Pull through modular jack and method of use thereof
View Patent ↗The present invention relates to a pull-through modular jack and method of use thereof. The modular jack allows wires to be fed through the housing and pulled tight prior to terminating. This ensures that the wires terminate with the insulation displacement contact very close to the point at which the wires are still twisted. Termination is made by moving a pressing portion to a pressed position, which then pushes the wires into the insulation displacement contacts that displace the wire insulation to make contact.
1. An electrical connector jack comprising:
a housing, having a plug socket opening;
at least one conductive terminal, located within the housing, the conductive terminal having a first contact portion and a second contact portion, wherein the second contact portion extends into the plug socket opening;
a wire conduit through the housing, extending from a first end opening in the housing to a second end opening in the housing, the wire conduit configured to receive at least one insulated wire, wherein the first contact portion of the at least one conductive terminal extends into the conduit, and wherein the received insulated wire enters through the first end opening and is extendable out of the housing through the second end opening, so that the wire may be pulled tightly into location within the conduit; and
a wire pressing portion, having a first non-pressed position and a second pressed position, wherein when the wire pressing portion is in the second pressed position the wire pressing portion acts upon an insulated wire received by the wire conduit and terminates the wire into electrical connection with the first contact portion of a corresponding at least one conductive terminal.
2. The electrical connector jack of claim 1 , wherein the housing further comprises a strain relief tab.
3. The electrical connector jack of claim 1 , wherein first end opening of the conduit is located on a first face of the housing, and wherein the second end opening of the conduit is located on a second face of the housing.
4. The electrical connector jack of claim 3 , wherein the wire pressing portion is movable between a first non-pressed and a second pressed position in a direction substantially parallel to the direction of extension of the plug socket opening into the housing.
5. The electrical connector jack of claim 1 , wherein the first contact portion has a sharpness sufficient to pierce the insulation of the at least one insulated wire.
6. The electrical connector jack of claim 1 , wherein the housing is assembled from at least two pieces.
7. The electrical connector jack of claim 1 , wherein the at least one insulated wire is perpendicularly aligned with the first contact portion, wherein the insulation of the wire is pierced by the first contact portion when the pressing portion is moved to a pressed position.
8. A method for assembling an electrical connector jack, the method comprising:
providing a housing, having a plug socket;
providing at least one conductive terminal within the housing, the conductive terminal having a first contact portion and a second contact portion;
providing a conduit through the housing and extending from a first end opening in the housing to a second end opening in the housing, wherein the first contact portion of the at least one conductive terminal is within the conduit;
providing a wire pressing portion, the wire pressing portion being movable with respect to the housing;
feeding at least one insulated wire into the first end opening of the conduit and out of the second end opening of the conduit, so that the at least one insulated wire extends out of the housing;
pulling tight at least one insulated wire within the conduit from the end extending from the second end opening; and
moving the wire pressing portion until the tightened at least one insulated wire within the conduit is terminated and held in electrical contact with the first contact portion of a corresponding at least one conductive terminal.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the housing is assembled from at least two pieces.
10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising untwisting and orienting the at least one insulated wire prior to feeding the at least one insulated wire into the first conduit.
11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising clipping off the at least one insulated wire after the at least one insulated wire has been terminated with the first contact portion.
12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the at least one insulated wire is perpendicularly aligned with the first contact portion, wherein the insulation of at least one insulated wire is pierced by the first contact portion when the terminating portion is moved.
13. An electrical connector jack comprising:
a housing, having a plug socket;
at least one conductive terminal within the housing, the conductive terminal having a first contact portion and a second contact portion;
a conduit extending through the housing from a first end opening, for receiving at least one insulated wire, to a second end opening, through which a received at least one insulated wire protrudes beyond the housing, wherein the first contact portion of the at least one conductive terminal is within the conduit; and
movable means for terminating and securing the received at least one insulated wire in electrical connection with the first contact portion.