# US 2013/0157500 A1 · Connector with slideable retention feature and patch cord having the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0157500 A1 - Document ID: US20130157500A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/528,273 - Filed: 2012-06-20 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2011-06-21 - Assignees: ADC Telecommunications, Inc. - Inventors: Loren J. Mattson; Gordon John White - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130157500A1 ## CPC - H01R 13/58: Means for relieving strain on wire connection, e.g. cord grip {, for avoiding loosening of connections between wires and terminals within a coupling device terminating a cable (for flat or ribbon cables H01R12/771)} - H01B 11/00: Communication cables or conductors - H01B 13/22: Sheathing; Armouring; Screening; Applying other protective layers (H01B13/32 takes precedence) - H01R 13/5829: {the clamping part being flexibly or hingedly connected to the housing} - H01R 43/20: for assembling or disassembling contact members with insulating base, case or sleeve - H04Q 1/135: {characterized by patch cord details} - H01R 13/65915: {Twisted pair of conductors surrounded by shield} - Y10T 29/49117: Conductor or circuit manufacturing - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS - H01B: CABLES; CONDUCTORS; INSULATORS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR CONDUCTIVE, INSULATING OR DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES (selection for magnetic properties H01F1/00; waveguides H01P {; printed circuits H05K}) - H04Q: SELECTING (switches, relays, selectors H01H; wireless communication networks H04W) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A patch cord including a connector attached to an end of an electrical cable. The connector includes a boot member that slides over a portion of a wire manager to actuate a retention arrangement of the connector. Certain types of retention arrangements are actuated by deflecting flexible tabs of the wire manager inwardly to bite into at least an outer jacket of the electrical cable. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A patch cord, comprising: a) a cable having a first end and a second end, the cable including: i) a plurality of twisted conductor pairs; ii) an inner jacket surrounding the plurality of twisted conductor pairs; and iii) an outer jacket surrounding the inner jacket; and b) a connector attached to one of the first and second ends of the cable, the connector including: i) a plug nose including contacts configured to terminate the twisted conductor pairs; ii) a boot member defining a passage through which the cable extends; and ii) a wire manager having a first end and a second end, the first end being configured to be received within the plug nose body and the second end being configured to be received within the passage of the boot member, the second end of the wire manager including at least one flexible tab having a tooth; wherein the boot member deflects the flexible tab to bite into at least the outer jacket of the cable when the second end of the wire manager is received within the passage of the boot member. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The patch cord of claim 1, wherein the tooth of the flexible tab also bites at least partially into the inner jacket of the cable. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The patch cord of claim 1, wherein the retention section of the wire manager includes two flexible tabs, each of the flexible tabs including a tooth member. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The patch cord of claim 3, wherein the two flexible tabs are located on opposite sides of the second end of the wire manager. ### Claim 5 A method of assembling a patch cord, the method comprising: a) providing a cable including a plurality of twisted pairs and a double layer jacket surrounding the twisted pairs, wherein an outer layer of the double layer jacket has been removed from a section of the cable and an inner layer of the double layer jacket has been removed from a portion of the section of the cable; b) sliding a boot member over the cable until the boot member surrounds the outer layer of the double layer jacket; c) sliding a wire manager over the cable including sliding the outer layer of the double layer jacket past flexible tabs of the wire manager to bias the flexible tabs outwardly; d) positioning the twisted pairs into channels of the wire manager; e) sliding the boot member over the wire manager until the boot member secures to the wire manager, wherein sliding the boot member over the wire manager deflects the flexible tabs inwardly so that teeth of the flexible tabs bite into at least the outer layer of the double layer jacket. ### Claim 6 An electrical connector comprising: a plug nose defining a plurality of electrical contacts; a boot member having a first end and a second end, the boot member defining a passage extending between the first and second ends, the passage having an inner diameter; and a wire manager configured to be positioned between the plug nose and the boot member, the wire manager has a retention section including two opposing tabs that are configured to deflect radially inwardly and outwardly relative to a passage defined through the retention section, each of the opposing tabs having a tooth that extends into the passage when the tab is undeflected; wherein the boot member inhibits outward deflection of the opposing tabs of the wire manager when the second end of the wire manager is received within the passage of the boot member. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The electrical connector of claim 6, wherein the wire manager includes latching arms that snap into latching openings defined by the boot member to secure the boot member to the wire manager. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The electrical connector of claim 6, wherein the boot member secures to an intermediate section of the wire manager that is located between the retention section and a plurality of wire channels. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The electrical connector of claim 6, wherein the wire manager includes a plurality of channels at a first end. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The electrical connector of claim 9, wherein the wire manager includes a cover that is configured to move between a closed position covering the channels and an open position allowing access to the channels. ### Claim 11 An electrical connector comprising: a plug nose defining a plurality of electrical contacts; a boot member having a first end and a second end, the boot member defining a passage extending between the first and second ends, the passage being bounded by an inner surface having an inner diameter; and a wire manager being configured to be disposed between the plug nose and the boot member, the wire manager including a wire management section and a retention section, the wire management section being configured to be disposed within the plug nose, the retention section defining a through-passage and including tabs that each extend between a fixed end and a distal end, each of the tabs having a tooth at the respective distal end; wherein the teeth of the tabs are maintained within the through-passage of the retention section when the retention section is disposed in the passage of the boot member. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The electrical connector of claim 11, wherein the tabs include two opposing tabs. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The electrical connector of claim 11, wherein the tabs are configured to deflect outwardly sufficient to enable the teeth to fully leave the through-passage of the retention section of the wire manager. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The electrical connector of claim 11, wherein the wire manager is configured to latch to the boot member. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The electrical connector of claim 11, wherein the wire manager is configured to latch to the plug nose.