Multi contact socket connector

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6276955
  • Patent Number
    6,276,955
  • Date Filed
    Friday, January 14, 2000
    24 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, August 21, 2001
    23 years ago
Abstract
An insulation displacement contact (IDC) strain relief cap to interconnect a wire with an electrical contact is disclosed. The strain relief cap has a “U” shaped end to engage and retain the wire and is engageable with the contact. Means in the form of two star shaped openings are provided on the strain relief cap to retain the wire whereby the electrical contact, wire, and strain relief cap may be moved as a single unit. The star shaped openings and “U” shaped member allow for flexible retention of the wire to the strain relief cap.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




1. Field of the Invention




This invention relates to an electrical connector for insulation displacement contact (IDC) with insulation conducting wire. The invention finds particular utility in telecommunications where wires terminate in central office and building entrances.




2. Description of Prior Art




It is common to find the use of insulation displacement contact (IDC) technology in the electrical connector industry, because it allows rapid and simple connection of conducting wires to terminals without stripping nor crimping. A typical IDC connection is made by disposing an insulated conducting wire perpendicular to a planar wall portion comprising an IDC slot, stuffing a wire into the slot such that edges thereof cut through the insulation and make electrical contact with conducting strands of a wire. The IDC slots are generally formed by opposed edges of the sheet metal wall portion which is necessarily of a certain width to have sufficient strength to support the contact pressure against the edges.




Commercially available connectors that utilize insulation displacement contact (IDC) technology provide strain relief for multiple conductors. IDC pins are molded into the connector body which is used to support the strain relief member. These commercially available connectors are designed to terminate multiple conductors in a single connector. Strained relief for these types of connectors are designed as an integral part of the connector body securing all conductors within a single strain relief member. Although this technology finds particular applicability when multiple wires are to be connected and unconnected, it does not lend itself to large pin array connectors where individual wires need to be reworked or rerouted without jeopardizing adjacent connections. Strain relief of the individual contacts or pins provide a great benefit during reworking or rerouting of individual wires.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




It is a primary object of the present invention to provide strain relief for individual IDC pins or contacts.




It is another object of the invention to provide individual strain relief pins that make IDC a viable technology for large pin array connectors.




A further object of the invention is to provide strain relief for individual pins or contacts to allow for automated assembly of large pin arrays.




Yet a further object of the invention is to provide strain relief for individual IDC connections to ensure robust electrical connections, while allowing wiring changes and repairs without compromising adjacent electrical connections.




It is yet another object of the invention to provide strain relief for individual IDC pins or contacts to replace wire wrap technology on current products.




The foregoing objects have been accomplished by providing an IDC strain relief cap that operates in conjunction with an IDC contact to retain an insulated wire rigidly in contact with the cap and contact.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is an isometric back view of a current projection block having wire wrap pins.





FIG. 2

is an isometric front view of a current projection block having wire wrap pins.





FIG. 3

is an enlarged view of an IDC connection according to the disclosure.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION




FIG.


1


. Illustrates the back


10


of a relatively standard protection block


12


with wire wrap pins


14


projecting through cylindrical openings


16


(

FIG. 2

) on the front


18


of block


12


. In the prior art, wire not shown, is wrapped in a spiral fashion around the pins


14


to provide contact. As described later in the specification, the disclosure of the present invention can make use of protection block


12


.





FIG. 3

illustrates an IDC pin and strain relief cap assembly


20


having an IDC contact


22


terminating at one end in a retainer clip


24


that is engageable with a wire


26


. IDC contact


22


includes a cylindrical hollow body portion


28


having a significant length to engage and be retained by a pin


14


on protection block


12


. Opposite from body portion


28


of IDC contact


22


, retaining clip


24


includes a “U” shaped end


30


having upper and lower plate like portions


32


and


34


that are movable relative to each other to grasp and retain wire


26


. Wire


26


is of a type commonly used to transmit electricity or signals and includes a center portion


36


made, for example, of solid copper that is surrounded by appropriate insulation


38


to protect center portion


36


from the exterior environment.




In the center of each plate


32


and


34


of the “U” shaped end


30


is a hole with, for example, eight slots


40


extending out from the center forming a star like pattern. Hole


42


in upper plate


32


is axially aligned with hole


44


in lower plate


34


. The star shaped holes


42


and


44


are of a smaller diameter than the outside diameter of center portion


36


of wire


26


to insure a tight grip on the center portion. IDC contact


22


is preferably made of a standard metal material such as a steel alloy coated with brass to transmit electrical signals or electricity to the pins


14


.




In assembly, the wire


26


is inserted straight through the two star shaped holes


42


and


44


. Since the star shaped holes are of a smaller diameter than the outside diameter of center section


36


or wire


26


the slots


40


allow for the metal between adjacent slots to slightly deform bending in the direction of wire movement and thereby gripping tightly center section


36


of wire


26


. This contact between metal alloy of upper and lower plates


32


and


34


with the copper or softer center section


36


insures both good electrical connection and stain relief without additional hardware or assembly processes. The downward movement in

FIG. 3

, of the metal between the slots


40


provides a self locking connection, that can be applied to individual pins or contacts. This type of connection will provide both good electrical and mechanical characteristics and facilitate cost effective automated assembly.




It should be recognized by those skilled in the art that although holes


42


and


44


are shown as star shaped openings with eight (8) slots each, changes to the configuration of these openings may be made within the spirit of this invention. For example, 6, 7 or 9 slots equally spaced may be provided. The significance of the slots is to allow for deformation in a flexible manner for metal between the slots to move in response to the insertion of center section


36


into the openings


42


and


44


. Further it is preferred to have 360 degree contact between both upper late


32


and lower plate


34


with center section


36


. It should be recognized, that this 360 degree contact may be intermittent as illustrated in the drawings and explained within the specification.




Further, the alignment of holes


42


and


44


insure rapid straight placement of wire


26


relative to IDC contact


22


. If desired, these holes


42


and


44


may be offset relative to the axis of hollow body portion


28


. Further it should be recognized that “U” shaped member


30


with movable upper and lower plates


32


and


34


provides further gripping action of wire


26


. For example, when center section


36


is inserted into opening


42


and then subsequently inserted into opening


44


lower plate


34


may flex relative to upper plate


32


at a slight angle. This slight flexure upon the insertion of center section


36


in opening


44


will provide additional retention of wire


26


in retainer clip


24


.




In the preferred embodiment strain relief assembly


20


is made of a single piece of stamped sheet metal which is subsequently formed at its lower end into hollow body portion


28


and bent at its upper end into the “U” shaped end portion


30


. Prior to formation, the stamped metal may have holes


42


and


44


with the respective slots


40


punched into the stamp plate. In this manner the strain relief cap assemblies


20


may be rapidly and consistently produced from a single strip of metal.




Further, end


46


of IDC contact


22


may be constructed in a known manner to be engaged with or disengaged from a pin


14


in a rapid manner when it is necessary to change contact points for the wires


28


relative to the pins


14


on block


12


. Retention means in the form of an annular indentation


48


on end


46


can be used for this purpose.




It can also be seen from

FIG. 3

, that in a preferred embodiment, the upper and lower plates


32


and


34


lie in an imaginary extension of cylindrical hollow body portion


28


. This location adds to a reduction in size of contact


22


as well as support for the “U” shaped member


30


during movement of body portion


28


over a pin


14


. Additionally, center portion


38


of wire


26


may move within body portion


28


reducing the possibility of making electrical contact with other contacts in a tight pin array in block


12


.



Claims
  • 1. An IDC strain relief cap assembly, with an electrical contact, to interconnect a wire, with an electrical conductor, said assembly comprising:a. a protective block having a plurality of spaced, cylindrically shaped pins; and b. a metal IDC contact having: (i) a first end having a hollow cylindrically shaped portion to engage one of said cylindrically shaped pins on said block to retain said IDC contact relative to said block, (ii) a second end defining a “U” shaped end having: (a) upper and lower plate shaped portions aligned axially relative to said hollow cylindrically shaped portion, (b) a hole in said upper plate shaped portion having a diameter less than said electrical conductor and a plurality of circumferentially spaced slots extending out from the center of said hole to form a star shaped pattern, and (c) a hole in said lower plate shaped portion having a diameter less than said electrical conductor and a plurality of circumferentially spaced slots extending out from the center of said hole to form a star shaped pattern, said holes in said upper and lower plate shaped portions being generally axially aligned.
  • 2. An assembly according to claim 1 further comprising a wire having an electrical conductor of a diameter that is greater than the diameter of said holes in said upper and lower plate shaped portions said electrical conductor projecting through said holes to deform the plate shaped material around said holes that lies in between adjacent slots to thereby retain said electrical conductor relative to said contact.
  • 3. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein said “U” shaped member lies substantially within an imaginary extension of said cylindrical hollow body portion.
  • 4. An assembly according to claim 3 wherein said holes in said upper and lower plates are generally axially aligned with the axis of said cylindrical hollow body portion.
  • 5. An assembly according to claim 3 wherein said “U” shaped member extends upwardly away from said cylindrical hollow body portion, then outwardly over said cylindrical hollow body portion defining one of said plate like portions and then back upon itself in a spaced relationship to said one plate like member to define the other of said plate like members.
  • 6. An assembly according to claim 5 wherein said one plate like portion is said upper portion and said other plate like portion is said lower portion.
  • 7. An IDC strain relief cap assembly, with an electrical contact, to interconnect a wire having an electrical conductor said assembly comprising:a. a first end; b. means to engage and make electrical contact between said first end and said electrical contact; c. a second end; and d. a “U” shaped member on said second end having contiguous spaced upper and lower plate shaped portions movable relative to each other by means of the “U” shaped connection, each of said plate shaped portions having a star shaped hole of a smaller diameter than the outside diameter of the electrical conductor of said wire, each of said star shaped holes being defined by a relative cylindrical portion having a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially extending slots.
  • 8. The assembly of claim 7, wherein said holes in said upper and said lower plate shaped portions are generally axially aligned to allow the electrical conductor of said wire to be inserted straight through the two star shaped holes.
  • 9. The assembly of claim 8, wherein said plurality of radially extending circumferentially spaced slots are of a significant number to allow for flexing of the material between adjacent slots of the respective upper and lower plate shaped portions during insertion of said electrical conductor of said wire within said holes.
  • 10. The assembly of claim 9 wherein each star shaped hole includes eight (8) radially extending slots that are circumferentially spaced in equal increments around each of said respective holes.
  • 11. The assembly of claim 7, wherein said first end, said means to engage, said second end and said “U” shaped member are a single piece of sheet metal.
  • 12. The assembly of claim 11, wherein said first end is a cylindrical hollow body portion.
  • 13. The assembly of claim 12 wherein said hole in said upper an lower plate shaped portions are generally axially aligned with the axis of said cylindrical hollow body portion.
  • 14. The assembly of claim 13 wherein said upper and said lower plates lie within an imaginary extension of said cylindrical hollow body portion.
US Referenced Citations (10)
Number Name Date Kind
3079577 Brownfield Feb 1963
3210719 Graeff Oct 1965
3528173 Gall Sep 1970
3670409 Reimer Jun 1972
5152702 Pilny Oct 1992
5275620 Darby et al. Jan 1994
5711596 Hoover et al. Jan 1998
6080008 Frantz Jun 2000
6113421 Daoud Sep 2000
6128181 Higami et al. Oct 2000