Abstract:
A plug fastened to a cable and electrically connected to the conductors of the 4 twisted pairs of a cable for transmission of high frequency/telecommunication signals is disclosed to include a housing, which has a holding down block stamped to hold down the cable, a load bar, which is inserted into the housing with the cable and has wire slots for receiving the conductors of the cable respectively and wire grooves for guiding the conductors of the cable into the wire slots, and a cable organizer, which has front guide flanges respectively engaged into rear guide grooves of the load bar, and four wire grooves formed in four sides and separated from one another by a partition wall for dividing the four twisted pairs of the cable to prevent crosstalk noises.

Description:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to electric plugs and more particularly, to a plug for the transmission of high frequency/telecommunication signals, which uses a holding down block to hold down the cable and a cable organizer to divide the twisted pairs of the cable, reducing crosstalk noises. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 7,018,241B2 discloses a modular cable termination plug having a conductor divider having an entrant barb and a plurality of divider channels, a load bar having a plurality of through holes and a plurality of slots, a plurality of contact terminals, a housing, a strain relief collar, and a strain relief boot. The conductor divider and the load bar allow insertion and alignment of the conductors of the cable and reduce crosstalk noises. However, this plug design uses a great number of component parts that require much labor and time to assemble. Further, the molding or manufacturing cost of every component part of this design of plug is high. A minor error in any step during the assembly process of the plug results in a defective product. 
   US 2003/0224666A1 teaches the use of a distributor to divide the 8 conductors of the cable. However, because the distributor is directly fastened to the housing, it is difficult to align the conductors, and an error may occur easily when inserting the metal contacts into the plug to touch the conductors. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,238,235B1 teaches the use of a cable organizer to reduce crosstalk noises and the use of a load bar to align the conductors. However, this design does not allow quickly alignment of the 8 conductors of the cable in the load bar. Further, two bracket means must be used so that the load bar and the cable organizer can be inserted into the housing. After insertion of the load bar with the cable organizer into the housing, a position error of the load bar in longitudinal direction relative to the metal contact insertion position at the top side of the housing may occur easily, thereby resulting in a contact error or defective product. 
   US 2005/0106929A1 discloses a wire aligner that divides the 8 conductors of the cable and keeps the conductor aligned. However, because the conductors are curved when separated, i.e., the front ends of the conductors of the cable are not well organized. After installation of the wire aligner in the housing, the metal contacts may be unable to touch the conductors accurately, thereby resulting in a defective product. Further, the wire aligner may vibrate after assembled with the strain relief member. 
     FIG. 1  is a schematic view, partially in section, of a modular plug  6  according to the prior art before stamp of the holding down block  612  of the housing  61 .  FIG. 2  is a cross sectional view of  FIG. 1 . As illustrated, the pitch among the twisted pairs  74 , 75 ;  73 , 76 ;  71 , 72 ;  77 , 78  does not change. However, when the holding down block  612  of the housing  61  is stamped against the cable  7 , as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the bottom side  6121  of the holding down block  612  is pressed on the cable  7 , causing deformation of the cable  7 . At this time, the pitch among the twisted pairs  74 , 75 ;  73 , 76 ;  71 , 72 ;  77 , 78  is changed, affecting normal signal transmission. 
   The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. According to one aspect of the present invention, the plug comprises a housing, a cable organizer mounted in the housing to divide the twisted pairs of the cable, and a load bar mounted in the housing and connected to the front side of the cable organizer to accommodate the conductors of the twisted pairs of the cable individually. The housing has a holding down block suspending in a top locating slot. The holding down block is stamped into the desired shape to hold down the cable after insertion of the cable with the cable organizer and the load bar, preventing change of the pitch of the twisted pairs of the cable. 
   According to another aspect of the present invention, the cable organizer has a longitudinally extending top guide groove for receiving the fourth and fifth conductor of the cable, a longitudinally extending bottom guide groove for receiving the third and sixth conductors of the cable, a longitudinally extending left guide groove for receiving the seventh and eighth conductors of the cable, a longitudinally extending right guide groove for receiving the first and second conductors of the cable, a horizontal partition wall that divides the top guide groove and the bottom guide groove and has two extension portions respectively extended from two opposite lateral sides thereof to divide the left guide groove and the right guide groove from the top guide groove and the bottom guide groove. 
   According to still another aspect of the present invention, the cable organizer has two guide flanges respectively protruded from a front wall thereof around the left guide groove and the right guide groove for engaging into the guide grooves in the rear open chamber of the load bar so that the cable can conveniently and quickly be inserted with the cable organizer and the load bar into the housing for enabling the hold down block of the housing to be driven into the engagement position to hold down the cable so as to complete the installation. 
   According 6to still another aspect of the present invention, the rear open chamber of the load bar is a tapered chamber, having a top side, a bottom side opposite to the top side, and 8 wire grooves sloping in one direction on each of top and bottom sides in communication with the wire slots of the load bar for guiding the conductors of the cable into the wire slots of the load bar respectively 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic view, partially in section, of a modular plug according to the prior art before stamp of the holding down block of the housing. 
       FIG. 2  is a cross sectional view of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  corresponds to  FIG. 1 , showing the status of the plug after stamp of the holding down block of the housing. 
       FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view of  FIG. 3 . 
       FIG. 5  is an exploded view of a plug for the transmission of high frequency/communication signals according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 6  is an exploded view of a part of the present invention, showing the relationship between the load bar and the cable organizer. 
       FIG. 7  is a schematic elevational view showing the twisted pairs of the cable divided by the cable organizer according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 8  illustrates the twisted pairs of the cable inserted through the cable organizer into the load board according to the present invention before connection of the load bar to the cable organizer. 
       FIG. 9  is similar to  FIG. 8  but showing the load bar fastened to the cable organizer. 
       FIG. 10  illustrates the cable organizer and the load bar inserted with the cable into the housing according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 11  is a longitudinal view in section of  FIG. 10 . 
       FIG. 12  is a cross sectional view of  FIG. 10 . 
       FIG. 13  is similar to  FIG. 11  but showing the holding down block driven into the engagement position. 
       FIG. 14  is similar to  FIG. 12  but showing the holding down block driven into the engagement position. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring to  FIGS. 5˜14 , a plug for the transmission of high frequency/communication signals in accordance with the present invention is shown comprised of a housing  1 , a load bar  2 , and a cable organizer  3 . 
   The housing  1  is molded from plastics, having a rear opening  11 , a rear cable chamber  113  forwardly extending from the rear opening  11  (see  FIG. 11 ), a front load bar chamber  111  for accommodating the load bar  2 , an intermediate cable organizer chamber  112  connected between the rear cable chamber  113  and the front load bar chamber  111  for accommodating the cable organizer  3 , a locating slot  12  transversely formed in the top wall thereof in communication with the rear cable chamber  113 , a holding down block  121  suspending in the locating slot  12  (see  FIG. 12 ), and  8  wire slots  10  cut through the top wall in communication with the front load bar chamber  111  and arranged in parallel for the insertion of a respective metal contacts  5 . The holding down block  121  has a bottom edge  1210  that touches the periphery of the cable  4  that is inserted through the rear opening  11  into the housing  1 , and a smoothly arched top recessed portion  1211  against which a hand tool or automatic stamping machine is operated to force the holding down block  121  into position to hold down the cable  4  (see  FIGS. 13 and 14 ), preventing a change of the pitch of the twisted pairs  41 , 42 ;  43 , 46 ;  47 , 48  and ensuring normal signal transmission of the cable. Further, the front load bar chamber  111  has a rectangular front part  1111  and a backwardly expanded and tapered rear part  1112 . The intermediate cable organizer chamber  112  is directly connected to the tapered rear part  1112 , having a profile corresponding to the contour of the load bar  2 . 
   The load bar  2  has 8 wire slots  20  longitudinally formed in the front side and arranged in parallel, and a rear open chamber  21  in the tapered rear part (see  FIG. 6 ) in communication with the wire slots  20 . The wire slots  20  each have the respective top side opened. The conductors  41 ,  42 ,  43 ,  44 ,  45 ,  46 ,  47 ,  48  are inserted through the rear open chamber  21  into the wire slots  20  respectively. The load bar  2  further has two guide grooves  211  and  212  formed in the rear open chamber  21  at two opposite lateral sides. 
   The cable organizer  3  has a longitudinally extending top guide groove  31 , a longitudinally extending bottom guide groove  32 , a longitudinally extending left guide groove  33 , a longitudinally extending right guide groove  34 , a horizontal partition wall  35  that divides the top guide groove  31  and the bottom guide groove  32  (see  FIG. 6 ), and two guide flanges  333  and  343  respectively protruded from the front wall thereof around the left guide groove  33  and the right guide groove  34 . The horizontal partition wall  35  has two extension portions  351  and  352  respectively extended from two opposite lateral sides thereof and separating the left guide groove  33  and the right guide groove  34 . The bottom guide groove  32  has a width gradually reducing from the front side toward the rear side (see  FIGS. 6 and 7 ). The left guide groove  33  and the right guide groove  34  slope downwards from the rear side toward the front side, each having a front end terminating in a tapered guide surface portion  331  or  341  and a narrow groove section  332  or  342 . During installation of the plug, the guide flanges  333  and  343  of the cable organizer  3  are respectively inserted into the guide grooves  211  and  212  in the rear open chamber  21  of the load bar  2 , allowing insertion of the fourth conductor  44  and fifth conductor  45  of the cable  4  into the top guide groove  31 , the third conductor  43  and sixth conductor  46  of the cable  4  into the bottom guide groove  32 , the first conductor  41  and second conductor  42  into the right guide groove  34 , and the seventh conductor  47  and eighth conductor  48  into the left guide groove  33 . 
   Referring to  FIGS. 5 ,  11  and  12 , the holding down block  121  is formed integral with one of the four peripheral sidewalls of the locating slot  12  and suspending in the locating slot  12 , and spaced from the other three peripheral sidewalls  122 , 123 , 124  of the locating slot  12  at a distance so that the holding down block  121  can conveniently be stamped. 
   Referring to  FIG. 6 , the rear open chamber  21  of the load bar  2  is a tapered chamber, having 8 wire grooves  210  sloping in one direction and symmetrically formed in each of the top and bottom sides in communication with the wire slots  20  respectively. By means of the wire grooves  210 , the 8 conductors  41 ,  42 ,  43 ,  44 ,  45 ,  46 ,  47 ,  48  of the cable  4  are smoothly and accurately guided into the respective wire slots  20 . 
   Based on the aforesaid structure, the first conductor  41  and second conductor  42  of the cable  4  are inserted through the right guide groove  34  of the cable organizer  3 , the seventh conductor  47  and eighth conductor  48  of the cable  4  are inserted through the left guide groove  33  of the cable organizer  3 , the fourth conductor  44  and fifth conductor  45  of the cable  4  are inserted through the top guide groove  31  of the cable organizer  3 , and the third conductor  43  and sixth conductor  46  of the cable  4  are inserted through the bottom guide groove  32  of the cable organizer  3 . Thereafter, the 8 conductors  41 ,  42 ,  43 ,  44 ,  45 ,  46 ,  47 ,  48  of the cable  4  are respectively guided by the wire grooves  210  of the load bar  2  into the respective wire slots  20 , and then the guide flanges  333  and  343  of the cable organizer  3  are respectively inserted into the guide grooves  211  and  212  in the rear open chamber  21  of the load bar  2  (see  FIG. 6 ), and then the load bar  2  with the cable organizer  3  and the cable  4  are inserted through the rear opening  11  into the inside of the housing  1 , keeping the load bar  2  and the cable organizer  3  respectively accommodated in the front load bar chamber  111  and the intermediate cable organizer chamber  112 . Thereafter, the prepared 8 metal contacts  5  are respectively inserted into the wire slots  10  from the top side and forced to make a respective electric contact with the conductors  41 ,  42 ,  43 ,  44 ,  45 ,  46 ,  47 ,  48  of the cable  4  respectively, and then the holding down block  121  of the housing  1  is stamped into position to force the bottom edge  1210  into engagement with the periphery of the cable  4 , thereby affix the cable  4  to the housing  1 . Because the third and sixth conductors  43  and  46 , the fourth and fifth conductors  44  and  45 , the first and second conductors  41  and  42 , and the seventh and eighth conductors  47  and  48  are respectively separated by the horizontal partition wall  35  and the extension portions  351  and  352  of the horizontal partition wall  35 , the invention greatly reduces crosstalk noises, and prevents return loss and insertion loss. 
   Further, the load bar  2  can be molded from plastics or metal powder plastic material. 
   As described above, the invention provides a plug for the transmission of high frequency/communication signals that has the benefits as follows: 
   1. The housing  1  has a holding down block  121  protruded from one sidewall of the locating slot  12 . The holding down block  121  has a smoothly arched top recessed portion  1211  against which a tool is driven to force the holding down block  121  into the desired position to hold down the cable  4 , maintaining the pitch among the twisted pairs  44 , 45 ;  43 , 46 ;  41 , 42 ;  47 , 48  and normal signal transmission function of the cable  4 . 
   2. Because the third and sixth conductors  43  and  46 , the fourth and fifth conductors  44  and  45 , the first and second conductors  41  and  42 , and the seventh and eighth conductors  47  and  48  are respectively separated by the horizontal partition wall  35  and the extension portions  351  and  352  of the horizontal partition wall  35 , the invention greatly reduces crosstalk noises, and prevents return loss and insertion loss. 
   3. After insertion of the conductors  41 ,  42 ,  43 ,  44 ,  45 ,  46 ,  47 ,  48  of the cable  4  through the cable organizer  3  and the load bar  2 , the cable organizer  3  is connected to the load bar  2  by inserting the guide flanges  333  and  343  of the cable organizer  3  into the guide grooves  211  and  212  in the rear open chamber  21  of the load bar  2 , and then the load board  2  with the cable organizer  3  and the cable  4  are inserted through the rear opening  11  into the inside of the housing  1  to have the load bar  2  and the cable organizer  3  be respectively accommodated in the front load bar chamber  111  and the intermediate cable organizer chamber  112 , and then the holding down block  121  of the housing  1  is stamped into the engagement position to hold down the cable  4 , thereby completing the installation. 
   4. The load bar  2  has sloping wire grooves  210  on the top and bottom walls inside the rear open chamber  21  for guiding the conductors  41 ,  42 ,  43 ,  44 ,  45 ,  46 ,  47 ,  48  of the cable  4  into the respective wire slots  20  so that the conductors  41 ,  42 ,  43 ,  44 ,  45 ,  46 ,  47 ,  48  of the cable  4  can easily and accurately be inserted into the respective wire slots  20 . 
   Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims