Plug Connector With Latch Guard and Removal Tools

Abstract

A modular connector is provided having a connector plug, which may be inserted into an associated socket in a first longitudinal direction, a resilient leg, depending at a first end thereof from the connector plug, and having a depressible part, distal therefrom, depressible towards the connector plug, and a guard cover, configured to prevent access to the depressible part of the resilient leg in its direction of depression, but to permit access to the resilient leg in the longitudinal direction through an access aperture, the access aperture being aligned with the depressible part of the resilient leg on an axis parallel with the longitudinal direction, to allow depression of the resilient leg through the access aperture directly. A corresponding extraction tool and methods, loopback connector, blanking plug, blanking plate and patch panel are also provided.

1 . A modular connector, comprising:
 a connector plug, configured to be inserted into an associated socket in a first longitudinal direction;   a resilient leg, depending at a first end thereof from the connector plug, and having a depressible part, distal therefrom, depressible towards the connector plug; and   a guard cover affixed to the connector plug, configured to prevent access to the depressible part of the resilient leg in its direction of depression, but to permit access to the resilient leg in the first longitudinal direction through an access aperture; and   a ramp on the connector plug that is at least partially located within the single access aperture.   
     
     
         2 . The modular connector of  claim 1 , wherein the guard cover includes a bridge over the resilient leg, the bridge having bridge supports surrounding the resilient leg and a bridge span joining the supports and spaced from the resilient leg. 
     
     
         3 . The modular connector of  claim 2 , wherein a region bounded by the bridge span, the bridge supports, and the connector plug defines the access aperture. 
     
     
         4 . The modular connector of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a flap connected to the bridge by a hinge, the flap extending away from the connector plug, wherein the flap extends a gap between the bridge span and a socket receiving the connector plug to prevent unauthorized access to depress the resilient leg and release the modular connector.   
     
     
         5 . The modular connector of  claim 4 , wherein the bridge span includes a notch sized for the receiving the flap. 
     
     
         6 . The modular connector of  claim 2 , wherein the bridge span further comprises at least one projection extending towards the first end of the resilient leg to prevent access to the resilient leg in its direction of depression. 
     
     
         7 . The modular connector of  claim 6 , wherein one end of the projection is pivoted to the bridge span, the bridge span including a notch arranged such that a force against the projection toward the bridge span causes the projection to be pushed into the notch in the bridge span. 
     
     
         8 . The modular connector of  claim 7 , wherein the projection is configured such that at least a portion of the projection extends towards the first end of the resilient leg to prevent access to the resilient leg in a direction of depression when the projection is pushed into the notch. 
     
     
         9 . The modular connector of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a tool, comprising:
 a tool body; 
 a resilient arm depending from the tool body; and 
 a tongue formed upon a distal end of the resilient arm and adapted to pass through an access aperture of a modular connector and depress a resilient leg of a modular connector. 
   
     
     
         10 . The tool of  claim 9 , wherein the tool body defines an inner volume for receiving the rear portion of a modular connector. 
     
     
         11 . The tool of  claim 9 , wherein the tongue of the tool includes at least one of a notch and a protrusion. 
     
     
         12 . The modular connector of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the bridge span, the bridge supports, and the connector plug includes at least one protrusion which functions as a key to prevent a non-matching tool from entering the access aperture and depressing the resilient leg. 
     
     
         13 . The modular connector of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the bridge span, the bridge supports, and the connector plug includes at least one notch which functions as a key to prevent a non-matching tool from entering the access aperture and depressing the resilient leg. 
     
     
         14 . The modular connector of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a tool sized for entering the access aperture, wherein the tool includes a key-like formation that aligns with the at least one protrusion in one of the bridge span, bridge supports, and connector plug to allow the tool to enter the single access aperture and depress the resilient leg.   
     
     
         15 . The modular connector of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a tool sized for entering the single access aperture, wherein the tool includes a key-like formation that aligns with the at least one notch in one of the bridge span, bridge supports, and connector plug to allow the tool to enter the single access aperture and depress the resilient leg.   
     
     
         16 . The modular connector of  claim 14 , wherein the key-like formation that aligns with the at least one notch includes a protrusion. 
     
     
         17 . The modular connector of  claim 14 , wherein at least a portion of the modular connector and at least a portion of the tool body adapted to pass through a key-like formation in the access aperture are a similar color to indicate to a user that the tool is properly keyed to pass through the access aperture and depress the resilient leg on the connector plug. 
     
     
         18 . The modular connector of  claim 15 , wherein at least a portion of the modular connector and at least a portion of the tool body adapted to pass through a key-like formation in the access aperture are a similar color to indicate to a user that the tool is properly keyed to pass through the access aperture and depress the resilient leg on the connector plug. 
     
     
         19 . A modular connector comprising:
 a connector plug, configured to be inserted into an associated socket in a first longitudinal direction;   a resilient leg, depending at a first end thereof from the connector plug, and having a depressible part, distal therefrom, depressible towards the connector plug; and   a guard cover affixed to the connector plug, configured to prevent access to the depressible part of the resilient leg in its direction of depression, but to permit access to the resilient leg in the first longitudinal direction through a single access aperture, the single access aperture being aligned with the depressible part of the resilient leg on an axis parallel with the first longitudinal direction, to allow depression of the resilient leg through the single access aperture by directly contacting the resilient leg with a tool inserted through the single access aperture.