Abstract:
On a module carrier for digital communications technology modules, a guidance and support element for incoming and outgoing optical wave guides is arranged that is formed of two pieces, an LWL guidance and an LWL support element. An adjustable connector accomplishes the connection of both elements, whereby their position with each other is permitted to change.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     A guide and support element for an optical wave guide is formed with a channel, an open frame, and clamping pins, for the attachment to a module carrier containing digital communications technology modules. These are connected with other modules and distant components by an optical wave guide, whereby the module carrier is designed with a cover plate, which contains a screen of vent holes, two side panels, and at least one supporting rail. 
     The module carriers or network cabinet modules referred to in the application of the invention, are those which are equipped with electrical, electronic, and opto-electronic components. Transfer systems connect the modules with each other and with their environment, that is to say with other signal sources and/or other signal lowering elements. 
     The mechanisms operating with optical wave guides require special, additional structural measures, which are to be considered when running the cable of an optical wave guide. For optical wave guides there are small admissible curvature radii, which my not under any circumstances be fallen below. Thus malfunctions and damages of the optical wave guide are avoided. 
     Optical wave guides that must be led from the front side of a module carrier to its top and from there laterally towards the rear into other areas, require special, adjustable guide and support elements. These serve not only as an edge protection and mounting plate, but above all ensure adherence to the minimum radii when bending the optical wave guide. Attachment elements are on the market, one of which is a plastic injection-molded piece, which indicates both a channel and a frame for inserting the optical wave guide, and clamping pins which can be pressed into vent holes on the cover plate of the module carrier. Here it is unfavorable that module carriers of different designs also necessitate different attachment elements. 
     The invention is based on the function of conceiving a fastening part that can be arranged on a module carrier possessing guidance and mounting plates for optical wave guides that can pass into or out of modules. This not only permits the deflection of the optical wave guide in a horizontal and vertical direction, in adherence to the admissible minimum radii, and the insertion into mounting plates, but also is functional when the cover plate is at different levels. 
     For the solution of the proposed task one proceeds with a guide and support element for an optical wave guide which comprises of a channel with an open frame and clamping pins. This can be attached to a module carrier containing modules with digital communications technology, which is also connected with other modules and distant components by an optical wave guide. The module carrier is equipped with at least one supporting rail with a cover plate, indicating a screen of vent holes, two side panels, and at least one supporting rail. 
     The task is solved by an optical wave guide guide component and an optical wave guide support component, which can be connected together by an adjustable connector. The suggested two-part division of the guide and support element in combination with an adjustable connection between the two sections permits their assembly with one another and allows for different positions. 
     In a favorable arrangement of the guide and support elements, the optical wave guide guidance component and the optical wave guide support component are arranged in two perpendicular directions against each other and are adjustable. The vertical adjustability allows the arrangement of module carriers with cover plates at different height levels. A horizontal adjustability permits the lateral adjustment in relation to the modules and the balance of tolerances. 
     It is advantageous that the adjustable connectors consist on the one hand, of a connector tongue at the optical wave guide support component, and on the other hand, of at least two connector receptacles designated on the optical wave guide guide component. Such a connector ensures reliable functioning. 
     In a preferential arrangement of the guide and support elements, the connector tongue can be designed in front on the optical wave guide support component and the connector receptacles designed at a back wall of the optical wave guide guide components. 
     A further feature of the invention is that the optical wave guide guide component consists of at least two blind holes on its one long side and on its opposite along side there are at least two connector tangs that align with the blind holes. With the help of these blind holes and the connector tangs the guide and support elements can be lined up next to each other. 
     By means of an adapter, which can be placed between two neighboring optical wave guide guide components, the distance between a series guides and its support elements that are located in a row can be increased. 
     The adapter will be favorably equipped with two lateral blind boreholes on its one side and on its opposite side with two laterally designed male plugs. In each case the blind holes correspond to the connector tang of the optical wave guide guide components and in conjunction with these form a connector mounting. 
     The adapter can indicate a right-angled upward standing designed bracket that can lie transverse to the guide components of shifted optical wave guides. 
     In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the optical wave guide guide component indicates two resilient claws that face one another at its base. Catch hooks are designed on the claws and are arrangement opposite one other. By means of these claws the optical wave guide guide component can be clamped to a cap rail, which is designed for example at the side panel of the module carrier. 
     The optical wave guide guide component favorably possesses a holding plate with two resilient holding tabs that face one another. These form a blunt angle together and are arranged towards the body of the optical wave guide guide components. This measure serves to hold the inserted optical wave guide into the channel of the optical wave guide guide component. 
     The clamping pins of the support component can indicate a socket, with a diameter exceeding that of the ventilation holes. This has the advantage that when the optical wave guide support component is attached to the cover plate, only the holes in which there are clamping pins are plugged. Furthermore this allows the suction of the exhaust air to pass unhindered through the other vent holes which are under the base of the optical wave guide support component. 
     A mounting plate that can be attached to the side of the module carrier can supplement the subject of the invention. This mounting plate indicates at least two groups of holes each possessing two holes, whereby the distance between two holes correspond to that of the blind holes of the optical wave guide guide component. This mounting plate is used as a termination for a set of guide and support elements and can be screwed on by means of the two groups of holes at two different heights. 
     On the basis of the attached drawings of the following design example the invention is more nearly described. It shows: 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 four sections belonging to the guide and support element are represented in an explosive perspective, 
     FIG. 2 an upper corner of a module carrier with a guide and support element, in perspective. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The guide and support element  1  essentially consists of an optical wave guide guide component  2 , an optical wave guide support component  3 , an adapter  4 , and a mounting plate  5 . The optical wave guide guide component  2 , the optical wave guide support component  3 , and the adapter consist of plastic. The mounting plate  5  is made of aluminum. 
     The guide component  2  and the optical wave guide support component  3  are connected by an adjustable connector  6 . They lie against each other and are adjustable, with regards to their position, in two perpendicular directions. 
     The guide and support element  1  is appropriate for a module carrier, which is designed for the accommodation of modules containing digital communications technology and are connected together with distant components by means of optical wave guides. Such a commercial module carrier possesses (FIG. 2) a cover plate  7 , which indicates a screen of circular ventilation holes  8 . Two side panels  9  and  10  are connected by several supporting rails, whereby only the front, upper supporting rail  11  is represented. 
     The optical wave guide guide component  2  lies over the front edge  12  of the supporting rail  9 . A channel  13 , formed from an approximately one quarter circle elbow, possesses two parallel side panels, at whose lower end two resiliently formed holding tabs  14  which face one another are designed. Together these form a blunt angle and are arranged on the body of the optical wave guide guide component  2 . 
     The two holding tabs  14 , together form a holding plate for securing the optical wave guides which are put into the channel  13 . In order to prevent their damage, the curvature of the base of channel  13  gives the smallest bending radius of the optical wave guide. 
     Two guide pins  15  with a triangular profile on their base are designed at the upper end of the channel  13 . The optical wave guide is inserted into the channel  13  and can be led in three different directions: in an extension of the channel  13 , towards the rear side of the module carrier, and in both directions transverse to the channel, parallel to the supporting rail  11 . 
     Two springy claws  16  that face each other are formed underneath the channel  13  on the lower surface of the optical wave guide guide component  2 . These springy claws  16  possess locking hooks  17  that lie across from each other in the area near their ends and serve as for the attachment of the optical wave guide guide components  2  at a cap rail  18 , which is designed on the side wall  10  of the module carrier. 
     The optical wave guide guide component  2  possesses a back wall  19  with a bent profile. The wall  19  has two parallel connector receptacles  20  at different heights, which are pictured facing inward with a cut on the backside and form a section of the connector  6 . 
     The optical wave guide guide component  2  indicates two blind holes  21  beside the connector receptacles  20  on its long side. At the opposite long side two connector tangs  22  are aligned with these blind holes  21 . 
     The optical wave guide support component  3  forms a large, almost rectangular, open frame  23 , which serves for inserting and mounting of optical wave guide, and runs parallel to the supporting rail  11 . This optical wave guide can be inserted from the top through a slot  24  into this frame  23 . 
     The frame&#39;s  23  lower frame arm  25  indicates two clamping pins  26  at its lower surface, on which socket  27  sits. Their diameter exceeds that of the ventilation holes  8 . These clamping pins  26  are slit several times in a longitudinal direction, rounded in the front, and equipped with a ring bulb. This allows them to be pressed into two vent holes  8  with the attachment of the optical wave guide support component  3  onto the cover plate  7  and then locked in place by the ring bulb. 
     The optical wave guide support component  3  possesses a connector tongue  28  at its front frame arm, which forms the second constituent of the adjustable connector  6 . The connector tongue  28  is equipped with a longitudinal slot  29  and a bulb  30 . The connector tongue  28  is designed in such a way that it is used for the purpose of bringing the optical wave guide guide component  2  together with the optical wave guide support component  3  and is pressed into one of the two connector receptacle&#39;s  20  of the optical wave guide guide component  2 . Thereby the two constituents ( 2  and  3 ) of the guide and support element  1  are connected together and able to release, as recognizable in FIG.  2 . The connector tongue  28  can be moved transversally in the connector receptacle  20 . This enables the optical wave guide guide component  2  to be shifted for the purpose of the adjustment in a side direction against the optical wave guide support component  3 . The connector receptacles  20  arranged one above the other on the optical wave guide guide component  2 , permit the adjustment of the guide and support element I in module carriers whose cover plate  7  indicates different heights. This can be due to the fact its cover plate  7  is adjustable to different levels. 
     The adapter  4  is of a form, which essentially corresponds with the backside of the optical wave guide guide component  2  and is therefore applicable between two neighboring optical wave guide guide components. It is designed with two blind boreholes  31  on its one side and two male plugs  32  on the other side. These correspond with the optical wave guide guide component&#39;s  2  blind holes  21  and connector tang  22  thereby forming a connection, with whose assistance the adapter  4  can be connected with the optical wave guide guide component  2  in a releasable manner so that it becomes effective as a spacer. On the back  33  are two female grooves  34 , which correspond with the optical wave guide guidance component&#39;s  2  connector receptacles  20 . 
     The adapter  4  has a right-angled high standing bracket  35 , which is formed to serve as filler for the hole between the optical wave guide guide components  2 . 
     The mounting plate  5  possesses rectangular outline and can be screwed onto the module carrier&#39;s mounting flange  36 . Screw hole  37  serves this purpose. A round opening  38  thereby takes the head  39  of a screw that serves on the side wall  10  as the attachment of the supporting rail  11 . Two groups of holes  40  and  41  in the mounting plate  5  have a distance from each other, which corresponds to that of the blind holes  21  of the optical wave guide guide component  2 . On the mounting plate  5  a optical wave guide guide component  2  can be laterally screwed.