Abstract: An improved modular jack for directly coupling a modular plug to a printed circuit board. The jack features a separable cap member for retaining the conductors in the housing, a spring contact portion that extends from the rear to the front of the jack housing and includes in one embodiment a substantially linear, lower surface that greatly increases the contact area with the modular plug's contact terminal. The design of the jack's conductors, and their placement in the housing, virtually eliminates failure due to overstress, increases and optimizes the signal transfer surface area, and achieves uniform contact resistance regardless of the depth of insertion of the plug into the jack. In an alternate, bifurcated embodiment, the likelihood of vibration-triggered open circuits is substantially reduced.

Abstract: A modular plug terminates a multi-conductor cable therein. The modular plug includes a locking bar hingedly attached to the housing and movable from a position outside the cable-receiving opening to a position inside the opening for compressibly holding the cable therein. A plurality of spaced surfaces are formed on the locking bar to define a plurality of different positions of the locking bar in the opening, whereby the cable may be selectively and controllaby deformed according to the position of the locking bar.

Abstract: An electrical connector adapted to receive a modular plug comprising a housing having a front portion, a rear portion and an outer wall, a plug-receiving opening in the front portion and extending toward the rear portion, the plug-receiving opening comprising a rear portion, a plurality of conductors associated with the housing, each conductor comprising a first end portion extending from the outer wall, a first intermediate portion substantially perpendicular to the first end portion, a second intermediate portion substantially perpendicular to the first intermediate portion, and a second end portion extending generally from the rear portion of the plug-receiving opening toward the front portion of the housing. A method for assembling the connector comprises substantially, in proper sequence, forming specified bends in conductors associated with the connector and inserting the conductors in the housing.

Abstract: A low profile, wide body modular plug and a multi-conductor shielded cable for termination therein and use with a low profile modular jack adapted to be mounted on a printed circuit board in a closely-spaced array. The low profile design of the plug features latching arms mounted on the outer side walls which mate with cooperating shoulders formed on the inner side walls of the jack. The plug preferably includes a flip-top door formed in the bottom wall thereof for permitting greater accessibility to the internal cable-receiving cavity of the plug. The flip-top door preferably includes a plurality of cable-engaging projections for increasing the pull-out or retention force of the cable and plug assembly. The plug is particularly designed to receive a multi-conductor shielded cable which includes three round shielded wire assemblies arranged in a planar array within an outer encapsulating jacket.

Abstract: A standard miniature modular connector or plug includes insulaton-piercing contact terminals for terminating a plurality of insulated conductors contained within the housing of the plug. A thin, flexible substrate is positioned within the plug and includes at least one conductive path positioned thereon adjacent to one or more of the insulated conductors. The conductive path is positioned so that at least one of the contact terminals pierces a segment of the path on the substrate to provide an electrical connection thereto. The conductive path or segments may be arranged in any desired fashion, for example, to provide an auxiliary, internal circuit path between two of the contact terminals and/or two of the insulated conductors. Two or more individual multi-conductor cables may be terminated in the same plug whereby the conductive path on the substrate may serve as an electrical interconnection between the respective conductors in the two cables.

Abstract: A cable assembly having a shielded conductor. The shielded conductor is formed by bonding a thin layer of conductive material to the outer surface of an insulated wire. The bonding may be achieved by coating the outside surface of the insulated wire with a metallic particle and solvent solution, and then heating the coated wire to flash off the solvent and achieve the desired bond. The outer conductive layer may be grounded by positioning a grounding conductor adjacent thereto prior to encapsulation in an outer insulating jacket. The grounding conductor may take the form of an insulated multi-strand metal wire which has an outer diameter approximately equal to the outer diameter of the shielded conductor. The equal diameters of the shielded and grounding conductors enable the cable assembly to be easily terminated in a miniature modular plug.

Abstract: A cable assembly having a shielded conductor and a method of making same. The shielded conductor is formed by bonding a thin layer of conductive material to the outer surface of an insulated wire. The bonding may be achieved by coating the outside surface of the insulated wire with a metallic particle and solvent solution, and then heating the coated wire to flash off the solvent and achieve the desired bond. The outer conductive layer may be grounded by positioning grounding means adjacent thereto prior to encapsulation in an outer insulating jacket. The grounding means preferably takes the form of a center ground wire surrounded by a semi-conductive material whose outer diameter is substantially the same as that of the shielded conductor. The semi-conductor material contacts the outer conductive layer along its length, and physical and electrical contact is maintained by the outer jacket.

Abstract: A cable assembly having a shielded conductor; the shielded conductor is formed by bonding a thin layer of conductive material to the outer surface of an insulated wire. The bonding may be achieved by coating the outside surface of the insulated wire with a metallic particle and solvent solution, and then heating the coated wire to flash off the solvent and achieve the desired bond. The outer conductive layer may be grounded by positioning grounding means adjacent thereto prior to encapsulation in an outer insulating jacket. The grounding means preferably takes the form of a center ground wire surrounded by a semi-conductive material whose outer diameter is substantially the same as that of the shielded conductor. The semi-conductor material contacts the outer conductive layer along its length, and physical and electrical contact is maintained by the outer jacket.