Method and process for manufacturing a terminal block

• US 20080295330A1
• Filed: 05/29/2007
• Published: 12/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Channell Commercial Corporation
• Original Assignee: Channell Commercial Corporation
• Inventors: Shimirak, Gerald L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,765,695 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 29/883
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14655 connected to or mounted on a carrier, e.g. lead frame
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0006 Dielectric
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5804 comprising a separate cable clamping part H01R13/5841 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/24 Assembling by moulding on contact members
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/2416 Means for guiding or retaining wires or cables connected to terminal blocks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/142 Terminal blocks for distribution frames
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49176 with molding of electrically insulating material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49181 by deforming
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49185 of terminal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4919 Through insulation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49204 Contact or terminal manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49208 by assembling plural parts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4922 with molding of insulation

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a terminal block for a telecommunication cable comprising the steps of providing a preformed substrate member comprising a podium member, at least one electrical connector and at least one insulated electrical wire attached to an electrical contact positioned within the at least one electrical connector; placing the preformed substrate member in a mold; and injecting a dielectric material into the mold containing the podium member to form an overmolded terminal block, wherein the dielectric material covers the at least one insulated electrical wire and a portion of the electrical contact positioned within the at least one electrical connector.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a terminal block for a telecommunication cable comprising:

providing a preformed substrate member comprising a podium member, at least one electrical connector and at least one insulated electrical wire attached to an electrical contact positioned within the at least one electrical connector;

placing the preformed substrate member in a mold; and

injecting a dielectric material into the mold containing the podium member to form an overmolded terminal block, wherein the dielectric material covers the at least one insulated electrical wire and a portion of the electrical contact positioned within the at least one electrical connector.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the podium member includes a plurality of grooves in an outer edge to guide the electrical wires in wiring of the substrate member.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising attaching a bond clamp to the at least one insulated electrical wire.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising attaching the bond clamp to the podium member.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the mold includes a cavity configured to receive a portion of the electrical connector, which does not receive overmolding.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrical connector is a multi-use connector.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrical connector comprises a first end and a second end and adapted to receive an insulated electrical wires at the first end on the back side of the substrate member and to receive electrical conductors on the front side of the substrate member.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising gathering a plurality of insulated electrical wires in a bundle to form a cable, wherein the insulated electrical wire comprises an electrical wire surrounded by an insulated outer jacket and cutting the insulated electrical wire at a second end to form a bundle of wires.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising multiple pairs of electrical wires extending from the cable, wherein the electrical wires are connected to the first end of the electrical connector in the back side of the substrate member.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the dielectric material is selected from the group comprising acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyolefin, polyurethanes, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, polycarbonates, polyesters, suitable plastics and desirable blends of the foregoing or other suitable materials.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the dielectric material is injected by applying a force to the dielectric material of greater than 1 g.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first end of the electrical connector comprises an insulation displacement contact terminal.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the second end of the electrical connector comprises an insulation displacement contact terminal.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the insulated electrical wires are comprised of a plurality of color-coded outer jackets adapted to identify pairs of electrical wires.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising removing an outer jacket of insulation from the multiple pairs of insulated electrical wires to expose an individual wire contained therein before connecting the insulated electrical wires to the electrical connectors, and wherein the step of removing the outer jacket of insulation to expose the individual wire contained therein is performed by an insulation displacement contact terminal.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the insulated electrical wires comprise soft copper wires having a gauge of about 19 AWG to about 26 AWG, and wherein the insulated electrical wires are color-coded and have an outer jacket of polyvinyl chloride.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrical connector comprises a pair of wire receiving passages movable between a first position in which a pair of wires are held apart from the second end and a second position in which the pair of wires are inserted into the second end, wherein the connector is capable of removing the pair of wires from the second end and reinserting the pair of wires into the second end.

18. A method of manufacturing a terminal block for a telecommunication cable comprising:

providing a podium member having a front side and a back side and adapted for receiving the end of a cable, the cable comprising a plurality of multiple pairs of insulated electrical wires;

placing a plurality of electrical connectors in the housing such that one end of the connector is in the front side of the housing and one end of the housing is in the back side of the housing;

connecting the plurality of multiple pairs of insulated electrical wires to the plurality of electrical connectors in the back side of the housing;

attaching a bond clamp to the cable;

attaching the bond clamp to the podium member; and

overmolding a dielectric material into the back side of the housing to encapsulate the connections of the wires and the podium member.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising a moveable electrical connector connected to the first end of the at least one electrical connector, the moveable electrical connector comprising a pair of wire receiving passages movable between a first position in which a pair of wires are held apart from the second end and a second position in which the pair of wires are inserted into the second end, wherein the connector is capable of removing the pair of wires from the second end and reinserting the pair of wires into the second end.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the electrical wire is an insulated electrical wire comprising a color-coded polyvinyl insulation.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the at least one electrical wire is connected to the at least one electrical connector by a robotic apparatus.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the dielectric material is selected from the group comprising acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyolefin, polyurethanes, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, polycarbonates, polyesters, suitable plastics and desirable blends of the foregoing or other suitable materials.

23. A method of manufacturing a terminal block for a telecommunication cable comprising:

providing a preformed substrate member comprising a podium member, at least one electrical connector and at least one insulated electrical wire attached to one end of an electrical contact positioned within each of the at least one electrical connectors;

placing the substrate member in a mold; and

injecting a dielectric material by a force of greater than 1 g into the mold containing the at least one electrical connector and the at least one electrical wire, wherein the dielectric material surrounds at least the first end of the electrical connector and the at least one electrical wire.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising connecting a moveable connector to the electrical connector after molding, the moveable connector comprising a pair of wire receiving passages movable between a first position in which a pair of wires are held apart from the second end and a second position in which the pair of wires are inserted into the second end, wherein the connector is capable of removing the pair of wires from the second end and reinserting the pair of wires into the second end.