GB2244389A

GB2244389A - Two-piece electrical plug with spool for storing cable

Info

Publication number: GB2244389A
Application number: GB9017240A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Milton Bernard Hollander; David R Jacobs; William Earl Mckinley
Original assignee: Omega Engineering Inc
Current assignee: Omega Engineering Inc
Priority date: 1990-05-24
Filing date: 1990-08-07
Publication date: 1991-11-27
Anticipated expiration: 2010-08-07
Also published as: FR2662550B1; GB9017240D0; CA2022904C; DE4027482A1; FR2662550A1; CA2022904A1; DE4027482C2; GB2244389B

Abstract

A plug comprises a part 12 carrying pins 33, 35 and terminals 36, 38 for wire ends, and a part 14 releasable attached to part 12 and supporting the end of a cable (not shown). The part 14 is formed with a spool 80 on which the cable can be wound for storage. The spool includes a cable clamp. <IMAGE>

Description

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SPECIFICATION

This invention relates generally to electrical connectors, and more specifically to electrical connectors having a housing with provision for storing and anchoring a length of electrical conductor thereon.

Separable electrical connectors of the type having a female receptacle portion with receiving contact elements, and a plug portion with extending male contact elements configured to be inserted into the mating receiving contacts on the receptacle portion, are well known in the art. The plug receptacle portioris of such connectors generally comprise a housing or body portion formed of electrically insulating material, with one of more contact elements formed of electrically conductive material supported and positioned on the housing.

In use, one end of a flexible electrical conductor or cable is electrically coupled to each contact element and is mechanically coupled to either or both the contact element and the housing; the conductor extends a predetermined length from the connector portion so that the opposite end of the conductor may be coupled to an associated electrical device.

The size and shape of the halves or portions of a separable electrical connector often are adapted to reflect certain qualities of the electrical circuit devices which they are intended to connect and of the applications with which they are associated. Although connectors used with test and experimental devices such as thermocouples, often are reduced to ',small" or Elminiature" size inrecognition of the limited space which may be available in crowded test sites, such connectors frequently are not otherwise specifically adapted to the requirements Of such use.

When test circuit devices such as thermocouples are used, for example, it is often necessary to move them from location to location within a given test site, or to other test sites. Each time such a device is moved, it may be relocated at a different distance from the point at which the associated electrical connector must be coupled to a mating portion. The location of the mating portion may vary as well, requiring frequent disengagement and re-engagement of the mating portions. Such use tends to impose substantial stress on the mechanical coupling between the conductor and the connector. It necessitates finding accommodation for the excess length of conductor each time the distance between the utilization device and the connection point is shortened. It also requires 'convenient means for extending the conductor length when the distance is increased.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an electrical connector which includes means for storing in neat, compact and readily accessible form, the excess length of electrical conductor which is coupled thereto.

1 Another object of this invention is to provide an electrical connector with simple and effective means for improving mechanical resistance to stress at the coupling between the conductor and the connector.

These and other and further objects, features and advantages of this invention will be made apparent to those of skill in this art by the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a partially exploded pictorial representation of a 30 connector constructed in accordance with this invention.

1 Figure 2 is a pictorial representation of the reverse side of the upper connector element illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the connector illustrated in Figure 1 with the parts thereof fully assembled.

Figure 4 is a side dlevation view of the connector of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a plan view of the connector of Figure 1 taken from the reverse side of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is an end elevation view of the connector of Figure 4 showing a different form of strain-relief capstan.

Referring now more specifically ' to the drawings, an electrical connector in accordance with this invention is designated generally by reference numeral 10 in Figure 1. The connector 10 has an elongated body defined by a contact supporting body member 12 and a cable supporting body- member 14 which are separably attached together as shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5, by screws 16 or other suitable fastening means.

Contact supporting body member 12 is formed of electrically insulating material by any suitable molding or forming process. A pair of electrical contact elements 18, 20 are supported on the contact-supporting body 12 in generally spaced-apart parallel relationship for convenient axial engagement with a mating connector (not shown). The contact elements 18, 20 may be molded into the material of the supporting body 14 during the formation process in any well known manner, or they may be force-fitted or snap-fitted into suitable openings in the body. In an alternate from, body 12 may be formed in two longitudinally separated parts along line 37 in Figure 1, to capture contacts 18, 20 between them before they are fastened together. Recesses 22, 24 in the -mating face 26 of the body 14 are provided with opposed stop 30 surf aces such as 28, 30 which cooperate with oppositely facing - 3 - stop surfaces 32, 34 on one end of each contact to resist axial displacement of the contacts relative to the body i4. The opposite ends 33, 35 of contacts 18, 20 project from contact exposing face 37 at one axial end of body 12.

Each contact element 18, 20 is provided with a means such as openings 36, which receive screws 38 for securing an electrical conductor wire (not shown) to the contact element in the well known manner of an electrical screw terminal. The screw terminal 38 may be threadely engaged directly with the contgcts 18, 20.

to But in the embodiment illustrated here, the contact supporting body member 14 is provided with a pair of conductive metallic inserts each having internally threaded openings 44, 46 positioned in alignment with the openings 36 in contacts 18, 20 for receiving screws 38 in threaded engagement through the openings 36. When a wire conductor is secured to contacts 18, 20 in this manner, an electrical path is established between and among contacts 18, 20, screws 36 and conductive inserts 40, 42.

As an added feature of this invention, conductive inserts 40, 42 extend through support body 14 and are accessible from the exterior thereof through recesses 48, 50. This structure facilitates electrical access to the contact elements 18, 20 for testing and circuit verification purposes.

Cable supporting body member 14 has a mating face 52 configured to lie in parallel, overlapping relationship with the mating face 26 of contact supporting body 12. First and second abutting surfaces 54, 56 on the cable supporting body are provided to position that body axially relative to corresponding first and second abutting surfaces 58, 60 on contact supporting body 12. To further position bodies 12 and 14, an alignment projection 62, in the form of a lance on body 14 is located and dimensioned to be received in a mating recess opening 64 in body 12.

4 - When bodies 12 and 14 have been brought together and properly aligned by the interaction corresponding abutting surface lance 62 with recess 64, against lateral separation by screws 16. The screws are inserted through suitable openings in body 14 and are threadely received in aligned openings 68 in body 12.

of abutting surfaces 54, 56 With s 58, 60 and the interaction of the bodies may be removably secured Textured gripping surfaces 70 on the lateral exterior surfaces of body 12 align with similar surfaces on the exterior of body 14 when the two bodies have been fastened together facilitate handling of the connectors, engagement and disengagement of mating portions.

so as to especially during A cable guiding recess 74 is provided at the end of the cable supporting body 12 remote from the contact supporting face 37, for permitting a cable or conductor to extend from between mating faces 26 and 52, to the exterior. 'An axially extending recess 76 in body 14 aligns and cooperates with cable-guiding recess 74 to facilitate emergence of a cable from between the mating faces 26, 52. In this manner, one or more conductor wires, coupled to contact 18, 20 by screw means 38, at mating face 26 on body 12, may be enclosed between faces 26 and 58. The wires may extend conveniently from the point where they are coupled to the contacts to the exterior of the connector 10. Recesses 78 in body 14 open into mating face 52 to accommodate the heads of screws 38. In addition to accommodating the heads of screws 38, recesses 78 provide clearance for the conductors (not shown) which are gripped by the screws for connection to contacts 18, 20.

Referring again to Figure 2, conductor receiving member 14 may be 30 seen to include an extending spool portion 80 at one end thereof. The spool portion has an elongate body defined by four side wall members 82 which are arranged in generally parallel spaced-apart relationship and are connected together by generally parallel alternately spaced floor web portions 84. The Structure is similar to a corrugated beam, having optimum strength with minimum mass of material and correspondingly reduced wetight.

Projecting from the remote end of spool portion 80, and forming integral lateral extensions of the outermost sidewalls 82 are a pair of pulling ears or shoulders 86 which provide gripping surfaces to facilitate separation of the connector from a mating connector (not shown). Shoulders 86 further define the axial limits of the spool portion, at one end thereof. A second pair of transversely extending projecting surfaces 87 spaced from and opposed to shoulders 86, are formed on cable body 14, to define, with shoulders 86, a recess forming a spool.

A transverse bridge 88 extends across the remote longitudinal ends of side walls 82 and floor webs 84 and is integrally formed with them to provide strength and support for the spool structure. A pair of spaced apart rectangular apertures 90 extend through the bridge 88 on either side of a central web 92. A pivot boss 94 extends from the bridge 88 perpendicularly to the plane of the spool portion to form the support for a transversely extending wing portion 96. The wing extends laterally in spaced relation to bridge 88 and overlies the apertures 90. Pivot boss 94 and wing portion 96 together define a capstan which may serve as an anchor for a conductor attached to the connector.

In use, a conductor may be coupled to the screw terminal 38 of a 25 contact element 18, 20 and then guided to the exterior of the connector housing through recess 74 in contact receiving element 12. As it emerges from recess 74, a conductor may extend along recess 76 to the vicinity of bridge 88 where it may be wound around the pivot boss 94 beneath retaining wing 96 in the manner of a capstan, to relieve stress on the screw terminal 38.

- 6 1 It may be noted that for ease of fabrication, central web 92 and pivot boss 94 share common sidewalls forming one side of each of apertures 90, and aligned with may be inserted the lateral extending portions of wing 96 are and congruent to apertures 90, so that molding dies and withdrawn through the apertures easily to form the wing 96 in spaced relation to the apertures.

In an alternative embodiment, suggested in Figure 6, a wing 96A may be formed separately of pivot boss 94 and then pivotally attached thereto by a pivot pin 98 inserted through a suitable pivot hole in the wing and anchored in boss 94. Pivotal movement of wing 96A allows it to be moved into and out of blocking, aligned relation with apertures 90. Such movement facilitates inserting a conductor through either one or both of apertures 90 to create a tortuous path for i conductor relative to the connector so as to achieve added stress relief and more secure mechanical anchoring of the conductor to the connector.

In other alternative embodiments Connector 10 as shown in Figure 1 can be an integrally insert molded connector complete with male pins and beaded connector wire or the spool body design can be made as a punched, flat piece with the pivot boss 94 and the retaining wing 96 replaced by a cutout having one leg running partially the length of the spool from the top thereof with a shorter cutout leg thereof directed back towards the top of the spool to provide the means for added stress relief and more secure mechanical anchoring of the conductor to the connector.

Although a specific embodiment of this invention has been disclosed, it should be understood that various other and different forms and embodiments are possible within the scope of this disclosure and the following claims.

A

Claims

CLAIMS We claim: 1. An electrical connector, of the type which is coupled to the end of a flexible electrical cable having at least one electrical conductor for engagement with a mating connector, comprising: an elongate housing, having a contact-supporting, body member of insulating material at one end thereof, and a cable supporting body member at the other end thereof separably attached to said contact-supporting body member; said contact-supporting body having a mating face for engaging a mating face on said cable-supporting body; said cable supporting body having a mating face lying in overlapping relationship with the, mating face on said contact supporting body; each of said mating faces being generally parallel to the length of said housing; said contact-supporting body member having a contact exposing face with an opening therethrough for exposing a contact; an electrical contact element supported on said contact supporting body, and having a matipg portion exposed through the opening in said contact exposing face; coupling means on said contact supporting body accessible at said mating face for coupling an electrical conductor to said electrical contact; said cable supporting body having a spool portion extending along the length thereof for winding an electrical cable thereon, and having an opening therein substantially transverse to the length of said housing through which the end of an electrical cable may be inserted to provide strain relief for resisting separation of said cable from said housing; L.

1 1 capstan means on said cable supporting body adjacent to said opening and extending in overlying, spaced relation thereto for limiting withdrawal of a cable from said opening.

2. An electrical connector in accordance with claim 1, wherein said opening in said cable supporting body is one of a pair of spaced-apart openings through which the end of an electrical cable may be inserted in sequence.

3. An electrical connector in accordance with Claim 1, wherein: said cable-supporting body member is separably attached to said contactsupporting body by a threaded fastener.

4. An electrical connector in accordance with claim 3, wherein: said threaded fastener extends through said mating faces.

5. An electrical connector in accordance with Claim 1, further including: an alignment projection on the mating face of one of said body members, and a mating recess on the mating face of the other of said body members to receive said alignment projection for positioning said bodies relativeto each other.

6. An electrical connector in accordance with Claim 1, wherein: said contact-supporting body member comprises 'two parts, each having a contact gripping face thereon, said gripping faces being in opposed abutting relationship gripping said electrical contact element therebetween.

disposed

7. An electrical connector in' accordance with Claim 1, wherein: the mating face of at least one of said body members includes a recess forming an exit passage for extending a conductor between said mating faces to the exterior of said housing.

9 -

8. An electrical connector in accordance with Claim 7, wherein: said spool portion includes a longitudinal groove therein providing a path for a conductor along at least a portion of the length of said spool portion.

9. An electrical connector in accordance with Claim 2, wherein: said capstan means comprises a wing element, said wing having a pair of projections extending in opposite directions and mounted on said cable supporting body member

10. An electrical connector in accordance with Claim 2, wherein: said capstan means comprises a wing element and a central pivot element, said wing "having a pair of projections extending in opposite directions from said central pivot and mounted on said cable supporting body member such that said wing member is movable by rotation about said' pivot to move said projections into and out of blocking alignment with said pair of spaced-apart openings to resist withdrawal of a cable from within said openings.

An electrical connector in accordance with Claim 1, wherein: said coupling means comprises a conductive insert element extending through said contac t- supporting body, having attaching means at one end proximate said mating face for attaching a conductor thereto, and surface means at the other end thereof exposed to the exterior of said housing, providing an external conductive path to said contact element.

12. An electrical connector in accordance with Claim 1, further comprising: a shoulder surface extending transversely from said spool portion at a location remote from said said contact exposing face and facing in the. direction of said contactexposing face, to form an axial limit to one end of said spool portion and to provide a grip for an operator to withdraw said connector from engagement with a mating connector.

11

13. An electrical connector in accordance with Claim 12, further comprising: a projecting surface extending transversely from a side of said spool portion in opposing, spaced-apart relation to said shoulder surface, said shoulder surface and said projecting surface defining between them a recess for receiving and confining a cable wound around said spool portion.

14. An electrical connector in accordance with Claim 1, wherein: said transverse opening in said spool is a cutout substantially in the shape of a "J".

15. An electrical connector in accordance with Claim 1, wherein: said elongate housing, having a contact-supporting body member of insulating material at one end thereof, and said cablesupporting body member at the other end thereof are integrally molded in one piece; 11 - Published 1991 at 7be Patent Office, Concept House. Cardiff Road. Newport. Gwent NP9 I RH. Further copies may be obtained from Sales Branch. Unit 6. Nine Mile Point, Cwmfelinfach, Cross Keys. Newport, NPI 7HZ. Printed by Multiplex techniques ltd. St Mary Cray. Kent.