Cable organizer with conductor termination array

Details Cable organizer with conductor termination array Cable organizer with conductor termination array

1999-06-10

2001-09-04

Riley, Shawn (Department: 2838)

Electricity: conductors and insulators

Conduits, cables or conductors

Accessories

Reexamination Certificate

active

06284980

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the field of telecommunications, and more particularly to connectors for use in telecommunications system cabling.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The telecommunications and data management industries utilize connective hardware for general building wiring, premises distribution systems, local area networks, and other network applications. The connective hardware known as the 110 Connector Systems has become a standard of the industry because of the reliable gas-tight connection provided by the 110 Insulation Displacement Connector. The miniature quick-connect terminating system is listed or approved by Underwriters Laboratories, the Canadian Standards Association, and the Australian Standards Association. The 110 Connector Systems have gained type approval from such countries as the United Kingdom, Japan, Korea, and others.
The 110 Connector System consists of field-wired cable termination apparatus that is used to organize and administer cable and wiring installations. The main cross-connect is typically located in the equipment room and provides termination and cross-connection of network interface equipment, switching equipment, processor equipment, and backbone (riser or campus) wiring. The horizontal cross-connect is typically located in the telecommunications closet and provides termination and cross-connection of horizontal (to the work area) and backbone wiring. Cross-connects provide efficient and convenient routing and rerouting of common equipment circuits to various parts of a building or campus.
The 110 Connector Systems enable cable and wiring installations to be handled by technical or non-technical end user personnel. Line moves and rearrangement for the cabling terminated at a cross connect can be performed with patchcords (plug-ended jumpers) or cross-connect wire. The patchcords are used where the highest system integrity is required.
Referring now to FIGS.
1
,
2
, and
3
, the prior art 110 Connector System
10
was designed to have its connector ports
15
arranged in horizontal rows in uniformly spaced conductor termination arrays (index strips).
FIG. 1
shows four rows of index strips
14
mounted in a typical wiring block
12
. The spaces between these index strips become troughs, and are alternately dedicated as either cable routing troughs
16
or cross-connect wire routing troughs
18
.
Unsheathed cable conductors
20
are routed through the cable troughs
16
to their appropriate termination ports in the index strips
14
. All cable sheaths stop at the entrance to the cable troughs
16
. Each cable trough
16
feeds conductors to the two index strips that form its sides.
Connecting blocks
22
, each containing several contact elements
24
in pairs, are placed over the index strips
14
and make electrical connections to the cable conductors
20
. These connecting blocks
22
also form the side walls of the troughs
16
and
18
. A designation strip
26
is placed within the cable trough
16
, near the top of the connecting blocks
22
. This strip
26
extends the full length of the cable trough
16
, covering the conductors from cables
20
, and allows the cable connector ports
15
to be visibly labeled as an indication of where the other end of the cables are attached. A pair of row marking surfaces
27
are provided to label each row.
Cross-connect wire (not shown) or patch cords
28
are terminated in the ports
25
on the top of the connecting blocks
22
. Cross-connect wires, when used, are routed to their appropriate ports
24
through the cross-connect troughs
18
between the cable troughs
16
. The connecting blocks
22
form the separator between cable conductors
20
and cross-connect conductors. When patch cords
28
are used, the cross-connect troughs
18
remain empty.
The 110 patchcords
28
are available now in two versions. The old version is a forward-engaging patchcord
28
that uses a forward-engaging plug
30
as shown in FIG.
1
. The patchcord
28
projects outward from the connecting block
22
, is routed through ducts
32
, backboards
34
, and troughs
36
to another connecting block
22
, as shown in FIG.
3
.
The new version patchcord uses a reverse-engaging plug. The new patchcord is further described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,718,604 entitled Patch Cord Connection System issued on Feb. 17, 1998 and is incorporated herein by reference.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a cable organizer, for use in connection with cable conductors. The cable organizer comprises a plate having front and rear surfaces. The plate surfaces extend between opposite upper and lower edges, and between first and second ends. A conductor termination array is mounted on the plate upper edge. Directing means is provided for directing the cable conductors across the plate front surface toward the termination array.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5179618 (1993-01-01), Anton
patent: 5387764 (1995-02-01), Blom et al.
patent: 5718604 (1998-02-01), Conorich et al.
Product Application Guide,110 Connector Systems for Premises Application, Issue 4, Apr. 1994.

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