EP0101290B1 - Multigauge insulation displacement connector and contacts therefor - Google Patents

Multigauge insulation displacement connector and contacts therefor Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0101290B1
EP0101290B1 EP83304591A EP83304591A EP0101290B1 EP 0101290 B1 EP0101290 B1 EP 0101290B1 EP 83304591 A EP83304591 A EP 83304591A EP 83304591 A EP83304591 A EP 83304591A EP 0101290 B1 EP0101290 B1 EP 0101290B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
contact member
slot
conductor
insulation displacement
connector
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
EP83304591A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0101290A3 (en
EP0101290A2 (en
Inventor
Helen Dechelette
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Molex LLC
Original Assignee
Molex LLC
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Family has litigation
First worldwide family litigation filed litigation Critical https://patents.darts-ip.com/?family=10532199&utm_source=google_patent&utm_medium=platform_link&utm_campaign=public_patent_search&patent=EP0101290(B1) "Global patent litigation dataset” by Darts-ip is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Application filed by Molex LLC filed Critical Molex LLC
Publication of EP0101290A2 publication Critical patent/EP0101290A2/en
Publication of EP0101290A3 publication Critical patent/EP0101290A3/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0101290B1 publication Critical patent/EP0101290B1/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R4/00—Electrically-conductive connections between two or more conductive members in direct contact, i.e. touching one another; Means for effecting or maintaining such contact; Electrically-conductive connections having two or more spaced connecting locations for conductors and using contact members penetrating insulation
    • H01R4/24—Connections using contact members penetrating or cutting insulation or cable strands
    • H01R4/2416—Connections using contact members penetrating or cutting insulation or cable strands the contact members having insulation-cutting edges, e.g. of tuning fork type
    • H01R4/2445—Connections using contact members penetrating or cutting insulation or cable strands the contact members having insulation-cutting edges, e.g. of tuning fork type the contact members having additional means acting on the insulation or the wire, e.g. additional insulation penetrating means, strain relief means or wire cutting knives
    • H01R4/245—Connections using contact members penetrating or cutting insulation or cable strands the contact members having insulation-cutting edges, e.g. of tuning fork type the contact members having additional means acting on the insulation or the wire, e.g. additional insulation penetrating means, strain relief means or wire cutting knives the additional means having two or more slotted flat portions

Definitions

  • This invention concerns a multigauge insulation displacement connector and contacts therefor, and particularly concerns such a connector and contacts adapted for use with multistranded conductors.
  • Insulation displacement connectors do not require the stripping of insulation from a section of an insulated conductor preparatory to insertion of the conductor into the connector. Rather, they rely upon displacement of the insulation of the conductor by the sides of a slot in a contact or terminal member into which the conductor is introduced.
  • a further object is to provide a contact member which is equally suitable for use with both small and large gauge wires.
  • the present invention proceeds from the type of contact memberfor an electrical connector known in the prior art e.g. from US-A-4 333 700 or DE-B-1 263 130, having an insulation displacement slot therein defining opposed edge surfaces for providing electrical connection to an insulated conductor, the slot having a mouth leading to a relatively narrow section, there being at least one tooth projecting into the slot for piercing the insulation of a conductor introduced therein and is characterised in that the slot defines a pair of limb portions each having a free end at the mouth having an outwardly extending housing engaging means for engaging the connector housing, the limb portions being deformable away from each other upon introduction of a conductor therebetween whereby the portion of each limb inwardly of its free end is outwardly bowed upon continued insertion of the conductor.
  • the limb portions may taper to a relatively narrow width at their free ends thereby enabling the limb portions to deform away from each other along substantially their entire length upon introduction of a conductor therebetween.
  • the contact member adjacent the narrow section of the slot may be formed with a protrusion projecting outwardly from a major surface of the contact member adjacent the narrow section of the slot thereby increasing the width of the narrow section of the slot in the region of the protrusion.
  • the protrusion then serves to separate the insulation displaced by the slot.
  • An insulation displacement connector according to the present invention can be employed with an electrically insulating connector housing having one or more recesses therein for receiving a contact or terminal member constructed according to the teachings of the present invention.
  • the said recesses will be open at least at one end corresponding to the mouth end of the contact member, and preferably will be formed for directing and guiding a conductor wire inserted therein into the mouth of the associated contact member and will include strain relief formations such as resilient displaceable strain relief fingers which are displaced by a conductor wire inserted into the connector and then resile to hinder or prevent withdrawal of the conductor.
  • the recess of the connector housing can advantageously be open at both ends, for example in the case of a connector employing reversely bent contact members as above described wherein the bight portion is slotted to provide access for a spade terminal to engage in the slot of the contact member.
  • a blank designated generally by the reference numeral 10, formed by stamping suitable metal of selected thickness in sheet or strip form.
  • the blank 10 includes a plurality of plate-like elongated contact blanks 11, each connected at one end to a carrier strip 12.
  • Each blank 11 comprises an insulation displacement slot formation 13 at both ends thereof, defining edge surfaces 13' which are of suitable sharpness to severthe insulation of a conductor.
  • an elongate slot 14 of predetermined shape, which will be described in greater detail hereafter.
  • Each blank 11 is generally symmetrical, both longitudinally and transversely and is designed to be folded end-to- end into a generally U-shape as shown in Fig. 2.
  • Folding of a blank 11 defines a double-ended insulation displacement contact 15 with the insulation displacement slot formations 13 in alignment with one another.
  • the elongate slot 14 defines a bifurcated contact formation suitable to engage a space terminal or the like.
  • the insulation displacement slot 13 of the contact 15 is seen t ⁇ include a relatively wide mouth 17 with the slot being narrowed inwardly in a stepped and tapering fashion through three stages, designated generally by the reference numberals 18, 19 and 20, respectively.
  • a pair of teeth 21 of sharp triangular shape and juxtaposed on opposite sides of the slot 13 project from the regions defined between stepped portions 19 and 20 with the apieces pointed generally inwardly of the slot 13 towards the open mouth 17.
  • Opposed edges 22 of the teeth 21 taper inwardly towards each other in a direction away from the mouth 17.
  • Stepped portions 20 define a generally parallel section 23 of relatively long length which terminates in an enlarged hole 24.
  • each side of the insulation displacement slot 13 has a slight protrusion 25 projecting from one surface of the blank 11, formed therein as, for example, by coining of the blank 11.
  • the insulation displacement slot 13 thus defined lies between two limbs 26 which taper so as to be to a degree resiliently flexible. Free ends 27 of the limbs 26 adjacent the open mouth 17 of the slot 13 are sufficiently narrow such that the limbs 26 are bendable along their entire length.
  • the elongate slot 14 formed in the blank 11 results in bifurcation of the bight of the contact member 15 to define two opposed limbs 30 which form therebetween a female contact receptacle 31 adapted for receiving a male contact member (shown in Fig. 6).
  • the slot 14 is further adapted with lugs 32 projecting into the female contact receptacle 31.
  • Figure 3 shows various steps in the insertion of a relatively small gauge, multistranded, insulated conductor 33a into the insulation displacement slot 13 of three contact members as just described, designated 15a, 15b and 15c.
  • the contact members 15a, 15b, and 15c are each identical in their construction and accordingly, like reference numerals will be used, hereinafter to describe the operation of their various features.
  • the conductor 33a comprises multiple strands of conductive wire 34a coated with a layer of insulation 35a.
  • Each contact member 15a, 15b and 15c is schematically shown engaged in an accommodating recess 36 in an illustrative connector housing 37.
  • Contact 15a is shown with the conductor 33a being guided by wall formations 38 in the housing 37 towards the mouth 17 of the insulation displacement slot 13.
  • Contact 15b is shown with the conductor 33a just engaged with the insulation piercing teeth 21 of slot 13 and with the teeth 31 just beginning to penetrate and to pare off a section of the conductor insulation 35a.
  • Contact 15c is shown with the conductor strands 34a lodged well down into the generally parallel section 23 of the insulation displacement slot 13 in the region of the coined protrusions 25, where the protrusions 25 slightly widen and strengthen the slot 13.
  • a further advantage of the protrusions 25 is that they cooperate to separate the insulation 35a longitudinally of the wire 33a inasmuch as they protrude from the blank 10 in oppositely directed pairs (Fig. 2).
  • This separation of the insulation 35a allows for greater exposure of the conductor strands 34a to the contact slot 13.
  • a plug of insulation 40c remains above and below the conductor strands 34a in the slot 13 of the contact member 15c and remnants 41c of pared off insulation remain on the teeth 21.
  • the teeth 21 thus serve, when the conductor core gauge is small relative to the insulation thickness, to positively pare away part of the insulation and thereby reduce the insulation displacement task of the parallel section 23 of the slot 13.
  • Fig. 4 is similar to Fig. 3 but shows the insertion of a considerably larger gauge conductor 33b into contacts 15d, 15e and 15f. For purposes of clarity, contacts 15d, 15e and 15f have been shown with reference numerals corresponding to like elements of the contact 15 illustrated in Fig. 2.
  • Fig. 4 As compared to Fig. 3 is the earlier deformation of the conductor cross-section as the conductor 33b is forced into the mouth 17 of the contact 15e, and the increased deformation of the limbs 26 which bow as the larger conductor 33b is inserted.
  • the additional strains involved are to a great extent accommodated within the contact member 15f itself, rather than being transferred to the connector housing 37. This has the desirable effect of minimizing the risk of housing distortion.
  • the connector 50 comprises a one piece housing 51 of glass filled nylon, for example, having a plurality of open ended recesses or channels 52 therein for receiving the contacts 15. Access is provided at the top and bottom ends of the housing 51 to the insulation displacement slot 13 and the female receptor 31, respectively, of each contact 15.
  • the housing 51 and the recess 52 therein have upper and lower portions 53 and 54, respectively, which provide accommodation for the (upper) insulation displacement portion 13 of the contact member 15 and the (lower) female receptor 31, respectively.
  • the upper portion 53 has formed therein opposed pairs of grooves 55 into which the edges of the two insulation displacement portions 13 of the contact member 15 engage when the contact member 15 is received in the housing recess 52.
  • the upper portion 53 also has a pair of ribs 56 of triangular cross-section disposed one on either side of the pairs of grooves 55, the ribs 56 being tapered at their upper ends, as best seen in Fig. 5, to provide guidance to a conductor 33 introduced into the recess 52. Not only do the ribs 56 provide the guidance aforementioned, but also they serve to strengthen the housing and to retain a conductor 33 once it has been engaged with the connector.
  • the lower part 54 of the housing recess 52 is of simpler form and comprises a major portion 57 which accommodates the contact receptacle 31 of the contact member 15 and slotted portions 58 extending at right angles off of the major portion 57.
  • the slotted portions 58 serve to guide and retain a tab terminal 59 inserted into contact with the contact receptacle 31 of the contact member 15.
  • slotted portions 58 may be configured such that tab terminal 59 is offset laterally with respect to the contact receptacle 31, allowing an aperture 60 of the tab terminal 59 to be engaged by the lugs 32 of the female receptor 31, thereby effecting a locking function.
  • the housing 51 further comprises entry ports 160 which are provided with a variety of strain relief formations 61 enabling a conductor 33 received in the connector 50 to be bent substantially through 90 degrees so as to extend from the connector 50 generally parallel to the longitudinal axes of the terminals 15, as illustrated in Fig. 6.
  • a pair of opposed, resilient strain relief fingers 62 depend from the housing walls within the entry port 160 and are such as to be resiliently deformable out of the path of a conductor 33 introduced into the connector 50 by contact- with the conductor 33. Once the conductor 33 has been fully positioned, the strain relief fingers 62 resume their original disposition and prevent withdrawal of the conductor 33.
  • a member 63 of generally triangular cross-section which performs a function similar to that of the ribs 56, and opposed members 64 which serve as conductor guiding and retaining means particularly when, as aforementioned, the conductor is bent through 90 degrees to exit from the connector 50.
  • the connector 50 described is particularly, though not exclusively, useful in consumer and automotive applications where it lends itself to automatic assembly of wiring harnesses and can reliably mate with standard terminals tabs.
  • a connector according to the invention might be designed for use with multistranded conductors ranging from 0.5 mm (16 strands each of 0.2 mm diameter) to 1.5 mm (30 strands each of 0.25 mm diameter) core area with insulation thicknesses of the order of 0.6 mm to 0.7 mm providing an overall conductor diameter range of 2.2 mm to 3.2 mm.
  • the illustrative embodiment is of a four circuit connector, any number of circuits may be terminated in accordance with the principles of the invention, within the ordinary skill in the art.

Landscapes

  • Coupling Device And Connection With Printed Circuit (AREA)
  • Multi-Conductor Connections (AREA)
  • Connections By Means Of Piercing Elements, Nuts, Or Screws (AREA)
EP83304591A 1982-08-09 1983-08-09 Multigauge insulation displacement connector and contacts therefor Expired EP0101290B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB8222892 1982-08-09
GB8222892 1982-08-09

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0101290A2 EP0101290A2 (en) 1984-02-22
EP0101290A3 EP0101290A3 (en) 1986-01-29
EP0101290B1 true EP0101290B1 (en) 1987-10-14

Family

ID=10532199

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP83304591A Expired EP0101290B1 (en) 1982-08-09 1983-08-09 Multigauge insulation displacement connector and contacts therefor

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0101290B1 (nl)
JP (1) JPS5949167A (nl)
DE (1) DE3374104D1 (nl)
GB (1) GB2125638B (nl)

Families Citing this family (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB8425640D0 (en) * 1984-10-10 1984-11-14 Gen Electric Co Plc Electrical connectors
DE8430109U1 (de) * 1984-10-12 1986-02-13 Patent-Treuhand-Gesellschaft für elektrische Glühlampen mbH, 8000 München Kontaktelement
FR2574998B1 (fr) * 1984-12-14 1987-02-20 Comptoir Europ Mat Electroniq Contact femelle pour connecteurs
GB2168858B (en) * 1984-12-21 1988-10-05 Egerton A C Ltd Electrical contact or terminal
NL8600041A (nl) * 1985-12-23 1987-07-16 Du Pont Nederland Contactinrichting voor een afgeschermde kabel.
US4813884A (en) * 1987-12-11 1989-03-21 Molex Incorporated High contact pressure insulation displacement terminal for multi-strand wire
EP0928504B1 (de) * 1996-09-27 2000-04-26 Tyco Electronics Logistics AG Kontaktorgan mit doppel-schneidklemmanschluss
JPH10228932A (ja) * 1997-02-13 1998-08-25 Honda Motor Co Ltd 圧接端子の構造
US6398580B2 (en) * 2000-01-11 2002-06-04 Visteon Global Tech., Inc. Electrical terminal member
JP4606743B2 (ja) * 2004-01-23 2011-01-05 日本圧着端子製造株式会社 圧接型コンタクト、これを用いたコネクタおよび電線付きコネクタ、ならびに電線付きコネクタの製造方法
DE102009006828A1 (de) * 2009-01-30 2010-08-05 Tyco Electronics Amp Gmbh Schneidklemmkontakt mit Entkopplungsstelle und Kontaktanordnung mit Schneidklemmkontakt

Family Cites Families (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB728064A (en) * 1952-04-10 1955-04-13 Carr Fastener Co Ltd Improvements in and relating to clips for attaching wires, cables or the like
DE1263130B (de) * 1963-09-30 1968-03-14 Siemens Ag Kontaktelement und Vorrichtung zum Bestuecken des Kontaktelementes fuer Fernmelde-, insbesondere Fernsprechanlagen
US3183472A (en) * 1963-10-02 1965-05-11 Walter S Pawl Unitary rigid wire connectors and method of making wire connections
US3683319A (en) * 1970-10-27 1972-08-08 Amp Inc Notched plate clasp apparatus
DE2254318C3 (de) * 1972-11-06 1975-04-30 Brown, Boveri & Cie Ag, 6800 Mannheim Klemmkontakt
SE395204B (sv) * 1975-03-13 1977-08-01 Ericsson Telefon Ab L M Anslutningsklemma
DE2649098A1 (de) * 1976-10-28 1978-05-03 Siemens Ag Klemmelement zum abisolierfreien anschluss elektrischer leiter
FR2408923A1 (fr) * 1977-09-21 1979-06-08 Alsthom Cgee Borne a raccordement rapide
DE2747264A1 (de) * 1977-10-21 1979-04-26 Stocko Metallwarenfab Henkels Elektrische kontaktelemente mit isoliergehaeuse
NZ193872A (en) * 1979-06-29 1982-12-07 Amp Inc Electrical contact member and incorporated connector
US4333700A (en) * 1980-05-23 1982-06-08 Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated Insulation-penetrating slotted beam contact element
GB2083958B (en) * 1980-09-17 1984-08-08 Vero Electronics Ltd Connector for mounting on a circular board
GB2089147A (en) * 1980-12-05 1982-06-16 Du Pont Insulation displacement connector and housing

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB2125638B (en) 1985-11-27
EP0101290A3 (en) 1986-01-29
GB8321361D0 (en) 1983-09-07
EP0101290A2 (en) 1984-02-22
JPS5949167A (ja) 1984-03-21
GB2125638A (en) 1984-03-07
JPH059905B2 (nl) 1993-02-08
DE3374104D1 (en) 1987-11-19

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