Bracket for Terminal Block

This invention relates generally to the field of telephonic and related terminal block and bracket assemblies. More particularly, this invention relates to a new and improved bracket or cradle for use in conjunction with a connector block of the type used in data transmission lines, PBX installations and related telephonic and data interconnections.

Terminal block and bracket assemblies are well known. Large numbers of these terminal connecting block assemblies are used in the telephone and related industries (e.g., data transmission). Such terminal blocks must provide relatively permanent but changeable interconnections among a large number of electrically conductive wires extending to a junction zone in a building in order to provide telephone service and other data transmission functions to various locations throughout the building. A cable containing a large number of telephone line conductor pairs is terminated at a terminal connecting block and additional wires go out from there, for example, to a key telephone set.

Typically, telephone terminal blocks of the type described above are used in conjunction with a bracket or cradle to form a block and bracket assembly. In this construction, the block is usually wired on location in such a manner that it may thereafter be manually pressed into position upon a previously installed cradle. The cradle in turn is mounted upon a wall or other vertical supporting surface. Alternatively, the block and bracket assembly is pre-wired or pre-connectorized so that the pre-wired assembly can be directly installed at the installation location. Examples of such pre-wired terminal connecting block and bracket assemblies are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. Reissue 31,714 which is assigned to one of the assignees hereof and incorporated herein by reference.

FIGS. 1 and 8 of U.S. Pat. No. Reissue 31,714 disclose two different wellknown types of brackets or cradles for use in block and bracket assemblies. While these prior art brackets are well suited for their intended purposes, there is a continuing need for improved cradles, particularly for use in conjunction with modern connector blocks used in PBX installations, data transmission lines and the like.

The present invention relates to anew and improved bracket or cradle for use in conjunction with terminal blocks for effecting connections in the telephonic, data transmission and related fields. In accordance with the present invention, the cradle comprises a generally rectangular bracket having a rear face an two opposed side faces transverse to the rear face. Each of the three faces include openings therein for receiving conventional male or female connector elements.

In accordance with an important feature of the present invention, the longitudinal upper surfaces of the opposed faces each includes a plurality of wire guide openings for positioning and retaining wires; and providing improved wire management to the bracket. Each wire guide opening is defined by a pair of spaced, alternating substantially T-shaped and longitudinal extensions which are positioned along the longitudinal upper surfaces to define an array of teeth.

Another important feature of the cradle of the present invention is the provision for cable tie down located on the rear surface of the bracket. This cable tie down feature permits a cable which is run through the bracket to be tightly secured subsequent to installation.

Still another important feature of the present invention is an improved snap-on attachment for effecting more reliable and secure attachment to a terminal block. This snap-on attachment is positioned along the upper surfaces of the opposed side faces.

The above-discussed features and advantages of the present invention will be appreciated and understood by those of ordinary skill in the art from the following detailed description and drawings:

Referring now to the drawings wherein like elements are numbered alike in the several FIGURES:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the novel cradle of the present invention having a terminal block mounted thereon;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the cradle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional elevation view along the line 3--3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an end view of the cradle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a portion of the wire guide openings found in the cradle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of a second embodiment of a cradle in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a side elevation view of the cradle of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an end view of the cradle of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of a third embodiment of a cradle in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 10 is cross-sectional elevation view along the line 10--10 of FIG. 9; and

FIG. 11 is an end view of the cradle of FIG. 9.

Referring jointly to FIGS. 1-5, a cradle or bracket in accordance with the present invention is shown generally at 10. It will be appreciated that in FIG. 1, a terminal block shown generally at 12 has been mounted on bracket 10. Bracket 10 is substantially rectangular in shape and is comprised of three walls or faces including rear wall 14 and a pair of opposed side walls or faces 16 and 18. Walls 16 and 18 are transverse to rear face 14. Thus, as shown in the FIGS., bracket 10 is generally open at the two opposed ends and the front face. Each of faces 14, 16 and 18 include a pair of spaced openings 20, 22 and 24, respectively, for receiving well known and conventional male or female connectors such as those depicted in similar openings found in the brackets disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. Reissue 31,714. In addition, two pairs of opposed screw holes 26 are positioned on either side of openings 20, 22 and 24 for receiving threaded fasteners and effecting attachment of the male or female connectors in a known manner. Rear face 14 of bracket 10 includes well-known mounting means for effecting attachment to a back plane or other flat surface. These mounting means include a pair of opposed semi-circular tabs 20 having mounting holes 28 therein. Tabs 20 are centrally located on either end of rear face 14. Additional open grooved mounting means 30 are provided which extend outwardly from diagonally opposed ends of rear surface 14. Bracket 10 is typically comprised of a suitable molded plastic material. It will be appreciated that all of the various structural features described thus far are well known and conventional to mounting brackets and cradles of the type contemplated by the present invention.

The important and novel features of the present invention include an array of spaced wire guide openings 32 found on each of the upper longitudinal surfaces 34 of bracket side walls 16 and 18. Each opening 32 is defined by a pair of opposed spaced members 36 and 37 which are aligned to define teeth. As shown in FIG. 5, member 36 is substantially T-shaped while member 37 is an upwardly extending or longitudinal member which provides resilient means for insertion and retension of the wire leads. Each T-shaped member 36 includes a flattened top 38 which terminates at opposed rounded ends 40. The small space 42 defined between extensions 36 and 37 are sized to permit a wire lead (see item 43 in FIG. 1) to be slightly deformed and passed therethrough. However, the spacing is small enough to make it difficult for the wire lead to be pulled out from opening 32 without some positive force.

The presence of wire guide openings 32 along the top longitudinal edges of side walls 16 and 18 provide an important feature to the present invention which is not found in prior art mounting brackets such as those disclosed in Reissue U.S. Pat. No. 31,714. In the prior art brackets, the upper longitudinal edges of the side walls are flush against the terminal block subsequent to mounting. While some large spaced openings are provided, no plurality of wire guide openings such as disclosed in the present invention are contemplated in these prior art brackets. The presence of wire guide openings in the present invention provides a marked improvement over the prior art since the plurality of wire guide openings permits improved wire management similar to that provided by well known fanning strips on a terminal block.

Still another important feature of the present invention is the improved resilient retaining members 44 which are provided at opposed ends of both sidewalls 16 and 18. Retaining members 44 extend upwardly and are an integral part of side walls 16 and 18. It will be appreciated that only the small upper section 46 and attached hook portion 48 of each retaining member 44 is not integral to sidewalls 16 or 18. This is in distinct contrast to prior art mounting brackets such as those shown in reissue U.S. Pat. No. 31,714 wherein the resilient retaining means are attached only at one small area in the bottom portion of the sidewalls and then extend upwardly along the entire width of the sidewalls as a separate, flexible member. Thus, in the prior art structure, assembly and disassembly between the bracket and terminal block will eventually weaken the attachment between the resilient members and the sidewalls to eventually break said attachment. In distinct contrast, the retaining members 44 of cradle 10 will not undergo this deleterious flexing because members 44 are attached along their entire length to sidewalls 16 and 18. Thus, when hook portion 48 on member 44 is mounted onto a corresponding shelf 49 on terminal block 12 as shown in FIG. 1, flexing will be distributed more evenly through the side walls 16 and 18, thus effecting a more even distribution of stress and a more robust means for attaching the connecting block 12 to the bracket 10. This feature also provides a means for improved manufacturability due to the alleviation of mechanical side cams in the plastic tooling that are required for moving prior art brackets. The incorporation of latching features integral to side walls 16 and 18 also results in a more cohesive shape which yields reduced molding process time.

Yet another important feature of the present invention is the presence of means for tying down cables. As shown in FIG. 1, block and bracket assemblies of this type are important for providing cable management. That is, cables such as identified at 50 FIG. 1 are often run through the interior of bracket 10 subsequent to a block 12 being mounted thereon. Unfortunately, cable 50 will often become loose and can interfere with internal features of the block and bracket assembly. This problem has been overcome in the present invention by cable tie down means identified generally at 52 of FIGS. 2 and 3. Cable tie down means 52 comprises a generally rectangularly shaped opening 54 and a central cross piece 56 which bridges opening 54. A pair of ramped surfaces 53 are defined by the rear wall at the respective opposite ends of opening 54, each of said ramped surfaces extending from its respective end of the opening toward the central cross-piece 56 and being rearwardly inclined. As shown in FIG. 3, a suitable tie structure 58 (such as a wire tie or a plastic tie) is provided through opening 54 around cross piece 56 and around cable 50. Tie 58 is then tightened to thereby secure cable 50 tightly to bracket 10. Similarly, a tie down structure 52 is preferably provided at the opposite end of the bracket so that a cable may be secured to the bracket in at least two places.

Turning now the FIGS. 6-8, a second embodiment of a bracket or cradle in accordance with the present invention is shown generally at 10'. Bracket 10' is preferably made of stamped metal and is preferably used in conjunction with pre-wired block and bracket assemblies. Bracket 10' includes both the tie down feature 52' and the resilient retaining member feature 44' discussed in detail with regard to the embodiment of FIGS. 1-5. The bracket shown in FIGS. 6-8 is used in a manner analogous to that of the bracket shown in FIGS. 1-4, i.e. a terminal block is supported on front surfaces 38' and retained in position by retaining members 44'.

The primary distinction between bracket 10' and bracket 10 is the difference in the wire guide means. In bracket 10', rather than having the plurality of wire guide openings 32 as in bracket 10, the entire upper longitudinal surfaces of sidewalls 16' and 18' are spaced backed from mounting members 44' so that upon assembly to a terminal block, a single or multiple at longitudinal spaces will be defined between longitudinal surfaces 31' and the terminal block.

Still another less important distinction between bracket 10' and bracket 10 is the presence of larger staggered cut out sections 24' in sidewalls 16' and 18' which permit the mounting of additional male or female connectors.

Turning now to FIGS. 9-11, a third embodiment of a bracket or cradle in accordance with the present invention is shown generally at 10". Bracket 10" is substantially similar to bracket 10 of FIGS. 1-4 and is used in a manner analogous to bracket 10, i.e. a terminal block is supported on front surface 38' and retained in position by retaining means 44" with the exception that bracket 10" does not include the wire guide means of bracket 10 and the side openings 22" and 24" are open along the upper longitudinal edge of the bracket. Significantly, cradle 10" includes the important improvements and features of the previously described embodiments such as the integrally formed resilient retaining members 44" and the tie down structure 52".

It will be appreciated that the several brackets disclosed herein (particularly bracket 10" of FIGS. 9-11) may be used in conjunction with well known type 66 terminal blocks such as is shown in U.S. Pat. No. Re. 31,714.

While preferred embodiments have been shown and described, various modifications and substitutions may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the present invention has been described by way of illustrations and not limitation.