Modular jack and method of use thereof
View Patent ↗The present invention relates to modular jack and method of assembling thereof. The modular jack allows a portion of the stripped jacket of a cable to be contained within the housing of the jack. This ensures that the wires terminate with the insulation displacement contact very close to the point at which the wires are still twisted. A strain relief tab ensures that an external force on the cable does not interfere with the connection that the internal insulated wires make with the insulation displacement contacts of the conductive terminal, ensuring a reliable electrical connection. Termination is made by displacing the wire contact portion of the conductive terminal to pierce the insulation of the insulated wires.
1. A modular jack, comprising:
a housing, having a socket and an internal chamber, wherein the socket is configured to receive a modular plug;
at least one conductive terminal, having a wire contact portion and a plug contact portion, wherein the wire contact portion is located within the internal chamber prior to being terminated, wherein the plug contact portion is located within the socket and is configured to be electrically connected to the modular plug;
a first conduit, configured to receive an external drive member into the internal chamber;
a second conduit configured to receive a cable into the housing, wherein the cable comprises at least one insulated wire;
at least one wire groove connected with the internal chamber within the housing, the at least one wire groove configured to receive a corresponding at least one insulated wire from the second conduit into the internal chamber; and
wherein the wire contact portion extends from the internal chamber into the at least one wire groove when driven by the external drive member, so that the wire contact portion terminates with a corresponding received insulated wire.
2. The modular jack of claim 1 , wherein the housing further comprises a strain relief tab.
3. The modular jack of claim 1 , wherein the housing is assembled from at least two pieces.
4. The modular jack of claim 3 , wherein a first housing portion contains a male mating connector and a second housing portion contains a female mating connector, wherein the male and female mating connector attachably connect the first and second housing portions.
5. The modular jack of claim 1 , further comprising a terminal support portion within the housing, wherein the terminal support portion holds the at least one conductive terminal in a proper position.
6. The modular jack of claim 1 , wherein the wire contact portion has contact points having sharpness sufficient to pierce an insulation of the at least one insulated wire.
7. A modular jack, comprising:
a main body, configured to receive a modular plug, a cable, and an external drive member, wherein the cable comprises a plurality of insulated wires;
at least one conductive terminal within the main body having an insulating displacement contact and a plug contact, wherein the plug contact is configured to be electrically connected to the modular plug;
at least one wire groove within the housing, configured to receive a corresponding insulated wire of the cable;
wherein the insulation displacement contact is configured to move into contact with a received insulated wire and terminate the received insulated wire when a force is applied by the external drive member when it is received within body.
8. The modular jack of claim 7 , wherein the main body further comprises a strain relief tab.
9. The modular jack of claim 7 , wherein the main body is assembled from at least two pieces.
10. The modular jack of claim 9 , wherein a first main body portion contains a male mating connector and a second main body portion contains a female mating connector, wherein the male and female mating connectors attachably connect the first and second housing portions.
11. The modular jack of claim 7 , further comprising a terminal support portion within the housing, wherein the terminal support portion holds the at least one conductive terminal in a proper position.
12. The modular jack of claim 7 , wherein the insulation displacement contact has contact points having a sharpness sufficient to pierce an insulation of the at least one insulated wire.
13. A method of assembling a modular jack, comprising:
providing a housing, having a socket and an internal chamber;
providing at least one conductive terminal, having a wire contact portion and a plug contact portion, wherein the wire contact portion is located to extend within the internal chamber, wherein the plug contact portion is located within the socket and is configured to be electrically connected to a modular plug;
providing a drive conduit and a cable conduit, wherein the cable conduit contains a plurality of groove extensions, the groove extensions in communication with the internal chamber;
inserting a cable into the cable conduit, wherein the cable comprises a plurality of insulated wires, which each of the individual wires are inserted into one of the plurality of groove extensions;
inserting a drive member into the drive conduit until it makes contact with the wire contact portion of the conductive terminal; and
applying a force by the inserted drive member to extend the wire contact portion into the at least one wire groove and terminate the wire contact portion with the insulated wire.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the housing further comprises a strain relief tab.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the housing is assembled from at least two pieces.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein a first housing portion contains a male mating connector and a second housing portion contains a female mating connector, wherein the male and female mating connector attachably connect the first and second housing portions.
17. The method of claim 13 , further comprising a terminal support portion within the housing, wherein the terminal support portion holds the at least one conductive terminal in a proper position.
18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the wire contact portion has contact points having a sharpness sufficient to pierce an insulation of the at least one insulated wire.
19. A modular jack, comprising:
a housing, having a socket and an internal chamber, wherein the socket is configured to receive a modular plug;
a cable, having a stripped jacket and a plurality of internal insulated wires;
at least one conductive terminal, having a wire contact portion and a plug contact portion, wherein the wire contact portion is located within the internal chamber prior to being terminated, wherein the plug contact portion is located within the socket and is configured to be electrically connected to the modular plug;
a conduit, configured to receive an external drive member into the internal chamber;
at least one wire groove connected with the internal chamber within the housing, the at least one wire groove configured to receive a corresponding insulated wire of the cable, wherein the wire contact portion of the at least one conductive terminal extends into the at least one wire groove when driven by the external drive member, so that the wire contact portion terminates with a corresponding received insulated wire; and
means for securing the cable within the housing when the received insulated wire is terminated.
20. A modular jack of claim 19 , wherein the housing further comprises a strain relief tab.
21. A modular jack of claim 19 , wherein the housing is assembled from at least two pieces.
22. A modular jack of claim 21 , wherein a first housing portion contains a male mating connector and a second housing portion contains a female mating connector, wherein the male and female mating connectors attachably connect the first and second housing portions.
23. A modular jack of claim 19 , further comprising a terminal support portion within the housing, wherein the terminal support portion holds the at least one conductive terminal in a proper position.
24. A modular jack of claim 19 , wherein the wire contact portion has contact points having a sharpness sufficient to pierce an insulation of the at least one insulated wire.