The present invention relates generally to electrical connectors. More specifically, the present invention relates to electrical connectors such as jacks used in the telecommunications industry.
Various electrical/fiberoptic connectors are known for use in the telecommunications industry to transmit voice, data and video signals. A common connector configuration includes a faceplate or outlet that is frequently mounted on a structure such as a wall. The faceplate defines a plurality of openings in which connectors can be mounted. A typical connector includes a modular jack defining a port sized for receiving a conventional 8 position modular plug. Other conventional types of connectors include SC connectors, ST connectors, BNC connectors, F connectors and RCA connectors.
With respect to electrical/fiberoptic connectors for the telecommunications industry, it is important that such connectors be easily installed, easily accessed after being installed and easily repaired. In this regard, it is desirable for the connectors to be front mounted within their corresponding faceplates. By front mounting the connectors, the connectors can be accessed without requiring their corresponding faceplates to be removed from the wall.
One aspect of the present invention relates to a jack including a jack housing having a front portion positioned opposite from a back portion. The front portion defines an inner chamber and also defines front and rear openings for accessing the inner chamber. The front opening comprises a port sized for receiving a plug. The rear portion of the jack housing defines an open channel that extends in a rearward direction from the front portion. The jack housing also includes a first comb that is secured to the jack housing within the inner chamber.
The jack also includes an insert assembly adapted to be secured to the jack housing. The insert assembly includes a connector mount having a first side positioned opposite from a second side. The connector mount includes two resilient locking tabs for securing the connector mount to the jack housing, a second comb positioned at the first side of the connector mount, and an insulation displacement terminal housing positioned at the first side of the connector mount. The insert assembly also includes a plurality of contact springs, and a plurality of insulation displacement terminals. The contact springs are separated by the second comb. Each of the contact springs includes a base end portion and a free end portion. The plurality of insulation displacement terminals are housed by the insulation displacement terminal housing. The insert assembly further includes a circuit board that provides electrical connections between the insulation displacement terminals and the contact springs. The circuit board is mounted at the second side of the connector mount.
The insert assembly is secured to the jack housing by orienting the insert assembly such that the circuit board is received within the open channel, and then sliding the insert assembly in a forward direction such that: one end of the insert assembly moves into the inner chamber of the jack housing through the rear opening of the jack housing; the locking tabs interlock with the jack housing; and the free end portions of the contact springs are received in the first comb.
Another aspect of the present invention relates to an insert for a jack. The insert includes a connector mount having a main body including a first side positioned opposite from a second side. The connector mount includes a snap-fit structure positioned at the main body for securing the connector mount to the jack. The connector mount also includes a divider positioned at the first side of the main body, and an insulation displacement terminal housing positioned at the first side of the main body. A plurality of contact springs are separated by the divider, and a plurality of insulation displacement terminals are housed by the insulation displacement terminal housing. A circuit board provides electrical connections between the insulation displacement terminals and the contact springs. The circuit board is mounted at the second side of the main body.
A further aspect of the present invention relates to a jack for use with a faceplate having a front side positioned opposite from a back side. The faceplate defines an array of jack openings. The jack includes a jack housing adapted to be mounted within a first one of the jack openings defined by the faceplate. The jack housing is sized and shaped to be inserted into the first jack opening from the front side of the faceplate. The jack housing includes a first retaining structure positioned opposite from a second retaining structure. The first and second retaining structures are positioned to engage the front side of the faceplate when the jack housing is mounted in the first jack opening. At least one of the first and second retaining structures includes spaced-apart retaining shoulders separated by a gap. Each of the retaining shoulders has a width ws that is larger than a width wg of the gap located between the retaining shoulders. The jack also includes a resilient cantilever member having a base end positioned opposite from a free end. The base end is integrally connected with the jack housing and the free end is positioned generally within the gap between the spaced-apart retaining shoulders. The cantilever member includes a retaining tab positioned near the free end of the cantilever member. The retaining tab is positioned to engage the back side of the faceplate when the jack housing is mounted in the first jack opening such that the faceplate is captured between the retaining shoulder and the retaining tab. The cantilever member has a width wc defined at the base end of the cantilever member. The total width ws of the jack housing is at least two times as large as the width wc.
Still another aspect of the present invention relates to a jack including a resilient cantilever member for retaining the jack within an opening of a faceplate. The resilient cantilever member includes a main body and wings that project transversely outward from opposite sides of the main body. The jack also includes deflection limiting surfaces positioned to engage the wings when the cantilever member has been deflected a first amount. Contact between the wings and the deflection limiting surfaces prevents the cantilever member from being overdeflected.
An additional aspect of the present invention relates to a jack including a jack housing defining a port sized for receiving a plug. The jack also includes a plurality of contact springs positioned within the housing. The contact springs include base end portions and free end portions. The jack further includes two separate and opposing comb structures for isolating the free end portions of the springs from one another. The opposing comb structures are relatively aligned so as to generally form closed ended slots in which the free end portions of the contact springs are received.
Referring still to
As shown in the illustrated preferred embodiment, the jacks 26, 26′ and the plugs 32 are eight contact type (i.e., four twisted pair) connectors. While the various aspects of the present invention are particularly useful for modular connectors, it will be appreciated that other types of connectors could also be used.
Referring to
The jack housing 36 includes a front portion 40 positioned opposite from a back portion 42. The front portion 40 of the jack housing 36 includes structure for securing the jack 26 in the faceplate 22. For example, the front portion 40 includes a first retaining structure 44 positioned opposite from a second retaining structure 46. Each of the retaining structures 44, 46 includes spaced-apart retaining lips/shoulders 48 separated by a gap 50. Each of the retaining shoulders 48 preferably has a width ws, and each of the gaps preferably has a width wg. It is preferred for each of the widths wg to be equal to or less than each of the widths ws. The widths ws and wg cooperate to define a total width ws of the jack housing 36. The jack housing 36 also preferably includes a height hj defined between the first and second retaining structures 44 and 46. It is preferred for the height hj to be larger than the height ho of the openings 24 defined by the faceplate 22.
Referring to
As shown in
Referring again to
Referring still to
As shown in
The connector mount 80 preferably comprises a one-piece, plastic member having a main body 96 including a first side 98 positioned opposite from a second side 100. The printed circuit board 78 is mounted at the second side 100 of the main body 96. The first side 98 of the main body 96 is configured for holding or retaining the contact springs 34 and the insulation displacement terminals 82. For example, the first side 98 of the main body 96 includes two combs 102, 104 (shown in
The first side 98 of the main body 96 also includes an insulation displacement terminal housing 106. The insulation displacement terminal housing 106 defines a plurality of slots 108 in which the insulation displacement terminals 82 are mounted. The slots 108 are sized to receive wires (not shown) desired to be terminated at the insert assembly 38. The termination cap 84 is configured for pressing the wires (not shown) into the slots 108 such that the wires are connected to the insulation displacement terminals 82. For example, the termination cap 84 includes a plurality of slotted walls 110 that fit within the slots 108 when the termination cap 84 is pressed down against the insulation displacement terminal housing 106.
The connector mount 80 also includes two resilient locking tabs 112 integrally connected to the main body 96 for securing the insert assembly 38 to the jack housing 36. The resilient locking tabs 112 include flexible lever members 114 positioned on opposite sides of the combs 102, 104. The locking tabs 112 are configured to snap within the latch openings 74 defined by the jack housing 36 to provide a snap-fit connection between the insert assembly 38 and the jack housing 36. While the lever members 114 are shown connected to the main body 96 of the connector mount 80, it will be appreciated that alternative snap-fit connecting structures could also be used. For example, the connector mount 80 could include holes, projections, or latches adapted to interlock with resilient tabs connected to the jack housing 36.
To provide precise alignment between the insert assembly 38 and the jack housing 36, the main body 96 of the connector mount 80 defines two slots 116 sized and positioned for receiving the guide rails 72 of the jack housing 36. The slots 116 are formed within sidewalls of the main body 96 and are positioned on opposite sides of the combs 102, 104. Inner ends of the slots 116 are ramped to further enhance alignment between the jack housing 36 and the insert assembly 38.
Referring to
To connect the insert assembly 38 to the jack housing 36, the assembled insert assembly 38 (shown in
Next, the insert assembly 38 is moved along the trough 76 in a forward direction such that a front end of the insert assembly 38 (e.g. the end at which the contact springs 34 are mounted) moves into the inner chamber 66 of the jack housing 36 through the rear opening 68 of the jack housing 36. As the front end of the insert assembly 38 enters the inner chamber 66, the guide rails 72 of the jack housing 36 are received within the guide slots 116 defined by the connector mount 80. Also, the free end portions 120 of the contact springs 34 are received within the slots defined by the comb 70 located within the inner chamber 66. When the insert assembly 38 has been fully inserted within the inner chamber 66, the locking tabs 112 of the connector mount 80 snap within the latch openings 74 of the jack housing 36. To remove the insert assembly 38 from the jack housing 36, the locking tabs 112 can be depressed thereby allowing the insert assembly 38 to be pulled from the jack housing 36.
It is significant that the guide rails 72 and the guide slots 116 provide for precise positioning of the connector mount 80 within the jack housing 36. For example, the guide slots 166 and the guide rails 72 are configured to orient the connector mount 80 at a precise vertical and horizontal position relative to the comb 70. At such a position, the springs 34 are received within the comb 70, and the printed circuit board 78 is preferably offset from or held above the bed of the trough 76. Because the board 78 is offset from the trough 76, printed circuit boards having different thicknesses can be used without affecting the alignment of the connector mount 80 within the jack housing 36. As a result, the alignment of the connector mount 80 within the jack housing 36 is not dependent upon the thickness of the circuit board 78. Therefore, the rail and slot configuration eliminates variations in spring deflection and the resulting contact forces caused by tolerance variations in the thickness of the printed circuit boards.
The spring alignment feature provided by the combs 70 and 104 is important because the contact springs 34 typically have a center to center spacing of about 0.050 inches. When a plug is inserted into the port 30, the plug engages the springs 34 causing the springs to deflect downwardly out of the comb 70. Absent the two cooperating combs 70 and 104, the springs can become misaligned and pushed into contact with one other during deflection. This is not surprising due to the relatively close spacing of the springs 34. However, by capturing the springs 34 between the two combs 70 and 104 as described above, such misalignment is prevented because the springs 34 always remain within their respective closed ended slots 122 during deflection.
The first retaining structure 44 includes two fixed retaining shoulders 126 (only one shown) positioned at opposite sides of the jack housing 36′. Similarly, the second retaining structure 46′ includes two spaced-apart retaining shoulders 128 positioned on opposite sides of the jack housing 36′. A gap 130 separates the retaining shoulders 128. A resilient cantilever member 132 is positioned within the gap 130. The cantilever member 132 includes a rear stop 134 adapted to engage the back side of the faceplate 22.
Referring to
Another aspect of the present invention relates to a connector system that allows many different types of connectors to be used with a single, universal faceplate. For example,
With regard to the foregoing description, it is to be understood that changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of the construction materials employed and the shape, size, and arrangement of the parts without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is intended that the specification and depicted aspects of the invention may be considered exemplary, only, with a true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the broad meaning of the following claims.
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/327,053, filed Jun. 7, 1999 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,234,836, which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 09/231,736, filed Jan. 15, 1999, which application(s) are incorporated herein by reference now U.S. Pat. No. 6,334,792.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 09327053 | Jun 1999 | US |
Child | 09828575 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 09231736 | Jan 1999 | US |
Child | 09327053 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 09828575 | Apr 2001 | US |
Child | 11067619 | US |