Wire-wrap connector block base having an articulable side wall

Details Wire-wrap connector block base having an articulable side wall Wire-wrap connector block base having an articulable side wall

1999-06-28

2001-02-13

Bradley, Paula (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

Contact comprising cutter

Insulation cutter

C439S276000, C439S467000, C439S888000, C439S936000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06186820

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to wire-wrap terminal blocks and connectors and, more particularly, to a wire-wrap connector base having an articulable side wall.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Connector blocks are an essential component of a communications network that provide a simple and reliable way to interconnect the various devices, locations, and people using the network. The connector blocks may be provided as part of telecommunications equipment and may include wire-wrap connectors having a wire-wrap terminal and an insulation-displacement connector (IDC) that facilitates rapid connection of another device to the telecommunications equipment and to the network.
The wire-wrap terminals are typically pre-wired during manufacture of the telecommunications equipment within which the connector block is provided. Once wire-wrapped, the wire-wrap terminals are encased in a protective material, i.e., a potting material. A potting cavity is defined on a bottom of the connector block (where the wire-wrap terminals and wire-wrap connections are located) that may be filled with a potting material. To contain the potting material, the potting cavity is typically defined by a continuous wall that extends about the periphery of the connector block. To facilitate the use of automatic wire-wrap equipment, a wire-wrap terminal must be fully accessible from all directions, i.e., it must not be surrounded by walls. During wire-wrapping, the wire-wrap equipment carries a wire for wrapping and moves both horizontally and vertically with respect to the connector block and wire-wrap terminal. Tolerance is provided for movement in the horizontal direction, but not for movement in the vertical direction. Thus, for a wire-wrap terminal surrounded by walls (the wire-wrap terminals provided at the edges and comers of the connector block), movement of the wire-wrap equipment (and the wire carried thereby) downward over the wire-wrap terminal will cause the wire to break. Consequently, different connector block designs are required (one that includes a potting cavity and facilitates potting, and one that does not) depending upon whether potting is required.
There thus exists a need in the art for a connector block having a base that permits automatic wrapping of wire-wrap terminals and that also provides for application of a potting compound after wire-wrapping is complete.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a wire-wrap connector block base adapted to accept a plurality of wire-wrap connectors. The connector block base includes a bottom surface defining a first plane, and a wall fixedly secured to a peripheral edge of the base at the bottom surface and substantially encircling the bottom surface. The wall extends away from the bottom surface in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first plane, and a part of the wall is articulable.
The present invention is also directed to a wire-wrap connector block comprising a base having a bottom surface defining a first plane and a wall secured to a peripheral edge of the base at said bottom surface and substantially encircling the bottom surface. The wall extends away from the bottom surface in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first plane, and a part of the wall is articulable. The inventive wire-wrap connector block also includes a wire-wrap connector including a wire-wrap terminal around which a wire may be secured, and an insulation-displacement connector.
Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings, which are not to scale, are designed solely for the purpose of illustration and not as a definition of the limits of the invention, for which reference should be made to the appended claims.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5256072 (1993-10-01), Hatagishi
patent: 5967829 (1999-10-01), Shinchi
patent: 6030252 (2000-02-01), Oda et al.

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