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US 10,270,204 B2Granted
Patch cords for reduced-pair Ethernet applications having strain relief units that resist rotational loads and related strain relief units and connectors
AssigneeCommScope, Inc. of North Carolina
InventorsScott M. Keith, Yi Teh Shih
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Reduced-pair Ethernet patch cords include a twisted pair cable that has a pair of insulated conductors that are contained within a cable jacket. A connector is mounted on a first end of the cable. The connector includes a connector housing and a strain relief unit that is mounted on the cable at the interface between the cable and the connector housing. The strain relief unit includes a plurality of internal protrusions that contact the cable jacket.
Claims18
A reduced-pair Ethernet patch cord, comprising:
- a twisted pair cable that includes a pair of insulated conductors that are contained within a cable jacket;
- a connector mounted on a first end of the cable, the connector including:
- a connector housing;
- and
- a strain relief unit mounted on the cable at the interface between the cable and the connector housing, the strain relief unit including a collar that surrounds the cable, a stop feature extending radially outward from the collar, and a plurality of compressible arms that extend longitudinally forward form the collar, wherein the stop feature engages a mating feature of the connector housing when the strain relief unit is inserted within the connector housing, the engagement of the stop feature and the mating feature preventing the collar from rotating inside the connector housing.
2 more elements
A patch cord, comprising:
- a cable that includes a cable jacket that has at least one twisted pair of insulated conductors disposed therein;
- a connector that has a housing mounted on a first end of the cable, the connector including a strain relief unit positioned at least partly within the housing, the strain relief unit including:
- a cable-gripping member that is mounted on the cable, the cable-gripping member including a collar that surrounds the cable, a stop feature extending radially outward from the collar, and a plurality of cantilevered arms that extend forward from the collar, wherein the stop feature engages a mating feature of the housing of the connector when the cable-gripping member is inserted within the housing, the engagement of the stop feature and the mating feature preventing cable-gripping member from rotating inside the housing;
- a compression member that is configured to apply a compressive force against the cable-gripping member when the compression member and cable-gripping member are installed within the connector.
1 more element
A method of connectorizing a cable, the method comprising:
- terminating a first conductor of a twisted pair of conductors of a communications cable into a first contact;
- terminating a second conductor of a twisted pair of conductors of a communications cable into a second contact;
- inserting end portions of the terminated first and second conductors and the first and second contacts into a connector housing;
- sliding a strain relief unit along the communications cable and into a rear opening of the connector housing;
- and
- compressing a cable-gripping member of the strain relief unit onto the communications cable,
- wherein the cable-gripping member has at least one stop feature that is positioned to engage a mating feature of the connector housing when the strain relief unit is installed in the connector housing, wherein engagement of the stop feature and the mating feature prevents rotation of the strain relief unit within the connector housing.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.