RJ type connector including a disengagement feature acting on the latch of the connector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9825403-B2
Application number	US-201213984455-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 7, 2012
Priority date	Feb 8, 2011
Publication date	Nov 21, 2017
Grant date	Nov 21, 2017

Abstract

The invention relates to a connector ( 1 ) for data connections, in particular of the RJ type, with a latch element ( 6 ) for securing a connection to a counter-connector. In order to simplify a disconnection of the connector ( 1 ) and the counter-connector, even when the connection is secured by the latch connection, the invention provides that the connector ( 1 ) is provided with a gripping end ( 5, 5 ′) that is adapted to transfer the latch element ( 6 ) from its latch position (L) and to disconnect the connector ( 1 ) from the counter-connector by a single movement.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A connector for data connections, of the RJ type, the connector being adapted to be connected to a counter-connector in a contact direction, the connector having a housing, the housing including a contact end pointing in the contact direction and a gripping end opposite of the contact end, and the connector having a latch element for securing the connection between the connector and the counter-connector in a latch position wherein the gripping end is adapted to be slid relative to the contact end against the contact direction into a release position and is operatingly connected to the latch element, which, in the release position of the gripping end, is arranged in an unlatch position spaced apart from its latch position in an unlatch direction; the gripping end configured to surround a cable and having a concave outer contour that defines a waist, a distal end of the latch element defining a window therethrough, the gripping end including a projection extending from above the distal end of the latch element downward in the unlatch direction toward a body of the housing into the window and engaging an edge of the window to transfer the latch element to the unlatch position when the gripping end moves from the latch position to the unlatch position.

2. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein a conversion element is connected to the gripping end in a motion-transmitting manner, the conversion element being adapted to convert a sliding release motion of the gripping end into an unlatch motion of the latch element in the unlatch direction.

3. The connector according to claim 2 , wherein the conversion element has a converting motion, that equals the sliding motion of the gripping end.

4. The connector according to claim 2 , wherein the conversion element comprises a connection section connected to the gripping element in a motion-transmitting manner, and a pressing section that interacts with the latch element.

5. The connector according to claim 4 , wherein the pressing section is formed with a pressing ramp slanted with respect to the contact direction and in the release position forcing the latch element into the unlatch position.

6. The connector according to claim 2 , further comprising a guiding element, which is immovably connected to the contact end of the housing and which guides the release motion of the gripping end or the converting motion of the conversion element.

7. The connector according to claim 6 , wherein the guiding element forms a longitudinal guidance.

8. The connector according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one resilient return means for automatically transferring the gripping end from the release position, in which the latch element is held in the unlatch position, to a home or operating position, in which the latch element can be arranged in the latch position.

9. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein the gripping end is formed as a separate slider boot of the housing, via which a cable enters the connector.

10. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein the latch element can be unlatched either through moving the gripping end or by pressing directly or indirectly a free end of the latch element toward the body.

11. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein the gripping end forms a boot of the connector.

12. A method for using a connector for data connections, of the RJ type, the connector being adapted to be connected to a counter-connector in a contact direction, the connector having a housing, the housing including a contact end pointing in the contact direction and a gripping end opposite of the contact end, and having a latch element for securing the connection between the connector and the counter-connector in a latch position wherein the gripping end is slid relative to the contact end against the contact direction into a release position and is operatingly connected to the latch element, which, in the release position of the gripping end, is arranged in an unlatch position spaced apart from its latch position in an unlatch direction; the gripping end configured to surround a cable, a distal end of the latch element defining a window therethrough, the gripping end including a projection extending from above the distal end of the latch element downward in the unlatch direction toward a body of the housing into the window and engaging an edge of the window to transfer the latch element to the unlatch position when the gripping end moves from the latch position to the unlatch position.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the latch element can be unlatched either through moving the gripping end or by pressing directly or indirectly a free end of the latch element toward the body.

14. A method of using the connector of claim 1 .

15. A connector for terminating a communications cable comprising:
a housing connectable to a counter-connector in a contact direction;
a latch extending from the housing and defining a window through a distal end of the latch, the latch movable between a latched position and an unlatched position, the distal end of the latch being positioned relatively closer to the housing in the unlatched position; and
a slidable member including a gripping end, the gripping end configured to surround the cable and the gripping end having a concave outer contour that defines a waist, the slidable member being slidable relative to the housing between a first position and a second position in a direction opposite to the contact direction, the slidable member including a projection extending into the window and engaging an edge of the window to transfer the latch to the unlatched position when the slidable member moves from the first position to the second position.

16. The connector of claim 15 , wherein the gripping end includes an insertion end defining an opening through which the cable is received and an inlet section that extends from the insertion end at least partially through the gripping end, wherein an internal contour of the inlet section is funnel-shaped.

17. The connector of claim 16 , wherein the insertion end has a rectangular-shaped outer periphery and the opening defined at the insertion end has a circular shape.

18. The connector of claim 15 , wherein the gripping end forms a boot of the connector.

19. The connector of claim 18 , wherein the boot includes a distal end that is rectangular shaped and defines a circular-shaped opening through which cable extends into the boot.

20. The connector of claim 16 , wherein the insertion end opens in a direction opposite the contact direction at an angle between five degrees and forty degrees.

21. The connector of claim 15 , wherein the slidable member includes a conversion element, the projection projecting from the conversion element, wherein the conversion element is adapted to convert a sliding motion of the slidable member into movement of the latch into the unlatched position.

22. The connector of claim 21 , wherein the conversion element is latched to a remainder of the slidable member.

23. The connector of claim 15 , wherein the slidable member is biased toward the first position.

24. The connector of claim 15 , further including a guiding element coupled to the housing and defining a guide slot that receives a guiding protrusion on the slidable member to limit the sliding movement of the slidable member relative to the housing.

25. The connector of claim 15 , wherein th

Assignees

• De Dios Martin Longinos
• Thijs Dany
• Muir Sheldon
• Commscope Technologies Llc
• CommScope Connectivity Belgium BVBA
• Commscope Connectivity Spain Sl

Inventors

• De Dios Martin Longinos
• Thijs Dany
• Muir Sheldon

Classifications

• H01R13/633 Primary

  for disengagement only {(in combination with safety switch H01R13/7132)} · CPC title

• H01R43/26

  for engaging or disengaging the two parts of a coupling device (structural association with two-part coupling device H01R13/629) · CPC title

• H01R24/64

  for high frequency, e.g. RJ 45 · CPC title

• Y10T29/49117

  Conductor or circuit manufacturing · CPC title