GB2396753A

GB2396753A - Holders for accommodating jelly crimp connectors

Info

Publication number: GB2396753A
Application number: GB0408359A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Chapman; Richard Nye
Original assignee: Technetix Ltd
Current assignee: Technetix Ltd
Priority date: 2000-06-27
Filing date: 2001-06-08
Publication date: 2004-06-30
Anticipated expiration: 2021-06-08
Also published as: GB2396753B; GB2364185A; GB0113956D0; GB0408359D0; GB2364185B

Abstract

The holder (12) has a body with a plurality of recesses (14) that are sized and shaped to receive and retain jelly crimp connectors (8b) into which input and output wires have been clamped. Each recess (14) is in the form of a pocket having an opening into which the connector (8b) can be pushed and within which the connector (8b) is retained. Adjacent recesses (11) are separated by a slot (15) which can be used to receive a wire or wires to facilitate a neat and orderly arrangement of the wires in the holder (12). Along its rear edge the holder (12) has a number of projecting hooks (17) forming channels or recesses, again for cable management.

Description

GB 2396753 A continuation (74) Agent and/or Address for Service: Keith W

Nash & Co 90-92 Regent Street, CAMBRIDGE, CB2 1DP, United Kingdom

'1 HOLDERS FOR ACCOMMODATING JELLY CRIMP CONNECTORS

This invention relates to holders for accommodating jelly crimp connectors.

Electrical connectors known as jelly crimp connectors are known. In a jelly crimp connector, two wires to be electrically interconnected are inserted into passages in the connector which is then compressed by specially shaped pliers to as to cause metal prongs in the connector to pierce the electrical insulation of the wires and thereby clamp the wires in the connector and electrically interconnect them. The connector incorporates a small amount of silicone gel (hence the term "jelly") which surrounds the electrical interconnection to prevent the ingress of moisture. Such connectors are widely used to connect wires or cables carrying communication data. For example, the wiring carrying telephone signals and computer data in a house is connected to external wiring by jelly crimp connectors in an enclosure called an external network termination box. Two problems have arisen in using jelly crimp connectors to make electrical interconnections in external network termination boxes: first, the pliers used to clamp the wires in the jelly crimp connectors tend to become lost or misplaced and operatives then use inappropriate alternatives, such as hammers or stamping underfoot. Secondly, the wires and jelly crimp connectors are usually left in the external network termination box in a disorganised array that is untidy and makes it difficult to identify individual wires, for example for service, repair or testing. The invention aims to tackle both these problems.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a holder for accommodating jelly crimp connectors, the holder comprising a body having a plurality of recesses sized and shaped to receive and retain therein jelly crimp connectors into which input and output wires have been clamped.

The body is preferably elongated, having a line of recesses each shaped to receive a jelly crimp connector with wires clamped therein. Each recess is preferably in the form of a

pocket having an opening into which the connector can be pushed and within which the connector is retained.

Preferably, adjacent recesses are separated by a slot or gap which can be used to receive a wire or wires to facilitate a neat and orderly arrangement of the wires in the holder. Also, the holder may have, on a rear edge, formations facilitating neat wire arrangement, and in a preferred arrangement the formations define hooks, channels or recesses for wire location. The holder is preferably made from a synthetic plastics material and conveniently formed to be mounted in an enclosure according to the invention disclosed in related UK Patent Application No. 0113956.7. In this case, the holder and enclosure may be formed and shaped so that the holder can be fitted in the enclosure in a chosen one of a number of alternative positions, to suit the requirements of a particular site.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of an external network termination box with jelly crimp holders shown in five alternative positions, Figures 2 and 3 are end views looking in the directions of the arrows II and III respectively in Figure 1, Figure 4 is a side view looking in the direction of the arrow IV in Figure 1, Figures 5 and 6 show a jelly crimp press of the termination box of Figures 1 to 4, in inoperative and operative positions respectively, Figure 7 is a plan view of a jelly crimp holder, Figure 8 is an end view of the holder,

Figure 9 is a sectional view on the line IX-IX of Figure 7, Figure 10 is a rear view of the holder, Figure 11 is a front view of the holder, and Figures 12, 13 and 14 respectively correspond to Figures 7, 8 and 11 but show jelly crimp connectors in position in the holder.

Referring to Figures 1 to 4, the termination box has a base 1 for attachment to a support wall and a cover 2 attachable to the base. The base 1 has three knock-outs 3 which can be removed to make openings for the entry of cables or wires into the box.

Adjacent one of its longer edges, the box incorporates an in-built tool in the form of a jelly crimp press comprising a pivotally mounted lever 4 rotatable about a pin mounted in the box. The lever 4 has a handle S and a nose 6 shaped in the manner of a cam to present a curved surface so that when an uncompressed jelly crimp connector 8a (Figure 5) is inserted in an adjacent recess 7, subsequent rotational movement of the lever 4 causes the jelly crimp connector to be compressed, as shown at 8b in Figure 6. The compressed connector 8b, with its joined wires, is then removed from the recess 7. The press can be used repeatedly to electrically interconnect, by jelly crimp connectors 8, the wires to be joined in the box. These wires carry telephone or data signals. A coaxial cable carrying television signals may also be joined in the box.

The termination box has pairs of holes 10 in the base, enabling the holder 12 shown in Figures 7 to 11 to be mounted in the box in any one of the five alternative positions illustrated in Figure 1. For this purpose the holder 12 has projecting split spigots 13 but other forms of attachment are possible.

Referring to Figures 7 to 11, the holder 12 is moulded from a synthetic plastics material and has ten upwardly open pockets or recesses 14 between which are gaps 15 which extend

part way down the depth of the holder from the top thereof to provide slots for insertion of wires to facilitate cable management. Along its rear edge, the holder 12 has a web 16 carrying at its upper edge a number of projecting hooks 17, the web and hooks forming channels and slots, again for cable management.

Figures 12 to 14 correspond to Figures 7, 8 and 11 but show compressed jelly crimp connectors 8b inserted and retained in respective pockets or recesses 14 of the holder 12.

With the holder 12 retained in the box in one of the five possible positions shown in Figure 1, the jelly crimp connectors 8b are retained in a neat line in the box. The pockets or recesses 14 may be marked on the holder 12 for ease of identification of the wire pair joined by a particular jelly crimp connector 8. The wires leading from the connectors may be pushed into the gaps 15 or held by the hooks 17, for neatness of wiring. These wires (omitted from Figures 12 to 14 for clarity) enter the connectors 8b through the circular passages shown in plan view in Figure 12.

Claims

1. A holder for accommodating jelly crimp connectors, the holder comprising a body having a plurality of recesses sized and shaped to receive and retain therein jelly crimp connectors into which input and output wires have been clamped.

2. A holder according to claim 1, wherein the body is elongated, having a line of recesses each shaped to receive a jelly crimp connector with wires clamped therein.

3. A holder according to claim 2, wherein each recess is in the form of a pocket having an opening into which the connector can be pushed and within which the connector is retained.

4. A holder according to claim 2 or claim 3? wherein adjacent recesses are separated by a slot which can be used to receive a wire or wires to facilitate a neat and orderly arrangement of the wires in the holder.

5. A holder according to claim 4, wherein the holder has, on a rear edge, formations facilitating neat wire arrangement.

6. A holder according to claim 5, wherein the formations define hooks, chaMels or recesses for wire location.

7. A holder according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the holder is made from a synthetic plastics material.

8. Holder substantially as herein particularly described, with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.