# US 7,407,389 B2 · Distribution connecting module > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,407,389 B2 - Document ID: US7407389B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/569,306 - Filed: 2004-08-12 - Published: 2006-12-21 - Granted: 2008-08-05 - Earliest claimed: 2003-08-29 - Assignees: ADC GmbH - Inventors: Ralf-Dieter Busse; Joachim Stark; Harald Klein; Antony Nijhuis - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7407389B2 ## CPC - H01R 13/748: {using one or more screws (H01R13/746 takes precedence)} - H01R 9/24: Terminal blocks - H01R 12/721: {cooperating directly with the edge of the rigid printed circuits} - H01R 13/518: for holding or embracing several coupling parts, e.g. frames - H04Q 1/116: {lightning or EMI protection, e.g. shielding or grounding} - H04Q 1/142: {Terminal blocks for distribution frames} - H04Q 1/149: {Wireguides in connector blocks} - H01R 4/64: Connections between or with conductive parts having primarily a non-electric function, e.g. frame, casing, rail - H01R 9/2416: {Means for guiding or retaining wires or cables connected to terminal blocks} - H01R 9/2483: {specially adapted for ground connection} - H04Q 1/06: Cable ducts or mountings specially adapted for exchange installations - H04Q 1/146: {with line protection means} - H04Q 2201/02: Details of frames - H04Q 2201/14: Screening, grounding or crosstalk reduction details - H04Q 2201/802: in data transmission systems - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS - H04Q: SELECTING (switches, relays, selectors H01H; wireless communication networks H04W) ## Abstract The distribution connecting module for telecommunications and data systems technology, comprises a housing inside of which input and output contacts for connecting lines and wires are placed, said contacts being accessible from the exterior. The housing is provided with a cavity inside of which at least one printed circuit board is placed. The input and output contacts are situated on the opposing faces of the housing. The input contacts are provided in the form of at least one connector strip with insulation displacement contacts. The input and output contacts can be detachably connected to the printed circuit board. The connector strip supporting the input contacts is detachably connected to the housing via a front part. The insulation displacement contacts are connected to the printed circuit board via fork contacts. The connection between the front part and the housing is such that when the connection is released, the connector strip, which is connected to the front part, is, together with the fork contacts, moved away from the printed circuit board. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A distribution board connection module for telecommunications and data technology, comprising: a housing in which externally accessible input and output contacts for connection of lines and conductors are arranged, with the housing having a cavity in which at least one printed circuit board is arranged, with the input and output contacts being arranged on the opposite end faces of the housing, and with the input contacts being in the form of at least one connecting strip with insulation-displacement terminal contacts, wherein the input and output contacts are detachably connected to the printed circuit board, with the connecting strip to which the input contacts are fitted being detachably connected via a front part to the housing, with the insulation-displacement terminal contacts being connected to the printed circuit board via fork contacts, and with the connection between the front part and the housing such that, when the connection is detached, the connecting strip which is connected to the front part is moved together with the fork contacts away from the printed circuit board; wherein the housing has a stop behind which an end face of the printed circuit board rests when arranged within the housing and connected to the input contacts, wherein the stop inhibits removal of the printed circuit board from the housing when the front part is detached from the housing. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The distribution board connection module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connection between the front part and the housing has at least one screw which is associated with the front part and one thread which is associated with the housing, with the screw being fixed to the front part. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The distribution board connection module as claimed in claim 2, wherein the screw is fixed to the front part via a groove between the screw head and the thread. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The distribution board connection module as claimed in claim 2, wherein the screw is connected to the front part such that it is held captive. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The distribution board connection module as claimed in claim 1, wherein side walls of the housing have guide slots for supporting the printed circuit board, with one edge of each guide slot being formed obliquely. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The distribution board connection module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing is composed of metal. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The distribution board connection module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing includes side walls, a base part, and a cover, wherein the base part and the cover of the housing are separate parts connected to the side walls. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The distribution board connection module as claimed in claim 7, wherein at least one of the cover and the base part are formed from a spring steel sheet, with profiled forks being arranged on this spring steel sheet, wherein the distribution board connection module can be latched onto at least one profiled rod with the profiled forks. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The distribution board connection module as claimed in claim 8, wherein at least one of the cover and the base part are screwed to the side walls in the area of the profiled forks. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The distribution board connection module as claimed in claim 6, wherein spring contacts are arranged on the housing, are connected to the printed circuit board, and make a ground contact. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The distribution board connection module as claimed in claim 10, wherein lower and upper profiled forks are formed from a sheet-metal part, wherein the distribution board connection module can be latched onto a profiled rod with the profiled forks. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The distribution board connection module as claimed in claim 11, wherein the sheet-metal part is screwed to the housing. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The distribution board connection module as claimed in claim 12, wherein the spring contacts are connected to the sheet-metal part. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The distribution board connection module as claimed in claim 1, wherein a housing rear wall is detachably connected to a remainder of the housing. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The distribution board connection module as claimed in claim 1, wherein a housing rear wall has side slots into which connecting strips to which the output contacts are fitted can be inserted and latched from the side. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The distribution board connection module as claimed in claim 1, wherein cable guides can be plugged into side walls of the housing. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The distribution board connection module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the front part has two associated connecting strips, and one connecting strip is arranged on the opposite end face from the front part. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The distribution board connection module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the insulation-displacement terminal contacts of the connecting strip are mechanically supported in the connecting strip such that the connecting strip can be connected in advance to conductors outside the distribution board connection module. ### Claim 19 A distribution board connection module for telecommunications and data technology, comprising: a housing in which externally accessible input and output contacts for connection of lines and conductors are arranged, with the housing having a cavity; a plurality of printed circuit boards arranged in a stack inside the cavity; wherein the input and output contacts are arranged on opposite end faces of the housing; wherein the input and output contacts are in the form of a plurality of connecting strips with insulation-displacement terminal contacts; wherein the input and output contacts are detachably connected to the plurality of printed circuit boards; wherein the insulation-displacement terminal contacts of each connecting strip are connected to one of the plurality of printed circuit boards via fork contacts; wherein the connecting strips to which the input contacts are fitted are detachably connected via one of a plurality of front parts to the housing; wherein the connection between each front part and the housing is such that, when the connection is detached, each connecting strip which is connected to the front part is moved together with the fork contacts away from the printed circuit board; wherein the housing includes a plurality of stops, wherein an end face of each printed circuit board rests against one of the stops when the respective printed circuit board is arranged within the housing and connected to one of the connecting strips of the input contacts, wherein each stop inhibits removal of the respective printed circuit board from the housing when the front part is detached from the housing. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The distribution board connection module as claimed in claim 19, wherein the connection between the front parts and the housing has at least one screw which is associated with each front part and one thread which is associated with the housing, with the screw being fixed to the front part. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The distribution board connection module as claimed in claim 20, wherein the screw is fixed to the front part via a groove between the screw head and the thread. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The distribution board connection module as claimed in claim 20, wherein the screw is connected to the front part such that it is held captive. ### Claim 23 (depends on 19) The distribution board connection module as claimed in claim 19, wherein side walls of the housing have guide slots for supporting the printed circuit boards, with one edge of each guide slot being formed obliquely. ### Claim 24 (depends on 19) The distribution board connection module as claimed in claim 19, wherein the housing is composed of metal. ### Claim 25 (depends on 19) The distribution board connection module as claimed in claim 19, wherein the housing includes side walls, a base part, and a cover, wherein the base part and the cover of the housing are separate parts connected to the side walls. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The distribution board connection module as claimed in claim 25, wherein the cover and the base part are each formed from a spring steel sheet, with profiled forks being arranged on the spring steel sheets, wherein the distribution board connection module can be latched onto profiled rods with the profiled forks. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The distribution board connection module as claimed in claim 26, wherein the cover and the base part are screwed to the side walls in the area of the profiled forks. ### Claim 28 (depends on 24) The distribution board connection module as claimed in claim 24, wherein spring contacts are arranged on the housing, are connected to the printed circuit boards, and make a ground contact. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The distribution board connection module as claimed in claim 28, wherein lower and upper profiled forks are formed from a sheet-metal part, wherein the distribution board connection module can be latched onto a profiled rod with the profiled forks. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The distribution board connection module as claimed in claim 29, wherein the sheet-metal part is screwed to the housing. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The distribution board connection module as claimed in claim 30, wherein the spring contacts are connected to the sheet-metal part. ### Claim 32 (depends on 19) The distribution board connection module as claimed in claim 19, wherein a housing rear wall has side slots into which the connecting strips to which the output contacts are fitted are inserted into and latched from the side. ### Claim 33 (depends on 19) The distribution board connection module as claimed in claim 19, wherein cable guides can be plugged into side walls of the housing. ### Claim 34 (depends on 19) The distribution board connection module as claimed in claim 19, wherein each front part has two associated connecting strips connected to one printed circuit board, each printed circuit board connected to one connecting strip to which the output contacts are fitted. ### Claim 35 A distribution board connection module for telecommunications and data technology, comprising: a housing in which externally accessible input and output contacts for connection of lines and conductors are arranged, with the housing having a cavity in which at least one printed circuit board is arranged, with the input and output contacts being arranged on the opposite end faces of the housing, and with the input contacts being in the form of at least one connecting strip with insulation-displacement terminal contacts, wherein the input and output contacts are detachably connected to the printed circuit board, with the connecting strip to which the input contacts are fitted being detachably connected via a front part to the housing, with the insulation-displacement terminal contacts being connected to the printed circuit board via fork contacts, and with the connection between the front part and the housing such that, when the connection is detached, the connecting strip which is connected to the front part is moved together with the fork contacts away from the printed circuit board; wherein the housing has a stop, with the printed circuit board resting with its end face, which is associated with the input contacts, behind the stop in the inserted state; and wherein side walls of the housing have guide slots for supporting the printed circuit board, with one edge of the guide slot being formed obliquely. ### Claim 36 A distribution board connection module for telecommunications and data technology, comprising: a housing in which externally accessible input and output contacts for connection of lines and conductors are arranged, with the housing having a cavity; and a plurality of printed circuit boards arranged in a stack inside the cavity; wherein the input and output contacts are arranged on opposite end faces of the housing; wherein the input and output contacts are in the form of a plurality of connecting strips with insulation-displacement terminal contacts; wherein the input and output contacts are detachably connected to the plurality of printed circuit boards; wherein the insulation-displacement terminal contacts of each connecting strip are connected to one of the plurality of printed circuit boards via fork contacts; wherein the connecting strips to which the input contacts are fitted are detachably connected via one of a plurality of front parts to the housing; wherein the connection between each front part and the housing is such that, when the connection is detached, each connecting strip which is connected to the front part is moved together with the fork contacts away from the printed circuit board; wherein the housing has a plurality of stops, with the printed circuit boards resting their end faces, which are associated with the input contacts, behind the stops in the inserted state; and wherein side walls of the housing have guide slots for supporting the printed circuit boards, with one edge of the guide slot being formed obliquely. ### Claim 37 A distribution board connection module for telecommunications and data technology, comprising: a housing extending from a first side to a second side, the housing defining a cavity and a plurality of stops; a plurality of printed circuit boards arranged within the cavity of the housing, an end face of each of the printed circuit boards being configured to slide over, drop behind, and rest against a corresponding one of the stops when the printed circuit board is inserted into the housing; a plurality of externally accessible output contacts arranged on the second side of the housing to be detachably coupled to corresponding ones of the printed circuit boards; and a plurality of connecting strips detachably coupled to the first side of the housing, each connecting strip holding a plurality of input contacts having fork contacts configured to couple to one of the printed circuit boards when the connecting strip is coupled to the housing, the fork contacts also being configured to detach from the respective printed circuit board when the respective connecting strip is detached from the housing, wherein the stops inhibit removal of the printed circuit boards from the housing in a first direction when the connecting strips are detached from the housing in the first direction.