Patent Abstract:
A telecommunications plug comprising: a plug body; plug latches mounted on the plug body, the plug latches being movable between a latched and unlatched state; a boot cap having arms extending therefrom, each arm including a camming surface engaging an outside surface of the plug latches, wherein moving the boot cap in a first direction drives the latches towards each other; a cap latch mounted to the boot cap, the cap latch having a distal end positioned between the latches preventing movement of the boot cap in the first direction; the boot cap including an opening for receiving a key to deflect the cap latch allowing movement of the boot cap in the first direction.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent application 60/984,790, filed Nov. 2, 2007, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 

   BACKGROUND 
   In telecommunications applications, plugs and outlets mate to establish connections for voice, data, etc. There are situations where it is desirable to control the ability for an individual to mate a plug and outlet (i.e., plug-in) or to disconnect a plug-outlet connection (i.e., plug-out). For example, an outlet may provide access to a network to which access needs to be controlled. Thus, there exist in the art lockable covers to prevent inadvertent or deliberate attempts to access the outlet. Additionally, a mated plug and outlet may be carrying voice/data traffic and interruption of this connection would disrupt the signal path. Thus, there exist in the art plugs having locking mechanisms to prevent inadvertent or deliberate removal of a plug from an outlet. There is a need in the art for improved plug-in and plug-out protection. 
   SUMMARY 
   Embodiments of the invention include a telecommunications plug comprising: a plug body; plug latches mounted on the plug body, the plug latches being movable between a latched and unlatched state; a boot cap having arms extending therefrom, each arm including a camming surface engaging an outside surface of the plug latches, wherein moving the boot cap in a first direction drives the latches towards each other; a cap latch mounted to the boot cap, the cap latch having a distal end positioned between the latches preventing movement of the boot cap in the first direction; the boot cap including an opening for receiving a key to deflect the cap latch allowing movement of the boot cap in the first direction. 
   Other embodiments include a telecommunications outlet locking apparatus comprising: an outlet cap having a front face that covers an opening to a telecommunications outlet; a body portion coupled to the front face, the body portion sized to fit in the interior of the telecommunications outlet; a resilient latch supported by the body portion, the latch positioned behind a front wall of the telecommunications outlet preventing removal of the cap; an opening formed through the outlet cap; a key sized and shaped to fit through the opening formed through the outlet cap, enter the telecommunications outlet and disengage the latch. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional view of a plug in embodiments of the invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a boot cap in embodiments of the invention. 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a plug body in embodiments of the invention. 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a boot cap on the plug body in embodiments of the invention. 
       FIG. 5  is a top, cross-sectional view of a plug body and boot cap in embodiments of the invention. 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an outlet fitted with an outlet cap and a key in embodiments of the invention. 
       FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of an outlet cap mounted on the outlet in embodiments of the invention. 
       FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of an outlet cap and key in embodiments of the invention 
       FIG. 9  is a top view of an outlet cap and key in embodiments of the invention 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional view of a plug in embodiments of the invention. The plug includes a plug body  30  having latches  32 . The plug body  30  and latches  32  are similar to that shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,863,556, 7,037,129, 7,163,414, the entire contents of each patent are incorporated herein by reference. The plug body  30  engages an outlet  90  by latches  32  catching the back of outlet projections  92  of as known in the art. 
   A boot cap  20  is positioned on the plug body  30  and includes a cap latch  22  for preventing plug-out of the plug, as described in further detail herein. The boot cap  20  and the plug boot  10  slide as a unit backwards and forwards relative to the plug body  30  to latch or unlatch latches  32 . A plug key  40  is used to disengage the cap latch  22  and allow the plug latches  32  to be released from an outlet as described in further detail herein. With cap latch  22  released, plug boot  10  and boot cap  20  can slide backwards from plug body  30  to disengage latches  32  as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,863,556, 7,037,129, 7,163,414. 
     FIG. 2  is a perspective view of boot cap  20  in embodiments of the invention. Boot cap  20  includes a resilient cap latch  22  having a distal end  24  that is received between latches  32  on the plug body  30 . Boot cap  20  includes a generally rectangular base  21  having arms  23  and mounting latches  25  extending therefrom. Arms  23  including camming surfaces  25  that ride along an outside surface of each latch  32  ( FIG. 5 ). As the boot cap  20  is moved backwards away from the nose of plug body  30 , the camming surface  29  drive the latches  32  towards each other to disengage the plug from an outlet. 
   Mounting latches  25  engage openings in boot  10  to secure the boot cap  20  to boot  10 . As described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,863,556, 7,037,129, 7,163,414, boot  10  slides relative to plug body  30 . Arms  23  on the boot cap engage plug latches  32  to push the latch arms towards each other when the boot  10  is pulled back away from the plug body  30  and outlet. This disengages the latch arms  32  from an outlet. As described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,863,556, 7,037,129, 7,163,414, when boot  10  is pushed towards plug body  30  and the outlet, the latch arms  32  return to a rest position and engage the outlet in a latched state to secure the plug to the outlet. If cap latch  22  is not defeated with key  40 , the distal end  24  of cap latch  22  is wedged between the inside surfaces of latches  32  to prevent travel of the plug boot  10  and the boot cap  20 . The cap latch  22 , when not defeated, prevents the boot cap  20  and boot  10  from moving backwards thus preventing delatching of the plug from an outlet. 
     FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a plug body in embodiments of the invention. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the plug body  30  includes latches  32 . As described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,863,556, 7,037,129, 7,163,414, when the latches  32  flex towards each other, this allows the plug to be removed from an outlet. Sliding of boot cap  20  and boot  10  backwards away from the plug body  30  and the outlet causes the latches  23  to flex towards each other by virtue of camming surfaces  29  driving the latches  32 . Moving the boot cap  20  and the boot  10  forward towards the nose of plug body  30  and the outlet moves the camming surfaces  29  forward, allowing the latches  32  to move apart from each other to their rest state. When the latches  32  are moved apart from each other (i.e., in their rest position), the latch distal ends engage the outlet to secure the plug body  30  to the outlet. 
     FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a boot cap  20  on the plug body  30  in embodiments of the invention. As shown in  FIG. 4 , cap latch  22  is positioned between plug latches  32 . Arms  23  are positioned on the outside surfaces of plug latches  32 . The cap latch  22  prevents the plug latches  32  from moving towards each other resulting in the plug being disengaged from an outlet. 
     FIG. 5  is a top cross-sectional view of a plug body  30  and boot cap  20  in embodiments of the invention. The distal end  24  of cap latch  22  is positioned between plug latches  32 . As noted above, this prevents the boot cap  20  and boot  10  from sliding away from plug body  30  and defeating latches  32 . As described in further detail below, when the cap latch  22  is disengaged, boot cap  20  can slide backwards away from the nose of plug body  30  and outlet  90 . Camming surfaces  29  on arms  23  ride over tapered surfaces on latches  32  driving the latches  32  together. 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , the boot cap  20  includes an opening  28  on a rear wall of the boot cap  20 . Opening  28  receives key  40  that deflects the cap latch  22  moving the cap latch  22  up and out from in-between plug latches  32  allowing the boot cap  20  and boot  10  to slide backwards and deflect plug latches  32  inward. In operation, key  40  is used to deflect cap latch  22  upwards so boot cap  20  and boot  10  can slide backwards, defeating latches  32 . Once the plug is mated with an outlet  90 , the boot  10  and boot cap  20  are slid forward so that latches  32  resume their rest position and engage the outlet. Once engaged, the key  40  is removed causing the cap latch  22  to deflect downward as it is resiliently biased in this position. The distal end  24  of cap latch  22  wedges between the plug latches  32  preventing movement of the boot cap  20  and boot  10 . Without key  40 , the cap latch  22  stays in position preventing inadvertent or deliberate attempts to unplug plug body  30 . 
     FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an outlet  100  fitted with an outlet locking apparatus having an outlet cap  200  and a key  300  in embodiments of the invention. The outlet cap  200  prevents access to the outlet  100  until unlocked and removed with the key  300 . Key  300  and key  40  ( FIG. 1 ) may be the same key. 
     FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of an outlet cap  200  mounted on the outlet  100  in embodiments of the invention. Outlet cap  200  includes a front face  202  that covers the opening to the outlet  100 . An opening  204  is formed through the outlet cap  200  to allow key  300  to enter the opening and disengage a latch  210 . Latch  210  is supported by body portion  220  which is a structural portion joined to face  202  that enters the outlet and supports face  202  and latch  210 . The body portion  220  is sized to fit in the interior of the telecommunications outlet  100 . Latch  210  is resilient and is deflected up and down as described herein. 
   When the outlet cap  200  is pushed into outlet  100 , the latch  210  engages front wall  110  of outlet  100 , deflecting the latch downwards. Once the latch  210  clears the front wall  110 , latch  210  springs back upwards and is positioned behind front wall  110  thereby preventing removal of the cap  200  without defeating latch  210 . 
     FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of outlet cap  200  and key  300  in embodiments of the invention. Key  300  has a handle  304  with a stem  306  attached thereto. A key tooth  308  extends from the stem. The handle  304 , stem  306  and tooth  308  lie in a common plane. The tooth  308  and stem  306  are sized to fit in the opening  204  in face  202 . The stem  306  is sized to be able to rotate within opening  204 . When key  300  is inserted in opening  204 , tooth  308  is positioned above latch  210 . When key  300  is rotated, tooth  308  rotates downwards and deflects latch  210  downwards so that latch  210  clears front wall  110 . This allows the outlet cap  200  to be removed from the outlet  100 . 
     FIG. 9  is a top view of the outlet cap  200  and key  300  in embodiments of the invention. 
   Keys  40  and  300  may be the same key and may have a number of versions, each having different shaped tooth  308 . The openings  28  and  204  may be shaped to receive one type of key. Further, the key  300 , boot cap  20  and outlet cap  200  may be color coded to immediately indicate which key  300  functions with which boot cap  20  and outlet cap  200 . For example, a key having a first color will only work with a boot cap  20  and an outlet cap  200  having the same color. 
   Embodiments of the invention have been described with reference to an RJ45 plug and outlet. It is understood that other electrical plug formats may be used and the invention is not limited to RJ45 plugs and outlets. Thus, the terms plug and outlet are intended to cover a variety of transmission media (copper, fiber, coax) and a variety of connector formats. 
   While the invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt to a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed for carrying out this invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7