FR2724265A1 - MODULAR ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR AND REGULATOR EQUIPPED WITH SUCH CONNECTORS - Google Patents

Abstract

The modular electrical connector has a socket fitted with a row of pins and a terminal block fitted with a row of insulation displacement contacts, the latter each being connected on the one hand to one of the pins and on the other hand to a conductor of insulation. 'a multipair line. It is characterized in that said terminal block (20) extends longitudinally on a front edge of the socket, being flush with a front face of said socket (10), and comprises on each contact a front insulation displacement slot (32) allocated to the connection of each conductor (52) of the line.

Description

Modular electrical connector and realizes such connectors.

  The present invention generally relates to electrical connectors. It relates more particularly to a modular electrical connector, having a first plug connector, said socket and equipped with a row of parallel contact pins, which are accessible through a front opening of the socket, and a second connector, said terminal block and equipped with self-isolating contacts, said insulation displacement contacts being individually connected on the one hand to said pins and on the other hand to the conductors of a multipair line. It also relates to a strip equipped with such connectors. These modular electrical connectors are as such known. The socket of each of them is in particular a standardized type of telecommunication socket, which is mounted in a wall socket and is used for connecting a terminal equipment to a user line connected to this socket. as such known. They allow the connection & desire of lines of a network to user lines, on patch panels. US-A-5 186 647 discloses such a modular electrical connector, wherein the terminal block is at the rear of the socket. Each pin of the plug and the insulation displacement connected thereto are of such a single holding. Alternatively the pins and insulation displacement contacts can be interconnected individually by the conductive tracks of a printed circuit between them. In addition, the intermediate portions between the different pins and the

  various one-piece contacts, or the interconnect tracks, are provided to provide crosstalk reduction at their level, in correspondence with the pairs of the line which are connected to them via the insulation displacement contacts.

  The document EP-A-0 583 486 also describes such a modular electrical connector, in which the terminal block extends on an upper face of the socket, from the front face to the rear face thereof. Each pin of the socket and the insulation displacement contact are in one piece. The plug and the terminal block comprise a common body, in a single

  piece, in which the insulation displacement contacts are accessible along the two opposite lateral edges of the upper face, these two lateral edges being on each side of the open front face of the common body.

  Either of these two known electrical connectors requires that it be removed from its wall location,

  for the connection of the different conductors of the line to its various insulation displacement contacts.

  The object of the present invention is to avoid such a disadvantage by adopting a terminal block designed in a particular way to make its insulation displacement contacts accessible on the front face of the modular electrical connector. It has for its object a modular electrical connector, comprising a first connector known as socket and equipped with contact pins, said pins being mounted in a row in the socket, extending facing a first wall of the socket and being accessible through25 an opening of a second said wall before said socket, and a second connector said outer terminal block & said socket and equipped with insulation displacement contacts, said contacts being on the one hand individually connected to said pins and on the other hand each provided with a first insulation displacement slot 30 between two first end arms of the contact and each connected to a conductor of a multipair line, characterized in that said terminal block forms a longitudinal body dinal extending substantially on said first wall of said socket, parallel to a defined leading edge between said first wall and said front wall, and in that said insulation displacement contacts are aligned in a row along said terminal block and each have said first slot insulation displacement opening on the side of said front wall of the socket, for a connection before said conductors to different first said insulation displacement slots before. This connector advantageously furthermore possesses at least one of the following additional features: said pins and said contacts are independent parts before being connected by connection means provided on the contacts for threading each pin into one of the contacts; each contact comprises a bent lateral return on at least one of said first arms and extending, beyond said first insulation displacement slot, on a joining portion of said first arms to one another on the contact, and said connecting means comprise holes aligned and each made through each folded return and said joining portion, each contact comprises two lateral returns folded in opposite directions from each other on both sides of the contact, respectively, and said connecting means of one of the pins to the contact are constituted by a set of three aligned holes, said returns conferring to the contact a section Z, - c each lateral return defines an acute angle of folding on each first arm, said first arms being substantially in the same plane, the terminal block comprises a row of grooves, said before, open in length on a so-called front face of the terminal block, whichever is greater small dimension said width of this front face, and each delimited between two flanks vis-à-vis, in each of which extend said first arm of one of the contacts, since substantially one end & the other of the groove, each groove comprises baffles protruding on one of said flanks in one of the end portions of the groove and on the other side in the other end portion of the groove, said deflectors forming a substantially S-shaped protuberance in each end portion of the groove, - each contact is double and has a second insulation displacement slot, opposite to said first slot and itself delimited between two opposite second arms

  said first arms and secured to said middle said junction portion on the contact, and said terminal block comprises another row of so-called rear grooves, 10 opposite and substantially identical to said front grooves.

  the connector further comprises an interconnection splitter external to said socket, receiving the pins projecting outwardly on said first wall, wherein said successive pins are distributed in three different possible levels and are interlaced to correspond to a different order of wiring said pins on said contacts, to which are connected the different pairs of conductors of the line, the connector further comprises at least one ground contact, substantially identical to the other contacts, mounted in or parallel to said row of contacts and connected to a ground wire received in the first said insulation displacement slot before this mass contact.25 - said socket is further equipped with contact blades, mounted in a rear wall opposite said front wall of the socket and on which said pins come individually elastic pressure, in the absence of male plug co additionally to said plug plugged into it, said contact blades being themselves connected to conductors of a signal cable or ground. The present invention also relates to a strip equipped with such modular electrical connectors, characterized in that it comprises two rows of connectors, along which the plugs of the connectors are external and the inner terminal blocks. Advantageously, the slider further includes a row of channels defined between the terminal blocks, each channel being common to two terminal blocks opposite two connectors of one and the other of the two rows of

  connectors, respectively. The features and advantages of the present invention will emerge from the description given below in

  reference to the drawings appended hereto and given as an exemplary embodiment. In these drawings: - Figure 1 is a front view of a modular electrical connector according to the present invention, shown partially equipped, - Figure 2 is a sectional view of the connector, according to the line II-II of Figure 1 , and a complementary plug shown in position not plugged into the connector, - Figure 3 is a schematic exploded perspective view of the modular connector according to Figures 1 and 2, - Figure 4 is a partial front view of a part. 5 is a sectional view of the terminal block, along the line VV of FIG. 4; FIG. 6 is a front view of an insulation displacement contact of the terminal block; FIG. 7 is a view of the terminal block; elevation of the insulation displacement contact, - Figure 8 is a schematic view of another part called interconnection splitter, - Figure 9 is an elevational view of a strip, according to the invention, equipped with modular electrical connectors above. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, it can be seen that the modular electrical connector comprises: a jack 10, of standardized type, equipped with a row of contact pins 12, which are mounted in an insulating body 11 forming a housing of the taken and are on the one hand accessible through an opening 13 before a front wall, not referenced, and through a second wall said lower 14, being protruding externally on the latter, - a long and relatively narrow terminal block , equipped with a row of insulation displacement contacts 30, which are mounted in an insulating body 21 defining its shape, are identical to each other and are equal in number to that of the pins, to which it is connected individually, this terminal being advantageously equipped in addition to an additional insulation displacement contact 31 identical to the previous ones, central on the row of insulation displacement contacts and said mass contact or alternatively not represented equipped with two additional ground contacts mounted below the contact row 30, an interconnection splitter 40, between the socket 10 and the terminal block 20, through which the respective pins of the socket are arranged to be connected to the contacts 30 of the terminal block, by restoring the wiring order of the pins to the pairs of interconnection links, which correspond to the pairs of 25 conductors of a line or cable 50 whose conductors 51 are connected to the insulation displacement contacts of the terminal block, and a stacker shielding 60 surrounding the connector

modular electric.

  For eight contact pins 12 in socket 10,

  type RJ45, the terminal block preferably comprises nine or ten insulation displacement contacts.

  The terminal block 20 and the distributor 40 form a parallelepipedal extension on the socket, in this example substantially on the half-front portion of the lower wall 14 of the socket, being slightly projecting on either side of the socket. The insulating body 21 of the terminal block is preferably in one piece with that 11 of the socket

  by defining the interconnection splitter directly or by defining a slot for mounting it when it is not directly integrated. Alternatively, it can simply be mounted against the bottom wall of the socket.

  This terminal 20 is flush with the front face of the socket, for connecting the conductors 51 to the contacts

  self-bulbs through the front panel of the terminal block and the resulting modular connector.

  The cable 50 enters via a rear access 61 of the shield boltier 60, opposite the rear face of the terminal block, this rear face of the terminal block being recessed inwardly relative to that of the socket. This cable a15 peripheral mass screen 52, which is directly connected to boltier shielding in this rear access. He has his

  terminal portion unsheathed, for access to the pairs of conductors 51 and a ground wire 53 and their connection to insulation displacement contacts 30 and 31 on the front of the terminal block.

  These conductors and the ground wire form a sheet passing under the connector in place in its housing.

  shield 60, so as to allow their direct connection to insulation displacement contacts of the terminal block without releasing the connector out of its shielding housing, itself fixed in its wall location.

  Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 2, the socket advantageously comprises a row of eight contact blades 17 mounted in its rear wall, on which the eight pins 12 come individually under elastic pressure, in the absence of plug 70 inserted. in the socket 10. These contact blades are contact or signal contact blades. Although not shown, it is indicated that they are, as the case may be, connected to an eight-conductor signaling cable entering through a second rear access 61 'of the shielding housing, this second rear access shown closed being then open, or connected to the boltier shielding. The pins separate from the blades 17 when the plug is fully inserted into the socket. The shield of the connector according to the invention is specified with particular reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the body 11 of the socket advantageously consists of a rear part 11A made of insulating material and of a front portion 11B of conductive or semiconductive material, which are integral with each other. The pins extend into the rear portion 11A and pass through the bottom wall 14 of the body substantially at the junction of the front and rear portions. They are retained in the rear wall of the rear portion 11A, in an internal groove or a through notch,

  , forming inner arched elastic springs.

  Advantageously, a flap 16 made of semiconducting material closes the front opening 13 of the front portion 11B. It is articulated around an axis 16A, provided on its edge located on the opposite side to the pins. It opens on the inside of the socket, by direct action on him a plug 70, complementary to the plug, when the plug is inserted into the opening 13 and fully into the socket. On this plug 70, as such known and out of the invention, one simply spotted its contact strips 72 on the front portion of its lower face, which come into pressure against the contact pins 12 of the socket, and an elastic tongue 76, which extends on its upper face, is secured to the upper front edge of the plug and provides guiding and locking the plug in the socket. For this, the flap 16 has on its outer face a guide groove 16B of the tongue and unrepresented locking means of this tongue. With reference to FIG. 3, it can be seen that the shielding casing 60 comprises a rear housing 60A covering the

  rear portion 11A of the body of the grip and retained on it

  ci by engagement of a projection 18A provided on the rear portion 11A in a corresponding slot 62A on the rear casing 60A. It comprises a converge before 60B, 5 having a lower flap 64A engaging under the terminal block leaving a clearance between this flap and the terminal block, and an upper flap 64B received on the front portion 11B. The upper flap is retained on the upper wall of the front portion 11B by a projection 18B of the front portion 10 engaged in a corresponding slot 65B of the upper flap. The cover is further retained on the rear casing 60A, on each side, by a side tab 66 inserting and locking at the rear of the terminal block under the side wall of the rear casing 60A.15 A first window 67 to the right of the front opening

  13 of the socket 10 and a second window 68 to the right of the front face of the terminal block are provided on this cover.

  A protective cover 69 is mounted on the front face of the cover and closes the window 68. It is retained by

  snap-in fingers 69A on the cover.

  The terminal block 20 and the insulation displacement contacts 30 or 31 thereof are described with particular reference to FIGS. 4 to 7. It should be noted that these figures are given on an enlarged scale with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2 and that the comparative dimensions of FIGS. contacts or the terminal block have not respected between Figures 1 and 2 on the one hand and 4 to 7 on the other hand for greater clarity of the latter figures. One of the contacts, noted 30, is first described

  for a better understanding of the terminal block to which it belongs.

  This contact 30 is double. It comprises two insulation displacement slots 32, 32 ', opposite and delimited between a pair of front arms 33A, 33B and a pair of rear arms 33'A, 33'B. These two pairs of arms are connected by the middle portion 34 of the contact. There are two folded returns 35 and 36 along the contact, which are folded in one direction and the other respectively, define an acute angle of folding on the arms and the middle part and confer on the contact a Z-shaped section. These two folded returns have their opposite end portions 35A and 35'A, 36A and 36'A notched and chamfered along the only corresponding end portions of the arms. The insulation displacement contact 30 further comprises a set of three aligned holes 37, 38A and 38B, made through the middle part 34 and the two folded returns 35 and 36. Each hole has, as well as visible on the single hole 37, in the Figure 7, a circular shape 37A open in a narrow light 37B. These holes receive the terminal portions of the plug pins, after they have passed through the interconnection splitter, which are plugged and retained in each of them. Cracks such as 39 made in folded returns maintain contact in place in the insulating body

of the terminal block.

  The insulating body 21 of the terminal block 20 has a row of front grooves 22 and a row of rear grooves 22 ', which are open along the width of their respective front and rear faces. They communicate with one another by a row. 23, Z-shaped, which pass through

  in part a middle portion 24 of the insulating body, as well as more clearly visible in Figure 4 o one of the front grooves and the corresponding groove are without contact in place therein.

  These front 22 and rear 22 'grooves are identical and generally straight in the insulating body. They are specified opposite one of the grooves 22. Each groove 22 is delimited between two flanks facing each other 25A and 25B. The flank 25A has two deflectors 26A and 27A projecting in one of the end portions of the groove. The other sidewall 25B has two deflectors 26B

  and 27B, protruding similarly in the other end portion of the groove. The two deflectors & the one after the other together define a substantially S-shaped local protuberance 5 on the relevant sidewall and limit the width of the end of the groove.

  The contact, in place in its grooves 22 and 22 'and the groove 23 between them, has its two arms at an angle in each

  groove between the opposing baffles. It is held in abutment against the baffles by each of the projecting ridges defined by the bent back on one of the arms.

  Its axial portion is also free inside the groove and its insulation displacement slot centered in this groove. The folded returns completely close by their non-indented or wide portion and partially by their indented end portion the two end portions of the groove. These arrangements make that a conductor, engaged in the front opening of the groove and inserted into force in the front insulation displacement slot, is applied against one of the faces of one arm and the opposite of the other arm ,

  on either side of the slot, by the straight portions of the flanks, the latter providing a space of small width between them and the relevant face of each arm at an angle in the groove.

  This conductor is also pinched at both ends of the groove.

  It is further noted that the insulation displacement slot is itself made at an angle and not transversely to the arms

  to penetrate and cross the driver's insulation more easily.

  Moreover, in correspondence with the play of the three aligned holes passing through the insulation displacement contact, the body

  insulator 11 has two holes 28A and 28B laterally opening in each Z-shaped groove 23, through which is threaded the pin to be connected to the contact.

  The rear insulation displacement slot 32 'allows the use of insulation displacement contacts 30 in bus network.

  With reference to FIG. 1 or 2, it is specified that the ground wire 53 of the cable 50 is forcibly connected to the insulation displacement contact 31 in the same way as the conductors 51 to the various insulation displacement contacts 30.

  The contacts 30 and 31 Z allow a particularly dense arrangement of these contacts in the terminal block.

  Figure 8 illustrates the interconnection splitter

  40, to restore the order of external wiring of the pins to the pairs of conductors via the contacts 30.

  Ranks were listed in order, denoted from i to 8, of the successive pins of the tap 10 and the ranks of i & 8 were also compared in a non-progressive order with the successive contacts of their row, excluding the extra mass contact in this representation. It is specified that the two terminal pins of ranks 1 and 2 or 7 and 8, of the row, are intertwined with each other in the splitter to be connected to the two terminal contacts of the corresponding end. The two row pins 3 and 4 are also intersecting each other. Regarding the other two pins, the one of rank 6 is connected

  directly, without intercrossing with another pin, in contact with it, while that of rank 5 also crosses with the pin of rank 3 above.

  These intersections of the pins are done without electrical contact of the pins in the distributor, in

  adopting three different possible levels30 of interlacing for all the pins.

  These three possible levels of interlocking are visible and specified with reference to FIG. 2. They are defined, for one of them said central level with respect to the other two and noted 40C, by an absence of folding of the spindle according to FIG. the depth of the terminal block, for a second level 40A, by a forward folding of the pin in question, and for the third level 40B by a rear folding of another pin concerned. These bends, which shift the pins forward or back of the terminal block or do not shift, are in practice received in the recessed portion accordingly that secures the body of the socket and the body of the terminal block and directly the distributor integrated into the structure of the modular connector. Of course alternatively these folds can shift

  the pins towards one and the other of the two lateral faces of the connector.

  Alternatively also indicated with respect to Figures 1 to 7, the insulation displacement contacts may be slightly modified and for example have only one lateral return or have two lateral returns bent in opposite directions but only one is pierced with a median hole while the other non-pierced form stop for the spindle threaded through the contact. FIG. 9 represents a slide according to the invention,

  formed of such connectors arranged in two rows vis-à-vis and noted 80A on one of the rows and 80B on the other.

  On these two rows the connectors 10A and 10B of the connectors 80A and 80B are external and the terminals 20A and 20B interiors. The terminal blocks 20A and 20B define between them a row of channels 81, which are each connected to the terminals 20A and 20B of two connectors of the two rows.

  respectively and are each assigned to two cables 50A and 50B or two multipair lines.

  The pairs of conductors of the two cables 50A and 50B

  are connected to these two terminal blocks 20A and 20B, respectively.

  The different cables, such as 50A, received in these channels constitute, for example, incoming lines of a network, which are connected to the different terminal blocks 20A. The different cables such as 50B received in these same channels constitute output lines or user lines, which are & wish connected to the various terminal blocks 20A. A connector 80A can be connected to one of the connectors 80B by a jumper cable equipped with two complementary terminal plugs of the sockets 10A and 10B, as is well known for a connection between incoming and outgoing lines on conventional strips and therefore not illustrated. Of course alternatively, similar stirring arrangements can be adopted between two strips, one

  being assigned to incoming lines and the other to outgoing lines.

Claims (12)

  1) Modular electrical connector, comprising a first connector said plug and equipped with contact pins, said pins being mounted in a row in5 the socket, extending opposite a first wall of the socket and being accessible through an opening of a second so-called front wall of said socket, and a second terminal said outer terminal to said socket and equipped with insulation displacement contacts, said contacts being on the one hand individually connected to said pins and on the other hand each provided with a first insulation displacement slot between two first end arms of the contact and each connected to a conductor of a multipair line, characterized in that said terminal block (20) forms a longitudinal body (21) extending substantially on said first wall (14) of said socket (10), parallel to a front edge defined between said first wall and said front wall, and in that said insulation displacement contacts (30) are Igneous in a row along said terminal block and each have said first insulation displacement slot opening on the side of said front wall of the socket for a connection before said conductors to the different first said insulation displacement slots (32) before. 2) connector according to claim 1, characterized in that said pins (12) and said contacts (30) are individually first and second independent parts before their connection, and in that said contacts (30) each comprise connecting means (37, 37A, 37B) assigned to one of the pins (12), in which slip on and connect the spindle.   3) connector according to claim 2, characterized in that each contact comprises a lateral return (35, 36) folded relative to at least one of said first arms (33A, 33B) and extending beyond said first an insulation displacement slot (32) on a joining portion (34) of said first arms (33A, 33B) to one another on the contact, and in that said connecting means (36, 36A, 36B) comprise holes (38, 38A, 38B) aligned and each made through each bent back and said joining portion. 4) A connector according to claim 3, characterized in that each contact comprises two lateral returns (35, 36) folded in opposite directions from each other on both sides of the contact, respectively, and said connecting means of one of the pins in contact are constituted by a set of three aligned holes, said returns conferring to the contact a Z-shaped section.) Connector according to claim 4, characterized in that each lateral return (35, 36) defines an acute angle   on each first arm, said first arms being substantially in the same plane.   6) Connector according to one of claims 3 and 5, characterized in that each lateral return (35, 36) is   notched along the end of the first arm.   7) Connector according to one of claims 3 & 6,   characterized in that said terminal block comprises a row of grooves (22), said before, open lengthwise on one face   said front of the terminal block, according to the smallest dimension called width of this front face, and delimited each between two flanks vis-à-vis (25A, 25B), in each of which25 extend said first arms of one of the contacts from substantially one end to the other of the groove.   8) Connector according to claim 7, characterized in that each front groove (22) has baffles (26A, 27A, 26B, 27B) projecting on one of said sidewalls in one of the end portions of the groove and on the other flank in the other end portion of the groove, said deflectors forming a protuberance substantially S in each end portion of the groove. 9) A connector according to claim 8, characterized in that said terminal block further comprises a row of substantially Z-shaped grooves (23), each opening into one of said front grooves (22) extending to a rear face opposite to that before said terminal block.  10) Connector according to claim 7, characterized in that each contact is double and comprises a second insulation displacement slot (32 '), opposite said first slot (32) and itself delimited between two   second arms (33'A), 33'B) opposite to said first arms and integral with said so-called median junction portion (34) on the contact, and in that said terminal block (20) comprises a further row of said rear grooves ( 22 '), opposite and substantially identical to said front grooves (22).   11) Connector according to one of claims 3 & 10, characterized in that it further comprises a splitter   interconnection (40) external to said socket, receiving the projected pins protruding externally on said first wall, wherein said successive pins are distributed in three different possible levels (40C, 40A, 40B), are intertwined and thus connect to said contacts (30) considered in a different order from that said pins.   12) Connector according to one of claims 3 & 11 and further comprising an outer shielding housing,   characterized in that said plug comprises a body (11) of which a so-called front portion (11B), defining said front wall, is of conductive material.   13) Connector according to claim 12, characterized in that said opening (13) of said front wall of the socket (10) is closed by a flap made of conductive material (16), articulated and opening towards the inside of said outlet.   14) A connector according to claim 13, characterized in that said shielding casing comprises a first and   a second front window (67, 68) to the right of the opening of the front face of said socket (10) and to the right of said terminal block (20) respectively, and a removable cover (69) for closing said second window.   ) Connector according to one of claims 1 & 14, characterized in that said terminal block (20) further comprises   at least one additional insulation displacement contact (31), said ground contact, substantially identical to the other contacts (30), mounted in or parallel to said row of contacts and connected to a ground wire received in the first slot   said insulation displacement before this mass contact. 16) Connector according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that said socket (10) is further equipped   contact blades (17), mounted in a rear wall opposite said front wall of the socket and on which said pins individually come in elastic pressure, in the absence of male plug complementary to said plug plugged into it, said blades of   contact being themselves connected to conductors of a signal cable or to ground.   17) Strip equipped with connectors according to one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that it comprises   two rows of connectors (80A, O80B), along which the plugs (10A, 10B) of the connectors are external and the terminals (20A, 20B) internal.   18) A strip according to claim 17, characterized in that it further comprises a row of channels (81)   defined between the terminal blocks, each channel being common to two terminal blocks opposite two connectors of one and the other of the two rows of connectors, respectively.