Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TELECOMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT
This invention relates to telecommunications
equipment.
In the telecommunications industry,
telecommunications equipment is mounted in frames and is
connected by signal conductors to other equipment mounted
in other frames. Conventionally, components are mounted
into shelves of such frames on site and circuit packs, when
used, are fitted into the shelves. At the rear of the
to shelves, the circuit packs normally are connected to back
planes and have connectors at their fronts from which the
telecommunications conductors extend to other equipment
items. The conductors necessarily extend across the fronts
of the circuit packs and of the frames and the
responsibility for their installation and of connecting
them to the circuit packs is that of the installer.
Installation of the conductors and their connection to the
circuit packs is time consuming and tedious and, in view of
this, together with the possibility of human error,
2o interconnection mistakes are likely to occur. Such
mistakes result in problem solving requirements which again
is time consuming and tedious.
The present invention seeks to minimize or
overcome the above problem.
According to one aspect of the present invention a
telecommunications equipment shelf module comprises a shelf
provided with a plurality of receiving stations for
electronic circuit packs, a plurality of electronic circuit
packs received within the plurality of receiving stations,
3o telecommunications conductors extending between and
interconnecting the circuit packs with connectors mounted
in a connector interface station of the module for
connection to further telecommunications conductors
extending exteriorly of the module, and means for
detachably mounting the module in a frame.
The shelf module according to the invention may be
factory made as a unit and thus, quality control of the
2
product is ensured. Because the signal conductors are
provided in the module extending between the circuit packs
and connectors in the connector interface station, then
installation problems associated with the installer
connecting the conductors directly to the circuit packs is
avoided. In view of this, all that is required of the
installer is to connect the further signal conductors from
exterior equipment directly into the connectors at the
connector interface station of the shelf module. As a
1o result, quality control is maintained at a high standard
while minimizing the mistakes which may be made during
installation of equipment by an installer. In addition,
the amount of time required on site in assembling
telecommunications equipment is minimized with the use of
the modular construction.
With the above structure according to the
invention, cooling means are preferably provided for the
circuit packs and with circuit packs disposed side-by-side
horizontally in one or two vertically displaced rows, this
leads to ease of circulation of a cooling fluid because of
the vertical flow channels which are thus provided. It is
also preferred to provide a connector holder at the
connector interface station, the connector holder housing
the connectors and being movable between a connector housed
position within a housing of the module and a connector
access position with the connector holder moved forwardly
of the housing. With this preferred arrangement, the
telecommunications conductors extending from the circuit
packs are advantageously positioned so as to extend
3o rearwardly into the housing from the fronts of the packs
and to the connectors contained within the connector
holder. In this way, with the pre-built shelf module, the
conductors are easily directed from the fronts of the
circuit packs to the connector interface station for
connection to other conductors extending to other
telecommunications equipment. Thus, in the finished
assembly of the shelf module into a frame, conductors are
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eliminated or virtually eliminated at the fronts of the
circuit packs and of the frame. Further, in a preferred
arrangement, the connector holder is pivotally connected at
a front region of the housing of the module for pivotal
movement between the connector housed and connector access
positions. In this case, the conductors extending
rearwardly into the housing may be required to extend
outwardly from a side of the housing in one location and
then inwardly into the side of the housing in another
location so as to lie close to the pivotal axis of the
connector holder as they extend to the connectors. With
this arrangement, pivotal movement of the connector holder
between its two positions requires an insignificant change
in length of the conductors extending into the compartment,
~5 because the distance between the incoming conductors as
they lie close to the pivotal axis and the connectors
remains virtually the same. Thus, movement of the
conductors lengthwise relative to the housing which could
result in abrasion of conductors is avoided.
2o According to a further aspect of the present
invention, telecommunications equipment is provided
comprising a frame having a plurality of bays for
detachably receiving telecommunications equipment shelf
modules, at least one of the modules comprising a shelf
25 provided with a plurality of receiving stations for
electronic circuit packs, a plurality of electronic circuit
packs received within the plurality of receiving stations,
telecommunications conductors extending between and
interconnecting the electronic circuit packs with
3o connectors mounted in a connector interface station of the
housing for connection to further telecommunications
conductors extending exteriorly of the module, and the
frame and the at least one shelf module having cooperable
means for detachably holding the module in one of the bays.
35 The invention also includes telecommunications
equipment comprising a housing, a connector holder for
holding connectors for telecommunications conductors, the
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connector holder pivotally mounted to the housing and
pivotally movable between a connector housed position with
the connector holder within the housing and a connector
access position with the connector holder pivoted forwardly
of the housing, the connector holder having spaced apart
connector mounting positions in at least one arc around the
pivotal axis of the connector holder.
With the telecommunications equipment according to
the invention in the last preceding paragraph, the
1o connector holder structure and location of the connector
mounting positions is such as to allow for compactness and
density of connectors. It has been found that with
connectors disposed in an arc as in constructions according
to the invention and around the pivotal axis of the
1s connector holder, then this allows for ease of connection
of the conductors to the connectors. In addition, the
conductors may be caused to extend radially inwards from
the connectors towards the pivotal axis so as to emerge
from the connector holder in a position adjacent to the
2o pivotal axis, and virtually no change in length of
conductors is required during pivotal movement of the
connector holder. In essence therefore, the connector
mounting positions are disposed in an array around the arc
extending around the pivotal axis and result in the
25 conductor positioning being neat and closely controlled.
In a preferred arrangement, the connector mounting
positions are disposed in a plurality of arcs extending
around the pivotal axis, one arc inside another and with
the mounting positions staggered around the pivotal axis
3o from each arc to an adjacent arc. With this preferred
arrangement, the compactness of the spacing of the
connector mounting positions is increased. The staggering
of positions is provided to enable conductors to extend
towards the pivotal axis across the connector holder from
35 mounting positions in an outer arc by passage between
mounting positions in an inner arc or arcs.
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One embodiment of the invention will now be
described, by way of example, with reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which:-
Figure 1 is a front isometric view of
telecommunications equipment showing shelf modules in
position;
Figure 2 is a front exploded isometric view of
part of the equipment of Figure 1 to show a shelf module in
more detail and on a larger scale;
1o Figure 3 is a front elevational view of a shelf
module and to a larger scale than Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view through a shelf
module taken along line IV-IV in Figure 2 and to a much
larger scale;
Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along
line V-V in Figure 4 to show the underside of a connector
holder for connectors, to a larger scale than Figure 4 and
with the holder in a connector housed position;
Figure 6 is a top plan view of the connector
2o holder and showing the holder in a connector access
position;
Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view through part of
the connector holder and taken along line VII-VII in Figure
6 and to a larger scale; and
Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 5 but with
the connector holder in the connector access position.
As shown in Figures 1 and 2, telecommunications
equipment 10 comprises a stationary frame comprising
vertical rear frame members 12 and front frame members 14
3o which are horizontally spaced apart by horizontal frame
members, such as shown at 15 in Figure 2, to provide a
rigid structure.
The equipment 10 has different items 16 of
equipment in a left-hand bank as shown in Figure 1.
However, in the right-hand bank, and as shown particularly
in Figure 2, the frame is provided with a vertical stack of
bays 18, namely three, for containing shelf modules 20 of
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6
equipment. Each shelf module 20 (one only being shown for
description purposes) is slidably received within its
appropriate bay 18 and for this purpose means is provided
with means for detachably receiving and holding each of the
modules in position. The receiving and holding means
comprises, for each bay, horizontally spaced-apart guide
and support rails 22 extending between frame members 12 and
14, bolt holes 24 in the frame members for reception of
bolts (not shown) into aligned holes 26 in the module when
to disposed correctly within its appropriate bay.
Each module 20 is of rectangular box-shape which,
as shown by Figures 2 and 4, is provided by an outside
housing 28 having a rear wall 30, top and bottom walls 32
and 34 and side walls 36. Within the box are provided a
plurality of receiving stations 38 for electronic circuit
packs 40. The circuit packs 40 are arranged side-by-side
horizontally in two rows, one above another, as shown
particularly in Figures 3 and 4, with connectors 42 at the
rear ends of the packs connected into a back plane or
2o planes 44 which extend vertically at the rear of the
receiving stations 38 in a spaced position from the rear
wall 30 to provide a vertical space 46 forwardly of the
rear wall. The circuit packs 40 may be slidably inserted
and withdrawn from the front of the module through a
central opening provided in a front wall 48 of the housing.
Cooling flow passage means is provided in each
module. As shown in Figure 4 the cooling flow passage
means comprises an inlet chamber 50 disposed below the
circuit packs 40 and an outlet passage 52 disposed above
3o the circuit packs. These two passages are interconnected
by flow passages defined between adjacent circuit packs 40
in the receiving stations, the circuit packs having side
walls which are slightly spaced-apart for this purpose.
The inlet and outlet passages 50 and 52 are also
interconnected by means of the chamber 46 defined between
the back plane 44 and the rear wall 30. Thus, in use,
there is circulation of cooling air by convection through
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the chamber 50 and upwardly into the chamber 52. The inlet
passage 50 receives its air through a louvered door 54 (see
Figures 2, 3 and 4) which is pivotally hinged about a lower
edge to enable it to be lowered into the position in Figure
3 for any maintenance purposes. The outlet passage 52
exhausts air through a louvered panel 56 forming part of
the front wall 48.
The shelf module is provided with a connector
interface station 58 which is disposed above the outlet
1o passage 52. At the left-hand side of the station 58 as
viewed in Figures 2 and 3, there are provided tiered
pivotal trays 60 which are pivotally mounted in a manner
not shown, for movement out of a stowed position, as shown
in Figures 2 and 3 to a forward position for access
purposes. These trays are optical fiber storage and
connector trays. In the event that one or more of the
circuit packs 40 is to be connected by optical fibers to
outside equipment, i.e. away from the frame 10, then
optical fibers from this circuit pack or packs will extend
2o to the trays 60 for storage purposes and for purposes of
connecting these fibers into optical connectors, other ends
of which are to be connected by an installer of the
equipment to the outside equipment.
Also provided in the connector interface station
58 is a connector holder 62 (Figures 2, 3 and 4) which, as
will now be described, is for receiving electrical
conductor wires from the packs 40 in the event that the
packs are to be serviced electrically.
The connector holder 62 is shown in detail in
3o Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8. In underside plan view as shown in
Figures 5 and 8 and plan view in Figure 6, the connector
holder 62 is shaped as a quadrant of a circle, this shape
being fundamentally provided by a base 64. The base has
radial edge flanges 66 and 68 and a part circular flange 70
at the arcuate edge of the base. Holder 62 is mounted in
the housing of the module so as to be movable outwardly
from a stowed position within the housing to a position
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extending outwardly from the front of the housing for
access to the connectors for installation and maintenance
purposes. For this purpose, the holder is pivotally
mounted at the front of the housing about a pivotal
position 72 which coincides with the center of the circle
of which the base 64 forms a quadrant. Figures 1, 4 and 5
show the connector holder in the stowed position while
Figures 6 and 8 show it in the outer connector access
position.
1o Telecommunications connectors 74 are mounted to
the base 64 in such a manner as to provide compactness and
maximization of density of the connectors. This object is
achieved by disposing the connector mounting positions in
spaced-apart locations around at least one arc which is
centered upon the pivotal axis of the connector holder.
Preferably, and as shown in the embodiment, there is more
than one arc of connector mounting positions. In the
embodiment, two connector mounting position arcs 75 and 76
are shown and the connectors are mounted around these two
2o arcs with the connector mounting positions staggered from
one arc to the other along the arcs. Electrical conductors
78 extend from connectors 80 at the fronts of the circuit
packs 40 and extend slightly forwardly of the packs before
extending downwardly and then rearwardly for a distance
behind the circuit packs before progressing upwardly of the
module 20 through gaps and passages provided within the
module. These conductors 78 then proceed through an
aperture 84 towards the upper front of the housing wall 36,
the conductors being arcuately bent on the outside of the
3o housing side to re-enter the housing through an upper
aperture 86. The aperture 86 directs the conductors, as
shown in Figures 5 and 8, towards the underside of the base
64 of the connector holder and in such a position that as
the conductors extend towards their respective connectors
74, they pass closely adjacent to the pivotal axis 72. The
conductors therefore move basically radially from the
pivotal axis 72 to their respective connectors. As may be
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seen, the conductors extending to the connectors in the
outer arc 75 pass easily between the conductors on the
inner arc 76 because of the staggered relationship of the
connectors in the two rows. The relative positioning of
the connectors on each arc and between connectors in the
arc 76 on the base 64 allow for compactness of the
connectors with a high density upon the base 64 while
enabling for ease of distribution of the conductors to
their respective connectors. As may be seen particularly
1o from Figures 5 and 8, the conductors enter the aperture 86
in bunched form, and then diverge from one another to their
respective connectors in an orderly fashion which assists
in installation and removal of the conductors as and when
necessary.
As may be seen from the above description, the
shelf module is factory built whereby a standard of
assembly may be achieved by the manufacturer. Included in
this is the fact that the circuit packs are each
individually connected by the manufacturer to the
2o connectors in the connector holder 62 and sufficient care
is made possible by the manufacturer to connect the
appropriate terminals of the circuit packs to the
appropriate connectors. Together with this is the fact
that the signal conductors 78 are pre-built into the module
before final installation into the frame of the equipment
and this enables the conductors to be bypassed from the
front of the module, i.e. rearwardly into the module itself
and to the connectors in the connector holder, whereby the
finished assembly provides a clean frontal appearance with
little or no conductors being apparent at that location.
Such an arrangement with conductors being obscured from the
front of the equipment would not be possible if the
assembly of the parts were to be made in situ in the frame
as according to conventional practice and in which the
conductors extend exteriorly from the circuit packs
directly to other telecommunications equipment. In this
embodiment, however, as specified the conductors are not
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apparent from the front of the module in the finished
equipment. Thus the module is completely controlled in its
manufacture and may be tested exhaustively before being
sent to the installer for connection to other
telecommunications equipment.
Upon being received by the installer, it is simply
necessary for him to dispose each module 20 in its
respective bay 18 and secure it in position by the means
described above. Incoming telecommunications conductors
1o are then brought from outside telecommunications equipment
and connected either to optical connectors in the trays 60
or to the connectors 74 in connector holder 62. Where
conductors are brought to the connector holder 62, these
are in the form of insulated conductor wires 88 which
extend downwardly at one side of the frame adjacent to the
position to be occupied by the sides 36 of the modules 20
having the apertures 84 and 86. The positions of such
conductors are shown in Figures 1 and 2. When a module 20
has been disposed into its correct location in its bay 18,
2o it is simply necessary for the installer then to insert the
corresponding conductors 88 through the aperture 86 in the
side 36 of the module 20 and extend these conductors 88
across the top surface of the base 64 for instance as shown
by Figure 6. These conductors extend through the aperture
86 as a bunch of connectors and then diverge to their
respective connectors in a manner similar to the
positioning of the conductors 78 beneath the base 64.
Thus, the conductors 88 also diverge from the aperture 86
as they proceed radially of the pivot position 72. The
3o conductors 88 are easily connected to the connectors by
disposing the connector holder 62 in its connector access
position forwardly of the frame and as shown in Figure 6.
When the conductors 88 are correctly connected to the
module 20, then the connector holder is pivoted rearwardly
into its storage position and as shown by Figure 5. As
will be realized, movement between the storage and
connector access positions (compare Figures 5 and 8) is
11 2110426
accompanied mainly by a mere bending of the conductors 78
and 88 as they pass through the aperture 85 to their
respective connectors. Because the conductors extend
mainly radially of the pivot position 72 then the movement
of the connector holder 62 requires no significant change
in length of the conductors between these two positions
whereby conductors are not required to move to and fro
excessively through the aperture 86. It follows therefore
that the module structure of the invention and as described
1o in the embodiment is for ease of quality control during
manufacture while minimizing any chances of human error
during installation in the field. Further to this, a
factory built module enables conductors to be hidden from
the front of the module whereas this would be impossible if
the telecommunications equipment were built on site from
their individual pieces of equipment. In addition, the
connector holder is itself of unique construction and
occupies a minimal space while allowing for a high density
of mounting positions for the connectors.
