TWO WIRE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR

Abstract

A modular plug including a housing including an opening extending from a back end of the plug to an opposing front wall, a plurality of slots in a top surface of the plug that extend into the cavity, where at least two slots include a conductive material.

Claims

1. A modular plug including: a housing including an opening extending from a back end of the plug to an opposing front wall; a plurality of slots in a top surface of the plug that extend into the cavity, wherein at least two slots include a conductive material.

2. The modular plug of claim 1 including a guide vane corresponding to each opening.

3. The modular plug of claim 1, wherein the openings are sized to accommodate a twenty-eight gauge wire.

4. The modular plug of claim 1, wherein the openings are sized to accommodate a fourteen gauge wire.

5. The modular plug of claim 1, wherein a plurality of slots are filled with plastic and at least two slots are filled with a copper material.

6. The modular plug of claim 5, wherein the slots filled with copper material are separated by a distance based on the size of the openings.

7. The modular plug of claim 5, wherein the space underneath the slots filled with plastic is filled with plastic to create a barrier between the two openings.

8. The modular plug of claim 1, wherein the openings are sized to accommodate a wire size greater than twenty-eight gauge and less than fourteen gauge.

9. The modular plug of claim 1, wherein the openings extend through the front wall to allow the wires in the openings to extend beyond the front wall.

10. The modular plug of claim 9, wherein an external cutting device cuts the wires extending through the openings.

11. A method of forming a modular plug including steps of: forming a housing including an opening extending from a back end of the plug to an opposing front wall; forming a plurality of slots in a top surface the plug that extend into the cavity, wherein at least two slots include a conductive material.

12. The method of claim 11 including the step of forming a guide vane corresponding to each opening.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the openings are sized to accommodate a twenty-eight gauge wire.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the openings are sized to accommodate a fourteen gauge wire.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein a plurality of slots are filled with plastic and at least two slots are filled with a copper material.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the slots filled with copper material are separated by a distance based on the size of the openings.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the space underneath the slots filled with plastic is filled with plastic to create a barrier between the two openings.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the openings are sized to accommodate a wire size greater than twenty-eight gauge and less than fourteen gauge.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the openings extend through the front wall to allow the wires in the openings to extend beyond the front wall.

20. The method of claim 9, wherein an external cutting device cuts the wires extending through the openings.

Description

DRAWING SUMMARY

[0024] FIG. 1 depicts a cutaway view of a modular connector;

[0025] FIG. 2 depicts a rear view of the modular connector housing;

[0026] FIG. 3 depicts a rear view of the connector;

[0027] FIG. 4 depicts a front view of the connector;

[0028] FIG. 5 depicts a front view of a connector;

[0029] FIG. 6 depicts a front view of connector; and

[0030] FIG. 7 depicts an embodiment of a plug.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] FIG. 1 depicts a cutaway view of a modular connector 100. The modular connector includes a central cavity 102 that is sized to accommodate a cable holding a plurality of individual wires. The cavity 102 has an initial height (H1) and transitions to a second height (H2) in a transition portion 104 of the cavity 102. A front cavity 106 extends from the transition portion to a front wall 108 of the plug. In one embodiment, openings extend through the front wall 108 such that the wires extend out beyond the front wall 108. Contacts 110 are positioned in slots directly above the front cavity 106. FIG. 2 depicts a cut away view of the connector 100 with the contacts 110 extending down into the front cavity 106. When wires are positioned in the front cavity 106, the contacts 110 pierce through the wires underneath the contacts 110 to electrically engage the wire.

[0032] FIG. 3 depicts a rear view of the connector 100. The rear view shows the openings 200 and 202 with guiding vanes 206 and 204 being positioned above the openings 200 and 202. The guiding vanes 206 and 204 direct wires into the proper opening 200 and 204 when a cable is inserted into the connector 100. The openings 202 and 204 are sized to accommodate wires between twenty-eight gauge and fourteen gauge. In one embodiment, the openings 200 and 202 extend beyond the front wall 108 of the connector 100 such that the wires extending through the openings 202 and 204 can be cut by an external tool.

[0033] FIG. 4 depicts a front view of the connector 100. The connector 100 has a plurality of slots 302, 304, 306, 308, 310, 312, 314 and 316 extending from a top surface into the front cavity 106. A select number of slots 302, 304, 306, 308, 310, 312, 314 and 316 are not filled with contacts 110. Only slots 302, 304, 306, 308, 310, 312, 314 and 316 positioned in line an opening 202 and 204 contain contacts, the remaining slots 302, 304, 306, 308, 310, 312, 314 and 316 do not include contacts. In one embodiment, two slots 306 and 312 contain contacts 110.

[0034] By adjusting the number of empty slots 302, 304, 308, 310, 314 and 316 between slots 306 and 312 containing contacts 110, the number of openings 202 and 204 in the front wall can be adjusted. Further, the larger the distance between openings, interference caused by adjacent wires can be reduced. For wires transmitting a power signal, increasing the distance can limit the possibility of arcing across conductors.

[0035] FIG. 5 depicts a front view of connector 400. The connector includes empty slots 402, 404, 406 and 408 and filled slots 410 and 412. The empty slots 404 and 406 create a separation gap 414 between the two conductors 414 and 416. By changing the empty slots between the filled slots, the separation gap 414 can be adjusted to accommodate larger gauge conductors in the connector 400 without changing the overall size of the connector 400. FIG. 6 depicts a front view of a connector 500. The connector 500 includes filled slots 502 and 504 and empty slots 506 and 508.

[0036] FIG. 7 depicts an embodiment of a plug 600. The plug includes open slots 602, 604, 606, 608, 610 and 612 and two filled slots 614 and 616. The filled slots 614 and 616 are separated by open slots 606 and 608. Two openings 618 and 610 are formed through the front face of the plug. The openings 618 and 620 are sized to accommodate wires 622 and 624 such that each wire 622 and 624 extends through a respective opening 618 and 620 and past the front face of the plug 600. The wires 622 and 624 are positioned such that a blade (not shown) can cut the wires by extending the blade through the wires 622 and 624 until the wire makes contact with cutting surface 626.

[0037] In one embodiment, the wires 622 and 624 transmits an analog signal. In another embodiment, the wires 622 and 624 transmits a digital signal. In another embodiment, the wires 622 and 624 transmit power. In another embodiment, the wires 622 and 624 transmits both power and an analog signal. In another embodiment, the wires 622 and 624 transmits both a digital signal and power.

[0038] While various embodiments of the present invention have been described, it will be apparent to those of skill in the art that many more embodiments and implementations are possible that are within the scope of this invention. Accordingly, the present invention is not to be restricted except in light of the attached claims and their equivalents.