Claims
- 1. In a self-stripping terminal of the type wherein an electrical conductor simultaneously is stripped of its insulation and received in a slot defined between first and second opposed limbs of a forked member carried on a support structure, the conductor being supported in said terminal with its elongated central axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of said terminal, said limbs being substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis, the improvement comprising:
- a first cantilever supported resilient arm supporting, with its free end said first limb with respect to said second limb;
- said arm being substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis and substantially flexible in a plane parallel to said longitudinal axis;
- said slot having first and second slot walls defined on said first and second limbs respectively, said first and second slot walls being substantially parallel to each other and to said terminal longitudinal axis to restrain degradation of the conductor core when the conductor is received therebetween;
- said forked member further comprising first and second mouth walls defined on said first and second limbs respectively, said first and second mouth walls being disposed at an outwardly opening angle with respect to each other, extending from said slot, to form a tapered guide mouth for stripping and guiding conductors into said slot, said first and second mouth walls being substantially parallel to said terminal longitudinal axis to restrain degradation of the conductor core when the conductor is moved therebetween.
- 2. A self-stripping terminal according to claim 1, wherein said second limb is also carried by the free end of a resilient arm.
- 3. A self-stripping terminal according to claim 1, wherein one at least of said resilient arms is prestressed so that, in an initial condition, it applies a force causing one of the limbs to bear against the other.
- 4. A self-stripping terminal according to claim 2, wherein said structure is a U-shaped structure and said resilient arms are mounted on said portions thereof, said resilient arms being bent towards the interior of the profile of said U-shaped structure and being inclined with respect to said longitudinal axis of said terminal.
- 5. A self-stripping terminal according to claim 4, wherein said fork limbs are carried on said resilient arms with a rounded portion between each fork limb and its respective resilient arm.
- 6. A self-stripping terminal according to claim 4, wherein the base of said U-shaped structure, beneath each of said resilient arms, is cut away, each portion cut away extending longitudinally from the position of attachment of said arm to the corresponding side portion below said arm and transversely inwardly of said terminal, beyond the projection of inner face of said arm onto the plane of the base.
- 7. A self-stripping terminal according to claim 1, wherein said structure is U-shaped, said two limbs of said resilient fork being carried by the non-fixed ends of respective resilient arms which are fixed by attachment of their other ends to the sides of said U-shaped structure; and,
- the base of said U-shaped structure extending below the resilient arms and beyond the resilient fork, forming a semi-rigid second fork comprising two rigid limbs which are separated by a rigid slot provided in the end of said base, parallel to the slot in said resilient fork.
- 8. A self-stripping terminal according to claim 1, further comprising a further fork facing said fork, said further fork also comprising two limbs which are carried by the non-fixed ends of two resilient arms which are fixed by attachment of their other end to the sides of a second support structure, both said structures being connected by a common base.
- 9. A self-stripping terminal according to claim 6, further comprising
- a connection terminal having a second resilient fork defined between opposed fork limbs, having a second slot having a beveled mouth portion and
- each said limb having a groove to restrain the conductor from radial disengagement from said second fork;
- said grooves each being in the form of a cut-out portion in the respective limb, which cut-out portion opens into the slot and towards the base, and being such that the part of the slot which is closest to the base is wider than the part of the slot which is closest to said second mouth portion, said two parts each being defined between two flat walls which are parallel to each other and to the longitudinal axis of the terminal, and the walls of said two parts being connected, on each limb, by a flat wall which is perpendicular to the walls of said parts.
- 10. The terminal of claim 1 further comprising
- an insulating carrier of complementary shape, to said structure, anchoring said structure.
- 11. The terminal of claim 10 wherein said first resilient arm bears against the sides of the insulating carrier in which said structure is anchored, to reinforce said first resilient arm.
- 12. The terminal of claim 10 wherein a second portion of said first resilient arm is near said insulating carrier, whereby it will abut said carrier after being bent a predetermined amount.
- 13. A self stripping terminal comprising a generally U-shaped structure including a base and facing sides forming a conductor-receiving channel;
- said sides being extended at one end thereof to definie resilient gripping means allowing the insertion and retention of a complementary male terminal;
- said sides being extended along a rounded portion at their other end to form arms movable free of said base;
- said arms having free ends terminating in a first resilient fork;
- said fork including two limbs extending opposite each other and forming a slot therebetween substantially perpendicular to said base;
- said slot having parallel flat walls;
- said walls being outwardly inclined in the upper part thereof to form a mouth opening into said slot.
- 14. The terminal of claim 13, wherein said base extends beyond said arms and terminates in an upturned, semi-rigid fork;
- said fork comprising two rigid arms separated by a slot;
- said slot lying substantially parallel to said slot of said first fork.
- 15. The terminal of claim 13, further including a second generally U-shaped structure connected to said structure by said base;
- said second structure having rigid sides integral with said base;
- said sides being exended along a rounded section to form two arms resiliently movable of said base;
- said arms having free ends terminating in a second fork facing said first fork;
- said second fork including two limbs extending opposite each other and forming a slot perpendicular to said base;
- said slot having parallel flat walls;
- said walls being outwardly inclined in the upper part thereof to form a mouth opening into said slot;
- said slot lying substantially in the same plane as said slot in said first fork;
- said slots being spaced apart over said base.
- 16. The terminal of claim 15, wherein each of said limbs forming said second fork has a groove to restrain a conductor from radial disengagement from said second fork;
- said grooves each being in the form of a cut-out portion in the respective limb, which cut out opens into said slot and towards said base, and being such that the part of the slot closest to said base is wider than the part of the slot closest to the mouth of said second fork, said two parts being defined between two flat walls which are parallel to each other and to the longitudinal axis of the terminal, and the walls of said two parts being connected on each limb by a flat wall perpendicular to the walls of said parts.
Priority Claims (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
77 39420 |
Dec 1977 |
FRX |
|
79 13188 |
May 1979 |
FRX |
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BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE
This is a continuing application of copending application Ser. No. 972,374 filed Dec. 22, 1978 by the same inventors hereof, and incorporated herein by this reference.
US Referenced Citations (7)
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
972374 |
Dec 1978 |
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