Wire carrier for electrical connector modular

#The present invention relates to the field of network interface devices, and more particularly to customer-accessible modules thereof.

#Network interface devices provide limited access by a subscriber or customer for testing by the subscriber of the subscriber premises wiring, at a telephone junction box where the subscriber premises wiring is connected to circuits of the telephone service provider. Such junction boxes are also fully accessible to service personnel of the telephone company after installation. One such network interface device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,979,209 for a plurality of subscribers, wherein an enclosure includes a primary lid extending over the entire enclosure and securable by service personnel, and a secondary lid over the subscriber-accessible portion of the enclosure securable by the subscribers; such enclosures commonly provide access to the subscriber-accessible portion by service personnel but the subscriber-accessible portion remains secured against unauthorized person. Individual modules within the subscriber-accessible portion are disclosed to include individual security covers such that each subscriber module is secured against access by the other subscribers.

#The individual subscriber module includes a test port or jack electrically connected to both the premises wiring and the subscriber-dedicated circuits of the telephone service provider, such as wires extending to a distribution cable, enabling the subscriber to remove the port cover and insert the plug of a telephone or other test device to discover the location of a fault disrupting the subscriber's service. Successful connection of the telephone or test device indicates that the fault lies in the premises wiring and thus is the responsibility of the subscriber, whereas an unsuccessful connection of the telephone or test device indicates that the fault lies in the circuits of the telephone service provider. The performance of such testing by the subscriber enables the subscriber to first determine the location of the fault prior to arranging with the telephone company for a service call, thus saving subscriber the expense of a telephone company service call when the fault lies in the premises wiring.

#An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings.

#FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the module showing one pair of subscriber wires in a terminated position in a wire carrier, and also a second wire carrier;

#FIG. 2 illustrates the module housing exploded from the circuit board exposing the terminals for subscriber wires and also revealing the test port jack subassembly mounted on the circuit board;

#Module 10 is shown to include a module housing 12 having a test port portion 14 with a cover 16, and further having a pair of wire carrier portions 18,20 with one thereof having a pair of subscriber wires (tip and ring) 22,24 in a terminated position. The second wire carrier portion provides for interconnection of a second subscriber line for the same customer. Also seen are a pair of contact posts 26 depending from beneath the test port portion for interconnection of the contacts of the jack to circuits of the telephone service provider (not shown). The test port jack is disclosed in greater detail in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/573,376 filed (concurrently herewith) and assigned to the assignee hereof. In FIG. 2, module housing 12 is seen separated from the remainder of the module to reveal a subassembly 28 comprising circuit board 30 having assembled thereto the test port jack 32 having a jack housing 34 and contacts 36 therewithin secured to circuit board 30. Also affixed to circuit board 30 are contact posts 26 and pairs of terminals 38,40 associated with subscriber cables extending to premise wiring and having pairs of tip and ring wires 22,24. The pairs of terminals 38,40 are staggered relative to each other to achieve a closer spacing therebetween. All of terminals 34,36 and contact posts 26 and contacts 36 are electrically connected to circuits of circuit board 30, and all together are utilized in interconnecting subscriber premise wiring to telephone service provider circuits, or in testing same.

#Referring to FIG. 3, module housing 12 is seen to include a large through cavity 42 for receipt thereinto of the test port jack 32 from beneath during assembly and a plug (not shown) from above during testing. Module housing 12 also defines a shallow recess into the bottom face 44 of module housing 12 for receipt of the circuit board. A pair of first latch members 46 are disposed along the bottoms of opposed side walls 48,50 of module housing 12 at bottom ends of latch arms defined by portions of side walls 48,50; a pair of second latch members 52 are disposed beside a periphery of the shallow recess near third side wall 54; latch members 46,52 become latched over edge portions of circuit board 30 upon module assembly.

#Module housing 12 is seen to include a mounting flange 60 extending outwardly from the base of fourth side wall 62 and having an aperture 64 therethrough for receipt of a fastener (not shown) for mounting module 10 to a panel (not shown) of a network interface device enclosure. Also seen in FIG. 3 is a rudimentary annular flange 66 extending to bottom face 44 generally outwardly of latch members 50 and near third side wall 54, defining a clearance for receipt of another fastener (not shown) to extend therewithin from and through aperture 68 (FIGS. 1 and 2) into a top surface portion of module housing 12 between wire carrier portions 18,20 for module mounting in the enclosure. After mounting of module 10 to the enclosure panel, contact posts 26 are electrically connected to telephone service circuits.