WO2005109459A1

WO2005109459A1 - Enhanced device for simultaneously switching a number of, in particular, telecommunications signal paths

Info

Publication number: WO2005109459A1
Application number: PCT/EP2005/051471
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hervé Bricaud; Yves Pizard
Original assignee: Itt Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc.
Priority date: 2004-04-09
Filing date: 2005-04-01
Publication date: 2005-11-17
Also published as: FR2868873A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a switching device (40) comprising a contact-supporting body (46), a series of n output blades (92) and a series of n input blades (100) between which blade pairs (92, 100) and controlling means (116, 108, 112, 122) are situated for simultaneously establishing or interrupting the n electrical connections between the blades (92, 100) of the blade pairs. The invention is characterized in that it comprises a metallic electromagnetic shielding plate (184), which extends above the contact-supporting body (46) and divides the device into an upper area containing mechanical components and into a lower area containing switching and electrical connection components.

Description

'Advanced device for simultaneous switching of several signal paths, in particular telecommunication channels'

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a switching device of the multi-channel type. The invention more particularly relates to a device for simultaneously establishing several electrical connections between sets of conductive elements in the form of contact blades.

STATE OF THE ART Such a device is used in particular in the field of telecommunications and telecommunications networks to establish the connection or the simultaneous disconnection between several lines of high frequency signals. Such a switching device must reliably enable a change of state, for example between a first state or position, said open, in which the electrical connections are all interrupted and a second state or position, said closed, in which the electrical connections are all established. Such a switching device then constitutes a switch. In addition to good mechanical performance, and a high quality nature of the various electrical contacts established within the device, it must have good electrical performance, electromagnetic, and sealing. Such performances include the possibilities of shielding and insulation between the different conductive elements arranged inside the device, in particular in order to avoid parasitic phenomena that would be due to the electromagnetic environment, and internal phenomena of crosstalk, in particular when the telecommunications lines, in which such switching devices are interposed, comprise pairs of twisted wires for the transmission of signals at high frequencies, and in particular greater than 100 MHz. The standards to be respected in this field are for example defined in the document "ANSI / TIA / EIA-568-A (/ 568) commercial Building Telecommunication Standard and 150 / IEC 1 1801 (/ 1 1801), as well as in the various texts TIA / EIA standardization and standardization TSB67 and ISO / IEC 1 1801: 2002 ED.2.0 ". Document US Pat. No. 5,967,303 proposes an electrical switching device comprising a contact carrier body made of insulating material, which carries: a series of several (n) longitudinal parallel and substantially horizontal contact strips of said output; a series of n parallel longitudinal and substantially horizontal input contact blades which are aligned with the n output blades to constitute a series of n pairs of aligned blades each of which comprises an output blade and an associated input blade which extend longitudinally in the same vertical plane; - Manually controlled means, for example sudden change of state, to establish or interrupt simultaneously n electrical connections between the two blades of each of said n pairs of contact blades; of the type in which the output blades are elastically deformable blades in a vertical plane each of which comprises a rear section, carried by the contact carrier body, and a front end section which extends cantilevered against a contact section of the associated input blade, and wherein said means comprise a transverse member for simultaneous deformation of the n output blades between a first high position in which said n links are established and a second low position in which the output blades are elastically deformed so that their front end portions are in contact with the sections vis-à-vis the associated input blades to simultaneously interrupt said n links electric.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to improve the performance of such a device and in particular to guarantee the shielding and the insulation between the different conducting elements arranged inside the device, the invention proposes a device of the type of that described and represented in the document. US-A-5,967,303, characterized in that it comprises a metal electromagnetic shielding plate which extends above the contact plate and which divides the device into an upper zone containing components of a mechanical nature and a lower zone comprising electrical switching and electrical connection components. According to other features of the invention: - said front end portion extends cantilever below said contact section, and said means comprise a common transverse member for simultaneous deformation of the n output blades between a position high in which the output blades are in contact with the contact sections vis-à-vis the associated input blades to simultaneously establish said n electrical connections, and a low position in which said n electrical connections are interrupted, - the contact carrier body is a horizontal contact plate made of insulating material which comprises a series of n vertical and longitudinal grooves which are open in the upper face of the contact plate and each of which houses an outlet blade and the section of contact of the associated entrance blade; the simultaneous deformation member of the n output blades comprises a series of n transversely aligned vertical fingers, each of which extends in such a way that its lower free end cooperates with a portion facing the upper face of the blade of exit ; the contact plate is sandwiched between an upper electromagnetic shielding metal plate and a lower electromagnetic shielding metal plate; the upper shielding plate comprises a series of n transversely aligned holes, each of which is opposite one of the said grooves of the contact-carrier plate, and each of the vertical fingers of the simultaneous deformation member extends through a hole; associated with the upper shielding plate so that its lower free end cooperates with a portion vis-à-vis the upper face of the output blade; the upper shielding plate comprises closing tabs which extend, from the longitudinal and / or transverse edges of the upper shielding plate, vertically downwards beyond the lower face of the lower armor plate under which they are folded to form a shielding cage in which the contact plate is sandwiched; the upper shielding plate comprises connecting lugs which extend, from the longitudinal and / or transverse edges of the upper shielding plate, vertically downwards beyond the lower face of the lower shielding plate to constitute ground electrical connection tabs of the shielding cage; - Each contact blade has a connecting tail which extends through the contact plate and below the lower face of the latter; - The lower shielding plate has holes for the passage of the connection tails of the contact blades; each input or output blade comprises an intermediate implantation section in the contact-carrier plate and comprises, beyond its implantation section, an electrical connection tail which is shaped into an elastically deformable branch comprising a connecting elbow whose convex top is oriented downwards and which is adapted to cooperate in elastic contacting with a corresponding conductive pad formed on the face of a printed circuit board; the device comprises at least one group of two pairs of adjacent aligned blades, the connecting tails of the input blades of these two pairs of blades intersect, and the connection tails of the output blades of these two pairs of blades are intersect so as to constitute inside the device a group of two pairs of twisted adjacent blades; each contact blade is a metal strip of constant rectangular cross-section along the entire length of the blade; two adjacent contact strips are spaced transversely from each other by a pitch of 1.016 mm and the vertical thickness of each contact strip is between 0.10 mm and 0.15 mm, and that the transverse width of each blade is between 0.50 mm and 0.45 mm; - The input and output blades extend substantially in the same horizontal plane, in particular in a horizontal plane located midway between the upper and lower shielding plates; the device comprises a central group of nx of said grooves (with x greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to 6), and it comprises a U-shaped longitudinal longitudinal metal shielding yoke whose parallel longitudinal vertical wings extend in partitions of the contact plate which separate adjacent grooves so as to surround said central group with n × grooves. The invention also proposes an electrical switching device comprising a contact carrier body of insulating material which carries: a series of n longitudinal longitudinal and parallel output contact blades; a series of n longitudinal input and parallel longitudinal contact blades which are aligned with the n output blades to form a series of n pairs of aligned blades each having an output blade and an associated input blade which extend longitudinally in the same vertical plane; and manually controlled means for establishing or interrupting simultaneously n electrical connections between the two blades of each of said n pairs of contact blades; characterized in that it comprises at least one group of two pairs of adjacent aligned blades, in that the connecting tails of the input blades of these two pairs of blades intersect, and in that the connection tails of the blades The output of these two pairs of blades intersect so as to constitute inside the device a group of two pairs of twisted adjacent blades.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Other embodiments and advantages of the invention will become apparent on reading the detailed description which follows for the understanding of which reference will be made to the appended drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a view from above and in perspective of three quarters before a first embodiment of a switching device produced in accordance with the teachings of the invention; FIG. 2 is a perspective view from below of the device of FIG. 1; - Figure 3 is a view similar to that of Figure 2 which illustrates an alternative embodiment of the contact blades; FIG. 4 is a view in section through a longitudinal vertical plane along line 4-4 of FIG. 5 and on which the device is illustrated on a large scale in the so-called closed position of the control or operating knob of FIG. corresponding to the establishment of n electrical connections; - Figure 5 is a sectional view through a transverse vertical plane along the line 5-5 of Figure 4; FIG. 6 is a view similar to that of FIG. 4 on which the control knob is in its open position corresponding to the interruption of the n electrical connections; FIG. 7 is a view similar to that of FIG. 5 in section; along line 7-7 of Figure 6; FIGS. 8 to 11 are views similar to that of FIG. 1 on which the device is illustrated without, respectively, its top cover, its control button, its control member simultaneously with the deformation of the exit blades, and without the upper shielding plate and the flexible sealing film; FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the two groups of eight input and output blades in their respective mounted positions; - Figure 13 is a perspective view of the upper cover of the device; - Figures 14 and 15 are perspective views from above and below the control button; - Figures 16 and 17 are perspective views from above and below the control member of the deformation of the output blades; FIG. 18 is a perspective view from above of the lower shielding plate; FIGS. 19A and 19B are side and top views of an output contact blade whose connection tail is rectilinear; - Figures 20A and 20B are side and top views of an output contact blade belonging to a group of pairs of twisted blades and whose connecting tail is bent in a first orientation; - Figures 21A and 21B are side and top views of an output contact blade belonging to the same group of pairs of twisted blades and whose connecting tail is bent in a second orientation; FIGS. 22A and 22B are side and top views of an input contact blade whose connection tail is rectilinear; - Figures 23A and 23B are side and top views of an input contact blade belonging to a group of pairs of twisted blades and whose connecting tail is bent in a first orientation; FIGS. 24A and 24B are side and top views of an input contact blade belonging to the same group of pairs of twisted blades and whose connecting tail is bent in a second orientation; FIG. 25 is a view from above of FIG. 11 illustrating the arrangement in the contact carrier plate of the various pairs of associated blades represented in FIG. 12; FIGS. 26 and 27 are perspective views from above and below of the upper shielding plate; FIG. 28 is a view similar to that of FIG. 4 which illustrates the device in position mounted on a printed circuit board of a first type; Fig. 29 is a perspective view from above of the printed circuit board shown in Fig. 28; - Figures 30 and 31 are views similar to those of Figures 28 and 29 which illustrate a second type of printed circuit board; Figure 32 is a top view of the printed circuit board of the second type illustrated in Figures 30 and 31; - Figure 33 is a view similar to that of Figure 5 which illustrates an alternative embodiment of the device with an inner shielding yoke; FIG. 34 is a perspective view from above of the shielding stirrup; FIG. 35 is a view similar to that of FIG. 4 which illustrates another embodiment of a switching device according to the teachings of the present invention of the inverter type comprising two series of input contact blades and which is represented in the position in which the first electrical connections are interrupted and the second electrical connections are established; - Figure 36 is a view similar to that of Figure 35 illustrating the other stable position of the device in which the first electrical connections are established and the second links are interrupted; - Figure 37 is a perspective view similar to that of Figure 1 which illustrates the switching device according to the other embodiment; FIG. 38 is a perspective view from below of the device of FIG. 37.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES In the following description, in order to facilitate the understanding thereof as well as that of the claims, the terms vertical, horizontal, inferior, superior, longitudinal, transverse, etc., will be adopted in a nonlimiting manner. with reference to the trihedron L, V, T indicated in the figures, as well as a front, rear orientation corresponding in particular to the right and left orientation of FIG. 4. FIGS. 1 to 7 show a switching device or multi-channel switching electrical switch (here an eight-way octopole switch), which has a general symmetry. The device 40 has two main structural parts made by molding of insulating plastic material, including a lower housing 42 and a complementary top cover 44. housing 42 is essentially constituted by a lower contact-holder body 46 in the form of a lower horizontal plate of rectangular outline, and two opposite longitudinal and vertical sidewalls 48, each of which extends vertically upwardly above the upper horizontal face 50 of the contact plate 46. The plate 46 is delimited transversely by two longitudinal edges 52 which are spaced from the internal lateral face vis-a-vis 49 of the adjacent wall 48 to define a vertical slot 54. In its central part, each inner face 49 has a recess or housing 56 centered around a horizontal hole opening 58 for mounting and indexing in rotation of a control button which will be described later. The holes 58 are advantageously molded into two complementary external and internal parts which makes it possible to avoid having to use a specific drawer in the mold for producing each hole 58. The horizontal bottom of the housing 56 comprises a cam profile 60 with ramps, while the two holes 58 are horizontally aligned along a transverse axis of pivot XX which is located midway length of the housing 42 which is delimited longitudinally by the vertical and transverse faces front end 64 and rear 62 of the contact plate 46 and the side walls 48. The plate 46 has a series of grooves 66 which are here eight in number. The grooves 66 are parallel longitudinal grooves which are regularly distributed in the transverse direction in the width of the plate 46 delimited by its longitudinal edges 52. The grooves 66 are also centered in the length of the plate 46. As can be seen by 4, 6 and 11, each groove 66 is of rectangular parallelepipedal shape and it opens into the upper face 50 of the plate 46, whereas it is delimited downwards by a horizontal bottom 68 and longitudinally by two transverse and vertical front walls 72 and rear 70. When the device comprises a shielding caliper of the type illustrated in FIG. 33, the plate 46 also comprises two vertical and longitudinal slots 74 which extend substantially over the entire length of the plate and which are located on either side of the group of four central grooves, while two other adjacent grooves are located between e each slot 74 and a longitudinal edge 52. Referring for example to Figure 6, we see that the horizontal lower face 76 of the housing 42 has a recess or central countersink 78. Each of the two slots 54 described above is open to the top and is closed down with a series of five rectangular orifices 80 formed in the bottom of the groove 54 and which open into the lower face. As can be seen in particular in Figures 4, 6 and 11, the contact plate 46 comprises a series of eight rear horizontal grooves 84 and a series of eight horizontal grooves before 86 which are arranged in the thickness of the plate 46 and which open horizontally each into a wall transverse front 72, rear 70 respectively with a central groove 66. The grooves 84 and 86 are open out longitudinally rearwardly and forwardly, respectively, and in the opposite ^"lower 76 by rear windows 89 and 91 respectively before. Each central groove 66 and each rear groove 84 receive a so-called output contact blade 92 which is an elastically deformable horizontal blade arranged in the manner of a beam.Each output blade 92 comprises a rear intermediate portion 94 for implantation into the rear groove 84 and from which it extends horizontally cantilevered inside the groove 66 in the manner of an elastically deformable beam with its front free end section 96 which is adjacent to the front transverse wall 72. Each outlet blade is fixed in its corresponding groove, for example by hot deformation of the insulating plastic material in zone 85 indi Each outlet blade 92 also comprises, beyond its rear section 94 of implantation in the plate 46, a tail 98 of electrical connection which allows the connection of the blade with a conductive pad 212 of a plate. PCB circuit shown in Figures 28 to 32. Each tail is of reduced length, through the choice of its thickness, to minimize the risk of impedance changes in the transmission lines. Each central groove 66 and each front groove 86 receive a contact blade 100 called input blade. Each inlet blade 100 has an intermediate front portion 102 for implantation into the groove 86 and from which it extends horizontally cantilevered inside the groove 66 with its rear free end section 104 which is adjacent to the front transverse wall 72. The section 104 which extends inside the groove 66 is of reduced length and almost rigid when compared to the long length of each blade 92 which extends in the groove 66, and constitutes a so-called contact which extends opposite and above the portion vis-à-vis the upper face 97 of the front end portion 96 of the associated output blade 92. Each entry blade is fixed in its corresponding groove, for example by hot deformation of the insulating plastic material in the zone 87 indicated in the figures. Each input blade 100 also comprises, beyond its implantation portion 102 in the plate 46, a tail 106 of electrical connection which allows the connection of the blade

100 with a conductive pad 214 of the printed circuit board PCB. Each outlet blade 92, 96 is thus associated with an inlet blade 100, 104 to form a pair of associated blades arranged in the same vertical plane in a groove 66. Each pair of blades thus formed forms a circulation path for the signals and the device comprises eight channels 1 to 8 adjacent transversely. We will now describe in detail the conformation of the connection tails of the input blades 100 and the output blades 92. As can be seen in particular in Figures 4, 6 and 2, the connection tails 98 and 106 are of the type called " spring finger "in which each connecting tail is in the form of an elastically deformable branch constituted by a V-shaped bent limb, with a very open angle and with an apex 200, 202 or contact fold (corresponding to the lower tip of the V) whose rounded profile convexity is oriented vertically downwards towards the upper face of the printed circuit board PCB. Each bent branch 98, 106 constituting a connecting tail extends longitudinally from the associated intermediate implantation portion 94, 102, cantilevered and thus constitutes an elastically deformable beam. The free end 204, 206 of each connecting tail is initially, that is to say as long as the device 40 is not fixed on the upper face of a PCB plate, in elastic support against a surface of corresponding inclined bearing vis-à-vis 208, 210 formed in the plate 46 so as to define the initial or rest position of the bent corners which, as can be seen in Figure 4, are all aligned transversely and extend all in the same horizontal plane parallel to the plane of the lower face of the device 40 intended to bear on the upper face of the PCB plate. As can be seen for example in Figures 28 and 30, and when the device 40 is fixed (by welding its penetrating prick-type lugs 190 which are received in conductive holes or "vias" 191) and electrically connected to ( x) plane (s) of the mass of the PCB, the connecting tails 98 and 106 of the pairs of signal blades are deformed elastically with respect to their initial rest position so that their bent peaks 200, 202 are in support of electrical contact on corresponding electrical pads 212, 214 of the upper face 216 of the PCB plate and thus, according to an advantage of the invention, all of the input blades 100 and output 92 housed inside the shielding cage constituted by the upper shielding plates 184 and lower 162. The electrical contact points of the connecting tails are aligned in two transverse rows of eight points at the input and at the output, in thus defining identical lengths for all the lines between these two transverse rows. The use of elastic connection tails of the "spring finger" type is particularly advantageous with respect to brazed solder outlets which, because of the dispersion between the various solders, induce distortions in the transmission of the HF signals of a line. to the other. In addition, the connection points with the pads of the PCB plate being masked "inside" the shielded perimeter of the device, it makes it impossible to control the quality of the solders. Each contact blade is a metal strip of constant rectangular cross section along the entire length of the blade and two adjacent contact blades are spaced transversely from each other by a pitch of 1.016 mm, the thickness vertical of each contact blade being between 0.10 mm and 0.15 mm, and the transverse width of each blade between 0.50 mm and 0.45 mm. For example, these values are equal to about 0.125 mm and 0.475 mm. This thickness provides the elasticity necessary for the elastic deformation of the blade 92 whose length is reduced to a minimum so that the very short distance between the connection points 200, 202 minimizes the impedance changes that could be produced by the interposition of the device in high frequency signal transmission lines. The legs 190 of connection to the ground circuit could also be of the "spring finger" type, but it is then necessary to provide additional means of mechanical fixing of the device on the PCB plate. It is also possible to provide harpoon-shaped electrical connection and fixing tabs 190 received in metallized holes in the printed circuit board, without welding or soldering, which provide the electrical connection and the mechanical fastening. The electrical contact points of the bent peaks 200, 202 with the conductive pads 212, 214 are located inside corresponding windows 164 and 166 of the lower shielding plate 162. In general, the quasi-horizontal profile of the input and output blades, as can be seen in FIGS. 28 and 30, is very advantageous for minimizing risks of impedance breaking of signal transmission lines. In the variant embodiment shown in FIG. 3, all the input blades 100 and the output blades 92 are rectilinear, that is to say that their respective connection tails 106, 98 are rectilinear and aligned with the body. main of the input blade, respectively output. These straight output 92 and input 100 blades are illustrated in FIGS. 19A, 19B and 22A, 22B respectively. According to the main embodiment, which is particularly illustrated in Figures 2, 4 and 6, the device 40 comprises two pairs of straight blades of the type just described and which are illustrated in Figures 19A, 20B and 22A, 22B. The device 40 also comprises, according to one characteristic of the invention, three groups of pairs of blades called twisted. According to "EIA / TIA 568A & 588B Standard", and as can be seen in FIGS. 10 and 11, each pair of straight blades is interposed between the two sets of twisted blade pairs. Transversally, one thus distinguishes a first group of pairs of twisted blades corresponding to the twisted pair "Pair3" or "Pair2" of Standard EIA / TIA 568A, 568B respectively, a pair of straight blades, a second group of pairs of twisted blades corresponding to the "Pairl" of EIA / TIA Standard 568A or 568B, a pair of straight blades, and a third group of pairs of twisted blades corresponding to the twisted pair "Pair4" of Standard EIA / TIA 568A or 568B. The two pairs of straight blades correspond to the twisted pair "Pair2" or "Pair3" of Standard EIA / TIA 568A, 568B respectively The output blades 92 belonging to a group of pairs of twisted blades are illustrated in FIGS. 20A, 20B and 21A, 21B on which it can be seen that the connecting tails 98 are bent at S, that is to say that the angled apex 200 of each exit blade 98 is shifted transversely on one side or the other side with respect to the rectilinear general direction of the main body of the exit blade 92. The opposite orientations of the two types angled connection tails of the output blades allow them to be superimposed and thus obtain a crossing of two connecting tails. In the same way, referring to FIGS. 23A, 23B and 24A, 24B, it can be seen that the connection tails 106 of the inlet blades 100 are also bent-shaped according to two types in order to obtain the same mounting possibility. With crossing of the connecting tails 106. As can be seen in particular in FIG. 2 and in FIG. 12, one thus obtains (for each group of pairs of twisted blades 92-100) a spiral winding on a complete revolution and of same winding direction as winding in helical twist of the two son of a pair of twisted son. Overall, the longitudinal distance separating the two vertical planes before P1 and rear P2 (shown in FIG. 12) in which the points of intersection of the front connection tails 98 and the rear tails 106 are located is substantially equal to 17 mm, ie that is, it is equal to the average of the standard winding pitches of twisted wire pairs that are between about 12 mm and 22 mm. As can be seen in Figure 12, and because of the winding on a complete turn, one obtains a one-to-one correspondence between the connecting tails of two aligned blades of the same pair. In the state of deformation illustrated in FIG. 6, there is a vertical clearance between the front end portion 96 of the exit blade which is in the second "low" position in the groove 66, and the contact section 104 of the input blade 100, and the electrical connection between the two blades 92, 100 - and therefore between their connecting tails 98 and 106 - is interrupted or opened. On the contrary, in the state of rest illustrated in FIG. 4, the front end portion 96 of the output blade 92 is in a first so-called high position in which it is in electrical contact with the contact section 104 of the input blade 100. The electrical connection between the two blades 92, 100 - and therefore between their connecting tails 98 and 106 - is thus established or closed with the section 96 in a state slightly elastically prestressed upwards to guarantee the electrical contact. with a bearing force or constant contact because independent of the maneuvering means. During each closing or opening, there is a slight relative displacement of the contacting areas 96 and 104 of the blades 92 and 100 ensuring a self-cleaning effect. In order to cause this simultaneous change of position of the front end sections 96 of the output blades 92, the device 40 includes manually controlled and sudden state changing means for simultaneously establishing or terminating the eight electrical connections between the two blades 92. , 100 of each pair of contact blades. These means comprise a common control member of the deformation of the output blades 92, 96 against their own elasticity. This control member is a transverse bar 108 of insulating material which comprises, under its lower face 1 10, eight vertical control fingers January 12 which are distributed transversely in the same pitch as the output blades 92, 96. Each control finger 1 12 extends vertically inside the groove vis-à-vis 66 so that its lower free end 1 14 is opposite the upper face of the output blade 92, substantially mid-length of the flexible portion of the blade inside the groove 66. The control rod 108 is the front end portion of a control lever 1 16 which is a substantially horizontal plate which comprises, in the vicinity of its rear transverse edge 1 18, two aligned lugs 120 for the tilting mounting of the rocker 1 16 relative to the housing 42, about a transverse axis YY. The lugs are nested in holes 121 of the upper shielding plate 184. To cause tilting or pivoting of the rocker 116 about its axis YY, and thus the vertical displacements of the fingers 112, the control means comprise a button for maneuvering 122 toggle to two stable positions of known general design and which is illustrated in particular in Figures 14 and 15. The button 122 comprises a central body 124 V two-faceted front 126 and 128 rear maneuvering The lower face of the central body 124 comprises half-length to the right of the center of the V, a control cam 130 divided into three parts each of which cooperates with a plane control surface 132 arranged in the upper face 109 of the rocker 116. On either side of its central body 124, the button 122 has two hollow vertical side wings 134 which is each delimited by a vertical lateral face 136 from which extends an hor izontal 138 intended to be received in a hole 58 of the adjacent side wall 48 of the housing 42 to ensure the pivoting or tilting mounting of the button 122 relative to the housing 42, about the axis XX as can be seen in FIGS. 15. Each hollow wing 134 of the knob 122 houses a diametral finger 140 which is resiliently biased by a compression spring 142 (see FIG. 7) so that its free end 144 at the tip of the arrow is urged into position. permanence in contact with the ramp cam profile 60. This profile has two opposite ramps 146 inverted V. The presence of the springs 142 ensures a sudden and frank change of position of the button 122 between its two opposite stable positions as soon as the ends 144 cross the vertex of the inverted V at the intersection of the ramps 146. Moreover, the fingers ensure the maintenance in each of the two stable and opposite positions which are defined by the opposite surfaces 148 of the wings 134 which abut on surfaces facing the side wings 48. The cooperation of the surfaces 148 and 150 also makes it possible to provide the The user of the tactile and audible sensations of the change of position of the button 122. In a known manner, and for example according to the technology developed by the American company "C &K", the bistable function with sudden change is provided. Advantageously, the solution with two systems 60-140 arranged transversely in opposite manner makes it possible to completely disengage the central part under the button and to multiply the forces applied by the fingers 140 or, on the contrary, to provide only one finger with its spring in a single wing, without changing the button or the housing. It is also possible to provide markings, not shown, "ON" and "OFF" or "IN" and "OUT" on the facets 126 and 128. It is also possible to provide markings of different colors, for example red and green, on the three lateral faces of each half of the button under the facets 126 and 128 respectively. The button 122 is held in position and is guided by the cover or cover 44 which is a complementary part of the upper part of the housing 42 on which it is mounted by means of four vertical studs 152 which are received and crimped, welded and / or glued in complementary holes 154 formed in the upper edges of the side walls 48. The cover 44 has a rectangular upper frame 156 and two transverse rear end plates 158 and before 160 which extend vertically under the upper frame 156 and between the internal faces facing the side walls 48 of the housing 42. In order to compartmentalize the contact carrier plate 46 to form groups of pairs of blades 92,100, there is provided a shielding yoke 176 which is illustrated in FIG. 33. The stirrup 176 is a metal part with a transverse section by a U-shaped vertical plane which comprises two vertical and opposite longitudinal wings 178 is a horizontal bottom plate 180. As can be seen in particular in FIG. 33, in the mounted position, the vertical wings 178 of the shielding bracket 176 are received vertically in the two vertical slots 74 of the contact plate 46 and they go out Ndent over the entire height of the latter so that their upper longitudinal edges 182 are flush with the upper face of the plate 46. Preferably, the housing 42 and the contact plate 46 are overmolded directly on the shielding yoke 176 which is cut and folded into a sheet of about 0.15mm thick. This implementation solution advantageously makes it possible to respect a very small transverse pitch of 1.016 mm with very thin intermediate partitions of 0.4 mm, and therefore an overall transverse width of the product which is particularly advantageous for the adjacent mounting of several products. In addition, the stirrup extends over the entire length of the blades. The lower face of the bottom 180 of the stirrup 176 is in contact with the upper face 163 of the lower shielding plate 162 to which it is thus electrically connected. As can be seen in Figure 33, the two vertical wings 178 of stirrup 176 isolate a central group of four grooves 66 of two side groups of two grooves 66 each. This provides protection against the risk of crosstalk between different groups of grooves, that is to say between the different electrical conductors housed in these grooves. According to a variant not shown, it is possible to compartmentalize the plate 46 into four compartments each having a pair of grooves 66 by providing in the shielding bracket 176 an intermediate vertical partition which, in the mounted position of the stirrup, extends in the median vertical plane of symmetry PVM. Thus, the device comprises a central group of nx of said grooves, and it comprises a U-shaped longitudinal metal shielding section with parallel longitudinal vertical wings extending in partitions of the contact plate which separate adjacent grooves so as to surround said central group of nx grooves, and whose horizontal bottom extends under the lower face of the contact plate and above the lower shielding plate, and the upper edges of the lateral wings of the shield bracket extend in the plane of the upper face of the contact plate, and the horizontal bottom of the shield bracket is in contact with the upper face of the lower shield plate. The means of shielding and electromagnetic protection of the various electrical conductors constituted by the output contact strips 92 and the input contact blades 100 will now be described in detail. These means comprise a metal shielding lower plate 162 which extends under the contact plate 46 in the countersink 78 provided for this purpose and, as can be seen in Figure 2, it extends longitudinally over the entire length of the housing 42 and therefore the contact plate 46. The face the bottom plate 162 of the shielding is coplanar with the underside 76 of the insulating housing. In the vicinity of each of its two longitudinal ends, the lower shielding plate 162 has a hole or rear rectangular window 164 and before 166 in each of which extend the connecting tails. The longitudinal edges 168 of the lower shielding plate 162 comprise series of three and two notches 170, while the transverse end edges 172 also comprise series of two notches 174. The shielding and electromagnetic protection against external disturbances from of the environment in which the switching device 40 is located, are provided by the lower shielding plate 162 and a metallic upper shielding plate 184. The upper shielding plate 184 illustrated in FIGS. 26 and 27 is a rectangular plate of FIG. same dimensions as the contact plate 46 above which it extends. In its central part, the upper shielding plate 184 comprises a series of eight holes 185 for the passage of the vertical control fingers 112. The diameter of the holes 185 is very small, of the order of 0.6 mm, and they do not affect the quality of the shielding. To form a shielding cage, the upper plate 184 is completed by two vertical lateral wings 186 which extends vertically downwards in the slots 54 along the longitudinal edges 52 of the plate 46. It is also completed by two transverse wings. end 188 which, in mounted position, extend vertically along the transverse end faces 62 and 64 of the contact plate 46. For its electrical connection, the upper plate 184 here comprises a series of nine vertical legs 190 extending vertically beyond the plane of the lower face 76 of the housing 42 to be connected to conductive holes 191 connected to the ground plane (or to the ground planes) of the printed circuit board PCB on which the switching device 40 is mounted. The connecting lugs 190 pass through the series of notches 170 and 174 of the lower plate. 162. In the case of the first type of the printed circuit board PCB shown in FIGS. 28 and 29, the upper face

216 comprises the conductive pads 212 and 214 and two sets of eight conductive tracks 213 and 215 which connect the pads to the longitudinal side edge of the PCB plate. This solution is advantageous in that the signal tracks 213 and 215 are without abrupt direction changes, the shortest possible and all of lengths identical to the "output" of the device 40. However, such a solution requires a corresponding cut in the corresponding longitudinal edge of the ground plane of the upper face of the printed circuit board, and an outer shield of the tracks which extend transversely beyond the device 40. The low clearance, of the order of 0.1 to 0 , 15 mm, between the lower face of the lower shielding plate 163 and the portion opposite the upper face of the PCB plate avoids the risk of short circuits with the "signal" tracks of the printed circuit which are further electrically insulated by a layer of varnish. In the case of the second type of the printed circuit board PCB shown in FIGS. 30 to 32, the upper face 216 comprises the conductive pads 212 and 214 which are connected to vertical conductive holes 217 and 219, also called "vias". From each vertical hole 217, 219 extends in the thickness of the PCB plate and substantially at mid-height, a conductive track 213, 215. The two upper faces 216 and lower 218 each comprise a metal ground plane which provides a sandwich shielding of the PCB plate. The lower shielding plate 162 is received opposite a cutout 220 of the ground plane of the upper face 216 of the PCB printed circuit board with which the shielding cage is in electrical contact, in particular thanks to the tabs 190. also provide for this purpose a complementary peripheral welding bead around the armor plate. The pads and the descents or vias are in the shielded perimeter as well as the conductive tracks 213 and 215. On the other hand, the descents 217 and 219 constitute abrupt changes of direction which can slightly and locally alter the impedance of the line. The contact-carrier plate 46 is sandwiched between the upper shielding plates 184 and bottom 162, in addition providing electrical continuity to form a shielding cage for the contact-carrier plate 46 which is surrounded on all sides by the cage shielding 184-186-188-162. To seal the grooves 66, there is provided a seal 196 which is in the form of a flexible rectangular sealing film 196 which has in its central part a series of eight holes 198 for the passage of vertical fingers 1 12 of the control lever 116. By the choice of a flexible material, and the dimensions of the holes 198 relative to the diameter of the fingers January 12, they pass through the holes 198 with a slight radial clamping, the flexibility of the However, as can be seen in particular in FIG. 4, the flexible sealing film 196 is interposed vertically between the lower face 183 of the upper shielding plate 184 and the upper face 50 of the shielding plate 184. the contact plate 46. When the control button 122 switches around its axis of articulation XX in the counterclockwise direction starting from the position illustrated in Figure 4 to reach the opening osition illustrated in Figure 6, the cams 130 act on the flip-flop 1 16 to cause a tilting of the latter about its axis in the clockwise direction and therefore a global downward movement of the transverse control bar 108 with the vertical control fingers 1 12 to cause a corresponding movement of the blades of output contact 92, and therefore their front end portions 96, so that the latter simultaneously leave the electrical contact with the lower faces vis-à-vis 103 of the contact sections 104 of the input blades 100. All end sections 96 are at the same level and the fingers 112 act simultaneously to cause the simultaneous "descent" of the sections 96 and the instantaneous and simultaneous opening of the eight switching channels. The presence of the rocker January 16, intermediate between the button 122 cams 130 and the contact blades, allows to obtain this simultaneously regardless of manufacturing tolerances and mounting of this control element. As long as the control knob 122 remains in its stable position shown in Figure 6, the electrical contacts between the output blades 92 and the input blades 100 remain interrupted. The fact of using a control lever 1 16 with control fingers January 12 allows to act simultaneously on the blades 92, while providing a shielding and sealing through the upper shielding plate and the sealing film. As can be seen in particular by considering FIG. 4, the device 40 is divided vertically by the plate 184 into two upper and lower zones. The device 40 thus comprises a zone or upper part called "mechanical" which is located above the upper shielding plate 184 and which comprises only components ensuring a mechanical function of transmission of movements and forces such as the button 122 and the control lever 1 16. The presence of the hood 44 delimits the zone in a superior chamber containing the components of essentially mechanical nature. The zone or mechanical chamber also extends laterally and vertically below the plate 184 to receive the means 60-140 arranged in the sidewalls of the housing. The device 40 also includes a central "electrical switching" zone or bottom portion which is situated below the upper shielding plate 184 and which comprises only electrical function components such as the input and output blades and their connecting tails. This lower electrical switching zone is shaped into a lower chamber which is delimited vertically downwards by the lower shielding plate and laterally by the vertical lateral wings 186, and which contains the electrical components providing the switching and the electrical connection. This avoids the risk of signal disturbance. It is noted that the blades 92-100 extend essentially and globally in a horizontal surface which is median in height between the upper plates 184 and lower 162, thus limiting the risk of disturbances of the signals by the shielding plates. The holes 185 in the plate 184 and 198 in the seal 196 constitute the only openings or passages between the "mechanical" and "electrical" lower zones. In the embodiment just described, the contact blades 92 are all horizontal parallel and coplanar. However, in order to further reduce the risks of crosstalk and according to an alternative embodiment not shown, it is possible to produce blades 82 of different profiles vertically offset and alternated in the successive slots. The possible vertical offset of the front sections on which the fingers 1 12 act, can be compensated by means of fingers 1 12 of different lengths so as to guarantee the simultaneity switching n channels, which are for example eight in number as described in the context of this description. In order to improve the performance of the device (frequency and higher rates of the signals flowing in the eight associated channels into four pairs or groups), the pair or group of rectilinear blades located transversely in third and sixth positions (channels 3 and 6 of FIG. signal flow) - corresponding to the twisted pair "Pair2" or "Pair3" of the EIA / TIA Standard 568A, 568B respectively - can also be a pair of "twisted" blades with crossover by shifting it vertically upward for be able to pass "above" and cross the outputs above those of the second central group of twisted blades corresponding to the "Pairl" of EIA / TIA Standard 568A or 568B (channels 4 and 5 signal flow). This makes it possible to eliminate the effect of "pairing" or "non-pairing" of this pair which is used for the highest classes or categories (Classβ). The general design of the device thus makes it possible to obtain a device satisfying the different classes or standard categories of protection, ie "Class 5, Class 5E and Class 6". This solution has the advantage of transversely ordering the outputs directly vis-à-vis RJ45 type connector connection outlets respecting the connection according to the EIA / TIA 568A, 568B standard, but has the drawback of slightly complicating the design. of the device and to increase its dimensions, in particular vertically. It is then possible to make another variant in which the device has four pairs or consecutive adjacent groups transversely with the crossed out for each group. Each group thus groups together, consecutively, lanes 1 and 2, lanes 3 and 4, lanes 5 and 6 and finally lanes 7 and 8 of signals. In addition, this last arrangement makes it possible to optimize the signal transmission performance of the Pair2 (or Pair3). However, according to this arrangement, it is then necessary for the printed circuit board on which the device "to re-establish" (via links appropriate electrical) connection to an RJ45 connector Thus, according to the different combinations retained for the crossing of the blades and outputs, as well as for the conductive tracks on the printed circuit board, the design makes it possible to obtain a device that satisfies the various classes. or standard categories of protection, ie "Class 5, Class 5E and Class 6". Now, the embodiment illustrated, in particular in FIGS. 35 to 39, will be described, the switching device 40 is an inverter, that is to say that is to say that the passage of its control knob from one of its two stable end positions causes a change of state between two series of Electrical inputs between the series of output contact blades 92 and secondly are first input blades 100 or second input blades 100 '. The general design of the second input blades 100 'is similar to that of the first input blades 100, as well as their arrangement and arrangement in the contact plate 46. Parts of the second input blades 100' identical, similar or similar to those of the first input blades 100 are designated by the same reference numerals supplemented with the sign "prime". The contact sections 104 'of the second input blades 100' extend above the front end sections 96 of the output blades 92 and, as can be seen in FIG. 26, the latter are in electrical contact. mutual when the output blades 92 are in the up position. The tilting of the control knob 122 from its position shown in FIG. 26 to its position shown in FIG. 27 causes a simultaneous "inversion" of the second electrical connections between the output contact blades 92 and the second input blades. 100 'to simultaneously establish first electrical connections with the first input blades 100. This inverter type design, for example allows to connect the two sets of input blades 100 and 100' to two separate telecommunications lines whose connection with the series of blades of exit 92 can be easily switched thanks to the button

122. A "switching" function is thus provided which, as a function of the stable position of the control button, makes it possible to transmit the signals from a first computer station or from a second computer station, or to completely interrupt transmission. signals to the station connected to the output blades. According to an alternative embodiment not shown in the figures, the switching device illustrated in FIGS. 35 and following may also comprise a neutral intermediate position in which the output contact blades 92 with their front end sections 96 are in electrical contact. neither with the first input blades 100 nor with the second input blades 100 '. Of course, this neutral intermediate position corresponds to a stable intermediate position control knob 122 determined by corresponding cam profiles (not shown). The grooves 84 and 86 emerge in the lower face 78 and each of them is connected to an insulating bushing 88, 90 respectively which is made integrally by molding with the plate 46. Each output blade 92 here comprises , beyond its rear portion 94 of implantation in the plate 46, a tail vertical type connection electrical connection 98 which passes through an associated insulating sleeve 88 and which allows the connection of the blade with a conductive track of a printed circuit board not shown. Each inlet blade 100 is here cut into a sheet thicker than that in which are cut the elastically deformable output blades 92. Thus, the rear section 104 which extends inside the groove 66 is rigid and constitutes a so-called contact section which extends below the front end portion 96 of the associated outlet blade 92. Each inlet blade 100 here comprises, beyond its implantation portion 102 in the plate 46, a quilting-type electrical connection vertical tail 106 which passes through an associated insulating bushing 90 and which allows connection of the blade 100 with a conductive track of the printed circuit board. Each output blade 92, 96 is thus associated with a first input blade 100, 104 to form a pair of associated blades arranged in the same vertical plane in a groove 66. According to a variant not shown of the inverter, the tails connection 98 and 106 are of the type called "spring finger" as in the case of the "simple" switching device. In this case, the passage section of all the blades is identical to those of the blades of the "simple" switching device described above, so as to have sufficient elasticity of the connecting tails "spring finger". On the "input" side, the "spring finger" connection tails are similar to those of the single switching device, and on the "output" side, the two "superimposed" stages of output blades are such that the output blades 100 of the lower stage are identical to those of the simple switching device, and the connection tails of the output blades 100 'of the stage they are substantially parallel, but offset upwards and transversely outwards. As in the case of a simple switching device, the "inverter" device may comprise pairs of "crossed" blades such as for example illustrated in FIG. 12. In the examples and embodiments which precede, the invention is described in FIG. mechanical actuator of the control rocker 116 in the form of an operating knob 122 swinging to two stable positions and comprising a control cam 130. The invention is however not limited to this type of tilting or pivoting button which can be replaced by a slider or sliding button in a horizontal plane substantially parallel to the general plane of the rocker and whose lower face has a cam profile adapted to cause corresponding movements of tilting of the rocker January 16 around its axis. In the description and the claims, the input-output terminology has been adopted arbitrarily and in a nonlimiting manner, these two notions being able to be inverted without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. Electrical switching device (40) comprising a contact carrier body (46) made of insulating material which carries: - a series of n longitudinal (92) parallel and horizontal contact blades called output; - A series of n longitudinal blades (100) of parallel and horizontal contact called input blades which are aligned with the n output blades (92) to constitute a series of n pairs of aligned blades (92, 100) each of which has a output blade (92) and an associated input blade (100) which extend longitudinally in the same vertical plane; - And means (1 16, 108, 1 12) manually controlled to establish or interrupt simultaneously n electrical connections between the two blades of each of said n pairs of contact blades (92, 100); and of the type in which the outlet blades (92) are elastically deformable blades in a vertical plane, each of which comprises a rear section (94), carried by the contact-carrying body (46), and a front end section ( 96) which extends cantilevered opposite a contact section (104) of the associated input blade (100), characterized in that it comprises a metal plate (184) of electromagnetic shielding which s 'extends above the contact carrier plate (46) and which divides the device into an upper zone containing components of a mechanical nature and a lower zone comprising electrical switching and electrical connection components.

2. Device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said front end section (96) extends overhanging below said contact section (104), and in that said means comprise a transverse member (108 , 112) common for simultaneous deformation of the n outlet blades (92) between a high position in which the outlet blades (92, 96) are in contact with the contact sections (104, 105) in vis-à-vis the associated input blades (100) for simultaneously establishing said n electrical connections, and a low position in which said n electrical connections are interrupted.

3. Device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the contact-carrying body is a horizontal contact-carrying plate (46) made of insulating material which comprises a series of n vertical and longitudinal grooves (66) which open out into the upper face (50) of the contact carrier plate (46) and each of which (66) houses an output blade (92, 96) and the contact section (104) of the associated input blade (100).

4. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that in the member (108) of simultaneous deformation of the n outlet blades (92) comprises a series of n vertical fingers (1 12) transversely aligned, each of which extends so that its lower free end (1 14) cooperates with a portion opposite the upper face of the output blade (92).

5. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the contact-carrying plate (46) is sandwiched between a metallic upper plate (162) of electromagnetic shielding (184) and a metallic lower plate (162) electromagnetic shielding.

6. Device according to the preceding claim taken in combination with claims 3 and 4, characterized in that the upper shielding plate (184) comprises a series of n holes (185) aligned transversely each of which is opposite one of said grooves (66) of the contact carrier plate (46), and in that each of the vertical fingers (1 12) of the member (1 18) of simultaneous deformation extends through an associated hole (185) of the plate upper shield (184) so that its lower free end (1 14) cooperates with a portion facing the upper face of the output blade (92).

7. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the upper shielding plate (184) has closing lugs (192, 194) which extend from the longitudinal and / or transverse edges of the upper plate shield, vertically downward beyond the underside (187) of the lower shield plate (184) under which they are folded (194) to form a shield cage in which the contact carrier plate (46) is sandwiched.

8. Device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the upper shielding plate (184) comprises connecting lugs (190) which extend, from the longitudinal and / or transverse edges of the upper shielding plate, vertically towards the bottom beyond the underside of the lower shielding plate to form electrical connection lugs of the shielding cage.

9. Device according to any one of claims 3 to 8, characterized in that each contact blade (92, 100) has a tail (98, 106) for connection which extends through the contact carrier plate (46 ) and below the underside (76) of the latter.

10. Device according to the preceding claim taken in combination with claim 5, characterized in that the lower shielding plate (162) has holes for the passage of the connection tails of the contact blades.

11. Device according to one of claims 9 or 10 taken in combination with claim 3, characterized in that each input or output blade comprises a section (94, 102) for implantation in the contact carrier plate ( 46) and comprises, beyond its implantation section, an electrical connection tail (98, 106) which is shaped into an elastically deformable branch comprising a connection elbow whose convex top is oriented downwards and which is able to cooperate in elastic contact support with a conductive pad correspondent formed on the face of a printed circuit board (PCB).

12. Device according to any one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that it comprises at least one group of two pairs of blades (92, 100) aligned adjacent, in that the connecting tails (106) of the blades inlet (92) of these two pairs of blades cross, and in that the connecting tails (98) of the outlet blades (100) of these two pairs of blades cross so as to constitute inside the device a group of two pairs of adjacent twisted blades.

13. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each contact blade is a metal strip of rectangular cross section constant over the entire length of the blade.

14. Device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that two adjacent contact blades are spaced transversely from each other by a pitch of 1.016 mm, in that the vertical thickness of each contact blade is between 0.10 mm and 0.15 mm, and in that the transverse width of each blade is between 0.50 mm and 0.45 mm.

15. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inlet and outlet blades extend substantially in the same horizontal plane.

16. Device according to the preceding claim taken in combination with claim 5, characterized in that the inlet and outlet blades extend substantially in the same horizontal plane located halfway between the upper (184) and lower plates (162) of shielding.

17. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that it comprises a central group of nx of said grooves (66), and in that it comprises a longitudinal metal shielding stirrup (176) with U-shaped cross section whose wings (178) parallel longitudinal verticals extend into partitions of the contact carrier plate which separate adjacent grooves (66) so as to surround said central group of nx grooves.

18. Electrical switching device (40) comprising a contact carrier body (46) made of insulating material which carries: - a series of n longitudinal blades (92) of parallel and horizontal contact called output; - A series of n longitudinal blades (100) of parallel and horizontal contact called input blades which are aligned with the n output blades (92) to constitute a series of n pairs of aligned blades (92, 100) each of which has a output blade (92) and an associated input blade (100) which extend longitudinally in the same vertical plane; - And means (116, 108, 112) manually controlled to establish or interrupt simultaneously n electrical connections between the two blades of each of said n pairs of contact blades (92, 100); characterized in that it comprises at least one group of two pairs of blades (92, 100) aligned adjacent, in that the connecting tails (106) of the input blades (92) of these two pairs of blades intersect , and in that the connecting tails (98) of the outlet blades (100) of these two pairs of blades intersect so as to constitute inside the device a group of two pairs of adjacent twisted blades.