Wall Plate Assembly

The present invention relates generally to assemblies for securing communication connectors to a mounting surface and enclosing the connectors and the service providing cables joined thereto behind a protective housing. In particular, the present invention discloses a communication box assembly that provides for the on-site selection and mounting of standard communication connectors utilized in today's office communication network such as modular telephone jacks, coaxial connectors and fiber-optic connectors within mounting inserts that are designed to be releasably latched to a wall mounted base or plate; the inserts being easily removable for later installation of additional communication connectors or rearrangement of the connectors as communication requirements change without the necessity of installing a new wall mounted base.

Many varieties of connector housing assemblies have been proposed as solutions to the many and varied problems of specialized connector assemblies. These proposed solutions address the requirements of each specialized connector assembly and fail to address the need for a communications box assembly that can mount and present for convenient use a variety of the standard types of communication connectors needed to provide a voice, data and video communication network to a modern office. These prior specialized assemblies are not adaptable to future connector designs or connector arrangements without the redesign and installation of a substantial portion of the assembly, thus limiting the expected life span of these specialized assemblies in light of the rapidly changing communication needs in today's office environment.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a wall plate assembly that securely mounts and encloses standard office communication connectors, such as modular telephone jacks, coaxial connectors and fiber optic connectors in a convenient position and within an aesthetically pleasing enclosure on an office wall such that the specific choice of connectors and arrangement of connectors within the box can be made on site and can be easily modified.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a wall plate assembly that provides increased mounting stability for connectors secured therein.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a wall plate assembly that maximizes the number of connectors that can be mounted within one assembly.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a wall plate assembly that maximizes the number of components that can be molded in simple two plate molds without side action to minimize the costs of manufacture.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a wall plate assembly that is simple to install without the need for special tools.

In general, the wall plate assembly of the present invention for mounting connectors within a standard electrical mounting box includes:

a connector and a connector mounting insert;

a wall plate having means to secure the wall plate to the standard box;

an insert supporting platform orthogonally projecting from an inner surface of the wall plate adjacent a connector access window;

a resilient latch means formed on the distal end of the platform for securing the insert to the wall plate; and

a slot means on the wall plate and spaced from the latch means for trapping an edge of the insert opposite the latch means.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view in isometric projection of one configuration of a communication box assembly embodying the concept of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of a different configuration of the assembly of the present invention with the cover cut away to show the assembly installed on an office wall;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the assembly taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a top view of the base of the assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a front view of the base of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the base of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7--7 of FIG. 2;

FIGS. 8 and 9 are respectively a top view and a sectional view taken along line 9--9 of FIG. 8 of the telephone jack insert shown in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 are respectively a perspective view in isometric projection, a top view and a rear view of a splitter jack insert;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view in isometric projection of a reverse splitter jack insert;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view in isometric projection of a direct wire insert;

FIG. 15 is a sectional view of the insert of FIG. 14 showing a wire secured between the latched halves of the insert;

FIGS. 16 and 17 are respectively a perspective view in isometric projection and a rear view of a coaxial connector insert;

FIG. 18 is an exploded perspective view in isometric projection of a two connector wall plate and an insert mountable thereon;

FIG. 19 is a side view in section taken along the longitudinal centerline, of the wall plate of FIG. 18;

FIG. 20 is a perspective view in isometric projection of a four connector wall plate;

FIG. 21 is an exploded perspective view in isometric projection of a base and insert disclosing an alternate mounting means of the present invention;

FIG. 22 is a front view of the base of FIG. 21;

FIG. 23 is a sectional view taken along line 23--23 of FIG. 22.

FIG. 24 is an exploded perspective of a wall plate assembly compatible with the mounting means of FIG. 21;

FIG. 25 is a front view of the wall plate of FIG. 24;

FIG. 26 is a top sectional view of the wall plate of FIG. 24 with a telephone jack insert secured to the wall plate; and

FIGS. 27, 28 and 29 are respectively a front view, an end view and a sectional view taken along line 29--29 of FIG. 27 of a second embodiment of the present invention comprising a fiber optic cable assembly box.

A modern office communication network can include a variety of voice, data and video cables which connect; for example, central office telephone equipment to individual telephones and main frame computers to remote personal computers. The terminal ends of these cable are provided with appropriate connectors for selective interconnection to remote equipment. The present invention provides a means to securely mount a variety of these connectors in one enclosure for subsequent connection to the office equipment.

The preferred design of a communication box assembly embodying the concept of the present invention is designated generally by the number 40 in the accompanying drawings. As depicted in FIG. 1, assembly 40 comprises a plurality of interlocking parts that can be selected and assembled on site without tools to mount a variety of office communication connectors to a mounting surface for connection with office equipment through; for example, a telephone wire 41 and a coaxial cable 42 as seen in FIG. 2. The communication box assembly 40 includes a base 43, a cover 44, and a plurality of inserts for mounting varied communication connectors, representative inserts disclosed in the drawings being designated in the following manner: telephone jack insert 45 (see FIGS. 8 and 9), blank insert 46 (see FIG. 1), splitter jack insert 47 (see FIGS. 2, 10, 11 and 12), reverse splitter jack insert 48 (see FIG. 13), direct wire insert 50 (see FIGS. 14 and 15) and coaxial connector insert 51 (see FIGS. 16 and 17). All of the components of assembly 40 are injection molded of suitable thermoplastic materials in a manner known in the art; all of the components except adapters 106 and 107 and wall plate 121 being designed to allow the use of two plate molds without the need for side action to minimize the cost of manufacture.

As seen in FIGS. 8-17, all of the inserts include at least one C-shaped latch slot 52 formed in an edge of each insert with each latch slot 52 having opposed edges 53. All of the inserts also include at least one positioning pad 54 and two shelves 55 formed at the outer edge of each insert on either side of pads 54 spaced back from the outer edges of each pad 54 or pair of pads 54. All of the inserts are formed with a common length and with a common width, or a multiple of the common width. Positioning pads 54 are medially disposed within each increment of common width of each insert, pads 59 being formed singly or in pairs for double width inserts.

In particular, attention is directed to FIGS. 8 and 9 which depict the features of telephone jack insert 45. Telephone jack insert 45 includes a plate member 56 having opposed slot 52 and positioning pad 54 as discussed above. Formed adjacent latch slot 52 and projecting upwardly, perpendicular to the plane of plate member 56 is frame 57. A cantilever latch 58 is integrally formed within the surface of frame 57, the latch 58 presenting a tooth 60 which projects inwardly beyond the inner surface of frame 57. Formed adjacent the opposite edge of telephone jack insert 45 and projecting back toward latch 58 is a modular connector engaging lug 61. Integrally formed in insert 45, between frame 57 and lug 61 are two resilient springs 62, each being defined by a U-shaped slot 63 and each being molded to project upwardly at a free end above the plane of the surface of plate member 56.

Telephone jack insert 45 mounts a standard in-line coupler 64. As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, a standard modular in-line coupler 64 includes a plastic body that presents end to end standard telephone jacks that accept standard modular telephone plugs (not shown) of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,954,320, which is incorporated herein by reference; the coupler 64 including opposed slots 65 disposed at opposite ends. The distal end of lug 61 and tooth 60 of latch 58 are disposed to each engage respective slots 65 when coupler 64 is inserted into insert 45; a slot 65 of coupler 64 first being brought into engagement with the end of lug 61 and coupler 64 then being rotated into locking engagement between resiliently mounted tooth 60 and the other slot 65 of coupler 64. Springs 62 are disposed to resiliently engage coupler 64 before locking engagement between tooth 60 and coupler 64 to firmly secure coupler 64 to insert 45.

If desired, coupler 64 and insert 45 may be integrally formed with the structural features of the insert needed to latch the connector within the assembly being formed on the connector body.

Splitter jack insert 47 and reverse splitter jack insert 48, as seen in FIGS. 10-12; and FIG. 13, share features identical to those described above for telephone jack insert 45 but are twice the width of inserts 48 and include positioning wings 49, double width latch slots 52, two positioning pads 54, and either a combination of two lugs 61 and a single cantilever latch 58 for insert 47 or a combination of a single lug 61 and two cantilever latches 58 for insert 48. Both inserts 47 and 48 mount a standard splitter modular jack in-line coupler 66 as shown installed in insert 47 in FIG. 2, the coupler 66 having two side by side slots 65 positioned on a double jack side of the connector and a third slot 65 formed adjacent the single jack positioned on the opposite side of the coupler 66.

Blank insert 46 (as seen in FIG. 1) includes a plate member 56, an upwardly disposed planar wall 67 and a pair of reinforcing gussets 68. Blank insert 46 is used to enclose openings left in a completed assembly 40 in which all available insert mounting positions are not filled with connector inserts.

Direct wire insert 50, as best seen in FIGS. 14 and 15, is designed to secure a wire 69 between its base 70 and lid 71 to provide two directional axial strain relief for wire 69 secured therein such that a wire can extend outwardly of assembly 40 to present a connector secured to the terminal end of wire 69 with the wire 69 being fixed relative to assembly 40. Base 70 and lid 71 are integrally molded, joined by a frangible connecting arm 72 which is easily broken from the base and lid to yield two interlocking pieces as seen in FIG. 15. Base 70 includes a rectangular raised body portion 73 having two pair of internally formed, inner directed, resilient, conic shaped fingers 78 attached to opposing outer edges of base 70 for resiliently engaging a wire 69 when secured between lid 71 and base 70. Channels 75 for accepting cantilever latches 76 are formed in opposed sides of direct wire insert 50, having lugs 77 formed thereon. Cantilever latches 76 resiliently expand over and latch against lugs 77 to secure lid 71 to base 70. Lid 71 includes two pair of internally formed, inner directed, resilient, conic shaped fingers 74 formed on opposite edges of lid 71 disposed directly opposite to corresponding fingers 78 in base 70 when the lid and base are latched together. A strengthening rib 80 is formed between each pair of fingers 78 with an arcuate depression preventing interference with a wire secured between fingers 74 and 78. Positioning pad 54 and latch slot 52 formed in a plate portion 81 are provided on opposite edges of insert 50.

Coaxial connector insert 51, as seen in FIGS. 16 and 17, is designed to secure either a standard twist-on-jack coaxial connector (not shown) or a standard female-to-female coaxial connector 79 between an interlocking base 82 and lid 83. Base 82 and lid 83 are integrally molded in a manner similar to direct wire insert 50 with a frangible connecting arm 84 being easily broken from the base and lid to yield two interlocking pieces. Lid 83 includes outwardly projecting latching cantilever latches 85 disposed to engage lugs 86 formed in channels 87 in opposing sides of base 82. Forward pocket 88 and rear hexagonal pockets 90 in base 82 and lid 83 accept and secure corresponding portions of a coaxial twist-on jack to secure it therebetween. Inner pocket 91 is shaped to enclose and secure a medially disposed hexagonal nut collar of a female-to-female coaxial connector 79 shown in FIG. 1.

Base 43, as best seen in FIGS. 4-7, is a generally planar mounting plate including a plurality of resilient cover latches 93 spaced around the periphery of base 43 to secure the cover 44 to the base, mounting holes 94 for receiving mounting screws (not shown) for attaching the base to a mounting surface, a plurality of raceway recesses 96 disposed in the top and side edges of base 43 and shaped to engage with standard surface raceways 97 provided to assembly 40, a cable access window 98 for receipt of cables provide through the mounting surface, reinforcing ridges 100 formed in base 43, and insert mounting means including parallel rows of releasable insert latches 101 and directly opposed insert trapping lugs 102.

Each releasable insert latch 101 includes a pair of parallel elongate spaced apart arms 103 formed in the planar surface of base 43 by an M-shaped slot 95. Arms 103 project outwardly from a point of attachment to base 43 to free ends that present upwardly directed barbs 115. Barbs 115, as best seen in FIG. 5 together form an arrow shaped profile, that is perpendicular to the plane of base 43, barbs 115 each having an outwardly directed insert engaging edges 116.

As seen in FIG. 7, arms 103 are formed to space barbs 115 and opposed edges 116 apart an amount sufficient to allow arms 103 to resiliently deform inwardly as barb engaging edges 53 of latch slot 52 are inserted past barbs 115 and resiliently expanded outwardly to engage barbs 115 with edges 53 of each insert to resiliently secure each mounted insert and prevent rattling of the mounted insert. The maximum deflection of arms 103 when the arms 103 are brought into abutment is limited to the space separating the arms 103 which is selected so that the maximum inward deflection is limited to resilient deflection, thus preventing excessive deflection of arms 103 and reducing failure of arms 103. Each releasable latch 101 projects above an insert secured thereby an amount sufficient to allow the distal ends of the barbs to be compressed inwardly to allow release and easy removal of an insert from the latch 101. Two spaced apart adjacent lugs 102 are positioned opposite to and aligned with each respective latch 101 in a manner to allow positioning pad 54 of an insert to be first inserted between adjacent lugs 102 with lugs 102 projecting over shelves 55 of the insert to trap the insert underneath lugs 102, and then rotated into releasable locking engagement between latch 101 and latch slot edges 53 of the insert; pads 76 of each insert filling the space between adjacent lugs 102 to center the insert relative to adjacent lugs 102 and aligned latch 101. The design of lugs 102, positioning pad 54 and shelves 55 allow the inserts and the connector carried thereon to be mounted as near as possible to the edge of base 43 while securely mounting and accurately centering each insert and connector mounted thereon to the base.

The features of base 43 are designed to allow the base to be integrally molded with a simple two plate mold without side action to minimize the cost of manufacturing base 43. Mold access openings (not shown) are formed in base 43 underneath the distal ends of insert trapping lugs 102 allowing lugs 102 to be formed with a simple two plate mold. Latches 101 formed by slots 95 in base 43 with barbs 115 projecting upwardly from and orthogonally to the surface of base 43 also allow the use of the two plate mold.

Once an insert is fastened within lugs 102 and a latch 101, the insert is securely fastened at opposite edges to base 43, thus providing increased stability for a connector mounted by the insert to base 43.

Insert trapping lugs 102 and releasable insert latches 101 are spaced apart such that the inserts can be mounted side-by-side without any unused space therebetween to maximize the number of connectors that can be mounted in the assembly 40. In addition the equal spacing of lugs 102 and latches 101 and the provision of inserts having common widths, or widths that are a multiple of the common width, allow the interchangeable use of a greater variety of connectors within the assembly.

Installation of assembly 40 is accomplished by securing base 43 to a mounting surface with appropriate fasteners, selecting and installing the desired combination of connectors and inserts and enclosing the base 43 and connectors secured thereto within cover 44. See FIG. 2 which illustrates the installation of a telephone jack insert 45 and coupler 64, a coaxial connector insert 51 and connector, and a splitter jack insert 47 and coupler 66. Cover 44, as seen in FIG. 2, includes ridges 104 positioned to engage cover latches 93 and releasably secure cover 44 to base 43. Cover 44 includes three molded knockout areas 105 that are designed to allow installation of standard plastic wire raceways 97. The knockout areas are dimensioned to accept first or second adapters 106 and 107 which are secured to cover 44 by latches 119 and which allow the on-site selection assembly of varying sizes of raceways to assembly 40, as seen in FIG. 2.

Above described assembly 40 is mounted on the surface of an office wall. In certain applications it is desirable to mount an assembly level with the surface of the wall within a standard switch and receptacle box. A wall plate assembly compatible with the components of assembly 40 is illustrated in FIGS. 18-19 and 20, which respectively illustrate a two connector wall plate 108 and a four connector wall plate 110. Both wall plates are designed to be preferably integrally molded in simple two plate molds without side action thus decreasing the cost of manufacture.

Both wall plates 108 and 110 are dimensioned and have mounting holes 111 positioned to secure each wall plate to a standard switch and receptacle box (not shown) to enclose connectors secured to the wall plates within the box. Both wall plates have insert mounting platforms 112 projecting orthogonally from wall plates 108 or 110 which are supported by reinforcing gussets 113, latches 101, connector access windows 99 and recessed slots 114. Slots 114 are formed to accept, position and secure the forward, positioning pad edge of any of the above described inserts; slot 114 extending outwardly of either side of platform 112 such that the centrally disposed positioning pad 54 of an insert mounted in slot 114 extends into window 99 and the edges of slot 114 trap shelves 55 of each insert to prevent forward or upward movement of the insert. Latches 101 are formed on each platform 112 with spaced apart arms formed in the distal end of each platform 112, the arms presenting upwardly projecting barbs disposed orthogonally to platform 112. Latches 101 operate as described above to releasably latch each insert within a mounting position in the wall plate.

In order to insure complete insert mounting compatibility between base 43 and wall plates 108 and 110, it is desirable that the insert mounting means of both base 43 and wall plates 108 and 110 be as structurally similar as possible while still allowing the manufacture of both the base and the wall plates 108 and 110 to be accomplished with a simple two plate mold without the need for side action. The design of the latches 101 as utilized in both the base and the wall plates 108 and 110 accomplish the desired close similarity, insert mounting compatibility and two plate mold manufacturing capability even though the orientation of each latch 101 in base 43 is rotated ninety degrees to the orientation of each latch formed on wall plates 108 and 110, relative to the planar mounting surfaces of the base 43 and the wall plates 108 and 110; latches 101 of base 43 projecting orthogonally from the planar surface of base 43 while latches 101 of wall plates 108 and 110 project orthogonally from platforms 112 and parallel to the planar surface of each wall plate 108 or 110.

An alternate means for mounting inserts to a base 118 is illustrated in FIGS. 21-23, or to a wall plate 121 compatible therewith is illustrated in FIGS. 24-26.

The alternate mounting means includes an insert 117 having lateral slots 122 defined by spaced apart lateral flanges 123 extending along opposing edges of insert 117 and a resilient downwardly projecting latching arm 124. Base 118 defines a number of mounting positions for each insert 117 with opposed inwardly directed parallel insert positioning ribs 125 disposed to be received within lateral slots 122 to align and secure each insert 117 laterally and window 126 formed between each rib 125 and disposed to receive the end of latching arm 124 to secure the insert 117 against longitudinal movement. The design of insert 117 and the design of base 11 which includes openings 127, allow insert 117 and base 118 to be molded with a two plate mold without side action, minimizing the costs of manufacture of the assembly.

Wall plate 121, as seen in FIGS. 24-26, includes a platform 128 extending orthogonally from the plane of wall plate 121. Spaced apart ribs 125 extend from the surface of the platform 128 and are spaced apart to enter lateral slots 122 of insert 117 and position it laterally. Window 126 is formed in platform 128 to receive latching arm 124 of insert 117 to secure insert 117 against longitudinal movement relative to platform 128.

A fiber optic communication box assembly which is a second embodiment of the concept of the present invention is designated generally by the number 130 in FIGS. 27-29. Fiber optic communication box assembly 130 includes a base 131, a cover 132, telephone jack inserts 133, blank inserts 134, fiber optic cable connector inserts 135 mounting a fiber optic cable connector 129, cover latches 140, and raceway recesses. The inserts depicted in assembly 130 are secured to base 131 by the interengagement of L-shaped centering hooks 136 disposed along the outer edge of base 131 and an C-shaped slots formed in each insert. If desired, assembly 130 could be modified to include all of the insert and base details of above described assembly 40 to allow use of the inserts of assembly 40 in assembly 130.

Fiber optic communication box assembly 130 also includes integrally formed means for storing excess fiber optic cable 142 within the assembly's enclosure which includes a circular ridge 143, an adjacent inner arc 144 and two outer arcs 145 respectively disposed adjacent to and outwardly of circular ridge 143 and inner arc 144. Circular ridge 143 and inner and outer arcs 144 and 145 are disposed such that excess fiber optic cable entering the assembly at the duct recesses can be wound around and stored on circular ridge 143 and inner arc 144 with outer arcs 145 retaining cable 142 in a coil. Also preventing uncoiling of fiber optic cable 142 are wire trap flanges 146 formed along a part of the upper edge of outer arcs 145 and projecting inwardly toward adjacent portions of circular ridge 143 and inner arc 144.

Base 131 of assembly 130 also includes cable tie mounts 147 adjacent recesses that allow a cable tie 148 to secure the fiber optic cable 142 to base 131.

Fiber optic communication box assembly 130 also includes a specialized collar 150 integrally formed with base 131 and designed to accept and mount an International Business Machine's token ring connector (not shown). Although shown as integrally formed with base 131, collar 150 may also be formed with or attached to an insert as taught herein and base 131 may be formed with additional insert positions in place of the molded collar such that assembly 130 can be configured with or without a token ring connector collar.

While particular preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it is to be understood that numerous changes may be made in form and details without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, although a variety of standard connector mounting inserts have been described, different inserts may be designed to accommodate different connector designs.