GB2372641A

GB2372641A - Socket for a telephone extension lead

Info

Publication number: GB2372641A
Application number: GB0104293A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Sing Ho Chan
Original assignee: SAMSON ELECTRIC WIRE CO Ltd
Current assignee: SAMSON ELECTRIC WIRE CO Ltd
Priority date: 2001-02-21
Filing date: 2001-02-21
Publication date: 2002-08-28
Anticipated expiration: 2021-02-21
Also published as: GB0104293D0; GB2372641B

Abstract

A socket of a telephone extension lead comprises a housing 1 assembled from a forward pad 5 and a rearward pad 3. The rearward housing pad 3 has an opening receiving a cable 2. The forward housing pad 5 has an opening for receiving a plug. An insert 9 is fitted into the front end of the rearward housing pad 3. Conductive pins 11 are anchored in insert 9 and sit in grooves 93 which define a comb-like shape to the insert 9. The pins 11 have forward projecting portions to serve as contacts with an inserted plug and rearward projecting portions for connecting to the wires of the cable 2.

Description

SOCKETS FOR TELEPHONE AND LIKE EXTENSION LEADS Extension leads suitable for use with telephones are known which have a plug at one end of a cable for insertion into the main wall socket of the telephone installation, and a socket at the other end of the cable for receiving the plug on the lead connected to the telephone.

Conventional sockets for use with such a lead are bulky and difficult to assemble. A socket for such an extension lead is disclosed in patent specification No. GB 2 330 022 and includes a body having an internal bridge member defining an aperture through which conductive pins are passed. The portions of the pins extending forwardly from the aperture are bent back over the upper side of the bridge so as to form contacts which are presented to contacts carried by the plug. This arrangement suffers from the disadvantage that the pins serving as the contacts must be bent into their final position after partial assembly of the socket, which makes the assembly process difficult to automate.

Extension leads of this type are, of course, used with other types of apparatus which may be connected to a domestic or commercial telephone installation, including answering machines, facsimile machines and modems. References herein to telephone and like extension leads are to be interpreted accordingly.

The socket disclosed herein is of simple construction, easily assembled and connected to a cable, as well as reliable in operation.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the proposed socket, Figure 2 is a perspective view of an insert or core member of the socket, and

Figure 3 illustrates diagramatically the steps in assembling the socket and connecting it to a cable. Herein, the direction towards the left of Figure 1 is referred to as the rearward direction, and that towards the right as the forward direction. The direction towards the top of the figure is referred to as the upward direction, and that towards the bottom of the figure as the downwards direction.

Referring to Figure 1, the improved socket has a housing 1 assembled from two components, each of generally rectangular cross-section and injection moulded from a suitable plastics material. The housing components consist of a rear part 3 which is clamped onto a cable 2 and a front part 5 which defines an opening 51 to receive a plug on a telephone lead. Retained within the housing is an insert or core 9 which anchors a row of flexible conductive pins 11 within the housing, and is similarly moulded from plastics. The forward ends of the pins constitute contacts. The pins are formed from phosphorus brass onto which is plated an inner layer of nickel and an outer layer of gold.

The rear part 3 tapers towards a hollow neck 31 into which projects a clamping portion 32 for gripping the cable. The forward end of the rear part has a stepped rim 33 of reduced cross-section onto which is fitted a stepped rim 53 at the rearward end of the front part. The rim 33 has protrusions 34 which snap into openings in the rim 53 so as to interconnect the two body parts.

The insert 9 has a body portion 90 from which upper and lower flanges 91 a and 91b, respectively, stand proud at its forward end. The upper flange is formed with a row of slots 93 and the upper side of the body is formed with grooves 95 opening into the slots. A bore 97 extends vertically through the body from the bottom of each groove.

Each of the pins 11 has an intermediate portion extending through and retained within a respective bore. The portion of each pin extending from the upper end of its bore is bent forwardly so as to lie along its respective groove and pass through the aligned

slot. The portion of each contact extending from the lower end of its bore is bent rearwardly and is soldered at S to a respective wire emerging from the cable 2. The upper wall of the front part 5 has a series of parallel grooves 54, and each pin 11 has its free end bent upwards so as to enter and be retained in a respective groove so as to serve as a contact. The portion of the contact which emerges from its groove is bent down into the opening 51 so as to be presented to contacts on the plug. The contact has a degree of resilience so as to ensure a good electrical connection. Co-operation of each contact portion with its groove prevents lateral displacement of the contact.

The insert 9 is a push-fit in the open end of the rear body part. Insertion of the insert is limited by stops (not shown) on the inner surface of the side walls of the rear body part and by a tongue 93 extending from the inner surface of the rear body part and bearing on the upper side of the body of the insert and also against its upper flange 91a.

Figure 3 is a diagram to illustrate the assembly stages, indicated at A to F. The front and rear body parts and the insert are moulded individually. The pins 11 are bent to the preliminary shape shown at A so as to have curved portions"a"which (in the assembled socket) will be housed within the front body part and serve as the contacts, intermediate portions"b"which will lie in the grooves of the insert, and straight end portions"c". In stage B, the end portions"c"are passed through the bores in the insert to bring the portions"b"to lie in the grooves and slots in the insert. The portions"c", where they emerge from the under side of the insert, are bent so as to extend perpendicularly to the front face of the insert, as at"d". The cable 2, with the insulation stripped from the ends of the individual wires, is passed through the rear body part, and the wires soldered or crimped to the ends"d"of the contacts, as shown at C. The insert is now offered up to the opening in the rear body part and pressed into place, as shown at D, and the front body part pressed on to the rear body part and snapped into place so as to bring the contact portions of the pins into the grooves 54, as shown at E and F.

Modifications may, of course, be made to the construction of the socket and method of assembly described above. In particular, the insert may be moulded with the pins in situ. The forward and rearward housing parts may be welded together or secured by adhesive. The insert may be fitted into the front housing part, although this does not lend itself to such an advantageous method of assembly. The pins may be attached to the wires by means other than soldering. Moreover, using the same principles at construction, the invention may be applied to sockets for receiving a plurality of plugs.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A socket of a telephone or like extension lead comprising a housing assembled from forward and rearward housing parts, the rearward part having an opening receiving a cable, the forward part having an opening for receiving a plug; and an insert within the housing, conductive pins anchored in the insert having forwardly projecting portions serving as contacts and rearwardly projecting portions connected to wires of the cable.
2. A socket as claimed in claim 1 wherein the insert has bores which extend perpendicularly to a centre plane of the socket and anchor intermediate portions of the pins.
3. A socket as claimed in claim 2, wherein the insert has grooves receiving the forwardly projecting portions of the pins.
4. A socket as claimed in claim 3, wherein the insert has flanges which fit an opening at the front of the rearward housing part, spaces being defined behind the flanges, and the forwardly projecting portions of the pins passing through slots in one of the flanges.
5. A socket as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4, wherein bores extend through the insert and open into the grooves, intermediate portions of the pins being retained in the bores.
6. A socket for an extension lead as defined in any preceding claim.
7. A method of assembling a socket of an extension lead comprising mounting conductive pins in an insert of insulating material, coupling the pins to the wires of a cable, fitting the insert into an opening in a rear housing part through which the cable

is passed, and fitting a front housing part to the rear housing part, such that portions of the pins project into the front housing part and constitute contacts.
8. An extension lead incorporating a socket substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the drawings.
9. A method of assembling a socket of an extension lead substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.

9. A method of assembling a socket of an extension lead substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows

1. A socket of a telephone or like extension lead comprising a housing assembled from forward and rearward housing parts, and an insert within the housing; the rearward part having an opening receiving a cable, the forward part having an opening for receiving a plug; the insert having bores extending therethrough from one longitudinal side to the opposite longitudinal side of the insert, the bores opening into grooves in said one longitudinal side; and conductive pins having intermediate portions anchored in the bores, forwardly projecting portions of the pins being received in the grooves and serving as contacts, and rearwardly projecting portions of the pins extending from the bores where they open to the opposite longitudinal side of the insert and being connected to wires of the cable.

2. A socket as claimed in claim 1 wherein the bores extend perpendicularly to a centre plane of the socket.

3. A socket as claimed in claim 2, wherein the insert has flanges which fit an opening at the front of the rearward housing part, spaces being defined behind the flanges, and the forwardly projecting portions of the pins passing through slots in one of the flanges.

4. A socket for an extension lead as defined in any preceding claim.

5. A method of assembling a socket of an extension lead comprising mounting conductive pins in an insert of insulating material such that intermediate portions of the pins extend from one longitudinal side of the insert to an opposite longitudinal side of the insert, coupling rearwardly projecting portions of the pins to the wires of a cable, fitting the insert into an opening in a rear housing part through which the cable is passed, and fitting a front housing part to the rear housing part, such that portions of

the pins are received in grooves in said one longitudinal side of the insert and project into the front housing part and constitute contacts. 8. An extension lead incorporating a socket substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the drawings.