GB2197547A

GB2197547A - Telephone connector block

Info

Publication number: GB2197547A
Application number: GB08718935A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul V De Luca
Original assignee: Porta Systems Corp
Current assignee: North Hills Signal Processing Corp
Priority date: 1986-08-13
Filing date: 1987-08-11
Publication date: 1988-05-18
Anticipated expiration: 2007-08-11
Also published as: IT1222486B; BE1001862A4; NO170187B; BR8704187A; NO873416D0; DE3726776A1; GB2197547B; NO170187C; IT8721638A0; GB8718935D0; SE8703152L; NL8701907A; FR2602921A1; SE468151B; NO873416L; IL83481A0; SE8703152D0

Description

1 GB2197547A 1

SPECIFICATION

Telephone connector block The invention relates generally to the field of 70 telephony, and more particularly to a tele phone connector block.

Such a block can be a subscriber circuit connector block normally employed for inter connecting subscriber pairs to telephone com pany switching equipment. Devices of this general kind are well known in the art, and the invention is concerned with specific con structional details which permit manufacture by assembling a plurality of laminar elements to vary the effective capacity of an individual block, as well as improved convenience of as sembly, installation and interconnection.

Laminar type construction in the manufac ture of telephone connector blocks has previ ously been employed, some of such construc tions employed so-called quick clip connec tors, the use of which has become standar dized in the telephone industry. The present practice is to insert mould the connectors in place with free ends projecting from the block to permit interconnection of conductors using an installation tooL The insert moulding tech nique, of necessity, cannot provide insulative protection extending to the free ends of the quick clip connnector terminals, nor can it pro vide for ready replacement of a damaged con tact should such replacement become neces sary. Further, once manufactured, the particu lar kind of connector is not subject to modifi cation for individual requirements of a user at a later date.

According to the invention there is provided a telephone connector block to interconnect individual subscriber pairs to central equipment comprising:

a plurality of generally planar contact holding elements in parallel juxtaposed relation; a plurality of contact elements supported upon each of the contact holding elements; means interconnecting the contact holding elements in substantially congruent relation; and means for interconnecting the block to a telephone main frame; wherein the contact holding elements each have first and second planar surfaces, one of the surfaces has a plurality of paired laterally extending recesses therein with the recesses communicating with each other at their inner ends; the contact elements each include paired and interconnected quick clip connectors posi tioned within a corresponding pair of the re cesses whereby outside subscriber pairs may be connected on one side of the block and corresponding inside pairs may be connected on an opposite side of the block; and the juxtaposed contact holding elements have passages formed therebetween to ac- commodate conductors on either side thereof and each of the passages communicates with one of each of the pairs of the laterally extending recesses.

Such a telephone connector block can be particularly suited for low cost production, with a high degree of convenience in assembly using a plurality of standardized components maintained in operative relation using threaded interconnecting means. An individual block can comprise first and second end support elements and a plurality of the individual planar contact holding elements sandwiched between end support elements and each in- cluding interconnected pairs of quick clip terminals, with each interconnected pair able to accommodate a single subscriber circuit. The quick clip terminals of each pair may be oriented at a mutual right angle and may be maintained in position solely by the juxtaposed condition of the mutually adjacent contact holding elements. The support elements are threadedly engaged by the interconnecting means to maintain the contact holder elements disposed therebetween. The contact holding elements preferably support the quick clip connectors throughout substantially the entire length of the quick clip connectors, and provide insulative and strain relief protective func- tions. The contact holding elements may incorporate a conductor retaining area into which the free end of a conductor may be moved to be retained until subsequently engaged by a tool which then moves the con- ductor into the respective quick clip connector and a corresponding strain relief area disposed immmediatly adjacent thereto.

The invention is diagrammatically illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is a top plan view of a first embodiment of a telephone connector block according to the invention; Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the block of Fig. 1; Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the block of Fig. 1; Figure 4 is a rear elevational view thereof; Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3; Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. j; Figure 7 is a fragmentary view in elevation of a contact element for use in a telephone connector block according to the invention; Figure 8 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 6; Figure 9 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 6; Figure 10 is an enlarged view in elevation of an alternative form of contact element; Figure 11 is a fragmentary view in elevation, partly in section, corresponding to the upper portion of Fig. 10, and showing the engage- ment of a resiliently engaged quick clip termi- 2 GB2197547A 2 nal; Figure 12 is an end elevational view taken on line 12-12 in Fig. 11; Figure 13 is a top plan view of a second embodiment of a telephone connector block 70 according to the invention; Figure 14 is a fragmentary side elevational view taken on line 13-13 of Fig. 13; Figure 15 is an end elevational view as seen from the upper portion of Fig. 13; and 75 Figure 16 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view corresponding to the left central portion of Fig. 13.

Referring to the drawings, a first embodi ment of the invention has a telephone connec tor block generally indicated at 10, comprising first and second support elements 11 and 12, a plurality of contact holding elements 13, corresponding quick clip connectors 14, and interconnecting means 15.

The support elements 11 and 12 are sub stantially identical, and accordingly, a detailed consideration of one of such elements will serve equally well to describe the other. Each element is formed from moulded synthetic re- 90 sinous material, and includes an elongate main body 21, an inner end flange 22, and a pair of tapered longitudinally extending flanges 23 and 24.

The main body 21 is bounded by an outer surface 26 which extends to a notched outer end surface 27 and to a parallel inner surface 28. A plurality of bores 29 extend between the inner 28 and outer 26 surfaces. Recesses and 31 form portions of wire guide means, while recesses 32 and 33 provide clearance for the connector elements 14, as described hereinafter. The end flange 22 in cludes fillets 34, and is bounded by an inner surface 35, an outer surface 36 and end sur- 105 faces 37 and 38.

The contact holding elements 13 are also preferably integrally moulded from synthetic resinous material, and each includes a main body 44 having an inner end 45 from which a 110 pair of laterally extending flanges 46 and 47 project. An outer end 48 terminates in a notched recess 49 for the accommodation of inclicia means 49' of known kind. Through openings 50 correspond to the bores 29 in the elements 11 and 12 to accommodate the interconnecting means 15.

An upper surface 52 is provided with axially extending shaped recesses 53 for clearance purposes. The recesses 53 are disposed in- 120 wardly of first and second longitudinal edges 54 and 55. A corresponding lower surface 59 communicates with a pair of laterally extend ing flanges 60 and 61, each of which includes angularly disposed rectangular recesses 62 which communicate at a channel 63 at the inner end thereof with a centrally disposed re cess 64. Each of the recesses 62 includes an open outer end 66 having a pair of axially aligned slots 67, each slot including an outer relatively wider portion 68 and an inner relatively narrower portion 69. Each pair of interconnected recesses 62 accommodates a metallic contact element 70 having first and second contact members 71 and 72 in the form of quick clip connectors. Each pair of contact members is welded or soldered together at a position 73.

The contact members 71, 72 include a main body 75 forming first and second outer tines 76 and 77, as well as a central tine 78 to form first and second conductor retaining slots 79 and 80. The slots include a wider portion 81 which serves an insulation displac- ing function, and an inner portion 82 which can resiliently retain a bared conductor. Inwardly projecting wire wrap legs 85 are soldered or welded at the position 73 to provide communication from one side of the block to the other.

The above-described elements are maintained in integrated condition by the interconnecting means 15 which includes a plurality of threaded shanks 90 and corresponding headed screws 91 engaged at each end thereof. When installed, conductors (not shown) are threaded through wire guide passages formed by the flanges 60 and 61 to be engaged upon the free ends of the quick clip connectors in known manner using an installation tool. Such installation will normally displace insulations surrounding a conductor, so that the bare conductor will be in communication between the tines of the quick clip connector. In the case of the present construction, the narrow portions 69 of the slots 67 will then engage adjacent, non-displaced, portions of the insulative covering and form a strain relief for the related conductor.

Turning now to Figs. 10, 11 and 12 of the drawings, there is illustrated an alternate form of contact element suitable for use where the user desires the convenience of a quick clip connector which may be manually removed after the device has been assembled, for purposes of replacement without the necessity of disassembling the device. Such replacement might be desirable in the case of damage, or where a different gauge of conductor is to be interconnected to some of the quick clip connectors.

In lieu of employing standardized quick clip connectors, there is provided a contact element 94 which may be formed as a unitary metallic stamping from phosphor bronze or similar material. The stamping includes first and second channel forming members 96 and 97 interconnected by a common wall 98. Quick clip terminals 99 are formed separately, without a wire wrap stem.

The channel forming members 96 and 97 each include a base wall 100 and a pair of side walls 101 and 102 from which resilient tongues 103 and 104 are bent inwardly into the channel formed between the walls 101 3 GB2197547A 3 and 102. The tongues 103 and 104, in rela tively unstressed condition, abut each other at free ends 105, and are moved away from each other with the insertion of the quick clip terminals 99.

Turning now to the second embodiment of the invention, illustrated in Figs. 13 to 16, there is shown a further form of the invention having structural features facilitating installa tion.

While the first embodiment affords a signifi cant improvement over corresponding prior art construction, some difficultly has been en countered in the maintenance of the free ends of individual subscriber pairs in position adja- 80 cent the end of a corresponding quick clip connector, so that large numbers of such pairs can be conventiently interconnected in serial fashion using a manually operated spe cialized tool for this purpose. In the first em- 85 bodiment, there has been a tendency for the ends of conductors not to remain ready for engagement by the tool, owing to restorative forces caused by elastic memory in either the conductor or its insulative covering. Where it 90 is necessary to interrupt the use of the tool in order to realign the end of the conductor for engagement therewith, a substantial time is lost, and, in some cases, the terminal can be interconnected with an incorrect conductor.

To avoid this problem, in the second em bodiment, the contact holder elements which support the quick clip contact elements are modified so that they extend a greater dis tance outwardly of the quick clip terminals which they support, and incorporate a conduc tor retaining area into which the free end of the terminal may be moved to be retained until subsequently engaged by a tool which then moves the conductor into the quick clip 105 and a corresponding strain relief area disposed immediately adjacent thereto.

In accordance with the second embodiment a telephone connector block 110 has a confi- guration corresponding to the block 10 dis- 110 closed in the first embodiment. The block 110 includes a plurality of contact holding elements each having a main body 112 bounded by an upper surface 113, a lower surface 114 and first and second longitudinal edges- 115 and 116, respectively. Extending from the lower surface 114 are a pair of laterally extending flanges 117 and 118, each having upwardly facing angularly disposed rectangular recesses 119 having at inner ends thereof communicating channels 120 leading to centrally disposed recesses 121.

At the open outer ends 123.of the recesses 119 are a pair of aligned slots 124 which extend inwardly parallel to the axis of the recesses 119. The slots 124 perform, in addition to the strain relief function disclosed in the first embodiment, an additional function, that of holding in releasable fashion the free end of a subscriber pair conductor in position for ready engagement with a conductor seating tool (not shown) of known kind.

To this end, each of the slots 124 includes a first outer flanged portion 125, which may be of semi-circular configuration. The first portion leads to a second relatively narrow elongate portion 126 of width less than that of a sheathed or insulation carrying conductor 129. The second portion 126, in turn, communi- cates with a third portion 127 in the form of a generally circular recess of diameter slightly less than the diameter of the conductor 129. A fourth portion 128 communicates with the portion 127 and is of a width correponding to that of the second portion 126 to provide strain relief function as the bare conductor is positioned within a corresponding conductor retaining slot in an overlying quick clip conductor.

Correponding metallic contact elements 130 are conventional quick clip connectors, each including first and second contact members 131 and 132, the wire wrap portions of which are interconnected at a position 133. Each of the contact members 131, 132 includes a main body 136 supporting first and second outer tines 137 and 138 on either side of a central tine 139. The tines 137 to 139 define spreadable first and second con- ductor retaining slots 140 and 141 which, as known in the art, provide an insulation displacing function with the engagement of a conductor 129 therein.

During assembly, the conductors 129 are positioned as disclosed in the first embodiment. The ends of subscriber pair conductors 142 instead of being merely positioned opposite the conductor retaining slots 140 and 141, are first engaged within the slots 124 by pushing the conductor past the first and second portions 125 and 126 to become resliently lodged in the third portion 127, where they may remain until engagement by the installation tool which pushes the ends of the conductor into the slots 140 or 141, wherein the insulation becomes displaced, and electrical communication established. In this position, the fourth portion 128 performs a strain relief function identical to that of the first embodiment.

However, as constrasted with the structure of the first embodiment, the end of the conductor 129 is resiliently maintained in proper position for engagement with the installation tool, and is not free to displace itself out of alignment with the slot 140, 141, the occurrance of which requires additional effort on the part of the person using the engagement tool. The possibility of interconnecting an in- correct conductor with a particular quick clip connector is also substantially eleminated.

Claims

1. A telephone connector block to inter- connect individual subscriber pairs to central 4 GB2197547A 4 equipment comprising:

a plurality of generally planar contact holding elements in parallel juxtaposed relation; a plurality of contact elements supported upon each of the contact holding elements; means interconnecting the contact holding elements in substantially congurent relation; and means for interconnecting the block to a telephone main frame; wherein the contact holding elements each have first and second planar surfaces, one of the surfaces has a plurality of paired laterally extending recesses therein with the recesses communicating with each other at their inner ends; the contact elements each include paired and interconnected quick clip connectors posi tioned within a corresponding pair of the re cesses whereby outside subscriber pairs may 85 be connected on one side of the block and corresponding inside pairs may be connected on an opposite side of the block; and the justaposed contact holding elements have passages formed therebetween to ac commodate conductors on either side thereof and each of the passages communicates with one of each of the pairs of the laterally ex tending recesses.

2. A telephone connector block according to claim 1, in which the connectors of each pair of quick clip connectors are oriented at a mutual right angle.

3. A telephone connector block accoreing to claim 1, in which the connectors of each pair of quick clip connectors are separably in terconnected and maintained in mutual inter connection by an interconnecting member hav ing resilient means for retaining the quick clip connectors.

4. A telephone connector block according to claim 1, in which the recesses in the contact elements substantially enclose the entire length of the quick clip connectors, and have openings therein corresponding to conductor retaining slots in the quick clip connectors to provide a strain relief function relative to an engaged conductor.

5. A telephone connector block according to claim 1, in which the contact holding elements enclose substantially the entire length of the contact elements and have openings therein corresponding to conductor retaining slots in the quick clip connectors, the open- ings including a first end portion of a width corresponding to an insulated conductor, a second portion of relatively narrower width, a third portion of generally arcuate configuration and of a diameter corresponding to the width of the first portion, and a fourth portion of narrower width corresponding to the width of the second portion; the third portion forming a recess resiliently to retain the end of a conductor in abutted relation relative to the open end of the conductor retaining slot in the re- spective quick clip connector; whereby upon assembly of subscriber pair conductors within the block, and prior to engagement with a determined one of the quick clip connectors, the end of each of the conductors may be positioned and resiliently maintained at the end of a respective one of the slots to be engaged by a tool which can engage the con ductor within the slot.

6. A telephone connector block according to any one of claims 1 to 5, including first and second elongate support elements with the contact holding elements positioned be tween the support elements and wherein the interconnecting means connect the contact holding elements and the support elements together and the support elements provide the means for interconnecting the block to a telephone main frame.

7. A telephone connector block substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Published 1988 at The Patent Office, State House, 66/71 High Holborn, London WC 1 R 4TP. Further copies may be obtained from Th a Patent Office, Sales Branch, St Mary Cray, Orpington, Kent BR5 3RD. Printed by Burgess & Son (Abingdon) Ltd. Con. 1/87.

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