GB2210734A

GB2210734A - Terminating insulated conductors

Info

Publication number: GB2210734A
Application number: GB8721918A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Covell Collier
Original assignee: BICC PLC
Current assignee: Balfour Beatty PLC
Priority date: 1987-09-17
Filing date: 1987-09-17
Publication date: 1989-06-14
Also published as: GB8721918D0

Abstract

An electrical contact element includes a terminating portion (2) comprising two or more tines (3, 4, 5, 6) adapted to make an electrical connection with an insulated conductor, the tines being separated one from another by troughs (7, 8, 9) therebetween. The length of the tines is increased sequentially longitudinally of the contact element such that any one of a range of insulated conductors of differing diameters can be terminated by the terminating portion and at least one of the tines will make an effective electrical connection therewith. <IMAGE>

Description

TERMINATING INSULATED CONDUCTORS This invention relates to electrical contacts for the termination of insulated conductors and to electrical connectors incorporating such contacts. The invention particularly relates to the solderless connection of contacts to insulated conductors. By the term insulated conductors there is herein meant to to include solid conductors and stranded conductors together with other types of conductors such as tinsel conductors, whenever insulated by a covering of insulating material.

Two conventional methods of solderless connection are insulation piercing and insulation displacement. Insulation piercing is where the insulation on an insulated conductor is pierced by a sharp contact, such that an electrical connection is formed between the contact and the conductor within the insulation covering. Insulation displacement is where the insulated conductor and contact are forced together, the contact usually being slotted, such that the insulation covering the conductor is displaced from the conductor to allow the contact to form an electrical connection with the conductor. The term 'terminating portion' used herein is specifically meant to include both insulation piercing and insulation displacement techniques as well as combinations of the two.

Conventional modular connectors such as pluggable telephone connectors employ an insulation piercing contact having two tines with a trough therebetween.

An example of this type of contact is described in UK 1445270 in the name of Western Electric Company.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved contact for the solder less connection of electrical conductors.

Accordingly there is provided an electrical contact element including a terminating portion comprising two or more tines adapted to make an electrical connection with an insulated conductor, the two or more tines being separated one from another by one or more troughs therebetween, the configuration of the terminating portion being such that the length of the two or more tines increases sequentially along the longitudinal axis of the contact element such that any one of a range of insulated conductors of differing diameters can be terminated by the terminating portion and at least one of the two or more tines will make an effective electrical connection therewith.

With this arrangement smaller diameter insulated conductors will therefore be effectively terminated by the longer tine or tines even though the shorter tine or tines may not be of sufficient length to pierce the insulation and contact the conductor therein.

Conversely larger diameter insulated conductors will be effectively terminated by the shorter tine or tines even though the longer tine or tines may be over-inserted into the insulated conductor deforming or displacing the conductor therein. In this way a range of diameters of insulated conductor can be accommodated, thereby avoiding the requirement for specific contacts for each diameter of conductor.

Conveniently the terminating portion comprises at least three tines separated one from another by troughs therebetween, the configuration of the terminating portion being such that the length of the at least three tines increases sequentially along the longitudinal axis of the contact element such that any one of a range of insulated conductors of differing diameters can be terminated by the terminating portion and at least one of the three or more tines will make an effective electrical connection therewith.

Conveniently the contact element further comprises a contact area adapted to engage and make an electrical connection with at least one other electrical contact.

The invention further resides in an electrical connector for terminating one or more insulated conductors, the connector incorporating one or more electrical contact elements as herein described. In particular an electrical connector for terminating one or more insulated conductors comprises an insulating housing, the housing defining one or more cavities and having at least one entrance through which one or more insulated conductors may be introduced into the one or more cavities; and one or more electrical contact elements each including a terminating portion comprising two or more tines adapted to make an electrical connection with one of the one or more insulated conductors, the two or more tines being separated one from another by one or more troughs therebetween, the configuration of the terminating portion of each of the one or more contact elements being such that the length of the two or more tines increases sequentially along the longitudinal axis of the one or more contact elements such that any one of a range of insulated conductors of differing diameters can be terminated by the terminating portion and at least one of the two or more tines will make an effective electrical connection therewith.

The contact elements are conveniently diposed in the housing such that the longest tine is the furthest away from the at least one entrance to the one or more cavities. This arrangement prevents the longest tine or tines, which may be over-inserted in the case of a larger diameter insulated conductor, from being disposed between the shorter tine or tines and the length of conductor extending from the conductor.

The invention further resides in a pluggable telephone connector comprising an insulating housing, the housing defining a cavity in which a plurality of insulated conductors may be received, and an entrance through which one or more insulated conductors may be introduced into the cavity; and a plurality of electrical contact elements each including a terminating portion comprising two or more tines adapted to make an electrical connection with one of the insulated conductors, the two or more tines being separated one from another by one or more troughs therebetween, the configuration of the terminating portion of each contact element being such that the length of the two or more tines increases sequentially along the longitudinal axis of the contact element such that any one of a range of insulated conductors of differing diameters can be terminated by the terminating portion and at least one of the two or more tines will make an effective electrical connection therewith.

Conveiently each of the plurality of electrical contacts is disposed in the housing such that the longest tine is is furthest from the entrance to the cavity.

The invention will now be described in further detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side view of an electrical contact according to the invention; and Figure 2 is a side view of an electrical contact according to an alterative embodiment of the invention.

Referring to Figure 1, an electrical contact shown generally at 1 includes a terminating portion 2 comprising four barbed tines 3, 11, 5 and 6 with troughs 7; 8 and 9 therebetween. The length of the tines increases steadily along the longitudinal axis of the contact with tine 3 being the longest and tine 6 the shortest.

In use the contact 1 is driven into an insulated conductor (not shown) the tines piercing the insulated covering to make an electrical connection with the conductor therein. In the termination of an insulated conductor of smaller than average diameter, the longest tine 3 will still make an electrical connection with the electrical conductor even if the shorter tines such as 5 and 6 fail to reach the conductor. Conversely, in the termination of a larger than average insulated conductor, the shortest tine 6 will make a good electrical connection even if the longer tines such as 3 and it are over-inserted into the insulated conductor causing unwanted excessive deformation or displacement thereof.

Where the electrical contact 1 is incorporated in an electrical conductor (not shown) the contact is disposed such that the longest tine 3 is furthest from the length of conductor extending from the connector This is to prevent the situation from occuring in which an imperfect electrical connection from tine 3 is interposed between a good electrical connection from tine 6, for example, and the conductor extending from the connector, thereby isolating the good electrical connection from the length of conductor.

Figure 2 shows an alternative embodiment of contact having only two tines, a longer tine 10 and a shorter tine 11. The tines 10 and 11 have a single trough 12 therebetween. The operation of the contact of Figure 2 is similar to that of the contact of Figure 1 with the longer tine 10 making a good electrical connection with smaller than average insulated conductors, and the shorter tine 11 making a good electrical connection with larger than average insulated conductors.

Claims

1. An electrical contact element including a terminating portion comprising two or more tines adapted to make an electrical connection with an insulated conductor, the two or more tines being separated one from another by one or more troughs therebetween, the configuration of the terminating portion being such that the length of the two or more tines increases sequentially along the longitudinal axis of the contact element such that any one of a range of insulated conductors of differing diameters can be terminated by the terminating portion and at least one of the two or more tines will make an effective electrical connection therewith.

2. An electrical contact according to Claim 1 wherein the terminating portion comprises at least three tines separated one from another by troughs therebetween, the configuration of the terminating portion being such that the length of the at least three tines increases sequentially along the longitudinal axis of the contact element such that any one of a range of insulated conductors of differing diameters can be terminated by the terminating portion and at least one of the three or more tines will make an effective electrical connection therewith.

3. An electrical contact element according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 and further comprising a contact area adapted to engage and make an electrical connection with at least one other electrical contact.

4. An electrical contact element substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

5. An electrical connector for terminating one or more insulated conductors, the connector incorporating one or more electrical contact elements according to any of Claims 1 to 4.

6. An electrical connector for terminating one or more insulated conductors comprising an insulated housing, the housing defining one or more cavities and having at least one entrance through which one or more insulated conductors may be introduced into the one or more cavities; and one or more electrical contact elements each including a terminating portion comprising two or more tines adapted to make an electrical connection with one of the one or more insulated conductors, the two or more tines being separated one from another by one or more troughs therebetween , the configuration of the terminating portion of each of the one or more contact elements being such that the length of the two or more tines increases sequentially along the longitudinal axis of the one or more contact elements such that any one of a range of insulated conductors of differing diameters can be terminated by the terminating portion and at least one of the two or more tines will make an effective electrical connection therewith.

7. An electrical connector according to Claim 6 wherein each of the one or more contact elements is disposed in the housing such that the longest tine is furthest away from the at least one entrance to the one or more cavities.

8. A pluggable telephone connector comprising an insulated housing, the housing defining a cavity in which a plurality of insulated conductors may be received, and an entrance through which the one or more insulated conductors may be introduced into the cavity; and a plurality of electrical contact elements each including a terminating portion comprising two or more tines adapted to make an electrical connection with one of the insulated conductors, the two or more tines being separated one from another by one or more troughs therebetween, the configuration of the terminating portion of each contact element being such that the length of the two or more tines increases sequentially along the longitudinal axis of the contact element such that any one of a range of insulated conductors of differing diameters can be terminated by the terminating portion and at least one of the two or more tines will make an effective electrical connection therewith.

9. A pluggable telephone connector according to Claim 8 wherein each of the plurality of electrical contact elements is disposed such that the longest tine is- furthest away from the entrance to the cavity.