Closed type connecting block

• US 4,993,962 A
• Filed: 08/13/1990
• Issued: 02/19/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tomei Tsushin Kogyo Co., Ltd. (Comsys Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Tomei Tsushin Kogyo Co., Ltd. (Comsys Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Noda, Minoru, Sakamoto, Shinji, Nomura, Junji
• Primary Examiner(s): Abrams, Neil
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KHIEM M
• Application Number:
  US07/566,966
• Time in Patent Office: 190 Days
• Field of Search: 439/131, 439/135, 439/136, 439/142, 439/143, 439/144, 439/147, 439/149, 439/676
• US Class Current: 439/136
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/447 Shutter or cover plate
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/629 Additional means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts, e.g. aligning or guiding means, levers, gas pressure electrical locking indicators, manufacturing tolerances separate tools or apparatus H01R43/26
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/641 by indicating incorrect coupling; by indicating correct or full engagement
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/16 for telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0293 Terminal boxes for telephone sets

Abstract

A closed type connecting block including a shutter which close and open an opening formed on a housing and which is biased toward a position to close the opening. The shutter and the housing are formed with notches which sealingly receive a core inserted into the connecting block therebetween. The connecting block also includes a pivotable jack mounted therein to enable users to easily insert and remove a plug connected to the cord from communication equipment.

Claims

1. A connecting block for electrically connecting communication equipment to communication line, of the closed type which prevents entry of moisture, salty moisture, corrosive gases and the like when said connecting block is either in use or not in use, comprising:

a housing including a housing body and a covering member sealingly engageable with said housing body, said covering member having an opening of a size to permit insertion of a plug connected to a cord from the communication equipment;

a shutter for closing and opening said opening;

a jack electrically connected to the communication line and having a plug insertion opening;

said shutter and said covering member each having a notch contoured to the outer configuration of the cord so that the cord is tightly secured between said notches when said shutter is shifted to a first position to close said opening under the condition that said plug is inserted into said plug insertion opening of said jack;

a first resilient member biasing said shutter toward the first position to close said opening;

jack support members pivotably supporting said jack;

second resilient members biasing said jack toward the first position;

first engaging members mounted on said shutter; and

second engaging members mounted on said jack and adapted to engage said first engaging member, wherein said first engaging members are engaged with said second engaging members to pivot said jacks against the biasing force of said second resilient members so that said plug insertion opening is faced to said opening of said covering member in parallel relation when said shutter is shifted toward a second position to open said opening against the biasing force of said first resilient member, and wherein said jack is pivoted with the aid of the biasing force of said second resilient members so that said plug insertion opening of said jack is inclined toward the first position when said shutter is shifted toward the first position with the aid of the biasing force of said first resilient member.

2. The connecting block as defined in claim 1, wherein said first resilient member is a compression spring.

3. The connecting block as defined in claim 2, wherein said second resilient member is a helical coil spring.

4. The connecting block as defined in claim 3, which has a lengthwise configuration.

5. The connecting block as defined in claim 4, wherein the number of said shutters and jacks is one respectively.

6. The connecting block as defined in claim 2, wherein said second resilient member is a tension spring.

7. The connecting block as defined in claim 6, wherein said housing body having an embeddable portion to be embedded in a wall and the like.

8. The connecting block as defined in claim 7, which has a lengthwise configuration.

9. The connecting block as defined in claim 8, wherein the number of said shutters and jacks is one respectively.

10. The connecting block as defined in claim 8, wherein the number of said shutters and jacks is two respectively.

11. The connecting block as defined in claim 7, which has an oblong configuration.

12. The connecting block as defined in claim 11, wherein the number of said shutters and jacks is one respectively.

13. The connecting block as defined in claim 11, wherein the number of said shutters and jacks is two respectively.

14. The connecting block as defined in claim 1, wherein said first engaging members, when said plugs are not completely inserted into said jacks, may act as forcing members to force said plugs into said jacks upon the shifting motion of said shutters toward the first position.

15. The connecting block as defined in claim 1, wherein said first engaging members, when said plugs are not completely inserted into said jacks, may act as means to stop the shifting motion of said shutters toward the first position to thereby detect that said plugs are not completely inserted into said jacks.