Patent ID: 7008243

Claim:
A terminal block for telecommunications and data systems equipment, comprising: at least one insulator; a connecting element disposed proximate an underside of said insulator; a grounding clip, said grounding clip including a first geometry for connecting to said connecting element and a second geometry for connecting to a mounting rack; and wherein said connecting element has a geometry independent of the mounting rack, said first geometry adapting to said connecting element and said second geometry adapting to the mounting rack, the connecting element including two generally parallel side walls, the sidewalls of the connecting element defining guiding grooves for receiving the ground clip, the sidewalls of the connecting element defining latching slots within the guiding grooves, the ground clip including two generally parallel side walls defining guiding edges and a latching lug disposed on each of the guiding edges, the guiding edges configured to slide within the guiding grooves of the connecting element and the latching lugs configured to latch into the latching slots of the connecting element.