Electrical connectors – With contact preventer or retractable cover part
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-03
2001-02-20
Patel, T. C. (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
With contact preventer or retractable cover part
C439S142000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06190185
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a connector particularly suitable for use in a building entrance box and, more particularly, to such a connector having a sealing cover.
Where telephone wires enter a building, there is usually provided a building entrance box. The incoming wires, which are typically contained within one or more multi-wire cables, enter a splice chamber in the box, where they are connected to wires which go to a protector field, in a connector chamber of the box, providing protection against lightning, high voltage and high current, and then connections are made within the connector chamber to an output wire connector field. At the connector field, connections are made to wires which extend through the building to output jacks at various locations in the building. Accordingly, a connector is provided within the connector chamber.
When such a box is used in an outdoor application, moisture can enter the box through openings provided for the incoming cables. This moisture can pass from the splice chamber to the connector chamber and can condense on the underside of the connector field, where it can short out terminals. To prevent such problems, in the past the underside of the connector field has been potted. This is a time consuming and costly procedure, requiring a large amount of potting material. It would therefore be desirable to provide a connector which protects the connector field from condensation, without requiring potting.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, there is provided a plurality of elongated conductive terminals each having first and second wire-receiving ends along a longitudinal axis of each terminal and a substantially planar insulative base holding the plurality of terminals in a parallel spaced array. The axes of the terminals are orthogonal to the base with the first ends of all of the terminals extending outwardly from a first side of the base and the second ends of all of the terminals extending outwardly from a second side of the base. An insulative wall extends from the first side of the base and surrounds the first ends of all of the terminals. The wall terminates in a distal edge which is further from the first side of the base than the first ends of all of the terminals. A cover is secured to the wall to enclose the first ends of all of the terminals. The cover has an opening to allow the passage therethrough of wires secured to the first ends of the terminals and the opening is conformable to snugly surround the wires passing therethrough.
In accordance with an aspect of this invention, the wall includes four segments arranged to define a rectangular periphery around the first ends of the terminals and the cover is formed integrally with one of the wall segments and has a substantially planar rectangular configuration matching the rectangular periphery defined by the wall segments.
In accordance with another aspect of this invention, the cover is connected to that wall segment by a living hinge joining a first edge of the cover and the distal edge of the one wall segment.
In accordance with a further aspect of this invention, another edge of the cover is formed with an indentation to define the opening.
In accordance with yet a further aspect of this invention, the connector further includes a grommet formed of resilient insulative material installed in the indentation.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4070078 (1978-01-01), Chrones
patent: 4700995 (1987-10-01), Kupferschmidt et al.
patent: 5726392 (1998-03-01), Farr et al.
Avaya Technology Corp.
Davis David L.
Patel T. C.
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