US4227764A — Connector and adapter system

Claim 1

Independent Claim 347 words

An electrical connector assembly for connecting each wire of a plural wire input cable to preselected wires of a pair of output cables or the like, comprising: first electrical connector means having an input side composed of a plurality of first electrical contact portions and an output side composed of a plurality of second electrical contact portions coupled to said first contact portions and adapted for interconnection to a mating connector means coupled to one of said pair of output cables; second electrical connector means having an input side composed of a plurality of first electrical contact portions and an output side composed of a plurality of second electrical contact portions coupled to said first contact portions and adapted for interconnection to a mating connector means coupled to the other of said pair of output cables; said input sides of first and second electrical connector means being spaced apart and oriented toward each other; support means including a molded protective enclosure between said first and second electrical connector means about said input sides thereof to secure said first and second electrical connector means relative to each other in a predetermined physical relation; conductor means for coupling each wire of said input cable to respective first contact portions of each of said first and second electrical connector means; said molded protective enclosure providing a strain relief coupling of said wires of said input cable to said conductor means; fastening means for enabling securance of said connector to a mounting means, including a fastener-receiving aperture extending through said molded protective enclosure of said support means between said first and second electrical connector means; mounting means comprising a mounting member having at least one threaded aperture for threadably receiving a fastener element disposed through said fastener-receiving aperture of said fastening means to thereby secure said connector assembly to said mounting member; and, said mounting member having a predetermined array of individual punch-outs to facilitate securance of said mounting member to an electrical connector box having plural mounting points corresponding to at least selected ones of said array of individual punch-outs.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 347 words

An electrical connector assembly for connecting each wire of a plural wire input cable to preselected wires of a pair of output cables or the like, comprising: first electrical connector means having an input side composed of a plurality of first electrical contact portions and an output side composed of a plurality of second electrical contact portions coupled to said first contact portions and adapted for interconnection to a mating connector means coupled to one of said pair of output cables; second electrical connector means having an input side composed of a plurality of first electrical contact portions and an output side composed of a plurality of second electrical contact portions coupled to said first contact portions and adapted for interconnection to a mating connector means coupled to the other of said pair of output cables; said input sides of first and second electrical connector means being spaced apart and oriented toward each other; support means including a molded protective enclosure between said first and second electrical connector means about said input sides thereof to secure said first and second electrical connector means relative to each other in a predetermined physical relation; conductor means for coupling each wire of said input cable to respective first contact portions of each of said first and second electrical connector means; said molded protective enclosure providing a strain relief coupling of said wires of said input cable to said conductor means; fastening means for enabling securance of said connector to a mounting means, including a fastener-receiving aperture extending through said molded protective enclosure of said support means between said first and second electrical connector means; mounting means comprising a mounting member having at least one threaded aperture for threadably receiving a fastener element disposed through said fastener-receiving aperture of said fastening means to thereby secure said connector assembly to said mounting member; and, said mounting member having a predetermined array of individual punch-outs to facilitate securance of said mounting member to an electrical connector box having plural mounting points corresponding to at least selected ones of said array of individual punch-outs.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 30 words

The electrical connector assembly of claim 1 in which said mounting member has a generally planar plate and in which said punch-outs are formed as prestressed areas of said plate.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 27 words

The electrical connector assembly of claim 2 in which at least one of said punch-outs is of a size when removed to pass said input cable therethough.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 241 words

A protective enclosure for a connector assembly of the type comprising a plurality of connector elements each having a fastener receiving aperture extending therethrough, said connector elements being stacked in at least one stack with said fastener receiving apertures of each stack in alignment for receiving a fastener to secure said stacked connector elements to said enclosure, said enclosure comprising: mounting means including a generally planar mounting member having predetermined arrays of individual punch-outs formed as prestressed areas of said mounting member for enabling securance of said mounting member to any one of plurality of electrical connector boxes each having a predetermined, distinctive array of plural mounting points corresponding to said predetermined arrays of said individual punch-outs and including a metal reinforcing strip having a plurality of apertures, each aperture being adapted for receiving a fastener disposed through said fastener receiving apertures in said stacked connector elements, each of said apertures in said strip being spaced from one another sufficiently to receive respective stacks of connector elements with the fastener receiving apertures of the connector elements of each stack and respective apertures being aligned to receive respective fasteners for securing said stacks of connector elements to said mounting members; and cover means having plural side walls and a top portion defining a receiving cavity of a depth corresponding to the thickness of said stacked connector elements for coacting with said planar mounting member to form an enclosure about said connector assembly.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 241 words

A protective enclosure for a connector assembly of the type comprising a plurality of connector elements each having a fastener receiving aperture extending therethrough, said connector elements being stacked in at least one stack with said fastener receiving apertures of each stack in alignment for receiving a fastener to secure said stacked connector elements to said enclosure, said enclosure comprising: mounting means including a generally planar mounting member having predetermined arrays of individual punch-outs formed as prestressed areas of said mounting member for enabling securance of said mounting member to any one of plurality of electrical connector boxes each having a predetermined, distinctive array of plural mounting points corresponding to said predetermined arrays of said individual punch-outs and including a metal reinforcing strip having a plurality of apertures, each aperture being adapted for receiving a fastener disposed through said fastener receiving apertures in said stacked connector elements, each of said apertures in said strip being spaced from one another sufficiently to receive respective stacks of connector elements with the fastener receiving apertures of the connector elements of each stack and respective apertures being aligned to receive respective fasteners for securing said stacks of connector elements to said mounting members; and cover means having plural side walls and a top portion defining a receiving cavity of a depth corresponding to the thickness of said stacked connector elements for coacting with said planar mounting member to form an enclosure about said connector assembly.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 41 words

The protective enclosure of claim 4 in which said planar mounting member further includes at least one punch-out which is of a size when removed to pass through a cable adapted for connection to at least one of said connector elements.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 23 words

The protective enclosure of claim 5 in which said planar mounting member and said cover means are formed of a resilient plastic material.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 279 words

In an electrical connector assembly of the type including a pair of individual connectors each having an input side and an output side, said connectors being oriented in spaced relation with their input sides confronting each other and their output sides facing in opposed directions, an input cable, conductor means electrically connecting said input cable to said input side of said individual connectors, and means positioned between said individual connectors for supporting said connectors in spaced relation and enclosing said conductor means; the improvement wherein: said supporting and enclosing means are formed with a pair of opposed substantially planar exterior walls extending across said space between said individual connectors, and has an aperture formed therein which extends entirely through said supporting and enclosing means in a direction substantially perpendicular to said pair of planar walls for receiving an elongated fastener element, whereby said connector assembly may be stacked wall-to-wall with a second connector assembly of like construction, or mounted flush against a mounting surface, and secured thereto by means of said fastener element, while said output sides are both accessible to the mating connectors of respective output cables without interference from said second connector assembly, or from said mounting surface, against which said first connector assembly may be stacked or mounted; and said supporting and enclosing means comprises a block of rigid polymeric material engulfing said connector input sides, said conductor means, and the adjacent end of said input cable whereby to provide strain relief therefor; said fastener-receiving aperture extending through said rigid block and being surrounded by said polymeric material whereby to isolate said conductor means from said fastener element when the latter is received within said aperture.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 279 words

In an electrical connector assembly of the type including a pair of individual connectors each having an input side and an output side, said connectors being oriented in spaced relation with their input sides confronting each other and their output sides facing in opposed directions, an input cable, conductor means electrically connecting said input cable to said input side of said individual connectors, and means positioned between said individual connectors for supporting said connectors in spaced relation and enclosing said conductor means; the improvement wherein: said supporting and enclosing means are formed with a pair of opposed substantially planar exterior walls extending across said space between said individual connectors, and has an aperture formed therein which extends entirely through said supporting and enclosing means in a direction substantially perpendicular to said pair of planar walls for receiving an elongated fastener element, whereby said connector assembly may be stacked wall-to-wall with a second connector assembly of like construction, or mounted flush against a mounting surface, and secured thereto by means of said fastener element, while said output sides are both accessible to the mating connectors of respective output cables without interference from said second connector assembly, or from said mounting surface, against which said first connector assembly may be stacked or mounted; and said supporting and enclosing means comprises a block of rigid polymeric material engulfing said connector input sides, said conductor means, and the adjacent end of said input cable whereby to provide strain relief therefor; said fastener-receiving aperture extending through said rigid block and being surrounded by said polymeric material whereby to isolate said conductor means from said fastener element when the latter is received within said aperture.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1983-10-14	1984-04-14	1984-10-14	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1987-10-14	1988-04-14	1988-10-14	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1991-10-14	1992-04-14	1992-10-14	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Connector and adapter system

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