Jack module

Claim 1

A digital signal cross-connect module comprising: a dielectric faceplate having a plurality of ports formed therethrough with each of said ports sized to pass a jack plug of pre-determined dimensions; said faceplate having upper and lower ends and spaced-apart side ends; said plurality of ports including at least two linear arrays of said ports with each of said arrays including a monitor-jack port and at least two access ports; each of said arrays extending linearly between said upper and lower ends and extending parallel to one another; said plurality of ports defining at least three transverse fields of ports extending transversely between said side ends, said at least three fields of ports including a monitor field adjacent said upper end, a first access field adjacent said monitor field on a side thereof opposite said upper end and a second access field vertically offset from said first access field; said plurality of ports positioned for monitor ports of said arrays to be disposed within said monitor field and with access ports of one of said arrays to be disposed within said first access field and with access ports of an adjacent array to be disposed within said second access field; wherein monitor ports of adjacent arrays are transversely offset; a grounding clip secured to said faceplate and having a plurality of ground springs connected thereto with each of said ground springs received within each of said ports and positioned to electrically engage a sleeve of a jack plug inserted within each of said ports, wherein said ground clip includes a wire-wrap termination end; a one-piece dielectric back plate secured to said faceplate, said back plate including a plurality of slots, said slots including a plurality of linear arrays of said slots; a plurality of contact springs secured to said back plate within said slots and extending toward said faceplate; said plurality of contact springs including a plurality of pairs of tip springs and ring springs, each of said pairs aligned with respective ones of said plurality of ports for said tip springs and ring springs to electrically engage tip contacts and ring contacts, respectively, of jack plugs inserted within said ports, each of said contact springs including a wire-wrap termination end extending through said slots of said back plate on a side thereof opposite said faceplate, one array of said slots positioned to receive said plurality of pairs of tip springs and ring springs aligned with said ports of one of said arrays of ports.