Patent ID: 6994582

Claim:
A connector module for a telecommunications system, which comprises: a main body portion, the main body portion having a front cap and a rear cap opposite the front cap, the front cap and the rear cap residing in different planes and being elevationally offset from each other to define a middle portion, the middle portion having a front facing surface recessed from the front cap, the front cap defining the front of the connector module, and the rear cap defining the opposite rear of the connector module, at least the front cap having a plurality of slits formed therein, each slit of the plurality of slits being provided to permit insertion of a wire therein; and a plurality of first electrical contacts at least partially disposed within the front cap of the main body portion, each first electrical contact of the plurality of first electrical contacts being aligned with a respective one of the plurality of slits and having a portion thereof being exposed through the respective one of the plurality of slits to be electrically contactable with a wire received by the respective one of the plurality of slits; wherein the main body portion has an upper surface for supporting a plurality of protection modules thereon between the front cap and the front facing surface of the middle portion, the depth of the upper surface between the front cap and the front facing surface of the middle portion being dimensioned to be equal to or greater than the longitudinal length of the protection modules so that the protection modules, when supported on the upper surface of the main body portion, have no portion thereof overlying the plurality of slits formed in the front cap and so as not to interfere with the placement and removal of wires respectively into and from the plurality of slits and the selective electrical connection with the plurality of first electrical contacts while the protection modules are supported on the main body portion of the connector module.