Telecommunication connector

[0002] The present invention relates to electrical connectors for use in a telecommunication network in which the wire block has a guide plate in the wire hole for guiding the bare wires of the communication cable into position for quick connection to the respective connection terminals without the use of a tool; movable covers are provided to hold down the wire block and to protect the circuit board and the connection terminals against external dust; the connection terminals are obliquely aligned at the circuit board in a staggered manner, increasing area of electric magnetic interaction between two terminals of a signal pair, while reducing the space between each signal pair to prevent reduce cross-talk.

[0003] A conventional network jack, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, comprises a housing 91, a circuit board 92, two terminal holders 93, a communication line 94, and two top caps 95. The 8 core wires 941 of the communication line 94 are respectively inserted into respective terminal slots 931 in the terminal holders 93, and crimped to respective terminals in the terminal slots 931 by a crimping tool. This design of network jack has numerous drawbacks as follows:

[0004] 1. It is complicated and takes much time to crimp the core wires 941 of the communication line 94 to the respective terminals in the terminal slots 931 with a crimping tool.

[0005] 2. After installation of the top caps 95 in the terminal holders 93, bottom side notches 951 of the top caps 95 are in communication with the terminal slots 931. Therefore, the top caps 95 cannot protect the terminals in the terminal slots 931 against outside dust.

[0006] 3. After installation of the communication line 94, the core wires 941 respectively extend to the terminals in the terminal slots 931 at different distances, thereby affecting the communication quality.

[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 6,157,542 discloses an electric jack issued to the present inventor. This structure of electric jack is functional; however it still has minor drawbacks. It is inconvenient to connect the electric wires of the cable to the forked terminals at the terminal holder. The cross-talk prevention and dust protection of this design of electric jack is still not perfect. Further, because the holding-down caps are respectively pivoted to the terminal holder, they must be respectively turned to the locking position after installation of the cable in the terminal holder.

[0008] Therefore, it is desirable to provide a network jack that eliminates the aforesaid drawbacks.

[0009] The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. According to one aspect of the present invention, the telecommunication connector is comprised of a housing having a rear extension board, a circuit board carrying a set of communication terminals and a set of connection terminals, a wire block mounted on the circuit board to hold bare wires of a twisted pair 8-wire communication line in contact with the connection terminals respectively, and two movable covers respectively pivoted to the rear extension board of the housing and adapted to hold down the wire block at the circuit board. The bare wires of the twisted pair 8-wire communication line are inserted into a wire hole of the terminal block, keeping bare wires extended out of guide space at a distance and also keeping the front edge of the outer insulative covering of the communication cable stopped against the front sides of two locating walls of the wire block; thus the two bare wires of each twisted pair can easily be separated and respectively inserted into respective terminal grooves in the wire block.

[0010] According to another aspect of the present invention, the bare wires have approximately the same length when installed in the wire block and fastened to the respective connection terminals; therefore a high stability of communication quality is maintained.

[0011] According to still another aspect of the present invention, when the movable covers are closed, the pressure blocks impart a downward pressure to the wire block, thereby causing the bare wires to be respectively positively maintained in contact with the connection terminals. Therefore, the installation procedure is simple and labor-saving, without the use of any hand tools.

[0012] According to still another aspect of the present invention, the movable covers hold down the wire block and the communication line positively in position against vibration; the side walls, top walls and back walls of the movable covers well protect the rear extension board, the circuit board and the wire block against external dust.

[0013] According to still another aspect of the present invention, the wire block has a handle at the back side through which the user can hold the wire block with the hand conveniently during installation, and a wire clamp can be fastened to the handle and the communication line to secure the communication line to the wire block firmly in position.

[0014] According to still another aspect of the present invention, the connection terminals are obliquely aligned at the circuit board in a staggered manner, increasing area of electric magnetic interaction between two terminals of a signal pair, while reducing the space between each signal pair to prevent reduce cross-talk.

[0015] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a network jack according to the prior art.

[0016] FIG. 2 is an elevational assembly view of the network jack shown in FIG. 1.

[0017] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a network jack according to the present invention.

[0018] FIG. 4 is an exploded view of a part of the present invention showing the movable covers respectively pivoted to housing and the communication wire fastened to the wire block.

[0019] FIG. 5 is an elevational view of the network jack according to the present invention.

[0020] FIG. 6 is another elevational view of the network jack according to the present invention when viewed from another angle.

[0021] FIG. 7 is a sectional assembly view of the network jack according to the present invention.

[0022] FIG. 8 is an exploded view of the wire block and the communication line according to the present invention.

[0023] FIG. 9 is an elevational view showing the bare wires of the communication line inserted through the wire hole in the wire block and extended out of the wire block at a distance.

[0024] FIG. 10 is similar to FIG. 9 but showing the bare wires respectively inserted into the respective wire grooves before cutting.

[0025] FIG. 11 is similar to FIG. 10 but showing the bare wires properly cut.

[0026] FIG. 12 is a top plain view in an enlarged scale of FIG. 11.

[0027] FIG. 13 is an oblique bottom elevation of the housing according to the present invention.

[0028] FIG. 14 is a rear plain view of the housing according to the present invention.

[0029] Referring to FIGS. 3˜14, a network jack in accordance with the present invention is shown comprising an electrically insulative housing 1, a circuit board 2, and a wire block 3.

[0030] The housing 1 has a front receiving hole 11 in the front side, a top locating block 12 at the top side above the front receiving hole 11, a plurality of bottom spring hooks 13 at the bottom side, and a rear extension board 14 backwardly extended at the back side below the elevation of the front receiving hole 11.

[0031] The circuit board 2 is mounted in the housing 1, having a plurality of communication terminals 80 arranged at a front part thereof and suspended in the front receiving hole 11 of the housing 1, and a plurality of connection terminals 7 (71,72,73,74) soldered to a rear part thereof.

[0032] The wire block 3 has two locating walls 32. The locating walls 32 each comprise a plurality of partition plates 323,324 defining a plurality of downwardly extended slots 322 and a plurality of terminal grooves 321 in communication with the slots 322. The wire block 3 is mounted on the top side of the rear part of the circuit board 2, keeping the connection terminals 71,72,73,74 respectively inserted into the terminal grooves 321.

[0033] The main features of the present invention are outlined hereinafter. The wire block 3 comprises a wire hole 31 defined between the two locating walls 32 (see FIGS. 7 and 8), a guide plate 311 connected between the locating walls 32 and sloping forwardly downwards and separating the wire hole 31 into a front guide space 3111 and a rear guide space 3112. The bare wires 41,41′ of a twisted pair 8-wire communication line 4 are inserted into the wire hole 31 of the wire block 3, keeping four bare wires 41′ extended out of the front guide space 3111 at a distance and the other four bare wires 41 extended out of the rear guide space 3112 at a distance (see FIG. 9) and also keeping the front edge 40 of the outer insulative covering of the communication line 4 stopped against the front sides of the locating walls 32. By means of the support of the adjacent partition plate 323, the two bare wires 41.41′ of each twisted pair are easily separated and respectively inserted into the adjacent terminal grooves 321 (see FIG. 10), and then the part of the bare wires 41,41′ that projected out of the respective terminal grooves 321 is cut off (see FIGS. 11 and 12), Thus, the bare wires 41,41′ and wire block 3 mounting procedure is done. Further, because the bare wires 41,41′ are respectively obliquely guided out of the wire hole 31 along the guide plate 311, they are kept close to the respective wire grooves 321 for quick installation. When installed, the bare wires 41,41′ have approximately the same length, assuring high stability of communication quality.

[0034] Further, the connection terminals 71,72,73,74 are obliquely aligned at the circuit board 2 in a staggered manner, increasing the space between each two adjacent connection terminals to prevent the interference of cross-talk.

[0035] The rear extension board 14 of the aforesaid housing 1 comprises two pairs of pivot holes 141 symmetrically bilaterally disposed at the bottom side for the mounting of two movable covers 5,6 (see FIG. 3). The movable covers 5,6 each comprise a side wall 51 or 61, two pivot rods 511 or 611 provided at the bottom side of the side wall 51 or 61 and aimed at each other, a top wall 52 or 62, a pressure block 521 or 621 integral with the bottom surface of the top wall 52 or 62. The pivot rods 511,611 of the movable covers 5,6 are respectively pivoted to the pivot holes 141 of the rear extension board 14 of the housing 1 (see FIG. 4). After installation of the wire block 3 in the circuit board 2, the movable covers 5,6 are respectively turned inwards toward each other and covered on the wire block 3, keeping the pressure blocks 521,621 pressed on the wire block 3 to hold down the bare wires 41,41′ at the connection terminals 7.

[0036] The movable covers 5,6 each further comprise a retaining hole 522 or 622 and a retaining block 523 or 623 at the top wall 52 or 62, an opening 524 or 624 at the top wall 52 or 62 corresponding to the pressure block 521 or 621, and a back wall 53 or 63 extended from the side wall 51 or 61 at one side. When the movable covers 5,6 covered on the wire block 3, the retaining hole 522 and retaining block 523 of one movable cover 5 are respectively forced into engagement with the retaining block 623 and retaining hole 622 of the other movable cover 6. Due to the presence of the opening 524 or 624 at the top wall 52 or 62 of the movable cover 5 or 6, the pressure block 521 or 621 is slightly springy. When the movable covers 5,6 closed on the wire block 3, the back walls 53,63 of the movable covers 5,6 cover the rear side of the housing 1 and the rear side of the circuit board 2.

[0037] The rear extension board 14 of the housing 1 has a locating hole 140. A clamping member 8 is provided having a bottom hook 811 hooked in the locating hole 140 of the rear extension board 14, a lower retaining hole 812, which receives the rear side of the rear extension board 14, and an upper retaining hole 813, which receives the middle part 20 of the rear side of the circuit board 2.

[0038] The wire block 3 has a handle 30 integral with the rear side for the holding of the hand during installation of the wire block 3. After installation, a wire clamp (not shown) may be fastened to the handle 30 to secure the communication line 4 in place.

[0039] As indicated above, the invention provides a network jack, which has the following advantages:

[0040] 1. The bare wires 41,41′ of the 8-wire communication line 4 are inserted into the wire hole 31 of the terminal block 3, keeping four bare wires 41′ extended out of the front guide space 3111 at a distance and the other four bare wires 41 extended out of the rear guide space 3112 at a distance and also keeping the front edge 40 of the outer insulative covering of the communication line 4 stopped against the front sides of the locating walls 32; thus the two bare wires 41.41′ of each twisted pair can easily be separated and respectively inserted into the adjacent terminal grooves 321 (see FIG. 10), and the bare wires 41,41′ and wire block 3 mounting procedure is done after the part of the bare wires 41,41′ that projected out of the respective terminal grooves 321 was cut off (see FIGS. 11 and 12). Therefore, the installation of the present invention is simple and time saving.

[0041] 2. Because the bare wires 41,41′ have approximately the same length when installed in the wire block 3 and fastened to the respective connection terminals 7, a high stability of communication quality is maintained.

[0042] 3. When the movable covers 5,6 are closed, the pressure blocks 521,621 impart a downward pressure to the wire block 3, thereby causing the bare wires 41,41′ to be respectively positively maintained in contact with the connection terminals 7. Therefore, the installation procedure is simple and labor-saving, without the use of any hand tools.

[0043] 4. The movable covers 5,6 hold down the wire block 3 and the communication line 4 positively in position against vibration; the side walls 51,61, top walls 52,62 and back walls 53,63 of the movable covers 5,6 well protect the rear extension board 14, the circuit board 2 and the wire block 3 against external dust.

[0044] 5. The handle 30 of the wire block 3 allows the user to hold the wire block 3 with the hand conveniently during installation, and a wire clamp can be fastened to the handle 30 and the communication line 4 to secure the communication line 4 to the wire block 3 firmly in position.

[0045] 6. The connection terminals 71,72,73,74 are obliquely aligned at the circuit board 2 in a staggered manner, increasing the space between each two adjacent connection terminals to prevent the interference of cross-talk.

[0046] Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.