US5149278A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Terminal block
Assignee: 3M Co
•
Filing: 1991-02-22
•
Granted: 1992-09-22
•
Expires: 2011-02-22
Abstract
Abstract A telecommunications terminal block employs a housing having a number of separate dielectrically isolated chambers disposed therein. Service wires to be connected to a splice cable are inserted into a chamber through openings in the housing and into a movable wire carrier member disposed within the chamber. An actuator member drives the carrier member from a first position, at which the wires are inserted, to a second position where the wires engage a contact element which electrically couples them to the splice cable. The carrier member moves within the chamber so as to allow an electrically insulating medium within the chamber to flow around the carrier and maintain a constant volume of the medium within the chamber. Loss of insulating medium is thereby avoided during connection and reconnection of the service wires allowing improved protection from environmental factors such as moisture, chemicals and other contaminants.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles W. Waas
- 👤 Mark R. Jespersen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 09:36
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R4/00; H01R4/24; H01R4/2404; H01R4/2408; H01R4/2416; H01R4/242; H01R4/2425; H01R4/2429; H01R4/2433; H01R9/00; H01R9/22; H01R9/24
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
165 words
A multi-wire terminal block comprising: an elongated housing having a plurality of separate chambers and a plurality of holes for allowing wire pairs to be inserted into said chambers; a plurality of electrical contact elements, respectively configured in each of said plurality of separate chambers; a plurality of wire carrier members, each configured in a respective one of the plurality of separate chambers, each of said wire carrier members having one or more openings for receiving wire pairs inserted through the holes in said chambers, and each said wire carrier member being movable within the chamber so as to move a wire engaged thereby into contact with said electrical contact element; and a plurality of actuator mechanisms, each coupled to a respective one of said plurality of wire carrier members and adapted to move said wire carrier member within said chamber and relative to said actuator mechanism in a manner such that the actuator mechanism does not change its degree of entry into the chamber.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
165 words
A multi-wire terminal block comprising: an elongated housing having a plurality of separate chambers and a plurality of holes for allowing wire pairs to be inserted into said chambers; a plurality of electrical contact elements, respectively configured in each of said plurality of separate chambers; a plurality of wire carrier members, each configured in a respective one of the plurality of separate chambers, each of said wire carrier members having one or more openings for receiving wire pairs inserted through the holes in said chambers, and each said wire carrier member being movable within the chamber so as to move a wire engaged thereby into contact with said electrical contact element; and a plurality of actuator mechanisms, each coupled to a respective one of said plurality of wire carrier members and adapted to move said wire carrier member within said chamber and relative to said actuator mechanism in a manner such that the actuator mechanism does not change its degree of entry into the chamber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
A multi-wire terminal block as set out in claim 1, wherein said housing further has a plurality of test lead openings and wherein a portion of each of the electrical contact elements extends into the respective test lead opening.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
60 words
A multi-wire terminal block as set out in claim 1, wherein each of said electrical contact elements is a metal element configured outside the chamber and having a pair of slotted insulation cutting blades extending into said chamber toward said wire carrier member and another pair of slotted insulation cutting blades extending in the opposite direction outside of the chamber.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
A multi-wire terminal block as set out in claim 3, wherein each of said wire carrier members further has a slot extending across said wire pair receiving openings and adapted to receive one end of said slotted insulation cutting blades.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
71 words
A multi-wire terminal block, as set out in claim 1, wherein each of said actuator mechanisms is a screw having one end thereof extending outside said housing and the other end thereof engaging said respective wire carrier member and wherein said wire carrier member has a threaded opening adapted to receive said other end of the screw such that rotation of said screw moves the wire carrier member within the chamber.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
69 words
A multi-wire terminal block as set out in claim 5, wherein each of said screws includes an annular flange adjacent said one end thereof and wherein said housing includes a plurality of annular grooves adapted to receive said annular flange of respective screws extending through said housing and restrain each said screw from moving relative to said housing when said screw is rotated to actuate said wire carrier member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
59 words
A multi-wire terminal block as set out in claim 5, wherein each of said wire carrier members is a generally box-shaped structure, wherein said threaded opening extends into the box shape in a first end thereof and wherein said wire receiving openings extends into said box shape in a side adjacent to a second end of the box shape.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
44 words
A multi-wire terminal block as set out in claim 7, wherein said wire carrier member has a plurality of channels in one or more of the sides of the box-shaped structure, said channels extending from the first to second end of the carrier member.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
A multi-wire terminal block as set out in claim 7, wherein said wire carrier member has a flanged extension extending from the side containing the wire receiving openings and wherein said openings extend through said flanged extension.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
136 words
A multi-wire terminal block, comprising: a housing having a plurality of separate chambers spaced along a length direction thereof, said housing including one or more wire access ports leading into each of said chambers, each of said chambers being adapted to hold a predetermined volume of a fluid insulating medium; a plurality of electrical contact elements respectively configured within each chamber; wire carrier means, configured within each of said chambers, for engaging wires inserted into each of said chambers and moving said wires into electrical contact with said electrical contact element; and means for actuating movement of said wire carrier means within each of said chambers in a manner such that a substantially constant volume of said fluid insulating medium, relative to the total volume of said chamber, is maintained within said chamber during such movement.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
136 words
A multi-wire terminal block, comprising: a housing having a plurality of separate chambers spaced along a length direction thereof, said housing including one or more wire access ports leading into each of said chambers, each of said chambers being adapted to hold a predetermined volume of a fluid insulating medium; a plurality of electrical contact elements respectively configured within each chamber; wire carrier means, configured within each of said chambers, for engaging wires inserted into each of said chambers and moving said wires into electrical contact with said electrical contact element; and means for actuating movement of said wire carrier means within each of said chambers in a manner such that a substantially constant volume of said fluid insulating medium, relative to the total volume of said chamber, is maintained within said chamber during such movement.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
61 words
A multi-wire terminal block as set out in claim 10, wherein said wire carrier means comprises a movable member having a threaded hole therein and one or more holes for receiving wires therein and wherein said means for actuating comprises a threaded bolt rotatably mounted to said housing and adapted to fit within the threaded hole of said wire carrier means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
77 words
A multi-wire terminal block as set out in claim 10, wherein said wire carrier means has a plurality of wire receiving openings for receiving wires inserted into each of said chambers, said wire receiving openings being aligned with said wire access ports in said housing when said wire carrier means is in a first position and wherein said wire receiving openings are adjacent said electrical contact element when said wire carrier means is in a second position.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
50 words
A multi-wire terminal block as set out in claim 12, wherein said wire carrier means has one or more channels in the sides thereof to allow the insulating medium to flow past the wire carrier means when the wire carrier means moves from said first position to said second position.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
189 words
A multi-wire terminal block, of a type adapted for use with an electrically insulating medium, comprising: an elongated housing having a plurality of separate chambers, said chambers being adapted to receive said electrically insulating medium, said housing having a plurality of holes for allowing wire pairs to be inserted into said chambers; a plurality of electrical contact elements, respectively configured in each of said plurality of separate chambers; a plurality of wire carrier members, each configured in a respective one of the plurality of separate chambers, each of said wire carrier members having one or more openings for receiving wire pairs inserted through the holes in said chambers, and each said wire carrier member being movable within the chamber; a plurality of actuator mechanisms, each coupled to a respective one of said plurality of wire carrier members and adapted to move said wire carrier member within said chamber so as to move a wire engaged thereby into contact with said electrical contact element; and means for allowing said electrically insulating medium to flow around the wire carrier member as it is moved within the chamber by said actuator mechanism.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
189 words
A multi-wire terminal block, of a type adapted for use with an electrically insulating medium, comprising: an elongated housing having a plurality of separate chambers, said chambers being adapted to receive said electrically insulating medium, said housing having a plurality of holes for allowing wire pairs to be inserted into said chambers; a plurality of electrical contact elements, respectively configured in each of said plurality of separate chambers; a plurality of wire carrier members, each configured in a respective one of the plurality of separate chambers, each of said wire carrier members having one or more openings for receiving wire pairs inserted through the holes in said chambers, and each said wire carrier member being movable within the chamber; a plurality of actuator mechanisms, each coupled to a respective one of said plurality of wire carrier members and adapted to move said wire carrier member within said chamber so as to move a wire engaged thereby into contact with said electrical contact element; and means for allowing said electrically insulating medium to flow around the wire carrier member as it is moved within the chamber by said actuator mechanism.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
56 words
A multi-wire terminal block as set out in claim 14, wherein said means for allowing said electrically insulating medium to flow around the wire carrier member comprises one or more channels configured so as to allow said electrically insulating medium to flow through said channels around said wire carrier member as it moves through said chamber.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
201 words
A multi-wire terminal block comprising: an elongated housing having a plurality of separate chambers and a plurality of holes for allowing wire pairs to be inserted into said chambers, said housing further having a plurality of test lead apertures; a plurality of electrical contact elements, respectively configured in each of said plurality of separate chambers, said electrical contact elements having a portion thereof adapted to receive a test lead and said test lead apertures providing access from the outside of said housing to said portion of the contact element; a plurality of wire carrier members, each configured in a respective one of the plurality of separate chambers, each of said wire carrier members having one or more openings for receiving wires inserted through the holes in said chambers, and each said wire carrier member being movable within said chamber so as to move a wire engaged thereby into contact with said electrical contact element; and means for moving each said wire carrier member so as to electrically connect the wires inserted therein to said electrical contact element in a manner such that the position of the test lead aperture and said test lead portion of the electrical contact element remain unchanged.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
201 words
A multi-wire terminal block comprising: an elongated housing having a plurality of separate chambers and a plurality of holes for allowing wire pairs to be inserted into said chambers, said housing further having a plurality of test lead apertures; a plurality of electrical contact elements, respectively configured in each of said plurality of separate chambers, said electrical contact elements having a portion thereof adapted to receive a test lead and said test lead apertures providing access from the outside of said housing to said portion of the contact element; a plurality of wire carrier members, each configured in a respective one of the plurality of separate chambers, each of said wire carrier members having one or more openings for receiving wires inserted through the holes in said chambers, and each said wire carrier member being movable within said chamber so as to move a wire engaged thereby into contact with said electrical contact element; and means for moving each said wire carrier member so as to electrically connect the wires inserted therein to said electrical contact element in a manner such that the position of the test lead aperture and said test lead portion of the electrical contact element remain unchanged.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
36 words
A multi-wire terminal block as set out in claim 16, wherein said portion of the electrical contact element adapted to receive a test lead extends out of said chamber to a position adjacent said test aperture.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
49 words
A multi-wire terminal block as set out in claim 16, wherein each of said electrical contact elements is an S-shaped metal member having slotted wire engaging elements at one portion of said S-shape and the other portion of said S-shape comprising said portion adapted to receive a test lead.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
37 words
A multi-wire terminal block as set out in claim 18, wherein said portion of the electrical contact element further comprises an extended metal leg extending from the upper portion of the S-shape toward the test lead aperture.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4040701A
Cited
US4423918A
Cited
US4652071A
Cited
US4734061A
Cited
US4826449A
Cited
US4846721A
Cited
US4993966A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-09-22 | 1996-03-23 | 1996-09-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-09-22 | 2000-03-23 | 2000-09-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-09-22 | 2004-03-23 | 2004-09-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |