A test aid for telephone distribution frames

Abstract

The utility model relates to communication line maintenance technical field, more particularly, relate to a kind of test auxiliary device for telephone distribution frame, comprising: casing;Control panel is set on casing, and is equipped with the selection button for receiving user operation instruction;Multiple test terminals are set on casing;At least one internal test instrument is set in casing interior;Switching unit is set in casing interior, and switching unit includes multiple input ports and multiple output ports, and input port and output port are electrically connected with multiple test terminals and at least one internal test instrument respectively;Wherein, selection button is electrically connected with switching unit, for controlling the internal circuit on-off state of switching unit, to selectively form electrical path between input port and output port.The utility model integrates multiple test instruments and interface, and can quickly switch test link by key selection, significantly improves work efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of communication line maintenance technology, and more specifically, to a testing auxiliary device for telephone patch panels. Background Technology

[0002] Telephone communication networks are a critical infrastructure for information exchange in modern society, widely used in civilian, commercial, and industrial sectors. In the entire telephone communication link, the telephone distribution frame (MDF) is the core hub connecting external exchange lines with internal user lines. Through thousands of closely spaced terminals, it enables the aggregation, distribution, switching, and management of numerous telephone lines. The daily work of communication line maintenance personnel revolves around the MDF. Maintenance personnel need to regularly test the connectivity, electrical parameters (such as voltage), and call quality of the lines, and quickly and accurately locate the root cause of problems when users report faults, whether it's a line open circuit, short circuit, or crosstalk interference. These tests and troubleshooting tasks are fundamental to ensuring the stable and reliable operation of the entire telephone network and are crucial for maintaining high-quality communication services. Therefore, how to efficiently, safely, and accurately complete these maintenance tasks on the complex and densely packed MDF structure has been a long-standing technical concern in the field of communication maintenance. Existing methods for handling defects in telephone distribution frames present many inconveniences and risks. On the one hand, maintenance personnel typically need to carry multiple independent testing tools, such as multimeters, dedicated test telephones, and various sizes of jumpers and alligator clips. During on-site operations, they must switch between numerous tools depending on the test item (such as voltage measurement, continuity testing, or tone testing), and repeatedly manually connect and disconnect test leads on the patch panel. This tedious process significantly reduces work efficiency. On the other hand, manual wiring is prone to errors. On patch panels with densely packed terminal blocks, accidental connections can easily cause short circuits between adjacent terminals, leading to wider communication failures. Furthermore, the metal parts of traditional alligator clips and other test connectors are mostly exposed, posing a risk of electric shock during live operations and threatening the personal safety of operators. Utility Model Content

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide a testing auxiliary device for telephone patch panels, which integrates multiple testing instruments and interfaces into one unit. Test links can be quickly switched via button selection, significantly improving work efficiency. At the same time, its structural design is safe and reliable, and its operation is simple, effectively avoiding operational errors and safety hazards caused by traditional manual wiring, and reducing the skill requirements for maintenance personnel.

[0004] The embodiments of this utility model are achieved through the following technical solutions: A testing auxiliary device for telephone patch panels, comprising: case; The control panel is located on the housing and is equipped with selection buttons for receiving user operation commands; Multiple test terminals are disposed on the housing; At least one internal testing instrument is disposed inside the housing; A switching unit is disposed inside the housing. The switching unit includes multiple input ports and multiple output ports, and the input ports and output ports are electrically connected to the multiple test terminals and the at least one internal test instrument, respectively. The selection button is electrically connected to the switching unit and is used to control the on / off state of the internal circuit of the switching unit so as to selectively form an electrical path between the input port and the output port.

[0005] Optionally, the plurality of test terminals include at least two of the following: RJ11 interface, alligator clip, inlet test connector, and outlet test connector.

[0006] Optionally, the alligator clip, the inlet test connector, and / or the outlet test connector are connected to the housing via a detachable connection structure.

[0007] Optionally, the alligator clip, the inlet test connector, and the outlet test connector all include a conductive part and an insulating sleeve that completely covers the conductive part, wherein the insulating sleeve has an opening only at the end contact point of the conductive part.

[0008] Optionally, the at least one internal test instrument includes a telephone and / or a voltmeter.

[0009] Optionally, the selection buttons on the control panel include an input selection button group and an output selection button group. Both the input selection button group and the output selection button group are electrically connected to the switching unit to control the selection of the input port and the output port of the switching unit, respectively.

[0010] Optionally, when the internal test instruments include at least two types, the control panel is further provided with an instrument selection button, which is electrically connected to the switching unit and is used to control the switching unit to connect the selected internal test instrument to the electrical path.

[0011] Optionally, the switching unit is a switch matrix, and the plurality of test terminals are all connected to the input side and the output side of the switch matrix; the signal input terminal of the internal test instrument is connected to the output side of the switch matrix; when the internal test instrument has a signal output terminal, its signal output terminal is connected to the input side of the switch matrix.

[0012] The technical solution of this utility model embodiment has at least the following advantages and beneficial effects: This invention significantly improves work efficiency and convenience by integrating core testing instruments such as voltmeters and telephones, along with various commonly used test terminals, into a portable housing, eliminating the need for maintenance personnel to carry bulky toolkits. More importantly, through the built-in switching unit and selection buttons on the panel, operators only need to connect the line under test once to quickly establish electrical paths between different testing instruments and ports via simple button operations, achieving one-click switching of the testing process and fundamentally changing the inefficient mode of repeated manual wiring. Furthermore, this invention significantly enhances operational safety and accuracy. The integrated structural design and the equipped dedicated fully insulated test connectors effectively avoid the risk of accidental short circuits caused by flying wire connections and eliminate the risk of electric shock to operators. In addition, the standardized button-operated process replaces complex manual judgment, reducing reliance on operator skills, effectively minimizing human error, ensuring the reliability and consistency of test results, and comprehensively improving the maintenance quality of telephone lines. Attached Figure Description

[0013] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a testing auxiliary device for telephone patch panels provided by this utility model. Detailed Implementation

[0014] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this utility model clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this utility model, and not all embodiments. The components of the embodiments of this utility model described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0015] like Figure 1 As shown, this utility model provides an embodiment: a testing auxiliary device for telephone distribution frames, which aims to integrate various traditionally scattered testing tools and connectors into one unit, and achieve efficient, safe and accurate diagnosis and treatment of telephone distribution frame (MDF) line defects through convenient switching of internal circuits.

[0016] Specifically, the core structure of this embodiment includes a housing, a control panel disposed on the housing, multiple test terminals disposed on the housing, at least one internal test instrument disposed inside the housing, and a switching unit disposed inside the housing.

[0017] The housing serves as the load-bearing foundation and protective structure for the entire device. In this embodiment, the housing is preferably made of high-strength, well-insulating engineering plastics (such as ABS or PC) and integrally molded using an injection molding process. Its overall design is compact and robust, effectively protecting the internal electronic components from external impacts, dust, and humid environments. The housing's dimensions are designed for portability, allowing maintenance personnel to easily hold it with one hand or place it in confined wiring rack cabinet environments.

[0018] The control panel is the core interface for human-computer interaction. It is fixedly installed on the front or top surface of the housing for easy observation and operation. The control panel has multiple selection buttons. These selection buttons are crucial for switching functions within the device. In this embodiment, the selection buttons are tactile physical buttons and are electrically connected to a switching unit located inside the housing. By pressing different selection buttons, the operator can send control commands to the switching unit, thereby changing the on / off state of its internal circuitry.

[0019] Test terminals are the interfaces through which this device physically connects to external telephone lines under test. To accommodate diverse interface types and testing scenarios on telephone patch panels, this device integrates several commonly used test terminals. Specifically, in this embodiment, the multiple test terminals include: RJ11 interface: a standard telephone line interface used for quick connection to user-end lines with RJ11 connectors or for testing jumpers. Alligator clips: a pair of red and black alligator clips used to hold exposed cables or terminals on terminal blocks, offering high versatility. Incoming line test connector: a dedicated test connector designed specifically for the incoming side of the patch panel (usually a security unit), whose structure precisely matches the test ports of the security unit, achieving a quick and stable connection. Outgoing line test connector: a dedicated test connector designed specifically for the outgoing side (user line side) terminal blocks of the patch panel, whose structure adapts to the dense arrangement of the outgoing side terminal blocks, facilitating insertion for testing.

[0020] In a further implementation, to enhance the versatility and ease of maintenance of the device, some test terminals are designed as detachable structures. For example, the alligator clips, inlet test connectors, and outlet test connectors are not directly fixed to the housing, but are connected to a standard plug (such as a 4mm banana plug) via a flexible wire, and then inserted into the corresponding socket on the housing. This detachable connection structure allows maintenance personnel to quickly replace test connectors of different specifications or shapes according to the specific model of the patch panel or special requirements on site, realizing the modular adaptability of the device and greatly enhancing its flexibility in cross-scenario deployment.

[0021] Furthermore, this embodiment specifically enhances the insulation performance of the test terminals. Specifically, the alligator clip, inlet test connector, and outlet test connector all include a conductive portion for achieving electrical connection and an insulating sheath completely covering the conductive portion. The insulating sheath is preferably made of a flame-retardant, wear-resistant, soft insulating rubber material, which completely wraps the conductive portion from root to tip, with only necessary openings at the final contact point of the conductive portion. This completely isolates the conductive portion from accidental exposure at a physical level, effectively avoiding the risk of short circuits or electric shocks caused by accidental contact or slippage when operating near live lines, providing reliable safety for operators.

[0022] Internal test instruments are modules that perform specific test functions and are integrated inside the housing. In this embodiment, to cover the most common line testing needs, the device integrates two types of test instruments: a telephone: a complete telephone circuit module, including dialing, ringing, transmitting, and receiving functions. It is mainly used for listening tests, such as determining whether the line has a dial tone, crosstalk, or noise interference. A voltmeter: a DC / AC voltage measurement module whose measurement results can be displayed on a small digital display screen on the control panel. It is mainly used to measure the electrical parameters of the line, such as determining whether the line is energized and whether the voltage is normal.

[0023] The switching unit is the core technology of this device. It is located inside the housing and is electrically connected to the control panel, all test terminals, and all internal test instruments. In this embodiment, to achieve flexible and diverse connection combinations, the switching unit is structured as a switch matrix, which has multiple input ports and multiple output ports. The input side of the switch matrix connects to all test terminals, including RJ11 interfaces, alligator clips, inlet frame test connectors, outlet frame test connectors, and instruments with signal output terminals among the internal test instruments; in this embodiment, this is the microphone and dial tone output of a telephone. The output side of the switch matrix connects to all test terminals and the signal input terminals of the internal test instruments; in this embodiment, this is the handset input of the telephone and the measurement input terminal of the voltmeter.

[0024] In practice, any test terminal can serve as both a signal source (e.g., introducing a signal from an external line) and a signal destination (e.g., outputting a test tone to an external line). Therefore, all test terminals need to be connected to both the input and output sides of the switch matrix. Internal test instruments, depending on their function, have their input terminals (e.g., voltmeters, handsets) connected to the matrix's output side to receive signals, and their output terminals (e.g., microphones) connected to the matrix's input side to transmit signals.

[0025] To precisely control this switch matrix, the selection buttons on the control panel are further divided into structured button groups. Specifically, it includes an input selection button group and an output selection button group. The input selection button group contains multiple buttons, each corresponding to one or a type of port on the input side of the switch matrix. For example, there are buttons for RJ11 input, alligator clip input, cable tray input, cable tray output, and telephone input. The output selection button group also contains multiple buttons, each corresponding to one or a type of port on the output side of the switch matrix. For example, there are buttons for RJ11 output, alligator clip output, cable tray output, and cable tray output.

[0026] In practice, operators can instruct the switch matrix to precisely connect a specified input port to a specified output port by pressing a combination of input and output buttons, thereby forming a specific electrical path between them. For example, pressing the input button on the cable tray and the output button on the alligator clip will cause the switch matrix to transmit the signal connected to the test connector on the cable tray to the alligator clip without modification.

[0027] Furthermore, since this embodiment includes two internal test instruments—a telephone and a voltmeter—a dedicated instrument selection button is provided on the control panel to facilitate selection between them. When testing with an internal instrument is required, the operator first selects whether to use the telephone or the voltmeter by pressing the instrument selection button. The control signal from this button is also sent to the switching unit. Upon receiving the instrument selection command, the switching unit associates subsequent input / output commands with the selected instrument. For example, when a voltmeter is selected, any signal selected as an input test terminal will be automatically switched to the voltmeter's input terminal by the switching unit, thereby completing the voltage measurement.

[0028] In one application scenario listed in this embodiment, maintenance personnel receive a user report that their phone has no dial tone and need to determine whether the problem is with the external or internal lines. The maintenance personnel bring this device to the patch panel, connect the incoming line panel test connector to the corresponding security unit for that user, and connect the outgoing line panel test connector to the corresponding user line terminal. With a single connection, multiple tests can be performed.

[0029] For testing the external line: On the control panel, press the instrument selection button and select the voltmeter. In the input selection button group, press the incoming line frame input button. At this time, the switch matrix inside the switching unit activates, connecting the circuit between the incoming line frame test connector and the voltmeter. The maintenance personnel observe the digital display on the control panel. If a normal feed voltage of approximately -48V is read, it indicates that the central office line is normal. Next, press the instrument selection button and switch to the telephone. The input selection remains unchanged. The switching unit automatically switches the signal from the incoming line frame test connector to the telephone handset input. The maintenance personnel pick up the handset integrated on the device. If a clear dial tone is heard, it further confirms that the external line is intact.

[0030] If testing an internal line: Keep the instrument selected as a telephone. In the input selection button group, press the outgoing line panel input button. The switching unit will switch the signal from the outgoing line panel test connector to the telephone handset. Maintenance personnel should listen to the audio to determine if there are any abnormalities such as noise or induced voltage on the user-side line.

[0031] In addition, maintenance personnel can perform line continuity tests: In the input selection button group, press the incoming line frame input button. In the output selection button group, press the outgoing line frame output button. The switching unit directly connects the incoming line frame test connector and the outgoing line frame test connector, essentially performing a temporary jumper operation, directly sending the central office signal to the user line. At this time, the remote user can be notified, or another unit can be used to test whether the call has been restored.

[0032] As shown in the application scenarios above, maintenance personnel no longer need to carry multimeters, test phones, and various jumpers, nor do they need to manually perform dangerous and inefficient jumper wire operations on dense terminal blocks. With just a one-time connection and a few button presses using this device, a series of complex diagnostic processes, including voltage measurement, sound testing, and simulated line continuity, can be completed. This significantly reduces the average time for handling a single fault, while eliminating the safety risks of accidental short circuits and electric shock.

[0033] The above are merely preferred embodiments of this utility model and are not intended to limit the scope of this utility model. Various modifications and variations can be made to this utility model by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, or improvements made within the spirit and principles of this utility model should be included within the protection scope of this utility model.

Claims

1. A testing auxiliary device for telephone patch panels, characterized in that, include: case; The control panel is located on the housing and is equipped with selection buttons for receiving user operation commands; Multiple test terminals are disposed on the housing; At least one internal testing instrument is disposed inside the housing; A switching unit is disposed inside the housing. The switching unit includes multiple input ports and multiple output ports, and the input ports and output ports are electrically connected to the multiple test terminals and the at least one internal test instrument, respectively. The selection button is electrically connected to the switching unit and is used to control the on / off state of the internal circuit of the switching unit so as to selectively form an electrical path between the input port and the output port.

2. The testing auxiliary device for telephone patch panels according to claim 1, characterized in that, The plurality of test terminals include at least two of the following: RJ11 interface, alligator clip, inlet test connector, and outlet test connector.

3. The testing auxiliary device for telephone patch panels according to claim 2, characterized in that, The alligator clip, the inlet test connector, and / or the outlet test connector are connected to the housing via a detachable connection structure.

4. The testing auxiliary device for telephone patch panels according to claim 2, characterized in that, The alligator clip, inlet test connector, and outlet test connector all include a conductive part and an insulating sleeve that completely covers the conductive part. The insulating sleeve has an opening only at the end contact point of the conductive part.

5. The testing auxiliary device for telephone patch panels according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The at least one internal test instrument includes a telephone and / or a voltmeter.

6. The testing auxiliary device for telephone patch panels according to claim 1, characterized in that, The selection buttons on the control panel include an input selection button group and an output selection button group. Both the input selection button group and the output selection button group are electrically connected to the switching unit to control the selection of the input port and the output port of the switching unit, respectively.

7. The testing auxiliary device for telephone patch panels according to claim 6, characterized in that, When the internal test instruments include at least two types, the control panel is also provided with an instrument selection button. The instrument selection button is electrically connected to the switching unit and is used to control the switching unit to connect the selected internal test instrument to the electrical path.

8. The testing auxiliary device for telephone patch panels according to claim 1, characterized in that, The switching unit is structured as a switch matrix, and the plurality of test terminals are all connected to the input and output sides of the switch matrix; the signal input terminal of the internal test instrument is connected to the output side of the switch matrix; when the internal test instrument has a signal output terminal, its signal output terminal is connected to the input side of the switch matrix.

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