Snap-together consolidation point

A device that complies with the Telecommunications Industry Association (tia--Arlington, VA) telecommunications systems bulletin tsb-75 on open-office cabling, the Rapid Inter-Connect Interface (rici) claims to offer a permanent yet flexible horizontal-cabling infrastructure that allows reuse rather than reinstallation of cables.

Invented by Barnes Wentworth Inc. (New York City), the interconnect is being manufactured and distributed by mod-tap. The two halves snap together, making as many as six 8-pin modular connections per workstation. Each half is equipped with panel-mounted 8-pin modular plugs and jacks, allowing the two halves to latch together. The interconnect sits in the plenum or under a raised floor, and one half connects to the system`s main crossconnect. The other half is connected to a wall jack serving the workstation. Users activate the two halves by latching them together.

According to the manufacturer, the rici saves time and money during moves, adds, and changes. During network redesign, the user removes a ceiling or floor tile and unlatches the rici halves. After the office walls are rebuilt, the user latches the two halves again. The product`s management system and mounting apparatus allow for stacking multiple units.

The manufacturer expects that future releases will have modules for fiber, coaxial, and power cable, which can be inserted into the consolidation point`s multimodule rack.

MOD-TAP

HARVARD, MA