AU756546B2

AU756546B2 - A connector box

Info

Publication number: AU756546B2
Application number: AU83232/98A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Brian SMART
Original assignee: SMART ANTENNAS AND AERIALS Ltd
Current assignee: Smart Antennas & Aerials Ltd
Priority date: 1997-09-09
Filing date: 1998-09-09
Publication date: 2003-01-16
Anticipated expiration: 2018-09-09
Also published as: AU8323298A

Description

-1I- P/00/0011I Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT a.

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ORIGINAL

Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for service in Australia: Invention Title: Avtech Limited Brian Smart CARTER SMITH BEADLE Level 189 Kent Street Sydney NSW 2000 Australia A CONNECTOR BOX The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us 004289329vl .doc 2 This invention concerns boxes to which cables for the provision of electronic services to a building are directed.

In our copending application for NZ patents 328 706 and 329 126 with which this specification is intended to be cognate we describe a method of providing electronic signals services for a building and a connector box for the provision of such services. The box has a plurality of cable entries and a plurality of cable exits and a path within the box which make it possible to open and close without cable kinking.

The development of the box design has revealed design variations and extensions of the areas in which the method and apparatus would prove useful. If a box is provided with cable entries and exits the cables look identical to an installer who must differentiate them sometimes without a test receiver to confirm his connections. IF components are needed in S• the box the only support surfaces are the floor and sides of the box. These tend to obscure •or impede the installation.

S.i .o 00 42 89329v1 .doc 3 In one aspect, the present invention provides a connector box having; a floor and one or more walls dependent therefrom, cable apertures for signal cables in the floor of the box, a cable splitter platform separately mounted on the box and spaced from the floor, and the cable splitter platform being adapted to support one or more cable splitters while leaving the one or more cable splitters free to move toward or away from the floor to permit one or more cables in use attached to the one or more cable splitters to slide relative to the floor of the box substantially without the cables kinking.

The splitter support platform may be a platform held above the floor. The platform may be hinged or separable and securable to the box. The platform may have perforations which register with projecting parts of the splitters in this way the splitters are located but able to move as required during the initial installation or during subsequent wiring modification.

The connector box preferably has a lid. The lid may overlap the cavity which is prepared to 15 receive the box, in order to obviate need for a border component with architrave function.

e The lid may have a raised area which overlies the bridge.

In a second aspect, the present invention provides a method of installing the connector box, e• the method including the steps of •ee.

directing one or more signal cables through the floor of the box, connecting the one or more cables to a cable splitter provided on the platform, and moving the platform toward the floor by allowing the cables to slide through the floor of the box, and affixing the platform to the box.

One embodiment of the invention is now described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Fig 1 is a plan of the upper part of the adhesive transfer; Fig 2 is a plan of the box; Fig 3 is a diagrammatic side section of the box in the cavity; Fig 4 is an enlarged view of the bridge and the splitter Fig 1 show the layout of ENTRY perforations 2 intended for the floor of the box. Generally the entering coaxial cables are admitted at the top of the box and the exiting cables leave the box approximately half way down the box length through two rows of EXIT perforations 4 marked on S. the transfer. Screw positions 6, 8 for a combiner 10 position and an inline splitter 12 is marked on the transfer.

Referring now to Figs 2, 3 and 4, the box 14 is a single ABS moulding 290 x 335 x 105 mm with a peripheral flange 16. The box sides are tapered and each of the four sides 15 has a pair of integral stops 18 to limit the insertion of the box into a wall cavity 20. The flange has corner clips 22 which receive screws for attaching the lid 24. The flange has a pair of sunken ledges 26 which locate a flat moulded bridge 28 secured by screws 30 to the ledges. A pair of 2x4 splitters 32 for coaxial cables 34 are placed on the bridge so that the splitter stubs 34 project through corresponding perforations 38 in the bridge. Thus the box perforations 40, the bridge perforations 38 and the splitter stubs 36 all mutually correspond.

The splitters 32 in turn receive input from a 2-way splitter 42. Further splitter 40 is used as either a splitter or a combiner receiving output from amplifier 44 mounted on the opposite side of the bridge. The amplifier receives mains current from socket 46. The lid 50 is 345x300x55mm has a like taper An integral bridge cap 52 overlies the bridge.

The device is used as follows: In a new building the box is located in a cavity cut in the gib wall, the coaxial/satellite cable descends from the 10 roof and is already adjacent the box. Power is connect to the socket in the box.

The splitters receive the appropriate input and the *".departing cables are connected to the splitters using a crimping tool. The body of the splitter can during the 15 connections be moved away from the floor of the box and joggled to feed the cables as a group, back into the wall cavity behind the box so that the cables slide into the compact space in the wall cavity. The box is used with clips restricting the radius through which the cables can bend inside the box and in cavities. These are the subject of Patent Application 50337/98.

When a modification is required it is evident to the installer where the cable should be because each exit is labelled. The box permits a surveillance camera to watch the entrance to a house and to distribute the signal from the camera to every television in the house. If a householder wishes to check the house exterior while viewing a television transmission the householder merely uses the remote control and the camera field appears whichever television is being viewed.

I have found the advantages-of the embodiment to be 1 Simplifies installation 2 Reduces errors especially with multiple occupancy.

3 Eases servicing, modifications and extensions of 10 service.

4 Permits customised labelling Gives protected enclosure to amplifiers and splitter networks 6 Enables multi-power options for low-voltage devices.

Claims

1. A connector box having; a floor and one or more walls dependent therefrom, cable apertures for signal cables in the floor of the box, a cable splitter platform separately mounted on the box and spaced from the floor, and the cable splitter platform being adapted to support one or more cable splitters while leaving the one or more cable splitters free to move toward or away from the floor to permit one or more cables in use attached to the one or more cable splitters to slide relative to the floor of the box substantially without the cables kinking.

2. A connector box as claimed in claim 1 wherein the platform is hingedly mounted S on the box.

S•3. A connector box as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the cable apertures are provided in a group and the platform is a bar which spans the box and lies adjacent the group.

4. A connector box as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the platform has multiple perforations intended to substantially coincide with multiple •go• projections one the one or more cable splitters.

A connector box as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the box has depth stop means to permit sinking into a wall cavity to a predetermined depth which avoids kinking of cables in the remaining part of the cavity during installation.

6. A connector box as claimed in any one of the preceding claims including a lid having a central area which in use overlies the box and a skirt which surrounds a part of the box which in use stands above a wall surface and obscures the gap between the box and a wall cavity in which the box is installed.

7. A connector box as claimed in claim 7 wherein the lid is connected to the box by fasteners which engage the skirt.

8. A connector box as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the box includes the one or more cable splitters, the one or more cable splitters being used to split T or combine signals. 004289329v1 .doc 8

9. A connector box as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the box has an amplifier.

A connector box as claimed in claim 9 wherein a connection for mains current is located in the box for connection to both a mains supply and to the amplifier or a power pack for an active distribution component.

11. A connector box as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein entries for communication leads from one or more appliances permit connection to a telephone line junction for optional microprocessing means to monitor the one or more appliances.

12. A connector box as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein TV cable and a voice line for adjacent siting in the building are grouped together in the box.

13. A connector box as claimed in claim 12 wherein the cable and line share a common outlet.

14. A method of installing electronic or communications signals services in a building S.using a connector box according to claim 1, the method including the steps of g 15 directing one or more signal cables through the floor of the box, connecting the one or more cables to a cable splitter provided on the platform, and S• moving the platform toward the floor by allowing the cables to slide through the floor of the box, and affixing the platform to the box.

A method of installing electronic or communications signal services in a building using a connector box according to any one of claims 1 to 14, substantially as herein described.

16. A connector box constructed and adapted for use substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. AVTECH LIMITED By its Registered Patent Attorneys Freehills Carter Smith Beadle 8 November 2002