Abstract: The present invention presents an improved clip and an improved block wherein the material requirements for the clip are reduced and transmission performance for the assembly is improved. The present invention also presents a method of manufacturing the improved clip. The clips are of the type generally referred to in the art as 66 type clips. The clip of this invention has an oval opening with parallel sides between the base and that portion of the clip which holds the wire; and the oval aperture is flanked by arm portions of diverging width from the top of the aperture to the bottom of the aperture. In other words, the sides of the arms adjacent to the aperture are parallel, and the sides of the arms remote from the aperture diverge outwardly. This makes the arms thicker in width as they approach and join the base. This construction achieves the important advantage of a tapered beam element, which is well known to result in superior stress distribution than beams whose thickness is uniform.

Abstract: A wiring block, in accordance with the present invention, comprises a base having at least one wiring strip snap lock mounted thereto and having a leg assembly snap lock mounted at each end of the base. The leg assemblies provide a space behind the wiring block (when mounted) for cables/wires that are to be terminated at the wiring block. The detachable leg assemblies are an important feature of the present invention as they provide for improved cable/wire management during installations, moves and changes, as compared to that of the prior art. The base has openings between selected wiring strips for allowing cables/wires to pass through also improving cable/wire management. Further, the wiring strip includes spaced notches to facilitate wiring thereto.

Abstract: An electrically balanced connector assembly is presented. The assembly comprises a printed circuit board including integrally defined capacitive elements designed to compensate for reactive imbalance of electrical components connected thereto. A pair of wire termination blocks mounted to a first side of the circuit board are connected by circuitry on the circuit board to a corresponding pair of modular jacks mounted to a second side of the circuit board. The capacitive elements are connected between selected leads of the modular jacks and the wire termination blocks by the circuitry. The circuit board assembly is mounted in a panel yoke which includes a pair of apertures for allowing access to the modular jacks aligned therein. The apertures and circuit board assembly are orientated to allow connecting modular cords to gravity feed into and from the modular jacks. The panel yoke includes means for snaplockedly securing the panel yoke to a panel or a wall plate.

Abstract: A panel yoke having a snap locking mounting scheme for securing wire connectors is presented. The panel yoke includes a connector mounting scheme comprising a wire termination assembly removably secured in a mounting base by a snap locking mechanism. The wire termination assembly includes a mounting strip which is connected to a wire termination block at one end and is snap locked in the mounting base at the other end. The termination assembly further including an interconnecting device (e.g., telecommunication modular jack) connected to the termination block by a plurality of wires. The panel yoke further including a mounting scheme for removably securing the panel yoke in a panel or cover plate.

Abstract: A yoke for flush mounting a modular housing within an opening in a planar surface is disclosed. The yoke includes a flat plate having an aperture therethrough, a pair of hooks for securing a housing to the plate, a pair of gripper arms for securing the plate over the opening in the planar surface and locating tabs extending rearwardly from the plate to locate the housing in alignment with the opening in the flat plate. The hooks and locating tabs allow both lateral and axial insertion of the housing into the yoke.

Abstract: A novel patching device comprises discrete modules, each having a unitary molded housing which incorporates a pair of standard female modular jacks on a front face thereof. A rear face of the housing includes retaining means for retaining a printed circuit board having circuitry associated therewith which normally maintains a constant electrical interconnection between respective conductive pins in each of the jacks. This normally constant interconnection is interrupted or "pre-empted" when a known and standard modular plug is inserted into a jack whereby the resilient conductive pins are urged outwardly from contact with the printed circuit board. Each discrete module includes novel snap fitting means which permits disengageable snap fit attachment to an opening of a panel. Significantly, the module may be snap fit either from the front or opposed rear planar surface of the panel.

Abstract: A bundling tie for bundling a plurality of elongated members such as wires and cable is presented. The bundling tie is easily detachable by hand and reusable. The bundling tie comprises a flexible strap member which is secured to an anchor member (e.g., cable, wire, tube, etc.) by inserting one end of the strap through a slit in the strap, thereby circumferentially engaging the strap to the anchor. The strap is then wrapped around a bundle of additional elongated members and secured by a hook and loop (VELCRO) attachment.

Abstract: A modular test adapter includes a housing, a pair of modular telecommunications jacks mounted with the housing and eight electrically continuous test circuits connecting the jacks. Each test circuit provides an electrical connection between one of the wire termination pins on one of the jacks with a corresponding pin on the other jack. A third electrical access is provided on each circuit by means of an electrical contact pad. The housing defines openings in a pair of parallel sides for providing access to the plug openings of the jacks and defines radially oriented spaced apart recesses along curved end surfaces on the housing for providing access to the contact pads. The adapter includes a detachable plug cord that also functions as a carrying strap for the adapter.

Abstract: A patch panel for optical fibers includes a tray for supporting coiled portions of the fibers, a plurality of transversely spaced apart tabs, spaced backwardly from the front end of the tray and extending perpendicularly upwardly from the tray and a plurality of modular connector assemblies each slidably mounted on said tray between respective pairs of adjacent tabs. The modular connector assemblies each include a modular connector yoke for mounting optical fiber connectors on the tray. The tray includes tracks for slidably mounting the tray in a rack.

Abstract: A novel patching device comprises discrete modules, each having a unitary molded housing which incorporates a pair of oppositely disposed (e.g., back-to-back) standard female modular jacks on a front face thereof. A rear face of the housing includes retaining means for retaining a printed circuit board having circuitry associated therewith which normally maintains a constant electrical interconnection between respective conductive pins in each of the jacks. This normally constant interconnection is interrupted or "pre-empted" when a known and standard modular plug is inserted into a jack whereby the resilient conductive pins are urged outwardly from contact with the printed circuit board. Each discrete module includes novel snap fitting means which permits disengageable snap fit attachment to an opening of a panel. Significantly, the module may be snap fit either from the front or opposed rear planar surface of the panel.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for enhancing digital signal transmission is provided for (1) converting a digital signal to an enhanced analog signal having a specified polarity and angular velocity; (2) transmitting that enhanced analog signal from one electronic component to another electronic component; and (3) converting the enhanced analog signal back to a reconstituted digital signal. The enhanced analog signal comprises a smooth non-periodic function of voltage, current and time which preferably has the waveform of a versine function signal with specified polarity. A method of supplying power to remote locations of the apparatus for enhancing digital signals is also presented.

Abstract: A connecting block is provided which comprises two interlocking parts including a retainer and a snap-on cover. Both the retainer and cover include internal cavities which are sized to receive a plurality of spaced terminal clips and retain the clips in a precise orientation. Each of the terminal clips has a novel V-shaped configuration wherein a stripping slot is located at the base of the V. Two embodiments of clips are disclosed including a single contact and a dual contact clip. Both the single and dual contact clip embodiments include cantilevered members for circuit testing. Thus, the connecting block of this invention will permit either parallel test access or break test access.

Abstract: A new and improved bracket or cradle for use in conjunction with terminal blocks for effecting connections in the telephonic, data transmisison and related fields is presented. In accordance with the present invention, the cradle comprises a generally rectangular bracket having a rear face and two opposed side faces transverse to the rear face. Each of the three faces include openings therein for receiving conventional male or female connector elements. In accordance with an important feature of the present invention, the longitudinal upper surfaces of the opposed faces each include a plurality of wire guide openings for positioning and retaining wires; and providing improved wire management to the bracket. Each wire guide opening is defined by a pair of spaced, alternating substantially T-shaped and longitudinal extensions which are positioned along the longitudinal upper surfaces to define an array of teeth.

Abstract: A substantially rectangular modular jack connecting block suitable for use in the connection or mounting of terminal equipment using modular plugs, i.e., wall phones and the like, and including frame portions, cover portions and add-on portions which transform the modular jack connecting block to other types of connecting devices suitable for a variety of other connecting applications is presented.