Cable organizer

A cable organizer including an elongate body having two opposite ends, one called a cable receiving end and the other called a terminal receiving end, and a plurality of wire-receiving passages formed in the elongate body and separated from each other by electrically conductive portions in the body, each wire-receiving passage extending from the cable receiving end to the terminal receiving end and being open at both ends, each wire-receiving passage being adapted for guiding therethrough a plurality of wires of a multi-pair communication cable from the cable receiving end to the terminal receiving end, and being adapted for arranging a plurality of wires of a multi-pair communication cable at the terminal receiving end for connection with a modular plug. The wire receiving passages have parallel but not coplanar surface portions that are joined by an intermediate portion. This causes a different wire receiving passage cross-section at the cable-receiving end compared to the terminal-receiving end.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
 The present invention relates generally to electrical connector and cable
 assemblies and particularly to an organizer which reduces or eliminates
 cross-talk between twisted wire pairs of modular plug assemblies commonly
 used in the transmission of high frequency or telecommunication signals.
 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 Data communication networks and systems generally transmit data at high
 rates over a plurality of circuits that include multi-pair data
 communication cable, such as electrically distinct twisted wire pairs. At
 high transmission rates, each wiring circuit itself both transmits and
 receives electromagnetic radiation so that the signals flowing through one
 circuit or wire pair may couple with the signals flowing through another
 wire pair. The unintended electromagnetic coupling of signals between
 different pairs of conductors of different electrical circuits is referred
 to as cross-talk. The problem of cross-talk increases as the frequency of
 the transmitted signals increases.
 In telecommunication systems, twisted wire pairs are often terminated in
 modular plugs. For example, modular plugs for telephone use are very
 commonplace and must meet the electrical performance requirements of
 industry standards, such as IEC 603-7. A problem with such modular plugs
 is that although cross-talk between twisted wire pairs in the cable
 leading to the plug is generally at negligible or at least tolerable
 levels, an intolerable amount of cross-talk between the wires can exist in
 the plug. One of the reasons for this is that insertion of the twisted
 wire pairs into the plug and electrical connection of the wires to
 electrical contacts in the plug generally requires that the wires be
 untwisted for a certain length, thereby leaving the wires prone to
 cross-talk.
 Connectors are known which try to eliminate or reduce the problem of
 cross-talk between twisted wire pairs of modular plug assemblies. An
 example of such a plug assembly is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,647 to
 Rohrbaugh et al. Another example is a plug assembly manufactured by
 Hubbell Incorporated, Stonington, Conn., USA, under the name PAIR LOCK
 stable-twist plug assembly, described in the January 1999 catalog of
 Hubbell Premise Wiring. This plug assembly is purported to maintain pair
 twist much farther into the plug, thereby reducing the level of
 cross-talk. However, this plug assembly is only applicable for flat
 cables.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 The present invention seeks to provide a novel organizer which reduces or
 eliminates cross-talk between twisted wire pairs of modular plug
 assemblies. The organizer includes an elongate body having a cable
 receiving end and a terminal receiving end. A plurality of wire-receiving
 passages are formed in the elongate body, and separated from each other by
 electrically conductive portions in the body. Wire pairs of a multi-pair
 communication cable may be easily inserted into the cable receiving ends
 of the wire-receiving passages, and the wire pairs become automatically
 arranged at the terminal receiving ends for insertion into a terminal
 receiver, such as in accordance with the standard arrangement of IEC 603-7
 modular plugs. The cable organizer substantially reduces or even
 eliminates cross-talk between the wire pairs by providing an electrically
 conductive barrier between the wire pairs up until the wire pairs are
 actually inserted into the terminal receiver.
 There is thus provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the
 present invention a cable organizer including an elongate body having two
 opposite ends, one called a cable receiving end and the other called a
 terminal receiving end, and a plurality of wire-receiving passages formed
 in the elongate body and separated from each other by electrically
 conductive portions in the body, each wire-receiving passage extending
 from the cable receiving end to the terminal receiving end and being open
 at both ends, each wire-receiving passage being adapted for guiding
 therethrough a plurality of wires of a multi-pair communication cable from
 the cable receiving end to the terminal receiving end, and being adapted
 for arranging a plurality of wires of a multi-pair communication cable at
 the terminal receiving end for connection with a modular plug.
 In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention at least
 one of the wire-receiving passages has a different cross-section at the
 cable receiving end than at the terminal receiving end.
 Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention
 at least two of the wire-receiving passages are symmetrically arranged
 with respect to each other at the cable receiving end.
 Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
 invention at least two of the wire-receiving passages are symmetrically
 arranged with respect to each other at the terminal receiving end.
 In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention at least
 two of the wire-receiving passages are symmetrically arranged with respect
 to each other at the cable receiving end, but are arranged differently
 with respect to each other at the terminal receiving end.
 Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
 invention at least one of the wire-receiving passages is coordinately
 positioned with respect to another of the wire-receiving passages
 differently at the cable receiving end than at the terminal receiving end.
 In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention at least
 one of the wire-receiving passages has a ramp formed therein at the
 terminal receiving end.
 Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention
 at least one of the wire-receiving passages has a bifurcation formed
 therein at the terminal receiving end, the bifurcation being adapted to
 separate two wires of a multi-pair communication cable.
 Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
 invention the plurality of wire-receiving passages includes at least four
 wire-receiving passages, a first wire-receiving passage being positioned
 on an upper surface of the elongate body, a second wire-receiving passage
 being positioned on a lower surface of the elongate body, a third
 wire-receiving passage being positioned on a left side surface of the
 elongate body, and a fourth wire-receiving passage being positioned on a
 right side surface of the elongate body.
 Additionally longitudinal axes of the first and second wire-receiving
 passages are generally coplanar and parallel to each other at the cable
 receiving end.
 In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention
 longitudinal axes of the third and fourth wire-receiving passages are
 generally coplanar and parallel to each other at the cable receiving end.
 Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention
 longitudinal axes of the third and fourth wire-receiving passages are
 generally coplanar at the terminal receiving end.
 Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
 invention longitudinal axes of the first and second wire-receiving
 passages are generally coplanar and parallel to each other at the cable
 receiving end, longitudinal axes of the third and fourth wire-receiving
 passages are generally coplanar and parallel to each other at the cable
 receiving end, and a plane of the first and second wire-receiving passages
 is generally perpendicular to a plane of the third and fourth
 wire-receiving passages.
 Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
 invention the elongate body includes pins adapted to align attachment of
 the elongate body to a modular plug.
 In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a
 plurality of wires of a multi-pair communication cable are disposed in the
 wire-receiving passages from the cable receiving end to the terminal
 receiving end.
 Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention
 a modular plug is provided, wherein the plurality of wires of the
 multi-pair communication cable are connected to the modular plug at the
 terminal receiving end.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
 Reference is now made to FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1C which illustrate a cable
 organizer 10 constructed and operative in accordance with a preferred
 embodiment of the present invention.
 Cable organizer 10 preferably includes an elongate body 12 having two
 opposite ends, one called a cable receiving end 14 and the other called a
 terminal receiving end 16. A plurality of wire-receiving passages are
 formed in elongate body 12. In the illustrated embodiment there are four
 wire-receiving passages 18, 20, 22 and 24. Wire-receiving passages 18, 20,
 22 and 24 are separated from each other by electrically conductive
 portions in elongate body 12. Most preferably this is accomplished by
 constructing elongate body 12 completely of a metal, such as a copper
 alloy or an aluminum alloy. Alternatively, elongate body 12 may be made of
 a dielectric material, such as a plastic, with an electrically conductive
 coating or plating formed thereon, sufficient enough to substantially
 prevent electromagnetic interference which could cause cross-talk between
 wires placed in the wire-receiving passages. It is noted that the present
 invention can be carried out without elongate body 12 having any
 electrically conductive portion, however, there is somewhat of a
 degradation in performance.
 Each of the wire-receiving passages 18, 20, 22 and 24 extends from cable
 receiving end 14 to terminal receiving end 16 and is open at both ends 14
 and 16. Preferably wire-receiving passage 18 is positioned on an upper
 surface 26 of elongate body 12, wire-receiving passage 22 is positioned on
 a lower surface 28, wire-receiving passage 24 is positioned on a left side
 surface 30, and wire-receiving passage 20 is positioned on a right side
 surface 32, as viewed from cable receiving end 14. It is appreciated that
 other arrangements are possible within the scope of the present invention.
 In accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present invention, at
 cable receiving end 14, longitudinal axes 34 and 36 of wire-receiving
 passages 18 and 22, respectively, are generally coplanar and parallel to
 each other. Longitudinal axes 38 and 40 of wire-receiving passages 20 and
 24, respectively, are generally coplanar and parallel to each other. A
 plane 42 of wire-receiving passages 18 and 22 is generally perpendicular
 to a plane 44 of wire-receiving passages 20 and 24 (FIG. 1D).
 In accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present invention, one
 or more of the wire-receiving passages (in the illustrated embodiment
 wire-receiving passages 20 and 24) have a ramp 46 formed therein at
 terminal receiving end 16. (Ramp 46 of wire-receiving passage 20 is not
 visible in FIGS. 1A-1C.) Due to the presence of ramp 46, wire-receiving
 passages 20 and 24 have a different (in this case, larger) cross-section
 at cable receiving end 14 than at terminal receiving end 16. In addition,
 wire-receiving passages 20 and 24 at cable receiving end 14 are
 coordinately positioned with respect to wire-receiving passages 18 and 22
 differently than at terminal receiving end 16. It is noted that at
 terminal receiving end 16, longitudinal axes 48 and 50 of wire-receiving
 passages 20 and 24, respectively, are also generally coplanar, but are not
 coplanar with longitudinal axes 38 and 40 at cable receiving end 14.
 It is further noted that wire-receiving passages 18, 20, 22 and 24 are
 symmetrically arranged with respect to each other at cable receiving end
 14, as seen in FIG. 1D. However, at terminal receiving end 16, whereas
 wire-receiving passages 20 and 24 are symmetrically arranged with respect
 to each other, wire-receiving passages 18 and 22 are not, but rather are
 arranged differently with respect to each other at cable receiving end 14
 than at terminal receiving end 16. As seen in FIG. 1C, wire-receiving
 passage 22 preferably has a bifurcation 52 formed therein at terminal
 receiving end 16. Bifurcation 52 divides wire-receiving passage 22 into
 two wire-receiving passages 22A and 22B. Bifurcation 52 can be
 electrically conductive, although this is not necessary.
 Elongate body 12 also preferably includes pins 54 adapted to align
 attachment of body 12 to a modular plug, as described further hereinbelow.
 Reference is now made to FIGS. 2-7 which illustrate assembly of cable
 organizer 10 with a multi-pair communication cable 60, in accordance with
 a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As is well known in the
 art, cable 60 preferably includes an insulating sheath 62 and four or more
 wire pairs 64, 66, 68 and 70, which may be twisted wire pairs. As is seen
 in FIG. 2, wire pairs 64, 66, 68 and 70 are arranged to lie in
 wire-receiving passages 18, 20, 22 and 24, respectively. Wire pair 68
 becomes divided at terminal receiving end 16 into wires 68A and 68B which
 lie in wire-receiving passages 22A and 22B, respectively.
 In FIG. 3, a lower portion 72 of a strain relief part 74 is affixed on
 multi-pair communication cable 60. In FIG. 4, an upper portion 76 of
 strain relief part 74 is fastened, such as by snap-fit, to the lower
 portion 72. Pins 54 of elongate body 12 may help align strain relief part
 74 with organizer 10. In FIG. 5, wire pairs 64, 66, 68 and 70 of cable 60
 are inserted into a terminal receiver 78. Thus simply by inserting wire
 pairs 64, 66, 68 and 70 into the cable receiving ends 14 of wire-receiving
 passages 18, 20, 22 and 24, respectively, the wire pairs automatically
 become arranged at the terminal receiving ends 16 for insertion into
 terminal receiver 78, such as in accordance with the standard arrangement
 of IEC 603-7 modular plugs.
 In FIGS. 6 and 7, an outer dielectric housing 80 of a modular plug 79 is
 assembled over the inner portions 72 and 76 and terminal receiver 78 (not
 visible in FIGS. 6 and 7). As is well known in the art, dielectric housing
 80 has a cable-receiving rearward end 82 and a terminal-receiving end 84.
 As seen in FIG. 7, at terminal-receiving end 84, flat contact terminals 86
 electrically contact wire pairs 64, 66, 68 and 70, by piercing through
 insulation thereof
 In the final assembly of modular plug 79, cable organizer 10 substantially
 reduces or even eliminates cross-talk between the wire pairs by providing
 an electrically conductive barrier between the wire pairs up until the
 wire pairs are actually inserted into terminal receiver 78.
 It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present
 invention is not limited by what has been particularly shown and described
 hereinabove. Rather the scope of the present invention includes both
 combinations and subcombinations of the features described hereinabove as
 well as modifications and variations thereof which would occur to a person
 of skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description and which are
 not in the prior art.