T-splice connector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022013932-A1
Application number	US-202117304663-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 24, 2021
Priority date	Jul 7, 2020
Publication date	Jan 13, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

An apparatus and method for splicing single pair ethernet (SPE) cables. By creating a T shaped intersection, the splicing device allows for sensors and other devices to run perpendicular in relation to the original cable. The splicing device further enables the cable to have multiple drop points along the cable.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A cable splicing device comprising:
a top housing; a bottom housing; and a circuit board comprises:
a first set of insulation displacement contacts (IDCs) configured to hold a pair of wires from a first single pair ethernet (SPE) cable;
a second set of IDCs configured to hold a pair of wires from the first SPE cable; and
a third set of IDCs configured to hold a pair of wires from a second cable.

2 . The cable splicing device of claim 1 , wherein the circuit board comprises:
a set of conductive traces configured to couple the first set of IDCs to the second set of IDCs and the third set of IDCs.

3 . The cable splicing device of claim 1 , wherein the circuit board is configured to:
electrically couple a first wire and a second wire from the first SPE cable via the first set of IDCs and the second set of IDCs; electrically couple the first wire from the first SPE to a first wire from the second cable via the first set of IDCs and the third set of IDCs; and electrically couple the second wire from the first SPE to a second wire from the second cable via the first set of IDCs and the third set of IDCs.

4 . The cable splicing device of claim 1 , wherein the top housing and bottom housing are connected via a hinge configured to be a rotation point for the top housing and the bottom housing to rotate in a clamshell manner between an open state and a closed state.

5 . The cable splicing device of claim 1 , wherein the top housing further comprises:
a first wire retention feature configured to secure the pair of wires from the first SPE cable within the first set of IDCs when the cable splicing device is in a closed state; and a second wire retention feature configured to secure the pair of wires from the first SPE cable within the second set of IDCs when the cable splicing device is in the closed state.

6 . The cable splicing device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first wire holder configured to hold a first portion of the first SPE cable; a second wire holder configured to hold a second portion of the first SPE cable; and a third wire holder configured to hold a portion of the second cable.

7 . The cable splicing device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a conductive plate located within an inner housing and positioned to cover the first SPE cable and the second cable when the cable splicing device is in a closed state.

8 . The cable splicing device of claim 7 , wherein the conductive plate is made from a metalized foil material.

9 . The cable splicing device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first wire holder configured to hold a first portion of the first SPE cable; a second wire holder configured to hold a second portion of the first SPE cable; a third wire holder configured to hold a portion of the second cable; and a conductive plate located within an inner housing and configured to be in electrical contact with the first wire holder, the second wire holder, and the third wire holder when the cable splicing device is in a closed state.

10 . The cable splicing device of claim 1 , wherein the circuit board is configured to have an internal resistance to allow the cable splicing device to be used as a termination end to the first SPE cable.

11 . The cable splicing device of claim 1 , wherein the circuit board is configured to have an internal resistance to allow the cable splicing device to be its own spur device.

12 . The cable splicing device of claim 1 , wherein the second cable is a SPE cable.

13 . The cable splicing device of claim 1 , wherein the first SPE cable includes a pair of filler rods.

14 . The cable splicing device of claim 13 , wherein the pair of filler rods are made of a plastic polymer material.

15 . The cable splicing device of claim 13 , wherein the pair of filler rods are installed opposite each other.

16 . A method for installing a trunk cable to a T-splice adapter, the method comprising:
opening the T-splice adapter to separate a top portion of the T-splice adapter from a bottom portion of the T-splice adapter; electrically coupling a first wire and a second wire of the trunk cable to a first IDC and a second IDC, respectively, wherein the first IDC and the second IDC are included as part of a first set of IDCs; electrically coupling the first wire and the second wire of the trunk cable to a third IDC and a fourth IDC, respectively, wherein the third IDC and the fourth IDC are included as part of a second set of IDCs; and electrically coupling a first wire and a second wire of a spur cable to a fifth IDC and a sixth IDC, respectively, wherein the fifth IDC and the sixth IDC are included as part of a third set of IDCs.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
fitting a first portion of the trunk cable into a first wire holder; fitting a second portion of the trunk cable into a second wire holder; and fitting an end portion of the spur cable into a third wire holder.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
closing the T-splice adapter so that the top portion and the bottom portion come together and a conductive plating placed within the top portion electrically couples to at least one of the first wire holder, the second wire holder, or the third wire holder.

19 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
installing an external device to the spur cable.

20 . The method of claim 16 , wherein at least one of the trunk cable and the spur cable is a single pair ethernet cable.

Assignees

• Panduit Corp

Inventors

• Matcha Andrew R
• Chitti Babu Surendra

Classifications

• H01R4/2433

  one part of the base being movable to push the cable into the slot · CPC title

• H01R11/11

  End pieces or tapping pieces for wires, supported by the wire and for facilitating electrical connection to some other wire, terminal or conductive member (H01R11/01 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01R11/09

  the connecting locations being identical · CPC title

• H02G15/113

  Boxes split longitudinally in main cable direction · CPC title

• H01R12/53 Primary

  connecting to cables except for flat or ribbon cables · CPC title