WO1999048171A1

WO1999048171A1 - Modular network adapter

Info

Publication number: WO1999048171A1
Application number: PCT/US1999/006067
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jack K. Merrow; Scott T. Robinson
Original assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc.
Priority date: 1998-03-20
Filing date: 1999-03-19
Publication date: 1999-09-23
Also published as: AU3193899A

Abstract

A modular network adapter (10) including a wall plate (14) and a carrier module (16). The wall plate (14) is attached to a wall (12) at a standard wall box (13) and has an aperture (18) therein for removably receiving the carrier module (16). The wall plate (14) has bars (20) along two sides of the perimeter of the aperture (18) for secure but removable engagement by resilient tabs (22) of the carrier module (16). The carrier module (16) has front (24) and rear (30) covers that define an internal compartment (28) therebetween. An exterior side (26) of the front cover (24) has a planar portion (35) and a protruding portion (34). The protruding portion (34) has upper (36) and lower (37) faces at selected angles relative to the planar portion (35). The lower face (35) has apertures (38) therein for receiving connectors (58) of a printed circuit board (50) positioned within the internal compartment (28).

Description

MODULAR NETWORK ADAPTER

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to wall-mounted modular connectors for connecting communications, computing, entertainment, or other equipment and systems into a network installed in a building or other structure and, more particularly, a modular networking adapter for ensuring compatibility between equipment and networks installed in buildings.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The development of telecommunications and the information superhighway has resulted in a need for multiple telecommunication interconnections in offices and homes. In the past, a standard office usually required only a single communication wall connector, such as a telephone jack, between a worker and the outside world. The increased use of audiovisual equipment, computers, facsimile machines, and cable equipment for communication has significantly increased the requirement for network cable connections. A single worker may have equipment that requires multiple telecommunication cable connections, such as a computer network coupling, a modem coupling, a telephone coupling, fiber optic cable coupling, and a coaxial cable connection.

Communication cables, including electric wiring, optical fibers, and coaxial cables, are typically routed through an office or house in surface mounted conduits, or within the walls, floors, and ceilings. In a single-story building, all the cabling runs horizontally, but in buildings with multiple floors, the cabling runs both vertically and horizontally: vertical cables run between floors, and horizontal cables branch out on a single floor. The vertical and horizontal cabling usually come together on each floor in a central communications or telecommunications closet. Each horizontal cable originates in the telecommunications closet and terminates at a connection member, such as, but not limited to, an optical fiber adapter, a phone jack, or an electrical connector. The respective connection member is adapted to be operatively coupled to a connection member of selected telecommunications equipment within the office or house.

The increasing use of computers and telecommunications equipment has also led to an increase in the variety of equipment that needs to be networked or connected together. This in turn has led to an increased need for application-specific converters to ensure compatibility between the network hardware installed in the building and the computing or telecommunications equipment. For example, some networks or services require application-specific electrical components, such as impedance matching devices, at the telecommunications outlet or connector at the terminal end of the horizontal cabling. Electronics standards for successfully matching equipment to the network and architectural standards exist for installing application- specific components in a building, but both standards change rapidly in response to changing technology. These standards specify that any application-specific electrical components shall not be installed as a permanent part of the horizontal cabling. Instead, when they are needed, such components should be placed external to the communication outlet/connector to facilitate future use of the horizontal cabling for a variety of other network and service requirements.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a modular network adapter used to connect computer or other equipment to a network built into a building such as a house or office. One embodiment of the invention includes a wall plate for attachment around an electrical box built into or surface mounted to the wall of the building, and a carrier module securely but removably inserted into an aperture in the wall plate. The carrier module has a front cover, and preferably a rear cover, and, when installed in the wall plate, the rear cover of the carrier module is positioned inside the electrical box and an exterior side of the front cover is accessible to the user from the front of the carrier module and wall plate. Contained within the carrier module is a circuit board with appropriate electronics thereon that interface the signals between the network and the equipment, ensuring that the two will be compatible. The circuit board has attached thereto a network connector that emerges through an aperture in the rear cover of the carrier module, and application connectors that emerge through the front cover of the carrier module. The front cover is designed to position the application connectors at an angle that ensures ease of access and use in operation. The construction of the carrier module in the embodiment meets the required architectural and electronic standard that the application-specific electronics not be a permanent part of the horizontal cabling; in other words, the application- specific electronics are external to the cabling.

In addition to meeting the required standards, the embodiment presents several advantages and provides a convenient way of ensuring compatibility between a network and equipment connected thereto. The modular construction of the embodiment provides an easily exchangeable module that allows rapid adaptation to changing technology standards. The construction of the carrier module also is such that the application connectors are easily accessible, the module is easily insertable in and removable from the wall plate, and the entire module is easily accessible, insertable and removable by the user from the front of the wall plate without removing the wall plate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a front isometric view of a modular network adapter embodying the present invention attached to a wall. Figure 2 is a reduced scale, exploded isometric view of the modular network adapter of Figure 1 , showing the primary components and their assembly and installation.

Figure 3 A is an exploded, first isometric view of a carrier module used in the modular network adapter of Figure 1 showing an exterior side of a front cover and an interior side of a rear cover.

Figure 3 B is an exploded, rear isometric view of a carrier module of Figure 3A showing an interior side of the front cover and an exterior side of a rear cover. Figure 4 is an exploded, rear isometric view of the modular network adapter of Figure 1 with the front cover of the carrier module in its installed position in a wall plate, showing the circuit board in position for insertion into receivers on the interior side of the front cover, and the back cover in position for attachment to the front cover.

Figure 5 is a rear isometric view of the modular network adapter of Figure 1 with the rear cover removed.

Figure 6 is a rear isometric view of the modular network adapter of Figure 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As shown in the drawings for purposes of illustration, the present invention resides in a modular network adapter for use in network applications. In the following description, numerous details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. One skilled in the relevant art, however, will readily recognize that the present invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details reflected in the embodiment described herein.

An embodiment of a modular network adapter 10 according to the present invention is shown in Figure 1 installed in a wall 12 over a recessed electrical box 13 (see Figure 2). The invention may also be used with a surface mounted electrical box. The modular network adapter 10 includes a bezel wall plate 14 attached to the electrical box 13 flush against wall 12, and a carrier module 16 inserted into and removably attached to the wall plate. An electronic circuit board 50, best illustrated in Figure 4, is housed within the carrier module 16 and has application electrical connectors 52 that fit in and are aligned with apertures 38 in a front cover 24 of the carrier module. One or more cables 11 from a computer or other communication equipment are attached to the connectors 52 through the apertures 38, as illustrated in Figure 1. The circuit board 50 also has a network connector 54 that fits in and is aligned with an aperture 48 in a rear cover 30 of the carrier module 16 for connection of a network fiber optic cable 58 thereto. The cable 58 may be any type of transmission media, including copper twisted pair, glass optical fiber, plastic optical fiber, or copper coaxial cable.

As best shown in Figure 2, the wall plate 14 has a central aperture 18 having left and right side bars 20 positioned along its two vertical edges. The aperture 18 is sized to securely but removably receive the carrier module 16 therewithin with rearward left and right side edge portions thereof in engagement with the forward faces of the bars 20. The bars 20 are sized and positioned to each having the rearward faces thereof engaged by corresponding pairs of left and right side resilient tabs 22 of the carrier module 16 when in position against the forward faces of the bars to removably secure the carrier module to the wall plate 14. In alternative embodiments (not shown), the wall plate 14 may be sized for use with a single width wall box or may have more than one aperture 18 to simultaneously receive more than one carrier module 16 in side- by-side relation. The wall plate 14 has four fastener holes 15 through which threaded fasteners 17 are inserted to be threadably received in threaded holes 21 in the electrical box 13 to attach the wall plate flush against the wall 12. The wall plate 14 is attached to the electrical box 13 with the aperture 18 of the wall plate aligned with the opening of the electrical box.

The carrier module 16 includes a front cover 24 from which the tabs 22 project rearward. An exterior side 26 of the front cover 24 faces forward and an interior side 28 of the front cover has a rear cover 30 attachable thereto. The rear cover 30 is securely attached to the front cover 24 using a threaded fastener 31 which extends through a fastener hole 32 in the rear cover and is threadably received in a hole 33 in a boss 29 formed at the interior side 28 of the front cover. As noted above, the carrier module 16 is releasably held in the aperture 18 of the wall plate 14 by the tabs 22 engaging the bars 20. An internal compartment is formed between the front cover 24 and the rear cover 30 and has the circuit board 50 positioned therein (see Figure 4).

As best shown in Figures 3A and 3B, the exterior side 26 of the front cover 24 has a planar portion 35 that is coplanar with the perimeter walls of the wall plate 14 which extend about the aperture 18 when the carrier module 16 is received within the aperture. The exterior side 26 of the front cover 24 also includes a forwardly protruding portion 35 having an upward facing upper face 36 and a downward facing lower face 37. The lower face 37 has the two apertures 38 therein in which the application connectors 52 of the circuit board 50 are positioned (see Figure 4), thereby providing downwardly facing connectors. The upper face 36 may have printed indicia thereon (not shown), for example corporate logos, text indicating the kind of circuit board 50 contained within the carrier module 16, text indicating the type of signal interface performed by the circuit board, or other information.

The upper face 36 and lower face 37 form selected angles with respect to the planar portion 35 of the front cover 24 and with respect to each other. The angles of the upper face 36 and lower face 37 relative to the planar portion 35 are chosen to provide a visible surface to the user to facilitate reading any printed indicia on the upper surface and convenient access by the user for inserting the connector of the cable 11 into the downward facing application connectors 52 so as to have the cable 11 extending downward therefrom without severe bending required. Proper angle choice also ensures that the circuit board 50, which is desirably positioned substantially perpendicular to the lower face 37, and which uses conventional application connectors 52, will fit within the interior compartment of the carrier module 16 and the carrier module will fit within the electrical box 13 when the carrier module is positioned in the aperture 18 of the wall plate 14. Typically, the angle of the upper face 36 relative to the planar portion 35 (indicated as angle A in Figure 3 A) is between 125 and 165 degrees, while the angle of the lower face 37 (indicated as angle B in Figure 3 A) is between 25 and 75 degrees. This preferably positions the circuit board 50 parallel to the upper face 36. This angle for the circuit board 50 also results in it not projecting rearward as far into the wall box 13 and taking up space therein needed for coiling of the network fiber optic cable 58.

Adjacent to each of the four tabs 22 that removably attach the carrier module 16 to the wall plate 14 is a tool slot 40 sized to receive a tool (e.g., a flat head screwdriver) that, when inserted in the slot, disengages the tab 22 from the rearward face of the corresponding bar 20 of the wall plate 14. The circuit board 50 is held at the interior side 28 of the front cover 24 by two spaced apart guide slots 44. The guide slots 44 slidably receive and hold the left and right edge portions 51 of the circuit board 50 (see Figure 4) and align the circuit board at the desired angle. The front cover 24 has two edge surface supports 46 against which the circuit board 50 is positioned. The circuit board 50 is restrained in the guide slots 44 against the board supports 46 by the rear cover 30 to positively retain the circuit board within the interior compartment of the carrier module 16 when the rear cover is secured to the front cover 24. The guide slots 44 are positioned substantially perpendicular to the lower face 37 so that the application connectors 52 attached to the circuit board 50 will be properly positioned at the apertures 38. This also holds the network connector 54 attached to the circuit board 50 properly positioned at the aperture 48 in the rear cover 30.

As best seen in Figure 4, the circuit board 50 has appropriate interface electronics 56 mounted thereon for interfacing the signals transferred between the application connectors 52 and the network connector 54. For example, the electronics may convert IEEE 1394 (high speed serial bus) electrical signals to light pulses suitable for transmission in plastic or glass optical fiber, or could be used for IEEE 1394-to-Cat 5 UTP conversion.

To assemble the carrier module 16, the left and right edges portions 51 of the circuit board 50 are inserted into the guide slots 44 of the front cover 24 until the application connectors 52 fit into corresponding ones of the apertures 38 in the lower face 37. The rear cover 30 has left and right side locating ribs 60 which are slidably received in left and right side slots 62, each parallel and adjacent to a corresponding one of the guide slots 44. With the locating ribs 60 in the slots 62, the rear cover 30 is positioned at the interior side 28 of the front cover 24 so that the network connector 54 is at the aperture 48 in the rear cover and the fastener hole 32 therein is aligned with the hole 33 in the boss 29 to enclose, protect and retain the circuit board between the front and rear covers. The threaded fastener 31 is inserted through the fastener hole 32 in the rear cover, and is threaded into the hole 33 in the boss 29. Figure 5 illustrates the front cover 24 of the carrier module 16 attached to the wall plate 14 via the tabs 22, as well as the circuit board 50 with its edge portions 51 inserted in the guides slots 44 and secured to the board supports 46 without the rear cover 30 in place. The application connectors 52 are positioned at the apertures 38 in the lower face 37. Figure 6 illustrates the fully assembled carrier module 16 attached to the wall plate 14.

To install the modular network adapter 10, the wall plate 14 is first attached to the electrical box 13 installed at the wall 12. The network fiber optic cable 58 is then connected to the network connector 54 of the carrier module 16 having the circuit board 50 with the appropriate electronics 56 for interfacing the signal between the application connectors 52 and the network connector 54. The extra length of the network fiber optic cable 58 is coiled up within the rearward portion of the electrical box 13 and the carrier module 16 is next positioned within the aperture 38 of the wall plate 14 from the front of the wall plate and pressed inward until the tabs 22 snap into place grasping the bars 20, and thus securing the carrier module to the wall plate. The user then attaches the cables 11 of the application hardware, such as computers or communications equipment, to the application connectors 52 and the installation is complete.

To remove the carrier module 16 from the wall plate 14, a suitable tool (e.g., a screwdriver) is inserted into the tool slots 40 to bend the tabs 22 inward and disengage them from the bars 20. Once disengaged, the carrier module 16 can then be easily pulled forward out of the aperture 38 of the wall plate and the network fiber optic cable 58 removed from the network connector 54. The carrier module 16 can be repaired or replaced, and the repaired or replacement carrier module easily and quickly reattached to the wall plate 14 without removal of the wall plate being required. Alternatively, if the network requirements or protocols are changed or the equipment to be connected thereto using the modular network adapter 10 is charged so as to require different interface electronics 56, a new carrier module 16 having the proper circuit board 50 with the appropriate interface electronics can be purchased, and then easily and quickly attached to the wall plate 14, thus making repair and reconfiguration of networks easier, quicker and less expensive.

The modular network adapter 10 does not require that wall plate 14 be removed for removal or reinsertion of the carrier module 16. The interface electronics 56 are not captured behind the wall plate 14 requiring its removal as with a conventional wall plate. No special tools are required and the interface circuitry is not a permanent part of the network fiber optic cable 58 or whatever other style horizontal cabling is being used, and also is not a part of the wall plate 14. The modular network adapter 10 allows easy and quick insertion and removal of the carrier module 16 in and from the wall plate 14, from the front side of the wall plate, without removal of the wall plate.

In the preferred embodiment, both the wall plate 14 and the carrier module 16 are made of plastic and are manufactured using injection molding or other commercial casting processes. While embodiments and various ways of using them have been described in this application for illustrative purposes, the claims are not limited to the embodiments described herein. Equivalent devices may be substituted for the one described, which operate according to the principles of the present invention and thus fall within the scope of the claims. Therefore, it should be understood that modifications, variations and equivalents thereof made to the modular network connector may be practiced while remaining within the spirit and the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

Claims

10CLAIMS

1. A modular network adapter for mounting a circuit board having front and rear connectors and usable with an electrical box mounted at a wall, comprising: a wall plate having an aperture, the wall plate having attachment members extending about a portion of the aperture, the wall plate being attachable to the electrical box adjacent to the wall; and a carrier module insertable in the aperture and including: a front cover having exterior and interior sides, resilient tabs for engaging the attachment members of the wall plate and openings adjacent the tabs sized to receive a tool to disengage the tabs from the attachment members to allow forward removal of the carrier module from the wall plate without detachment of the wall plate from the wall, the exterior side having a forwardly protruding portion with upper and lower faces positioned at selected angles relative to a plane defined by the perimeter of the wall plate aperture, the lower face having an aperture therein sized to receive the front connector of the circuit board, and the interior side having guides for aligning and engaging the circuit board, the guides being oriented substantially perpendicular to the lower face; and a rear cover attachable to the interior side of the front cover and having an aperture therein sized to receive the rear connector of the circuit board, the front and rear covers defining an internal compartment therebetween sized to receive the circuit board therein, held in position by the guides, with the front connector of the circuit board at the aperture of the lower face of the front cover, and the rear connector of the circuit board at the aperture of the rear cover.

2. The modular network adapter of claim 1 wherein the interior side of the front cover has an attachment member positioned to engage the rear cover and provide attachment of the rear cover to the front cover.

3. The modular network adapter of claim 1 wherein the upper face has printed indicia thereon. 11

4. The modular network adapter of claim 1 wherein the selected angle of the upper face is between 125┬░ and 165┬░, inclusive, and the selected angle of the lower face is between 25┬░ and 75┬░, inclusive.

5. A modular network adapter comprising: a wall plate having an aperture therein; and a carrier module removably positionable in the aperture and removably attachable to the wall plate, the carrier module having a front cover with interior and exterior sides and a forward connector aperture therein for receiving a connector, and a rear cover removably attachable to the front cover and with a rearward connector aperture therein for receiving a connector, the front and rear covers defining an internal compartment therebetween.

6. The modular network adapter of claim 5 further including a circuit board positioned in the internal compartment, the circuit board having forward and rearward connectors attached thereto, the forward connector being positioned at the forward connector aperture of the front cover and the rearward connector being positioned at the rearward aperture of the rear cover.

7. The modular network adapter of claim 5 wherein the front cover has an exterior side with a protruding portion, the protruding portion having upper and lower faces positioned at selected upward and downward facing angles, respectively, relative to a plane defined by a perimeter of the aperture in the wall plate, the lower face having the forward connector aperture therein.

8. The modular network adapter of claim 7 wherein the selected angle of the upper face is between 125┬░ and 165┬░, inclusive, and the selected angle of the lower face is between 25┬░ and 75┬░, inclusive. 12

9. The modular network adapter of claim 7 wherein the upper face has printed indicia thereon indicative of circuitry to be used with the modular network adapter.

10. The modular network adapter of claim 7 wherein the forward connector aperture is in the lower face and further including a circuit board positioned in the internal compartment and having at least a forward connector attached thereto, the circuit board being held within the internal compartment with the forward connector at the forward aperture in the lower face.

11. The modular network adapter of claim 7 wherein the interior side of the front cover has guides for aligning and holding a circuit board within the internal compartment.

12. The modular network adapter of claim 11 wherein the guides are substantially perpendicular to the lower face.

13. The modular network adapter of claim 12 the forward connector apertures is in the lower face and wherein the circuit board includes at least a forward connector attached thereto, and the guides hold the circuit board in position with the forward connector at the forward aperture in the lower face.

14. The modular network adapter of claim 5 wherein the interior side of the front cover has an attachment member for engaging and holding the rear cover in position against the front cover.

15. The modular network adapter of claim 6 wherein the circuit board includes forward and rearward connectors attached thereto, and the circuit board is held by engagement members with the forward connector positioned at the forward connector aperture of the front cover and the rearward connector positioned at the rearward connector aperture of the rear cover. 13

16. An electronics carrier module insertable in and removably attachable to a wall plate having an aperture therein and attachment members, comprising: a circuit board having a forward connector and a rearward connector attached thereto; a front cover having exterior and interior sides, and attachment members for releasably engaging the attachment members of the wall plate, the exterior side having a protrusion with a downward facing lower face positioned at a selected angle relative to a plane defined by a perimeter portion of the wall plate aperture, the lower face having an aperture therein, and the interior side having engagement members to engage the circuit board, the engagement members holding the circuit board with the forward connector thereof adjacent to the aperture of the lower face; and a rear cover attachable to the front cover at the interior side thereof and having an aperture therein, the engagement members holding the circuit board with the rearward connector thereof adjacent to the aperture of the rear cover, the front and rear covers defining an internal compartment therebetween sized to hold the circuit board therein.

17. The electronics carrier module of claim 16 wherein the interior side of the front cover has supports for securing the circuit board to the front cover.

18. The electronics carrier module of claim 16 wherein the protrusion includes an upward facing upper face with printed indicia thereon indicative of a characteristic of the circuit board.

19. The electronics carrier module of claim 16 wherein the selected angle of the lower face is between 25┬░ and 75┬░, inclusive.

20. An electronics carrier module removably positionable in and attachable to an aperture in a wall plate having a front side, the carrier module comprising: a front cover having interior and exterior sides and an aperture therein for receiving a connector, and 14

a rear cover attachable to the front cover and having an aperture therein for receiving a connector, the front and rear covers defining an internal compartment therebetween, the assembled front and rear covers being selectively positionable in and removable from the aperture of the wall plate from the front side of the wall plate.

21. The electronics carrier module of claim 20 further including a circuit board positioned in the internal compartment, the circuit board having at least two connectors attached thereto, one of the connectors being positioned at the aperture of the front cover and one of the connectors being positioned at the aperture of the rear cover.

22. The electronics carrier module of claim 20 wherein the front cover has an exterior side with a protrusion, the protrusion having a lower face oriented at a selected angle relative to a plane defined by a perimeter of the wall plate aperture so as to be downwardly facing, the lower face having the aperture of the front cover therein.

23. The electronics carrier module of claim 22 wherein the selected angle of the lower face is between 25┬░ and 75┬░, inclusive.

24. The electronics carrier module of claim 23 wherein the protrusion has an upper face oriented at a selected angle so as to be upwardly facing, the upper face having printed indicia thereon.

25. The electronics carrier module of claim 22 further including a circuit board positioned in the internal compartment and having at least one connector attached thereto with the connector projecting through the aperture in the lower face.

26. The electronics carrier module of claim 22 wherein the interior side of the front cover has engagement members to hold a circuit board in position within the internal compartment. 15

27. The electronics carrier module of claim 26 wherein the engagement members are elongated and extend substantially perpendicular to the lower face.

28. The electronics carrier module of claim 22 further including a circuit board with at least one connector attached thereto positioned within the internal compartment, and wherein the interior side of the front cover includes engagement members holding the circuit board in position in the internal compartment with the connector at the aperture of the lower face.

29. The electronics carrier module of claim 20 wherein the interior side of the front cover has engagement members for aligning a circuit board positioned in the internal compartment.

30. The electronics carrier module of claim 20 further including a circuit board with at least two connectors attached thereto positioned within the internal compartment, and wherein the interior side of the front cover has engagement members holding the circuit board with one of the connectors positioned at the aperture of the front cover and one of the connectors positioned at the aperture of the rear cover.

31. The electronic carrier module of claim 20 wherein one of the front and rear covers includes contact members to releasably engage with the wall plate to selectively attach and detach the front and rear covers as a unit to and from the wall plate within the aperture thereof from the front side of the wall plate.

32. A modular network adapter comprising: a wall plate having an aperture therein and being securely attachable to a wall; a circuit board having connectors attached thereto, including a forward connector; and a carrier module removably positionable in the wall plate aperture and removably attachable to the wall plate, the carrier module having a front cover with a forward 16

connector aperture therein, the carrier module supporting the circuit board at a position rearward of the front cover with the forward connector positioned at the forward connector aperture of the front cover for access to the forward connector from a front side of the front cover when the carrier module is positioned in the wall plate aperture, the carrier module being forwardly removable from the wall plate without detachment of the wall plate from the wall.

33. The modular network adapter of claim 32 wherein the carrier module further includes a rear cover attached to the front cover to define an internal compartment therebetween, the circuit board being positioned in the internal compartment.

34. The modular network adapter of claim 33 wherein the rear cover has a rearward connector aperture therein and the circuit board connectors include a rearward connector, and the carrier module supports the circuit board with the rearward connector positioned at the rearward connector aperture of the rear cover.

35. The modular network adapter of claim 34 wherein the carrier module supports the circuit board with guides attached to the front cover, the guides being arranged to hold the circuit board within the internal compartment with the forward and rearward connectors at the forward and rearward connector apertures, respectively.

36. The modular network adapter of claim 32 wherein the carrier module supports the circuit board at a downward sloping angle of between 125┬░ and 165┬░, inclusive, relative to a plane defined by a perimeter of the wall plate aperture.

37. The modular network adapter of claim 32 wherein the carrier module supports the circuit board with guides which slidably receive the circuit board.

38. The modular network adapter of claim 32 wherein the front cover includes engagement members for engaging and holding the circuit board. 17

39. The modular network adapter of claim 32 wherein one of the carrier module and wall plate include attachment members which removably attach the carrier module to the wall plate when the carrier module is positioned within the wall plate aperture.