Abstract:
A connector device for use in terminating a telecommunications cable. The connector device includes a main connector body having a top surface, a bottom surface and a rear surface extending between said top surface and said bottom surface. The connector device also includes a locking pawl that extends from the top surface of the main connector body. The locking pawl extends a predetermined maximum distance from the top surface of the main connector body. A guard element extends over at least part of the rear surface of the main connector body. The guard element extends above the top surface of the main connector body to a height at least as high as the maximum height of the locking pawl. The guard element can be supported by the locking pawl, the main connector body or both.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to the modular connectors used to terminate telecommunication cables. More particularly, the present invention relates to modular connectors for telecommunication cables that contain a feature that prevents the locking pawl on the modular connector from snagging on other objects. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Many businesses have dedicated telecommunication systems that enable computers, telephones, facsimile machines and the like to communicate with each other, through a private network, and with remote locations via a telecommunications service provider. In most buildings, the dedicated telecommunications system is hard wired using telecommunication cables that contain conductive wire. In such hard wired systems, dedicated wires are coupled to individual service ports throughout the building. The service ports are designed to receive modular connectors from telephones, computers, facsimile machines and the like. The wires from the dedicated service ports extend through the walls of the building to a telecommunications closet or closets. The telecommunications lines from the interface hub of any main frame computer and the telecommunication lines from external telecommunication service providers are also terminated within the telecommunications closets. 
     A patching system is used to interconnect the various telecommunication lines within the telecommunications closet. In a telecommunications patching system, all of the telecommunication lines are terminated at connector ports within the telecommunications closet. Accordingly, the various telecommunication lines are arranged in an organized manner. 
     Within the telecommunications closet, patch cords are used to interconnect the various connector ports within the telecommunications closet. Patch cords are telecommunication cables that are terminated at both ends with a modular connector. The most commonly used modular connectors are the RJ-11 connector and the RJ-45 connector. Both connectors contain a locking pawl that extends from the main body of the connector. The locking pawl is used to mechanically connect and disconnect the modular connector to a connector port. 
     In a telecommunication closet, there may be thousands of patch cords. Each of the patch cords is routed in a different manner throughout the telecommunications closet. Accordingly, each patch cord may be intertwined with hundreds of other patch cords. 
     Often a technician must remove or reroute a patch cord within a telecommunications closet. Accordingly, a technician must separate a specific patch cord from the others. When a modular connector on a patch cord is removed from a connector port, the locking pawl that extends from the modular connector acts as a hooked barb. The locking pawl has a tendency to snag on any object across which the modular connector may pass. Accordingly, it is nearly impossible to pull a modular connector through other cables without the modular connector becoming snagged. If a technician continues to pull on a patch cord after it becomes snagged, the locking pawl can easily become damaged. Once the locking pawl is damaged, the modular connector is rendered useless and a new modular connector must be added to the end of the patch cord. 
     In the prior art, technicians often tape the locking pawl of modular connectors down before they pull the modular connector through an obstructed path. However, the use of tape is tedious and both labor and time intensive. To simplify matters, other approaches have been explored in the prior art. One such approach has been the use of an elastomeric boot over the modular connector. In such prior art approaches, an elastomeric boot is wrapped around the modular connector so that the boot covers the extending pawl. The boot prevents objects from snagging on the locking pawl and still enables the locking pawl to function in its designed manner. A problem with protective boots is that they are relatively expensive and difficult to install. Accordingly, when terminating a telecommunication cable, a technician must both install the modular connector and then install the protective boot. In systems that have many thousands of modular connectors, the use of protective boots quickly becomes cost, labor and time prohibitive. 
     Recognizing the problems associated with protective boots, modular connectors have been designed with integral snag-free features. In such prior art modular connectors, the main body of the modular connector is typically designed to protrude farther than does the locking pawl. In this manner, the body of the connector itself prevents the locking pawl from becoming snagged. Such prior art modular connectors are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,613,869 to Erlich, entitled, Modular Connector For A Communication Line. 
     A problem associated with such snag-free modular connectors is the fact that the enlarged body of the connector restricts access to the pawl. Accordingly, it is now more difficult for a technician to engage the pawl and disconnect the modular connector from a connector port. The problem is most prevalent in crowded telecommunications closets where a technician has very little room to manipulate his/her fingers when connecting or disconnecting a specific modular connector. 
     A need therefore exists in the art for a modular connector with an integral snag-free design that is low cost and does not restrict access to the locking pawl. This need is met by the present invention as described and claimed below. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is a connector device for use in terminating a telecommunications cable. The connector device includes a main connector body having a top surface, a bottom surface and a rear surface extending between said top surface and said bottom surface. The main connector body is adapted to receive the telecommunication cable through the rear surface. 
     The connector device also includes a locking pawl that extends from the top surface of the main connector body. The locking pawl is used to lock the connector device in place in a connector port. The locking pawl extends a predetermined maximum distance from the top surface of the main connector body. A guard element extends over at least part of the rear surface of the main connector body. The guard element extends above the top surface of the main connector body to a height at least as high as the maximum height of the locking pawl. The guard element can be supported by the locking pawl, the main connector body or both. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the following description of exemplary embodiments thereof, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a modular connector in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a second exemplary embodiment of a modular connector in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a side view of a third exemplary embodiment of a modular connector in accordance with the present invention; and 
     FIG. 4 is a side view of a fourth exemplary embodiment of a modular connector in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Although the present invention device can be used to terminate many different types of conductive wire cables, the present invention is especially well suited for terminating telecommunication cables containing between four and eight wires. Such telecommunication wires are most commonly used for voice and data communications. Consequently, by way of example, the present invention device will be described in an application where it is used to terminate a telecommunications cable. 
     Referring to FIG. 1, a first exemplary embodiment of a modular connector  10  is shown. The modular connector  10  has a main body  12  that is shaped the same as prior art modular connectors. The main body  12  of the modular connector  10  connects to the end of a telecommunications cable  14  in a traditional manner. The modular connector  10  also has a locking pawl  16  that extends from the main body  12  of the modular connector  10 . The locking pawl  16  has the same shape as prior art locking pawls and operates in the same manner as prior art locking pawls. 
     What distinguishes the shown modular connector  10  from prior art modular connectors is the presence of a flexible guard  20 . In the shown embodiment, the flexible guard  20  has two parallel arm elements  18  that extend from the bottom rear of the main body  12  of the modular connector  10 . The arm elements  18  are curved and hook upwardly and around the top of the main body  12  of the modular connector  10  to a point at least as high as that of the locking pawl  16 . The arm elements  18  pass along both sides of the telecommunications cable  14  and therefore do not interfere with the movement of the telecommunications cable  14  or the ease at which the modular connector  10  is attached to the telecommunications cable  14 . 
     The arm elements  18  of the flexible guard  20  are interconnected by at least one cross element  22 . At least one cross element  22  is supported by the arm elements  18  in front of the locking pawl  16 . In this manner, the cross element  22  prevents an object from passing between the arm elements  18  and engaging the locking pawl  16 . 
     The flexible guard  20  is a structure that is capable of being elastically deformed numerous times without damage. Accordingly, when a technician depresses the locking pawl  16  and the guard element  20  simultaneously, the guard element  20  will move downwardly with the locking pawl  16 . When pressure is removed from the locking pawl  16 , the locking pawl  16  returns to its original position. Similarly, the curved structure of the arm elements  18  in the flexible guard  20  creates a spring bias in the flexible guard  20  that also returns it to its original position when any externally applied manipulation force is removed. 
     The flexible guard  20  can be manufactured as a separate structure and then bonded to the main body  12  of the modular connector  10 . However, in the preferred embodiment, the flexible guard  20  is preferably integrally molded as part of the main body  12  of the modular connector  10 . As such, the flexible guard  20  and the main body  12  are unistructurally formed from a common material. 
     As the telecommunications cable  14  is pulled, the flexible guard  20  acts as a plow and prevents any object from directly engaging the locking pawl  16 . As such, the modular connector  10  can be pulled through obstructed areas with a much lower chance of the locking pawl  16  becoming snagged or damaged. 
     Referring to FIG. 2, a second embodiment of a modular connector  30  is shown. In this embodiment, the main body  32  of the modular connector  30  is the same as is available in the prior art. As such, the main body  32  of the modular connector  30  attaches to a telecommunications cable  14  in the traditional manner. In the shown embodiment, it is the structure of the locking pawl  34  that incorporates a snag-free feature. 
     The locking pawl  34  is connected to the main body  32  of the modular connector  30  in a traditional manner. However, the locking pawl  34  is Y-shaped. The stem  36  of the locking pawl  34  extends away from the main body of the modular connector  30  in a standard direction and pitch. However, instead of terminating a predetermined distance above the main body  32  of the modular connector  30 , the locking pawl  34  splits into two diverging arm elements  38 . The arm elements  38  curve downwardly around the rearward edge of the modular connector&#39;s main body. The arm elements  38  diverge apart enough to pass along the sides of the telecommunications cable  14 , wherein the arm elements  38  terminate at a point either at or below the level of the telecommunications cable  14 . 
     As the arm elements  38  of the locking pawl  34  descend around the rear of the main body  32  of the modular connector  30 , the arm elements  38  follow a curved path. Accordingly, as the telecommunications cable  14  is pulled, the curved arm elements  38  of the locking pawl  34  acts as a plow and prevent any object from directly snagging the locking pawl  34 . As such, the modular connector  30  can be pulled through obstructed areas with a much lower chance of the locking pawl  34  becoming snagged or damaged. 
     The locking pawl  34  is still interconnected to the main body  32  of the modular connector  30  in a traditional manner. Accordingly, the locking pawl  34  can still be manually manipulated in the manner of a traditional locking pawl. As such, the embodiment of the locking pawl  34  described still performs the same interlocking function in the same manner as prior art locking pawls. 
     Referring to FIG. 3, an embodiment of the present invention modular connector  40  is shown that is, in many ways, a combination of the embodiments of FIG.  1  and FIG.  2 . In the embodiment of FIG. 3, a flexible guard  44  extends from the rear bottom of the main body  42  of the modular connector  40 . The flexible guard  44  is comprised of two arm elements  46  that curve upwardly toward the top of the modular connector&#39;s main body  42 . The arm elements  46  terminate approximately half way up the modular connector  40  in the area of the telecommunications cable  14 . 
     The locking pawl  48  is Y-shaped. The stem of the locking pawl  48  extends away from the main body  42  of the modular connector  40  in a standard direction and pitch. However, instead of terminating a predetermined distance above the main body  42  of the modular connector  40 , the locking pawl  48  splits into two diverging arm elements  49 . The arm elements  49  curve downwardly around the rearward edge of the modular connector&#39;s main body  42 . The arm elements  49  diverge apart enough to pass along the sides of the telecommunications cable  14 , wherein the arm elements  49  terminate at a point below the level of the telecommunications cable  14  in an area that overlaps the flexible guard  44 . The arm elements  49  of the locking pawl  48  pass either inside or outside the arm elements  46  of the flexible guard  44 . As such, the arm elements  49  of the locking pawl  48  and the arm elements  46  of the flexible guard  44  do not interfere with one another. 
     As the arm elements  49  of the locking pawl  48  descend around the rear of the main body  42  of the modular connector, the arm elements  49  follow a curved path. Accordingly, as the telecommunications cable  14  is pulled, the curved arm elements  49  of the locking pawl  48  acts as a plow and prevent any object from directly snagging the locking pawl  48 . As such, the modular connector  40  can be pulled through obstructed areas with a much lower chance of the locking pawl  48  becoming snagged or damaged. 
     The locking pawl  48  is still interconnected to the main body  42  of the modular connector  40  in a traditional manner. Accordingly, the locking pawl  48  can still be manually manipulated in the manner of a traditional locking pawl. As such, the embodiment of the locking pawl  48  described still performs the same interlocking function in the same manner as prior art locking pawls. 
     Referring now to FIG. 4, another embodiment of the present invention modular connector  50  is shown. In this embodiment, the main body  52  of the modular connector  50  and the locking pawl  54  of the modular connector  50  are both the same as is available in the prior art. The modular connector  50  is unique in that a collar protrusion  56  extends rearwardly from the rear surface of the modular connector&#39;s main body  52 . The collar protrusion  56  has a tubular configuration, wherein the telecommunications cable  14  passes through the collar protrusion  56 . 
     Arm elements  58 ,  59  extend both upwardly and downwardly from the collar protrusion  56 . The top arm elements  58  extend upwardly to a level at least as high as the highest part of the locking pawl  54 . The lower arm elements  59  extend downwardly to a level at least as low as the bottom of the main body  52 . 
     As the top arm elements  58  and the bottom arm elements  59  extend around the main body  52  of the modular connector  50 , both sets of arm elements  58 ,  59  follow a curved path. Accordingly, as the telecommunications cable  14  is pulled, the curved arm elements  58 ,  59  act as a plow and prevent any object from directly snagging on either the locking pawl  54  or the main body  52  of the modular connector  50 . As such, the modular connector  50  can be pulled through obstructed areas with a much lower chance of the locking pawl  54  or the main body  52  of the modular connector  50  becoming snagged or damaged. 
     In all of the exemplary embodiments illustrated, the arm elements, that curve in front of the main body of the modular connector to protect the locking pawl, can be either molded as part of the main body of the modular connector or attached to the main body of the modular connector. Accordingly, the material of the arm elements can be either the same as the main body or different. In either circumstance, the arm elements attach to the telecommunications cable as part of the modular connector, as the modular connector is attached to the telecommunications cable. 
     In all of the embodiments illustrated, the guard that prevents the locking pawl from becomimg snagged is comprised of flexible arms. It should be understood that such a configuration is merely exemplary. Structures other than arms can be used to protect the locking pawl. For example, bulbous obstructions can extend from the body of the modular connector instead of arms. The obstruction would prevent the locking pawl from becoming snagged in the same manner as would flexible arms. 
     It will be understood that a person skilled in the art could make alternate embodiments of the present invention using functionally equivalent embodiments that have not been specifically described. For example, the size and shape of the various arm elements can be altered as desired, provided they continue to protect the locking pawl from snagging. Similarly, the point of attachment between the various arm elements and the main body of the modular connector can also be changed into numerous configurations other than has been specifically shown. All such modifications and alternate embodiments are intended to be included in the scope of this disclosure as defined by the appended claims.