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.
Claims22
1-22. (canceled)
An Ethernet patch cord, comprising:
- a single twisted pair cable comprising a pair of twisted conductors, wherein each conductor of the single twisted pair has a termination end;
- a connector mounted on a first end of the cable, the connector including:
- a connector housing having a bore there through, the bore defined by a cable receiving cavity and a contact carrier cavity, the connector housing configured to receive the termination end of each of the conductors of the single twisted pair;
- a contact carrier housed within the contact carrier cavity, the contact carrier having first and second contacts, the first and second contacts coupleable to the respective termination ends of each of the conductors of the single twisted pair, wherein the conductors of the single twisted pair remain twisted together all the way up to the point where the termination end of each of the conductors terminates into their respective contacts;
- and
- a strain relief structure configured to resist rotation of the single twisted pair cable relative to the connector housing.
A method of connectorizing a single twisted pair cable having a first conductor and a second conductor, the method comprising:
- terminating a termination end of the first conductor and a termination end of a second conductor to first and second contacts, respectively, while maintaining the twist of the conductors up to the point of termination;
- inserting the terminated ends of the first and second conductors into a connector housing;
- coupling a strain relief structure intermediate a jacket of the single twisted pair cable and the connector housing, wherein the strain relief structure is configured to resist rotation of the single twisted pair cable relative to the strain relief structure and to resist rotation of the strain relief structure itself relative to the connector housing.
A patch cord, comprising:
- a single twisted pair cable comprising a first conductor and a second conductor, wherein each conductor of the single twisted pair has a termination end;
- a connector mounted on a first end of the cable, the connector having a housing and a strain relief structure, wherein the termination ends of the first and second conductors are terminated to first and second contacts, respectively, the first and second contacts housed within the connector, wherein the twist of the first and second conductors is maintained up to the point of termination, and
- wherein the strain relief structure is positioned intermediate a jacket of the single twisted pair cable and the housing, the strain relief structure configured to engage both the jacket and the housing, and to resist rotation of the single twisted pair cable relative to the strain relief structure and to resist its own rotation relative to the connector housing.
A connectorized cable, comprising:
- a cable;
- and
- a connector mounted on a first end of the cable, the connector having a housing and a strain relief structure,
- wherein the strain relief structure is positioned intermediate a jacket of the cable and the housing, the strain relief structure configured to engage both the jacket and the housing, and to resist rotation of the cable relative to the strain relief structure and to resist its own rotation relative to the connector housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.