Electrical connectors – Contact comprising cutter – Insulation cutter
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-15
2001-06-19
Gellner, Michael L. (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
Contact comprising cutter
Insulation cutter
C439S410000, C439S676000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06247959
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to telephone wire connectors, and, more particularly, to modular plug assemblies.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
Modular plugs are well known in the prior art, such as RJ-11 type plugs and RJ45 type plugs. In connecting a telephone, computer modem, or other device requiring hard wiring to a telephone network, a multi-conductor wire having a modular plug at each end is provided, wherein one modular plug is inserted into a modular jack provided in the device (typically in the rear of the device), and the other modular plug is inserted into a modular jack (typically wall-mounted) which is part of the network. Typically, such wires are sold with a fixed length with the modular plugs being connected thereto, generally by crimping. For example, common wire lengths are three feet, six feet, nine feet and twelve feet.
Although fixed-length wires are widely used, the wires do have some shortcomings. In particular, a device may be located a distance from a network modular jack which is slightly greater than one length of wire, but considerably less than the next length of wire. For example, a device may have a modular jack which is located 6.1 feet from a network modular jack, where the device is, as a practical matter, immovable. As is readily apparent, a six-foot wire is insufficient to service this application, whereas, the next length of wire (nine-foot), although usable, defines slack which must be bundled, or somehow, accounted for. Excess wiring, including excessively slack wiring, is undesired in view of the clutter already present behind many devices, especially modem devices. Additionally, upon occasion, fixed-length prior art wires are too short to service an application.
To overcome some of the problems with the prior art, methods have been developed to splice two or more cut wires to form a wire of desired length. Splicing is often achieved by crimping which requires special crimping tools. Also, custom-length wires have been formed which are cut to the desired length and the modular plugs are crimped thereto.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To overcome shortcomings in the prior art, a modular plug assembly is provided which is adapted to receive, and grippingly engage, a wire. In the preferred embodiment, the modular plug assembly of the subject invention is caused to grip a wire in a toolless manner. As used herein, the term “toolless” indicates that an instrument or device, such as a crimping tool, screw driver, etc., beyond the components of the assembly, is not used.
The modular plug assembly preferably includes two components: a modular plug body; and an insulation displacement connector (IDC). By way of a non-limiting example, a two-conductor wire is referred to herein in describing the invention; however, as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention is usable with wires having three or more conductors, and is also usable with a single-conductor wire.
The modular plug body is structurally and dimensionally equivalent to a standard modular plug known in the prior art, such as a RJ-11 type plug or a RJ45 type plug, so as to be receivable in a standard prior art modular jack. With a two conductor arrangement, the modular plug body is formed to resemble a RJ-11 type plug. In contrast to prior art modular plugs, the modular plug body of the subject invention includes a passage that extends from, and through, the rear face thereof, and at least one aperture, preferably three, that extends through the bottom face of the modular plug body and into communication with the passage. The passage is configured so as to define a shoulder, whereas, each aperture defines a stop member disposed between the respective aperture and the rear face of the modular plug body.
IDC's are well known in the prior art and any design can be used with the subject invention which includes at least one terminal strip having conductor engaging arms defined at one end thereof formed both to displace the insulation of a conductor and to contact a conductive portion of the conductor. To describe the subject invention, by way of a non-limiting example, reference is made to a pivotable type IDC, known in the art as a mini-rocker type IDC, such as those sold by A. C. Egerton. Other types of IDC's can be used with the invention, including plunger type toolless IDC's, such as, for example, the SC-99 type IDC sold by Lucent Technologies. These IDC's are each provided with a terminal body that facilitates forced engagement of a conductor with the terminal strips in a toolless manner. As an alternative, no terminal body is used with the subject invention. Here, specially-crafted tools may be used to force engagement of a conductor with a terminal strip, such as, for example, the ubiquitous 66-type IDC known in the art. However, with specially-crafted tools, forced engagement of a conductor will not be achieved in a toolless manner.
Two terminal strips are provided to accommodate the two conductors. The terminal strips used with the subject invention are each formed with at least one downwardly extending lead, and preferably two. The terminal strips are mounted into the modular plug body with portions of the respective terminal strips being inserted into the passage of the modular plug body, and the respective leads being seated in the apertures adjacent to the stop members. The stop members serve to hinder the removal of the leads from the modular plug body.
The IDC is also formed with a terminal body that facilitates forced engagement of the conductors with the terminal strips. The terminal body includes a housing and a locking arm projecting therefrom. A bridge extends from the housing to define a slot with the locking arm that is dimensioned to slidably receive portions of the terminal strips. The terminal strips are disposed within the slot so as to have the respective conductor-engaging arms extend into the housing. As with all pivotable type BDC's, a pivotable body is mounted to the housing. To accommodate two conductors, two conductor-receiving channels are defined in the pivotable body. As known in the prior art, the pivotable body works to receive conductors when in an open position, and, upon pivoting closed, to force the conductors into engagement with the terminal strips within the IDC. With the pivotable body, the terminal strips are able to engage and grip conductors in a toolless manner.
The locking arm is formed with a ramped projection extending from one end thereof. To assemble the terminal body of the IDC and the modular plug body, the locking arm is inserted into the passage of the modular plug body and forced into a locked position in abutting contact with the shoulder of the modular plug body. The shoulder defined in the modular plug body coacts with the ramped projection to hinder separation of the modular plug body and the terminal body. Additionally, in an assembled state, the locking arm is disposed adjacent to the terminal strips. As a result, the terminal strips and the locking arm cooperate to hinder the removal of these elements from the modular plug body.
In one assembly procedure, the modular plug assembly is assembled by first inserting the terminal strips into the modular plug body with the respective leads being seated in the apertures of the modular plug body. Thereafter, the ramped projection of the locking arm is forcibly inserted into the passage of the modular plug body, until the ramped projection comes into a locked position, as described above. The conductors of a wire are then inserted into the pivotable body of the IDC and caused to be engaged and gripped by the terminal strips. The modular plug body is then ready to be inserted into a modular jack to create electrical connections between the modular jack and the conductors through the terminal strips.
As can be readily appreciated, the subject invention allows for a wire to be cut to any desired length and connected to a modular plug body that is insertable into a modular plug jack. Consequently, problems found in the prior art, with
Daoud Bassel H.
Debalko George
Figueiredo Antonio A.
Helmstetter Christopher
Kerr David S.
Avaya Technology Corp.
Gellner Michael L.
Lee Kyung S.
Stroock & Stroock & Lavan
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