Plugboard system

Claim 2

A patchcord for use in a plugboard having an insulating core overcovered with a thin metallic material, said patchcord including an inner conductive portion and an outer conductive portion insulated from each other and adapted to be terminated to the inner and outer conductive portions of a shielded cable and a detent means affixed thereto, said detent means being comprised of a resilient insulating material and having a geometry to latch said patchcord within a plugboard and to permit insertion and withdrawal of said patchcord within a plugboard without damage to the said thin metallic covering thereof, and wherein said detent means is held between an outer sleeve of thin conductive material and an inner sleeVe of resilient material having a conductive covering bonded to the outer surface thereof.

Claim 3

A patchcord for use in a plugboard having an insulating core overcovered with a thin metallic material, said patchcord including an inner conductive portion and an outer conductive portion insulated from each other and adapted to be terminated to the inner and outer conductive portions of a shielded cable and a detent means affixed thereto, said detent means being comprised of a resilient insulating material and having a geometry to latch said patchcord within a plugboard and to permit insertion and withdrawal of said patchcord within a plugboard without damage to the said thin metallic covering thereof, and further including a center conductive pin member and a sleeve of resilient material surrounding and supporting said center pin member along a substantial portion of the length thereof, the said resilient sleeve having an outer covering of conductive material to shield said center pin member, and means to terminate said covering to the shielding of a shielded cable.

Claim 4

A patchcord for use in a plugboard having an insulating core overcovered with a thin metallic material, said patchcord including an inner conductive portion and an outer conductive portion insulated from each other and adapted to be terminated to the inner and outer conductive portions of a shielded cable and a detent means affixed thereto, said detent means being comprised of a resilient insulating material and having a geometry to latch said patchcord within a plugboard and to permit insertion and withdrawal of said patchcord within a plugboard without damage to the said thin metallic covering thereof, and further including a center conductive pin member and a sleeve of resilient material surrounding and supporting said center pin member along a substantial portion of the length thereof, the said resilient sleeve having an outer covering of conductive material to shield said center pin member, and means to terminate said covering to the shielding of a shielded cable.

Claim 5

The patchcord of claim 2 wherein said outer conductive portion of the patchcord includes flange means for limiting patchcord insertion within a plugboard by engagement with one surface thereof.

Claim 6

The patchcord of claim 2 wherein said outer conductive portion of the patchcord includes flange means for limiting patchcord insertion within a plugboard by engagement with one surface thereof, and said terminating means includes a backup ferrule disposed underneath the shielding of said shielded cable.

Claim 7

The patchcord of claim 2 wherein said outer conductive portion of the patchcord includes flange means for limiting patchcord insertion within a plugboard by engagement with one surface thereof, said detent means comprises a forward portion carrying radially projecting, rounded detent surfaces separated from each other by axially directed slots, and said terminating means includes a rear part of said outer conductive portion which has a reduced outer diameter and a backup ferrule disposed beneath said rear part and beneath the shielding of said shielded cable.

Claim 8

A patchcord in removable electrical combination with a plugboard, wherein said plugboard comprises at least one board member having an insulating core overcovered with a thin metallic material, said board member containing a plurality of apertures therein with said thin metallic covering extending over the inner surfaces of said apertures, each of said apertures being adapted to receive a patchcord, said patchcord including a shielded cable having inner and outer conductors, an inner conductive portion and an outer conductive portion insulated from each other and terminated respectively to the inner and outer conductors of the shielded cable, detent means affixed to said patchcord, said detent means being comprised of a resilient plastic material and having a geometry removably latchably engaged within said plugboard and resiliently deformable upon insertion and withdrawal of said patchcord within one of said plugboard apertures without damage to or appreciable wear of said thin metallic covering, and said outer conductive portion electrically contacting said thin metallic covering and electrically shielding said inner conductive portion, with said inner conductive portion extending through said one of said plugboard apertures.

Claim 9

A patchcord in removable electrical combination with a plugboard, wherein said plugboard comprises at least one board member having an insulating core overcovered with a thin metallic material, said board member containing a plurality of apertures therein with said thin metallic covering extending over the inner surfaces of said apertures, each of said apertures being adapted to receive a patchcord, said patchcord including a shielded cable having inner and outer conductors, an inner conductive portion and an outer conductive portion insulated from each other and terminated respectively to the inner and outer conductors of the shielded cable, detent means affixed to said patchcord, said detent means being comprised of a resilient plastic material and having a geometry removably latchably engaged within said plugboard and resiliently deformable upon insertion and withdrawal of said patchcord within one of said plugboard apertures without damage to or appreciable wear of said thin metallic covering, and said outer conductive portion electrically contacting said thin metallic covering and electrically shielding said inner conductive portion, with said inner conductive portion extending through said one of said plugboard apertures.

Claim 10

The patchcord of claim 6 wherein said detent means includes a tubular rear portion and a forward portion carrying radially projecting detent surfaces and said patchcord includes an inner conductive sleeve and an outer conductive sleeve dimensioned to receive and support the tubular portion therebetween, with the detent means projecting forwardly therefrom, the said detent means being secured to said sleeves against axial movement relative thereto.

Claim 11

A shielded patchcord plug for use with a shielded plugboard having an insulating core with apertures therethrough and overcovered with a thin metallic material, said plug including an inner conductive member having connector means for electrically connecting it to the innr conductor of a shielded cable and having at its outer end an axially projecting contact pin, a tubular outer conductive member coaxially surrounding said inner conductive member and adapted to fit slidably into one of said apertures and in electrically conductive relation with the thin metallic covering therein, the outer end of said outer conductive member terminating short of the outer end of said contact pin, and the inner end of said outer conductive member being provided with connector means for electrically connecting it to the outer conductor of said shielded cable, and a tubular detent member of resilient, synthetic plastic material positioned coaxially between said inner and outer conductive members, with its outer end extending beyond the outer end of said outer conductive member but terminating short of the outer end of said pin, to leave a portion adjacent the outer end of said pin exposed for conductive engagement with the contact member of a back board, said detent member having near its outer end at least one latch portion which projects radially outwardly beyond the outer surface of said outer conductive member for interengagement with the rear surface of said plugboard, the inner surface of said detent member beneath said latch portion being radially spaced from said inner conductive member to permit said latch portion to be resiliently depressed to fit within said aperture, and inclined cam surfaces at the forward and rearward sides of said latch portions for camming said latch portions inwardly during insertion and withdrawal of said plug into and out of said aperture.

Claim 12

A shielded patchcord plug for use with a shielded plugboard having an insulating core with apertures therethrough and overcovered with a thin metallic material, said plug including an inner conductive member having connector means for electrically connecting it to the innr conductor of a shielded cable and having at its outer end an axially projecting contact pin, a tubular outer conductive member coaxially surrounding said inner conductive member and adapted to fit slidably into one of said apertures and in electrically conductive relation with the thin metallic covering therein, the outer end of said outer conductive member terminating short of the outer end of said contact pin, and the inner end of said outer conductive member being provided with connector means for electrically connecting it to the outer conductor of said shielded cable, and a tubular detent member of resilient, synthetic plastic material positioned coaxially between said inner and outer conductive members, with its outer end extending beyond the outer end of said outer conductive member but terminating short of the outer end of said pin, to leave a portion adjacent the outer end of said pin exposed for conductive engagement with the contact member of a back board, said detent member having near its outer end at least one latch portion which projects radially outwardly beyond the outer surface of said outer conductive member for interengagement with the rear surface of said plugboard, the inner surface of said detent member beneath said latch portion being radially spaced from said inner conductive member to permit said latch portion to be resiliently depressed to fit within said aperture, and inclined cam surfaces at the forward and rearward sides of said latch portions for camming said latch portions inwardly during insertion and withdrawal of said plug into and out of said aperture.

Claim 13

A shielded plug as described in claim 8 in which said detent member has a plurality of circumferentially spaced latch portions with longitudinally extending slots therebetween.

Claim 14

A patchcord plug as described in claim 8 in which said inner conductive member is provided at its inner end with an axial opening for receiving the bared end of the inner conductor of said shielded cable whereby the inner conductor may be compressed into intimate conductive engagement with said inner conductor, and wherein said outer conductive member is provided at its inner end with an axial opening for receiving the bared end of the outer conductor of said shielded cable around an insulating sleeve, whereby said outer conductive member may be compressed into intimate conductive engagement with said outer conductor with said insulating sleeve insulating said outer conductor from said inner conductor.

Claim 15

A patchcord plug as described in claim 10 wherein said insulating sleeve is part of said shielded cable and wherein a tubular supporting ferrule is interposed beteen said outer conductor and said insulating sleeve to support said outer conductor as said outer conductive member is compressed against it.

Claim 16

A shielded patchcord plug for use with a shielded plugboard having an insulating core with apertures therethrough and overcovered with a thin metallic material, said plug including an inner conductive member having connector means for electrically connecting it to the inner conductor of a shielded cable and having at its outer end an axially projecting contact pin, a tubular outer conductive member coaxially surrounding said inner conductive member and adapted to fit slidably into one of said apertures and in electrically conductive relation with the thin metallic covering therein, the outer end of said outer conductive member terminating short of the outer end of said contact pin, and the inner end of said outer conductive member being provided with connector means for electrically connecting it to the outer conductor of said shielded cable, and a tubular detent member positioned coaxially between said inner and outer conductive members, with its outer end extending beyond the outer end of said outer conductive member but terminating short of the outer end of said pin, to leave a portion aDjacent the outer end of said pin exposed for conductive engagement with the contact member of a back board, said detent member being composed of a resilient, synthetic plastic material to permit insertion and withdrawal of said plug in said shielded plugboard without damage to the thin metallic covering thereof, said detent member further having near its outer end at least one latch portion which projects radially outwardly beyond the outer surface of said outer conductive member for interengagement with the rear surface of said plugboard, the inner surface of said detent member beneath said latch portion being radially spaced from said inner conductive member to permit said latch portion to be resiliently depressed to fit within said aperture, and inclined cam surfaces at the forward and rearward sides of said latch portions for camming said latch portions inwardly during inserion and withdrawal of said plug into and out of said aperture.

Claim 17

A shielded patchcord plug for use with a shielded plugboard having an insulating core with apertures therethrough and overcovered with a thin metallic material, said plug including an inner conductive member having connector means for electrically connecting it to the inner conductor of a shielded cable and having at its outer end an axially projecting contact pin, a tubular outer conductive member coaxially surrounding said inner conductive member and adapted to fit slidably into one of said apertures and in electrically conductive relation with the thin metallic covering therein, the outer end of said outer conductive member terminating short of the outer end of said contact pin, and the inner end of said outer conductive member being provided with connector means for electrically connecting it to the outer conductor of said shielded cable, and a tubular detent member positioned coaxially between said inner and outer conductive members, with its outer end extending beyond the outer end of said outer conductive member but terminating short of the outer end of said pin, to leave a portion aDjacent the outer end of said pin exposed for conductive engagement with the contact member of a back board, said detent member being composed of a resilient, synthetic plastic material to permit insertion and withdrawal of said plug in said shielded plugboard without damage to the thin metallic covering thereof, said detent member further having near its outer end at least one latch portion which projects radially outwardly beyond the outer surface of said outer conductive member for interengagement with the rear surface of said plugboard, the inner surface of said detent member beneath said latch portion being radially spaced from said inner conductive member to permit said latch portion to be resiliently depressed to fit within said aperture, and inclined cam surfaces at the forward and rearward sides of said latch portions for camming said latch portions inwardly during inserion and withdrawal of said plug into and out of said aperture.