotal into the horizontal position and then on pushing of the door inwards of the relative movement of pin in the slot to cause the door to move into the casing for further support by the casing. An ETU as claimed in claim 2 in which adjacent one end of the slot, there is provided an extension socket substantially at right angles to the slot for reception of the pin for pivoting into and out of the horizontal position and on the door being pivoted into the horizontal position, the access door is pushed downwards whereby the pivot pin engages the slot to allow the door to be pushed inwards. An ETU as claimed in claim 2 or 3, in which the slot is in the casing and the pivot pin is mounted on the access door. An ETU as claimed in claim 4, in which the pivot pin is L-shaped having a casing engaging leg and a door engaging leg. An ETU as claimed in claim 5, in which the door engaging leg is mounted between a pair of upstanding resilient spaced-apart lugs for engagement of the leg therebetween. An ETU as claimed in any of claims 2 to 6, in which there is provided a guideway in the casing for reception of the door to support the door in the horizontal position. An ETU as claimed in claim 7, in which the guideway comprises a channel shaped member in one or both of a side wall and lower wall. An ETU as claimed in claim 7 or 8, in which the dimensions of the guideway are such as to form a tight fit with the access door. An ETU as claimed in any of claims 2 to 9, in which the slot extends on both sides of the position where the pivot pin can pivot into and out of the horizontal position whereby on pivoting into the horizontal position, the door can be pulled outwards to move the door to a position free of the casing for further pivoting of the door through substantially a further 90°. An ETU as claimed in claim 10, in which a slot is in the side walls and the side walls project beyond the lower wall. An ETU as claimed in claim 10 or 11, in which there is a restriction in the slot where the door can be opened and closed whereby additional force has to be provided to move the pivot pin in the slot beyond this position. An ETU as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising a substantially rectangular casing of a plastics material having a planar base for mounting on a substantially vertical surface, planar upper and lower walls and two planar side walls and a planar access door, the upper and side walls projecting beyond the lower wall and comprising a pivot connector formed from a pair of pivot pins mounted in the access door and an elongate pivot pin receiving slot extending substantially parallel to and beyond the lower wall, the slot having an upwardly directed pivot pin receiving slot whereby in the closed position, each pivot pin is housed in the socket and to open the ETU, the access door is first pivoted to the horizontal position and then pushed downwards so that the pivot pin engages the slot and the door is pushed inwards to support the door in the substantially horizontal position in the casing or pulled outwards for pivotal movement beyond the horizontal. An ETU as claimed in any preceding claim in which the access door is provided with reinforcing ribs. An ETU as claimed in claim 14, in which the reinforcing ribs surround the terminal connector means. AN ETU as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the terminal connector mounting means are IDC connectors. An ETU as claimed in any preceding claim made of a plastics material. An ETU substantially as described herein and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
IE2001/0235A IE84542B1 (en) | 2001-03-12 | An external termination unit |
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
IEIRELAND10/03/2000S2000/0190 | |||
IE20000190A IES20000190A2 (en) | 2000-03-10 | 2000-03-10 | An external termination unit |
IE2001/0235A IE84542B1 (en) | 2001-03-12 | An external termination unit |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
IE20010235A1 IE20010235A1 (en) | 2001-09-19 |
IE84542B1 true IE84542B1 (en) | 2007-04-04 |
Family
ID=
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