Removable Jack Visual Indicators for Cable Network Identification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cable network systems face challenges in efficiently identifying and routing cables and jacks due to labor-intensive methods requiring multiple workers and expensive, hard-wired visual indicator devices that are difficult to repair or replace.
Innovation Solution
A cable network system with a distribution assembly and removable jack assembly featuring a light bar with visual indicators, where a wire harness transmits signals to activate LEDs to indicate jack locations, connectivity status, and cable interconnections, allowing for easy identification and management of cables and jacks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If hard-wired visual indicator devices are used at the patch panel, then cable identification accuracy is improved, but device cost and installation complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses inexpensive, removable visual indicator devices that can be easily attached and detached from patch panel jacks. These devices are not permanently hard-wired but rather use simple connection mechanisms, making them cheap to manufacture and replace while maintaining their visual indication function for cable identification.
Solution Approach 2:
The visual indicator devices serve as intermediary components between the patch panel jacks and the cable identification process. They provide the visual indication function without requiring direct integration into the patch panel structure, thus simplifying installation while maintaining identification accuracy.
2Measurement precision
If hard-wired visual indicator devices are used at the patch panel, then cable identification accuracy is improved, but repair and replacement difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The visual indicator devices are designed to be inexpensive and easily replaceable. When a jack needs repair or replacement, the visual indicator device can be quickly removed from the old jack and attached to the new jack without complex reconfiguration, significantly improving ease of repair compared to hard-wired solutions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system separates the visual indicator device from the patch panel infrastructure, making them independent replaceable components. This segmentation allows the visual indicator to be detached and transferred to different jacks as needed, facilitating easy repair and maintenance operations.
3Measurement precision
If two workers are used for cable identification, then identification completeness is improved, but labor cost and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The visual indicator devices enable a single worker to perform cable identification independently. By providing clear visual indicators that show which cables correspond to which jacks, the system eliminates the need for two workers to coordinate, allowing one worker to complete the identification task alone while maintaining completeness and improving speed.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables fast, inexpensive, and simple identification of cable network circuits, reducing labor and maintenance costs while allowing for easy replacement of jacks and improved operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
A wire harness may be connected to the light bar and transmit signals to the light bar to activate the visual indicators
Data Source
AI summary
A cable network system includes a distribution assembly having a plurality of visual indicators mounted thereto, and a jack assembly removably coupled to the distribution assembly. The jack assembly has a plurality of jacks configured to receive cables of the cable network system therein. The visual indicators provide an indication of a status of a respective one of the jacks, and the jack assembly is removable from the distribution assembly while the visual indicators remain mounted to the distribution assembly.