Abstract: A method secures wire to an electrical contact using an insulation displacement contact (IDC) strain relief cap. The electrical contact has a bifurcated end for engaging and retaining the wire and is engaged with the strain relief cap in securing the wire. The cap attaches to the contact via means on the electrical contact for engaging both the cap and the wire. The wire is secured by placing cap onto the contact, aligning the wire with exit holes, and turning cap until locked into place.

Abstract: An assembly includes an enclosure and a device for storing fiber slack. The device has a pair of spool portions on opposite sides of the device. Each spool portion is shaped so that fiber slack can be wound back and forth between the two spool portions. The device is pivotally mounted within the enclosure, so that the pair of spool portions can be accessed by pivoting the device. Each spool portion may have a semicircular shape. Each spool portion has a radius at least as large as a minimum bend radius for a fiber to be stored on the device. A length of a fiber portion extending between the pair of spool portions is substantially greater than a perimeter of one of the spool portions. The device has top and bottom U-shaped channels connecting the tops and bottoms of the spool portions, respectively. The pair of spool portions and the top and bottom U-shaped channels form an elongated spool for storing fiber, the elongated spool extending around three sides of the device.

Abstract: A locking device suitable for NID housing security. The device includes a slotted cylinder, a key and key tool. The slotted cylinder has a resistance component contained in the cylinder. The key is mateable with the slotted cylinder and is held in place by the force of the resistance component. The key head has a cavity therein of a complimentary shape to the key tool so that the tool may be used to turn the key for locking or unlocking. A cylindrical sleeve is used for additional security. The sleeve fits over the mated key and slotted cylinder to protect against release of the parts and may further provide a barrier to removal from a structure being locked. By use of different key head cavity shapes each subscriber may only access their own line in a NID.

Abstract: A multiple layer hinged enclosure utilizes two sets of parallel hinge pins to be able to stack as many layers as desired. An outer set of hinge pins is utilized by the cover and an inner set of hinge pins is utilized by intermediate layers to form an offset “shingle”effect.

Abstract: A system for stabilizing, moderating and/or controlling the temperature of an outdoor enclosure, such as a network interface device, using room-temperature air from the associated building. A fan draws the room temperature (or moderate-temperature) air through a conduit from the interior of the dwelling to the outdoor enclosure. The outdoor enclosure is temperature-stabilized as indoor air flows through it. The air may flow through the same conduit that accommodates the data lines. A power line for the fan may be located in the same conduit. The system may be arranged to prevent insects and contaminants from entering the enclosure.

Abstract: A modular jack for telephone and data equipment test access ports including a cover having substantially the same thermal coefficient of expansion as its housing, and which is integral with the housing to prevent its being lost during usage or testing. The cover extends inwardly of the housing, to rotate further inwardly, automatically, upon the insertion of the plug into the housing to complete the electrical circuit.

Abstract: An insulation displacement contact (IDC) strain relief cap to interconnect a wire with an electrical contact is disclosed. The strain relief cap has a “U” shaped end to engage and retain the wire and is engageable with the contact. Means in the form of two star shaped openings are provided on the strain relief cap to retain the wire whereby the electrical contact, wire, and strain relief cap may be moved as a single unit. The star shaped openings and “U” shaped member allow for flexible retention of the wire to the strain relief cap.

Abstract: A quarter-turn latch for fastening a first panel to a second panel includes a bolt with a bayonet key that rotationally engages a keyhole in the second panel, and a capture key that engages with the first panel to prevent loss of the bolt. A track on the underside of the second panel, surrounding a portion of the keyhole, secures the bolt in the closed position. Bump stops engageable with the bayonet key define open and closed positions. A spring integrated with the bolt prevents rattles, overcomes misalignment and/or assists disengagement of the latch. The system may be used, for example, in network interface devices (NIDs), plastic enclosures, and other devices.

Abstract: A surge protector for an electrical line is disclosed. The surge protector includes a pair of conductive pins respectively connectable to electrical lines. A first pin is soldered to a lead from a gas tube surge arrester. The lead is further fixed adjacent to the first pin and then attached to the second pin. A ground bracket having an opening is positioned between and connected with the other side of the surge arrester. As an electrical surge travels through the lines, the gas tube surge arrester begins to spark over, shunting overload conditions to the ground bracket. As the temperature begins to build, the solder flows, causing an open condition in which the surge arrester disconnects from the first pin, thereby eliminating the destructive effects of a prolonged electrical surge on the lines.

Abstract: A cable-supporting cable port of an electrical or similar box comprises two mating hollow semi-cylindrical members. The two members join, when the box is closed to form a unified cable port through which various cables or wires travel. Each semi-cylindrical member comprises a sidewall. In the rear member, the sidewall defines an aperture. A barbed projection extends from an internal edge of the sidewall into the aperture. The edge and the barbed projection define a channel for accepting an intermediate portion of a tie strap which has been bent into substantially a U-shape. The barbed projection has a longitudinal portion and a substantially horizontal barb portion. The tie strap is secured about the longitudinal portion, and prevented from disengaging the projection by engaging the barb portion. In this manner, the cable is secured to the projection by tightening the tie strap. The cable is securely held in place, without requiring access to the rear of the cable port.

Abstract: A system for organizing optical fibers includes a pedestal, a bracket and a fiber splice tray. The pedestal has a longitudinal passage through it. The pedestal has at least one hole on its side surface. The hole penetrates from the longitudinal passage to an exterior of the pedestal. The bracket is mounted to the pedestal near the hole. The bracket is capable of receiving and storing a plurality of fiber splice trays. Preferably, the pedestal includes a plurality of holes located around its perimeter and a plurality of brackets located between respective ones of the plurality of holes. Each tray is movable between a vertical position for storage and a horizontal position for accessing a fiber on the tray. The assembly has a single base mounted on the pedestal below the plurality of holes, at a distance from the bottom of the pedestal; and a single cover that joins with the base to form a sealed enclosure around the plurality of brackets and the fiber splice trays.

Abstract: A bracket mount for precise antenna adjustment includes a lever or mechanical assist to permit slight movements to the antenna simply by manipulating the lever. The adjustable lever may be a built-in cam or yoke, or may be removably attached to the mount and antenna by an anchoring screw which acts to secure the antenna in place once the desired direction is achieved. The bracket mount may further include two adjusting levers, one for adjusting antenna direction in an up/down direction, and the other for adjusting the antenna in a left/right direction.

Abstract: A latch for securing the cover to the housing of a network interface device including a shaft having a bayonet-type projection at its tail end rotatable to lock with one of two tabs fabricated as part of the housing, and with a stop projection at its opposite end to capture the shaft within the cover. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the housing, the cover, the tabs and the shaft are all constructed of a substantially plastic composition, and with a controlled rotation of ±90° from the quiescent insertion of the shaft for locking and unlocking the network interface device in allowing for automated manufacture and assembly of the interface device in telephone and data equipment test accessing port.

Abstract: An enclosure for electronic devices has a wall of a rigid plastic material, with elongated chambers defined therein. The chambers are filled with a material having a high thermal conductivity, or materials having high heat capacity, such as phase change material. Each chamber is located so that the material in the chamber is in thermal contact with the wall at a first location that tends to be at a relatively high temperature, and at a second location that tends to be at a lower temperature. The enclosure may alternatively have heat pipes of metal rather than chambers.

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.

Abstract: A tool to remove an insulation displacement contact (IDC) strain relief cap that interconnects a wire with an electrical contact. The electrical contact has a bifurcated end to engage and retain a wire and is engageable with the strain relief cap to secure The wire. Means in the form of tabs are provided on the electrical contact to releaseably retain the electrical contact and the strain relief cap together with the wire whereby the electrical contact, wire, and strain relief cap may be moved as a single unit. The tool has tangs to engage the tabs and move them out of engagement with the relief cap while gripping the relief cap for removal from the electrical contact.

Abstract: A contact wire connector includes a housing connected to an insulation displacement contact (IDC) and a contact sleeve. A strain relief member is connected to the housing opposite the IDC. The contact sleeve connects to a pin of a substrate and the IDC connects to an insulated wire which establishes an electrical connection between the substrate and the insulated wire. The strain relief member engages the insulated wire to maintain the electrical connection in an unstrained state.

Abstract: An insulation displacement contact (IDC) strain relief cap is employed to interconnect a wire with an electrical contact. The electrical contact has a bifurcated end to engage and retain a wire and may be engaged with the strain relief cap. The cap contains notches, some of which fit on retaining cams that are attached to the electrical contact while others serve as wire exit holes. The cap fastens onto the clip once the retaining cams engage the notches and once the wire is aligned with the appropriate exit hole.

Abstract: A connector having improved dielectric strength is provided and includes a lower portion having a front side and a rear side and a bottom, a pair of terminal disposed in the lower portion, each of the pair of terminals having a side extension and a wire wrap tail, one of the pair of terminals being disposed in the lower portion toward the front side, the other of the pair of terminals being disposed in said lower portion toward the rear side thereby forming a gap between the side extensions of each of the pair of terminals. A base having a pair of terminal openings for receiving the pair of terminals, respectively, with the base being dimensioned and shaped for receiving the lower portion. A protruding wall is disposed in the base between the pair of terminal openings. A notch is disposed on the bottom of the lower portion, the notch being dimensioned and shaped so that when the lower portion is placed in the base, the protruding wall is matingly engaged with the notch.

Abstract: C-shaped rails define an interior volume of the bracket that can be used to store slack from a cable, whose wires are terminated by the insulation displacement connectors (IDCs) mounted on fingers extending from the rails. End plates, holding the rails in place, have apertures for receiving cables and bundles of wires. In one application, the bracket can be mounted within a secured enclosure. In another application, two or more brackets can be mounted with abutting end plates to enable wires from a single cable to be terminated at IDCs mounted within different brackets.