Ericsson Gmbh

Metro-optix, Inc.

Jay Henry Dorval

Steven Dale Sensel

Khanh Quoc Nguyen

Daniel J Calanni

A primary communications interface card for receiving a signal is equipped with a bypass or shunting relay, the control of which is managed by a backup or protection interface card. The cable interconnect from far-end equipment to the primary interface card is provided with a make-before-break connector to the primary interface card, and a pig tail cable to the protection card. Upon command, the protection card may command the relay to shunt the signal from the far end equipment around the primary interface card to the protection card. Then, the cable may be disconnected from the primary interface card, with the make-before-break connector providing a signal path from the far-end equipment to the protection card before continuity through the shunting relay is lost. The primary interface card can then be removed and replaced, and the process reversed to redirect traffic to the primary interface card. Thus, the primary interface card is electrically or optically isolated, mechanically removed and replaced, and electrically or optically reconnected allowing continuous, uninterrupted service of the signal and traffic by the protection card during the maintenance action.

Communications interconnect with make-before-break signal routing

An improved inserter/ejector device is disclosed for the insertion or removal of printed circuit boards (PCBs), particularly in environments in which many such boards are to be located in close proximity. In such environments, it is often difficult, if not impossible, to reach between boards so that one may be inserted or removed without damaging others. The inserter/ejector provides various improvements over the prior art, for example, the PCB may attached on either side of a mounting portion using a threaded boss, and the device implements a lockable lever arm to ensure that the PCB is not accidentally removed. The present invention also features a guide pin which, when mated to a corresponding hole in a host system chassis, serves to positively locate the PCB relative to the host system chassis for proper insertion. The inserter/ejector further includes a label area molded into the lever arm for clearly identifying the attached PCB.

Growing community of inventors

Plano, TX, United States of America

Jay Henry Dorval