Patents by Inventor Robert E. Fransen

Robert E. Fransen has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20250350075
    Abstract: A connector module is disclosed having physical dimensions for being installed into standardized, or pre-existing, structures such as a patch panel including pre-populated slot openings. The connector module provides simple field termination for different sized single pair cables using screw-down/cage-clamp for the bare single pair of conductors emerging from a centralized power equipment to be a pluggable mating connector terminating the field wires.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2025
    Publication date: November 13, 2025
    Applicant: Panduit Corp.
    Inventors: Teresa Agee, Robert E. Fransen, Roman J. Churnovic
  • Patent number: 12401163
    Abstract: A connector module is disclosed having physical dimensions for being installed into standardized, or pre-existing, structures such as a patch panel including pre-populated slot openings. The connector module provides simple field termination for different sized single pair cables using screw-down/cage-clamp for the bare single pair of conductors emerging from a centralized power equipment to be a pluggable mating connector terminating the field wires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2025
    Assignee: Panduit Corp.
    Inventors: Teresa Agee, Robert E. Fransen, Roman J. Churnovic
  • Publication number: 20250254448
    Abstract: A patch panel mountable to a network rack includes a frame and a face plate. The frame defines a set of fastening slots and a plurality of first ports. The face plate defines a plurality of second ports and has a set of fastening tabs. The plurality of second ports of the face plate align with the plurality of first ports of the frame forming a plurality of port modules to receive and support a plurality of cable connectors. The set of tabs are engageable with the set of fastening slots.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2024
    Publication date: August 7, 2025
    Applicant: Panduit Corp.
    Inventors: Michael G. Dragisic, JR., Roman J. Churnovic, Robert E. Fransen
  • Patent number: 12322914
    Abstract: A communications connector has a shielded jack body and a wire cap. The shielded jack body has a single pair of plug interface contacts having a first thickness and a single pair of insulation displacement having a second smaller thickness. The plug interface contacts are configured to electrically connect to the insulation displacement contacts. The wire cap is configured to terminate a pair of conductors to the pair of insulation displacement contacts by being secured to the shielded jack body in a direction perpendicular to a direction of an insertion of an associated connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2025
    Assignee: Panduit Corp.
    Inventors: Benjamin S. Novak, Satish I. Patel, Sean W. Lenz, Roman J. Churnovic, Robert E. Fransen, Robert L. Fritz, Jason O'Young
  • Publication number: 20250079780
    Abstract: An RJ45 plug assembly has a housing and a communications cable to be inserted within. The communications cable has a plurality of twisted pairs of conductors. The housing has a plurality of sloped surfaces such that when conductors of the communications cable are straightened and aligned prior to insertion into the housing, the sloped surfaces route a first pair of conductors to a top of the housing and a second pair of conductors to a bottom of the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2023
    Publication date: March 6, 2025
    Applicant: Panduit Corp.
    Inventors: Robert E. Fransen, Roman J. Churnovic
  • Publication number: 20240243526
    Abstract: A rear wire cover assembly for a keystone style punchdown jack has a shield wrap and an opening configured to allow the rear wire cover assembly to move in a direction perpendicular to an axis of the cable such as to partially enclose the cable and also such as to allow the rear wire cover assembly to move along the axis of the cable to engage a rear of the keystone style punchdown jack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2023
    Publication date: July 18, 2024
    Applicant: Panduit Corp.
    Inventors: Roman J. Churnovic, Robert E. Fransen
  • Publication number: 20240243524
    Abstract: A rear wire cover assembly for a keystone style punchdown jack has a shield wrap and an opening configured to allow the rear wire cover assembly to move in a direction perpendicular to an axis of the cable such as to partially enclose the cable and also such as to allow the rear wire cover assembly to move along the axis of the cable to engage a rear of the keystone style punchdown jack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2023
    Publication date: July 18, 2024
    Applicant: Panduit Corp.
    Inventors: Roman J. Churnovic, Robert E. Fransen
  • Publication number: 20240072499
    Abstract: A communications connector has a jack housing and a pair of plug interface contacts. The plug interface contacts each have an insulation displacement contact end and a plug interface end. The plug interface end and the insulation displacement contact end each have a broad face and, the broad face of the plug interface end and the insulation displacement contact of each plug interface end contact are parallel to each other. Additionally, the broad faces of each contact also being parallel to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2022
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Applicant: Panduit Corp.
    Inventors: Jason O'Young, Robert E. Fransen, Satish I. Patel, Robert L. Fritz
  • Patent number: 11817659
    Abstract: Certain embodiments of the present invention provide an RJ45 jack that has a self-closing shutter door and allows for RJ45 plug insertion in one linear motion, but which incorporates a free contact plug stop on the shutter door and a door catch feature that aids in the retention of the door in the housing when a plug is subjected to a pull out force while latched into the jack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Panduit Corp.
    Inventors: Roman J. Churnovic, Robert E. Fransen
  • Patent number: 11811181
    Abstract: A communications connector has a main plug assembly and a wire cap that is configured to terminate a pair of conductors to the pair of contacts by being secured to a side of the main plug assembly in a direction perpendicular to a plane defined by a deflection direction of a latch of the connector. In another embodiment, a communications connector has a main plug assembly and two electrical contacts within the main plug assembly wherein each electrical contact has a first end having a forked receptacle and a second end having an IDC that is configured to have a conductor terminated in a direction perpendicular to a direction of mating insertion and parallel to a plane defined by the contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Panduit Corp.
    Inventors: Benjamin S. Novak, Satish I. Patel, Sean W. Lenz, Roman J. Churnovic, Robert E. Fransen, Robert L. Fritz
  • Patent number: 11677198
    Abstract: A field terminal plug assembly including an RJ45 plug connected to a termination zone. The termination zone includes a wire cap, a rear sled, and an electrical board assembly with attached insulation displacement contacts (IDCs) electrically connected to the twisted wire-pairs of assembly cable. The wire cap is configured to terminate twisted wire-pairs of a communications cable to the IDCs when the wire cap is inserted into the rear sled. The IDCs contain at least a first and a second IDC, the first IDC having a first horizontal length and a first vertical length and the second IDC having a second horizontal length and a second vertical length. The first vertical length does not equal the second vertical length but the first vertical length plus the first horizontal length equals the second vertical length plus the second horizontal length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Panduit Corp.
    Inventors: David C. Stanislaw, Andrew Ciezak, Frank M. Straka, Robert E. Fransen, Joshua A. Valenti, Vytas J. Vaitkus, Michael A. Tome, Paul W. Wachtel
  • Publication number: 20230132737
    Abstract: A connector module is disclosed having physical dimensions for being installed into standardized, or pre-existing, structures such as a patch panel including pre-populated slot openings. The connector module provides simple field termination for different sized single pair cables using screw-down/cage-clamp for the bare single pair of conductors emerging from a centralized power equipment to be a pluggable mating connector terminating the field wires.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2022
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Applicant: Panduit Corp.
    Inventors: Teresa Agee, Robert E. Fransen, Roman J. Churnovic
  • Publication number: 20230066043
    Abstract: A communications connector has a shielded jack body and a wire cap. The shielded jack body has a single pair of plug interface contacts having a first thickness and a single pair of insulation displacement having a second smaller thickness. The plug interface contacts are configured to electrically connect to the insulation displacement contacts. The wire cap is configured to terminate a pair of conductors to the pair of insulation displacement contacts by being secured to the sheilded jack body in a direction perpendicular to a direction of an insertion of an associated connector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2022
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Applicant: Panduit Corp.
    Inventors: Benjamin S. Novak, Satish I. Patel, Sean W. Lenz, Roman J. Churnovic, Robert E. Fransen, Robert L. Fritz, Jason O'Young
  • Patent number: 11476616
    Abstract: A modular communications plug is disclosed having a simplified design that allows for more efficient termination of a cable into the plug. The plug includes modular components that are applicable to different applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Panduit Corp.
    Inventors: Satish I. Patel, Roman J. Churnovic, Vytas J. Vaitkus, Robert E. Fransen
  • Patent number: 11387606
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are various communications systems allowing for multiple contacts points between plug contacts in a communications plug and plug interface contacts (PICs) in a communications jack. In some disclosed implementations, a communications plug including a first and a second plug contact mated with a communications jack having a first and a second plug PIC may form a plurality of plug/jack interfaces. The plug/jack interfaces may form multiple current paths between the communications plug and the communications jack. When a signal propagates between the communications plug and the communications jack, it may be split in the communications plug between a first current path and a second current path, and recombined in the communications jack after traveling through the plurality of plug/jack interfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Panduit Corp.
    Inventors: Joshua A. Valenti, Sean W. Lenz, Paul W. Wachtel, Robert E. Fransen, Satish I. Patel
  • Publication number: 20220190531
    Abstract: A field terminal plug assembly including an RJ45 plug connected to a termination zone. The termination zone includes a wire cap, a rear sled, and an electrical board assembly with attached insulation displacement contacts (IDCs) electrically connected to the twisted wire-pairs of assembly cable. The wire cap is configured to terminate twisted wire-pairs of a communications cable to the IDCs when the wire cap is inserted into the rear sled. The IDCs contain at least a first and a second IDC, the first IDC having a first horizontal length and a first vertical length and the second IDC having a second horizontal length and a second vertical length. The first vertical length does not equal the second vertical length but the first vertical length plus the first horizontal length equals the second vertical length plus the second horizontal length.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2021
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Applicant: Panduit Corp.
    Inventors: David C. Stanislaw, Andrew Ciezak, Frank M. Straka, Robert E. Fransen, Joshua A. Valenti, Vytas J. Vaitkus, Michael A. Tome, Paul W. Wachtel
  • Publication number: 20210242623
    Abstract: A modular communications plug is disclosed having a simplified design that allows for more efficient termination of a cable into the plug. The plug includes modular components that are applicable to different applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Applicant: Panduit Corp.
    Inventors: Satish I. Patel, Roman J. Churnovic, Vytas J. Vaitkus, Robert E. Fransen
  • Publication number: 20210151905
    Abstract: A communications connector has a main plug assembly and a wire cap that is configured to terminate a pair of conductors to the pair of contacts by being secured to a side of the main plug assembly in a direction perpendicular to a plane defined by a deflection direction of a latch of the connector. In another embodiment, a communications connector has a main plug assembly and two electrical contacts within the main plug assembly wherein each electrical contact has a first end having a forked receptacle and a second end having an IDC that is configured to have a conductor terminated in a direction perpendicular to a direction of mating insertion and parallel to a plane defined by the contact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2020
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Applicant: Panduit Corp.
    Inventors: Benjamin S. Novak, Satish I. Patel, Sean W. Lenz, Roman J. Churnovic, Robert E. Fransen, Robert L. Fritz
  • Publication number: 20210013678
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are various communications systems allowing for multiple contacts points between plug contacts in a communications plug and plug interface contacts (PICs) in a communications jack. In some disclosed implementations, a communications plug including a first and a second plug contact mated with a communications jack having a first and a second plug PIC may form a plurality of plug/jack interfaces. The plug/jack interfaces may form multiple current paths between the communications plug and the communications jack. When a signal propagates between the communications plug and the communications jack, it may be split in the communications plug between a first current path and a second current path, and recombined in the communications jack after traveling through the plurality of plug/jack interfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Applicant: Panduit Corp.
    Inventors: Joshua A. Valenti, Sean W. Lenz, Paul W. Wachtel, Robert E. Fransen, Satish I. Patel
  • Patent number: 10790616
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are various communications systems allowing for multiple contacts points between plug contacts in a communications plug and plug interface contacts (PICs) in a communications jack. In some disclosed implementations, a communications plug including a first and a second plug contact mated with a communications jack having a first and a second plug PIC may form a plurality of plug/jack interfaces. The plug/jack interfaces may form multiple current paths between the communications plug and the communications jack. When a signal propagates between the communications plug and the communications jack, it may be split in the communications plug between a first current path and a second current path, and recombined in the communications jack after traveling through the plurality of plug/jack interfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Panduit Corp.
    Inventors: Joshua A. Valenti, Sean W. Lenz, Paul W. Wachtel, Robert E. Fransen, Satish I. Patel