Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~ 3 ~ 3 ~
FLUSH-MOUNT~D TELEPHONE JACK
The present invention relates to telephone voice
and data carrying devices, and more particularly to a flush-
mounted voice and data application jack system.
A need has existed for some time for a system or
~ 5 ~ means by which installers and repair personnel are able to
more easily and with less labor handle the installation and
repair of telephone and data lines. This need further
requires that any such system or means be reliable and
efficient in use, and that it not carry with it a severe
- 10 _ economic penalty to the user.
Conventional apparatus utilizes technology in
which terminates electrical connections in scrPw-conductor
terminations, with these connections at the rear of the
wiring devices employed. This type of termination is
- 15 _ inherently "uncertain" and often unreliable in the sense
that one never is certain how tight the connections have
been made, assuming that the installer (or repairperson) has
reme~bered to fully tighten all started connections. With
different installers, one realizes different connections in
- 20 - many cases.
Wiring of conventional apparatus most often
requires the relatively time-consuming chore of stripping
and bending of insulated conductors about each terminal
screw after accessing the screws in the rear of the devices
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and, thereafter, hand-tightening down o~ ~he screws on the
stripped wires. There i~ the ever present uncertainty with
those connections in which screws are tightened down more
firmly that overtightening will result in a severed
conductor. It is known that insecure or unreliable
_ 5 _ terminations or electrical connections result in
interference with quality voice communications such as,
without limitation, noise, scratchiness and static on the
lineO In the case of data transmissions, such as between
computers, noise on the line resulting from poor connections
- 10 _ results in errors and less reliable data transfers, which
attack the very heart and goals of reliable data
transmissions.
Another drawback of conventional technology
resides in the relatively large enclosures required for
- 15 - devices with relatively larger numbers of terminations, such
as 16 terminations (conductors). These enclosures
themselves include covers which require screw-type fasteners
for access to the connections. With conventional
technology, a repairperson must access t~e rear screw
_ ~o - terminations for employing test equipment, this in many
instances resulting in the disturbance of existing
terminations due to what has conventionally required the
removal and turning of wiring components.
As for the conventional technology in which
_ ~5 _ insulation displacement clips and wiring tools are utilized,
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none are free froffl one or more of the aforesaid
disadvantages or limitations, and none of the known existing
devices exhibit the combination of elements taught by the
present invention, whether taken singly or in any
_ 5 _ combination with one another.
~ t is an object of the present invention to
provide a combination of elements in which a telephone and
data modular jac~ outlet eliminates screw-type conductor
connections.
- 10 - It is another object of the present invention to
provide such a combination which is mountable within a
conventional size in-wall electrical outlet box.
Yet another object is to provide such a
combination which drastically reduces the labor, skill and
- 15 - time required to install and/or repair same.
A further object of this invention is to provide
such a combination, wherein reliable and efficient terminal
clip technology is employed.
Another object is to provide such a system,
- 20 _ wherein a variety of jack configurations (number of
conductors, etc.) are enveloped within a system jack outer
configuration, enabling one to inventory and snap-in those
jacks desired.
Still another object of the present invention is
- 25 - to provide a combination as above, wherein access to
terminations is at the face or front of the devices, as
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opposed to in ~he rear, and wherein conventional removal and
turning of same is not required.
Another object is to provide such a c~mbination,
wherein a unique "lacing" of conductors yields a strain
_ 5 _ relief benefit which, in addition, provides the user with
spare wire for possible later repairs that may require
shortening of the wires and reconnections.
Still a further object is to provide the foregoing
combination in a structure that is unique, eliminates the
- 10 - need for screw-type assembly, is self-aligning, and ~tilizes
snap-together-apart system.
Yet other objects include the elimination of the
aforesaid disadvantages and limitations of conventional or
prior art devices, systems and methods.
- 15 - Further objects of the present invention and its
features will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art
upon a reading of the present specifications, together with
the drawings annexed hereto wherein, throughout the several
views, similar reference characters denote similar elements,
- 20 - and wherein:
Fig~ 1 is an upper right perspective view of a
jack with its face plate in place and mounted to a wall
surface;
Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-
- 25 _ 2 of Fig. l;
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Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-
3 of Fig. 2;
- Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-
4 of Fig. 2;
_ 5 _ Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-
S of Fig. 2;
Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6-
6 of Fig. 2:
Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 7-
- 10 - 7 of Fig. 2
Fig. ~ is a sectional view taken along the line 8-
8 of Fig. 2, illustrated in apparent upside down orientation
for comparison with Fig. 10:
Fig. 9 is a æectional view taken along the line 9-
- 15 - 9 of Fig. 2;
Fig. 10 is an upper right fragmentary perspective
view of a portion of a clip retainer mount; and
Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken along the line
11-11 of Fig. 2.
_ ~0 _ Fig. 12 is a top plan view of a universal housing
according to the present invention, looking at its inner
bottom surfaces;
Fig. 13 i~ a bottom plan view of a front cover
plate according to the present invention, looking at its
_ ~5 _ inner surfaces;
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Fig. 14 is a plan view of an insert tape pad
according to the present invention;
Fig. 15 is a sectional view taken along line 15-15
of Fig. 14:
_ 5 _ Fig. 16 is a front view of a strain relief insert
according to the present invention; and
Fig. 17 is a sectional view taken along line 17-17
of Fig. 16- .
Referring now in more detail to the drawinqs, Fig.
- 10 - 1 illustrates in a perspective~type view a flush-mounted
telephone jack system 10 according to the present invention,
mounted by means of screws to a wall surface or the like.
Throughout the present specification and possibly the claims
hereof, the term "system" may be used to emphasize the fact
- lS - that the present invention teaches not only a novel wiring
device capable of use with voice and data communications,
but also in its broadest context a "system" including
cooperating and mating components, some of which are not
absolutely essential for the invention to operate according
- 20 _ to its intended functions.
By way of example only, and without limitation, a
universal housing 12 used with its front cover plate 14 is
illustràted in Fig. 1 neatly and efficiently housing and
maintaining other components of system 10 which will be
25 - described in detail below. According to the present
,
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invention, while uniYer~al housing 12 is available to the
user, the user may at his or her option prefer to utilize an
existing or purchased standard outlet box of the type used
to house electrical switches and outlets, for example. And
- 5 _ yet it is believed that once one experiences the use of this
universal housing 12, one will prefer to use same
thereafter. In this regard, one of the considerations
will be whether the user wish~s the sy~-tem i~
to be flush, as opposed to surface, mounted. In Fig. 1 the
- 10 - system is secured by mea~s of screws 16 to surface 18.
While system 10 according to the present invention
may be used at a "terminal" end of a wiring configuration,
the system has been illustrated in Fig. 1 as being "in
line", with the outer insulating jacket 20 of a multiple
- 15 - conductor cable 22 entering housing 12 at diagonally
opposite ends 24 and 26 thereof. A unit~ue strain relief
arrangement which is described below firmly holds cables 22
in place.
Universal housing 12 serves as a system back or
- 20 - rear cover and i5 formèd by injection molding from a
thermoplastic material with a rear or outer bottom side 28
which abuts wall 18, as illustrated in Fig. 1. Side walls
30 of housing 12 meet top and bottom walls 32 and 34,
respectively, at smooth and rounded edges 36. Top, bottom
- ~5 - and side walls 32, 34 and 3~ terlr~,~ate àt their respective
forwardmost extremities at generally planar forward-facing
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surfaces 38, which extend around t~e periphery of the
opening 40 of housing 12.
As best ~een in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 12, housing 12
is formed with upstanding mounting posts 42 which are
- 5 _ integral with housing rear side 28. For ~olding, weight and
other considerations that will be appreciated, mounting
posts 42 are generally hollow and include tapered base
portions 44 which extend upwardly to platforms ~6 of arcuate
s~ape and of sufficien~ surface area to withstand
- 10 - predetermined bearing forces. Mounting posts 42 terminate
at their uppermost extremities in split, spaced-apart
fingers 48 which are flexible enough to be biased toward one
another and thereafter to spring back to their unstressed
positions. Fingers 48 are preferably but not necessarily
- 15 - formed with oppositely directed and curved flanges 50 which
provide a generally circular split profile.
Universal housing 12 is further formed wit~ a pair
of movable leaf spring supported protrusions 52 which extend
upwardly out of the general plane of the surfaces 54 of rear
- 20 - wall 28 (Fig. 12). These flanges are actually right-angled
extensions of resilient tabs 56 resulting from U-shaped
slots 58 formed through wall 28. Protrusions 52, together
wit~ fixed or stationary protrusions 60 (see also Fig. 3),
provide ~eans for enabling assembly and alignment of a jack
- ~5 - subassembly 62 (Fig. 2), described in more detail below.
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Elongated counterbored slots 64 and 66 (Figs. 4
and 12)-are formed through rear wall 2~ of universal ~ousing
12, the axes of these slots being normal with respect to ~ne
another. It i5 slots 64 and 66 which enable screws 16 to
_ 5 _ hold housing 12 to a mounting surface, the perpendicular
axes facilitating alignment and positioning by the
installer.
Through holes 67 formed in wall 28 permit access
via a tool (not shown) to a pair of mounting compartments 68
- 10 - Fig. 3), each of which is able to hold and accommodate
either of a pair of magnets (not shown) or a pair of double-
sided insert tape pad supports 72. Compartments 68 are
relatively square shaped and are formed with a plurality of
shoulders 74 (Fig. 3) and teats 76 ( Figs. 11 and 12) whi~h,
- lS - cooperatively, served to position/hold the magnets or tape
pads 72 in place within compartments 68. In the case of the
magnets, these subassemblies basically consist of a magnetic
material held within a U-shaped metallic enclosure.
The insert tape pads 72 comprise injection molded
- 20 - thermoplastic wafers 78 formed with a relatively flat planar
surface 80 to which double~sided tape is preferably secured,
this wafer being further formed with depending flanges 82
themselves formed with outwardly extending ridges 84. The
periphery of wafer 82 is interrupted by at least one slot 86
- ~5 - which is large enough to accommodate the entry of a
screwdriver or other tool (not shown) used to remove the
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insert tape pad from the mounting compartment 68 where
necessary. Insert tape pads 72 are designed to b~ snapped
into compartments 68 without the need for tools, this being
facilitated by the positioning of the teats 76 so as to
_ j _ provide desired interference with ridges 84. Shoulders 74,
in turn, provide surfaces which limit movement of the pads
72 and hold same relatively parallel with respect to wall ~8
so as to provide a secure mounting surface for the double-
sided tape. These same shoulders serve to laterally limit
- 10 - the movement of the magnets 70 when this alternative
mounting method is employed.
The uniqueness of universal housing 12 will be yet
further appreciated when one looks at the means by which a
variety of different sizes of conductor cables may be used
- 15 - in conjunction with housing 12. At diagonally opposite ends
24 and 26, housing 12 is formed with smaller and larger
breakaway tabs 88 and 90, respectively (Figs. 2 and 12~.
BreaXaway tabs 88 and 90 are formed in pig~ybac~ arrangeme~t
with the smaller tab 88 formed at the outside such that it
- 2~ - is accessible without disturbing tab 90. Each of these tabs
is separated from its respective support by gaps 92 and 94
into which a fingernail or tool may be inserted to br~ak off
the desired one or both tabs, depending upon the size of
cable being used. The outside diameter of the jacket of the
- 25 - conductors being used will determine whether one or both of
these tabs must be removed. It should also be emphasized
-- 1 0 --
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here that concealed wires may enter housing 12 via alternate
access openinys 96 formed through laterally opposite sides
- of wall 28 substantially midlength.
The present invention includes strain relief means
_ 5 for holding the jacket 20 of multiconductor cable firmly,
thereby ensuring solid, undi5turbed connections. This is
facilitated via the use o~ a strain relief insert 98 (Figs.
16 and 17) which may be removably inserted into housing 12.
The housing is formed with interior walls 100 and 102 at the
- 10 - diagonally opposite ends 2~ and 26 defined above. Walls 102
are each formed with an opening 104 (Fig. 5) which
communicates with and is substantially aligned with the
openings 106 in top and bottom walls 32 and 34 through which
the jacket 20 of the cable extends. Yet another pair of
- 15 - openings 108 formed through rear wall 2B are located
directly beneath walls 102.
A strain relief release tab 110 ( Fig. 5) is
integrally molded with and extends inwardly from each of
walls 102. Tabs 110 are formed by means of perpendicular
me~bers 112 and 114 which join at right angles. Walls 100
and 102 define a strain relief cavity 116 into which a
projection 118 integral with release tab 110 extends. It is
into this same cavity 116 that strain relief insert 98 is
placed.
- 25 - Strain relief insert 98 is formed of plastic and
includes a plurality of taperëd ratchet teeth or ledges 120.
-- 11 --
13~?.~
Insert 98 is further formed with an arcuate notch 122 of a
predetermined radius designed to accommodate a number of
~r conductor jacket diameters. When a conduc~or cable and its
jacket 20 are placed in and through openings 106 in top and
- 5 - bottom walls 32 and ~4, strain relief in~ert 98 is placed
into cavity 116 with its notch 122 facing jacket 20. By
pushing strain relief insert 98 toward and into contact with
jacket 20, projection 118 cooperates with ratchet teeth or
ledges 120 so as to enable one-way movement only in the
- 10 - direction of the cable, such that predeter~ined or desired
holding forces of the insert 98 against jacket 20 may be
achieved and maintained. Release of these ratchet holding
forces and movement of strain relief insert 98 away from
jacket 20 is facilitated by means of the user or installer
- 15 - inserting a tool such as a screwdriver through opening 108
into contact with member 112 of release tab 110, and further
movement or pushing of the tool against me~ber 112 will
result in a ~ovement of the release tab and its integral
projection 118 out of the path of teeth or ledges 120, such
- 20 - that the insert 98 is unrestrained and free to be moved or
removed from cavity 116.
A number of bevel-shaped projections 124 (~igs. 2
and 12) are integrally formed with the top, bot~om and side
walls of housing 12 such that they extend out from the plane
- 25 - of forward facing surfaces 38. Projections 124 include
sloped bearing surfaces 126 which serve to align and
- 12 -
1 3~ ~S~r~
position front cover pla~e 14 when the latter i6 5napped
into position onto universal housing 12 and its ncontents".
Turning now to these "contents", what has
previously been referred to as a "jack subassembly" 62
- 5 - comprises two primary structural elements which are
assembledr namely, a rear cover 128 and a clip retainer
insert 130 (See Fig. 7 for separation ~f these elements).
Two, four, six or eight-conductor modular telephone jacks
132 are thereafter snapped into place and wired to 66-clip
- 10 - type conductor ter~inals 134. For purposes of illustration
only, and without limitation, the present invention will in
t~is specification be described illustrating duplex modular
jacks. The present invention contemplates among other
configurations two four-conductor jacks, two six conductor
- 15 _ jacks, 1 six-conductor combined with an eight-conductor
jack, and two eight-conductor jacks.
Clip retainer insert 130 is fabricated by
injection molding from a thermoplastic material. A pair of
generally planar members 136 are integrally joined by means
- 20 - Of connecting arms 138 (Fig. 4). Positioning fin members
140 extend downwardly beneath planar members 136 and are
substantially equally spaced from one another. Fin members
extend in a generally longitudinal direction ~ubstantially
parallel to arms 138. A single loop member 142 (Fig. 9)
- ~5 - extends upwardly from the plane of members 136 and is formed
with a relatively large and substantially central opening
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144 therethrough. Opening 144 i5 defined by a central
brid~e member 146 and parallel supports 148 integrally
located on ~pposite sides thereof. Bridge member 146, in
turn, is formed with internal bearing suraces 150 which
_ 5 _ serve a function described below.
A second double loop member 152 (Figs. 8 and lo)
likewise extends upwardly from the plane of mem~ers 136 and
is formed with a pair of spaced-apart openings 154
therethrough, each of which is partially defined by bridg~
- 10 - members 156 formed with internal bearing surfaces 158.
While the term "members" is used herein to assis~ the reader
in understanding those portions of the components of the
present invention being described, one of the beauties of
this invention resi~es in the use of injection molded and
- 15 - integrally formed structural components which snap together
without the need for tools, or the like. Accordingly, the
term "member" does not denote separate elements which must
be assembled in labor intensive manners.
Single and double lo~p members 142 and 152,
_ ~o - respectively, face one another at opposite longitudinal
sides of a substantially central recess 160 defined by arms
138 and planar members 136, and each extends upwardly at an
angle with respect to the plane of said arms 138 equal to
approximately eighty seven ~87) degrees. Thus, the upper
_ ~5 _ extremities of loop members 142 and 152 are closer to one
another than their respective bases, and the fact of their
- 14 -
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resilience permits ccopera~ive holding of pairs of telephone
jacks 132 therebetween (described below).
Each of the jacks 132 includes a housing 166
within which a modular opening 162 and contacts 164 are
_ 5 _ disposed. Housing 166 is formed at one longitudinal end 168
with spaced upper bosses 170 at ~ransversely opposite upper
sides of jack end 16~, and with a generally upper oentral
ledge 172 extending parallel with the jack~s upper face 174
at an elevation below the bosses 170. Longitudinally
- 10 - opposite jack end surfaces 176 are formed with a mirror
image central ledge 17~ and with bosses 180 located below
ledge 178 rather than above the ledge as in the case of
bosses 170.
Facing shoulders 182 together with arms 138 define
- 15 - positioning slots 184 whose widths correspond to the length
of jack ~ousing 166. Thus, jacks 132 may be snapped into
place and held by clip retainer insert 130 without the use
of tools by first positioning one of bosses 18Q in opening
144 of single loop member 142 beneath bearing surfaces 150,
_ ~0 _ and with jack housing 166 situated such that one side
thereof lies within a positioning slot 1~4 between facing
shoulders 182. Thereafter, double loop member 152 may be
moved away from single l~op member 142 until ledge 172 drops
past and below bridge member 156 and finally into an opening
- 25 - 154 in a snap-in type manner. In this position, the jack
132 is held securely in place and cannot move laterally due
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to interference between the side edges of ledge 172 and the
inner side surfaces defining opening 154. Downward movement
of jack 132 i5 prevented by the presence of bosses 170
overlying double bridge member 156 and ledge 178 overlying a
- 5 - portion of bridge member 146, while a side portion of the
jack housing 166 sits atop an arm 138. The second jack is
installed in the same manner such that jacks 132 are finally
situated in a side-by-side duplex arrangement. Jacks 132
may be wired before or after insertion into clip retainer
- 10 - insert since relatively generous access to the jack contact
ter~inals is provided with the present invention.
Clip retainer insert 130 is further formed with a
plurality of spaced rows of clip slots 186 (Fig. 10) which
are able to accommodate the spring legs 188 of terminals
- 15 - 134. With each terminal 134 including two spaced pairs of
spring legs 188, each terminal 134 is assembled to the
insert 130 by inserting the spring legs 188 upwardly through
clip slots 1~6 such that a fin member 140 is situated
between the pair of spring legs (Fig. 6), with the downward
_ ~ _ extremity of the fin member 140 limiting upward movement of
the terminal, thereby jigging or precisely locating the
; upwardly extending ends of spring legs 188 with respect to
the clip retainer insert 130. With the terminals 134
installed or assembled, and the jacks in place (they may be
- 25 _ installed afterward), the clip retainer insert is ready to
be assembled into the rear cover, described below. Snap-in
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assembly and retention of clip retainer insert 130 into rear
cover 128 is enabled by provision of two pairs of locating
tabs lso extending longitudinally outwardly from spaced
positions on planar members 136 of the clip retainer insert
_ 5 _ 130. These ta~s 190 matingly cooperate with matching
openings in the rear cover, and assembly of the clip
retainer insert into this rear cover is accomplished by
flexing or bowing of the planar members 136 and arms 138 so
as to reduce the overall length of insert 130 so as to
- 10 - create an interference fit within a cavity to be described.
Rear cover 128, like other parts described above,
is formed by injection molding techniques from a
thermoplastic material. A pair of spaced terminal pockets
192 and 194 are formed by bottom and side walls 196 and 198.
- 15 - Pockets 192 and 194 are substantially equidistant from a
transverse plane 200 of near but not exact symmetry.
Substantially equally ~paced upstanding ribs 202 (Figs. 4
and 7) are integrally formed with and extend from inner
surfaces of bottom walls 196, with their upperm~st
- 20 _ extremities being rounded to permit and encourage entry of
the bases of terminals 134 into the spaces 204 therebetween,
such that movement of these bases is inhibited or prevented.
Terminal pockets 192 and 194 are located ~eneath
the plane of integral strap extensions which are formed with
- ~5 - bayonet-action partially counterbored through slots 20
utilized for fastener mounting. Slots 208 are formed
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through generally rectangular strap portions 210 ro~ which
outer rectangular frames 212 formed with smaller side
openings 214 and a larger central opening 216 through ~ach.
At one end, frame 212 is further formed with a loc~ing tab
- 5 - 218 (Fig. 2) which extends longitudinally outwardly from the
main frame body. Frames 212 serve to extend the length of
rear cover 128 to its desired length, as well as providing
additional structural strength and handling means. A pair
of transversely outwardly extending lacing arms 220 protrude
- 10 _ from each strap portion 210, these arms providing pathways
222 through which conductors may be laced, as will be later
described.
Lateral walls 224 (Fig. 3) o rear cover 128
integrally join terminal pocket side walls 198 with end
- 15 - walls 226. At their lateral upper extremities, terminal
pocket side walls 198 are formed with a plurality of
relatively equally spaced lacing tabs 228, each of which is
formed with vertical and right-angled horizontal and
vertical portions, respectively. The resulting shape in
- 20 - each case approximates a "hook", around which there are gaps
234 through which conductors may be threaded or laced.
A pair of relatively larger spaced lacing hooks
236 extend approximately midlength from each lateral wall
224, these hooks 236 being formed with vertical ~-truts 238
_ ~5 _ whic~ are spaced a sufficient distance from walls 224 to
; provide a pathway for a predetermined number of conductors
- 18--
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between each ~trut and its proximate wall 224. End walls
226 are formed with spaced relatively small l~cating
apertures 240 (Fig. 7j, each of which is able accommodate
the partial or full entry of a locating tab 19~. The area
_ 5 _ between terminal pockets 192 and 194 is half covered by a
longitudinally extending shelf 242 which, apart from adding
to the structural integrity of the rear cover, adds
shielding protection to the area beneath jacks 1~2 in their
assembled positions. The void ~44 bet~een shelf 242 and its
- 10 - opposing terminal pocket permits access to the jack
terminals with a wiring tool, as well as an inspection
window for an installer, user or repairperson.
The reader's attention is now directed to what has
been referred to above as front cover plate 14. Cover plate
- 15 - 14 is generally rectangular in shape - corresponding to the
shape of universal housing 12, extending between sides 246
and top and bottom ends 248 and 250, these sides and ends
comprising a peripheral flange. Bottom end 2S~ is formed
with a central notch 252 ~Fig. 4) sized to accommodate
- 20 - therein the locking tab 218 described in connection with
rear cover 128. A central opening 254 through face 256 of
plate 14 is surrounded on three sides with an internal U-
shaped wall or rib 258. Depressions and pads of desired
shape and location are provided on inner and outer surfaces
_ ~5 - of cover plate 14, to permit the user or installer to add
indicia, such as pair and cable information, identifying
-- 19 --
(extension) numbers, etc. A pair of integral spaced
locking~positioning tabs extend inwardly from top end 248.
~r
In use, it is contemplated that jacks 132 will in
all but rare cases be assembled and wired in production, as
- 5 - opposed to in the field. Thus, at the assembly location
~such a~ at the manu~acturing facility), terminals 134 are
assembled to clip retainer insert 130 by inserting spring
legs 188 i~to and through adjacent clip slots 186 until
stopped by a ~in member 140. With terminals 134 in place,
- 10 _ insert 130 is bowed (illustrated in phantom outline in Fig.
7) such that its midsection is at a higher elevation than
its longitudinal ends, thereby decreasing its overall
length, and the bowed insert is lowered into rear cover 128
such that the two pairs of locating tabs 190 matingly engaye
- 15 - locating apertures 240 which, upon release of the bowed
insert 130 and its resilient return to its unstressed
configuration, ~ecurely hold the insert and its associated
terminals 134 in pl~ce.
At t~is point jacks 132, whose terminals
- 20 - communicate with their respective modular contacts, are or
have been wired such that the conductors have one free end
at a predetermined length of wire and the opposite end
electrically connected to a jack terminal. Jacks 132 with
their associated trailing wires are assembled to the clip
- 25 _ rètainer insert 130 now itself snapped into rear cover 128.
- 20 -
3 3
This is accomplished by first positioning one of the bosses
180 within opening 144 of loop member 1~2 beneath beariny
surfaces 150 and thereafter, with jack housing 166 disposed
such that ~ne side thereof lies within a positioning slot
- 5 - 184 between facing shoulders 182, double loop member 152 is
moved in a direction away from single loop member 142 until
jack ledge 172 drops past and below insert bridge member 156
and finally into opening 1~4. The resilient double loop
member 152 is then released such that it returns toward its
- 10 - unstressed position, capturing and holding the jack 132 in a
stable and secure loc2tion in which it is able to releasably
receive one or more modular plugs. The second of the duplex
jacks is snapped into place without tools in much the same
manner.
- 15 - At this point in the assembly sequence, the
trailing jack wires or conductors are "laced" from beneath
the rear c~ver, with wires coming from the jack terminals
extending through void 244 and thereafter to Gne of the rear
cover sides and up against a lateral wall 224 to the space
_ ~o _ between adjacent lacing hooks 236. The wire is laced
throu~h this space and ~ver one of the hooks 236 to and
around a lacing arm 220 and thereafter to and through a gap
234 between adjoining lacing tabs 228 and then to and into
hooked engagement.with a desired or preselected terminal 134
- 2~ _ in an outside row of terminals. In addition to the
mentioned lacing aids provided by the present invention,
- 21 -
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triangular tabs 213 located toward each end of the device
- lie relatively above the plane of frames 212 with a gap 215
. permitting the passing or lacing of one or more conductor
wires from either side, between the tabs 213 and frames 212
- 5 ~ and through gaps 215, to the other side of the device,
thereby ~'keeping" these wires from the in~erface between
snap-on front cover plate 14 and its associa~ed universal
housing 12.
A tool (not comprising the present invention) is
- 10 - used to "punch down" or terminate this wire such that it is
securely electrically connected to its associated terminal
134, with excess wire severed during the tool punching or
striking. In this manner, all of ~he jack wires are laced
and terminated at terminals 134. While the lacing path just
- 15 - described included a route around a lacing arm 220, it is
contemplated that the path may be otherwise such that a more
direct path is utilized or, for that matter, a more
circuitous will enable the use of additional slack which
will be avaîlable in the event of a future failure.
- 20 - The joinder or assembly of clip retainer insert
130 with rear cover 128 results in a jack subassembly 62
which is ready for installation in a standard size
electrical outlet box for flush mounting, or in the case of
surface mounting, in universal housing 12. It must be
- 25 _ emphasized here that housing 12, with its alternate mountinq
means, may be secured to a wali by means of screws 16, may
- 22 -
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be secured to a metal desk or filing cabinet ~y means of the
mounting magnets 70, may be secured to a non-metallic or
non-ferrous smooth surface by means of double-sided ~dhesive
tape on tape pads 72, etc. This jack subassembly 62 is
_ 5 - mounted within an electrical box by means of threaded
fasteners e~tending through slots 208, or the subassembly
may be mounted within surface-mounted universal housing 12.
Before mounting of the subassembly 62 within
either an electrical hox or housing 12, the installer pulls
- 10 - the jacketed cable alongside subassembly 62 and strips the
jacket, leaving approximately 6 to 8 inches to work wit~.
The stripped conductors and a portion of the ~acket are
pulled through openings 106 in housing top and/or bottom
walls 32 and 34, strain relief insert 98 is placed into
- 15 - cavity 116 with its arcuate notch 122 facing the jacket 20.
The insert 98 is urged toward and into contact with the
jacket until desired holding forces are achieved and
maintained. At this point, the installer commences lacing
of the wires around and about lacing tabs 228 and lacing
- 20 - hooks 236 in thP manner described. Wires are laced to their
respective inner row of terminals 134 where they are first
hooked and thereafter punched down with a tool.
When mounted within housing 12, after lacing, the
subassembly 62 is placed such that the upper extremities of
_ ~5 - mounting posts 42 and their split fingers 48 only partially
enter larger diameter and substantially circular portions
~ ~ ~ 2 ~
264 of ~lots 208 due to temporary resilient interference of
protrusions 52 against the underside surfaces of b~ttom
terminal pGcket walls 196. This position is partially sh~wn
by phantom outline within Fig. 2. By the user/installer's
_ 5 ~ gentle relative downward finger pressure against strap
extensions 206, the moun~ing post fingers 48 further enter
slots 208 until finger flanges 50 fully enter ~hese slots.
At this point, while maintaining this same pressure against
extensions 206 and simultaneously rotating the subassembly
- 10 - 62 in a clockwise direction, the mounting posts 42 become
releasably locked within strap extensions 206, thereby
securing the subassembly in place within the universal
housing 12, with side walls 198 snugly located and
positioned between the movable protrusions 52 and the
- 15 - stationary protrusions 60. The presence of these
protrusions 52 and 60 serves to inhibit or prevent undesired
rotation of the subassembly 62.
Removal of this subassembly is accomplished by
simply reversing the process just described - namely, by
- ~o - again gently pressing against strap extensions 206 and
simultaneously rotating the subassembly 62 in a counter-
clockwise direction until finger flanges 50 are aligned with
circular slot portions 264, whereupon the subassembly may
simply be lifted from the universal housing 12.
- ~5 - With wiring of the inner rows of terminals 134
complete, front cover plate 14 is secured to universal
- 24 -
J -3; ~3
housing 12 as follows: the cover lq i6 held at an angle
with respect to the housing ~uch that locking tabs 262
extending from top cover plate end 248 are aligned with and
enter notches 2~6 formed in frames 212. ~ith tabs 262 hPld
- 5 - wit~in notches 266, the opposite raised cover plate bottom
end 250 is "lowered" toward the housing 12, with alignment
between the housing and cover automatically occurring due to
the presence of bevel-shaped projections 124 whose sloped
walls guide and bias the sides 246 thereof to an aligned
- 10 - position. Final closure is accomplished by ~entle urging of
and snapping bottom en~ 250 oYer frame ~12 so that the
closure is complete, with central notch 2S2 overlying
locking tab 218.
One of the features of the present invention
- 15 - resides in the provision of the U-shaped ~ib 258 described
above which, upon assembly of the cover plate 14 to
universal housing 12, extends around three sides of and
serves to hold the duplex jacks 132. It is this rib 258
that compensates for any possible mismatch or misalignment
- 20 - between front cover plate 14 and t~e relatively "floatiny"
duplex-arranged jacks 132 such that no undesirable gap
occurs.
It is thus seen that removal of the snap-on-off
cover enab~es easy access to the terminals for testing and
- 25 - repair work with the present invention, without the use of
~3~2~ f3~
special tools or screw terminations, and without the need to
access the back of a terminal block.
The embodiments of the invention disclosed and
described in the present specification and drawings and
claims are presented mer21y as examples of the invention.
Other embodiments, forms and modi~ications thereof will
suggest themselves from a reading thereof and are
contemplated as coming within the scope of the present
invention~
- 26 -
