Lucent Technologies Inc.

William C Baggett

Jeremia P Starace

Mark G Spaulding

Dianne W Gilland

Wayne D Larsen

Wayne Scott Filus

Elliot A Baines, Jr

Michael Gregory German

Adam Stuart Kane

Golam Mabud Choudhury

Theodore Edward Kluska

Andrew Schwartz

A hinged mounting bracket used in conjunction with a telephone wire connecting block for termination of telephone circuit wires. The mounting bracket accepts modular connectors to form any size connecting block. The hinged bracket consists of two pieces, a bracket base and a front flap which receives the modular connectors. In one preferred embodiment, the front flap is coupled to the base by a hinge which enables the bracket to rotate open so that the rear of the modular connectors may be easily accessed. Access to the rear of the connectors at a time after the bracket has been mounted provides additional flexibility in all types of wiring schemes in that the front side of the connecting block may be kept from becoming overly congested. In a preferred application of the invention cable termination are made to the rear of connector modules and the cables enter the bracket through apertures in the base portion of the bracket. The wire access apertures are located at a position relative the termination locations for the cables on the connectors, such that a torsional or twisting force is subjected on cables entering the bracket, rather than a bending force.

Mounting bracket for connector block

An insulation displacement connecting (IDC) terminal that accepts two insulated wires in a single slot for the making of an electrical connection. The IDC portion of the terminal, which cuts into the insulation of the wire to establish contact, is designed with large flat spring contacts about a centrally located slot, wherein the contacts displace torsionally when normal forces placed on the terminals exceed a fixed load. The torsional displacement is enabled by the inclusion of a widened slot proximate a base portion of the terminal. The widened slot in combination with an angular orientation of the terminal contained within an insulated connector module housing enables the contacts to twist to away from one another. This displacement effect allows for larger gauge and more than one conductor to be inserted into the terminal without permanently yielding the beam contacts of the terminal. The widened slot included at the base of the terminal also allows for removal of a first wire without disturbing the connection of a second wire. The terminals are adapted for use with connector modules which house multiple pairs of IDC terminals on both the front and rear sides thereof. The connector modules are insertable into a hinged mounting bracket that is mounted at a telephone switching area to make up a modular connecting block.

Insulation displacement terminal with two-wire insertion capability

Disclosed is a connector module which permits termination of cross-connect wires on one surface and cable wires on an opposite surface. The module exhibits a generally 'Z' shaped configuration which permits test access, jumper insertion, and protector mounting on either surface.

Connector modules

Disclosed is a connector module which permits a make-before-break contact when inserting jumper or test access leads. The stem portions of the contacts make physical and electrical contact at two points which are aligned with slots in the module so that one point remains closed while one point opens due to lead insertion. Ribs may also be provided to guide the lead insertion and control deflection of the leads and stems.

Connector module with test and jumper access

Growing community of inventors

Duluth, GA, United States of America

William C Baggett