Sealed terminating device

• US 20020196933A1
• Filed: 06/22/2001
• Published: 12/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Corning Cable Systems LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Inventors: Brower, Boyd G., Glenn, Steven E.
• Granted Patent: US 6,839,428 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/419
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/023 using sliding mechanisms for accessing the interior of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/028 Subscriber network interface devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/114 flooding protection, e.g. using water proof provision

Abstract

A terminating device for interconnecting service provider wiring with subscriber wiring includes a base, a customer bridge, a removable cover and insulation displacement contacts for terminating the service provider wiring and the subscriber wiring. The insulation displacement contacts for the subscriber wiring are housed within the customer bridge and terminate the subscriber wiring by moving an actuating arm from a disconnected position to a connected position. The insulation displacement contacts for the service provider wiring terminate the service provider wiring by moving a stuffer from a disconnected position to a connected position. The cover includes a locking slide having a movable clasp for deterring unauthorized access to the customer bridge, while permitting authorized access. A plug on the cover and a jack on the base each have a resilient seal that telescope together to effectively seal test contacts located within the jack when the plug is inserted into the jack.

Claims

1. A terminating device comprising:

a base;

a customer bridge attached to the base, the customer bridge housing at least one insulation displacement contact therein and having at least one wire insertion hole formed therein for electrically connecting subscriber wiring to the terminating device; and

a stuffer assembly mounted to the base, the stuffer assembly having at least one insulation displacement contact for electrically connecting service provider wiring to the terminating device.

2. A terminating device according to claim 1, wherein the customer bridge further has at least one actuating arm disposed therein that is movable between a disconnected position in which the subscriber wiring is not electrically connected to the insulation displacement contact housed within the customer bridge and a connected position in which the subscriber wiring is electrically connected to the insulation displacement contact housed within the customer bridge.

3. A terminating device according to claim 1, further comprising a cover attached to the customer bridge and movable between a closed position and an opened position.

4. A terminating device according to claim 3, wherein the cover comprises a locking slide having a movable clasp.

5. A terminating device according to claim 4, wherein the movable clasp has a lower portion positioned adjacent the stuffer assembly that is broken off when an unauthorized person moves the cover from the closed position to the opened position and thereby provides a visual indication that the unauthorized person has attempted to gain access to the customer bridge.

6. A terminating device according to claim 4, wherein the clasp has an opening for receiving a subscriber lock.

7. A terminating device according to claim 3, further comprising a jack mounted on the base and wherein the cover comprises a plug that engages the jack when the cover is in the closed position.

8. A terminating device according to claim 7, wherein the jack has a resilient seal thereabout and the plug has a mating resilient seal thereabout so that the plug is movable on the cover relative to the jack and thereby produces a watertight seal when the cover is in the closed position.

9. A terminating device according to claim 7, wherein the jack has a resilient seal thereabout and the plug has a mating resilient seal thereabout so that the plug is movable on the cover relative to the jack and thereby increases the manufacturing tolerance of the distance between the plug and a predetermined location on the cover.

10. A terminating device according to claim 1, wherein the stuffer assembly comprises an internally threaded post affixed to the base, a stuffer positioned over the post, at least one wire insertion passage formed in the stuffer for receiving the subscriber wiring, and an externally threaded stuffer screw that engages the post to drive the stuffer between a disconnected position and a connected position.

11. A terminating device according to claim 10, wherein the insulation displacement contact of the stuffer assembly is positioned on the base at an angle relative to the wire insertion passage.

12. A terminating device according to claim 10, wherein the stuffer assembly further comprises at least one test port for verifying the integrity of the electrical connection between the insulation displacement contact and the subscriber wiring.

14. A terminating device according to claim 13, wherein the movable clasp has a lower portion that is broken off when an unauthorized person moves the cover from the closed position to the opened position and thereby provides a visual indication that the unauthorized person has attempted to gain access to the customer bridge.

15. A terminating device according to claim 13, wherein the clasp has an opening for receiving a subscriber lock.

16. A terminating device according to claim 13, further comprising a jack mounted on the base and wherein the cover comprises a plug that engages the jack when the cover is in the closed position.

17. A terminating device according to claim 16, wherein the jack has a resilient seal thereabout and the plug has a mating resilient seal thereabout so that the plug is movable on the cover relative to the jack and thereby produces a watertight seal when the cover is in the closed position.

18. A terminating device according to claim 16, wherein the jack has a resilient seal thereabout and the plug has a mating resilient seal thereabout so that the plug is movable on the cover relative to the jack and thereby increases the manufacturing tolerance of the distance between the plug and a predetermined location on the cover.

19. A terminating device according to claim 13, wherein the customer bridge further has at least one actuating arm disposed therein that is movable between a disconnected position in which the subscriber wiring is not electrically connected to the insulation displacement contact housed within the customer bridge and a connected position in which the subscriber wiring is electrically connected to the insulation displacement contact housed within the customer bridge.

20. A terminating device according to claim 13, further comprising a stuffer assembly mounted to the base, the stuffer assembly having at least one insulation displacement contact for electrically connecting service provider wiring to the terminating device.

21. A terminating device according to claim 20, wherein the stuffer assembly comprises an internally threaded post affixed to the base, a stuffer positioned over the post, at least one wire insertion passage formed in the stuffer for receiving the subscriber wiring, and an externally threaded stuffer screw that engages the post to drive the stuffer between a disconnected position and a connected position.

22. A terminating device according to claim 21, wherein the insulation displacement contact of the stuffer assembly is positioned on the base at an angle relative to the wire insertion passage.

23. A terminating device according to claim 21, wherein the stuffer assembly further comprises at least one test port for verifying the integrity of the electrical connection between the insulation displacement contact and the subscriber wiring.

25. A device according to claim 24, wherein the cover comprises a locking slide having a movable clasp.

26. A device according to claim 25, wherein the movable clasp has a lower portion that is broken off when an unauthorized person moves the cover from the closed position to the opened position and thereby provides a visual indication that the unauthorized person has attempted to gain access to the customer bridge.

27. A device according to claim 25, wherein the clasp has an opening for receiving a subscriber lock.

28. A device according to claim 24, further comprising a jack mounted on the base and wherein the cover comprises a plug that engages the jack when the cover is in the closed position.

29. A device according to claim 28, wherein the jack has a resilient seal thereabout and the plug has a mating resilient seal thereabout so that the plug is movable on the cover relative to the jack and thereby produces a watertight seal when the cover is in the closed position.

30. A device according to claim 28, wherein the jack has a resilient seal thereabout and the plug has a mating resilient seal thereabout so that the plug is movable on the cover relative to the jack and thereby increases the manufacturing tolerance of the distance between the plug and a predetermined location on the cover.

31. A device according to claim 24, wherein the customer bridge further has at least one actuating arm disposed therein that is movable between a disconnected position in which the subscriber wiring is not terminated to the insulation displacement contact housed within the customer bridge and a connected position in which the subscriber wiring is terminated to the insulation displacement contact housed within the customer bridge.

32. A device according to claim 24, wherein the stuffer assembly comprises an internally threaded post affixed to the base, a stuffer positioned over the post, at least one wire insertion passage formed in the stuffer for receiving the subscriber wiring, and an externally threaded stuffer screw that engages the post to drive the stuffer between a disconnected position and a connected position.

33. A device according to claim 32, wherein the insulation displacement contact of the stuffer assembly is positioned on the base at an angle relative to the wire insertion passage.

34. A device according to claim 32, wherein the stuffer assembly further comprises at least one test port for verifying the integrity of the electrical connection between the insulation displacement contact and the subscriber wiring.

35. A device according to claim 24, further comprising an electronics module affixed to the base and wherein the customer bridge and the stuffer assembly each comprise a dielectric sealant for sealing the insulation displacement contact of the customer bridge and the insulation displacement contact of the stuffer assembly.

36. A device according to claim 35, herein the electronics module comprises a protection element.

38. A network interface device according to claim 37, further comprising a lockable inner cover having a lip and wherein the cover of the line module comprises a sliding lock having a movable clasp, the clasp comprising a lower portion that is positioned beneath the lip of the inner cover so that the lower portion is broken off when an unauthorized person moves the cover of the line module from the closed position to the opened position.

39. A network interface device according to claim 37, wherein the line module further comprises a jack mounted on the base and wherein the cover of the line module comprises a plug that engages the jack when the cover of the line module is in the closed position, the jack having a resilient seal thereabout and the plug having a mating resilient seal thereabout.

40. A network interface device according to claim 37, wherein the line module further comprises an electronics module affixed to the base and wherein the customer bridge and the stuffer assembly each comprise a dielectric sealant for sealing the insulation displacement contact of the customer bridge and the insulation displacement contact of the stuffer assembly.

13. A terminating device comprising:

a base;

a customer bridge attached to the base, the customer bridge housing at least one insulation displacement contact therein and having at least one wire insertion hole formed therein for electrically connecting subscriber wiring to the terminating device; and

a cover attached to the customer bridge and movable between a closed position and an opened position, the cover comprising a locking slide having a movable clasp.

24. A device for terminating service provider wiring and subscriber wiring, the device comprising:

a base;

a stuffer assembly mounted to the base, the stuffer assembly having at least one insulation displacement contact for terminating the service provider wiring to the device;

a customer bridge attached to the base, the customer bridge housing at least one insulation displacement contact therein and having at least one wire insertion hole formed therein for terminating the subscriber wiring to the device; and

a cover attached to the customer bridge and movable between a closed position and an opened position.

37. A network interface device (NID) for use in a communications network comprising:

a line module for interconnecting service provider wiring with subscriber wiring, the line module comprising

a base;

a stuffer assembly mounted to the base, the stuffer assembly comprising at least one insulation displacement contact for terminating the service provider wiring;

a customer bridge attached to the base, the customer bridge housing at least one insulation displacement contact for terminating the subscriber wiring; and

a cover attached to the customer bridge for movement between an opened position and a closed position.