Telecommunications module with disconnection feature

The present invention relates to a telecommunications module that is used in a telecommunications system to establish an electrical connection between an input cable and an output cable.

In the field of telecommunications, numerous clients connect to the switch of a telecommunications company through telecommunications lines. Customers are also called, on some occasions, subscribers. The switch is also called PBX PBX (telephone center operated by a telecommunications company). The sections of the telecommunication lines are connected to the telecommunication modules between the subscriber and the switch. The telecommunications modules establish an electrical connection between the input cables and the output cables of the telecommunications lines. The plurality of telecommunications modules can be grouped into a

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Offices. In order to allow flexible wiring, some telecommunications lines connect to the first telecommunications modules, so that

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A permanent connection is established. Flexibility is developed through bridges or interconnections, which flexibly connect the contacts of a first telecommunications module with the contacts of a second telecommunications module. These bridges can be changed when a person moves within an office building in order to provide a different telephone (that is, a different telephone line) with the telephone number that the relocated person wishes to maintain.

In a telecommunications module, the electrical connections between the input and output cables of the telecommunications lines are provided by contact elements with contacts at each end, to which the cables can be connected. In some telecommunications modules, the contact elements generally have a U-shape, so that the end contacts are located on the same side of the module: examples of such modules are described in document USA-5 967 826 (Letailleur ). Telecommunication modules are also known in which the contact elements extend between opposite sides of the module: examples of double-sided modules are described in EP-A-1 744 404 (Reichle &amp; De-Massari AG), US -A-4 618 204 (Saligny), US-A-3 798 587 (Ellis et al), US-A- 2006/0160404 (Alarcon et al.), And EPA-1 804 523 and 1 246 317 ( 3M Innovative Properties

Company).

Telecommunication modules that use contact elements that extend between opposite sides of the module offer the advantage that the input and output cables can be separated on the respective sides of the module, which allows more efficient use of the available space. and simplification of installation procedures. In some cases, the contact elements are substantially located next to each other in a single row, but the arrangement of the contact elements in two opposite rows is also known in order to provide a more compact telecommunications module, and by therefore, a higher density of connections.

Some telecommunication modules employ contact elements, hereinafter referred to as disconnection contact elements, which comprise two parts that are flexibly fixed to each other at a point of disconnection between the ends of the contact element. The disconnection point allows the insertion of a device from outside the telecommunications module between two parts of the contact element for various purposes. The device can be, for example, an electrically disconnecting probe

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Insulator that is inserted to disconnect a line, or an electrically conductive test probe that is inserted to test or monitor a line. In some cases, the device may be a functional connector that is inserted to provide, for example, protection against overvoltages or overcurrents.

Examples of telecommunications modules incorporating disconnect contact elements are described in US-A-5 967 826, US-A2006 / 0160404, EP-A-1 804 523 and EP-A-1 246 317 mentioned above.

The present invention relates to double-sided telecommunications modules, which comprise at least one pair of contact elements, each of which extends between the opposite sides of the module (more especially, a plurality of said pairs of contact elements it is located in two opposite rows preferably identical). The invention relates to the provision of a module of the type in which disconnecting contact elements can be used without a substantial increase in the module thickness. The invention also allows an external probe to be correctly directed towards the disconnection point of a selected disconnection contact element.

The present invention provides a module of

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telecommunications comprising at least one pair of contact elements, each of which extends between the opposite sides of the module and has contacts at each end with which connections can be made, where each contact element comprises a first part and a second part, the first part is flexibly inclined and comes into contact with the second part at a point of disconnection, and where a separation member is located between the disconnection points of the pair of contact elements; The separation members have a shape that deflects a probe, inserted in the module from one of the opposite sides, towards the point of disconnection of an element selected from the pair of contact elements to break the contact between the first part and the second part of the contact element.

The telecommunications module can be, for example, a termination module or a DSLAM module (digital multiplexer for access to the subscriber line).

The provision of the separation member can ensure that the probe is correctly directed towards a selected disconnection point without the need for greater separation between the pair of contact elements and a subsequent increase in the module thickness. In case the module is a termination module, for example,

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Ί the probe can be an electrically insulating disconnection probe that is inserted to disconnect a telecommunications line, or an electrically conductive test probe that is inserted to test or monitor a line. If the module is a DSLAM module, for example, the probe can be an electrically conductive probe that connects to the DSLAM line for a test or maintenance operation.

In an advantageously simple manner, the separation member has a conical end that deflects the probe, directed towards said side of the opposite sides of the module. In that case, a single slot in the module housing may be sufficient to provide a probe with access to both contact elements of a pair, and the conical end of the separation member is directed towards the access slot.

The second parts of the contact elements can be supported by the separation member on their opposite sides. Such an arrangement allows sufficient use of the available space within the module, particularly if the separation member electrically isolates the second parts of the contact elements from each other, and can also allow greater contact force between the two parts of a contact element. . In case the module accommodation is a

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Molded component, the fabrication of the housing can be simplified if the separate member is an integrally molded part of the housing.

The probe that is used with a telecommunications module according to the invention can have an asymmetric shape, at least in part, through which, in one orientation, it will be directed by the separation member towards the point of disconnection of a element of the pair of contact elements and, in another orientation, will be directed by the separation member towards the disconnection point of the other element of the pair of contact elements. The probe can comprise a handle, through which it can be inserted into the module, and a leading end that has an asymmetrical shape in the plane of the disconnection points of the pair of contact elements.

Typically, a telecommunications module according to the invention will comprise a plurality of said pairs of contact elements, and the contact elements are located in two opposite rows, preferably identical, with one contact element of each pair in each row. In the case of a termination module, the contact elements preferably have a suitable form for greater attenuation of the crosstalk between the different lines of

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subscribers In one embodiment of the invention, this is achieved by shaping each contact element, such that the central region containing the disconnection point is narrower than the regions of the ends containing the contacts and is separated with respect to an axis that extends between the latter. The contact elements are located such that, in consecutive pairs along a row (each associated with a respective subscriber line), the central regions are located closer to each other than to the corresponding parts of the pairs adjacent contact elements.

A DSLAM module according to the invention can be used in a connector block in combination with two other telecommunications modules, and each of the other modules has the same number of contact elements as the DSLAM module, where one half of the Contact elements of each other module is adapted to transmit a line signal and the other half is adapted to transmit a POTS signal. The connector block can be used in combination with a splitter that connects to a contact element of the DSLAM module and a pair of contact elements of one of the other modules. In one embodiment, the splitter is connected to the contact element of the DSLAM module

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from the other side of said opposite sides and, as described above, the probe is an electrically conductive probe that is connected to a DSLAM line for a test or maintenance operation.

By way of example only, embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 presents a perspective view of a telecommunications module according to the invention;

Fig. 2 shows a diagram of the cross section of the module of Fig. 1, showing one of the pairs of opposing contact elements of the module;

Fig. 3 presents a detailed perspective view of the disconnection points of the contact elements of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 presents another perspective view showing a probe inserted at the disconnection point of one of the contact elements of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 shows a view of two adjacent contact elements in the module of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 shows a cross section of a connector block comprising a telecommunications module such as the horn shown in Figs. 1 to 3 in combination with two other telecommunications modules; Y

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Fig. 7 shows a schematic representation of half of the connector block of Fig. 6 during use.

Fig. 1 shows a termination module 1 which, typically in combination with other similar modules, can be part of a telecommunications assembly that can be mounted, in a known manner, for example, on a suitable support or frame.

The termination module 1 has opposite side faces 3, 4 (of which we can only see face 3 in Fig. 1), opposite transverse sides 5, 6 and opposite longitudinal sides 7, 8. The termination module comprises two parts of housing IA, IB plastic and molded that are formed with projections and hook holes 1C where they join. The housing part 1B is formed with a pivot connection 5a on the transverse side 5, through which it can be pivotally mounted on a suitable frame mounted at the rear, for example, as part of a block comprising a plurality of termination modules. Within the termination module 1, such a horn is described in detail below, there are contact elements which, for the purposes of this description, are assumed to connect pairs of input cables on side 7 of the module (hereinafter referred to as front side ) and pairs of

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output cables on side 8 (hereinafter referred to as rear side). The contact elements are located next to each other in two rows facing each other that extend along the module 1.

Each contact element has suitable contacts 9, 10 at its ends (cannot be seen in Fig. 1) for connection with a cable of a telecommunications line on each longitudinal side of the termination module. The slots 11 can be seen more clearly in Fig. 5, which will be described below. As illustrated, contacts 9, 10 are conventional isolation displacement contacts (IDCs) having respective pressure-insertion slots 11 in the body of termination module 1 for inserting cables in the known manner. Suitable alternative contacts are conventional winding connection contacts. Each adjacent pair of contacts 9A, 9B; 10A, 10B of a row (see Fig. 5) is assigned to a pair of respective subscriber cables.

Termination modules of this general type are known and offer the advantage that connections with the different groups of cable pairs (POTS cables and line cables in this case) can be made with contacts on opposite longitudinal sides of a module.

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This allows all cables to require a less frequent change to be located on one side, possibly less accessible, of the module. For example, all line cables can be connected to the rear side 8 of the module and all POTS cables to the front side 7. In addition, a single module of this type can be more compact than two modules comprising, each of them , only one row of contacts and, therefore, can also achieve a comparatively high density.

The shape of the contact elements within the termination module 1 will be described below with reference to Figs. 2 and 3. Fig. 2 shows a cross section of the module in which two opposing contact elements 13, 15, one in each of the rows of the termination module can be observed. The contact elements 13, 15 are counter-images to each other, and as mentioned above, each has an IDC 9 at one end on the front side 7 of the termination module 1 and an IDC 10 at the opposite end on the side rear 9 of the module. Each contact element

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contact element includes a disconnect point 21

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in which the inner end of the front part 17 inclines in a flexible manner to come into contact with the inner end of the rear part 19, and the latter rests at this point on a respective side of a separation member 23 located between the pair of contact elements 13, 15 positions. The separation member 23 extends from a wall structure within the rear part of the housing IB of the termination module 1 and an integrally molded part of the housing of the termination module 1 is sold. The separation member has one end

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separation member 23 is formed with an insulating material and is thick enough to ensure that the rear portions 19 of the contact elements 13 are electrically insulated from each other. The separation member 23 allows an effective use of the space available within the module and the support provided by the separation member for the rear part 19 of a contact element at the disconnection points 21

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L can also allow greater contact force between the two parts 17, 19 of the contact element.

The disconnection point 21 in each contact element 13, 15 allows the direct electrical connection between the front and rear parts 17, 19 of one of the contact elements to be interrupted by means of a probe inserted in the termination module 1 a through the access slot 27 on the front side 7 of the module, such as will be described later. The probe can be used in a known way to disconnect a line, or to test or monitor a line.

Fig. 4 shows a probe 29 inserted through an access slot 27 at the disconnection point 21 of an element of a pair of contact elements 13, 15 (in this case, the contact element 13). The probe 29 has a handle 28 through which it can be inserted into the access slot 27 and, at its front end 30, narrows asymmetrically when viewed in a direction perpendicular to a plane containing the disconnection points 21 of this pair of contact elements 13, 15, such that, according to their orientation, it will be directed towards one side or the other of the separation member 23 by contact with the conical end 25 of the latter. In Fig. 4, the probe 29 has been directed towards the side of the separation member 23 in which the

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V contact element 13 is located and, therefore, has entered the disconnection point 21 of that contact element. If the probe 29 must rotate 180 ° before being inserted through the access slot 27, it will be directed towards the side of the separation member 23 in which the contact element 15 is located and, therefore, would enter, instead , at the disconnection point 21 of that contact element.

Advantageously, the contact elements 13, 15 have an asymmetrical shape when viewed in the plane (that is, they are displayed from the right or left side of Fig. 2, without the adjacent side face 3, 4 of the module). termination) Fig. 5 shows a pair of adjacent contact elements 13 when viewed in this manner, the contact elements of the pair indicated here as 13A, 13B. The central region 31 of each contact element 13A, 13B containing the disconnection point 21, is narrower than the ends containing the IDCs 9A, 10A; 9B, 10B, respectively, and is separated with respect to the axis that extends between the latter. The directions in which the central regions 31 are separated are so that for each pair the central regions are closer than the corresponding adjacent pair, thus allowing a better attenuation of

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Crosstalk between different subscriber lines.

A plurality of termination modules such as horn shown in Fig. 1 can be stacked, in a known manner, in a suitable support, frame or cabinet in any required orientation.

Fig. 6 illustrates another use of a 1 'termination module of the type described above with reference to Figs. 1 to 4. In this case, the 1 'termination module provides contacts for connection with DSLAM cables (digital multiplexer for access to the subscriber line) and is used in a connector block in combination with two other termination modules

33, 35, one on each side of the 1 'termination module, which provide contacts for connection with POTS and line cables, as described in detail below. The components of module 1 'that correspond to the components of module 1 described above have the same reference numbers.

Termination modules for telecommunication assemblies comprising cables that transmit line signals, POTS and DSLAM are known, and examples of such modules are described in EP-A-1 804 523 and EP-A-1 documents 578 145 and 1 804 524 (also in the name of 3M Innovative Properties Company) mentioned above. The modules are

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used in the implementation of Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) technology, which allows the combination and transmission of voice and data serials at different frequencies in a single line. So-called splitters are used when splitting (or combining) voice and data signals is required and separate voice and data signals are transmitted using POTS and DSLAM cables, respectively.

In the connector block 32 shown in Fig. 6, the termination modules 33, 35 are asymmetric with respect to the termination module 1 'and each is associated with the row of contact elements 13, 15 adjacent in the Module 1'. Therefore, only half of the connector block 32 (comprising the termination module 35 and the associated contact element row 15 of the module 1 ') will be described in detail below.

The termination module 35 comprises pairs of opposing contact elements 37, 39 located in rows that extend perpendicular to the plane of the drawings. Each of the contact elements 37, 39 has suitable contacts at their ends for connection, on the front and rear sides of the termination module 35, with a cable from a telecommunications line. In addition, the contact elements 37

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they have respective spring tabs 37a, 39a which extend in contact with each other at their free ends and form a disconnect point 41. The contact elements 37 are adapted to transmit a POTS signal, the contact elements 39 are adapted to transmit a line signal and, as indicated above, the associated contact elements 15 of the termination module 1 'are adapted to transmit a DSLAM signal.

Such a horn has been described in the aforementioned EP-A-1 578 145, a splitter 43 can be connected to the contact elements 37, 39, 15 from the rear end of the connector block 32 such a horn is schematically shown in the Fig. 7, which shows a schematic illustration of said operation ì implemented for half of the connector block 32 comprising the termination module 35 and the associated row of contact elements 15 of the module 1 '. This will connect the contact elements 37, 39, 15 with a printed circuit within the divider 43 and with the electrical components that include suitable filters, necessary to split a combined voice and data signal or combine separate voice and data signals. In addition, the disconnection point 41 in the termination module 35 allows the insertion of a connector 45 from the rear end

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of the connector block 32, for example, for testing or for the introduction of overvoltage / overcurrent protection.

Fig. 7 also shows how a probe 29 of the type shown in Fig. 4, inserted in the termination module 1 'can be used in the appropriate orientation from the front end of the connector block 32, to introduce a connection optional with an external functional module in the DSLAM line through the contact element 15. In this case, the probe 29 has been inserted at the disconnection point 21 of the contact element 15 in the module 1 'to disconnect the divider 43 and establish a connection in the DSLAM line for testing or a maintenance operation, for example, synchronization of a DSLAM.

The connector block 32, possibly together with other similar modules, can be mounted in a known manner, on a suitable support, rack or cabinet in any required orientation. The carriers with which the connector blocks comprising three termination modules can be connected and disconnected are described, for example, in EP-A-1 578 145 mentioned above.