GB2074797A

GB2074797A - Ground terminating connector for flat cable

Info

Publication number: GB2074797A
Application number: GB8109630A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Thomas and Betts Corp
Current assignee: ABB Installation Products Inc
Priority date: 1980-04-23
Filing date: 1981-03-27
Publication date: 1981-11-04
Also published as: CA1149897A; FR2481528B1; GB2074797B; JPS56168371A; DE8111452U1; DE3115305A1; DE3115305C2; FR2481528A1

Abstract

A connector for ground terminating a flat multiconductor cable includes first and second sets of insulation- piercing contacts in a support body 12, the first set of contacts 14 being separately accessible outside the support body and the second set of contacts 16 being accessible in unison 26 outside the support body. All contacts share common attitude in the support body and have identical insulation piercing portions. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Ground terminating connector for flat cable The present invention is directed to connectors for flat multiconductor cable and pertains more particularly to muiticonductor cable connectors providing forthe grounding of selected conductors in a signal transmission cable.

In mass-terminating flat multiconductor cable being used for the communication of low-level signals, need arises in a connector for selectively connecting to ground those cable conductors which are assigned to the purpose of shielding signalcarrying cable conductors. U.S. Patent No. 4,027,941, commonly assigned with the subject appiication, describes a type of connector directed particularly to mass-termination of such signal-carrying multiconductor cable. In the approach of the '941 patent, two types of contact elements share a common connector support body, respectively for piercing the insulation of signal-carrying and ground conductors of the flat cable.The insulation-piercing portions of the two types of contact elements differ, the ground conductor-piercing contact elements being generally planar in configuration and the signal conductorpiercing contact elements being generally boxshaped. Each of the latter contact elements is maintained electrically independent in the connector support body whereas each of the former contact elements are formed integrally with a support plate of electrically conductive materiai and are accordingly electrically interconnected to mass-terminate all engaged conductors at ground potential. Additionally, such '941 connector includes a retainer plate having apertures corresponding to the insulationpiercing portions of the contact elements at ground potential and adapted to engage the portions upon their passage through the flat cable.

Other approaches to the selective termination problem addressed bythe'941 patent connector are seen in U.S. Patents No. 3,768,067 and No. 4,005,921.

In the '067 patent (Figure 4), an embodiment is shown wherein quite different contact elements are employed for ground and signal conductors, respectively operative on different sides of a flat cable and piercing the cable in different directions. In the '921 patent, ground conductors are stripped and bent into engagement with a common grounding bus and accordingly are not insulation-pierced in the course of mass termination.

A distinct shortcoming common to the described insulation-piercing grounding approaches is the diversity in approach to termination of the different types of conductors. As a result, no commonality is seen in terms of contact element structure nor insulation-piercing activities of the respective different contact elements.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved insulation-piercing connector for terminating flat multiconductor cable of type carrying low-level signals and including around conductors.

A more particular object of the invention is to provide a connector of the foregoing type wherein a greater degree of commonality is achieved in structure and function of contact elements adapted for insulation-piercing of ground and signal conductors.

In attaining the foregoing and other objects, the invention provides a connector having all contact elements sharing a common conffguration in their insulation-piercing portions and supporting such insulation-piercing portions in common attitude with respect to a flat cable for like piercing thereof.

The foregoing and other objects and features of the invention will be further evident from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and from the drawings wherein like reference numerals identify like parts throughout.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a connector in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a plan elevation of the base or contact element support body of the Figure 1 connector.

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation as seen from plane Ill-Ill of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a front elevation of the grounding bus of the Figure 1 connector taken separately therefrom.

Figure 5 is a plan elevation of the Figure 4 grounding bus.

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the Figure 4 grounding bus.

Figure 7 is a front elevation of a tail contact of the grounding bus of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a plan elevation of the structure shown in Figure 7.

Figure9 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Figure 7.

Figure 10 is a sectional view as seen from plane X-X of Figure 9.

Referring to Figures 1-3, connector 10 comprises a base 12 supporting contact elements 14 adapted for insulation piercing engagement with signal-carrying conductors of a flat multiconductor cable. As indicated particularly in Figure 2, contact elements 14 are disposed in first and second rows spaced laterally from one another and staggered along the longitudinal axis of the elongate base 12. Second contact elements 16 are spaced also in lateral rows and are staggered longitudinally of base 12 such that they alternate longitudinally with contact elements 14. Thus, one finds a longitudinal sequence of contact elements commencing at the leftward side of base 12 which includes a contact element 16, a contact element 14, a contact element 16, etc.

As is seen particularly in Figure 3, each of the plurality or set of contact elements 14 comprises an insulation-piercing portion 18 of box-shaped configuration, such as is shown in U.S. Patent No.

4,043,628, commonly assigned herewith, and an integrally formed tail portion 20, of length extending below base 12 to render each of contact elements 14 individually electrically accessible exteriorly of the support body. Incorporating reference is hereby made to the '628 patent. As is also shown in Figure 3, the portion 18 extends essentially orthogonal to base 12, as does tail portion 20, base 12 having through apertures for seating contact elements 14.

Contact elements 16 are consituents of contact assembly 22, which comprises such contact elements in addition to interconnection means 24 and tail contact elements 26. In the version of the connector shown in Figures 1-3, tail contact elements 26 are bonded to means 24 in lateral registry with the leftwardmost and right wardmost of contact elements 16, such as is indicated by bonding areas 24a and 24b, whereby redundant laterally extreme tail contacts are defined for means 24. Alternatively, in such embodiment of Figures 1-3, contact assembly 22 may define integral structure wherein means 24 is an elongate plate member of electrically conductive material and contact elements 16 and 26 are formed therewith.As will be seen again by reference to Figure 3, each of the plurality or set of contact elements has has an insulation-piercing portion of common configuration, as in the '628 patent, with insulation-piercing portions 18Ofcon- tact elements 24 and extending in common attitude with contact element portions 18 with respect to base 12 (Figure 3). Tail contact elements 26 are preferably in longitudinal registry with contact elements 16 and are within the longitudinal distance extending between the rightwardmost and leftwardmost of contact elements 16. Contact element or elements 26 extend lengthwise below base 12 to render contact elements 16 electrically accessible in common exteriorly of base 12.

In customary manner in the art, latching means are provided for securing a cover 28 to base 12, such as is shown in the above-referenced '941 patent and indicated in Figure 1 hereof by dependent latch arm 30 and suitable base projections, (not shown).

Referring to Figures 4-6, contact assembly 22 may define dimpled location or openings 34 longitudinally thereof in registry with contact elements 16, such that tail contacts 26 (Figure 3) may be disposed at will and in preselected positions along the length of assembly 22 and base 12. In defining the structure of contact elements 16, incorporating reference is made to the '628 patent for brevity.

Referring to Figures 7-10 of the subject application, tail contact element or terminal means 26 preferably includes a stem 36 having a strengthening rib 36a extending lengthwise therewith. Flange 38 is provided having plate surface for registry with ground bus 24 (Figure 5). Elements 26 include dimpled locations or openings 40 in flanges 38 for registry with openings 34 of ground bus 24, whereby the tail contact elements may be joined to the grounding bus by fasteners insertable through their respective openings or by joiner of dimpled locations.

Various changes to the foregoing described and shown structures will now be evident to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the particularly disclosed preferred embodiments are intended in a illustrative and not in a limiting sense. The true spirit and scope of the invention is set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. A connector for terminating a multiconductor cable, comprising: a support-body; and first and second sets of insulation-piercing contact elements in said support body, each of said contact elements having common insulation-piercing configuration and common attitude with respect to said support body, said first set of contacts being individually accessible and said second set contacts being accessible in unison exteriorly of said support body.

2. The connector claimed in claim 1 wherein said first set of contact elements each have an insulationpiercing end portion and an opposed end portion accessible exteriorly of said support body, and wherein said second set of contact elements each have an insulation-piercing end portion, said insuia- tion-piercing end portions of said first and second set contact elements all having common configuration.

3. The connector claimed in claim 2 further including interconnecting means for connecting all of said second set contact elements electrically in common; and terminal means electrically connected to said interconnecting means and accessible exteriorly of said support body.

4. The connector claimed in claim 3 wherein said inter-connecting means comprises a plate member disposed in said support body and wherein said second set contact elements are integrally joined to said plate member.

5. The conductor claimed in claim 4 wherein said plate member is elongate and wherein said second set contact elements are arranged in first and second longitudinal rows sideward of said plate member.

6. The connector claimed in claim 5 wherein said terminal means is disposed in registry with at least one of the longitudinal outermost of said second set contact elements.

7. The connector claimed in claim 6 wherein said terminal means includes plate surface juxtaposed with and secured to said plate member.

8. The connector claimed in claim 5 wherein said first set contact elements are arranged in third and fourth rows parallel to said first and second rows, said support body defining apertures therethrough for receiving said first set contact elements.

9. A connector for terminating a muiticonductor cable substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.