EP0083887A1 - Connector - Google Patents

Abstract

In this connection connector with metal contacts, the insulated wires or conductors are individually blocked. The connector base consists of two half-bases (1,2) connected by a hinge (3). At least one of the half-bases (1) has a row of card holders (4), each having at least its rear part with a U-section. The other half-base (4) has a row of U-groove means for locking the wire (21a, 21b) the longitudinal axis of which is parallel to that of the said card holders (4), but the transverse position of which is located at the rear of the plane of the rear faces of the holders sheets. Each thread locking groove means is in the axis of a plug holder when the half-bases are closed one on the other around the hinge (3). Each U-groove means is formed of a pair of symmetrical harpoons (21a, 21b) relative to the longitudinal axis of the means. The half-base (1) has behind them a row of holes (28) in which the pairs of harpoons (21a, 21b) of the other half-base (2) are respectively hooked when we close the two half-bases.

Description

The present invention relates to connector connectors with metal contacts in which the insulated wires or conductors are individually blocked.

In known wire bundle connectors, the wires are threaded, through the rear of the base or housing, into corresponding holes, then are electrically connected to the actual plugs, male or female, of the connector, these plugs having been strung from the front. The present invention relates to a connector base in which the wires are no longer threaded, but simply stored in the base so that at the end of storage the visual control of the position of the wires can be carried out all at once of eye.

In practice, in the description which follows, we will consider the use of plugs with self-stripping connections, as there are on the market and, more particularly, of plugs marketed by the SOCAPEX and SOURIAU companies. As an indication, these sheets have a U-shaped section, with two narrowing of the width of the U, so that, when a wire is aligned above the groove, then pressed into it by means of a tool adequate, a narrowing starts the insulator of the wire to ensure its maintenance and the other starts the insulator and the copper to ensure the electrical connection between the plug and the conductor of the wire. In practice, connector housings intended to contain such plugs have lateral openings to allow access of the tool to the wires.

Furthermore, patent 79 21202 and its certificates of addition 80 08934, 80 08935 and 80 27561, the holder of which is the FRENCH STATE, disclose switches with several layers of crossing points which can be used in particular in telephone exchange distributors for connecting subscriber line cables or connection cables between exchanges. The advantages of these patch matrix switches are that they are controllable by robots and that they are very compact compared to conventional general distributors. This reduction in dimensions is accompanied by a greater density of interconnections with the cables, particularly in the switches described in the last two cited patent applications, where two matrices are nested one inside the other. In particular, the connection density no longer allows the use of conventional cable ties and cable trays.

An object of the present invention is to provide a connector base which overcomes the difficulties mentioned above.

According to a characteristic of the invention, there is provided such a base consisting of two half-bases connected by a hinge, one of the half-bases, at least, comprising a row of card holders, each having at least its rear part with U-shaped section, the other half-base comprising a row of U-grooved means for locking the wire, the longitudinal axis of which is parallel to that of the said card holders, but the transverse position of which is located at the behind the plane of the rear faces of the card holders, each thread locking groove means being in the axis of a card holder when the half-bases are closed one on the other around the hinge.

According to another characteristic, each U-grooved means is formed of a pair of harpoons symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal axis of the means.

According to another characteristic, the half-base comprising the row of plug holders has behind them a row of holes in which the pairs of harpoons of the other half-base come respectively hang when closing the two half-bases one on the other.

According to another characteristic, each half-base comprises a row of card holders separated by free intervals equal to their widths and a row of U-groove means for wire locking respectively disposed behind said intervals, the rows of card holders two interlocking half-bases, as well as their rows of grooved means, when the half-bases are closed one on the other.

• la Fig. 1 est une vue en perspective d'un premier exemple de réalisation d'embase de connecteur suivant l'invention,
• la Fig. 2 est une vue en perspective de l'embase de la Fig. 1 dans laquelle on a placé les fils de raccordement,
• la Fig. 3 est est une vue en perspective de l'embase de la Fig. 2, en cours de fermeture,
• la Fig. 4 est une vue de l'embase de la Fig. 3 complètement fermée,
• la Fig. 5 est une vue en perspective d'un second exemple de réalisation d'embase de connecteur suivant, l'embase étant ouverte, simplement pourvue de fiches de connexion,
• la Fig. 6 est une vue en perspective de l'embase de la Fig. 5, dans laquelle les fils de raccordement sont rangés,
• la Fig. 7 est une vue de l'embase de la Fig. 6, complètement fermée,
• les Figs. 8a à 8c sont des vues partielles en plan et en coupe, illustrant le fonctionnement des embases des Figs. 1 et 5,
• la Fig. 9 est une vue schématique illustrant une application de l'embase de la Fig. 1, et
• la Fig. 10 est une vue schématique illustrant une application de l'embase de la Fig. 5.

The characteristics of the invention mentioned above, as well as others, will appear more clearly on reading the following description of exemplary embodiments, said description being made in relation to the accompanying drawings, among which:

• Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a connector base according to the invention,
• Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the base of FIG. 1 in which the connection wires have been placed,
• Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the base of FIG. 2, being closed,
• Fig. 4 is a view of the base of FIG. 3 completely closed,
• Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the following connector base, the base being open, simply provided with connection plugs,
• Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the base of FIG. 5, in which the connection wires are stored,
• Fig. 7 is a view of the base of FIG. 6, completely closed,
• Figs. 8a to 8c are partial plan and sectional views, illustrating the operation of the bases of Figs. 1 and 5,
• Fig. 9 is a schematic view illustrating an application of the base of FIG. 1, and
• Fig. 10 is a schematic view illustrating an application of the base of FIG. 5.

The base of FIG. 1 is formed by two half-shells 1 and 2 joined by a hinge 3. The front part 4 of the half-shell 1 corresponds to the front part of the body of a conventional connector and comprises cells 5 opening towards the before and in which are housed cards 6. In the example described, cards 6 are self-stripping cards and, for this purpose, the upper wall of the front part or card holder part 4 of the half-shell 1 is pierced with elongated openings 7, perpendicular to the cards 6.

The rear part of the half-shell 1 is constituted by a flat bottom 8, which is in the same plane as the bottom of the front part 4. The bottom 8 is pierced with a row of holes 9 of square section, in face of the rear of each of the cards 6. Seen in plan, the surface 8 is in the form of a lyre, the great height of which is adjacent to the rear face of the card holder part 4, the top is constituted by one side of the hinge 3, the small height 10 is perpendicular to the hinge 3 and the base 11 is aligned with the external face of the part 4, the small height 10 and the base 11 being joined by a generally concave line 12. In the example described, line 13 comprises a rectilinear part, normal to 11, ending in an arc 14.

The elongated openings 7 are open up to the rear face of the card holder part 4 and therefore have, in plan, each the shape of a U.

The half-shell 2 has, in plan, the shape of a lyre symmetrical to that of the bottom 8 of the other half-shell 1. Thus, its great height 15 is in the same plane as the rear face of the door part -sheets 4, the top of the lyre is formed by the other side of the hinge 3, its small height 16 is aligned with 10 and its base 17 is symmetrical with the base 11. The sides 16 and 17 are joined by a line symmetrical of 12 which includes a rectilinear part 18 and an arc 19.

In projection, on the bottom 20 of the half-shell 2, there is provided a row of pairs of harpoons 21a and 21b, which is aligned with the row of holes 9. To each pair of harpoons 21a, 21b corresponds a hole 9 , into which it enters when the half-shell 2 is folded over the half-shell 1 around the hinge 3. In practice, as shown in FIG. 1, the center line of the row of holes 9 merged with that of the row of harpoons 21a and 21b is at a certain distance behind the rear face of the card holder part 4, so that the front edges of the holes 9 are set back with respect to this rear face of 4. Each pair of harpoons 21a, 21b defines between them a groove whose longitudinal direction is parallel to the hinge 3.

The outer edges of the bottom 8 are at a lower level than its central part so as to form a recessed rim. The outer edges of the bottom 20 are, on the contrary, at a level higher than its central part so as to form a projecting rim which, in the closed position of the connector, is housed in the hollow rim of the bottom 8.

More particularly, the rim of 16 is hollowed out to form a groove 22 whose longitudinal direction is parallel to the hinge 3. The rim of the arch 14 is not entirely flat, but comprises, towards the center of the bottom 8, a sloping surface 23 and, on its outer edge, a small protruding rim 24. On the other half-shell 2, the edge of the arch 19 has its outer edge bevelled inwards. Thus, in the closed position, the edge of the rim 19 fits behind the protruding rim 24.

As shown in Fig. 2, to connect a cable 25 to seven insulated wires 26, the cable 25 is inserted into the groove 22, then its sheath is cut so as to release the wires 26 which are placed individually in a predetermined order between the harpoons 21a and 21b of the corresponding pairs. Between the groove 22 and the harpoons 21a, 21b, the wires rest on the bottom of the half-shell 2,

In Fig. 3, a tool 27 has symbolically been shown which cuts the wires 26 when the half-shell 2 is folded back by a quarter turn towards the half-shell 1. Thus, the lengths of the wires 26 exceeding beyond the pairs of harpoons 21a, 21b are equalized. In practice, the ends of the cut wires 26 allow the wires, when the half-shell 2 has been completely closed on the half-shell 1, FIG. 4, to enter the openings 7 of the plug-holding part 4 of the connector. A tool can be used, either on closing or afterwards, to push the wires 26 to the bottom of the openings 7, that is to say to the bottom of the rear part of the plugs 6, where they are held, on the other hand, and stripped, on the other hand, in a classical manner.

Furthermore, the tips of the harpoons 2la and 21b have passed through their respective holes 9 and have hung under the bottom 8, thus locking the entire connector.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, under the grooves defined by the harpoons 21a, 21b, holes 28 are provided. In practice, these holes correspond only to technological molding requirements.

The base of FIG. 5 is formed of two half-bases 29 and 30 joined by a hinge 31. The half-base 29 has two bars 32 and 33, mutually parallel. The bar 32 is connected to one side of the hinge 31 by bands 34 in number equal to that of the plugs 37 carried by this half-base 29. The bands 34 are not strictly perpendicular to the hinge 31, but do with normal to it a small angle corresponding to half a step of the connector. Between the two bars 32 and 33, opposite the bands 34, are provided pairs of harpoons 35a, 35b which define grooves perpendicular to the bars 32 and 33. Beyond the bar 33, parallel to the grooves of the pairs of harpoons 35a, 35b, individual card holders 36 are provided, integral with the bar 33. In FIG. 5, there have been shown plugs 37 already mounted in the plug holders 36. The plugs 37 are, in the example described, insulation displacement plugs. The card holders have a U-shaped section open upwards, with the necessary flanges and, if necessary, the holes, not shown necessary, for retaining the cards 37 in their respective housings.

The axes of the card holders 36 pass respectively through the midpoints of the pairs of harpoons 35a, 35b.

The half-base 30 is practically symmetrical with the half-base 29. It has strips 34 ', in alignment with the strips 34, bars 32' and 33 ', parallel to the bars 32 and 33, the bar 32' being integral with the ends of the strips 34 ', pairs of harpoons 35a', 35b ', which are between the two bars 32' and 33 'opposite the strips 34', and the card holders 36 ', symmetrical with the card holders 36, integral with the bar 33 'and with their axes interspersed with those of the pairs of harpoons 35a' and 35b '. Looking at Fig. 5, where the bands 34 and 34 'are unfolded and in the same plane, the harpoons 35a, 35b, 35a' and 35b 'project from the same side of this plane. Similarly, the card holders 36 and 36 ', as well as the cards 37 and 37' which they carry are oriented on the same side of this plane.

In the example, it is assumed that the strips 34, 34 ', the bars 32, 32', 33, 33 'are relatively flexible. The bands 34 and 34 ′ being aligned and their direction making a small angle, corresponding to a half-step, with the normal to the hinge 31, when the half-base 30 is folded back on the half-base 29, there is an offset one step and, as shown in Fig. 7, the card holders 36 'come store between the card holders 36.

Fig. 6 shows that before proceeding with this folding, the wires 38 and 38 'to be connected are respectively housed in the corresponding grooves of the pairs of harpoons 35a, 35b and 35a' and 35b '. This flat positioning of the wires makes it possible to clearly distinguish what one can call the even wires 38 from the odd wires 38 '. Once the wires have been placed and cut to the correct length by an appropriate tool, bending is carried out to obtain the closed connector of FIG. 7. In this position, the pairs of harpoons 35a ', 35b' are interposed and hooked by their hooks between the pairs of harpoons 35a, 35b, which ensures the correct closure of the connector.

Adequate tools allow, on closing or after closing, to push the conductors 38 'in the plugs 37 through the slots of the plug holders 36 and, on the other side of the connector, the wires 38 in the plugs 37' through the slots of the 36 'card holders.

In Fig. 8b, there is shown in plan, how a wire 38 is held, for the first time, between the edges 39a and 39b of a U-shaped rib with a triangular section, provided with the vertical faces and the bottom of the groove formed by two harpoons 35a and 35b of the same pair. The interval between the edges of 39a and 39b is one. width less than the external diameter of the insulation of the wire 38, but greater than the diameter of its central conductor 40. The wire 38 is held a second time between the edges of a pinch 41 provided in the plug 37 ', the width of the the interval between the edges of 41 being still less than the diameter of the insulation of the wire 38, but greater than the diameter of its conductor 40. Finally, the wire is stripped between the edges of a second pinch 42 of the plug 37 ', the width of the interval between the edges of 42 being less than the diameter of the conductor 40, so that the edges bite the copper of the conductor ensuring electrical continuity towards the end of the plug 37 '.

Fig. 8a shows the section of the assembly of FIG. 8b, along the line A-A, and shows the U-shaped profile of the ribs 39 and 39 'of the card holders 36 and 36' pinching the wires 38 'and 38.

Fig. 8c shows the section of the assembly of FIG. 8bn along line B-B, and shows the edges of the nips 42 and 42 'of the plugs 37 and 37' biting the conductors 40 'and 40 of the wires 38' and 38.

Fig. 9 shows how connectors 43 of the type of those which _{we have} been described in relation to Figs. 1 to 4 are used to connect junctions 25 with seven conductors with the inputs of switching matrix blocks described in French patents 79 21 202, 80 08 934, 80 08 935 and 80 27 561, already mentioned.

Each matrix 44 is located between two control plates 45 and 46, one of which is assigned to the control of its crossing points and the other to the point of the upper (or lower) matrix. Each connector 43, oriented so that its plugs 6 are vertical, has a height equal to that of the matrix 44 to which it is connected. In the height left free between two rows of connectors, that is to say over a height corresponding to that of a control plate, horizontal cable trays 47 are installed in which the cables 25 are stored. By way of example , each cable tray has a rectangular section, the top corner (or bottom depending on the orientation of the connector) is open.

In the case where the dies 44 are dies conforming to the certificates of addition 80 089935 and 80 27561, already mentioned one out of two of the connectors is assigned to a matrix and the other to the other.

Fig. 10 shows how connectors 48 of the type of those which have been described in relation to FIGS. 5 to 7 are. used to connect wires 38 and 38 'to matrix inputs of the type described in addition certificates 80 08935 and 80 27561, already mentioned. In the example described, for the case of connecting two-wire subscriber lines, two superimposed rows of connectors 48 are used. In each of the connectors, the plugs 37 are connected to the inputs of the first matrix while the plugs 37 'are connected to the inputs of the second matrix. The cable trays are then formed directly by the free space between the strips 34 and 34 '. Of course, these bands can be replaced by solid webs, as shown schematically in FIG. 10.

It is particularly in the context of the application to subscriber line connectors cooperating with matrices described in the addition certificates 80 08935 and 80 27561, already mentioned, that we will appreciate, in relation to FIG. 6, the advantage of providing open connectors in two half-bases or two half-shells connected by a hinge for storing the wires with full visibility which helps, at the same time, during the positioning of the wires, but also during inspection, before closing the connector.

Claims (4)

1) Connection connector with metal contacts in which the insulated wires or conductors are blocked individually, characterized in that its base consists of two half-bases (1, 2 or 29, 30) connected by a hinge (3 or 31) , at least one of the half-bases (1 or 29, 30), comprising a row of card holders (4 or 36, 36 '), each having at least its U-shaped rear part, the other half-base (2 or 30, 29) comprising a row of U-groove means for locking the wire (21a, 21b or 35a, 35b; 35a ', 35b') whose longitudinal axis is parallel to that of said holders sheets (4 or 36, 36 '), but whose transverse position is located behind the plane of the rear faces. card holders, each thread locking groove means being in the axis of a card holder when the half-bases are closed one on the other around the hinge (3). 2) Connector according to claim 1, characterized in that each U-shaped groove means is formed of a pair of symmetrical harpoons (21a, 21b; 35a, 35b; 35a ', 35b') relative to the longitudinal axis of the means. 3) Connector according to claim 2, characterized in that the half-base (1) comprising the row of plug holders (4) has behind them a row of holes (28) in which the pairs of harpoons (21a , 21b) of the other half-base (2) respectively hang when the two half-bases are closed one on the other. 4) Connector according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that each half-base (29 or 30) has a row of plug holders (36 or 36 ') separated by free intervals equal to their widths and a row of U-groove means for locking the wire (35a, 35b; 35a ', 35b') respectively arranged behind said intervals, the rows of the card holders (36 or 36 ') of the two half-bases thus interlocking as their rows of grooved means (35a, 35b; 35a ', 35b'), when the half-bases (29 and 30) are closed one on the other.

Images