The present invention relates to a telecom¬ munications device comprising means, such as connector strips or the like, for making a cross-connection/con¬ nection of telecommunications cables.

Shielding of data communications devices, such as telecommunications devices, against electromagnetic radiation (EMC) and electrostatic discharges (ESD) will assume increasing significance, for example for the reason that national and international regulations will increasingly require implementation of such interfer¬ ence shielding in the future.

In individual cases where interference occurs, attempts have been made to remedy the situation with various case-related solutions, including moving the cross-connection far enough from the equipment or producing shielding applications for the cross- connection space that are specific to the circum- stances. Often the cross-connection has not been shielded at all.

In many cases, interferences at the cross-con¬ nection points have had no concrete effect on the elec¬ trical equipment in a data communications or telecom- munications area, since the telecommunications devices are typically located in separate equipment rooms and an attempt has been made to make the actual equipment sufficiently shielded against ambient interferences. In other words, the equipment in practice often withstands electromagnetic interference better than is allowed by way of emissions in the future norms. The problem arises in future data communications architecture, where for example telecommunications equipment will be located "in the nature" (outdoor installation cabinets, for instance), i.e. in the vicinity of the end user, to

an ever increasing extent and where there presumably are also other electrically operating systems not having sufficiently high interference immunity.

It is an object of the present invention to avoid the problems described above and to develop uni¬ versally applicable interference shielding so as to anticipate future national and international require¬ ments as well as possible.

This object will be achieved with a telecom- munications device which is characterized in accordance with the invention in that for shielding the equipment against electromagnetic radiation and electrostatic discharges, a separate connection/cross-connection space for cables is provided, comprising an interfer- ence-shielded enclosure containing substantially all cross-connection/connection means of the equipment, and that the cables to be lead into the enclosure are grounded to said enclosure.

The invention is based on the idea of a separ- ate connection and cross-connection space for the cables of telecommunications equipment, which space is shielded against electromagnetic radiation and electro¬ static discharges with a mechanical enclosure envelop¬ ing the space and being conductive and sufficiently tight (Faraday shield). The mechanical shielding en¬ closure may be accomplished by means of cassettes or racks according to standard that are conductive or coated with a conductive material, for example metal cassettes or metal racks. The cables in turn may be grounded galvanically by means of conductive inlets or capacitively by means of a capacitor.

In the following the invention will be described in further detail by means of one preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawing. The drawing shows a telecommunications device of the

invention in a blow-up view and depicts only those components of the device which are necessary for comprehension of the invention.

The device shown in the drawing includes twin cables 1 and coaxial cables 2. For the cross-connec¬ tion/connection of the twin cables 1, the device com¬ prises connector strips 3 fitted to at least one support 4 for several connector strips 3, and the support 4 in turn is secured to a metal enclosure 5. The device comprises corresponding connector strips 6 for the cross-connection/connection of the coaxial cables 2, said strips also being secured to the enclos¬ ure 5 via at least one support 7. The enclosure 5 is further closed with a metal lid 8, and thus all cross- connections/connections with their cross-connection/ connection means 3, 4, 6 and 7 are shut within the interference-shielded closed jacket formed by enclosure 5 and lid 8. Further, the interference-shielded sheaths of cables 1 and 2 to be lead into the jacket are grounded to this interference-shielded jacket, in this exemplary case by means of galvanically conductive inlets 9 fitted in the enclosure 5.

The invention has been explained in the above only by means of one exemplary embodiment thereof which is intended merely to illustrate the invention. How¬ ever, one skilled in the art can work out the details of the invention in a wide variety of ways within the scope of the attached claims.