High density high performance telecommunications/data link and connector with tap and contact displacement assembly

• US 6,206,711 B1
• Filed: 10/26/1999
• Issued: 03/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: KRONE GmbH (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Original Assignee: KRONE GmbH (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Johnson, Ross S., Pickles, Timothy James, Snow, Richard Herbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Khiem
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUVERNE, JEAN F
• Application Number:
  US09/426,471
• Time in Patent Office: 518 Days
• Field of Search: 174/48, 379/93, 439/225, 439/217, 439/171, 439/207-216, 439/170, 439/174, 439/502, 439/65, 439/76, 439/638
• US Class Current: 439/225
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/28 Contacts for sliding cooperation with identically-shaped contact, e.g. for hermaphroditic coupling devices H01R24/84 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/84 Hermaphroditic coupling devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/24 Assembling by moulding on contact members
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/00 Installations of electric cables or lines or protective tubing therefor in or on buildings, equivalent structures or vehicles installations of bus-bars H02G5/00; overhead installations H02G7/00; installations in or on the ground H02G9/00

Abstract

A contact alignment body (14) is provided with a plurality of alignment region grooves (87) and wire openings (88). A plurality of contact elements (62) are provided, each having a wire side end positioned in one of the alignment region grooves (87) with the wire side end extending into the wire openings (88) of the contact alignment body (14). A contact displacement member (66) is connected to the contact elements. A wire guide (64) is positioned adjacent the contact alignment body (14) and includes a plurality of wire channels (63). The wire guide (64) has a cable end of a small width and a contact alignment body end of a larger width. The wire channels (63) provide wire paths of substantially identical lengths extending from the cable end to the contact alignment body end. A cable (22) with wire terminating ends (110) are inserted in the wire channels (63) of the wire guide (64) with a contact portion of the wire terminating ends (110) extending out of the wire channels (63). The contact portions of the wire terminating ends (110) are electrically connected with corresponding contact elements (62), at the wire side ends of the contact elements (62). The cable (22), the wire guide (64) and the contact alignment body (14) are joined by positioning a portion of the cable (22), the wire guide (64) and a portion of the contact alignment body (14) in a mold and injecting material in the mold to form an overlay molded housing.

Claims

1. A process of forming a telecommunications/data link and connector assembly, the process comprising the steps of:

providing a contact alignment body with grooves for contacts and spaces for receiving wire side contact ends;

positioning contacts in said grooves, said contacts having wire contact ends extending into said wire contact and receiving spaces and having interface ends;

providing a contact displacement member connected to said interface ends of at least some of said contacts;

providing wire guides with a plurality of wire channels, said wire guides having a cable end of a small width and a contact alignment body end of a larger width, said wire channels providing a wire path of substantially identical lengths extending from said cable end to said contact alignment body end;

providing a cable with wire terminal ends;

disposing said wire terminal ends in said wire channels of said wire guide in a contact portion of said terminal ends extending out of said wire channels;

electrically connecting said contact portions with corresponding contacts, at wire side ends of said contacts; and

joining said cable, said wire guide and said contact displacement assembly with an overlay molded housing by positioning a portion of said cable, said wire guide and a portion of said contact displacement assembly in a mold and injecting material in said mold to form said overlay molded housing.

2. The process according to claim 1, wherein said wire contact ends and said contact wire side ends are electrically connected by ultrasonic welding and said contact alignment body includes mold housing receiving sockets for receiving material of said overlay molded housing therein.

3. The process according to claim 1, wherein said overlay molded housing defines a plurality of support rails;

a plurality of said single contact displacement assemblies are provided;

a shield is provided with a plurality of spaces and a plurality of alignment portions are provided corresponding to each of said spaces;

inserting a contact alignment body of each single contact displacement assembly into each said space of said shield and locking a single contact displacement assembly into place;

providing an indicator label element on a first side of said shield and providing another indicator label element on another side of said shield, each indicator label element including receiving grooves for receiving a plurality of said support rails to cooperate with said single contact displacement assemblies and said shield to form a connector block.

4. The process according to claim 1, wherein a substantially identical first end housing and second end housing are provided, each includes a plurality of male enclosures defining a space for receiving a contact alignment body and a plurality of female enclosures defining a space for receiving a contact alignment body, said male enclosures of one end housing being adapted for mating with said female enclosures of another end housing and said end housings each including a locking means for locking to each other.

5. The process according to claim 4, wherein said locking means includes a tongue and a tongue receiving portion, said tongue including a locking bezel for locking on back edge of said receiving portion.

6. The a process according to claim 4, further comprising forming said substantially identical first end housing and second end housing of plastic with embedded metallic elements.

7. The process according to claim 1, further comprising

providing an additional contact alignment body with contact elements, wherein said housing is provided for receiving said additional contact alignment body;

providing said housing as an electromagnetic shield for minimizing the effect of electromagnetic fields generated by contacts of said contact alignment body on contacts associated with said additional contact alignment body and for minimizing the effect of electromagnetic fields generated by contacts of said additional contact alignment body on contacts associated with said contact alignment body.

8. A process of forming a telecommunications/data link and connector assembly, the process comprising the steps of:

providing a contact alignment body with a plurality of alignment region grooves and wire openings;

providing a plurality of contact elements, each said contact element having a wire side end;

positioning each of said contact elements in one of said alignment region grooves with said wire side end extending into said wire openings of said contact alignment body;

providing a contact displacement member connected to said contact elements;

providing a wire guide with a plurality of wire channels, said wire guide having a cable end of a small width and a contact alignment body end of a larger width, said wire channels providing wire paths of substantially identical lengths extending from said cable end to said contact alignment body end;

providing a cable with wire terminating ends and contact portions;

inserting said wire terminating ends in said wire channels of said wire guide with said contact portion of said wire terminating ends extending out of said wire channels;

electrically connecting said contact portions with corresponding said contact elements, at said wire side ends of said contact elements; and

joining said cable, said wire guide and said contact alignment body with an overlay molded housing by positioning a portion of said cable, said wire guide and a portion of said contact alignment body in a mold and injecting material in said mold to form said overlay molded housing.