IL43115A

IL43115A - Electrical connector with insulation-piercing contact member

Info

Publication number: IL43115A
Application number: IL43115A
Authority: IL
Original assignee: Bunker Ramo
Priority date: 1972-09-14
Filing date: 1973-08-30
Publication date: 1976-05-31
Also published as: IT998600B; SE395795B; AU6011373A; DK141423B; PL83803B1; GB1443359A; DE2344830A1; SE7609805L; FR2200725B1; DE2344830C2; US3926498A; DD105941A5; SU602137A3; CA1011421A; BE804874A; NL7312421A; IN140808B; BR7307170D0; JPS49132590A; HU174265B

Abstract

1443359 Two part couplings; terminals BUNKER RAMO CORP 13 Sept 1973 [14 Sept 1972] 43122/73 Heading H2E A contact comprises a notch or slotted section 56 for receiving an insulated conductor, the notch including three successive portions which respectively pierce the insulation, spread the insulation and engage the conductor when the insulated conductor is received into the notch. One piece contacts 33, 43 of a complementary plug 30 and socket 40 each include a mating blade 34, 44 and a terminal element 37, 47 connected to an insulated conductor. The contacts are retained in a moulded insulating housing 31, 41 by means of retainer tabs 38, 39 and 48, 49 which are bent after the contact is placed in the housing for the retention. The terminal elements of each contact are substantially identical, the socket element comprising a channel with a bottom wall 51 and two side walls 52, 53 from which flanges 54A, B and 55A, B are bent to lie across the channel and form respective notches 56. An insulated conducter received into the notches engages first the converging 57A, B with thin edges which cut the insulation 62, secondly a medial or transition portion 58 which has thicker edges and spreads the insulation 62 away from the conductor 61 and thirdly a jaw portion 59 having smooth rounded edges which make connection with the conductor. In another embodiment, (Fig. 13) each notch comprises only one flange (154 or 155) which extends integrally from one side wall (152) across the channel to enter a slot (164) formed by a fold in the other side wall (153); alternatively the slot may be cut into the wall (Fig. 16). Another embodiment shows the flanges formed by folding up a portion of the channel bottom wall (351, Figs. 17-19), edges of the folded-up portion engaging slots cut or folded (Fig. 20) into the channel side walls. In Fig. 21 (not shown), the housing has a groove (402) forming an entrance guide (403) and a retainer (404) for the insulated conductor. [GB1443359A]

Claims

43115/

1. A electrical contact member for electrical connection to circuit elements including an insulations-covered electrical conductor, comprising a slotted section for receiving the conductor, the slotted section being eharaeteri&ed by: an upper portion, converging downwardly and h ing thin edges to afford a cutting section for shearing through the insulation on the conductor; a medial portion constluing a transition section for adding in exposing the conductor; and a lower portion having smooth, thickened edges affording a terminal sectio with a pressure jaw engaging the exposed electrical conductor in wiping contact, each of the thickened edges having a thickness greater than that ©Clone of said thin edges.

2. the contact member as claimed in Cl½im 1, characterised in tha said transition section has gradually thickened edges fo spreading the insulation on the conductor.

3. ¾e contac membe as clatoed In Olalm 1, wherein said member is formed from a single p&e.ce of conductive sheet metal, and characterize by: an active element and an integral terminal element comprising an elosgated channel of f-shaped eross-seetional said terminal element including at least one terminal flange formed by at least one flange element struck from a wall of said channel and bent inwardly to extend transversely of said channel, said flange having said slotted section thereon defining a slot opening upwardly.

4. The contact member as claimed i Claim 3, and further characterized by a tab, formed as an upward extension of one 43115/0 aide wall of said terminal element, adapted to be bent across the open upper portion of said channel to retain an electrical conductor in said terminal element.

5. T e contact member as claimed in claim 3» characterized in that said terminal element includes two of said spaced terminal flanges, one locate adjacent the outer end of said terminal element and the other located adjacent the inner end of said terminal element, each terminal flange havin/ a conductor-rece IvI ng slot affording cutting, transition, end terminal sec.'foii as aforesaid.

6. The contact member as ciaiiu d in Claim 3, chsi .id or! zed In that said terminal f lange is struck from one wall of said channel, extends completely across said channel, and is interlocked with at least one other wall of said channel.

7. The contact member as' claimed In Claim 6, character? zed In that said terminal flange projects Into a retaining slot In the other side wall of said channel..

8. The contact member as claimed in Claim 7, characterized In that said terminal flange Is struck from the bottom wall of said channel and projects Into retaining slots In both side wal ls of said channel.

9. The contact member as claimed In Claim I, characterized In that the terminal section has downwardly diverging wal ls which are spread during Insertion of an electrical conductor and which apply a retaining force to hold the conductor in said slot.

10. The contact member as claimed in Claim I, characterized In that the side walls of the terminal section terminate in a smooth, curved bottom wa 11.

11. The contact member as claimed in Claim 2, characterized In that the transition and terminal sections are formed by flaps folded away from the center of the slotted section and coined Into the recited shape at said transition section.

12. The contact member as claimed in Claim I, characterized In that said slotted section Is formed from a thin, conductive sheet me†al with at least one pair of opposed, transverse flange elements forming an upwardly open slot for receiving said conductor, said upper portion having flat edges converging downwardly to form said cutting section with said flat edges extending across at least a major portion of a thickness of said sheet metal, said sheet metal being bent to form said lower portion.

13. The contact member as claimed In Claim 2, characterized In that 43115 A

14. The connector unit as claimed in Claim I, characterized in that said transition section has gradually thickened edges for spreading the insulation on the conductor.

15. The contact member as claimed in Claim I In combination with an electrical connector unit having insulating means for supporting said contact member, and characterized by strain relief means for restricting movement of said conductor In a direction transverse to the length of said conductor, the insulating means including a plurality of parallel longi-tudina I ly-extendl ng contact supports with tnner and outer end portions, each outer end portion having an upper longitudinal side open for receiving an Insulation-covered electrical conductor.

16. The connector unit as claimed in Claim 15, characterized in that said contact supports are arranged in a pair of opposed rows, each outer end portion having an upper longitudinal side open for receiving said insulation-covered electrical conductor.

17. The connector unit as claimed in Claim 15, characterized In that: said insulating means Is formed of molded insulating material; said supports comprise a plurality of contact mounting passages; said plurality of contact members are mounted in said contact passages; each contact member includes an active contact element and a terminal element, the terminal element of each contact member including said slotted section; and said slotted section comprises at least one terminal flange having an insulation-piercing slot for receiving said insulation-covered electrical conductor and completing an electrical connection between the conductor and said contact member. ,

18. The connector unit as claimed in Claim 17, characterized in that said terminal elements are formed of thin conductive sheet metal and i · ■ are disposed in said outer end portions, and in that said strain relief means comprises a plurality of conductor retention means including a pair of opposed retainer grooves aligned with said outer end portions and disposed opposite said inner end portions, each of said grooves Including an Ing movement thereof in a direction transverse to said support.'

19.. The connector unit as ctaii.od in Claim 18 character! zed in that said plurality of contact mounting passages extend through said insulating means, the insulating means fitting together with a mating connector unit to align the inner ends of the contact passages in the i nsu I at! ng means one-for-one with a corresponding plurality of coni'acts in the tnating connector unit, the outer ends of the contact passages in said Insulating means each being of elongated U-shaped configuration; each of said plurality of each contact member having its active contact e I erne nt positioned in Hie inner end of the contact passage and integral with a ierminal element disposed within the outer end of the contact passage, the terminal element of each contact member comprising an elongated channel which fits within the outer end of the contact passage; and said retention means is molded integral ly with said insulating means, for releasably retaining the individual electrical conductors in the terminal elements of said contact members.

20. An electrical connector unit, according to Claim 19, characterized in that said retention means comprises an end barrier molded integrally with said insulating means and extending across the ends of said contact passages, said end barrier including a plurality of said retainer grooves one for each contact passage, each retainer groove including an entrance section leading to a short, narrow retainer section which In turn leads to a receptacle section large enough to accorrmodate an insulation-covered conductor.

21. An electrical connector unit, according to Claim 19, characterized in that the side Twa I Is of "the terminal element of each contact-member afford a close fit with the side wal Is of the outer end of the contact passage in which the contact member is mounted to prevent excessi e I distortion of each terminal element when a conductor Is inserted In the terminal flange slot thereof.

22. An electrical connector unit, according to Claim 19, characterized in that each terminal flange Is struck from one wall of said 43115/4-

23. An electrical connector unit, according to Claim 20, characterized in that each terminal element includes two of said insulation-piercing electrical terminal flanges, one flange located Immediately "adjacent said barrier at the outer end of the terminal element, the other f lange located adjacent the inner end of the terminal element.

24. The electrical connector unit as claimed In Claim 17, characterized in that each of said contact mounting passages have outer ends each being of elongated U-shaped configuration, the terminal element of each contact inember comprising an elongated three-sided channel which fits within the outer ends of the contact passage. RTNERS