3m Innovative Properties Company

Jerome A Pratt

Xavier Fasce

Larry R Cox

Sidney J Berglund

Guy Metral

Ronald Phillip Pepin

Sergio A Alarcon

Donald Kent Larson

Wesley A Raider

Joseph Christopher Sawicki

Douglas P Hills

Shirley E Ball

Charles H Dodgen

Mark C Woods

An optical connector for terminating a jacketed optical fiber cable comprises a housing configured to mate with a receptacle. The connector also includes a collar body disposed in the housing, the collar body securing, at a first end, a ferrule. The collar body includes a gripping mechanism disposed in a second portion of the collar body. The collar body further includes a buffer clamp configured within a third portion of the collar body, the buffer clamp configured to clamp at least a portion of a buffer cladding of the optical fiber upon actuation. The optical connector also includes a backbone to retain the collar body within the housing. The backbone includes a mounting structure surrounding a central bore at one end of the backbone, the mounting structure having at least one pocket region configured to receive a slit portion of the cable jacket. A fiber connector termination and assembly tool is also provided.

Optical connector for jacketed cables

An ST format optical connector for terminating an optical fiber comprises a housing configured to mate with an ST receptacle or coupling, the housing having an ST bayonet-style format. The ST format optical connector also includes a collar body and a retainer disposed in the housing, where the collar body is retained between the housing and the retainer. The housing is prevented from fully rotating about the collar body and retainer. In addition, the connector can be deactivated for fiber repositioning or reuse.

Field terminable ST format optical fiber connector

An in-line splice connector comprises a connector body having a first end and a second end opposite the first end and having a generally elongated cavity region formed between the first and second ends to house at least a first insulation displacement connector (IDC) element. The in-line splice connector also includes a first cap and a second cap, each cap including a wire guide to receive and guide a wire to the IDC element. The first cap is pivotally mounted at the first end of the connector body to receive a first wire and the second cap is pivotally mounted at the second end of the connector body to receive a second wire. A closing of the first and second caps actuates a splice of the first and second wires.

In-line splice connector

An electrical connector assembly for terminating first and second electrical wires, the electrical connector assembly comprising a housing including a compartment for receiving first and second IDC elements and a cap movably mounted to the housing to cover the compartment. The cap is movable between an open position and a closed position. The cap includes a general body portion, a wire retention portion, and a latching mechanism. The wire retention portion includes first and second wire holders to retain and align the respective electrical wires within the housing for engagement with a gripping portion of the respective IDC element when the cap is placed in a closed position. The gripping force of the wire holders is less than a gripping force of the IDC elements. The latching mechanism can releasably fasten the cap to the housing when the cap is placed in a closed position. When the cap is returned to an open position after the cap was placed in the closed position, the first and second wires are retained by the first and second IDC elements and the first and second wire holders disengage the first and second wires from the cap.

Cap for telecommunications cross connect block

A cap including a width and configured to removably connect to an insulation displacement connector (IDC) block includes a body and a projection extending from the body. The projection is configured to engage with an aperture in the IDC block. At least one of the body or the first projection may be manipulated in order to adjust the width of the cap.

Cap configured to removably connect to an insulation displacement connector block

An electrical connector for terminating at least one electrical conductor comprises a housing including a cavity for receiving at least a first IDC element, a cap including a pivot portion and a cover portion, wherein the pivot portion is pivotally mounted to the housing to allow the cap to be pivoted between an open position and a closed position, at least one recess in the pivot portion of the cap, and a cutting edge within the cavity of the housing adjacent the recess in the pivot portion of the cap.

Connector assembly for housing insulation displacement elements

An electrical connector for terminating at least one electrical conductor comprises a first side and a second side each comprising a housing including a cavity for receiving at least a first IDC element, a cap including a pivot portion and a cover portion, where the pivot portion is pivotally mounted to the housing to allow the cap to be pivoted between an open position and a closed position, at least one recess in the pivot portion of the cap, and a cutting edge within the cavity of the housing adjacent to the recess in the pivot portion of the cap.

An apparatus is configured to releasably attach to an access cover of an insulation displacement connector block. The apparatus is adapted to engage with the insulation displacement connector block to form at least a part of a securing mechanism for securing the access cover in a first closed position. The apparatus may be disengaged from the insulation displacement connector block to move the access cover from the first closed position to a second open position.

Apparatus configured to attach to an electrical connector block

A frame assembly for mounting an insulation displacement connector block includes a base frame and a modular subframe attached to the base frame. The subframe is capable of being attached to the base frame in a first position or a second position, which are generally perpendicular to each other.

Frame assembly

Cap for an electrical connector

A circuit marker bearing a visual indicium is configured to removably attach to an access cover of an insulation displacement connector block. The circuit marker comprises a body adapted to attach to the access cover, means for attaching the body to the access cover, where the means includes at least one projection extending from the body and is adapted to engage with a recess formed in the access cover.

Circuit marker apparatus

An access cover configured to pivotally connect to an insulation displacement connector (IDC) block includes a body and a releasable securing mechanism extending from the body. The body includes an opening configured to receive a testing device and a recess configured to receive an electrical conductor. The releasable securing mechanism is configured to engage with the IDC block to releaseably fix the access cover in a closed position.

Access cover configured to receive a testing device

An electrically coupled insulation displacement system comprises a first contact having a first insulation displacement slot therein having an open end and a closed end. The first insulation displacement slot has a first portion having a width adjacent the open end and a second portion having a width intermediate the first portion and the closed end, the first portion has a larger width than the second portion. The insulation displacement system further comprises a second contact, which includes a second insulation displacement slot therein having an open end and a closed end. The second insulation displacement slot has a first portion having a width adjacent the open end and a second portion having a width intermediate the first portion and the closed end, the first portion has a smaller width than the second portion.

Insulation displacement system for two electrical conductors

An outdoor telecommunications cabinet comprising an electronic compartment adapted to contain heat-generating electrical equipment, having a main electronic compartment including a rear wall panel and two clamshell doors, a floor panel and a cover panel, including access areas and an equipment storage area, the main compartment being adapted to contain heat-generating electrical equipment, at least one rack inside said main electronic compartment for electronic equipment, a base assembly supporting the said electronic compartment, having a width and depth similar to said main electronic compartment capable of being anchored to a base plate or pad, a ventilated sub-compartment in the base assembly containing an environmental cooling system, a pair of clamshell doors, movable between an open position permitting access to both front and back sides of said electrical equipment and a closed position in which the doors maintain a substantially closed environment in the electronic compartment, a cable entry port, typically on the rear wall panel, and a return air duct assembly mounted to said rear panel to form an enclosed duct vertically traversing the length of the electronic compartment and interfacing with a cutout area on the floor panel for circulating airflow through an enclosed path to the electronic compartment.

Growing community of inventors

Round Rock, TX, United States of America

Jerome A Pratt