Transmission apparatus

• US 6,545,611 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2001
• Issued: 04/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Ikeda, Katsuhiko, Sato, Yoshiyuki, Fujita, Kazuo, Izuno, Takaharu, Nakata, Kazutaka, Nakamura, Kouichi, Hayashi, Mitsuaki, Asai, Toshiaki, Kato, Hiroshi, Nishida, Kazuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUNG T
• Application Number:
  US09/952,192
• Publication Number:
  US 20020145858A1
• Time in Patent Office: 571 Days
• Field of Search: 340/686.4, 340/686.5, 340/686.2, 340/691.1, 340/310.01, 361/798, 361/799, 361/802, 361/724, 361/736
• US Class Current: 340/686.4
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4452 Distribution frames
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44526 Panels or rackmounts covering a whole width of the frame or rack
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44528 Patch-cords; Connector arrangements in the system or in the box routing arrangements H04Q1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4455 characterised by the way of extraction or insertion of the cassette in the distribution frame, e.g. pivoting, sliding, rotating or gliding
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1425 of standardised dimensions, e.g. 19"-subrack

Abstract

A transmission apparatus with flexible structure for introducing external cables that controls signal transmission efficiently. A cable connector for introducing a cable from the outside is fixed on a sub-printed circuit board. A main printed circuit board has a guide rail along which the sub-printed circuit board can be inserted reversely to change the direction from which the cable is introduced at the time of the sub-printed circuit board being housed. An enclosure has ducts for bunching cables. Transmission units are mounted in the enclosure.

Claims

1. A transmission apparatus for controlling signal transmission by introducing cables, the apparatus comprising:

transmission units each including;

a sub-printed circuit board on which a cable connector for introducing the cable from the outside is fixed, and

a main printed circuit board with a guide rail along which the sub-printed circuit board can be inserted reversely to change the direction from which the cable is introduced at the time of the sub-printed circuit board being housed; and

an enclosure with ducts for bunching the cables in which the transmission units are mounted.

2. The transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the main printed circuit board includes a first guide rail for changing the direction of the cable connector to a first direction at the time of the sub-printed circuit board being inserted normally and a second guide rail for changing the direction of the cable connector to a second direction at the time of the sub-printed circuit board being inserted reversely as the guide rail.

3. The transmission apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first guide rail with an upper and lower rail having different groove widths and the second guide rail with an upper and lower rail having groove widths being reverse to the groove widths of the rails in the first guide rail are formed on the main printed circuit board, further wherein the sides of the sub-printed circuit board along the guide rails have thicknesses which fit into the groove widths of the rails in the first guide rail to prevent the misinsertion of the sub-printed circuit board into the main printed circuit board.

4. The transmission apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first guide rail and the second guide rail being different in rail length from each other are formed on the main printed circuit board, further wherein the misinsertion of the sub-printed circuit board into the main printed circuit board is prevented by making a notch in one of the sides of the sub-printed circuit board along the guide rails.

5. The transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a main ejector is located on the main printed circuit board and a subejector is located on the sub-printed circuit board, further wherein the subejector rotates by rotating the main ejector and by releasing the engagement of the tip of the main ejector with the tip of the subejector.

6. The transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transmission unit includes loopback means for causing a signal from the main printed circuit board to loop back on the sub-printed circuit board and for inputting the signal to the main printed circuit board again.

7. The transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the main printed circuit board includes alarm generating means for outputting an alarm in the case of an improper printed circuit board being inserted.

8. The transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein one pin connected to GND indicates the direction of the sub-printed circuit board inserted into the main printed circuit board.

9. The transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, in a main pin arrangement, being the arrangement of pins on a connector on the main printed circuit board, signal connection pins for a first and second system are symmetrical with respect to the center of the pin arrangement and, in a sub-pin arrangement, being the arrangement of pins on a connector on the sub-printed circuit board, there are signal connection pins only for one system.

10. The transmission apparatus according to claim 9, wherein if the number of pins is small, the main pin arrangement and the sub-pin arrangement set pins used in both of a case where the sub-printed circuit board is inserted normally and a case where the sub-printed circuit board is inserted reversely.

11. A transmission unit for controlling signal transmission by introducing a cable, the unit comprising:

sub-printed circuit board on which a cable connector for introducing the cable from the outside is fixed; and

a main printed circuit board with a guide rail along which the sub-printed circuit board can be inserted reversely to change the direction from which the cable is introduced at the time of the sub-printed circuit board being housed.

12. The transmission unit according to claim 11, wherein the main printed circuit board includes a first guide rail for changing the direction of the cable connector to a first direction at the time of the sub-printed circuit board being inserted normally and a second guide rail for changing the direction of the cable connector to a second direction at the time of the sub-printed circuit board being inserted reversely as the guide rail.

13. The transmission unit according to claim 12, wherein the first guide rail with an upper and lower rail having different groove widths and the second guide rail with an upper and lower rail having groove widths being reverse to the groove widths of the rails in the first guide rail are formed on the main printed circuit board, further wherein the sides of the sub-printed circuit board along the guide rails have thicknesses which fit into the groove widths of the rails in the first guide rail to prevent the misinsertion of the sub-printed circuit board into the main printed circuit board.

14. The transmission unit according to claim 12, wherein the first guide rail and the second guide rail being different in rail length from each other are formed on the main printed circuit board, further wherein the misinsertion of the sub-printed circuit board into the main printed circuit board is prevented by making a notch in one of the sides of the sub-printed circuit board along the guide rails.

15. The transmission unit according to claim 11, wherein a main ejector is located on the main printed circuit board and a subejector is located on the sub-printed circuit board, further wherein the subejector rotates by rotating the main ejector and by releasing the engagement of the tip of the main ejector with the tip of the subejector.

16. The transmission unit according to claim 11, further comprising loopback means for causing a signal from the main printed circuit board to loop back on the sub-printed circuit board and for inputting the signal to the main printed circuit board again.

17. The transmission unit according to claim 11, wherein the main printed circuit board includes alarm generating means for outputting an alarm in the case of an improper printed circuit board being inserted.

18. The transmission unit according to claim 11, wherein one pin connected to GND indicates the direction of the sub-printed circuit board inserted into the main printed circuit board.

19. The transmission unit according to claim 11, wherein, in a main pin arrangement, being the arrangement of pins on a connector on the main printed circuit board, signal connection pins for a first and second system are symmetrical with respect to the center of the pin arrangement and, in a sub-pin arrangement, being the arrangement of pins on a connector on the sub-printed circuit board, there are signal connection pins only for one system.

20. The transmission unit according to claim 19, wherein if the number of pins is small, the main pin arrangement and the sub-pin arrangement set pins used in both of a case where the sub-printed circuit board is inserted normally and a case where the sub-printed circuit board is inserted reversely.