Modular communication system

In a telecommunication cabling arrangement, the improvement comprising:

• said telecommunication cabling arrangement being of modular construction and defined by a plurality of elongate main distribution modules which serially couple together, each said main distribution module including an elongate intermediate cable having a multi-conductor terminal unit at each end thereof, said cable defining a plurality of multi-conductor telecommunication links extending longitudinally therethrough and terminating at the multi-conductor terminal units provided at opposite ends thereof, each said terminal unit having a plurality of conductor contacts corresponding to the number of telecommunication links;
• the terminal units as provided on adjacent ends of two said distribution modules being serially coupled together by connector units removably engaged therebetween in series so that the conductor contacts on one terminal unit respectively operatively communicate with the individual contacts on the other terminal unit for permitting said plurality of telecommunication links to be transmitted longitudinally along the telecommunication cabling arrangement;
• at least one of said connector units being a tap-off module having access means communicating with the conductor contacts of the terminal units defining one said telecommunications link for accessing at least one, but less than all, of the telecommunication links which extend throughout the interconnected distribution modules;
• and
• said tap-off module also including an outlet connected to the access means, said outlet defining a multi-conductor telecommunication link which is connected to said one telecommunication link in communication with said access means.

In an office furniture arrangement including a plurality of upright space-dividing wall panels interconnected to define a plurality of adjacent workstations, said plurality of panels including a series of panels which are positioned generally end-to-end in the lengthwise direction thereof to define a main panel run, the panels of said run defining therein a raceway which extends lengthwise thereof, and a telecommunication cabling arrangement disposed in said raceway for providing access to telecommunication links from workstations disposed adjacent said panels, the improvement comprising:

• said telecommunication cabling arrangement being of modular construction and defined by a plurality of main distribution modules which serially couple together and extend throughout the raceways defined by said run of panels, each said main distribution module including an intermediate cable defining a plurality of multi-conductor telecommunication links extending longitudinally therethrough and terminating at terminal units provided at opposite ends thereof;
• the terminal units as provided on adjacent ends of two said distribution modules being fixedly coupled together by connector means removably engaged serially therebetween for permitting said plurality of multi-conductor telecommunication links to be transmitted longitudinally along the arrangement;
• said connector means having access means in communication with said cabling arrangement at selected sites thereon for accessing at least one, but less than all, of the telecommunication links which extend throughout the distribution modules, and an outlet connected to the access means by conductors connected therebetween, said conductors defining a multi-conductor telecommunication link for connecting said outlet to said one telecommunication link in communication with said access means;
• and
• an in-feed module connected to one of said terminal units for supplying said plurality of telecommunication links to the interconnected distribution modules, said in-feed module having a remote end adapted for connection to a telecommunication closet.

In a telecommunication cabling arrangement, the improvement comprising:

• said telecommunication cabling arrangement being of modular construction and defined by a plurality of elongate main distribution modules which serially couple together, each said main distribution module including an elongate intermediate cable having a multi-conductor terminal unit at each end thereof, said cable defining a plurality of multi-conductor telecommunication links extending longitudinally therethrough and terminating at the multi-conductor terminal units provided at opposite ends thereof, each said terminal unit having a plurality of conductor contacts corresponding to the number of telecommunication links;
• the terminal units as provided on adjacent ends of two said distribution modules being serially coupled together by a connector unit releasably engaged therebetween so that the individual conductor contacts on one terminal unit respectively operatively communicate with the individual conductor contacts on the other terminal unit for permitting said plurality of telecommunication links to be transmitted longitudinally along the telecommunication cabling arrangement;
• said connector unit being a tap-off module having access means communicating with the conductor contacts of the terminal units defining one said telecommunications link for accessing at least one, but less than all, of the telecommunication links which extend throughout the interconnected distribution modules, said access means breaking said one telecommunication link so that said one telecommunication link as it extends throughout the interconnected distribution modules is dead downstream of the tap-off point;
• and
• said tap-off module also including conductors connected at one end thereof to the access means and connected with an outlet at the other end thereof for connection to a communication device, said conductors defining a multi-conductor telecommunication link for connecting said outlet to said one telecommunication link accessed by said access means.

In a telecommunication cabling arrangement, the improvement comprising:

• said telecommunication cabling arrangement being of modular construction and defined by a plurality of elongate main distribution modules which serially couple together, each said main distribution module including an elongate intermediate cable having a multi-conductor terminal unit at each end thereof, said cable defining a plurality of multi-conductor telecommunication links extending longitudinally therethrough and terminating at the multi-conductor terminal units provided at opposite ends thereof, each said terminal unit having a plurality of conductor contacts corresponding to the number of telecommunication links;
• the terminal units as provided on adjacent ends of two said distribution modules being serially coupled together by an in-feed module releasably engaged therebetween for supplying said plurality of telecommunication links to the interconnected distribution modules, said in-feed module having a remote end adapted for connection to a telecommunication closet;
• said in-feed module including switching to selectively route each said telecommunication link to a selected adjacent one of said main distribution modules downstream from said in-feed modules while breaking said one telecommunication link so that said one telecommunication link as it extends through the other adjacent main distribution module is dead.

A telecommunications and data connector arrangement comprising:

• a first distribution module comprising an elongate first cable and a first terminal block having first contact elements connected to one end of said cable, said first contact elements and said first cable defining a plurality of telecommunications links adapted to transmit telecommunications signals therethrough;
• a second distribution module comprising an elongate second cable and a second terminal block having second contact elements which correspond to said first contact elements and are connected to one end of said second cable, said second contact elements and said second cable defining a plurality of telecommunications links adapted to transmit telecommunications signals therethrough;
• and
• a connector unit having first and second connector sections removably connected to said first and second terminal blocks so that said connector unit is engaged serially between said first and second terminal blocks, said connector unit including tap-off means which include an outlet and conductors which connect said outlet to one or more but less than all of said first contact elements for accessing at least one of said telecommunications links, and pass-through conductors connected to the other of said first contact elements and to said second contact elements corresponding thereto for connecting the other of said telecommunications links to said corresponding telecommunications links of said second distribution module.

A telecommunications and data connector arrangement comprising:

• first and second distribution modules each comprising an elongate cable and a terminal block which has a plurality of contact elements disposed therein which are connected to said cable to define a plurality of telecommunications links adapted to transmit telecommunication signals therethrough, each of said first and second distribution modules defining a predetermined number of said telecommunications links;
• and
• an intermediate connector unit having first and second connector sections for joining said connector units serially between said first and second terminal blocks to join said first and second distribution modules together, said first and second connector sections of said connector unit and said terminal blocks of said first and second distribution modules having cooperating parts wherein said connector unit in a first position has said first and second connector sections connected to said first and second distribution modules and in a second position has said first and second connector sections removably connected to said second and first distribution modules respectively, said connector unit being connected to one of an inlet means or outlet means for providing telecommunication signals to or receiving telecommunication signals from said connector unit, said connector unit further including a plurality of conductors therethrough which connect to said one of said inlet means or said outlet means and are disposed in said first connector section, said plurality of conductors being connected to corresponding ones of said contact elements of said first distribution module when said connector unit is in said first position or said second distribution module when said connector unit is in said second position such that said one of said inlet means or said outlet means is connected to one or more of said telecommunications links defined by said contact elements whereby said one of said inlet means or said outlet means is connectable to one or more of said telecommunication links of either of said first and second distribution modules.