Abstract: A connector assembly including at least one connector coupled to a connector housing and, at least one trough disposed on two opposing sides of the housing, such that a wire coupled to the at least one connector passes through both troughs. The troughs operate to reduce the strain on the wire by shifting forces on the wire away from a wire wrap section where the wire is coupled to the at least one connector.

Abstract: A balanced heat coil protector protects telecommunications equipment from excessive sneak currents through a telecommunications circuit having a ring conductor and a tip conductor. An electrically conductive grounding pin is supported within and extends through the base for providing a path to ground potential. A first electrically conductive line pin and a first electrically conductive central office pin are supported in the base and extend therethrough, the first line pin and first central office pin being electrically connected to each other by a first conductive wire to provide a normal circuit current path from the first line pin to the first central office pin.

Abstract: A reflecting apparatus includes a flexible mirror and at least one rocker arm coupling an applied force to a plurality of spaced-apart locations on the mirror to adjust the shape of the mirror. The reflecting apparatus may be used in an interferometer in the path of one of the interfering beams, and adjustments of the shape of the mirror may be used to control the interference pattern generated. The interference pattern created by the apparatus may be used to create fiber Bragg gratings and phase masks, including chirped gratings and masks. An interferometer may use such a reflecting apparatus in the path of each interfering beam.

Abstract: An improved panel for plug-in protectors, particularly protectors in high frequency applications. The panel comprises a plurality of five-pin sockets, each five-pin sockets corresponds to the terminals of a five-pin plug-in protector. The plurality of sockets are arranged in a staggered, brick layering configuration, horizontally or at an angle, such that the edge of a protector received in a set of socket is aligned with the half-width point of an adjacently stacked protector for minimal crosstalk while conserving space. In an alternative embodiment, each row of the staggered, brick layering, configuration are spaced apart to further minimize crosstalk and may be suitable for even higher frequency applications.

Abstract: A grounding device connected to telecommunications equipment for providing protection against high voltage surges. The grounding device includes an electronic module clip having first and second legs and defining first and second current carrying branches. A discharge member is provided in contact with the clip for providing a discharge path to common ground for current carried by the clip as a result of a high voltage surge. The discharge member and clip are interfaced in a manner to reduce the magnetic force generated in the second leg by a voltage surge and preventing the deformation and separation of the discharge member from the clip.

Abstract: A grounding device connected to telecommunications equipment for providing protection against high voltage surges. The grounding device includes an electronic module clip having first and second legs for carrying high current of relatively short duration produced by a high voltage surge to ground. A discharge member is provided in electrical contact with the clip between the first and second legs for providing a discharge path through a mounting base to common ground for electrical current carried by the clip. The discharge member has first and second arms and a curved or bent region formed therebetween and having an opening directed toward and the base. This configuration of the discharge member causes the Lorentz force produced by a high voltage surge to be focused in the curved region which expands in a direction towards the electronic module clip to thereby ensure continued contact between the clip and discharge member.

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: The input resistance of an electrical protective device connected to protect telecommunication transmission lines and associated telecommunication equipment is reduced by connecting a resistor in parallel with the coil of resistance wire of a heat coil. The resistor is a low resistance positive temperature coefficient resistor.

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 grounding device for interfacing telecommunications equipment connected through tip and ring conductors and an electronic module with a grounding path for discharging current surges and voltage spikes. The grounding mechanism includes a voltage discharge member mounted between the electronic module and a mounting base for discharging voltage spikes from the electronic module through a grounding path in the mounting base. A biasing member is provided for applying restorative displacement force to the electronic module in a direction opposite to the direction of a force applied to the electronic module by a voltage spike, to thereby ensure and maintain electrical contact between the electronic module and the discharge member.