Connector assembly
First Claim
1. A connector assembly for interconnecting an end of a cable comprising at least one twisted pair of conductors, each of the conductors enveloped in an insulating covering, with the bifurcated contacts of a connecting block, the assembly comprising:
- an insulated housing; and
a plurality of non-contacting conductive terminals disposed in said housing, each of said terminals comprising a blade exposed along a front face of said housing and adapted to be inserted into one of the bifurcated contacts and a piercing mechanism comprising at least one tooth;
wherein each conductor of the at least one twisted pair of conductors is terminated by one of an adjacent pair of said terminals, said teeth puncturing the insulated covering of a free end of the conductor thereby bringing said terminal into conductive contact with the conductor and further wherein a spacing of said piercing mechanisms of said adjacent pair of terminals is less than a spacing of said blades of said adjacent pair of terminals.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A connector assembly for interconnecting an end of a cable comprising one or more twisted pair conductors, each of the conductors enveloped in an insulating covering, with the bifurcated contacts of a connecting block. The assembly comprises an insulated housing and a plurality of non-contacting conductive terminals disposed in the housing. Each of the terminals comprises a blade exposed along a front face of the housing and adapted to be inserted into one of the bifurcated contacts, and a piercing mechanism comprising at least one tooth. Each of the conductors is terminated by one of the terminals, the teeth puncturing the insulated covering of a free end of the conductor thereby bringing the terminal into conductive contact with the conductor.
41 Citations
60 Claims
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1. A connector assembly for interconnecting an end of a cable comprising at least one twisted pair of conductors, each of the conductors enveloped in an insulating covering, with the bifurcated contacts of a connecting block, the assembly comprising:
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an insulated housing; and a plurality of non-contacting conductive terminals disposed in said housing, each of said terminals comprising a blade exposed along a front face of said housing and adapted to be inserted into one of the bifurcated contacts and a piercing mechanism comprising at least one tooth; wherein each conductor of the at least one twisted pair of conductors is terminated by one of an adjacent pair of said terminals, said teeth puncturing the insulated covering of a free end of the conductor thereby bringing said terminal into conductive contact with the conductor and further wherein a spacing of said piercing mechanisms of said adjacent pair of terminals is less than a spacing of said blades of said adjacent pair of terminals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method for adapting an end of a cable comprised of at least one twisted pair of conductors, each of the conductors enveloped in an insulating covering and having a free end, for interconnection with the bifurcated conductors of a connecting block, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a connector assembly comprising at least one adjacent pair of non-contacting conductive terminals disposed in an insulated housing, each of said pair of terminals comprising a blade exposed along a front face of said housing and adapted for insertion into the bifurcated conductors, and a piercing mechanism having at least one tooth, wherein a spacing of said piercing mechanisms of said adjacent pair is less than a spacing of said blades of said adjacent pair; inserting the free end of each of the conductors into said housing; and for each terminal/conductor pair, puncturing the insulating covering the free end of each of the conductor with said piercing mechanism teeth thereby bringing said terminal into conductive contact with the conductor. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A method for adapting an end of a cable comprised of a plurality of twisted pairs of conductors, each of the conductors enveloped in an insulating covering and having a free end, for interconnection with the bifurcated conductors of a connecting block, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing an insulated housing; providing a pair of terminals for each twisted pair of conductors, each of said pair of terminals comprised of a blade adapted for insertion into the bifurcated conductors and a piercing mechanism having at least one tooth, wherein a spacing of said piercing mechanisms of said pair of terminals is less than a spacing of said blades of said pair of terminals; and for each free end, arranging the free end within said housing so the free end is substantially in parallel to the other free ends and, using one of said terminals, puncturing the insulating covering of the free end with said piercing mechanism teeth thereby interconnecting said terminal with the conductor; wherein once assembled, said blades are exposed along a front face of said housing. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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55. A connector assembly for interconnecting an end of a cable comprising at least two twisted pair conductors, each of the conductors enveloped in an insulating covering and having a free end, with the bifurcated contacts of a connecting block, the assembly comprising:
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an insulated housing; and a plurality of pairs of adjacent non-contacting conductive terminals disposed in said housing, each of said terminals comprising a blade and a conductive strip comprising a first end attached substantially at right angles towards one end of said blade and a second end comprising a piercing mechanism for puncturing the insulated covering of one of the conductor free ends, wherein said blades are exposed along a front face of said housing and wherein a spacing of said piercing mechanisms of said adjacent pair of terminals is less than a spacing of said blades of said adjacent pair of terminals; wherein each of the free ends of a twisted pair of conductors is in conductive contact with a second end of said conductive strips of a terminal pair, and wherein the conductive strips of adjacent terminal pairs are attached towards different ends of said blades. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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Specification