Abstract: A hydrodynamic seal efficiently protects an interior cavity of an enclosure from external elements. The seal has an upper portion having a recess formed in a center section of the upper portion. A lower portion, having a raised portion, abuts the upper portion and forms a passage between the two portions. The passage between the upper and lower portions is reduced in area along the recessed and raised portions. When air with water and/or dust passes through the passage, a velocity and pressure change occurs, thereby the water and/or dust is deposited in a channel. The water and/or dust flows along the channel and is exhausted to an external so that the water and/or dust is prevented from entering the interior cavity of the enclosure.

Abstract: A fiber optic pedestal for holding a plurality of fiber optic cable splices having at least one vertically disposed wall including a splice holder intermediate first and second engagement projections. The engagement projections having a surface for engaging fiber optic cable adjacent a splice which does not exceed the maximum bend radius of the cable. The pedestal is preferably formed with a fiber optic cable passageway on the interior of the at least one wall with the engagement projections located on the exterior of the walls. The pedestal further includes one or more radial openings for cable running through the passageway to pass to the first projection, the splice to be held in the splice holder and the continuing cable to engage the second projection and reenter the interior passageway through the one or more openings.

Abstract: A splice holder for optical fiber splices capable of holding multiple single fiber splices, ribbon fiber splices and combinations thereof comprising a base, at least two opposed rows of a plurality of retention members having openings for accepting single splices and lateral members extending in the area between said opposed retention members for accepting ribbon splices. The splice holder is preferably formed of unitary construction from a flexible material. The splice holder can be attached to a splice tray by adhesive, double sided tape or by the use of tabs on the splice holder which can slide under engagement means on the splice tray.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for allowing each subscriber line pair to be individually tested at the interface between a telephone company's telecommunication network and a subscriber's network using a single RJ11 jack. The bridge apparatus includes a bridge assembly having an RJ11 jack electrically coupled to two screws. The two screws are also electrically coupled to two wires, respectively, the other ends of the wires being electrically connected to alligator clips. The alligator clips may be clipped onto any wire pair of a connector assembly within a BEP or telephone equipment box and thereby directly to any particular subscriber line pair, thus bypassing the subscriber network. This allows a subscriber to test any subscriber line pair in the box using only a single bridge assembly to determine whether a previously detected fault exists is within the telephone company's telecommunication network or within the subscriber's network.

Abstract: A modular plug assembly is provided which includes a modular plug body, and an insulation displacement connector (IDC), having a terminal body and a terminal strip. The assembly is formed to engage a wire, including a multi-conductor wire, and be inserted into a modular jack to form an electrical connection between the wire and the modular jack. Any length of wire can be used, and in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the assembly engages the wire in a toolless manner.

Abstract: A connector which allows wave soldering of terminals followed by the application of potting material over the terminals, including a base holding the terminals and wall segments hingedly secured to the base surrounding the terminals. For the wave soldering operation, the wall segments are pivoted away from the terminals to be substantially parallel to the base. After the wave soldering operation, the wall segments are pivoted toward the terminals to form a wall surrounding the terminals for containing potting material.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a hinge for releasably attaching two components in pivotable relation comprising a first member having a detent on a flexible arm, said arm being movable from an engagement to a disengagement position, and a stop member being adaptable from a static position adjacent the flexible arm to prohibit movement thereof when the flexible arm is in the engagement position to a retracted position allowing movement of the flexible arm into the disengagement position; and a second member corresponding to the first member having a fixed post including cooperating means for engagement of said detent when the flexible arm is in its engagement position. The stop member also preferably has a retention catch thereon which bears against the flexible arm to restrain the flexible arm in its disengagement position.

Abstract: A latching mechanism for an insulation displacement connector comprises a cap section, a base section, a latch member and a biasing member preferably configured as a type of spring. The cap section is movable between an open position and a closed position and includes a finger-grip member. The base section is connected to the cap section and includes a latch retaining portion. The latch member contains a latch-engaging portion, a living hinge and a latch base. The latch member is movable between an engaged position and disengaged position. The latch member maintains the cap section in the closed position when the latch member is in the engaged position and the latch engaging portion is confrontingly engaged with the latch retaining portion in this closed position. The biasing member may be formed as an elastically deformable member that has a bend point and is connected to the cap section proximate the finger grip member. Additionally, the biasing member is connected to the latch member at the latch base.

Abstract: A wire clip having resilient cantilevered tines which move in a cooperating manner to permit a wire to pass therethrough. The wire clip includes a base and first and second arms connected to and extending from the base. The first and second arms have distal ends which form the resilient tines. Wires must be manually maneuvered through the tines to be inserted into the clip. The tines will not inadvertently release a wire from the clip.

Abstract: A modular jack receptacle that includes a plurality of removable interfaces that provide for interconnection between and among the plurality of interfaces and a modular jack held by the receptacle. Each of the removable interfaces include two terminals mounted on a printed circuit board and each connected to a circuit trace. Each interface may also include, as a routine matter of design choice, electronic devices, circuits, connectors, etc., to provide for additional functionality of the interface. The modular jack receptacle provides increased flexibility in diagnostic and test capability for a particular communication line from a Central Office (CO) to a customer premise location and simplified replacement of electronic devices installed in series with a communication line.

Abstract: A panel for mounting telecommunications equipment has an insulating body and a grounding strip to provide ground connection to the telecommunications equipment. The grounding strip has a panel portion for mounting the grounding strip to the insulating body and a mounting portion bending away from the insulating body and having one or more mounting holes for mounting the panel to external structure to enable the panel to be mounted to the external structure without requiring spacers to prevent overstress to the insulating material. In one implementation, the panel is a protector panel for receiving five-pin plug-in protectors that provide electrical isolation between multi-wire cabling and telephones and other types of telecommunications equipment.

Abstract: A modular jack receptacle that includes a plurality of removable interfaces that provide for interconnection between and among the plurality of interfaces and a modular jack held by the receptacle. Each of the removable interfaces include two terminals mounted on a printed circuit board and each connected to a circuit trace. Each interface may also include, as a routine matter of design choice, electronic devices, circuits, connectors, etc., to provide for additional functionality of the interface. The modular jack receptacle provides increased flexibility in diagnostic and test capability for a particular communication line from a Central Office (CO) to a customer premise location and simplified replacement of electronic devices installed in series with a communication line.

Abstract: A building entrance box providing an interface between a signal transmission media cable having a first plurality of filamentary signal transmission elements and a second plurality of individual filamentary signal transmission elements. In a first embodiment, moisture infiltration is reduced by providing potting material in a transition region between a splice chamber of the box and a connector chamber of the box. In another embodiment, a plastic protector panel is specifically shaped to reduce condensation and to reduce the effects of any condensation. Modular protector panels mounted in the box are automatically grounded when mounted to a conductive chassis plate and are so arranged that input and output wires are isolated from each other.

Abstract: A building entrance box providing an interface between a signal transmission media cable having a first plurality of filamentary signal transmission elements and a second plurality of individual filamentary signal transmission elements. In a first embodiment, moisture infiltration is reduced by providing potting material in a transition region between a splice chamber of the box and a connector chamber of the box. In another embodiment, a plastic protector panel is specifically shaped to reduce condensation and to reduce the effects of any condensation. Modular protector panels mounted in the box are automatically grounded when mounted to a conductive chassis plate and are so arranged that input and output wires are isolated from each other.

Abstract: A connector having integrally formed walls and a cover enclosing wire receiving ends of terminals. The connector has openings along an edge which have resilient grommets installed therein. Each of the grommets includes a central web which is slit to allow wires connected to the terminal ends to be moved laterally into the center of the grommet and be conformably received therein.

Abstract: A building entrance box providing an interface between a signal transmission media cable having a first plurality of filamentary signal transmission elements and a second plurality of individual filamentary signal transmission elements. In a first embodiment, moisture infiltration is reduced by providing potting material in a transition region between a splice chamber of the box and a connector chamber of the box. In another embodiment, a plastic protector panel is specifically shaped to reduce condensation and to reduce the effects of any condensation. Modular protector panels mounted in the box are automatically grounded when mounted to a conductive chassis plate and are so arranged that input and output wires are isolated from each other.

Abstract: A slack storage bracket for use in fiber optic cable splice enclosures having a body, mounting members for mounting the slack storage bracket to the enclosure, and opposed radial shelf portions extending outwardly from the body to hold the cable slack. The shelf portions preferably have stops to keep the cable slack from slipping off of the shelf portions. The body of the bracket is preferably an arc which, like the radial shelf portions, have a radius of not less than the minimum bend radius of the cable to avoid damage to the cable.

Abstract: A wiring trough for an enclosure for telecommunications equipment (such as a building entrance protector) has a male piece adapted to be received by a female piece at a number of different positions to define an opening having different sizes to accommodate different amounts of wiring. As the amount of wiring needed to be handled increases (e.g., as more enclosures are stacked end to end on a wall one on top of the other), the two-piece wiring trough can be reconfigured without having to remove the wiring trough from the enclosure to expand the size of its opening to accommodate the larger amount of wiring.

Abstract: A method of making wiring connections which are protected against environmental conditions. A wire wrap terminal is first coated with a thin film of silicone gel. After the silicone gel has cured, a wire is wrapped around the terminal. The wire displaces the silicone gel as it is wrapped around the terminal. Silicone gel trapped between the terminal and the windings of the wire prevents environmental elements from getting to and degrading the electrical contact interface between the wire and the terminal.

Abstract: A strain relief for an insulation displacement connector contains a cap section and a base section connected to the cap section at a pivot point. The cap section has at least one wire insertion channel and a first wall. The wire insertion channel has an entrance aperture which is in fluid communication with an exit aperture for passage therethrough in an insertion of an inserted wire. The exit aperture is contained in the first wall. The cap section is pivotally moveable between an open position which facilitates insertion of the wire into the cap section through the entrance aperture and out through the exit aperture, and a closed position. The base section has a side wall and a base hole or depression formed in the base section at the foot of the side wall. The base hole includes a wire stop portion at its bottom.