Back-end variation control cap for use with a jack module

Abstract

A back-end variation control cap configured for use with a jack module including a plurality of insulation displacement connectors, the cap being configured for routing a plurality of twisted conductor pairs. The cap includes an upper portion, a bottom portion, a plurality of twisted pair channels extending between the upper portion and the bottom portion, and a pair of opposed end walls, each of the end walls including a plurality of wire constraints disposed thereon. Each wire constraint has opposed surfaces configured to retain one of the conductors and each twisted conductor pair extends through one of the twisted pair channels and the conductors of the twisted conductor pairs are disposed in the plurality of wire constraints such that each conductor is aligned with one of the insulation displacement connectors when the bottom portion is disposed adjacent the jack module.

1. A back-end variation control cap for use with a jack module including a plurality of insulation displacement connectors, the back-end variation control cap being configured for routing a plurality of twisted conductor pairs, said back-end variation cap comprising:
 an upper portion;  
 a bottom portion spaced from the upper portion;  
 a plurality of twisted pair channels extending between the upper portion and the bottom portion;  
 a pair of opposed end walls, each of the end walls including a plurality of wire constraints disposed thereon, each wire constraint having opposed surfaces configured to retain one conductor of the plurality of twisted conductor pairs;  
 a plurality of twisted pair splitters, each twisted pair splitter extending downwardly from the bottom portion adjacent a different one of the twisted pair channels, each twisted pair splitter being configured to facilitate separating the conductors of one of the twisted pairs; and  
 wherein each of the twisted pair channels is sized and shaped to receive a respective one of the twisted conductor pairs such that, when retained by respective wire constraints, each conductor is aligned with one of the insulation displacement connectors.  
 
     
     
       2. The cap of  claim 1 , wherein each of the opposed end walls further includes a bottom edge, each of the wire constraints is disposed along one of the bottom edges, and wherein each twisted pair splitter is further disposed between the twisted pair channel and the nearest of the opposed sidewalls. 
     
     
       3. The cap of  claim 1 , further comprising a pair of punch-down walls extending longitudinally from each of the twisted pair channels toward a pair of the wire constraints, wherein each punch-down wall includes a bottom ledge configured to urge one of the conductors into one of the insulating displacement connectors. 
     
     
       4. The cap of  claim 3 , wherein the punch-down walls of each pair are disposed on opposing sides of an associated twisted pair splitter, and the lower most portion of the twisted pair splitter is substantially knife-like. 
     
     
       5. A method of routing twisted conductor pairs from a cable onto a jack module including insulation displacement connectors, comprising the steps of:
 providing a cap having a top portion and a bottom portion;  
 passing each of the twisted conductor pairs through the cap  from the top portion to the bottom portion;  
 routing at least a first twisted conductor pair and a second twisted conductor pair such that the first and second twisted conductor pairs cross over one another on the bottom portion, the first and second twisted conductor pairs being adjacent within the cable;  
 engaging a portion of the cap with each of the conductors such that each conductor is retained; and  
 disposing the cap on the jack module such that the bottom portion is adjacent the jack module and each of the conductors electrically engages one of the insulation displacement connectors.  
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , further comprising the step of splitting each of the twisted conductor pairs prior to the engaging step such that the conductors of each pair are substantially parallel along the bottom portion. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the engaging step further comprises press fitting the conductors into wire constraints, thereby frictionally engaging the conductors. 
     
     
       8. A method of routing twisted conductor pairs from a cable onto a jack module including insulation displacement connectors, comprising the steps of:
 providing a cap having a top portion and a bottom portion;  
 passing each of the twisted conductor pairs through the cap  from the top portion to the bottom portion;  
 routing at least a first twisted conductor pair and a second twisted conductor pair such that the first and second twisted conductor pair cross over one another on the bottom portion, the first and second twisted conductor pairs being diagonally disposed within the cable;  
 engaging a portion of the cap with each of the conductors such that each conductor is retained; and  
 disposing the cap on the jack module such that the bottom portion is adjacent the jack module and each of the conductors electrically engages one of the insulation displacement connectors.  
 
     
     
       9. A jack module system configured to receive a plurality of twisted conductor pairs and at least one communication connector, comprising:
 a housing having a front portion including a jack opening configured to receive the communication connector and a back portion including a terminal connection region configured to receive the twisted pair conductors;  
 a jack receptacle, a printed wiring board, and a plurality of insulation displacement connectors disposed within the housing such that the jack receptacle is aligned with the jack opening and the plurality of insulation displacement connectors are accessible through the terminal connection region, the jack receptacle and the plurality of insulation displacement connectors being disposed on opposite sides of the printed wiring board;  
 a back-end variation control cap comprising: 
 an upper portion;  
 a bottom portion; a plurality of twisted pair channels extending between the upper and the bottom portions;  
 a plurality of wire constraints disposed on the bottom portion, each wire constraint being configured to retain one of the conductors; a twisted pair splitter depending downwardly from the bottom portion adjacent each of the twisted pair channels, each twisted pair splitter including a pointed ridge configured to facilitate separating the conductors of the twisted pairs; and  
 
 wherein each twisted conductor pair extends through one of the twisted pair channels and the conductors are disposed in the plurality of wire constraints such that each conductor is aligned with one of the insulation displacement connectors when the bottom portion slidably engages the terminal connection region.  
 
     
     
       10. The jack module system of  claim 9 , wherein the terminal connector region further comprises two substantially parallel rows housing the plurality of insulation displacement connectors. 
     
     
       11. The jack module system of  claim 9 , wherein the back-end variation control cap further comprises a pair of opposed end walls, each of the end walls including two pair of wire restraints. 
     
     
       12. The jack module system of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of twisted pair channels further comprises four twisted pair channels. 
     
     
       13. A jack module system configured to receive a plurality of twisted conductor pairs and at least one communication connector, comprising:
 a housing having a front portion including a jack opening configured to receive the communication connector and a back portion including a terminal connection region configured to receive the twisted pair conductors;  
 a jack receptacle, a printed wiring board, and a plurality of insulation displacement connectors disposed within the housing such that the jack receptacle is aligned with the jack opening and the plurality of insulation displacement connectors are accessible through the terminal connection region, the jack receptacle and the plurality of insulation displacement connectors being disposed on opposite sides of the printed wiring board;  
 a back-end variation control cap comprising: an upper portion; a bottom portion; four twisted pair channels extending between the upper and the bottom portions, the four twisted pair channels defining a rectangle therebetween; a plurality of wire constraints disposed on the bottom portion, each wire constraint being configured to retain one of the conductors;  
 at least one routing post extending downwardly from the bottom portion, the at least one routing post being disposed in the rectangle defined by the four twisted pair channels; and  
 wherein each twisted conductor pair extends through one of the twisted pair channels and the conductors are disposed in the plurality of wire constraints such that each conductor is aligned with one of the insulation displacement connectors when the bottom portion slidably engages the terminal connection region.  
 
     
     
       14. A back-end variation control cap for use with a jack module including a plurality of insulation displacement connectors, the back-end variation control cap being configured for routing a plurality of twisted conductor pairs, said back-end variation cap comprising:
 an upper portion;  
 a bottom portion spaced from the upper portion;  
 a plurality of twisted pair channels extending between the upper portion and the bottom portion;  
 a pair of opposed end walls, each of the end walls including a plurality of wire constraints disposed thereon, each wire constraint having opposed surfaces configured to retain one conductor of the plurality of twisted conductor pairs;  
 a plurality of punch-down walls, each of the punch-down walls including a proximal end adjacent one of the twisted pair channels and a distal end adjacent one of the wire constraints, and each of the punch-down walls is configured to urge an associated wire conductor into electrical contact with an associated insulation displacement connector; and  
 wherein each of the twisted pair channels is sized and shaped to receive a respective one of the twisted conductor pairs such that, when retained by respective wire constraints, each conductor is aligned with one of the insulation displacement connectors.  
 
     
     
       15. The cap of  claim 14 , further comprising a twisted pair splitter disposed adjacent each of the twisted pair channels and extending downwardly from the bottom portion, each twisted pair splitter being configured to facilitate separating the conductors of the twisted conductor pairs, wherein the plurality of punch-down walls further comprises a pair of punch-down walls extending from each of the twisted pair channels, the punch-down walls of each pair being disposed on opposing sides of an associated splitter. 
     
     
       16. A back-end variation control cap for use with a jack module including a plurality of insulation displacement connectors, the back-end variation control cap being configured for routing a plurality of twisted conductor pairs, said back-end variation cap comprising:
 an upper portion;  
 a bottom portion spaced from the upper portion;  
 a plurality of twisted pair channels extending between the upper portion and the bottom portion;  
 a pair of opposed end walls, each of the end walls including a plurality of wire constraints disposed thereon, each wire constraint having opposed surfaces configured to retain one conductor of the plurality of twisted conductor pairs;  
 four twisted pair channels; at least one routing post extending downwardly from the bottom portion, the at least one routing post being disposed within a rectangle defined by the twisted pair channels; and  
 wherein each of the twisted pair channels is sized and shaped to receive a respective one of the twisted conductor pairs such that, when retained by respective wire constraints, each conductor is aligned with one of the insulation displacement connectors.  
 
     
     
       17. The cap of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one routing post further comprises a pair of routing posts including a routing gap disposed therebetween, the routing gap being configured to receive at least one twisted conductor pair therein. 
     
     
       18. A method of routing conductors of a plurality of conductor pairs from a jacketed cable to respective ones of a plurality of contacts of a jack module, the method comprising:
   providing a cap having a plurality of twist separation points;        routing the conductors of each conductor pair along the cap, wherein each conductor pair is routed through a respective one of the plurality of twist separation points;        maintaining the wires of each conductor pair in a twisted configuration on a cable side of each respective twist separation point;        untwisting the wires of each conductor pair on a contact side of each respective twist separation point;        routing a first of the conductor pairs and a second of the conductor pairs such that the first and second twisted conductor pairs cross over one another;        mounting the cap on a dielectric housing of the jack module that houses the plurality of contacts; and        electrically connecting each of the conductors to a respective one of the contacts.     
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , wherein the first and second of the conductor pairs are adjacent within the cable. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 18 , wherein the first and second of the conductor pairs are diagonally disposed within the cable. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 18 , wherein the cap further includes a plurality of channels that each route at least one of the conductor pairs from a first side of the cap to a second side of the cap, and wherein the conductors of each conductor pair are twisted as they pass through their respective channel. 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 21 , wherein a first of the conductor pairs passes through one of the plurality of channels that is adjacent a first pair of the plurality of contacts, and wherein the conductors of the first of the conductor pairs electrically engage a second pair of the plurality of contacts. 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 18 , wherein the cap is configured to control the routing of each conductor along its respective path from an end of the cable jacket to an end of the conductor. 
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 18 , wherein the dielectric housing of the jack module encases a wire connection end of each of the plurality of contacts, and wherein the dielectric housing of the jack module includes a plurality of terminal slots that provide wire connection access to respective ones of the plurality of contacts. 
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 18 , wherein the cap further includes a plurality of channels that each receive at least one of the conductor pairs, wherein a first of the conductor pairs passes through a first of the plurality of channels that is adjacent first and second of the plurality of contacts and a second of the conductor pairs passes through a second of the plurality of channels that is adjacent third and fourth of the plurality of contacts, and wherein the conductors of the first of the conductor pairs electrically engage, respectively, the third and fourth of the plurality of contacts. 
     
     
       26. The method of  claim 25 , wherein the conductors of the second of the conductor pairs electrically engage, respectively, the first and second of the plurality of contacts. 
     
     
       27. The method of  claim 18 , wherein the dielectric housing of the jack module includes a plurality of wire guide posts and a plurality of wire guide splitters, and wherein the wire guide posts and the wire guide splitters within a bottom side of the cap. 
     
     
       28. The method of  claim 23 , the method further comprising inserting a portion of each conductor in a respective one of a plurality of wire constraints provided on the cap, wherein each of the wire constraints comprises a pair of opposed surfaces that are separated by a distance that is slightly less than the outer diameter of each of the conductors. 
     
     
       29. The method of  claim 18 , wherein at least some of the twist separation points comprise a projection that has a point or ridge on its distal end. 
     
     
       30. A back- end variation control cap for a connector jack module, the back - end variation control cap comprising:      a top side;        a bottom side;        a plurality of openings extending through the top side to the bottom side, wherein each of the openings is configured to receive at least one of a plurality of pairs of conductors that are twisted together as the conductors pass through the opening; and        a plurality of twist separation structures on the control cap, wherein each of the twist separation structures is configured to define a point where the conductors of one of the plurality of pairs of conductors transition from a twisted configuration to an untwisted configuration,        wherein the control cap is configured to mate with a dielectric contact housing of the connector jack module.     
     
     
       31. The back- end variation control cap of    claim 30   , further comprising a plurality of routing channels on the bottom side of the control cap that are each configured to route one or both conductors of a pair of conductors.   
     
     
       32. The back- end variation control cap of    claim 30   , wherein the plurality of twist separation structures are provided on the bottom side of the control cap.   
     
     
       33. The back- end variation control cap of    claim 30   , wherein the dielectric contact housing encases a wire connection end of each of a plurality of insulation displacement contacts, and wherein the dielectric contact housing includes a plurality of terminal slots that provide wire connection access to respective of the plurality of insulation displacement contacts.   
     
     
       34. The back- end variation control cap of    claim 30   , the control cap further comprising a plurality of wire constraints, wherein each of the wire constraints comprises a pair of opposed surfaces that are separated by a distance that is slightly less than the outer diameter of each of the conductors.   
     
     
       35. The back- end variation control cap of    claim 30   , wherein the dielectric contact housing includes a plurality of wire guide posts and a plurality of wire guide splitters, and wherein the wire guide posts and the wire guide splitters nest within a bottom side of the control cap.   
     
     
       36. The back- end variation control cap of    claim 30   , the control cap further comprising at least one routing post that is configured to allow crossing two of the plurality of pairs of conductors.   
     
     
       37. A method of routing a plurality of twisted conductor pairs from a cable onto a jack module including insulation displacement connectors, the method comprising:
   passing each of the plurality of twisted conductor pairs from a first side of the cap to a second side of a cap;        routing at least a first of the plurality of twisted conductor pairs and a second of the plurality of twisted conductor pairs such that the first twisted conductor pair crosses the second twisted conductor pair along the cap; and        mounting the cap on the jack module such that the second side of the cap is adjacent the jack module and each of the conductors electrically engages one of the insulation displacement connectors.