Electrical connectors – With or having flexible guard or support for cable or conductor – Pivotal
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-19
2001-04-24
Bradley, Paula (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With or having flexible guard or support for cable or conductor
Pivotal
C439S310000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06220889
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to cable connectors for cables used in voice and data communication systems.
2. Discussion of the Known Art
Industry standard “Category 5” cables comprise 25 unshielded twisted pairs (UTP) of insulated wires for carrying voice and data signals. These cables are quite rigid and difficult to bend. Thus, it becomes difficult if not impossible for a customer always to be able to route such cables conveniently in various applications where space is limited. When a number of typical 25-wire pair connectors associated with such cables are mounted in close proximity to one another, as normally occurs in the field, the stiffness of the cables makes their routing near the connectors especially troublesome.
In an attempt to meet different user applications, various connector arrangements have been proposed that offer the user a limited number of options with respect to cable egress angle relative to a connector body. This requires the user to determine beforehand which angle or angles are best suited for a particular application, however. Also, suppliers of such connectors must inventory a number of different cable connector/cable assemblies, so as to accommodate user requests for a particular plug connector type and cable length.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,794,960 issued Feb. 26, 1974, discloses an electrical connector junction shell that supports a cable which exits from an associated connector with an in-line or “straight up” configuration (i.e., at an angle of 180 degrees with respect to the direction in which the connector faces), or at a right angle (90 degrees) with respect to the direction of the connector face. As mentioned, applications exist where cable egress angles other than 180 or 90 degrees may be desirable to satisfy installations where a number of connectors are mounted close to one another and space for routing of the connector cables is limited.
Further, U.S. Pat. No. 4,761,145 issued Aug. 2, 1988, shows an electrical connector with a housing that has three openings facing in different directions through which wires can exit in a selected direction. To change the egress direction, it is necessary to disassemble the connector housing, redirect the wires through a different opening, and to clamp the wires with a clamp piece and an actuating screw.
Accordingly, the known connector housings or shells do not permit wires or cables to be set conveniently at a desired egress angle to meet the needs of various installations where angles ranging from, for example, 110 to 240 degrees may be required.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention, an adjustable cable egress mechanism for cable connectors includes a protective hood, and a supporting hub that is mounted within the hood for rotation about a hub axis. The hub has a cable passage, and the hood has an outside wall with a cable egress slot. The egress slot is formed in the hood to open into the cable passage in the hub, over a predetermined range of angular positions of the hub about the hub axis. Thus, an outside cable passing through the cable egress slot and extending in the cable passage in the hub can be rotated with the hub about the hub axis and supported by the hub at a desired egress angle within the predetermined range.
According to another aspect of the invention, a cable connector comprises a connector body having a terminal face for engaging terminals of a mating connector, and a cable end face for terminating cable conductors, diverging from a cable end of an outside cable. A hood is constructed and arranged for protectively enclosing the conductors and the cable in the region of the cable end face of the connector body, and a hub is mounted for rotation about a hub axis within the hood, the hub having a cable passage. The hood has a wall with a cable egress slot formed to open into the cable passage in the hub over a range of angular positions about the hub axis. Thus, an outside cable passing through the egress slot in the hood and extending in the passage in the hub, can be rotated with and supported by the hub at a desired egress angle within the mentioned range.
According to another aspect of the invention, a cable assembly includes a length of cable having a cable end, and a number of cable conductors diverging from the cable end. The assembly also includes a connector body having a terminal face, and a cable end face for terminating cable conductors from the cable end. A hood is constructed and arranged for protectively enclosing the conductors and the cable near the cable end face of the connector body, and a hub is mounted within the hood for rotation about a hub axis, the hub having a cable passage. A wall of the hood has a cable egress slot formed to open into the cable passage in the hub over a certain range of angular positions about the hub axis, and the cable passes through the cable egress slot in the hood and extends in the cable passage in the hub, so that the cable may rotate with the hub about the hub axis and be supported by the hub at a desired egress angle within the mentioned range.
For a better understanding of the invention, reference is made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing and the appended claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3794960 (1974-02-01), Sugar
patent: 4761145 (1988-08-01), Goto et al.
patent: 4959021 (1990-09-01), Byrne
patent: 5366187 (1994-11-01), Ishihara
patent: 5390433 (1995-02-01), Brady
patent: 5735707 (1998-04-01), O'Groske et al.
patent: 2 085 242 (1982-04-01), None
Ely Steven Barry
Glenn Jerry Lee
Straub Paul John
Wolfe Cherie L.
Avaya Technology Corp.
Bradley Paula
Harvey James R.
Law Office of Leo Zucker
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