Abstract:
A boot for supporting a plug connected to a cable, the plug including a flexible tab attached thereto and comprising a housing having a front opening for accommodating the plug and an opposite back opening for receiving the cable and allowing the cable to pass therethrough to the plug, a recess formed in the housing; and a tab protector engaged with the recess for engaging the flexible tab of the plug.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS 
   This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/977,413, filed Oct. 4, 2007, the specification of which is incorporated herein by reference. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates generally to electrical connections and cable assemblies such as those used for telecommunications and data transfer and more specifically to snagless boots for electrical connectors commonly used for telephonic and data cables. 
   Communications cables commonly use a plug  10  attached to the end of a cable  12  as shown in  FIG. 1  to make an electrical connection with a device (not shown) such as a computer or telephone or another type of receptacle. The plug  10  is shaped so as to be received by and held in an appropriate receptacle (not shown) in the device. The plug  10  typically consists of a main body portion  14  that is at least partially received by the receptacle. The plug  10  typically further includes a tab  16  extending angularly from the main body portion  14  such that when the plug  10  is inserted into the receptacle, the tab  16  is urged closer to the main body portion  14  of the plug  10 . The receptacle and plug  10  are designed such that upon inserting the plug  10  a predetermined distance into the receptacle, the tab  16  “locks” with the receptacle thereby releasably securing the plug in the receptacle such that an electrical connection can be maintained and the plug  10  will not slide out of the receptacle. In order to remove the plug  10  from the receptacle, the tab  16  is typically squeezed closer to the main body portion  14  which then allows the plug  10  to be slid out from the receptacle. The mechanisms described above are well known in the art and commonly used for telephone connections and computer/data connections. 
   While the tab  16  is useful for holding the plug  10  in the receptacle and thereby ensuring that an electrical connection is maintained, the tab  16  is typically a very thin piece of plastic and is often unintentionally snapped off of the main body portion  14  of the plug  10 . This may occur from repeated insertion and removal from receptacles or even when the cable  12  is run and pulled through walls, behind furniture, and other activities involved when connecting devices. In these situations, the tab  16  often catches or “snags” objects causing the tab  16  to break off of the plug  10 . 
   There have been a number of approaches to eliminate or lessen the chances of the tab  16  snagging an object or obstacle and becoming damaged as a result. Two of the most common approaches are shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 .  FIG. 2  shows a flexible boot  20  for protecting the connection of the plug  10  to the cable  12  and provides a hood  22  for covering the extended end of the tab  16  so as to prevent the tab  16  from snagging on objects. Since the boot  20  is flexible, the hood  22  still allows for the tab  16  to be pressed closer to the main body portion  14  in order to disengage the plug  10  from a receptacle. However, the hood  22  must be rigid enough to be able to protect the tab and as a result many users find the hood too rigid to easily facilitate unlocking the plug from the receptacle. 
     FIG. 3  shows a boot  30  having two wings  32  on either side of the tab  16  instead of the hood  22  shown in  FIG. 2 . The wings  32  are shaped and sized so as to prevent many different types of snags that can occur and damage the tab  16 . Unfortunately, many users find these difficult to use as the wings make it difficult to access the tab from certain angles and some individuals find it hard to fit their finger in between the wings in order to press on the tab to disengage the plug from the receptacle. 
   There is a need for an improved electrical connector capable of protecting a tab of the connector while allowing for easy actuation of the tab by a user. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In view of the above discussion, a snagless boot for an electrical connector with a locking tab such as a RJ45 connector is provided. According to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a boot for supporting a plug connected to a cable, the plug including a flexible tab attached thereto, comprising a housing having a front opening for accommodating the plug and an opposite back opening for receiving the cable and allowing the cable to pass therethrough to the plug, a recess formed in the housing; and a tab protector engaged with the recess for engaging the flexible tab of the plug is provided. 

   
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The above, as well as other, advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment when considered in the light of the accompanying drawings in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a plug connector of the prior art; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a plug connector and boot of the prior art; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a plug connector and boot of the prior art; 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 6  is a partially exploded perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 7  is a side view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 8  is a side view of the tab protector in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 9  is a view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 10  is a perspective side view of an alternate embodiment of the present invention; and 
       FIG. 11  is (a) perspective view and (b) a bottom view of the tab protector in accordance with another alternate embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 12  is a side view of yet another alternate embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring to  FIG. 4 , the preferred embodiment of the present invention is a boot  40  for supporting a plug  42  that is attached to a cable  44 . The exemplary plug  42  is comprised of a main body  43  having an electrical end  46  for engaging with electrical connectors in a receptacle (not shown) and a substantially rectangular cable end  48 . The cable end  48  has an opening (not shown) for receiving a portion of the cable  44  or at least the wires or other communication means therein. The opening can be large enough to accept the cable  44  and any insulation or outer layer of the cable. The opposite electrical end  46  includes a plurality of electrical contacts  50 . The exposed ends of the wires within the cable  44  are connected to or placed in contact with the electrical contacts  50  which are used to provide electrical connections to the electrical contacts (not shown) of a communications receptacle (not shown). The plug  42  further includes a locking tab  52  extending out from the main body  43 , preferably in an angular direction from the main body  43 . The locking tab  52  is attached to the main body  43  at a flex point  54  and has a distal end  56  preferably extending towards the cable end  48  of the plug  42 . The flex point  54  allows the distal end  56  of the locking tab  52  to be flexed toward the main body  43  of the plug  42  during the insertion and retraction of the plug  42  from a receptacle. 
   The boot  40  has a housing  60  preferably having four walls forming a plug end  62  and an opposite back end  64 . The plug end  62  of the boot  40  is shaped such that the boot  40  attaches to said cable end  48  of the plug  42 . The opposite back end  64  of the boot  40  includes an opening (not shown) of sufficient dimension to allow an end of the cable  44  to pass through. This opening also allows the boot  40  to be placed at least partially over the cable  44  and slid into an operable position against the plug  42 . The four walls of the housing  60  form a substantially rectangular opening at the plug end  62  of sufficient dimension to allow an appropriate plug  42  to slide into the interior of the boot  40 . One skilled in the art will appreciate that many modifications of the boot  40  are possible and the description of the boot  40  herein is not meant to limit the present disclosure. As an example of such a modification, the plug end  62  may be shaped and sized so as to also receive and cover a portion of the plug  42  (not shown). 
   The boot  40  preferably also includes a strain relief sleeve  70  as known and used in the art. The strain relief sleeve  70  can be integral with the housing  60  as shown in  FIG. 4 , or can be a separate piece (not shown) that is capable of being releasably connected to the housing  60  and/or the plug  42 . The strain relief sleeve  70  strengthens the connection between the cable  44  and the plug  42  and also allows for the cable to bend relative to the plug  42  and/or boot  40  without applying any appreciable bending force to either the plug  42  or the boot  40 . The strain relief sleeve  70  can be any appropriate strain relief component known or used in the art, including a passage to receive the cable  44 . The strain relief sleeve  70  also preferably has a plurality of ribs and/or grooves  104  on the external surface, which increases the flexibility of the sleeve  70  while maintaining the strength and the ability to absorb bending forces. 
   The boot  40  according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention further includes a recess  80  in the housing  60  that is preferably circular in shape. The present invention further includes a tab protector  90  for selectively protecting the locking tab  52  from damage due to snags and other obstacles. The tab protector  90  has a connector portion  92  that is shaped and sized to engage with the recess  80  in the housing  60 . Preferably, the connector portion  92  is rotatably engaged with the recess  80  so as to allow the tab protector  90  to rotate relative to the housing  60 . The tab protector  90  also has a protector arm  94  that extends from the connector portion  92 . The protector arm  94  has a predefined length such that the protector arm  94  extends over the distal end  56  of the locking tab  52  in order to prevent the locking tab  52  from snagging on objects causing it to break. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the tab protector  90  rotates 360 degrees about the recess  80  once engaged. This rotation allows for the protector arm  94  of the tab protector  90  to be rotated to a position that provides snag protection for the locking tab  52 . The rotation allows for a user to rotate the tab protector  90  away from the locking tab  52  in order to have easy access and use of the locking tab  52  or whenever snag protection is not necessary or required. The protector arm  94  is also preferably curved in shape so as to lessen the chances of the protector arm being snagged or caught on an obstacle. 
   One skilled in the art will appreciate that the boot  40  and tab protector  90  as shown in the drawings are an example of the preferred embodiment only. For example, as a first alternate embodiment, the tab protector  90  could have a sleeve  100  over the connector portion  92  as shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11  thereby covering the connection joint between the tab protector  90  and the housing  60  of the boot  40 . As another example, in a second alternate embodiment, the protector arm  94  could have a channel  102  as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 11  for accepting the locking tab  52  and thereby preventing the protector arm  94  from sliding away from the locking tab  52  once the locking tab  52  is releasably engaged with the protector arm  94 . As one skilled in the art will realize, there arc numerous possible modifications that, while not specifically mentioned, are within the spirit and fall within the scope of this disclosure. For example, the tab protector  90  could be many different shapes and could be designed to be removable from the boot  40  or permanent. Other modifications may include connecting the tab protector  90  to a side wall of the housing  60  and/or changing the rotation or movement of the tab protector  90  relative to the housing  60 , including limiting the rotation to less than 360 degrees. 
   In yet another alternate embodiment of the present invention, the boot  40  can be made of at least two separate portions, allowing the boot  40  to be attached to the plug  42  and/or cable  44  without having to slip the boot over an end of the cable  44  and/or remove the plug  42  from the cable for retrofit applications. For instance, referring to  FIG. 12 , a boot  40  (which can include an integrated strain relief component and/or actuator) can include a top half  106  and a bottom half  108  that are adhered, bolted, snapped together, screwed together, or otherwise connected to one another once in place relative to at least one of the cable  44  and the plug  42 . 
   The boot  40  also can be colored, or can have a symbol or description formed therein, which can allow the attached cable to be identified relative to other cables and/or cords positioned around the connector. 
   In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, the present invention has been described in what is considered to represent its preferred embodiment. However, it should be noted that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or scope.