Connector

Claim 2

A connector (100) comprising: a dielectric enclosure (102) having a plug receiving cavity (104) open to the front of the enclosure with a wall (106) forming one wall of the cavity, the wall having a cavity surface (130), a front surface (124), and an exterior surface (134), the wall including a plurality of spaced orifices (128) that extend from its front surface toward its rear and a plurality of substantially parallel first grooves (126) on its front surface, each first groove extending from the front end of an associated individual orifice (128) to the cavity surface (130); and a plurality of first spring contact structures (170), each first contact structure being accommodated in an associated orifice and having a front spring contact section (172) with a first portion (174) positioned within an associated groove and a second portion (176) extending in cantilever fashion within the plug receiving cavity; characterized in that: the front surface comprises at least one second groove (132), where the second groove extends from the exterior surface to the cavity surface; and means for mounting (142) an adapter (200) having one or more spare second spring contact structures (234), each second contact structure having a front section (244) with a first portion (246) and second portion (248) such that at least some part of each first portion positions within an associated second groove and the second portion extends in cantilever fashion within the plug receiving cavity when the adapter is mounted.

Claim 3

The connector (100) pursuant to claim 1 where the mounting means (142) comprises: an adapter-receiving channel (142) substantially adjacent the exterior surface (134) of the wall (106); and means for locking (146, 150) the adapter in place in the channel.

Claim 4

The connector (100) pursuant to claim 2 where the mounting means (142) further comprises: means for guiding (146) the insertion of the adapter (200).

Claim 5

The connector (100) pursuant to claim 3 where the channel (142) extends substantially from the front of the enclosure (102) to its rear; and where the guiding means (146) further comprises a pair of lateral ribs (146), each projecting from one of a pair of facing surfaces (144) defining sidewalls for the channel.

Claim 6

The connector (100) pursuant to claim 2 where the locking means (146, 150) comprises: at least one slot (150) in one of the surfaces (134) defining the channel (142), the slot terminating short of the front surface (124) of the wall (106) to define a surface (152) for blocking forward movement of the adapter (200); and means for blocking (148) rearward movement of the adapter.

Claim 7

In combination with the connector (100) pursuant to claim 1, an adapter (200) comprising: a dielectric body (202) having a front surface (208), and a rear surface (212), the body including at least one orifice (226) extending from the front to the rear surface; and a spare second spring contact structure (243) accommodated in the orifice (226), the second spring contact structure having a front spring contact section (244) with a first portion (246) and a second portion (248), where the first portion (246) positions substantially in an associated groove (132) and the second portion (248) extends in cantilever fashion within the plug receiving cavity (104) when the adapter is mounted,

Claim 8

The connector (100) pursuant to claim 1 where at least one first spring contact structure (170) is constructed from a unitary length of wire.

Claim 9

The connector (100) pursuant to claim 6 where the first spring contact structure (170) includes a plurality of undulations (184) to help position the contact structure in its associated orifice (128).

Claim 10

The connector (100) pursuant to claim 8 where the undulations (184) are formed in a common plane; and where the associated orifice (128) has at least one section (162) having a non-circular cross section with a major axis (163) in the cross section for substantially confining the undulations in a plane made by the major axis.

Claim 11

The connector (100) pursuant to claim 9 where the section (162) is elliptical in cross section.

Claim 12

The connector (100) pursuant to claim 8 where a middle section (180) of the first contact structure (170) contains the undulations (184) and a rear section (182) of the first contact structure (170) extends from the rear of the orifice (128).

Claim 13

A connector (100) comprising: a dielectric enclosure (102) having a plug receiving cavity (104) open to the front of the enclosure with a wall (106) forming one wall of the cavity, the wall having a cavity surface (130), a front surface (124), and an exterior surface (134), the wall including a plurality of spaced orifices (128) that extend from its front surface toward its rear and a plurality of substantially parallel first grooves (126) on its front surface, each first groove extending from the front end of an associated individual orifice (128) to the cavity surface (130); and a plurality of first spring contact structures (170), each first contact structure being accommodated in an associated orifice and having a front spring contact section (172) with a first portion (174) positioned within an associated groove and a second portion (176) extending in cantilever fashion within the plug receiving cavity; characterized in that: at least one first spring contact structure is a unitary length of wire which includes a plurality of undulations (184) for positioning the contact structure in an associated orifice; the front surface (124) of the wall (106) comprises at least one second groove (132), where the second groove extends from the exterior surface (134) to the cavity surface (130); and the connector also includes means for mounting (142) an adapter (200) having one or more spare second spring contact structures (234), each spare contact structure having a front section (244) with a first portion (246) and second portion (248) such that each first portion positions substantially within an associated second groove and the second portion extends in cantilever fashion within the plug receiving cavity when the adapter (200) is mounted.

Claim 14

A connector (100) comprising: a dielectric enclosure (102) having a plug receiving cavity (104) open to the front of the enclosure with a wall (106) forming one wall of the cavity, the wall having a cavity surface (130), a front surface (124), and an exterior surface (134), the wall including a plurality of spaced orifices (128) that extend from its front surface toward its rear and a plurality of substantially parallel first grooves (126) on its front surface, each first groove extending from the front end of an associated individual orifice (128) to the cavity surface (130); and a plurality of first spring contact structures (170), each first contact structure being accommodated in an associated orifice and having a front spring contact section (172) with a first portion (174) positioned within an associated groove and a second portion (176) extending in cantilever fashion within the plug receiving cavity; characterized in that: at least one first spring contact structure is a unitary length of wire which includes a plurality of undulations (184) for positioning the contact structure in an associated orifice; the front surface (124) of the wall (106) comprises at least one second groove (132), where the second groove extends from the exterior surface (134) to the cavity surface (130); and the connector also includes means for mounting (142) an adapter (200) having one or more spare second spring contact structures (234), each spare contact structure having a front section (244) with a first portion (246) and second portion (248) such that each first portion positions substantially within an associated second groove and the second portion extends in cantilever fashion within the plug receiving cavity when the adapter (200) is mounted.

Claim 15

The connector (100) pursuant to claim 12 where the mounting means (142) comprises: an adapter-receiving channel (142) substantially adjacent the exterior surface (134) of the wall (106); and means for locking (146, 150) the adapter (200) in place of the channel.

Claim 16

The connector (100) pursuant to claim 13 where the locking means (146, 150) comprises: at least one slot (150) in one of the surfaces (134) defining the channel (142), the slot terminating short of the front surface (124) of the wall (106) to define a surface (152) for blocking forward movement of the adapter (200); and means for blocking (148) rearward movement of the adapter.

Claim 17

The connector (100) pursunt to claim 13 where the mounting means (142) further comprises: means for guiding (146) the insertion of the adapter (200).

Claim 18

The connector (100) pursuant to claim 15 where the channel (142) extends substantially from the front of the enclosure (102) to its rear; and where the guiding means (146) further comprises a pair of lateral ribs (146), each projecting from one of a pair of facing surfaces (144) defining sidewalls for the channel (142).

Claim 19

A connector (100) comprising: a dielectric enclosure (102) having a plug receiving cavity (104) open to the front of the enclosure with a wall (106) forming one wall of the cavity, the wall having an exterior surface (134), a front (124) surface, and a cavity surface (130), with the front surface of the wall comprising a plurality of substantially parallel grooves (132) where the grooves extend from the exterior surface to the cavity surface, forming groove ends (136) open to the exterior surface (134), the enclosure also including means for mounting (142) an adapter (200); and the adapter comprising: a dielectric body (202) having a front surface (208), and a rear surface (212), the body including a plurality of orifices (226) extending from the front to the rear surface; and a plurality of spring contact structures (234), each accommodated in an orifice (226), each spring contact structure having a front spring contact section (244) with a first portion (246) and a second portion (248), where the first portion (246) positions substantially in an associated groove (132) and the second portion (248) extends in cantilever fashion within the plug receiving cavity (104) when the adapter is mounted.

Claim 20

A connector (100) comprising: a dielectric enclosure (102) having a plug receiving cavity (104) open to the front of the enclosure with a wall (106) forming one wall of the cavity, the wall having an exterior surface (134), a front (124) surface, and a cavity surface (130), with the front surface of the wall comprising a plurality of substantially parallel grooves (132) where the grooves extend from the exterior surface to the cavity surface, forming groove ends (136) open to the exterior surface (134), the enclosure also including means for mounting (142) an adapter (200); and the adapter comprising: a dielectric body (202) having a front surface (208), and a rear surface (212), the body including a plurality of orifices (226) extending from the front to the rear surface; and a plurality of spring contact structures (234), each accommodated in an orifice (226), each spring contact structure having a front spring contact section (244) with a first portion (246) and a second portion (248), where the first portion (246) positions substantially in an associated groove (132) and the second portion (248) extends in cantilever fashion within the plug receiving cavity (104) when the adapter is mounted.