Communication connector with wire holding sled

Abstract

A connector for communication systems includes a housing, a plurality of insulation displacement contacts, and front and rear sleds. The housing has front and rear ends and an internal chamber opening on the rear end and defined by housing walls. A plurality of slots extend through one housing wall adjacent its front end. The insulation displacement contacts are mounted in the slots for movement between retracted positions spaced from the chamber and inserted positions extending into the chamber. The front sled is located in the internal chamber adjacent the front end, and has front sled walls defining axial passages through it. Lateral openings extend through one of the front sled walls into the axial passages and are aligned with the slots and the contacts in the housing. The rear sled is located in the internal chamber adjacent the rear end, and has at least four entry ports on its outer end arranged in first ordered array, four exit ports on its inner end arranged in a second ordered array and four conduits extending between the respective entry and exit ports. The second and third conduits are in relatively close proximity and cross over each other between the entry and exit ports.