Electrical connector

A modularized electrical connector includes plural sets of electrical contacts carried by a support means. A first adapter plug having an associated set of electrical contacts is constructed and arranged for disposition in releasable electrical engagement with any selected set of the plural contact sets. A second adapter affixed to the support member is flexibly wired to the movable first adapter and includes an associated set of electrical contacts for electrical connection to a mating connector plug. A mounting member is provided for securing the first adapter in a selected position. Other features are disclosed.

RELATED APPLICATION 
This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 000,317, 
filed concurrently herewith in the name of Jiulio E. Perna et al, and 
assigned to the assignee of the present application. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates generally to modular electrical connectors useful, 
for example, in telephone interconnection systems or the like. More 
particularly, the invention is directed to new and improved modular 
connector designs facilitating prompt field service connection and 
reconnection of electrical circuits in selected circuit patterns with a 
minimum of effort and time by relatively unskilled personnel. 
In telephone interconnection systems and similar environments, individual 
telephones are required to have one or more specific features according to 
customer requirements, such as preselected telephone number, 
multiple-lines, a hold button, etc. The individual telephones must be 
joined to the system so as to accommodate these requirements. Often, 
however, these customer requirements change after a period of time 
necessitating a service call to reconnect the individual telephones into 
the system according to the new requirements. Heretofore, it has been 
commonplace to hand-wire and solder leads to the electrical connectors, 
and thus both installation and later reinstallations have required a 
tedious unsoldering and resoldering of wires to connector leads according 
to the modified requirements. 
Modularization of telephone interconnection systems has become increasingly 
popular in order to reduce hardware requirements and the service expense 
inherent in performing individual conductor terminations. For these 
reasons, modularized or standardized telephone jack connectors are 
presently being incorporated into individual telephone units, and 
standardized telephone plugs have been adopted for terminating both ends 
of the telephone cord. The interconnection between the conductors and the 
telephone unit is then effected by the simple mating of a modular plug and 
jack. In addition, a variety of junction boxes, bridging adapters and 
other devices have been developed which incorporate modular jack 
connectors for receiving such plugs, the modular jack connector being 
prewired in accordance with the above to one or more standardized 
connectors disposed in the device. Such standard telephone plugs and jacks 
are known in the art and are described in the Federal Communications 
Commission Regulations published in the Federal Register, Monday, July 12, 
1976. 
In lieu of utilizing the above described pre-wired junction boxes and the 
like, a standardized connector already widely in use, such as the 
connector sold by Bunker Ramo Corporation under the trademarks "57" and 
"157" Series, may be individually adapted to the above modular concept and 
utilized in accordance with the previously described telephone 
interconnection technique. One form of such an adaptation is described in 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,070,548, issued Jan. 24, 1978, to Alan Henry Kasper and 
assigned to the assignee of the present invention. As disclosed in the 
aforementioned patent, plural conductors electrically interconnect the 
electrical contacts of the modular connector with one preselected set of 
contacts in the standardized connector which supports the modular 
connector, thereby electrically connecting the telephone unit with the 
desired signal outputs of the telephone switching equipment system. These 
conductors are generally soldered or otherwise permanently attached to 
both the modular connector and to the preselected set of contacts in the 
standardized connector. 
It has been found desirable in some instances to eliminate the soldering or 
other permanent attachment of the conductors to the preselected set of 
contacts of the standardized connector as well as to provide a full 
complement of electrical contacts therein which are selectively and 
releasably engageable with the conductors. Such a capability would reduce 
the requirement of maintaining a large inventory of pre-wired connectors 
having different wiring arrangements. It would also eliminate the 
alternative procedure of detaching the permanently terminated conductors 
and resoldering them to a different set of contacts on the standardized 
connector in order to provide electrical interconnection between the 
single telephone unit and different signal outputs of the telephone 
signalling and switching system coupled to the standardized connector. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is therefore a primary objective of the present invention to provide a 
new and improved electrical connector of modular design. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved 
field serviceable electrical connector facilitating electrical connection 
of a standardized adapter element mounted thereon with any selected set of 
a plurality of sets of electrical contact sets supported by the connector. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an electrical 
connector having a first adapter element releasably securable to any 
selected set of a plurality of sets of electrical contacts supported by 
the connector and further having a second adapter fixedly secured to the 
connector to enable prompt and easy coupling of any preselected set of the 
connector electrical contact sets to a standard modular adapter. 
Accordingly, the invention is directed to an electrical connector 
comprising first contact means having plural sets of electrical contacts 
supported by a support means. A first adapter means is provided with an 
associated set of electrical contacts and is constructed and arranged for 
releasable electrical engagement with any selected set of the plural sets 
of contacts. A second adapter means is supported by the support means and 
includes an associated set of electrical contacts for electrical 
connection to a mating connector means. Conductor means are provided for 
electrically connecting the associated sets of contacts of the first and 
second adapter means. 
In one preferred embodiment of the invention, mounting means are provided 
for releasably securing the first adapter means along the support means 
for electrical engagement with any one selected set of the plural sets of 
the first contact means.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a preferred embodiment of the connector of the 
present invention is generally designated by the numeral 10. The connector 
10 is adapted for electrically interconnecting a single electrical 
appliance, and more particularly a single telephone unit, with any one of 
a plurality of signal outputs of an electrical telephone system coupled to 
the connector 10. In this respect, the connector 10 is related to the 
electrical connector described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,070,548, issued Jan. 24, 
1978, to Alan Henry Kasper and assigned to the assignee of the present 
invention, and the disclosure of that patent is incorporated herein by 
reference. 
As shown in the drawings, the electrical connector 10 includes a support 
means 12 and first contact means shown generally at 13. The first contact 
means 13 preferably includes a plurality of sets of electrical contacts 14 
supported by the support means 12, as described in greater detail below. 
The lower extensions of the first contact means 13, concealed by the 
support means 12, are adapted to project into an open lower cavity of the 
support means for connection to a mating connector (not shown). The mating 
connector (not shown) includes a full complement of contacts for mating 
with each set of the plural contact sets of contact means 13. The mating 
connector (not shown) snugly interfits with the lower peripheral flange of 
the support means 12 in known fashion. 
A single electrical appliance such as a telephone unit (not illustrated) is 
electrically coupled by a cable conductor 15 to a single standardized, 
single unit modular connector element 16. A primary purpose of the 
invention is to electrically interconnect the single unit modular element 
16 with any one of a plurality of signal outputs of the electrical system 
coupled to the sets of electrical contacts 14. To achieve this purpose, a 
first adapter means 20 is provided, having an associated set of electrical 
contacts 22 (FIGS. 5 and 7). The adapter means 20 is constructed and 
arranged for disposition with its associated contacts 22 positioned in 
releasable electrical engagement with any selected set of the plural sets 
of electrical contacts 14. The contacts 22 are likewise electrically 
interconnectable with the single standardized connector element 16 through 
a second adapter means and flexible conductor means presently to be 
described. Mounting means, as illustrated in FIGS. 4-7 and as described in 
detail below, are provided for releasably securing the adapter means 20 
along the support means 12 to provide firm electrical engagement between 
the contacts 22 and any selected set of the plural sets of contacts 14. 
In one preferred embodiment of the invention, a second adapter means 24 is 
provided to electrically and mechanically couple the contacts 22 with the 
standardized connector element 16. The second adapter means 24 is carried 
by the support means 12 and is preferably in the form of a standardized 
adapter element 26 constructed to matingly receive and electrically engage 
the connector element 16. The second adapter element 26 includes an 
associated set of electrical contacts 27 (FIG. 3) for electrical 
connection to the like contacts of the connector element 16. The contact 
elements 27 are in turn coupled to the contact elements 22 by a conductor 
means which in the present case preferably constitutes flexible wires 28. 
In this manner, the adapter element 20 may be moved to any selected 
position along the support means 12 to engage a selected set of the 
contacts 14. This arrangement permits electrical interconnection between 
the connector element 16 and any selected signal output of an electrical 
system electrically coupled to the contacts 14. 
Referring to the more specific structure of the connector 10 as illustrated 
in FIGS. 1-3, the support means 12 is preferably a standardized 
multi-contact connector unit sold under the trade name, Amphenol 57 Series 
or 157 Series, manufactured and distributed by the Amphenol North American 
Division of Bunker Ramo Corporation. In the preferred form, the support 
means 12 includes an elongated housing shell 30. The housing shell 30 is 
preferably substantially rectangular in shape, and includes a lower 
extending flange portion 32 adapted to define an interior elongated cavity 
for receiving a complementary mating connector (not illustrated). Such 
complementary mating connector is electrically engaged to an electrical 
system having a plurality of signal outputs, and the insertion of the 
complementary connector into the cavity defined by the lower portion 32, 
electrically couples such signal outputs to the contact elements 14 of the 
support means 12. An elongated dielectric body 36 is retained within the 
housing shell 30 and is adapted to support the electrical contacts 14. The 
insert 36 preferably includes a plurality of spaced barriers 40 which 
define a plurality of pairs of channels 42 for receiving and supporting 
the electrical contacts 14 in fixed positions in electrical isolation from 
one another and the metal shell housing 30. In addition, the shell 30 
includes mounting flanges 44 and 46 projecting from its forward and 
rearward ends, respectively, for purposes to be described below. 
Referring now to FIGS. 1, 5 and 7, the electrical contacts 14 preferably 
include a plurality of pairs of contact elements 48. Each contact element 
48 includes an active contact portion 50 projecting into the cavity 
defined by the shell 30, and a terminal contact portion 52 projecting into 
a channel 42 of the insert 36. The contact elements 48 are preferably 
arranged in tandem pairs on either side of the insert 36 to thereby 
provide two rows of opposed, paired electrical contacts 14. A set of the 
electrical contacts 14 may comprise one or more pairs of the contact 
elements 48 depending on the number of functional requirements of the 
particular electrical appliance coupled to the connector element 16, as 
described above. Each function generally requires a single circuit 
represented by one pair of the contact elements 48, and when the 
electrical appliance comprises a single telephone unit, one of these 
functions consists of a telephone line circuit. Each pair of the contact 
elements 48 is also electrically engageable with a signal output of the 
electrical system to which the support means 12 is electrically engaged. 
Thus, a set of electrical contacts 14 may provide one or more functions 
represented by one or more signal outputs of the electrical system, and 
the pairs of contact elements 48 of each set of contacts 14 are preferably 
arranged adjacent each other. 
The first adapter means 20 is provided to electrically interconnect any 
selected set of the contacts 14 with the standardized connector element 
16. In the preferred embodiment, the single adapter element 20 consists of 
a single dielectric body constructed to straddle the insert 36 and define 
a plurality of channels 54 for mounting the electrical contacts 22. Each 
electrical contact 22 preferably includes a terminal contact portion 56 
mounted in the upper portion of the adapter element 20, and an essentially 
J-shaped active contact portion 58 is disposed in the lower portion of the 
channel 54 for direct electrical engagement with a contact element 48. The 
number of contacts 22 disposed in the adapter element 20 may vary 
generally from one to four pairs of contacts 22, depending on the number 
of pairs of the contact elements 48 in one set of the contacts 14. The 
first adapter element 20 is preferably directly supported on the insert 36 
and is positionable at any selected location therealong by the 
interengagement of the active contact portions 58 with respective active 
contact portions 52 within the appropriate insert channels 42. Mounting 
means, as described in greater detail below, may also be provided for 
firmly and releasably securing the adapter element 20 in position along 
the insert member 36. 
A preferred embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, also 
includes the second adapter means 24. As previously mentioned, the second 
adapter means 24 preferably includes a second adapter element 26 sized and 
shaped to matingly receive the standardized connector element 16. However, 
an alternate embodiment (not illustrated) is envisioned wherein the first 
adapter element 20 may be constructed and arranged to directly matingly 
receive the standardized connector element 16 which would obviate the need 
for a separate second adapter element 26. 
The second adapter element 26 is preferably directly supported on the 
support means 12 by a mounting bracket 60 secured to the flange 46. The 
bracket 60 preferably includes a pair of spaced side projections 66. The 
second adapter element 26 is constructed in the form of a single 
dielectric body which includes a pair of grooves in its respective 
sidewalls 62, 64 for receiving the side projections 66 of the bracket 60. 
In this manner, the second adapter element 26 may be slidably mounted to 
the bracket 60 and the support means 12. 
The dielectric body of the second adapter element 26 supports the set of 
electrical contacts 27 and defines an aperture 68 for receiving the single 
standardized connector element 16. Each electrical contact 27 is adapted 
for electrical engagement with an electrical contact (not illustrated) in 
the single connector element 16 and is electrically engaged to an 
electrical contact 22 of the first adapter element 20 by one of the 
conductors 28. In preferred form, there are at least as many electrical 
contacts 22 in the first adapter element 20 as there are electrical 
contacts 27 in the second adapter element 26. Further details regarding 
the mounting bracket 60 may be found in the previously referenced and 
incorporated U.S. Pat. No. 4,070,548, and further details regarding the 
second adapter element 26 and the standardized connector element 16 may 
also be found in the same referenced patent as well as in the 
aforementioned Federal Communications Commission Regulations. 
Referring now to FIGS. 4-7, mounting means are provided for releasably 
securing the first adapter means 20 in position along the support means 12 
for electrical engagement with any one selected set of the plural sets of 
electrical contacts 14. In one embodiment of the invention illustrated in 
FIGS. 4 and 5, the mounting means includes a mounting member 70 which is 
engageable with both the support means 12 and the first adapter means 20 
to securably hold the first adapter means 20 in any selected position on 
the support means 12. In the illustrated form of the invention, the 
mounting member 70 may conveniently comprise an elongated hood member 72 
sized and shaped to concurrently provide environmental protection for the 
connector 10 as well as to secure the first adapter means 20 to any 
selected position on the support means 12. 
The hood member 72 is preferably constructed from a relatively rigid 
material, such as metal or plastic, and includes a top wall 74, a pair of 
opposed sidewalls 76, 78, a front wall 80 and an open rear end. The top 
wall 74 is extended rearwardly to cover the upper portion of the second 
adapter element 26, and the sidewalls 76, 78 are sized to provide 
sufficient room within the hooded connector 10 for the first adapter 
element 20 and the conductors 28. The hood member 72 is slidably 
engageable with the support means 12 and includes a forwardly disposed 
member 82 which has a slot therein for receiving the forward flange 44 of 
the shell 30. An aperture 84 is provided within the forward member 82 for 
the insertion of a screw or like member to secure the flange 44 
therewithin. Disposed on the lower inner surface of each sidewall 76, 78 
is an elongated guide rail 86 for slidable engagement with the cooperating 
upper ledge 88 of the shell's top portion 34. 
In this particular embodiment of the invention, the first adapter element 
20' includes on either side thereof a recessed portion 90, an adjacent 
land surface 91, and a shoulder 93 therebetween. Disposed on the upper 
inner surface of each sidewall 76, 78 of the hood member 72 is an 
elongated embossment 92 which is slidingly engageable within the recessed 
portion and against the shoulder 93 of the first adapter element 20'. In 
this manner, when the first adapter element 20' is positioned along the 
support means 12 to electrically engage a selected set of the electrical 
contacts 14, the embossments 92 slidably engage the sidewalls of the first 
adapter element 20' within the recessed portions 90 as the hood member 72 
is slidably engaged with the support means 12, thereby acting to hold the 
first adapter element 20' in its selected position. 
Referring to FIGS. 3, 6 and 7, a second embodiment of the mounting means of 
the invention is disclosed. In this embodiment of the invention, the 
mounting means includes detent means 94 for positively indexing the first 
adapter means 20" with the support means 12 at each of a plurality of 
locations defined by the plurality of sets of electrical contacts 14. In 
one form of the invention, the detent means 94 may consist of a plurality 
of interengageable indexing elements disposed opposite each other on the 
support means 12 and the first adapter means 18. To provide such 
interengageable indexing elements, the support means 12 includes a support 
member 95 which is preferably an elongate upward extension of the shell 
30. The support member 95 includes opposing sidewalls 96 and 98 on either 
side of the insert member 36. Spaced longitudinally along each sidewall 96 
and 98 are a plurality of window apertures 100 positioned opposite each 
other, each pair of opposed apretures 100 being associated wih one set of 
the contacts 14. The spacing of the window apertures 100 may vary 
depending on the number of pairs of contact elements 48 in each set of 
electrical contacts 14. The greater the number of pairs of contact 
elements 48 in each set of the contacts 14, the greater the distance 
between adjacent window apertures 100. 
Disposed on either side of the first adapter element 20" opposite the 
support member sidewalls 96, 98 are resilient latching members 102. Each 
latching member 102 includes a latching arm 104 disposed adjacent the 
opposing sidewall 96 or 98 and a latching element 106 mounted at the end 
thereof for engagement within a window aperture 100. The latching arm 104 
is biased outwardly away from the adapter element 20" so as to maintain 
its latching element 106 within a window 100 when the arm 104 is aligned 
opposite therefrom. The latching element 106 may be removed from its 
engaged aperture 100 by displacing the resilient arm 104 inwardly toward 
the first adapter element 20". In this manner, when the first adapter 
element 20" is engaged with a set of the electrical contacts 14, the 
latching elements 102 engage the window apertures 100 associated with that 
particular set of electrical contacts 14. When it is desired to move the 
first adapter element 20" for engagement with a different set of the 
electrical contacts 14, the latching arms 104 are depressed inwardly, and 
the first adapter element 20" is moved upwardly relative to the support 
means 12 to disengage its contacts 22 from the set of contacts 14. The 
first adapter element 20" is then moved to a new position along the 
support means 12 with the latching element 102 being aligned with another 
set of the window apertures 100. 
In this second embodiment of the mounting means, the hood member 72' 
includes a longitudinal guide rail 108 on the inner surfaces of its 
sidewalls 76', 78' for engagement with the upper longitudinal edges 110 of 
the support member sidewalls 96, 98. In addition, the guide rails 108 
project sufficiently inwardly to overlap the upper portion 112 of the 
latching members 102 to insure against inadvertent disengagement of the 
latching elements 106 from the window apertures 100 and dislodging of the 
first adapter element 20" from its engaged position with a set of the 
electrical contacts 14. 
As can be seen from the above, the present invention provides an electrical 
connector capable of electrically interconnecting a single electrical 
appliance, such as a telephone unit, with any one of a plurality of signal 
outputs of an electrical system coupled to the connector. The connector of 
the invention permits the selective changing of the electrical 
interconnection between the appliance and the various available signal 
outputs of the system without disconnecting the connector from the system 
as well as without disconnecting and reattaching the conductors within the 
connector itself. The connector of the invention more particularly 
provides an adapter for use with a standardized multi-contact connector 
unit for selectively engaging any desired set of the plural sets of 
contacts within the standardized unit. This arrangement may then be 
utilized to interconnect a single standardized connector element coupled 
to an electrical appliance with an electrical system's signal outputs. 
Thus, standardized and modular connector components presently being 
utilized in the telephone interconnection art may be coupled to the 
connector of the present invention without adjusting or changing 
connections of the conductors within the connector. As a result, changing 
of telephone line circuits leading to a single telephone unit may be 
performed in the field and be effected quickly, easily and without the use 
of tools. Finally, the possibility of damaging the conductors and the 
electrical contacts within the connector when changing such circuits is 
eliminated in the present invention since the conductor terminations 
therein are not altered. This advantageous feature reduces the cost and 
complexity of rearranging circuits from telephone signalling and switching 
systems to individual telephone units. 
It will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other specific 
forms without departing from the spirit or central characteristics 
thereof. The present examples and embodiments, therefore, are to be 
considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and the 
invention is not to be limited to the details given herein but may be 
modified within the scope of the appended claims.