EP0154410B1 - Field installable modular telephone connector - Google Patents

Field installable modular telephone connector Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0154410B1
EP0154410B1 EP19850300755 EP85300755A EP0154410B1 EP 0154410 B1 EP0154410 B1 EP 0154410B1 EP 19850300755 EP19850300755 EP 19850300755 EP 85300755 A EP85300755 A EP 85300755A EP 0154410 B1 EP0154410 B1 EP 0154410B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
base
connector
conductors
channels
cable
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
EP19850300755
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0154410A1 (en
Inventor
Sidney Levy
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
ABB Installation Products Inc
Original Assignee
Thomas and Betts Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Thomas and Betts Corp filed Critical Thomas and Betts Corp
Publication of EP0154410A1 publication Critical patent/EP0154410A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0154410B1 publication Critical patent/EP0154410B1/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R25/00—Coupling parts adapted for simultaneous co-operation with two or more identical counterparts, e.g. for distributing energy to two or more circuits
    • H01R25/003—Coupling parts adapted for simultaneous co-operation with two or more identical counterparts, e.g. for distributing energy to two or more circuits the coupling part being secured only to wires or cables
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R13/00—Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
    • H01R13/46—Bases; Cases
    • H01R13/514—Bases; Cases composed as a modular blocks or assembly, i.e. composed of co-operating parts provided with contact members or holding contact members between them
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R24/00—Two-part coupling devices, or either of their cooperating parts, characterised by their overall structure
    • H01R24/60—Contacts spaced along planar side wall transverse to longitudinal axis of engagement
    • H01R24/62—Sliding engagements with one side only, e.g. modular jack coupling devices
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R4/00—Electrically-conductive connections between two or more conductive members in direct contact, i.e. touching one another; Means for effecting or maintaining such contact; Electrically-conductive connections having two or more spaced connecting locations for conductors and using contact members penetrating insulation
    • H01R4/24—Connections using contact members penetrating or cutting insulation or cable strands
    • H01R4/2416—Connections using contact members penetrating or cutting insulation or cable strands the contact members having insulation-cutting edges, e.g. of tuning fork type
    • H01R4/242—Connections using contact members penetrating or cutting insulation or cable strands the contact members having insulation-cutting edges, e.g. of tuning fork type the contact members being plates having a single slot

Definitions

  • This invention relates generally to electrical connection apparatus and methods and pertains more particularly to modular telephone interconnection apparatus and methods for field use without special tooling requirements.
  • Multiconductor telephone cable is typically preassembled in a factory setting in given diverse lengths with modular plugs or jacks which present contacts in compatibly interrelated configuration.
  • Field installation is accordingly made on a modular basis, i.e., using inventoried fully-assembled cable, jack and plug units.
  • the extant commercial units are shown typically in Hardesty U.S. Patent No. 3,699,498.
  • Cable having four, six or eight conductors is terminated in a single jack or plug with a single connectorized internal connection interface, i.e., between the conductors and jack or plug contacts.
  • the present industry standard practice is to rely on a housing having a plurality of modular telephone jacks, wherein the jack contacts are spliced to wires in turn spliced to secondary plug contacts.
  • the secondary plug contacts engage secondary jack contacts which are in turn connected to the conductors of the twenty-five pair cable.
  • Five connection interfaces exist as between the cable conductors and the primary, i.e., modular telephone jack output contacts.
  • Evident electrical resistance disadvantage attends the multiple connector interface scheme of the industry standard for twenty-five pair cable.
  • US-A-4303296 discloses a connector assembly which includes a plurality of modular interface connectors slidably mounted in a support member, the connectors being arranged in pairs and the connectors of each pair lying immediately adjacent one another. Intermediate connectors in the support member connect the modular interface connectors to central signal processing system.
  • US-A-3496522 shows connection of conductor groups to base blocks.
  • the present invention has, as its primary object, to provide an improved connector for termination of twenty-five pair telephone cable.
  • an electrical connector for connecting conductors of a multiconductor cable with plugs or jacks having contacts in modular telephone configuration, comprising
  • a telephone connector assembly 10 includes a plug 12 and a jack 14, each connected to a multiconductor cable, indicated at 16 and 18, respectively.
  • Such cables typically include four, six, or eight discrete conductors which may be in a round or flat cable.
  • An industry standard exists as to the configuration of jack opening 20 and contact end portions 22, as well as for the geometry of plug nose 24 and plug contacts (not shown), which mate with contact end portions 22 upon assembly of the plug and jack.
  • the latch 26 and corresponding detent 28 are industry standards.
  • Fig. 2 shows a conductor support element 30.
  • the conductors of cable 18, eight in number and identified at 32 are dressed individually between adjacent guides or projections 34 to register with through-slots 36 underlying the conductors and adapted to receive insulation-displacing contacts (IDC) after they have become electrically connected to conductors 32.
  • IDC insulation-displacing contacts
  • Fig. 2 assembly Following completion of Fig. 2 assembly, the same is inverted, as in Fig. 3, and pressed downwardly into assembly with jack housing 40, more specifically onto support surface 42 of housing 40. Latches 44 engage detents 46 to secure this assembly.
  • insulating-displacing contacts (not shown) on support surface 42 engage, and become electrically connected with conductors 32, whereby conductors 32 are electrically continuous with discrete ones of contact end portions 22, contact end portions 22 being disposed for external electrical connection, i.e., to the contacts in plug 12.
  • an insert 50 is adapted for receiving a contact element set, each contact including one of end portions 22, one of insulation-displacing contact end portions 52 and a central extent 54 joining the end portions electrically (Fig. 7).
  • insert 50 On its upper surface (Fig. 5), insert 50 includes grooves 56, which are at a first pitch (P1 of Fig. 4) corresponding to the pitch of contact end portions 22.
  • Ribs 58 define the grooves, the ribs extending outwardly beyond a bend surface 60.
  • insert 50 defines a family of grooves (62 having a pitch change corresponding to the transition required from pitch P1 to the pitch P2 of insulation-piercing contact end portions 52.
  • Insert 50 defines, at its end opposite bend surface 60, a series of discrete channels 64. As is seen in Figs. 7 and 8, contact end portions 52 are resident in channels 64 and extend upstandingly to an end 52a vertically below the ends 22a of contact end portions 22.
  • Fig. 9 which depicts jack housing 40 rearwardly in Fig. 3, an opening 66 is provided above support surface 42 and extends inwardly below comb structure 68.
  • Comb structure 68 is integral with jack housing 40 which, as in the case of insert 50, is of electrically insulative material. Teeth 70 thereof are spaced transversely in elongate jack housing 40 and define channels 72. The teeth extend vertically downwardly of an acutely inclined overhang 74.
  • the comb structure is also viewable in Fig. 10 from the frontward side of the housing and has extent running longitudinally with the housing 40, as is seen in the sectioned view of Fig. 11.
  • the plug 12 is assembled in a similar manner in accordance with the invention.
  • the contact end portions that are adapted for external connection, i.e., to the jack contacts are supportably retained by an insert in the plug housing in fixed position in the modular configuration as opposed to the resiliently deflectable disposition of the jack contacts.
  • the plug or jack has contacts arranged in modulator telephone configuration and includes a housing having an aperture for receiving an insert member.
  • Contact means are provided comprising a plurality of contacts having first end portions for external electrical engagement and second end portions of insulation-displacing type for interconnection with corresponding electrical conductors.
  • An insert member supporting the contact means and resident in the housing disposes the contacts with their respective first and seconds on a common side of the insert member and with the first end portions in such modular telephone configuration.
  • a conductor support element secures the conductors in the housing to place the conductors in insulation-displaced engagement with the contact means second end portions.
  • connector 78 is adapted for use with a twenty-five pair multiconductor cable and is shown in its open unassembled configuration.
  • Connector 78 includes a base 79 having six individual compartments, one being shown at 80.
  • Housing 82 corresponds to jack housing 40, above discussed, except that the latch (44 of Fig. 3) is omitted.
  • Conductor dressing guide or support element 84 is seated in compartment 80 and includes projection set 86, through which the cable conductors 88 are dressed from a central channel in a fold section 90 through strain relief posts 92.
  • housing 82 is forced downwardly into compartment 80. Electrical contact is made, as discussed above, between conductors 88 of cable 94 and contact end portions 52 supported by housing 82.
  • a semicircular collar 95 is preferably integrally attached to the fold section 90 and extends axially therewith, collar 95 being formed to seat the cable 94 therein.
  • a self-locking cable strap 97, or other suitable securement means, is wrapped tightly around the collar 95 and the cable 94, thereby holding the cable 94 in fixed position relative to the connector 78.
  • the collar/strap arrangement enables the assembler to freely manipulate the individual cable conductors 88 into the respective compartments 80 for subsequent electrical connection as the cable 94 and connector 78 are held together.
  • a twenty-five pair cable is shown and eight individual conductors are distributed into each of the six connector compartments.
  • the respective halves of the connector include posts 96 and 98, which register upon closing of the halves of the housing onto one another by bending of the halves about the fold section, which also defines central channel 90.
  • screws 100 are passed into the posts, engaging internal threading on the lower posts and providing a secured connector assembly.
  • the respective jack housings are thus disposed in abutting pairs, as indicated at 102, one serving as a retainer for the other in the assembly and thus dispensing with need for latches individually associated with the jack housings.
  • the connector of Figs. 12 and 13 realizes a reduction of connection interfaces between modular telephone plug contacts and twenty-five pair multiconductor cable.
  • the present industry standard for this interconnection involves as much as five connection interfaces from the cable to the telephone jack contacts matable with the plug contacts.
  • the conductors of the telephone cable are first terminated collectively to a secondary plug.
  • This plug (first interface) connects to a secondary jack defining a second interface.
  • the secondary jack has a conductor-to-conductor third interface therein.
  • the secondary jack output conductors are led to a splice having an interface (fourth) with same and an interface (fifth) with the contacts of the primary jack which presents its output contacts for mating with the primary plug contacts.
  • telephone cable conductors have a single interface with the modular telephone jack output contact end portions 22, which are to engage the modular plug contacts.
  • insulation-displacing contact end portions 52 are the only interface as between conductors of the multiconductor cable and end portions 22.
  • connector base 106 is a preferred alternate to base 79 of Figs. 12 and 13.
  • compartments 108 and 110 communicate through transverse channels 112 and 114 with elongate central fold section 116.
  • Channels 112 and 114 are integral depressions in compartment walls 118 and 120, respectively, and serve as strain relief elements, two cable conductors being dressed into each channel.
  • Ribs 122 extend into the plane of Fig. 14, i.e., run depthwise with the compartments and serve to receive conductor support element 124, the ribs residing in slots 126 which extend vertically in support element 124 (Fig. 16). Coaction of ribs 122 and the sidewalls of slots 126 is such that support element 124 is restrained against transverse movement in the direction of opening 128 of the compartment, but has freedom of movement outwardly from the plane of Fig. 14, while base 106 is in its open condition.
  • a support element 124 is inserted into each compartment slidably onto ribs 122. Cable conductors are dressed from fold section 116 through channels 114 and onto the surface of support element 124.
  • the support element has a first set of guides or projections 130 juxtaposed with channels 114 in the illustrative partial assembly of Fig. 14 and a second set of projections 132 and 134, webs 136 extending between projections 132 and 134.
  • Projections 130 are mutually spaced by measure D1 and are of height H1 (Fig. 15). Projections 132 are mutually spaced, as are projections 134, by measure D2 and are of height H2. D1 is selected such that projections 130 more tightly engage conductors dressed into channels 138 than do projections 132 and projections 134.
  • Pockets 140 between adjacent webs 136 seat insulation-displacing contact end portions 52 (Fig. 12) upon full assembly of the connector.
  • the conductors As dressed into channels 138, the conductors are tightly gripped in the first grooves (D1) of the channels and are engaged also in the second groove (D2).
  • the conductors may thereafter be manipulated in the course of dressing other conductors into others of channels 138, without disturbing the pre-dressed conductors, since the above-discussed coaction of ribs 122 and slots 126 effects vertical flotation of support element 124, jointly with its seated conductors.
  • the invention provides a connector including a base having pairs of compartments separated by a fold section, each compartment having an opening distal from the fold section and a set of guides for disposition of conductors of a multiconductor cable in preselected pattern, the fold section providing for residence of the conductors outwardly of the compartments.
  • a housing is situated in each compartment and has an insert member with contacts resident therein with the first end portions of the contacts supported in modular telephone configuration. The base can be folded about the fold section and secured in such folded configuration, whereby a pair of the housings are then disposed in abutting relation.
  • the invention employs its conductor support member in the form of an insert to the base and the insert defines a set of guides for disposition of conductors of the cable in preselected pattern.
  • the base and the conductor support member have cooperative means for facilitating movement of the conductor support member relative to the base.
  • FIG. 17 it can be seen that instead of folding the connector 78 such that the individual jacks are oriented on the same side, as depicted in Fig. 13, the base 79 may remain flat and unfolded so that the individual jacks are disposed on opposite sides.
  • a plate member 142 may be suitably secured to the base 79 so as to abut the respective jack housings, thereby retaining the jacks in position.
  • Suitable openings 144 may be provided in plate 142 so as to permit wall mounting of the flat connector assembly or for stacking of like connector assemblies.

Landscapes

  • Coupling Device And Connection With Printed Circuit (AREA)
  • Details Of Connecting Devices For Male And Female Coupling (AREA)
  • Connections By Means Of Piercing Elements, Nuts, Or Screws (AREA)
  • Multi-Conductor Connections (AREA)
  • Connections Effected By Soldering, Adhesion, Or Permanent Deformation (AREA)
EP19850300755 1984-02-06 1985-02-05 Field installable modular telephone connector Expired EP0154410B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US57710984A 1984-02-06 1984-02-06
US577109 1984-02-06

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0154410A1 EP0154410A1 (en) 1985-09-11
EP0154410B1 true EP0154410B1 (en) 1989-05-17

Family

ID=24307317

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19850300755 Expired EP0154410B1 (en) 1984-02-06 1985-02-05 Field installable modular telephone connector

Country Status (5)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0154410B1 (ja)
JP (1) JPS60205976A (ja)
AU (1) AU564678B2 (ja)
CA (1) CA1232340A (ja)
DE (1) DE3570328D1 (ja)

Families Citing this family (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0180343B1 (en) * 1984-10-08 1991-02-27 AB Electronic Components Limited Electrical contact module and housing
JPS62123674A (ja) * 1985-11-25 1987-06-04 松下電工株式会社 電話用フラツトケ−ブルの分岐接続器
US4725249A (en) * 1986-09-22 1988-02-16 American Telephone & Telegraph Company Connector assembly
CA1312935C (en) * 1987-02-06 1993-01-19 Jay Garthwaite Flush-mounted telephone jack
DE4330682A1 (de) * 1993-09-10 1995-03-16 Framatome Connectors Int Steckverbinder, insbesondere Modularsteckverbinder
US5685740A (en) * 1995-09-20 1997-11-11 Thomas & Betts Corporation Shielded electrical connector
FR2779277B1 (fr) * 1998-05-26 2000-08-18 Legrand Sa Socle de prise de courant multiprise
DE202011050247U1 (de) * 2011-05-24 2012-08-27 Weidmüller Interface GmbH & Co. KG Strukturelement für eine Steckeinheit zum Anschluss elektrischer Bauteile und Steckeinheit für ein Fahrzeug, insbesondere ein Schienenfahrzeug

Family Cites Families (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3496522A (en) * 1967-04-28 1970-02-17 Bell Telephone Labor Inc Wire connecting blocks
US3760335A (en) * 1971-05-27 1973-09-18 Amp Inc Pre-loaded electric connector
US3990764A (en) * 1974-09-09 1976-11-09 Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated Connector
US4303296A (en) * 1978-05-03 1981-12-01 Bunker Ramo Corporation Modular interface connector
US4315664A (en) * 1980-05-05 1982-02-16 Amp Incorporated Modular jack
JPS5817339U (ja) * 1981-07-25 1983-02-02 市川　博夫 容器

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPS60205976A (ja) 1985-10-17
CA1232340A (en) 1988-02-02
EP0154410A1 (en) 1985-09-11
AU3844185A (en) 1985-08-15
AU564678B2 (en) 1987-08-20
JPH0550108B2 (ja) 1993-07-28
DE3570328D1 (en) 1989-06-22

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