Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS ~ONNECTOR
This invention relates to telecommunications con-
nectors.
Sometimes it would be convenient for one type of
telecommunications cable to be connected with another to
simplify line circuitry particularly within customer's in-
ternal networks. However, the designs of connectors which it
would otherwise be convenient to connect together, are not
always compatible with one another and therefore a direct
connection between the two ;s impossible. In such situa-
tions, it is clear that an intermediate connector (commonly
referred to as an "adaptor") may be used between the two
connectors which are needed to be joined together. At other
times, connector design may be changed so as to suit certain
requirements and in other instances, bridging links may be
provided between one connector and another which are in fixed
positions and cannot be joined in any other way.
Problems concerning simplification of line
circuitry occur with the use of distribution frames for the
distribution of electrical wiring to access points in ter-
minals within a customer's premises from an incoming tele-
communications cable. The distribution frame may be of the
construction of frame referred to as a "module" in U.S.
Patent 4,278,315, granted July 14, 1981 in the name of B.T.
Osborne. Distribution frames have mounted therein a
plurality of terminal assemblies, normally of a construction
referred to as "cross-connect connectors" in that each
assembly comprises a dielectric terminal carrier with two
spaced rows of insulation displacement terminals held by the
carrier. The terminals of one row are interconnected
electrically and in desired fashion with those of the other
row through the dielectric carrier. The construction of
cross-connect connectors may be as referred to as "connector
block" in U.S. Patent ~,295,703, granted October 20, 1981 in
the name of B.T. Osborne.
According to normal practice, at a distribution
frame an incoming cable is brought into an input location of
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the frame and its conductor wlres are distributed as required
to the various positions for mounting the cross-connect
connectors. Each connector is then connected to its
associated wires of the incoming cable so that these wires
are connected to a row of terminals of each connector which
is disposed at a rear of the connector as mounted in the
frame. Another cable or cables are then connected to the
terminals of the forwardly facing rows in the connectors and
form part of the customer's internal circuitry. These cables
are distributed as necessary throughout a building for con-
nection to telecommunications equipment, e.g. telephones and
data processing equipment.
Various problems associated with the use of the
above distribution frames and cross-connect connectors have
been overcome as highlighted in various patent applications
referred to below. For instance in Canadian Patent
Application No. 527,044, filed January 3, 1987 in the name of
A.G. Cristescu, a connector is described in which a first
part of it is a cross-connect connector and a second part of
it has a modular jack structure for directly recelving plugs
for modular jacks. With this system the telecommunications
equipment may be connected directly to the outlet from the
distribution frame as re~uired. Canadian Patent Application
No. 527,043 filed on January 9, 1987 in the name of A.~.
Cristescu, is concerned with a distribution frame in which
further connectors are wired to the rearwardly facing rows of
terminals of th~ cross-connect connectors, these further
connectors being for direct connection to conductors of an
incoming cable where these conductors are themselves termina-
ted at a connector. In Canadian Patent Application Nos.536,027 and 536,028, filed April 30, 1987 in the name of L.A.
Beaulieu et al, connectors are described for joining together
the forwardly facing rows of cross-connect connactors in one
distribution frame. The connectors described in these two
applications are bridging connectors or patch cord con-
nectors. Further, in U~S. Patent 4,367,908 granted January
11, 1983 in the name of J.J. Johnston, there is described an
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electrical connector coupling ~or electrically connecting
together two plug type connectors o~ the same construction.
The present invention seeks to provide a telecom-
munications connector including a modular jack and plate
terminals electrically connected to terminals in the modular
jack, and in which the connector may be made suitable for use
with a cross-connect connector.
Accordingly, the invention provides a tele-
communications connector comprising:- a modular jack having
a dielectric body with two ends, sides extending between the
ends, the body formed with a chamber and an aperture to the
chamber at one end of the body for accepting a plug into the
chamber, and a plurality of conductive lines, said plurality
of conductive lines having cantilever terminals projecting
into the chamber and blade terminals projecting away from the
other end of the body in a direction opposite to the facing
direction of the aperture, the cantilever terminals being
connected, one to each blade terminal, by intermediate line
portions extending from the cantilever terminals along the
outside o~ the body, around an edge of the body and along the
outside of the other end of the body; and dielectric retain-
ing means comprising a retaining member with a base and walls
extending in spaced apart portions from the base with the
jack body mounted between them and with the other end of the
jack body engaging the base and said intermediate line por-
tions enshrouded between the body and a wall and base of the
retaining member, the blade terminals passing through and
extending from elongate section holes formed in ths base and
which hold the blade terminals in desired locations and
orientations relative to the body of the jack.
With the above telecommunications connector of
suitable design, the plate terminals may be inserted into
terminals of one row of terminals of a cross-connect
connector for enabling a jack of an item of telecommunica-
tions equipment to be connected into the cross-connect con-
nector while avoiding the use of additional circuitry. The
connector of the invention may be constructed in an economic
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fashion by va~ious means. The immediate line portions
extending along the side of and on the outside of the body
and around an edge of the body to the plate terminals avoid
the necessity of laying-in the conductive lines inside the
jack body.
With the above structure however one of the walls
of the retaining member serves to shroud the intermediate
line portions as they extend to the plate terminals. As a
result, although the intermediate line portions lie on the
outside surface of the jack body, there is no disadvantage in
this structure as the lines are insulated from outside the
connector.
The invention also includes a telecommunications
connector comprising:- a modular jack having a dielectric
body with two ends, sides extending between the ends, the
body formed with a chamber and an aperture to the chamber at
one end of the body for accepting the plug into the chamber,
and a plurality of conductive lines, said plurality of con-
ductive lines having cantilever terminals projecting into the
chamber and blade terminals projecting away from the other
end of the body in a direction opposite to the facing
direction of the aperture, the cantilever terminals being
connected one to each blade terminal by intermediate line
portions extending from the can-tilever terminals along the
outside of the body, around an edge of the body and along the
outside of the other end of the body; and dielectric retain-
ing means comprising a retaining member with a base and walls
extending in spaced apart positions from the base, the base
formed with elongate section holes and said retaining member
having been mounted upon the body by movement of the body
between the walls, towards and into contact with the base
progressively to enshroud said intermediate line portions
between the body and the retaining member and to cause the
blade terminals to pass progressively through and then extend
from the holes to hold the blade terminals in desired loca-
tions and positions of orientation relative to the body of
the jack.
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The invention further includes a method of making a
telecommunications connector comprising:- providing a
modular jack having a jack body with two ends and sides
extending bet~een the ends and with a chamber formed within
the body and an aperture to tne chamber at the one end of the
body for accepting a plug into the chamber; providing pre-
formed conductive lines each having a cantilever terminal at
one end and at the other end having a blade $erminal with an
intermediate line portion extending between the cantilever
and blade terminals, assembling the conductive lines on to
the preformed jack body with the intermediate line portions
extending along the outside of the body and with the canti-
lever terminals projecting into the chamber and the blade
terminals at the other end spaced away from the body; subse-
quently bending the conductive lines around an edge of the
body to locate the blade terminals at said other end of the
body and projecting from said other end of the body in a
direction facing in a direction opposite to the facing
direction of the aperture; providing a dielectric retaining
means comprising a dielectric element formed with a base
having slots and walls extending from the base, the walls of
the retaining means spaced apart; and mounting the jack body
between the walls of the retaining member, passing the blade
terminals through the slots provided in the base during
mounting of the body between the walls so that the walls
progressively enshroud the intermediate line portions between
the body and the retaining means until the jack body engages
the base of the retaining means, the blade terminals passing
through and projecting from the base to be retained in
desired locations and orientations relative to the body of
the jack.
Embodiments of the invention will now be described,
by way of example, with reference to the accompanying draw-
ings, in which:-
Figure 1 is an isometric view of a telecommunica-
tions connector;
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the connector
taken along line II-II in Figure 1;
Figure 3 is an isometric view of a jack body of the
connector at ona stage in its manufacture;
Figure 4 is an end view of the jack body in Figure
3;
Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3 at a
different stage in manufacture of the jack;
Figure 6 is an isometric view of another part of
the connector;
Figure 7 is a plan view of a cross-connect
connector to which the connector of the embodiment is to be
connected;
Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view along line VIII-
VIII in Figure 7 of the cross-connect connector;
Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 7 showing the
connector of the embodiment assembled to the cross-connect
connector;
Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along
line X-X in Figure 9; and
Figure 11 is a diagrammatic side view on smaller
scale, showing a further use for the connector of the embodi-
ment.
In the embodiment, a telecommunications connector
10 ~Figures 1 and 2) comprises a modular jack 12 and a
retaining member 14 which provides a dielectric retaining
means for a purpose which will be described. As shown in .
Figures 3, 4 and 5, the modular jack 12 comprises a six-sided
body 16 having two ends 18 and 20 and four walls 22 extending
between the ends. The jack body is formed with a chamber 24
for accepting a conventional plug for a modular jack, the
chamber having an aperture 26 opening at the end 18. The
jack is also provided with four conductive lines 28. Each
conductive line is in the form of a cantilever spring
terminal 30 which projects into the chamber 24 in convention-
al fashion for a modular jack, for contact with a terminal of
the plug to be inserted into the chamber. At the end of the
conductive lines remote from the terminals 30 are provided
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plate terminals 32.
The ~ack 12 is manufactured in a particularly
economical fashion. Each of the conductive lines 28 is
preformed with its terminal 32 soldered or otherwise secured
to the conduc~ive line with the plate terminal 32 projecting
in the opposite direction from the cantilever terminal 30 as
shown in Figure 3. Conductive lines 28 are then disposed in
grooves 31 along one side 22 of the jack body (Figures 3 and
4) and extend through grooves 33 formed in the end 18 of the
body so that the terminals 30 extend into the chamber 24. In
this position, the other ends of the conductive lines 28
extend downwardly beyond the body and past the wall 22 on
which they are mounted with the plate terminals 32 spaced
from and projecting away from the body as shown in Figures 3
and 4. Subsequently, the lower ends of the conductive lines
28 are bent around an edge of the body formed between the
supporting wall 22 and the end 20 so that the lines are
located in grooves 35 in end 20 and the plate terminals
extend outwardly normal to the end 20 as shown in Figure 5.
It is then necessary to hold the plate terminals 32
in a desired location relative to the wall 20 so as to be
able to engage with terminals of another connector. It is
also req~ired to hold the plate terminals 32 in a required
position of orientation relative to the body of the jack,
i. 8 . normal to the end wall 20 as shown in Figure 5. For
this purpose, the dielectric retaining means in the form of
the retaining member 14 is used. It would of course be
possible to hold the plate terminals in their desired posi-
tions by marely applying a planar dielectric plate to the end
wall 20 of the jack body and securing it with adhesive to the
end wall. Such a plate would be formed with apertures or
slots for accommodating the plate terminals 32 so as to hold
them correctly in position. However, in this embodiment, the
retaining means in the form of the retaining member 14 also
serves to shroud the conductive lines 28 so as to protect
them in use of the connector.
Bearing the above points in mind, as shown by
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Figure 6, the retaining member 14 is U-shaped and comprises
two walls 34 extending upwardly from a base 36. Base 36 is
formed with four parallel spaced apart slots 38 to enable the
plate terminals 32 to pass through them during assembly of
the retaining member with the jack 12, i.e. with the jack
contained between the two walls 34 and supported upon the
base 36.
The jack, in its final form shown in Figure 5, is
inserted downwardly between the walls 34 with the conductive
lines 38 shrouded by the walls 34 and base 36.
Means is provided for securing the jack body to the
walls of the retaining member. This retaining means com-
prises a plurality of projections 40 (see Figures 3 and 4)
which extend outwardly from each of the walls 22 for location
within corresponding projection receivin~ regions defined by
the walls 34. These regions are in the form of apertures 4
in the walls 34 (Figure 6). Walls 34 are resiliently
flexible so as to allow for insertion of the jack body
between them with the projections 40 engaging and forcing the
walls apart until the projections enter into the apertures
42. Upon the projections entering the apertures, the walls
resiliently return to their original positions and resist
removal of the jack from between them. It is of course
possible to remove the jack by ~orcing the walls 34 apart as
by inserting a tool between the walls 34 and 22. If it is
desired to secure the parts together permanently, then the
jack body may be secured within the retaining member by some
form of adhesive. In this present embodiment in which both
the jack body and the retaining member are formed from a
suitable dielectric material, i.e. a polycarbonate, then an
ultraviolet curable adhesive may be used between the parts.
In the assembled condition, as shown in Figures 1
and 2, the plate terminals 32 project through the slots 3~ to
be held securely in their positions and directions of
orientation with the conductive lines 28 completely shrouded
by the retaining member 14. Thus the connector is
manufactured in a simple fashion by the molding of two inter-
i
fitting body parts, i.e. the jack body and the retaining
member. The body parts, when assembled, completely shroud
the conductive lines which are assembled to the jack body
merely by placing them around the outer surface of the body.
Thus, the manufacturing procedure avoids the forming of
passageways through the dielectric material for acceptance of
the conductive lines or alternatively, avoids the more com-
plicated process of inserting the preshaped lines and plate
terminals 32 in a re~uired position within a mold so as
to be molded into a single dielectric body during the molding
procedure.
The connector 10 is intended to be secured to a
terminal assembly such as the BIX (Registered Trade Mark of
Northern Telecom Limited) terminal assembly 44 shown in
Figures 7 and 8 and commonly used in distribution frames of
telephone exchanges. Each terminal assembly 44, commonly
referred to as a cross-connect connector is of the
construction described in U.S. Patent 4,295,703 and comprises
an elongate dielectric terminal carrier 46 having a recti-
linear array of vertically extending slots 48 provided in two
longitudinally extending edges of the terminal carrier. In
Figures 7 and 8, one edge only of the carrier 46 is shown.
The slots 48 are in pairs and a finger 50 projects forwardly
between the individual slots of each pair. Upper and lower
faces 52 and 54 (Figure 10) of the carrier 46 include upper
and lower longitudinally extending recesses 56 and 58
respectively, disposed rearwardly from the forward edge 59
of the carrier. Each of the recesses 56 and 58 is inter-
rupted along its length by the slots 48.
The terminal carrier 46 carries an array of insu-
lation displacement terminals each comprising a pair of
contact arms 60 which extend from within the carrier 46 and
project forward into a respective slot 48. One of the arms
60 includes a preload projection 62 which engages the other
arm to spring the arms slightly apart, and a strain relief
projection 64 which is located forward of the preload pro-
jection and which projects towards the other arm. Each arm
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also includes a cutting adge 66 at its forward end adjacent
the cutting edge of the opposite arm. The arms 60 may be
resiliently deflec-ted in opposite lateral directions within
the terminal carrier so as normally to accommodate an insula-
ted conductor wire 68 between them.
However, it is intended that a connector or con-
nectors lo will be connected to the terminals of terminal
assembly 44 so as to enable items of telecommunications
equipment to be connected directly with the terminal assembly
by insertion of plugs into the jacks 12, the plugs being con-
nec-ted directly by cable with the items of terminal equipment.
To enable the connector 10 to be connected into
terminals of the terminal assembly 44, the connector lO is
provided with two pairs of latches 72 which, as shown in
Figure 2, are molded integrally with the retaining member 14.
The latches of each pair are molded one between each pair of
plate terminals 32. When the connector 10 is assembled to
the terminal assembly ~4, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, the
plate terminals 32 extend between contact arms 60 of each
pair so as to make electrical connection with them. ~t the
same time, the latches 72 are opened by movement across the
upper and lower faces 52 and 54 of carrier 46 until facing
heads 7~ of the latches enter into the recesses 56 and 58 in
the faces 52 and 54. As shown in Figure 10, the latches then
resiliently move towards each other so that heads 74 occupy
the recesses 56 and 58 to hold the connector 10 in position.
With the connector disposed as shown in Figures 9 and 10, a
plug connected to an item of terminal equipment may then be
inserted into the jack 12 to be connected with the terminal
assembly.
In an alternative use of connectors 10 of the
embodiment, as shown in Figure 11, two connectors 10 are
assembled into two terminal assemblies 44 provided either
upon the same distribution frame or on different distribution
frames. A patch cord 76 extends between them, the cord 76
having at its ends two plugs 78 received within the modular
jacks 12.
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