At&t Bell Laboratories

At&t Information Systems Inc.

Paul R Gustin

George W Reichard, Jr

David Louis Reed

W John Denkmann

Larry Edward Fortner

Leonard F Hasler

George R Maul

Harold E Johnson

A modular plug (23) for terminating cordage includes a housing (41) having a free end (46) and a cordage-input end. An end portion of a length of cordage (21) to be terminated by the plug is inserted into the cordage-input end of the housing to cause exposed individually insulated conductors extending beyond a jacketed portion of the cordage to be received in a conductor-holding portion of the housing. Blade-like terminals (42--42) inserted into slots opening to an exterior surface of the housing engage electrically the conductors. An anchoring member (61) is caused to be moved to an operative position whereat a primary jacket anchoring surface (74) of the anchoring member becomes disposed in compressive engagement with a jacket of the cordage. The geometry of the anchoring member is such that the primary anchoring surface in an unoperated position is angled to a longitudinal axis of the end portion of the length of cordage. Also, the jacket anchoring surface has suitable length so that when in an operated position in which the jacket anchoring surface is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the end portion of the length of cordage, relative motion between the housing and portions of the cordage outside the housing do not induce undue stress concentrations in the cordage. The anchoring member secures the end portion of the cordage against unintended movement with respect to the housing and transfers forces applied to the cordage to the housing. Strain-relief facilities also are provided for the insulated conductors and are such that a conductor restraining bar (75) under the application of forces is moved substantially linearly into engagement with the conductors.

Modular plug having enhanced cordage strain relief provisions

A modular plug connector is adapted to terminate a cord having a number of insulated solid wire conductors. The connector includes a dielectric housing that facilitates interconnection between the solid wire conductor and a metallic terminal which slides into a terminal-receiving slot of the dielectric housing. The metallic terminal includes three tangs, or blades, that pierce the insulation surrounding the solid wire and achieve electrical contact. Adjacent tangs grasp the solid wire on opposite sides of its center line, but are controllably spread before making contact with the wire by cam surfaces molded into the side walls of the terminal-receiving slot. Reliable connections are therefore made between a metallic terminal and a solid wire conductor without severing it.

Modular plug connector

Growing community of inventors

Glendale, AZ, United States of America

Paul R Gustin