MXPA94004642A - Digital interconnection system with connector assemblies or clav couplings - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to the assembly of plug connector or plug that includes a connector that has a means for fixing or releasable connection to a mounting or support. The conjunctor further includes a body with a means for connection to joint pins and a circuit board having a plurality of contact points placed on the first and second sides of the circuit board. Also included is a mounting or support having a plurality of exposed contact members, arranged in a predetermined arrangement such that when the assembler is inserted into the assembly, each electrical contact point is in electrical communication with a discrete member of the assembly. the contact members on the mountain

Description

--to "DIGITAL INTERCONNECTION SYSTEM WITH CONNECTOR ASSEMBLIES OR PLUG PLUGS" Inventors: TODD ALLEN MORGENSTERN, North American, domiciled at 10742 Cavall Road, Bloomington, Minnesota 55438, E.U.A. and JAMES D. DEWEY, North American, domiciled at 5025 Norwood La, Plymouth, Minnesota 55442, E.U.A.

Causatee: ADC TELECOMMUNICATIONS, INC., Minnesota State Corporation, E.U.A. domiciled at 4900 West 78th Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55435, E.U.A.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the present invention there is described the assembly of plug connector or plug that includes a connector that has a means for fixing or releasable connection to a mounting or support. The conjunctor further includes a body with a means for connection to joint pins and a circuit board having a plurality of contact points placed on the first and second sides of the circuit board. Also included is a mounting or support having a plurality of exposed contact members, arranged in a predetermined arrangement such that when the assembler is inserted into the assembly, each electrical contact point is in electrical communication with a discrete member of the assembly. the contact members about the assembly.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A system for digital interconnection (DSX) provides a place to interconnect two digital transmission channels. The apparatus for a DSX is placed in one or more frames or frames, usually in a telephone exchange office. The DSX apparatus also provides access through a linker for the transmission routes. The plug assemblies or plugs of the DSX are well known and include a plurality of spring (spring) contacts for receiving tip and ring pins. The assemblies are commonly coupled in a common housing which is mounted on the frame. The assemblies are typically wired to wire terminal bolts that are mounted on one side of the opposite access ports of the housing pegs. The prior art DSX was provided for improved access to the operator, and capabilities to provide significant electronic aspects. More specifically, commonly assigned U.S. Patent No. 4,840,568 discloses that wired DSX signals are connected to a mount, into which the linker is inserted. The conjunctor has a plurality of electrical contacts that can access these signals. However, the signals for the interconnection are wired to the opposite side of the conjunctor by themselves. By having the signals for the interconnection, wired to the conjunctor makes the removal of the conjunctor accidental by disconnecting the conjunctor the interconnection signals, wired. The present invention provides a mounting and mounting arrangement or support in which this problem is solved.

BRIEF DECRIPTION OF THE INVENTION According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for providing access to a plurality of telecommunication lines is described. The apparatus includes a mounting or support including a plurality of electrical contacts wired to a DSX signal source, and interconnection signals. A plurality of assemblies are provided to releasably join the mounting points. Each conjunctor includes a plurality of electrical contact points designed to be coupled to the electrical contacts of the assembly, to receive the DSX signals and signals from the interconnector, when the connector is inserted into the mounting or support.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure IA is a view in elevation, lateral, in section, of a plug connector or plug. Figure IB is an opposite side view of the conjunctor of Figure IA. Figure 2 is a perspective view of a conjunctor. Figure 3 is a front elevational view of a mount or support. Figure 4 is a perspective view of a mounting or support.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITY Referring now to the different figures, in which the identical elements are numbered identically, a description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be provided. With initial reference to Figure 1A, a set or plug of plugs 10 is shown in general form. The conjunct includes a dielectric body 14 and a printed circuit board 18. The conjunctor 10 extends from an anterior edge 54 of the body 14 to a trailing edge 56 of the circuit board 18. An upper edge 58 of the body 14 is provided as an axially extending rail 60. A lower edge 62 of the body 14 is provided with a lower rail 64, similar in structure to the rail 60. The upper and lower rails 60 and 64 are designed to releasably secure the assembler 10 within a mounting or support 20 of the same way as described in the commonly assigned U.S. Patent No. 4,840,568. The assembly 20 will be described in detail later. As seen in Figure 2, the leading edge 54 of the conjunctor 10 is provided with a plurality of holes or holes extending therethrough. The plurality of holes include a monitor hole 82 (or MON), an OUTPUT orifice 84, and an INPUT port 86. These ports provide access for the connector pins (not shown) to be inserted into the connector 10. When Inserting the plugs of the conjunctor (not shown) gives access to the set of electrical circuits, through a plurality of elastic or spring contacts shown in Figure IA. The elastic contacts are located within the body 14 of the assembler 10. As best seen in Figure IA, the plurality of spring contacts includes a normal SPRING 90 spring and a SPRING 91 spring. . The plurality also includes a normal annular spring 92 of OUTPUT and an annular ring 93 of OUTPUT, a normal ring 94 of INLET tip and a spring 95 of INLET tip. The plurality also includes a normal inlet spring 96 of INPUT and an INLET spring 97, a monitor tip spring 98, and a monitor ring 99, a first spring 100 LED and a second spring 101 LED. The springs 91 and 93 are arranged in such a way that they are coupled by the tip and the ring, respectively, of the plug of an electric connector, not shown, inserted into the OUTLET orifice 84. The springs 95, 97 are selected such that they are engaged by the tip and ring of a plug, not shown, inserted into the INPUT port 86. Similarly springs 98, 99 are positioned or arranged to be engaged by the tip and ring of a plug, not shown, inserted into the hole 82 MON. The pairs of springs 90-91, 92-93, 94-95, and 96-97 are in normal contact in the absence of a pin within the holes 84 and 86, and will be opened by the insertion of a pin, not shown The springs 98, 99 are connected through a resistor to the springs 91 and 93. The arrangement of these contacts in the body of the conjunctor 10 is similar to that described in the commonly assigned US patent No. 4,840,568. As seen in Figures IA and IB, the circuit board 18 of the conjunctor 10 includes a first side 110 and a second side 111. The size of the circuit board is defined by the upper and lower rails, 60 and 64, of the conjunctor 10 so that the board 18 remains within an area bordered by the rails 60 and 64. The circuit board 18 is of normal construction. The trailing edge 56 of the circuit board 18 has a plurality of electrical contact points 140-145 and 150-155 disposed on the first and second sides of the circuit board 18 near the trailing edge 56. The electrical contact points 140-145 they are uniformly spaced on the first side 110 of the circuit board 18. The electrical contact points 150-155 are evenly spaced in an alternate arrangement (i.e., staggered with respect to the contact points 140-145) which are on the second side 111 of the circuit board 18, as best illustrated by the position of the contacts 220-231 shown in Figure 3. This alternative spacing provides that no electrical contact point on the first side 110 of the circuit board 18 is immediately adjacent to an electrical contact point on the second side 111 of the circuit board 18. Each electrical contact point receives an independent signal when connected to the assembly. Because an additional number of electrical contact points can be placed on the circuit board, the received signals include the INPUT interconnection signal and the OUTPUT interconnection signal. The electrical contact points 140-145, 150-155 alternately placed on the first and second sides, 110, 111 of the circuit board are electrically connected to a plurality of circuit paths (not shown) that connect each contact point with other individual elastic or spring contacts. The electrical contact points 140-145, 150-155 are designed to connect to the electrical contacts arranged in the assembly 20 as will be described later. Referring to Figures 3 and 4, the assembly or support 20 of the present invention is of the same general configuration as described in commonly-assigned U.S. Patent No. 4,840,568. In addition to containing means for releasably securing the assembler 10 within the assembly 20, the assembly 20 of the invention includes a plurality of slots 160-163 arranged in parallel, spaced apart from a columnar format? generally aligned to receive the circuit boards 18 of the assemblies 10 as they are inserted into the assembly 20. A plurality of perforations 200-211 are located in the slots. These perforations 200-211 are arranged in such a way that they form two parallel lines, and each perforation is spaced in an alternating position from the perforation opposite to it, as can best be seen in Figure 3. As can be seen in Figure 4, an electrical contact 220-231 is placed inside each hole. As seen in Figure 4, each electrical contact has a terminal pin 240 for the associated cable winding, and an elastic or spring contact 241. The terminal pin 240 for the cable winding extends away from the slots 160- 163 and the conjunctor 10, while the spring contact 241 is ordinarily placed in the slot. Each spring contact 241 of each electrical contact 220-231 extends beyond half the distance through any slot. The arrangement of holes 200-211 provides an arrangement of electrical contacts 220-231 where no spring contact is in electrical communication with any other spring contact in the assembly. A plurality of mounts or supports can be placed in a frame of the equipment.

The spring contacts 241 are deformable, ie they are pushed back by inserting the connector 10 into the assembly 20. In the preferred embodiment, the spring contacts 241 may extend beyond the midpoint of any of the slots 160- 165 By staggering the elastic contacts these can extend beyond the midpoint through the slot allowing the elastic contact to develop sufficient contact force on the circuit board 18 of the linker 10. If the contact points 140-145 and 150-155 were not staggered, the elastic contacts would not touch them. By staggering the contact points, the elastic contacts will not form closed circuits. In certain applications, it may not be necessary for the elastic contacts to extend beyond the midpoint through a slot. Attached to the terminal pins for winding cables, of each electrical contact associated with any given slot, there are seven cables (not shown) carrying or carrying common DSX signals. These DSX signals include: a tip input; a tip exit; a ring entry; a ring outlet; a dirt through the sleeve; an earth LED, and an energized source. These are well known in the art, and are described in commonly assigned U.S. Patent No. 4,840,568. The INPUT and OUTPUT interconnection signals are also received from electrical contacts found in the assembly. The rest of the contacts that are in the assembly correspond to signals that can be used for other well-known functions, for the intensification of signals. The circuitry connected to the circuit board contact points includes resistors and other circuit elements to provide well-known DSX functions. The DSX circuitry of the present invention is similar to that presented in commonly assigned U.S. Patent No. 4,840,568. The interconnection circuit system of the present invention can be accessed from the electrical contact points placed on the circuit board. When the conjunctor is inserted into the assembly, the electrical contact points located on the circuit board are brought into contact with the electrical contacts placed in the associated slot on the assembly. The benefit of maintaining all terminal bolts for the winding of cables, which are on the assembly, beyond the conjunctor, are that the conjunctor can be removed from the assembly without disconnecting the interconnection signals, wired, of the conjunctor, as would be necessary in the joint of the commonly assigned US Patent No. 4,840,568. Also by keeping all the cables in the assembly, the whole system is maintained in a more orderly manner. Additional benefits of staggering or alternating contacts is a higher density of cables in a rack of the equipment. By providing this benefit, more applications are available. In addition to staggering the contact points, elastic or spring contacts are allowed to extend beyond the midpoint through any of the slots in the mounting or support, so that when the connector is inserted into the assembly enough contact force can be generated. Although the foregoing, detailed description of the present invention describes the invention in a preferred embodiment, it will be appreciated that the intention of the invention is to include all equivalent modifications and designs. Accordingly, it is intended that the scope of the present invention be limited only by the claims appended thereto.

It is noted that in relation to this date, the best method known by the applicant to carry out the present invention, is the conventional one for the manufacture of the objects to which it refers.

Having described the invention as above, property is claimed as contained in the following:

Claims (4)

_ i? - CLAIMS

1. A plug assembly or jack assembly, characterized in that it comprises: a) a plug connector or plug comprising: i) means for releasably connecting or attaching to a mounting or support; ii) a circuit board having a first side and a second side; iii) a body having a means for connection to the plugs of the conjunctor, the means for a releasable connection or connection is placed on the body, and the circuit board is placed adjacent to the body; and iv) a plurality of electrical contact points placed on the first side and the second side of the circuit board, with an alternating pattern. b) the assembly or support has a plurality of exposed contact members, placed in a predetermined arrangement, such that when the assembler is inserted into the assembly, each of the contact points is in electrical communication with a member of discreet contact of the contact members who are on the assembly.

2. The assembly or assembly of a conjunctor, according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the exposed contact members of the assembly are equipped with springs, and are in electrical communication with a terminal member for cables.

3. The assembly or assembly of a plug connector, characterized in that it comprises: a connector having a means for releasably connecting or attaching to a mounting or support, and a circuit board, the circuit board has a first side and a second side; a plurality of electrical contact points placed on the first side and the second side of the circuit board in such a way that each of the electrical contact points placed on the first side does not have one of the mentioned electrical contact points, placed on the second side, immediately adjacent to the electrical contact that is on the first side; the assembly has a plurality of exposed contact members, each of the contact members is positioned to make contact with a discrete member of the plurality of electrical contacts when the connector is inserted into the mounting or support. In testimony of which I sign this in this Mexico City, D.F. on June 20, 1994. By: ADC TELECOMMUNICATIONS. INC. Attorney